《Reborn as a Noble's Son》 Chapter 1 - 1 The Legend of Prince Nie_1 1 Chapter 1 The Legend of Prince Nie_1 Trantor: 549690339 Jingcheng Under the dazzling neon lights, the prosperity of Jingcheng shines. The hosting of the Olympics has given this ancient city an astonishing charm. As the national political, cultural, and international exchange center, this city with a construction history of 3000 years and history as capital for 850 years, has be a sacred ce in the hearts of the people nationwide. The bar district in the east of Jingcheng, a ce that rivals the famous Beicheng bar district. At this moment, not far from the Beijing Old House Bar in a small bar nearby, under the dim streetmp, a middle-aged man is staggering down the street, casting a long shadow. It¡¯s the middle of summer, wearing cheap ten-buck street stall shorts, colorful like beach shorts, and the fabric is very average. You can¡¯t expect much from something that only costs ten yuan. He is wearing a vest on his upper body. It¡¯s white, and there¡¯s a flower printed on the left chest. The headline is quite intimidating, Huaxia Military Commission. Below is the word ¡®August 1¡¯. The middle-aged man is unkempt, stubbly. But his face hints at a handsome figure. When he was young, the man must have been an attractived. However, from how he is limping, the former heartthrob appears to be a cripple now. The alcohol in his hand is the cheapest Red Star Erguotou. Under the dim streetmp, the middle-aged man staggers onto the street, asionally stopping to gulp down a couple of mouthfuls. On the street, all of a sudden, an Aston Martin roars past, closely followed by a Ferrari F430. Both cars are convertibles. There are four or five men and women screaming and howling in the cars. Onlookers sigh at the sight of these children of wealthy families in the capital, maintaining their usual arrogance. ¡°At that moment, the two cars suddenly make a U-turn and directly drive against the traffic towards the middle-aged man. As if this is not an issue at all. The tes on the cars are equally intimidating, it¡¯s a Jingcheng Military District license te. No wonder these people dare to be so arrogant. The young man in the driver¡¯s seat of the Aston Martin gets out of the car, wearing a casual Versace T-shirt. Very short buzz cut. Two young girls are with him, one of them is in a strapless mini skirt. Underneath the thin strap, it¡¯s like a hollow, and the ck bra can be clearly seen. Her ears are full of piercings, hanging with no fewer than ten earrings; the other one is wearing a small tank top and a pair of jean shorts. Her figure is equally irresistible. What is even more unique is that she has a lip ring. Paired with this outfit, she looks quite wild. As soon as the man gets out of the car, the two women also follow, one on his left and one on his right, nonchntly clinging to his arms. ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t this our famous Prince Nie in Jingcheng? Why aren¡¯t you at Dynasty Hotel? Why aren¡¯t you at the State Guesthouse? On this kind of street, tsk tsk, drinking Red Star Erguotou that only costs three dors a bottle. Your taste is indeed extraordinary.¡± The young man¡¯s face shows not a shred of respect but instead a hint of mockery. He walks arrogantly towards the middle-aged man. At this moment, a fat man with a beautiful woman also gets out of the Ferrari. The fat man is from Jinzhou where the coal industry prevails. Coal bosses are rich. A few years ago, there was an anecdote. The coal bosses from Jinzhou, carrying sacks of cash, went to Beijing and Hucheng to buy houses. Instead of buying houses one at a time, they bought by blocks. The extent of their booming wealth is very much apparent. The fat man¡¯s surname is Yan, and his given name is Hua. He shares the same surname as Yan Laoxi, a well-known Local Emperor from Jinzhou. The fat man¡¯s family is a famous coal business in Jinzhou, owning several coal mines, and a coking nt. His family sent him to study in Jingcheng. The purpose wasn¡¯t to make him a specialist. Yan¡¯s father only had one goal, acknowledging the political power in Jingcheng, letting the fat man use their wealth to open roads and get to know the children of high officials and dignitaries. The fat man shouldered the responsibility well. Relying on therge amount of cash in hand, he also got to know a lot of people in the circle of princes, and Yan spent hundreds of millions of Yuan, finally getting results. This young man before him was an example, and he was truly of noble pedigree. ¡°Young Yang, this is the waste you¡¯re talking about? The illegitimate son of the Nie family. The one in Jingcheng who is known as the Comet?¡± The fat man often hangs out with the young man, naturally, he also heard some stories from within the circle, and among them, the most often mentioned is this Prince Nie. At this moment, the middle-aged man just staggers and sits on the flowerbed, not at all bothered by Yang Zhi¡¯s ridicule. As if they weren¡¯t talking about him at all. Hepletely ignores Yang Zhi like he¡¯s just thin air, shaking his head and seemingly immersed in the drunken numbness. Glug, he takes another gulp of Erguotou. This move infuriated Yang Zhi, and a sh of anger crossed his face. He kicked out promptly, solidly nting his foot on the chest of the middle-aged man, sending the older man sprawling on the ground. Looking at the middle-aged man now curled up in a ball of pain, Yang Zhi raged, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯re really fucking enjoying this, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Huage, what did this old guy do to offend Master Yang? How dare anyone disrespect Master Yang like this, isn¡¯t this asking for a p?¡± The beauty beside Yan the Fatty asked, quite curiously, walking on eggshells as the scene unfolded. Yang Zhi is usually polite and refined. He always sees himself as a nobleman. And being a nobleman means having the elegance and demeanor of a nobleman. Thus, despite being from a prominent family, he hardly causes trouble in Jingcheng, aside from his penchant for women. He has a rather good reputation. But today, he is raging uncontrobly against a drunkard. This sparked much curiosity in the mistress. Yan Hua looked at the middle-aged man, who was now copsed in the flowers but still firmly clutching his bottle of liquor. A shade of pity crossed his face as he murmured, ¡°Speaking of this man, you have to mention his family background. He¡­ he¡¯s from the Nie family. In the past, the Nie family was very famous in Jingcheng.¡± ¡°Famous? How so?¡± The beautiful woman, possessing an instinctive knack for pressing on with questions, continued discussing with the fat Yan. Yan, ncing at Yang Zhi, whispered, ¡°The Nie family¡­ a family of founding generals. That drunkard¡¯s grandfather was a well-known battle hardened general. This man, not being acknowledged by the Nie n patriarch, is a bastard. His old man didn¡¯t dare to bring him home. Then the man returned, naturally sought a wife ofparable status, and this matter was forgotten. But then, for some reason, this bastard surfaced, only to be crippled. Limping around as he walks. From the very beginning, the patriarch of the Nie family viewed this whole situation with immense dissatisfaction, considering it a disgrace to the Nie family. And this child became the symbol of this disgrace. However, given the Nie family¡¯s influence, they decided it wouldn¡¯t hurt to support an idle person.¡± After listening, the beauty pouted and expressed confusion: ¡°What does that have to do with him? He isn¡¯t the decision-maker here.¡± ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you are living quitefortably, aren¡¯t you? Still able to afford liquor. It must be thanks to my little aunt, huh? Tell me, you can¡¯t even walk properly, yet you still hang on. My little aunt got marriedst year because of you. Can you bear to see her dragging this burden? Why don¡¯t you just die.¡± Yang Zhi kicked the middle-aged man on the ground non-stop while cursing him. Upon hearing the words ¡®little aunt,¡¯ the middle-aged man¡¯s murky eyes clearly lit up for a moment, revealing a hint of pain, before instantly returning to a dazed and unawake look. Hey in the flowers, unmoving, regardless of how much Yang Zhi beat him or how the flowers and branches clung onto his body and face. Hey there as if he were dead. At this time, the fatty also stepped forward: ¡°Master Yang, stop hitting him. Look, he isn¡¯t reacting at all, he couldn¡¯t have died, could he?¡± Yang Zhi also paused at this moment, spat fiercely on the ground and retorted angrily, ¡°He won¡¯t die. Even if everyone else in the world were to die, he wouldn¡¯t.¡± With that, he looked at Nie Zhenbang, whoy there like a dead dog, and cursed: ¡°Nie Zhenbang, if you were a real man with a conscience, you wouldn¡¯t have caused my little aunt such misery. Someone like you is harmful to others just by living. Think about it. You should find a ce to end it yourself. I will arrange for the collection of your corpse.¡± Chapter 2 - 2 Difficult Choices_1 2 Chapter 2 Difficult Choices_1 Trantor: 549690339 Two race cars zoomed away. About ten minutester, Nie Zhenbang teetered to his feet. Upon closer inspection, it was clear that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s left foot was indeed a bit uncooperative, noticeably shorter than his right foot. The beating he had just received did not seem to have any effect on Nie Zhenbang. As a martial artist since he was a kid, coupled with the fact that he had been the subject of ridicule and insult by the rich and influential sons of Jingcheng for the past two decades, he was ustomed to such beatings. The title ¡°Crown Prince of the Nie family¡± was a mockery in his understanding. An illegitimate child of the Nie family who was not even epted by Elder Nie till his death, what right did he have to be called ¡®Crown Prince¡¯? Nie Zhenbang in turn had be the butt of jokes among other so-called? crown princes of Jingcheng. While Elder Nie was alive, they might have reasoned that ¡°you need to see the master before you hit the dog¡±. But after Elder Nie left this world, even the minor ns that were nothing in front of the Nie family could behave rudely in front of Nie Zhenbang. Ever since then, deriving pleasure from humiliating Nie Zhenbang had be a hobby for many disciples of the officials in Jingcheng. Riding the roller coaster of human rtions, Nie Zhenbang often wondered whether he might have had a happy family ¨C a wife and kids at his knees, if it weren¡¯t for the car ident that happened 24 years ago. Although without any power, he could live a carefree life. However, he hadn¡¯t experienced the power of the Nie family. All he got were painful memories. Still, given another chance, would he choose differently? Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t know. Yang Anna ¨C a name Nie Zhenbang was reluctant to remember. Yang Anna was Yang Zhi¡¯s aunt. Among the four siblings of the Yang family, namely Yang Anguo, Yang Anbang, Yang Anjun, and Yang Anna, Anna was the only girl. A cherished jewel of the family. Much loved by the elders of the Yang family. Yet, she had a soft spot for the crippled son of the Nie family. ¡°Brother Zhenbang, I am going to marry you when I grow up!¡± ¡°Zhenbang, I don¡¯t care. I want to be with you. Your leg became crippled because of me. I cannot abandon you. My grandpa once said, Yang family doesn¡¯t need to exchange my happiness for power, if Yang¡¯s three brothers can¡¯t support the Yang family, then that would be the Yang¡¯s fate.¡± ¡°Zhenbang, drink a little less. Don¡¯t you still want to ept me? I have said that what I love is you, not just out of gratitude.¡± Yang Anna¡¯s words echoed in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind. Yang Anna was the little girl Nie Zhenbang saved from the car ident, at that time, Nie Zhenbang was sixteen years old and Yang Anna was thirteen. Enough was enough, Nie Zhenbang stood upright. Although somewhat hunched due to years of alcohol abuse and the mastery of the Shape-Intent Fist long forgotten. Despite appearing somewhat off bnce due to his disability, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang stood firmly. The Nie family had their own pride. Death, perhaps it was a form of release. It could also be considered as a summary of his life. Nie Zhenbang clenched his fist and limped towards his dwelling. The next day, Nie Zhenbang was up early. This was the earliest he had risen in the past twenty years. He put on a set of salvatore ferragamo suit bought for him by Yang Anna. This was a top luxury men¡¯s clothing brand in the world. Its style seemed heavy, serious, and simplistic. However, worn on Nie Zhenbang, who was over 1.8 meters tall, it looked rather fitting. Despite having aplished nothing his entire life, after being around people with power for a long time, Nie Zhenbang now carried an air of authority. A vintage Nokia 5110 mobile phone was on the table. In a time filled with smartphones and 3G phones, such a monochrome disy phone was quite antique. It was a gift to him from Yang Anna. At that time, it was the first in Jingcheng ¨C a precious gift. He dialed a number. Due to his long-term alcoholism, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice was somewhat hoarse: ¡°Little sister? It¡¯s me.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s half sister, Nie Ziyu, was named after ¡®Zhuangzi ¡¤ Autumn Water¡¯. ¡°If you are not a fish, how can you know the joy of being a fish?¡± Elder Nie chose this name. The idea being he wished all the girls of the Nie family happy and free. Starting with Elder Nie¡¯s generation, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s father¡¯s generation had two sons and two daughters. For Nie Zhenbang¡¯s generation, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s cousin, Elder Nie¡¯s eldest son, Nie Guodong had two sons, while Nie Zhenbang¡¯s father, Nie Guowei, had only one daughter, Nie Ziyu. Elder Nie had themanding air of a soldier. The power of Nie family does not rely on women to maintain. ¡°What do you want? Money for drinking? I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m not a charity. I¡¯m not obligated to support a loser like you. It¡¯s because of you that the Nie family is in such a predicament.¡± Ziyu sounded annoyed. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t mind. Deep love is usually apanied by great resentment. In fact, Ziyu, and her mother, Ye Shuxian, had always taken good care of him. They had been kind and considerate. However, from initial hope to ultimate disappointment, Ziyu had hoped that she could awaken Nie Zhenbang¡¯s will to live by treating him in such a manner. Unfortunately, it did not seem to have any effect. With a wry smile, Nie Zhenbang felt he had failed in his duties as an elder brother. Elder Nie originally hoped that the Nie girls could be carefree, but reality made Ziyu marry a man she didn¡¯t want to marry. Everything was for the sake of the Nie family, to maintain the standing of the Nie family in Jingcheng. Nothing more. From this one can imagine, Ziyu¡¯s life wasn¡¯t happy. The man from the Chen family, her husband, had a bad reputation outside the family. Chapter 3 - 2 Difficult Choices_2 3 Chapter 2 Difficult Choices_2 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Ziyu, don¡¯t hang up in haste. I need a car. I want to visit Jingcheng University. After all, it¡¯s my alma mater. I studied there for four years, but I never got my diploma. It¡¯s one of my regrets. Ziyu, consider it thest favor I¡¯m asking from you,¡± Nie Zhenbang pleaded in a low voice. There is no greater sorrow than a dead heart. Back then, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grades were not particrly good, but graduation was not a problem. However, after the Nie family¡¯s downfall, Nie Zhenbang became the scapegoat. A target for everyone¡¯s scorn. He was only one month away from receiving his diploma when Nie Zhenbang¡¯s father, in anger upon hearing of Ye Shuxian¡¯s injury, forced him to drop out. Nie Zhenbang had already prepared for death, and everything else seemed less important. Whether it was pleading or begging, he just let it be. After a moment of silence, Nie Ziyu finally could not weaken his resolve: ¡°A car will pick you up in ten minutes.¡± After hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang called Yang Anna. As soon as the phone was answered, a pleasing female voice came from the other end: ¡°Zhenbang, why did you decide to call me today?¡± The joy in her tone gave Nie Zhenbang a headache. He hesitated before replying, ¡°Anna, stop it. I¡¯m a disabled nobody, an illegitimate child of a humble background. I don¡¯t deserve you. Is it all worth it to you?¡± Yang Anna, undeterred by his words, shouted over the phone, ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t say such things. I am worth it. I think it¡¯s worth it. In this life, I only recognize you. I, Yang Anna, will be yours in life and in death. Even if I have to wait until I¡¯m old and frail, I will wait for you.¡± Sighing, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t know what to say. He wasn¡¯t sure if Yang Anna¡¯s devotion was an act of gratitude or genuine affection. Nie Zhenbang had always avoided thinking about it too deeply. Whenever he saw Yang Anna, he felt a sense of guilt. A vibrant young woman, who should have a life and future of her own, shouldn¡¯t be wasted on someone like him. But she had persisted unwaveringly from young adulthood till now, for nearly twenty years. He was the fallen blossom repressed by an impersonal world, not because he was unfeeling, but because he dared not feel. Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°Anna, take good care of yourself. Find a good man and marry him in the future. I would be happy for you.¡± Ignoring Yang Anna¡¯s cries over the phone, Nie Zhenbang hung up and put his cell phone on the bedstand, a ce he considered very important. The car with the Ministry of Education¡¯s pass smoothly drove into Jingcheng University. Looking at Weihu Lake outside the window, Nie Zhenbang said to the driver, ¡°Please stop here. You can leave. I want to wander around by myself.¡± The driver nodded without a word. He was aware of the identity of the man in front of him. Even though he had fallen from grace, he was not to be trifled with by an ordinary driver. A faltering camel isrger than a horse. Walking along the small path by Weihu Lake was strenuous for Nie Zhenbang. Truth be told, this was not a good ce tomit suicide. The buildings of Jingcheng University were not skyscrapers, most of the teaching buildings were less than five stories high. This was because all buildings of Jingcheng University had to be shorter than Boya Tower, the symbol of the University. Jumping off a building would hardly result in death. As for jumping into theke, probably before he could even sink, the students around would have already jumped in to save him. This was a ce where there was no shortage of good samaritans. Boya Tower stood majestically between Weihu Lake. Nie Zhenbang, with faltering steps, walked toward it. The Tower, located atop a small hill southeast of Weihu Lake, was initially designed as a water tower, with a spiral staircase leading up to the top. Nowadays, the function of the water tower gradually disappeared, and Boya Tower became the symbol of Jingcheng University. Standing under the tower, Nie Zhenbang recalled the day when he first enrolled in the university twenty-four years ago. He was full of zest, pointing out countries, vigorously writing; he basically felt like an influential figure. But twenty-four yearster, he just became a crippled drunkard with a prominent status but far worse off than ordinary people. As he witnessed the vicissitudes of life, an eerie smile emerged on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. If he could do it all over again, would he still choose to save that woman? The woman who, for reasons unknown, was still holding on steadfastly even till this day. The door to the tower was tightly locked. How to get up was indeed a problem. But this didn¡¯t seem to stump Nie Zhenbang. He had been up there before and for that, had been dragged down by a guard and almost reported to the university. Although he was disabled, he still managed to slip up. Along the spiral staircase, with every step firm and steady, he reached the top floor. He could see the whole Jingcheng University in an eagle¡¯s eye view. Gazing afar, he fixated his view on Zhongnan Sea, the ce he had lived in for more than five years. After his grandfather¡¯s death, his family had moved out of there. ¡°Goodbye, world. Goodbye, Anna. If there is an afterlife, I won¡¯t live in a pathetic way again.¡± Nie Zhenbang muttered, as he bid hisst farewell to the world. ¡°Hey, who are you? How did you get up here? Get down immediately!¡± A security guard, who was about fifty years old, rushed up from below. Time had passed, and the young man from twenty-four years ago also became a middle-aged man. For decades he had been guarding the spiritual symbol of Jingcheng University with the same devotion. Nie Zhenbang had a measure of respect for the security guard. He then gave a small smile and said, ¡°Mr. Qin, do you remember twenty-four years ago? Right here, you caught a new freshman.¡± The security guard was taken aback. Being addressed as a teacher by students was something that happened twenty years ago. Nowadays, students would just call them security guards; if they were polite, they¡¯d call them ¡°master¡±. After a moment of recollection, the security guard remembered andughed, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s you. You¡¯ve reached this age and you¡¯re still behaving this way. You¡¯re setting a bad example for the younger students.¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled, looking into the distance: ¡°Mr. Qin, bad example or not, doesn¡¯t matter. So many years have passed. My youthful recklessness is long gone. We¡¯ve both stepped into middle age. Today, please allow me to indulge just once more.¡± At the top of the tower, there was only a low railing. Even though he was disabled, Nie Zhenbang, with the foundation of shape-intent fist still intact, had enough agility to climb over the railing. The moment the security guard was stunned, Nie Zhenbang had already leapt over,ughing loudly without looking back, and jumped down. At the moment of hitting the ground, Nie Zhenbang felt the world spin. Nie Zhenbang was unaware that his skull had shattered, and his blood stained the dragon-shaped jade pendant on his neck. Chapter 4 - 3: A Tragic Re-enactment?_1 4 Chapter 3: A Tragic Re-enactment?_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Am I dead? Am I dead?¡± Nie Zhenbang felt a bit dizzy, he clearly remembered jumping off the tower. Could it be that the advanced medical technology in modern society had managed to revive him? As Nie Zhenbang was deep in thought, a voice sounded from the side: ¡°This student, there¡¯s no need to pretend to faint to avoid punishment. I¡¯ve seen all kinds pretending to be pitiful, poor and fierce. But I haven¡¯t seen anyone like you who pretends to be pitiful. Well, let it be. You¡¯re a new university student. I¡¯ll let you off this time. You¡¯ve just enrolled and you¡¯ve got quite a lot of guts. Students these days are getting more and more courageous. If I catch you doing this again, you won¡¯t be so lucky.¡± Opening his eyes, Nie Zhenbang looked at the person in front of him in shock. This¡­ this is Teacher Qin? The security guard who watches over the Boya Tower? Why does he look so young? Just in his twenties. This was the scene after he had enrolled in school and sneakily climbed the Boya Tower. Teacher Qin insisted on taking him to the Student Affairs Office. But he faked a faint, which led Teacher Qin to take pity on him and let him go. Following that, he left the school only to meet Yang Anna in a car ident. To save Yang Anna, Nie Zhenbang was hit by a car and his left leg was crushed, rendering him disabled. Although he was fortunate enough to find his biological father, it marked the beginning of his tragic journey until he ended his life on Boya Tower 24 yearster. Is this a dream? But why does it feel so real? As Nie Zhenbang was thinking, Teacher Qin spoke up: ¡°Student, are you alright? Do you need to go to the school infirmary?¡± Nie Zhenbang quickly stood up and waved his hands: ¡°No, no. Teacher Qin, sorry to have troubled you. It¡¯s an old illness of mine and it will sort itself out. I won¡¯t disturb you any longer. I will take my leave first.¡± As he watched Nie Zhenbang leave, Teacher Qin muttered to himself: ¡°This kid, was he pretending? How does he know myst name? It¡¯s strange, am I that famous at school now?¡± Not far away, Nie Zhenbang stopped again. He walked to the edge of theke and looked at his own handsome face in the water, wearing a white long-sleeved shirt and blue trousers. His hair was styled with a fashionable side parting. Nie Zhenbang was stunned once again. Could it be that he was reborn? As he thought of this, Nie Zhenbang was filled with joy. Was it possible that heaven had taken pity on him, allowing him to start over and make up for the regrets of his past life? But as an illegitimate child, he was looked down upon by his siblings, uncles, aunts, even his father and stepmother. This was an obstacle that was hard to ovee. Would he be able to ovee it in this life? Twenty years of humiliation had steeled Nie Zhenbang¡¯s determination. Almost half an hourter, he finally came to his senses. Regardless of whether it was reincarnation or just a dream ¡ª whether he was dreaming of being a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming of being him ¡ª he was back in this era once again. At this time, the Nie family was still a formidable and prominent household in Jingcheng. If heaven did give him this opportunity, he would storm through all the hurdles unrelentingly, regardless of how difficult they seemed. Moreover, he had to repay the kindness of Nie Ziyu and Ye Shuxian, and seek revenge on those who had given him painful memories. Not doing so was not in his nature. As soon as he thought of this, Nie Zhenbang immediately stood up. If reincarnation was real, there would be a car ident at the school gate in an hour. A fast-moving van would hit a young girl returning from school, and he would be disabled in this ident. As soon as he returned to the dormitory, he was taken aback by his roommate. The young man in front of him, Li Zhenghong, who was about 1.7 meters tall and was from Chunan Province in the south, would be the executive deputy mayor of the South Sea City Special Zone in Yuedong Province in 20 years. But then was investigated for serious disciplinary vitions and sent to jail. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have much interaction with him, but he remembered him after seeing the news in the future. ¡°Zhenbang, where have you been? Everyone in the dorm is here, shall we have dinner together tonight?¡± Li Zhenghong asked with a smile. People from Chunan are studious, and every year in the college entrance examination, Chunan Province achieves the highest scores in the country. As the top scorer in liberal arts in Chunan Province, Li Zhenghong held a certain pride. When facing Nie Zhenbang, Li Zhenghong had an innate sense of superiority and spoke with arrogance. Observing Li Zhenghong¡¯s behavior, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but feel a certain contempt. However, he was far too acquainted with this attitude. In his previous life, he had encountered many such officials ingratiating themselves with the Nie family. But as the fortunes of the Nie family declined, they were lucky to not be trampled upon. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was puzzled. In his previous life, there was no such episode; he had returned to the dormitory early that day, not running into Li Zhenghong at all. Perhaps this time the urrence was due to a dy. ¡°No, Zhenghong, you guys go ahead, I have something to tend to. After today, I¡¯ll treat you guys. I¡¯m going ahead.¡± Nie Zhenbang was in no mood to stay around any longer. He was desperate to figure out if the bizarre incident was real or not and promptly ran away. At the same time, his heart was pounding with anticipation. If the uing incidents truly happened, the events in his eerie long dream would probably be real. And the incident just now gave Nie Zhenbang the impression that the future could be changed. It seemed as if everything was progressing in a positive direction. Practically sprinting, he dashed out of the school gate, anding to an abrupt halt, he surveyed the passersby on the street. Nie Zhenbang was stunned as past events clearly appeared in his mind. While watching the passersby, Nie Zhenbang anxiously waited for something. Now, he faced two choices. First, to find Yang Anna beforehand and take her away from the danger zone. However, he was hesitating, unsure if this was reality or just a dream ¨C this whole situation was too bizarre. The second choice was to stay put and wait for the event to happen. Despite the risk, it seemed like a cautious move. With adequate preparation, Nie Zhenbang was confident he could avoid the oues of his past life. About twenty minutester, a familiar figure emerged in his line of sight. A dainty little girl dressed up fancifully, with a red scarf around her neck. On her arm, three stripes symbolizing the logo of the Young Pioneers team leader. That was Yang Anna. The saying ¡°naughty in childhood, disciplined in adulthood¡± didn¡¯t fit Yang Anna. She had always been the center of attention since she was a child. Straight after that, only two meters away from where he was standing, an out-of-control van would rush from the left. To save or not? Nie Zhenbang was torn. If the incident urred, it would prove that his dream was real. Save! But he could end up injured and disabled again. Then, his aunt, Nie Guorong, would find his real father, Nie Guowei, for him and he would be taken back home by his illegitimate father. After an outburst from his grandfather, he would grudgingly be epted. Then, he would be the least favorite and least notable person in the Nie family. Did he really want to repeat his tragic life again? Not to save! Could he live with that on his conscience? Even though his parents, sisters, and all his rtives had abandoned him and distanced themselves, this seemingly delicate girl in front of him stood by him all along, supporting him and caring for him. If he didn¡¯t save her, she would either be disabled or die. Could he really bear that? At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was hesitant. Left ¨C hell, right ¨C heaven. This dilemma was tough. These thoughts shed by in an instant and so did the fifty-meter distance. At this moment, the screams of pedestrians could be heard as a white van came roaring down the road. That was the van that led to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tragic life. The destined event still happened. Chapter 5 - 4 Recognizing Ancestors and Returning to the Clan_1 5 Chapter 4 Recognizing Ancestors and Returning to the n_1 Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had made up his mind to save her, regardless of the future consequences. This was his principle. Even if it meant reliving a tragic ending, what did it matter? If he didn¡¯t save her this time, he would regret it for the rest of his life, living under the guilt of his conscience. Besides, he was naive in his previous life because he had never dealt with these political families and hadn¡¯t adapted to such an environment. However, equipped with an extra twenty-four years of experience and everything he had seen and learned, Nie Zhenbang held a newfound confidence. He believed his insights were no less than those who had been nurtured from childhood, even more mature. Nie Zhenbang also believed he would find his ce in the Nie family and possibly be its future helmsman. As for rescuing Yang Anna and not recognizing her, depending on his strength to build something, Nie Zhenbang had not considered it at all. His nature drove him to recover from failings, and he knew he could be a rich man with his capabilities. But Nie Zhenbang, who understood the importance of power, had stopped considering that path. He needed to pursue a political career backed by the Nie family to change Nie Ziyu¡¯s fate, his fate, and Ye Shuxian¡¯s fate. That was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s lifelong concern. The car was now less than twenty meters away from Yang Anna. Just like in his previous life, she was utterly stunned. As a middle school girl, she had no idea how to react to this sudden situation. Nie Zhenbang quickly acted. His determination to save her was even stronger than before, and his movements were faster. He grabbed Yang Anna¡¯s arm, pulled with all his strength, and yanked her into the air. Due to her momentum, Nie Zhenbang lost his bnce and fell to the ground. The minivan brushed past him. Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anna watched as the minivan crashed onto the pedestrian walkway and into arge tree a few meters away before finallying to a stop. Due to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pull, Yang Anna fell to the ground. Both her knees and wrists were scraped, oozing fresh blood. Nie Zhenbang was also in pain. His right ribcage pressed against the road¡¯s edge when he fell, causing severe pain. By the looks of it, he seemed to have sustained at least a bruise. Nie Zhenbang, looking at the minivan, burst intoughter. Things had changed. History had changed, and the tragedy had been averted. Seeing his intact legs, tears welled up in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes. ¡°Big Brother, why are you crying?¡± At this time, Yang Anna got up and looked anxious when she saw Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tears. Being from a prestigious family and having received an educated upbringing, Yang Anna was more mature than her peers. In such a situation, ordinary children would have been crying hysterically. But Yang Anna wasposed enough to inquire about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s condition. Nie Zhenbang struggled to sit up, but the pain in his right ribs forced him to lie back down. Looking at Yang Anna, a tender smile crossed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. ¡°Little sister, I¡¯m fine. You¡¯re also injured, maybe you should call your family.¡± This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s crucial step. In his past life, after his left leg was crushed, he fainted, and Yang Anna called her family, who took him to the People¡¯s Army General Hospital. This time, since he was alright, Yang Anna might not call them, so he reminded her because he wanted history to rey. Given the power of the Yang family, saving Yang family¡¯s precious daughter would at least get him checked in the hospital. By then, he could reunite with his aunt working there, and she¡¯d recognize his name and jade pendant. Actually, since Nie Zhenbang had decided to rescue her, he was determined to return to the Nie family who was unwilling to see him. He could hide from the Nie family all his life due to the situation after his rebirth. However, what he failed to do in his previous life, he had to do this time. He needed the Nie family to ept him and acknowledge his mother. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s goal in acknowledging kinship. At this moment, traffic police arrived. Yang Anna nodded her head, stood up, and walked towards the police, asking, ¡°Who is in charge here?¡± Upon seeing this, Nie Zhenbang burst intoughter again. In his previous life, Yang Anna was gentle towards him, but she had a formidable reputation in their circle. Despite her beauty, many young heirs were smitten, yet all were harshly rebuffed by Yang Anna. In thest life, Nie Zhenbang had been unconscious and oblivious to the subsequent events. But this time, seeing Yang Anna¡¯s demeanor, he couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter. The spectators were stunned by the extraordinary sight of a middle school student questioning the traffic police who was in charge like an adult. Jingcheng traffic police could notck discernment. Jingcheng was notorious for having many officials. If an enforcer identally offended someone important, their career would be over. Despite Yang Anna¡¯s rough and injured appearance, she didn¡¯t resemble an ordinary child. At this point, the lead traffic cop approached her and asked, ¡°Youngdy, you¡¯re injured. Do you want us to take you to the hospital?¡± Yang Anna looked indifferent and shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m fine, but the person who saved me is injured. Please call your Chief Liu Fukai and tell him that Yang Anna had a car ident.¡± The traffic cop was shocked to hear this. Liu Fukai was a member of the standingmittee of Jingcheng, Director of the Public Security Bureau, a vice-ministerial level cadres. There was only one Yang leader in Jingcheng¡¯s municipal government ¨C Yang Shengli, the executive vice mayor. Could this girl be Mayor Yang¡¯s daughter? Upon this realization, the traffic cop didn¡¯t dare to ck off. Perhaps this would be his opportunity. If he could satisfy this little noble, and she spoke kindly of him, his future would be set. ¡°Miss An Na, please hold on. I will report this immediately. Additionally, an ambnce is here. Perhaps your friend could receive some preliminary treatment in the ambnce?¡± The traffic policeman was adept at handling situations, aware that details could determine sess or failure. Opportunities like this did not alwayse by. He paid attention to all aspects. Even though Yang Anna appeared to be around twelve or thirteen years old, the policeman did not take her lightly at all. Within ten minutes, sirens were sounding on the street, and a fleet of vehicles arrived. The second car, indeed, belonged to the municipal government, giving the traffic policeman another reason to be delighted. Maintaining a standard posture as he ran, he delivers a standard salute and reports: ¡°Reporting, Captain Guo Yuchun of the Third Division, Dongcheng Branch, Jingcheng City Traffic Police Headquarters, ready to receive your orders.¡± As soon as he finishes speaking, Yang Shengli walks over. After shaking hands with Guo Yuchun, he anxiously asks: ¡°Captain Guo, how is Yang Anna? Is she injured?¡± Guo Yuchun nced at Liu Fukai standing nearby. This was not a time to curry favor with Mayor Yang at the expense of his immediate superior. After all, to a person like Yang Shengli, Guo Yuchun was trivial. Thus, Guo Yuchun¡¯s attention was focused on Liu Fukai. Seeing Liu Fukai nod, Guo Yuchun reported: ¡°Reporting, sir. Miss An Na sustained minor scrapes. She¡¯s fine. If it weren¡¯t for this young man here, I fear for Miss An Na ¡­¡± Upon seeing Yang Shengli approaching, Yang Anna¡¯s tough exterior crumbled. She ran towards him and threw herself into his arms, chokingly saying, ¡°Dad, please help this man. If it wasn¡¯t for him, I might not have made it.¡± At this moment, Yang Shengli tenderly reassured his daughter, stroking her hair: ¡°Nana, don¡¯t worry, I will definitely help him. Nana, you¡¯ve been injured too; let the nurse take care of you and make sure your wound doesn¡¯t get infected.¡± Yang Shengli then looked to Liu Fukai, ¡°Comrade Fukai, we¡¯ll go directly to the People¡¯s Army General Hospital. This young man saved Nana¡¯s life; it¡¯s only right we take responsibility for his injuries. As the best trauma hospital in Jingcheng, it would be good to have him checked out there as a token of my appreciation.¡± Nie Zhenbang, waiting outside the orthopedics department of the People¡¯s Army General Hospital had purposely unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt to reveal his dragon-shaped jade pendant. Though he would have to take off his shirt for the check-up, Nie Zhenbang deemed it unnecessary to go through all the hassle. Now that he had made up his mind to recognize his kin, Nie Zhenbang hoped for things to quickly fall into ce. Yang Shengli stepped out of the room, nked by a woman around fifty years of age. This woman was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s aunt, Nie Guoping, an orthopedics professor at the People¡¯s Army General Hospital, with the rank of Major General. ¡°Guoping, sorry for the bother. This boy saved Nana¡¯s life. Could you possibly help us out? You¡¯re the leading orthopedics expert at the People¡¯s Army General Hospital¡ªI¡¯ll only feel at ease with you around.¡± Yang Shengli spoke amiably to Nie Guoping. As the eldest daughter of the Nie family and an equal in status to Yang Shengli, he couldn¡¯t show any superiority in this situation. They had both grown up in high-ranking families, so their conversation was filled with a mutual respect and familiarity. ¡°Shengli, rest assured. Nana is a sweetheart, there¡¯s just no way I wouldn¡¯t do everything I could for the boy who saved her. You can have him enter now,¡±ughed Nie Guoping. Following this, Yang Shengli beckoned to Nie Zhenbang waiting at the door. Nie Zhenbang followed suit and entered. ¡°Young man, it takes courage to help others. What¡¯s your name, and where are you injured?¡± Just as they sat down, Nie Guoping began questioning. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face, Nie Guorong only faltered for a moment, and did not say anything else. In his past life, he was illegitimate, but his aunt and uncle were very kind to him. As his chief doctor, his aunt med herself for his disability and ended up dying in despair before the age of sixty. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang wanted desperately to call out ¡®Aunt¡¯, but suppressed the urge and attempted to act as normal, ¡°My name is Nie Zhenbang, I¡¯m sixteen years old.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Guoping froze momentarily, getting up in shock. Her eyes focused intently on Nie Zhenbang, finally settling on the jade pendant on his chest. Chapter 6 - 5 Old Man is Quite Unhappy_1 6 Chapter 5 Old Man is Quite Unhappy_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Young man, can you¡­ take off the jade pendant on your chest so I can have a look?¡± Nie Guoping seemed rather agitated at this moment, her outstretched hand trembling slightly. Nie Zhenbangughed softly, everything was going ording to his n, a feeling he had never experienced in his previous life. The feeling of holding his own destiny was just too wonderful. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had an unprecedented confidence. He was drunk with power and responsibility. His life, and the fate of the Nie family, would be under his control. ¡°Please have a look. This was left to me by my mother. Back then, she was a sent-down youth who ended up in a rural vige in Yanbei Jizhou. My mom said, this was given to her by my dad. After I was born, she passed it on to me.¡± Nie Zhenbang dropped another bombshell. At this point, Nie Guoping was in no hurry. She scrutinized Nie Zhenbang carefully and asked solemnly, ¡°Your name is Nie Zhenbang, right? Did your dad give you this name?¡± Nie Zhenbang shook his head. Whenever he thought about his past, he would remember his grandparents and mother. Naturally, a tinge of loss and sadness seeped into his aura. He replied in a low voice, ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen my dad since I can remember. As a child, people called me a bastard. Later, my mother and I returned to Tang City, back to my grandparents. After returning home, my mom got a job in Tang City. During the big earthquake, my grandparents and my mother died trying to protect me. I grew up substained by thepensation from my mother¡¯spany, until this year when I got into Jingcheng University.¡± Nie Guoping looked stern. This kid was sincere. He wouldn¡¯t know anything about her family. His attire and demeanor were simple, it seemed unlikely that he was being manipted by someone else. More importantly, the more Nie Guoping looked at Nie Zhenbang, the more he resembled her younger brother, Nie Guowei. Didn¡¯t Guowei go to Jizhou back then? Could it be¡­ that this was Guowei¡¯s illegitimate child? It was a daring guess. Howe Guowei never mentioned it? Could it be¡­ Nie Guoping suddenly thought it possible that Guowei himself might not even know about the child. ¡°We both have thest name Nie, so I¡¯ll call you Zhenbang. Come, good boy, sit here and let me check your injury.¡± Thinking of this, Nie Guoping¡¯s tone changed. After a careful examination of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s injuries, Nie Guoping felt relieved. It was just a simple bruise to the cartge tissue, nothing serious. Given thed¡¯s constitution, he probably would be fine with a week¡¯s rest. It was at that moment that Nie Guoping stood up, smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you sit here and don¡¯t go anywhere. I have something to attend to and will be right back.¡± As she walked out, Yang Shengli and Yang Anna greeted her. Yang Anna had a worried look on her face, asking, ¡°Aunt Guoping, how is big brother doing now?¡± Nie Guoping looked at Yang Shengli. At this moment, apart from Yang Shengli¡¯s secretary, there were no outsiders present. Thus, she wasn¡¯t worried about eavesdroppers. She said gravely to Yang Shengli, ¡°Shengli, the kid will be fine. He just needs a few days of rest in the hospital. You and Nana return first. Nana has been injured and must be in shock. Go home and rest.¡± Yang Shengli nodded, gratitude crossing his face, ¡°Sister Guoping, thank you for your help. Please bill all the medical expenses for the kid to my ount. I¡¯lle payter. I must leave you here to take care of things. There are still many matters to address back in the city. I¡¯ll leave first, ande to thank you when you¡¯re free.¡± Listening to this, Nie Guoping smiled at Yang Shengli. The old man from the Yang family, with his contributions to the founding of the nation, paled inparison to her own father, yet the Yang family was thriving. Apart from the capability of the old man from the Yang family, the ability of the second generation was also a key factor. Judging from the way Yang Shengli handled matters, the rise of the Yang family was inevitable. Nie Guoping had no mood to ponder about the affairs of the Yang family at this moment. Her priority was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s matter. If word got out about Nie Guowei¡¯s illegitimate child, Nie Guowei would not only have trouble on the home front but also be theughingstock in society, ruining his future. This was no joking matter. She returned to her office, locked the door, and immediately dialed the number of her younger brother, Nie Guowei. ¡°Hello, who is this?¡± Nie Guowei was currently the deputy director of the State nning Commission. Although only four years younger than Yang Shengli, their ranks differed greatly. One was vice-ministerial level, and the other was just deputy department level. The gap between Nie Guowei and Yang Shengli was not small, which was also why the elder Nie didn¡¯t favor him much. Nie Guowei, the youngest in the family, was spoiled by the olddy. ¡°Guowei, are you free to talk? I have something to ask you.¡± Nie Guoping said gravely. Nie Guowei was stunned at this, and then said, ¡°Sis, what is it? Go ahead; there¡¯s no one else present.¡± Nie Guoping breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this and asked, ¡°Guowei, I want you to tell me honestly, were you involved with a woman when you were sent down to the countryside?¡± These words immediately silenced Nie Guowei. The image of the girl from over a decade ago suddenly appeared before his eyes. Seeing that Nie Guowei remained silent, Nie Guoping knew that it was highly likely to be true. She said seriously, ¡°Guowei, I need you toe over here quickly. Be discreet; don¡¯t let your wife know. Come over right now.¡± Nie Guoping¡¯s words made Nie Guowei¡¯s heart race. Only he knew about the incident in Jizhou, but now that Nie Guoping was asking about it, it must have been exposed. Startled, Nie Guowei quickly stood up and said, ¡°Xiao Zhang, get the car ready. We¡¯re going to the Military General Hospital.¡± Nie Guoping immediately dialed her father¡¯s number. After a few rings, a voice sounded, ¡°Hello, who are you looking for?¡± Generally, when someone in a provincial or ministerial leadership position receives a call, they definitely won¡¯t identify themselves immediately. This is usually the opening line. The aim? Mainly to avoid unwanted calls or crossed lines. If they were to identify themselves right away, their phone number could leak out. ¡°Secretary Wu? Hello. This is Guoping. Does the old man have a moment now? I have an urgent matter to discuss with him.¡± Nie Guoping immediately began. Elder Nie, at present, has not yet retired. He serves a crucial role in the central government, assisting the head of state in maintaining the stability of the army. He is known as the lodestar of the military. He also holds a government deputy position and is a standing member of the Politburo, ranked fifth. A momentter, Elder Nie¡¯s hearty voice came over the phone, ¡°Guoping, what¡¯s the matter? Why are you in such a hurry?¡± Elder Nie was well aware of his eldest daughter¡¯s character. She would not dare disturb him at work unless it was a matter of great urgency. ¡°Dad, I have something to tell you, please don¡¯t get too excited. A young man came to me today. He looks a lot like Guowei. He says he¡¯s from Yanbei Province and his name is Nie Zhenbang. I¡¯m thinking, this child is likely the one Guowei left behind when he went to the countryside.¡± Nie Guoping promptly spoke. Upon hearing this, Elder Nie immediately stood, ¡°What? Guoping, are you telling the truth?¡± Nie Guoping firmly responded, ¡°Dad, is this something I could joke about? The young man¡¯s name is Nie Zhenbang. He¡¯s sixteen, from Yanbei Tang City, and only has a mother, no father. He also has the dragon pendant you gave to Guowei. When Guowei came back that year, he said he lost the pendant. I think it¡¯s not that simple. The boy is in my office right now. I¡¯ve already called for Guowei. We¡¯ll know when he arrives. It¡¯s a matter of great importance so I thought I should call you.¡± Elder Nie paused for a moment, then responded, ¡°Stay there, all of you. I¡¯lle over immediately.¡± Elder Nie was also worried. This was a critical time, as there¡¯s currently a broad debate within the higher-ups about the reform. As the solid core of the military, Elder Nie had to be cautious. In less than five minutes, a Red g car adorned with a Huaxia Military Commission license te and a windshield filled with various special credentials rushed out of the Military Commissionpound, heading straight for the Military General Hospital. The door to the examination room opened, Nie Guoping was standing at the doorway, Nie Guowei was the first to enter, followed by Elder Nie with a grim face. Seeing this scene, Nie Zhenbang understood what was going on. He stood up as well. He was of average height, had a robust body from long-termbor, sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and a handsome face. He looked about ny percent simr to Nie Guowei. Just moments ago, Elder Nie had questioned Nie Guowei, as expected, Nie Guowei admitted that not long after he was sent down to the countryside, he became intimate with a female educated youth from Tang City. However, Nie Guowei was brought back home by Elder Nie, unaware that he had left a child behind. The dragon pendant, which was personally seized on the Anti-Japanese battlefield by Elder Nie, was very familiar. It was personally given by Elder Nie to Nie Guowei. Seeing it now on this boy, who could mistake it? Despite what had transpired, Elder Nie couldn¡¯t bring himself to lose his temper and kick the boy out despite his fury. Old revolutionaries like him have their bottom lines and principles that could never be changed. Looking at Nie Guoping, Elder Nie whispered, ¡°Guoping, didn¡¯t your hospital coborate with some British institution to conduct a DNA test? Do it quietly. Test it first.¡± Nie Guoping nodded, walked over to Nie Zhenbang, who also figured out what was going on by then. In fact, in his past life, even though the facts were right in front of him, Elder Nie still insisted on conducting a paternity test to reluctantly ept the truth. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang deliberately asked, ¡°Auntie, who¡¯s this man? He looks so much like me. Could he be my father?¡± The question made Nie Guowei feel a little awkward. He embarrassingly smiled while Nie Guopingughed, ¡°Zhenbang, we aren¡¯t sure yet. How about we talk about this after a few days?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intention was very clear. He was deliberately trying to pierce the veil of uncertainty. After staying in the hospital for five days, the test results came out. Upon seeing them, Elder Nie angrily threw the results at Nie Guowei, ¡°Go exin this to your wife. If it were in the old days, I¡¯d break your legs.¡± Nie Guoping asked, ¡°Dad, what about the child?¡± Elder Nie coldly stared at Nie Zhenbang. He had no good impression of this illegitimate child from the start. He despised Zhenbang¡¯s mother for her recklessness. Waving his hand, he said, ¡°What to do? Take him home. What else?¡± Chapter 7 - 6 Change Starts from Details_1 7 Chapter 6 Change Starts from Details_1 Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s return did not receive publicity from the Nie family. It was not something to be celebrated. The youngest son of the Nie family, who had only spent a year in Yanbei rural region as an educated youth, had brought back a son ¨C one who sought him out on his own initiative. If it spread, the family¡¯s reputation would be damaged. However, even though the old patriarch was currently displeased, the child was, after all, already recognized as his own. The old patriarch questioned himself, acknowledging that he could not be excessively ruthless and do something such as silencing both of them since they were, at the end of the day, of Nie lineage. At this point, a small-scale family recognition ceremony was appropriate. The youngest son of the Nie family, who had spent less than a year in the rural area as an educated youth, not only lost the opportunity for much education, but unexpectedly had an illegitimate child. Importantly, this illegitimate child had found his way to Jingcheng city. This news immediately spread throughout the families of Jingcheng. Fragrant Hills This was the retirement rehabilitation area for national leaders. In one corner of the Fragrant Hills, a special area was demarcated. The various vis were distributed in harmony with the surrounding mountains and rivers. The central guard division of the Jingcheng City Military District was stationed on the outskirts. Outside one of the vis, under the shade of the trees, a chessboard was set up on a set of tree wood tables and chairs. Two old men were engaged in a game of chess. ¡°Haha, what a blessing in disguise, poor old Nie, he now has an additional grandson. Looking at the situation, he must be having a headache.¡± One of the elders sported white hair. He spoke gently and indifferently, exuding a refreshing aura. In his presence, even if the sky were to copse, he would maintain hisposure and detachment. The other elder ying chess had sleek short hair, with a one-inch long scar visible on his cheek, his face exuded a natural authority. Hearing the words of the white-haired elder, he alsoughed and said, ¡°Elder Dong, as the saying goes, virtue has its rewards. Old Nie, who spent his life as a politicalmissar, was famously kind-hearted in the base areas back in the day. But looking at it now, it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case. Old Nie, who had an education and good upbringing, has brought great disgrace upon himself this time. It seems the Nie family will not be at peace. Considering how much Old Ye adores his daughter, it won¡¯t be long before he causes a stir in the Nie Family.¡± The white-haired elder, also known as Elder Dong,ughed heartily and said to the scarred elder, ¡°You are said to be a crude person, but I see that you are the one ying smart. As the saying goes, children and grandchildren have their own fortune. But I suppose only you, the ¡®Bear Barbarian,¡¯ can look past this saying. Anyway, let¡¯s get involved as well. Let¡¯s go to the Ye family to discuss this matter. This situation can¡¯t be solely med on Guowei. He was young at that time, a period of impulsiveness. When this happened, the Ye family wasn¡¯t even involved, right? We cannot let the two youngsters fight. This could affect the national situation.¡± The Nie family lived in a courtyard outside the Zhongcheng District. This ce had originally been a Prince Mansion during thete Qing Dynasty. Later, Elder Nie bought this ce as his retirement home. However, Elder Nie usually didn¡¯t live here, he stayed in the Forbidden City. He only came here for private matters, while in normal days, it was upied by Nie Guowei and his brother. Nie Zhenbang looked around familiarly. History indeed repeated itself. Elder Nie had not chosen to hold the banquet in the Forbidden City, clearly showing his silent disapproval. Tolerating Nie Zhenbang and not forcing him out was already an act of great forbearance on Elder Nie¡¯s part. There weren¡¯t many guests. Apart from a few close rtives of the Nie family, there were only some of the old man¡¯s trusted subordinates. Even if he was an illegitimate child, he was still part of the Nie family. It was not about giving face, but at least being acknowledged. This was a matter of principle. The Ye family was absent. The patriarch of the Ye family leaned towards progressive attitudes, opposed to Elder Nie¡¯s radical stance. The saying ¡°people of different principles don¡¯t seek to n together¡± held true here. After a few quarrels in the Politburo meetings, the rtionship between the two families had cooled. This time, involving their own daughter, the Ye family had chosen to express their disapproval by ignoring the matter. When the appointed time arrived, under the leadership of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s paternal uncle, Nie Guodong, a small ceremony was held with the ancestral tablets of the Nie family. After Nie Zhenbang offered up the first stick of incense, the ceremony was considered done. Even though he was an illegitimate child, he was now officially a member of the Nie family. However, it was clear that the old patriarch was not satisfied. Originally, ording to Nie family¡¯s generational name ranking system, people of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s generation should have been given names starting with the word ¡®Jia.¡¯ Daughters of the Nie family can opt not to follow this system but for male descendants, it was mandatory. However, as if having forgotten, the old patriarch had not even bothered to mention it. As soon as the ceremony was over, the old patriarch stood up. His calm face revealed no changes in expression as he sternly said, ¡°There are still many things to do in the Military Commission. I will leave first.¡± Even though the old man needs to take responsibility for the militarymission¡¯s affairs, it doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s too busy to a point where he wouldn¡¯t have time for family gatherings. In other words, the old man was expressing his displeasure. It was the olddy who stood up at that moment, scolding the old man, ¡°Old man, what are you doing? Is the militarymission really that busy?¡± The olddy was extremely fond of her youngest son and now, through a phenomenon called love transfer, besides being slightly dissatisfied with the fact that Nie Guowei was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s illegitimate son and thinking that Nie Guowei was a bit too casual, the olddy still liked Nie Zhenbang. Genius and talent were things that were apparent at first nce. At that moment, seeing the old man about to leave, she also stood up to express her displeasure. ¡°Are you going or not? If not, I¡¯m leaving first.¡± The old man¡¯s feelings couldn¡¯t be easily changed by words. After speaking, he left without looking back. The olddy might have been worried about the old man¡¯s health, she looked helplessly at Nie Zhenbang, petted his head and said, ¡°Kid, remember to visit your grandmother¡¯s house. She has delicious treats for you.¡± Once the old man anddy left, only the Nie siblings were left at the moment. A middle-aged military officer who was sitting on the sofa stood up; he was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s second maternal uncle, Xiao Zhen-chang, currently themander of the Jingcheng City Military District. ¡°Big brother, big sister, Guowei. There are some matters at my home, Guorong and I will leave first.¡± Xiao Zhen-chang and Nie Guorong both stood up after speaking. Xio Zhen-chang was always smooth and savvy in his dealings. Under such circumstances, it was best to keep out of the Nie family issues. The eldest sister-inw, Nie Guoping, also stood up at the moment, looking at Nie Zhenbang with a hint of reluctance. Being the one to uncover this matter, she knew that Ye Shuxian had a big disagreement with her. However, with her personality, even if the situation were to ur again, Nie Guoping would still acknowledge it. Nie Guoping had the clearest understanding of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s experience. He was a poor child. Smiling, she said to him, ¡°Zhenbang, feel free to visit your eldest aunt¡¯s ce when you are free. I live in the residential area of the General Hospital.¡± With the departure of the Nie family¡¯s daughters and sons-inw, only the Nie brothers were left in the courtyard. This was where they were living at the moment. Nie Guodong had no ce to go. On the side, the younger generation of the Nie family, Nie Guodong¡¯s two sons, Nie Jialei and Nie Jiamin, were all looking at Nie Zhenbang, while Ye Shuxian¡¯s daughter, Nie Ziyu, was also curiously looking at her brother. ¡°Shuxian, look at the mess this has caused. Guowei was young back then. At that time, he was quite a notorious brat in the city. It was a badge of honor for the youngdies on the street to scold them. Since it has already happened, I think, you should stop ming Guowei. He was sent down to work in the countryside before you met him, it¡¯s forgivable. Besides, the child¡¯s mother has already passed away. You should consider having another son.¡± Huang Yuerong, the eldest sister-inw, started to persuade her, but her tone was somewhat strange, as if she was enjoying others¡¯ misfortune. With a stern face, Ye Shuxian appeared very upset. Even though this happened before her, she still felt that Nie Guowei had betrayed her. Looking back at the time when she met Nie Guowei, he was just like this. When she called him a hooligan, he asked her how she knew his nickname. When she scolded him as a jerk, he was not angry, but instead jokingly asked how she knew his nickname. She should¡¯ve known that such a man is born to be liked by women. However, it was her bad luck to have only given birth to Nie Ziyu. At that moment, it was Huang Yuerong who was speaking. Nie Guodong stood up and said in a deep voice, ¡°What are you saying? You¡¯re a woman, what do you know? Go to bed. I have something to discuss with Guowei.¡± Nie Zhenbang listened on the side, feeling suddenly rmed. In hisst life, it was under the same circumstances that Nie Guodong had a long conversation with Nie Guowei. He didn¡¯t know the details, in hisst life, Nie Zhenbang was naive and such a situation had frightened him. But after that conversation, his uncle¡¯s family looked down on him a lot. His step-mother did not treat him well, and because of it, his biological father¡¯s career was hampered and was abandoned by the old man. All of his anger was vented on him. In this life, Nie Zhenbang did not want this incident to repeat itself. The change had to start from such details. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang stood up under the surprised gaze of everyone, looking at his uncle Nie Guodong and said, ¡°Uncle, if it¡¯s about me, can I stay?¡± Chapter 8 - 7 Going to the grassroots_1 8 Chapter 7 Going to the grassroots_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Impudent, is this the ce for you to speak?¡± Nie Guowei immediately stood up, scolding loudly. It¡¯s outrageous, utterlycking in propriety. Nie Guowei red furiously at this so-called son. If not for the scientific evidence present, Nie Guowei would absolutely refuse to acknowledge this son. At this moment, no matter how Nie Guowei looked at him, he felt ufortable. This was indeed one untaught, in such a family, tradition must be maintained, when adults are speaking, where would the younger generation have a chance to interject? Nie Zhenbang sneered, he had known it would be like this. In his past life, he had desperately tried to please them. He improved his grades to the point where, in his final year of graduation, he had be the top student of the Chinese Department at Jingcheng University. However, reality proved that this had no effect, no matter how much he wanted to be a good boy. An illegitimate child will always be an illegitimate child. No one cared. Reality proved that such actions were futile. If so, what about facing confrontation? With his gaze fixed on Nie Guowei, Nie Zhenbang spoke solemnly, ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with my words. If the discussion involves national affairs, I won¡¯t participate. However, if it concerns me, as the party involved, I think, I have the right to be present here.¡± After these words, a hint of surprise shed across Nie Guodong¡¯s face. A child raised in amon family had no fear or dread in front of them, in front of such a prestigious family. This was very strange. This son was extraordinary. Given time, he might be Jialiang¡¯s biggestpetitor in the family.s Nie Jialei was quite interested in watching Nie Zhenbang. The twenty-year-old Nie Jialei had already graduated and started working in the State Council Office. With the support of his family, Nie Jialei¡¯s career was thriving. In less than two months, he had reached the deputy section level. His personal ability was alsomendable. It could be said that he was the third-generation heir that the family was focusing to cultivate. With his father in the military and his uncle in politics, his future was unlimited. ¡°Interesting, it looks like this half-brother is also no simple character.¡± Nie Jialei thought to himself. Nie Jiamin was shocked. When did such a remarkable person appear? In this capital of the fourth ring, even the famous Zhou Chen, Yang An Bang, and Zhang Xu were docile in front of their parents. This brother was impressive. Ye Shuxian was stunned for a second, her expressionplex. It seemed that this son was not a simpleton who had never seen the world, not an easy target to bully. Ye Shuxian immediately stood up, saying, ¡°You guys continue talking. I¡¯ll go and pour some tea for you.¡± Pouring tea was just an excuse. In such situations, women usually would stay out. This was an unwritten rule within their circle. Unmarried women in their families could say a few words, but once they married, they couldn¡¯t participate because no one knew whether, in crucial moments, their daughter-inw would side with her natal family. There had been incidents of inw families fighting against each other in Jingcheng. Before Nie Guowei could explode, Nie Guodong waved his hand, directed at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, sit down. This matter, in fact, does involve you.¡± Nie Zhenbang disregarded his father¡¯s anger, casually taking a seat. At this moment, Nie Guodong was carefully observing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s behavior. Seeing this, he then said, ¡°Zhenbang, your arrival is rather ill-timed. Do you know why?¡± Actually, this was just a polite statement from Nie Guodong as no one in the Nie family would have thought that Zhenbang could understand it. Not to mention he was raised outside, even Nie Jiamin, who grew up in therge family courtyard, probably couldn¡¯tprehend the concept of timing. However, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang casually said, ¡°Ill-timed? Isn¡¯t it just that my appearance has disrupted his career prospects? Uncle, I think, a lost horse may make a gift of a blessing. ¡°Ha, ignorant arrogance!¡± Nie Guowei scoffed disdainfully. Nie Guodong was somewhat surprised, he found his illegitimate nephew more and more elusive. Is this kid, who was raised amongmoners, a freak, or was he trained and deliberately imnted into the Nie family by an adversary? Of course, he dismissed thetter thought soon. If even Nie Guowei wasn¡¯t aware of it, it seemed unlikely any adversary would. He gestured to Nie Guowei to hold back and looked at Nie Zhenbang, saying, ¡°Oh? How so?¡± Meanwhile, Nie Jialei sneered on the side, ¡°Ignorant, what do you know. This is a crucial moment for my uncle. He has a great chance this time to take a step further and be the Head of the nning Department. Think about it, he¡¯s a Director-level official at the age of thirty-six, a rarity nationwide. If he fails to progress this time, he may have to wait for another four years. By then, his age advantagepared to others from different families will have faded away.¡± Nie Zhenbang was very clear about this matter. In his previous life, because of his existence, Nie Guowei was eventually unable to advance any further and was suppressed in the position of Deputy Director. Four yearster, he failed to make any progress. When the old man died, the Nie family declined drastically, and his siblings scattered, all taking care of their own families. Although Nie Guodong managed to narrowly protect his own line, Nie Guowei was the one who suffered, stuck in that position until his death. Nie Jialei¡¯s words, however, gave Nie Zhenbang an opportunity. Otherwise, if everyone was silent about this issue, and he was the only one who knew it, it would be too strange. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang took the opportunity to say, ¡°My eldest brother, that¡¯s exactly what I mean. At present, I¡¯m here. I think that those who wouldpete with my father for his position would certainly have strong support. Otherwise, my uncle and my father wouldn¡¯t be so anxious. Given that, I suggest we take a step back and withdraw from thispetition.¡± ¡°Withdraw from thepetition?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s how we dealt with such situations back in Tang City. Once, we were electing student cadres in my ss, both I and a ssmate ran for ss monitor. In the end, I approached the ssmate with two yuan as a bargaining chip, and I quit. I think if we withdraw, our opponent ought to give us some benefits, right?¡± Nie Zhenbang carefully thought out every word. Being overly mature would likely be counterproductive. Everyone began to contemte. Nie Guodong, though in the military, had sharp political instincts. He quickly identified the crux of the matter: do notpete, that is, give up the position and, in return, the opponent won¡¯t suppress Nie Guowei in this matter. Instead, they might offer certain benefits. After all, if they were to relentlessly pursue the issue, they would end up with a bad reputation among the families in Jingcheng, giving off a brutally aggressive image. In turn, they could be a public enemy amongst these families, even their allies would start to worry. What if they offended them one day, would they go as far as wiping them out? ¡°But what about your father¡¯s position?¡± Nie Guodong quickly asked. If they followed this approach, Nie Guowei would have to vacate his current position because his rank hadn¡¯t increased. Nie Zhenbang was quite pleased with his performance, from the beginning until now, everything was falling into ce. He steered everyone¡¯s thoughts down the path he wanted. Even though this performance wouldn¡¯t lead to significant changes, at least it wasn¡¯t like his previous life. Aplete change couldn¡¯t be achieved in one or two attempts. It was a long process, requiring time. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang yed dumb, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. But considering the size of our nation, if you look at ces like Eastern Fujian, Yuedong, Jiangbei, and South of the Yangtze River, along with countless impoverished areas, it could be an opportunity. Perhaps he could step up a rank and be a regionalmissioner or mayor of a prefecture-level city. Wouldn¡¯t that be the same level position?¡± Nie Guodong pondered for a moment, then took a meaningful look at Nie Zhenbang. He wondered if his nephew was genuinely naive or just pretending to be. In the Jingcheng ministries, the current situation was each position was sought after by many, some candidates didn¡¯t even wait for the vacancy to appear. Given Nie Guowei¡¯s current predicament, he was easily targeted by various families. It was impossible to maintain his position in Jingcheng and get a promotion. His only way out was to be assigned elsewhere. Shortly after, Nie Guodong got up, patted Nie Guowei¡¯s shoulder, and said, ¡°Guowei, you think about it yourself. Decide on a ce, and tomorrow, we¡¯ll go talk to the old man together. I should head home now.¡± Nie Jiamin¡¯s face showed admiration at that moment. He found his brother to be quite impressive. At this point, he wasn¡¯t as pragmatic as Nie Jialei. He didn¡¯t concern himself with family strife and such, he admired the disposition of the younger generation. As he passed by Nie Zhenbang, Nie Jiamin whispered to him, ¡°Kid, you¡¯re really something. How about it? We should find some time to spar together tomorrow.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled, watching Nie Guodong leave, and responded nonchntly, ¡°You? I¡¯m always ready for you!¡± Only Nie Guowei and his son Nie Zhenbang were left in the living room. Nie Ziyu had gone to bed. At this point, Ye Shuxian came out from the interior of the house. Withplex emotions, she looked at Nie Zhenbang and whispered, ¡°Guowei, I think you should consider Yuedong. My hometown is there, and my father still has some connections. If we go there, he could probably provide some assistance.¡± Nie Guowei nodded. This was indeed the best option. Time wouldn¡¯t wait for him, and he couldn¡¯t either. He looked at Nie Zhenbang, his mouth moved slightly, but he did not say anything, instead shook his head and walked away. Ye Shuxian watched Nie Zhenbang. As the saying goes, a wife shares the glory of her husband, a mother the honor of her son. If only he was her biological son, how great would that be. Unfortunately, he was only a illegitimate child, and she was just a stepmother. At this moment, Ye Shuxian felt conflicted. After a long silence, she calmly said, ¡°Your room is next to the study. It¡¯s gettingte, you should rest.¡± Chapter 9 - 8 Brother Nie San_1 9 Chapter 8 Brother Nie San_1 Trantor: 549690339 Although Ye Shuxian¡¯s words were quite cold, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care at all. A husband who she thought was honest had suddenly sprouted a son after more than a decade ¨C a son she didn¡¯t even give birth to. Such an event would be hard for any woman to ept. In his past life, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s room was arranged by Nie Guowei, not the bedroom next to the study, but the misceny room on the west side. Now, having a room next to the study demonstrated that his recent performance had gained Ye Shuxian¡¯s eptance. Although she still had objections, in time, this situation would naturally change gradually. In a sense, Ye Shuxian genuinely lived up to her name, choosing her husband¡¯s future over his personal affairs without making a big fuss. That was enough. After having a good sleep, Nie Zhenbang woke up the next morning to find a popr outfit of jeans and a sailor shirt outside his room, along with a pair of sneakers. At this moment, a hint of a smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. Just like in his past life, Ye Shuxian had fulfilled her responsibilities as a stepmother in these small details, despite her displeasure. After all, he was her husband¡¯s child. And besides, the child had lost his mother, so Ye Shuxian had done everything she could. The only pity was that in his past life, because of his disability, self-deprecation, and bitter resentment towards his father, Nie Zhenbang had in turn grown to resent Ye Shuxian, and their rtionship was not good. He quickly took a cold shower, changed into the new clothes, and called out to the room: ¡°Auntie, thank you. Jiamin invited me out to y. I won¡¯t be home for lunch.¡± Once Nie Zhenbang left, Ye Shuxian emerged from her room. Watching his receding figure, she sported aplex expression. Sighing, she proceeded to clean the room. Yu Ying School was a popr gathering spot for young rascals in Jingcheng. By the time Nie Zhenbang got there, the school year had just begun. From a distance, he saw Nie Jiamin standing with several others who were hanging around, looking him up and down with nting eyes. ¡°Jiamin, so this is your second uncle¡¯s illegitimate child? Quite a dashing appearance indeed! Why is it that illegitimate children always look better than those born properly? Could the thrill of an illicit affair genuinely promote the optimization of genes?¡± a bespectacled young man joked on the side. The bespectacled young man stood about 1.73 meters tall, extremely skinny with sharp eyes, and showed signs of bing rather unscrupulous as he grew up. Upon hearing this, Nie Jiamin was unhappy, ¡°Liu Kun, watch your mouth! Mind how you talk about illegitimate children, or I¡¯ll beat you up. Can¡¯t you talk properly? If not, shut up.¡± Liu Kun was the son of the West City District Secretary; his grandfather had been a revolutionary martyr. His familial background made him quite an important figure within their circle. Surprised by Nie Jiamin¡¯s outburst, Liu Kun relented, ¡°All right, all right. I can see that all you militarymittee guys are like this; Ye Yuejun, you, and Yang Anbang, you all have some nerve. Only you guys can say this sort of thing ¨C we can¡¯t. After all, we are in different sses.¡± At that moment, Nie Zhenbang also arrived in front of Nie Jiamin. Looking at the few people standing beside him ¨C Liu Kun, son of the West City District Secretary; Li Hua, son of Chief of Staff Li from Jingcheng City Military District; and the robust boy called Wen Li, of the influential Li family. All those who were close to Nie Jiamin in his previous life seemed to have gathered. ¡°Jiamin, what¡¯s up with you? Judging by your aura, you¡¯re up to something. Spill it, what¡¯s your n? I¡¯m in,¡± Nie Zhenbang said with an air of nonchnce. Having lived past forty-or-so in hisst life, he should have been fed up with hanging around these brats. However, if he wanted to make a name for himself in this life, he needed to establish a reputation among them. That¡¯s just reality. He had hoped to do other things, but without any connections or resources, a cold-blooded and unloved illegitimate child like him couldn¡¯t aplish anything. He needed to win these people over to move on to the next step. As soon as he opened his mouth, he spoke fluent Beijing dialect, seemed very familiar with the circle¡¯s lingo, and oozed the charisma of someone who had been a part of it for years. His demeanor shocked everyone there. Nie Jiamin was also somewhat surprised. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he said, ¡°Well done, Nie Zhenbang, you speak Jingcheng dialect quite fluently. It must be your mother who taught you. It seems like you¡¯ve nned this beforehand. Even without this matter, I bet you¡¯de find me anyway. Fine, we¡¯re rtives after all. You¡¯re quite a man, I won¡¯t me you for not giving you a chance. Today, if you win, you will officially join the circle. What do you say?¡± That¡¯s exactly what Nie Zhenbang was aiming for. These spoiled brats, although not very impressive, have a great sense of propriety. They don¡¯t rely on family connections and don¡¯t bully others with their power. This is the principle within the circle, it¡¯s unclear who set it. Perhaps it was the old third generation or even earlier. But no one has vited it. To vite it means you don¡¯t want to be in the circle ¨C from then on, you¡¯d be a target for everyone, with no one respecting you. In his previous life, he led a secluded life, focused on studying, and was not familiar with the people in this circle, which resulted in hisck of sufficient connections. In the end, he met a tragic end. In this life, Nie Zhenbang is determined topletely change this situation. Heh heh, just with you guys? All of youe at me,¡± Nie Zhenbang deliberately showed disdain. Only by doing so, could he utterly shock this group of people. As expected, upon hearing this, the others couldn¡¯t sit still, one after another, they stood up and came forward. ¡°Grandson, you¡¯re bragging now.¡± ¡°You little squirt, if I, Brother Kun, don¡¯t teach you a lesson today, you won¡¯t understand why flowers are red.¡± ¡°Kid, think it over. Don¡¯t say that we ganged up on youter.¡± Nie Zhenbang immediately assumed the starting stance of Shape-Intent Fist. He disdainfully said, ¡°Hmph, just with you few, all of youe at me. If I lose, consider it that my skills are not refined.¡± On the side, Li Wen0 alsoughed and said: ¡°Brother, you have guts. Win or lose, I, Li Wen0, recognize you as my brother.¡± While they were preparing to fight, two other groups were watching them at the side. On the fifth floor of the teaching building, more than a dozen people were gathered in the corridor. One person was holding a military telescope watching this scene. After a while, he put down the telescope and said, ¡°Well, that Nie Jiamin, that kid, is really unscrupulous. Bullying the few with the many. Nie Zhenbang, the third brother of the Nie family, is quite interesting.¡± On the other side, in a pavilion less than 200 meters away from Nie Jiamin and others, there were also more than a dozen people gathered, watching this scene with disdain. ¡°Nie Jiamin is too talkative. Isn¡¯t he just an illegitimate child? What can happen if he is beaten? Maybe his aunt will even thank him.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang get into position, Nie Jiamin¡¯s expression also became serious. This guy has really been trained. Immediately, Nie Jiamin stopped bbering and roared: ¡°Brothers, let¡¯s go together.¡± The others nearby immediately roared and rushed over. Liu Kun, the kid, casually pulled out a brick from the flower bed beside them and charged at Nie Zhenbang with a whistling sound. Speaking of fights, these young masters of Jingcheng have never been shy about them. Nie Jiamin and Li¡¯s special group are considered among the tougher ones in the circle. Even Yang Anbang and Zhou Chen had to give way to them. However, Nie Jiamin¡¯s group was sent flying one after another. Nie Zhenbang started the Shape-Intent Fist, with a straightforward routine. Facing a group of people without any martial arts foundation, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t give them any chances. Almost every move knocked one down. In just about two minutes, Nie Zhenbang had settled the situation. Looking at Liu Kun and others wailing on the ground, Nie Zhenbang crouched in front of Nie Jiamin, gently extended his hand, and smiled, ¡°Jiamin, what do you think? Is my third brother¡¯s skill up to par?¡± Chapter 10 - 9 Third Brother is Awesome_1 10 Chapter 9 Third Brother is Awesome_1 Trantor: 549690339 In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang may not have been involved in any social cliques, but he had witnessed a lot. Today¡¯s elite young generation,pared to the old three batches, has changed a lot. However, there is one constant principle¨C in certain matters, they still uphold their principles. Moreover, when ites to their social hierarchy, theypeted based on their own abilities and merit. Take Yang Anbang and Nie Jiamin for example, who were the leaders of their own small cliques, they acquired their position with their own efforts, not by leveraging their parents¡¯ social status and power. That kind of approach is currently disdainful to them. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approach just now was spot-on. He first used force to subdue everyone, creating a sense of intimidation. However, he measured his actions carefully, ensuring not to hurt them. He ultimately ended it all on a light-hearted note, expressing his friendly intentions. This smoothed the animosity between them. Originally, Nie Jiamin was impressed by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performancest night. Youngsters of their age naturally embrace rebellious tendencies. However, Nie Zhenbang was the first who could show such dominance in front of the elders. It was just the fact that Nie Jiamin was not pleased with this illegitimate son that had led to today¡¯s situation. At this point, Nie Zhenbang tactfully showcased his strength and simultaneously gave Nie Jiamin a graceful exit. Nie Jiamin alsoughed, stood up, and patted Nie Zhenbang on the shoulder, ¡°Goodd, you even dare to take advantage of your second brother. I was born in January 1970. You are definitely younger than me.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed as well, ¡°Second Brother, we¡¯re outside, so our family hierarchy doesn¡¯t matter. You are barely a month older than me. Outside, we rely on our own abilities. I have imed the title of the third brother.¡± Upon finishing his sentence, bothughed heartily. Nie Jiamin then embraced him, ¡°Alright, alright. The Third Brother it is. Brothers, let¡¯s go to the Capital Restaurant for a Western meal. Today, your second brother will be treating everyone to an authentic French feast.¡± Yang Anbang was observing the scene. Although he couldn¡¯t hear the conversation, he put down his binocrs, grinned and said, ¡°Interesting, this Third Brother Nie, I¡¯d like to meet him.¡± ¡°Anbang, is it worth it? To attach importance to such a brat who doesn¡¯t share our stature, aren¡¯t you overestimating him?¡± Wang Youchong, the son of the Wang family, said dismissively. Yang Anbang smiled slightly, assured him, ¡°Youchong, don¡¯t underestimate Nie. I¡¯m sure he isn¡¯t ordinary.¡± On the other side, Zhou Chen was watching Nie Zhenbang and the others leave, carrying a disdainful expression, he scoffed, ¡°Nie really disappoints me. He¡¯s just an illegitimate son, does he deserve this? So useless, messing around with an illegitimate child. He¡¯s disgracing the reputation of Jingcheng¡¯s elite young generation.¡± ¡­ Only in the afternoon did Nie Zhenbang return home. At this moment, only Ye Shuxian was at home. When she saw Nie Zhenbang walk in, she stopped what she was doing, stood up straight and looked at him. Nie Zhenbang approached Ye Shuxian and sincerely said, ¡°Auntie, may I speak with you?¡± These words made Ye Shuxian surprised. She had already braced herself for epting him. The saying ¡®stepmothers are hard to deal with¡¯ was pervasive, but previously, Ye Shuxian had never considered this. Although Ye Shuxian had epted this fact now, she was still adjusting to this new reality. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sudden request threw her off bnce, she nodded hurriedly, moved to the sofa and said, ¡°Uh¡­Zhenbang¡­what¡¯s the matter? Did the kids in the courtyard or, Jiamin bully you?¡± Nie Zhenbang gave a small smile, seeing that Ye Shuxian was managing to cope, which wasforting to him. At least it showed she had started to get used to the fact that she has him in her home, acknowledging him as her husband¡¯s son. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t expect Ye Shuxian to see him as her own son immediately, but signs of change were always good. What was troublesome was an indifferent attitude. Nie Zhenbang firmly believed that Ye Shuxian, who treated him well in his previous life, would do the same this time around as well. ¡°Auntie, I don¡¯t want to go to school anymore. I already understand everything that is being taught at the school,¡± said Nie Zhenbang, leaving Ye Shuxian shocked. Ye Shuxian¡¯s expression becameplex. Not going to school anymore? If the other families found out about this, what would they think of her? Would they use her, the stepmother, of orchestrating this? As Ye Shuxian was deep in thought, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Auntie, I didn¡¯t mean to quit school. I want to maintain my enrollment but study at home. I will only attend the school exams each year. It¡¯s a form of homeschooling, you could say.¡± Upon hearing that, Ye Shuxian paused for a moment. What did he mean? Was he considering himself a genius? Agreeing would be easy. With her status, she could just make a call to Jingcheng University and it would be fine. But would this affect the child negatively in the future? Ye Shuxian hesitated. On one hand, she wished that Nie Zhenbang never existed; she even hoped that he became a lowlife, a rogue gangster, unweed and driven out of the Nie family. Then she would no longer have to see him. Out of sight, out of mind. If she couldn¡¯t see him, she would forget the entire thing and the fact that her husband had an illegitimate child. However, on the other hand, Ye Shuxian hoped that Nie Zhenbang could be a core member of the Nie family, to stake his im. Because, Ye Shuxian did not have her own son. Regardless of whether the son was hers by birth, as long as he was a part of her family, Ye Shuxian could use this son to achieve status equal to Huang Yuerong¡¯s. In the end, her rationality overwhelmed her desires, and she asked sternly, ¡°Want to exin why you want to study by yourself? University is not like high school, it¡¯s yourst stop before social life. You need to take it seriously.¡± With that said, Nie Zhenbang also felt touched inside. Despite the fact his stepmother had some spleen against him and even now seemed reluctant to call his name, her behavior proved she still cared for him. If she agreed without hesitation, it would spare Nie Zhenbang a lot of trouble. At the moment, Nie Zhenbang had no choice but to venture, ¡°Auntie, I generally understand most of the knowledge they teach in school. You can rest assured. If I can¡¯t pass the exams every year, I will definitely return to school and study hard. This okay. Auntie, please help me. You have a kind heart, show somepassion and help me.¡± At this moment, Ye Shuxian remained unmoved. Her gaze fixed on Nie Zhenbang, with a smile on her face, retorting, ¡°You¡¯ve barely been in Jingcheng a few days, and you¡¯ve already picked up such a bad habit. Don¡¯t try and sweet talk me. And don¡¯t hang out with Jiamin and the other children.¡± In the end, Ye Shuxian did not ask Nie Zhenbang why he chose to do so in detail. Perhaps this was the genes from his birth mother showing up. However, this made Nie Zhenbang happy instead. If he was asked, he would not know what to say. ¡­ With Ye Shuxian¡¯s help, Nie Zhenbang apanied her to the school. The stature was set; there should be no problem from the school. They would even try their best to assist in securing his degree, let alone getting an approval for not attending school. Moreover, Ye Shuxian was clear that she would participate in the exams every year, and if she failed any, she would return to school. This wouldn¡¯t lower the standard of Jingcheng University. After a slight consideration, the principal agreed. ¡°You should go back early and not dy your studies. Don¡¯t spend too much time ying with Jiamin. You¡¯ve just arrived. There¡¯s much you don¡¯t know yet. The waters in this circle are deep. It¡¯s not as simple as it seems.¡± Ye Shuxian gave Nie Zhenbang a look and instructed before leaving on her own. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang jumped up in excitement. He was thoroughly liberated. In fact, the diploma was insignificant to him if he did not have ns for a future career in politics. With his 24 years of previous experience, every major event from hisst life was embedded in his mind. If he just wanted to make money, bing a millionaire, billionaire or even the world¡¯s richest man wouldn¡¯t be a problem. The purpose of the diploma was to provide groundwork for his career in governance. At the entrance of Yu Ying School just after school was let out, Nie Jiamin and others rushed out of the school upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, the group huddled around him. ¡°Third bro, this is a rare urrence. A talented student from Jingcheng University hase to see us illiterates.¡± This was Liu Kun speaking. Li Wen alsoughed and said, ¡°Third bro, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re here to hit on the girls. I¡¯m telling you, many girls at our school are sleeping dragons and crouching tigers, each potentially a bomb.¡± ¡°Third bro, shouldn¡¯t you be at Jingcheng University? Why did you run over here?¡± Nie Jiamin was also puzzled. At this moment, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Nothing much, I processed the self-study procedure, so I don¡¯t have to go to school anymore. I was doing nothing at home so thought of seeing you guys.¡± As soon as his words fell, Liu Kun¡¯s excited shout sounded, ¡°Third brother, you are my real older brother. Please be kind. Have pity on a poor child like me. I was just thinking about how to skip school. You are like a guiding light, a lighthouse in the vast sea, illuminating my path. Now, I know. As soon as I get home, I¡¯ll apply for self-study.¡± Suddenly, a voice from the side rose, ¡°Kun, seems like you¡¯re regressing by hanging out with Nie the Second kid. You¡¯re now acquaintances with an illegitimate child. You¡¯ve really lost face.¡± Chapter 11 - 10 Natural Born Rivals_1 11 Chapter 10 Natural Born Rivals_1 Trantor: 549690339 Following the sound, at this moment, three groups of people have already gathered at the school gate. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s group, Zhou Chen¡¯s group, and Yang Anbang, who unscrupulously lit a cigarette and leaned against the school gate wall, watching the drama unfold. Nie Zhenbang stared at Zhou Chen, staring at this third-generation leader of the Zhou family. This was an enemy destined by fate. In thest lifetime, with the departure of the old Nie patriarch, the Zhou family, being in the government, shed with the Nie family during the power struggle. The highest leader had to intervene, and only then did Zhou familyy down their arms. But since then, Zhou Chen set his sights on Nie Zhenbang. From then on, Nie Zhenbang became aughing stock in the Crown Prince circle of Jingcheng. A son of low birth is naturally a person to be ridiculed. It was unknown how Nie Zhenbang had offended him, but Zhou Chen seemed to take great pleasure in humiliating him. Then, Nie Guodong decisively set up his own faction, and Nie Guowei never recovered. Behind all this, Zhou Chen was the instigator. Hearing this, Nie Jiamin had already stood out: ¡°Zhou Chen, what kind of crap are you speaking? Are you asking for a beating?¡± Nie Zhenbang stared at Zhou Chen, a cold light shing in his eyes. He chuckled, ¡°Well, it¡¯s the Crown Prince of the Zhou family, rightful heir and seed of a fine pedigree. Should I address you as Big Brother Auspicious?¡± As Zhou Chen heard this, an arrogant smile crossed his face. Being a direct descendant of the third generation of the Zhou family, he was undeniably worthy of this title. But then, Nie Zhenbang changed his tone: ¡°Zhou Chen, when did your father¡¯s [¡®family jewel¡¯] get a leak like you? It¡¯s a wonder what God was thinking. Did some bored angel neglect to leave a bastard out in the cold and stuff you in a womb instead? What did I do to you? Bite you? Or shit on your head? Did your old man also get busy on the side? Where¡¯s your elder brother from themon folks?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were piercingly sharp and malicious. After enduring a miserable fate for twenty-four years, he learned many ssic insults from the twenty-first century. Now, he used them effortlessly, his performance was perfecting. At least Zhou Chen¡¯s face had turned the color of pig liver. On his side, Yang Anbang was dumbfounded, thinking it was genius. The insults were truly ssic. At this moment, Nie Jiamin looked at Nie Zhenbang with awe. His brother was really one of a kind, the Red Hare among horses. He dared to talk back to elders, studied on his own, yet still made a name for himself. Nie Jiamin had never felt such respect for anyone before. ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯re all talk. You¡¯re just a crude son ofmon folk with no home training.¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s face was livid, but he was raised in a powerful family. He knew how to maintain hisposure and his counterattack was equally malicious. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had no intention of having a good rtionship with Zhou Chen. From the moment they met, it was clear they could never be friends. The Nie family was part of the conservative faction, while the Zhou family was neutral. The Nie family had always followed the military path, whereas the Zhou family¡¯s connections were with the political authorities. Given their historical background, especially the Zhou family¡¯s betrayal which led to theplete defeat of the conservative faction, the Zhou family ended up victors. This alone made it impossible for Nie Zhenbang to befriend them. In thest lifetime, Nie Zhenbang was under their feet once. This time, it¡¯ll be their turn. Nie Zhenbang was naturally enemies with Zhou Chen. Now and always. ¡°Nie Zhenbang, cut the crap and pull your punches! This isn¡¯t my style. If you have guts, let¡¯s have a match. Don¡¯t say you¡¯re afraid. If you are, I¡¯ll lose all respect for you. Toying with you until your death will be a piece of cake for me.¡± Zhou Chen seemed very confident. ¡°You? Grandson, don¡¯t think too highly of yourself. Did you think this was some old folks¡¯ gathering? Even your old man wasn¡¯t so arrogant. Do you, Zhou Chen, think you¡¯re some divine beinging to earth? If I gave you a hundred times your courage, would you dare? Toy with me till my death? Show me what you got. Pick any ce, any time, any method. Nie Zhenbang was not raised a coward,¡± Nie Zhenbang retorted, looking at Zhou Chen with utter disdain. Nie Zhenbang knew very well that he had just arrived and barely managed to join the circle. In others¡¯ eyes, he had yet to gain the status necessary to stand on equal footing with them. For example, Yang Anbang, as well as Li Zhen from the government institution and Zhang Xu from the military institution. To get such an opportunity, he needed someone to make a stand against. Zhou Chen was the perfect choice. At this moment, the enraged Zhou Chen was like a male rooster in the mood for mating, full of aggression. Staring at Nie Zhenbang, Zhou Chen snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t pick a time. Let¡¯s do it today, at People¡¯s Park. Eight o¡¯clock tonight. Who doesn¡¯t show up is a coward. Whoever kneels down and apologizes is a loser. Do you dare?¡± ¡°Alright, eight tonight, let¡¯s see if you¡¯re brave enough to show up,¡± said Nie Zhenbang nonchntly. With Zhou Chen¡¯s departure, Yang Anbang stepped forward: ¡°Let me introduce myself, Yang Anbang frompound one.¡± Looking at Yang Anbang, a smile surfaced on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. This was the one he had been waiting for. In the previous life, this young man abandoned the path of politics and military for the unexpected choice ¨C business. It infuriated his father, butter the young man started his business on Nandao Ind, setting foot in various industries. Under his management, Shengtian Group became one of the top 500panies in the world twenty-four yearster. He was a born businessman. Nie Zhenbang is doing this now for two reasons. One is to gather some connections for his future official career, and the other is because of Yang Anbang. This person is a crucial part of his n. Yang Anbang also has another identity. He is Yang Anna¡¯s elder brother. ¡°Yanbei, Nie Zhenbang.¡± This is Nie Zhenbang¡¯s response. There was a sense of loneliness and confidence, but it would not be overlooked by others. In reality, everyone knew that the old master of the Nie family had never recognized Nie Zhenbang¡¯s existence. Bringing him back to the family was merely a helpless act. There had never been a ceremony acknowledging ancestors and returning to the n. Nie Zhenbang did not qualify to enter the family tree. That¡¯s just the way it is. If it were anyone else, they would probably go by ¡°Nie Zhenbang of Nie family¡±. But Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phrasing indicates his meaning. If the Nie family did not recognize him, then he did not acknowledge the Nie family either. It would not be until the day when the Nie family formally acknowledged him that he would recognize himself as a member of the Nie family. There was no slightest hint of contempt on Yang Anbang¡¯s face. After a formal handshake, he said, ¡°Zhenbang, this Zhou Chen is notoriously sneaky. Be careful tonight.¡± Nie Zhenbang let out a heartyugh. As a reborn individual, he knew Zhou Chen¡¯s character all too well. But if he dared to go, he would not fear Zhou Chen. However, he appreciated Yang Anbang¡¯s concern and responded solemnly, ¡°Second brother, thanks. After today, I¡¯ll invite you for a drink.¡± Eight o¡¯clock in the evening. People¡¯s Park was already mostly deserted. In a forest deep in the garden, the scattered rays of dimmplight from garden lights reflected off tree branches and onto the ground. By Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side were Nie Jiamin, Liu Kun, Li Hua, Li Wen0 Ge, plus a few offspring from the militarymissionpound. On the opposite side, Zhou Chen was there with his gang, alongside arge man over 1.8 meters tall. Seeing Nie Zhenbang arrive, a sh of ruthless aggressiveness passed by Zhou Chen¡¯s face. In a grave voice, he said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯re not afraid of dying. Today, my brother here will fight you one on one. If you win, we¡¯ll let bygones be bygones and not interfere with each other again. If you lose, you will kneel and kowtow to me three times.¡± The moment his voice fell, Nie Jiamin shouted, ¡°Zhou Chen, you bastard. How crafty you are. By your rules, you are in advantage whatever the oue. Let¡¯s change it then. If you lose, you¡¯ll kowtow three times to our third brother, if you win, we¡¯ll not interfere with each other again. Agree?¡± His words left Zhou Chen speechless. He truly didn¡¯t know how to respond. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand and said: ¡°Jiamin, no need for any more words. Words once said are like water sshed. Since he set the rules, alright, let¡¯s follow them. Zhou Chen, have your friend make his move.¡± After finishing, Nie Zhenbang took up the starting position of the Shape-Intent Fist. ¡°Young Master Zhou, this man is a martial artist, and it looks like he has deep fundamentals. This is the famous Li family Shape-Intent Fist from Yanbei. I practice boxing. I¡¯m afraid¡­ I¡¯m afraid I cannot win.¡± Preliminary fright. The bulky man¡¯s words made Zhou Chen¡¯s face darken. ¡°Wang Bo, just fight freely, I¡¯ll take responsibility if anything happens. Just don¡¯t lose. You know the consequences if you lose.¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s words carried a hint of warning. The strong man clenched his teeth and charged at Nie Zhenbang. Chapter 12 - 11 Nie Zhenbang’s Actions_1 12 Chapter 11 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Actions_1 Trantor: 549690339 The burly man¡¯s boxing was characterized by its speed and strength, devoid of any set boxing techniques; it was straightforward, reminiscent somewhat of the Shape-Intent Fist. The Shape-Intent Fist, known for its direct and rapid attacks, was counted among the three greatest styles of internal martial arts alongside Bagua and Tai Chi. However, Shape-Intent Fist excelled particrly in close-quartersbat. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang sidestepped, avoiding the punch of his opponent. He formed ws with his hands, employing the tiger form from the Shape-Intent Fist. With a ripping sound, the burly man¡¯s clothing was torn apart. Following this, Nie Zhenbang transformed into a crane form and struck the burly man¡¯s back, sending him flying a few meters forwards. The gap between the two fighters was indeed substantial. While Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Shape-Intent Fist hadn¡¯t reached the level of internal power, it was more than enough to deal with three to five burly men. The battle was swift; in less than ten minutes, the burly man was knocked down. Zhou Chen had lost. Ignoring the fallen burly man, Zhou Chen coldly huffed, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯re ruthless today. Remember this, my score with you isn¡¯t settled. You¡¯d better not fall into my hands in the future.¡± At that moment, Nie Zhenbang approached the burly man, extending his hand, ¡°Brother, your kung fu is not bad. It¡¯s a shame you chose the wrong side. If you¡¯re interested, how about hanging out with us in the future?¡± The burly man¡¯s character was admirable. His moves during the duel were clean, which was why Nie Zhenbang made the offer. If he could get this man to hang out with Nie Jiamin and the others, they¡¯d likely make a good gang. Upon returning home, Nie Jiamin immediately became well-behaved, tiptoeing toward the courtyard. He gestured a respectful bow to Nie Zhenbang before sneaking into the house. Nie Zhenbang strolled into the house without concern. The old man was absent. Since confirming his direction in life, Nie Guowei had begun to move around. Elder Nie¡¯s opinion held great weight. Yuedong Province was the front line for reformists, their stronghold. His son going there as a local government official was like breaching the defense of the conservatives from within, wasn¡¯t it? Without Elder Nie initiating the conversation, Nie Guowei had to operate on his own. These days, he was out early and backte, hardly seen around. At this moment, Ye Shuxian was helping Nie Ziyu with her homework in the living room. Nie Zhenbang came in to join them. In his previous life, Nie Ziyu had been good to him. Had it not been for the discord between him and Ye Shuxian, Nie Ziyu wouldn¡¯t have ignored him. The car he used for suicide was even arranged by Nie Ziyu. For this, Nie Zhenbang was grateful. Withoutmitting suicide, he might never have had this chance to start over. ¡°Ziyu, doing homework? Can you solve all the problems? Do you want your big brother to help you?¡± Nie Zhenbang removed his shoes and joined her with a smile. Nie Ziyu, at this moment, was still a twelve-year-old child, studying in middle school with Yang Anna. The little girl was cute and loved by everyone. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, the little girl looked at her mom, and after seeing that she didn¡¯t object, she happily said, ¡°Big brother, don¡¯t underestimate me, I can solve these problems. Is it true you saved Anna? Anna said she wants to marry you; wouldn¡¯t that make her my sister-inw? I don¡¯t want that. Big brother, promise me you won¡¯t marry Anna.¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. Were children so precocious these days? However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t take these words as a joke because in his previous life, when the Yang family came to thank him for saving Anna, Anna said the exact same thing in front of the grownups. ¡°Ziyu, Anna was just joking. You guys are still young. The most important thing is your studies now. With good knowledge, you can contribute to modernization when you grow up.¡± Nie Zhenbang realized he had a natural talent for connecting with children. Nie Ziyu nodded her head happily and said, ¡°Big brother, I am so happy. Now I also have a big brother. Before, I was envious of Anna for having so many brothers. She had one more than me, but now we¡¯re even.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang noticed that Ye Shuxian¡¯s face had turned somewhat unnatural. Before Ye Shuxian could scold Nie Ziyu, he quickly stood up and said, ¡°Auntie, you carry on. I am going to my room.¡± As soon as he entered the room, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face instantly resumed a calm andposed demeanor. It was already October. In another two months, Comrade Zhaohua would resign. This marked the leader¡¯s initial victory amidst the strife between reform and conservatism. At this time, the leader had repeatedly emphasized opposition to bourgeois liberalization at meetings. Nie should seize this opportunity to do something. Otherwise, after Comrade Zhaohua¡¯s retirement, without Zhaohua¡¯s support, the old man would relinquish his position as the fifth leader. The decline of the Nie family would begin from this point. Although he was insignificant and had no right to speak within the Nie family, Nie Zhenbang had found someone who could speak on his behalf. Immediately thereafter, Nie Zhenbang spread out his resource papers, picked up a pen, and rapidly wrote the title ¡°On the drawbacks of Soviet Union¡¯s reforms¡±. At this time, the Soviet Union and the domestic economic reforms began almost simultaneously. Unlike the cautious reforms at home, the Soviet Union was making strides, approaching full Westernization, which consequently led to the instability of its reforms. Based on memories from his previous life, Nie Zhenbangpared policies from the Soviet Union¡¯s economic reforms and those domestically. He highlighted some simrities and differences. Also, he analyzed the current domestic tendency of associating reforms with liberalization, and pointed out some issues that needed to be recognized in the domestic reform and opening up. At present, the domestic interest in such radical reforms was great and the leader highly prioritized it. Ultimately, Nie Zhenbang boldly predicted that the Soviet Union would copse within three to five years. This paper, once published, would undoubtedly cause a sensation. The Nie family¡¯s courtyard was a five-section quadrangle dwelling, with the main hall as the home of the old man. However, the old man usually stayed in the Forbidden City. Nie Guowei¡¯s and Nie Guodong¡¯s households were located in the rear. In fact, the bedroom Nie Zhenbang was currently staying in was only separated by a wall from Nie Jiamin¡¯s bedroom. Nie Zhenbang rhythmically knocked on the wall a few times and soon heard a reply from the other side. Nie Jiamin was quite experienced in these matters. As Nie Zhenbang stepped out, he saw Nie Jiamin also sneak out of his room. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Nie Jiamin asked, ¡°Third brother, what¡¯s the matter? Why does it feels like we are doing underground work?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face was very serious as he looked at Nie Jaiamin, ¡°Jiamin, our eldest brother works in the State Council Office, right? Normally, does he have a habit of bringing his work home?¡± Nie Jiamin nodded in surprise. He rarely had contact with the eldest or third brothers, but how did thetter know about the eldest brother¡¯s habits? Before he could talk, Nie Zhenbang handed over thepleted work to Nie Jiamin, ¡°Second brother, this document, find a way to hide it in his files without the eldest brother knowing. Remember, you must slip it in. This is rted to the future of our Nie family. Rest assured, I will definitely not harm the Nie family.¡± Nie Jaimin hesitated, ¡°Third brother, it¡¯s not something illegal, is it? It won¡¯t get the eldest brother and the Nie family in trouble, will it?¡± Despite Nie Jiamin¡¯s easygoing attitude, every child from a noble family is not a fool when ites to matters of great importance. They are all very cautious. Nie Zhenbang was sincerely resolute at this moment, ¡°Second brother, look at me. I might harm people, that¡¯s true. But remember, I am also a member of the Nie family and my blood is the same as yours. If I harm anyone, it definitely won¡¯t be the Nie family. I can assure you with my life. You go now, I¡¯ll wait here for your news.¡± Nie Jiamin was silent for a moment, then nodded. After less than half an hour, he came out again and gave Nie Zhenbang an OK sign. Then he disappeared. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also rxed, as if he had just fought a battle. The oue would gradually change from this point onwards. His efforts had finally paid off. He chose the eldest brother because Nie Guoliang was the secretary of the State Council Office. The documents Nie Guoliang sorted everyday would eventually end up in Vice Premier Huang¡¯s hands. Vice Premier Huang was Nie Guoliang¡¯s grandfather but sadly, he was also a reformist. For the Nie family, it was ironic that the old man¡¯s two sons-inw were confirmed reformists while he himself was a conservative. This had resulted in littlemunication between the two families. The old man remained the same as always, persisting in his own ways regardless. When Vice Premier Huang saw this paper signed by Nie Guodong, he would undoubtedly report it to the leader. With the leader¡¯s wisdom, he would not miss this opportunity to publish Nie Guodong¡¯s paper in ¡°rm¡±. By then, the old man of the Nie family would be unable to clear his name, even if he jumped into the Yellow River. Nie Zhenbang intended to use this method to gradually create friction between the Nie family and the conservatives. Eventually, he would make the conservatives oust the Nie family into the embrace of the reformists, step by step. Chapter 13 - 12 Crown Prince of the Nie Family_1 13 Chapter 12 Crown Prince of the Nie Family_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Director Gu, this is a document to be submitted to the leader. Please take a look.¡± As soon as Nie Jialei was at work at the State Council Office, he handed over the materials that he hadpiled the previous night. Although Nie Jialei was mainly responsible for assisting Deputy Prime Minister Huang, who was also his grandfather, Nie Jialei always performed his duties strictly ording to his role. Nie Jialei was a capable person, whether in writing articles or speeches. He had a very urate grasp of current politics. Given Nie Jialei¡¯s status, Director Gu did not put on any airs as a superior. Smiling, he said, ¡°Jialei, why the formalities? I trust your work.¡± ¡­ Soon, the document was ced on Deputy Prime Minister Huang¡¯s desk. After looking at several files, this particr article caught Deputy Prime Minister Huang¡¯s eye. Seeing the title, he instantly stood up. Was his grandson Nie Jialei capable of writing such an article? Or was someone intentionally doing this? Deputy Prime Minister Huang was quite surprised. After carefully reading the notes, he also saw some clues. Although Nie Zhen was trying his best to imitate Nie Jialei¡¯s notes, in his previous life, Nie Zhen had limited interactions with Nie Jialei. Despite knowing the notes and attempting to imitate them, there were still some differences in the imitation. If it was another leader, they might have thought that Nie Jialei had written this. But Deputy Prime Minister Huang was more than just a person in a high position; he was Nie Jialei¡¯s grandfather. Or perhaps, one could say, these were characters that he had personally taught Nie Jialei. Who was trying to harm his grandson? Deputy Prime Minister Huang also began to ponder, his eyes filled with anger. No matter who it was, as long as he could find out, he would not let them get away easily. After patiently reading through the entire article, Deputy Prime Minister Huang¡¯s expression was extremely solemn. Looking at the article on the table, he didn¡¯t know how to categorize it. Was it shocking? Sensational? Or even ill-intentioned, designed to disrupt the current good situation of domestic reform and opening up? Or perhaps, it was really an rm bell. With this thought, Deputy Prime Minister Huang stood up: ¡°Guo, prepare the car. I need to pay a visit to Mei Xiang Park.¡± Mei Xiang Park was the residence of the head of state. As the helmsman of domestic reform and opening up, even though the head of state did not hold the highest position within the party, he was indeed the highmand of the militarymission. ¡°What¡¯s the rush, Jiansheng? This isn¡¯t like your usual style.¡± Seeing Deputy Prime Minister Huang rushing over hastily, the head of stateughed and said. ¡°Leader, today I received an article submitted through my grandson Nie Jialei. Please take a look.¡± Deputy Prime Minister Huang was clever at this moment. He did not specify who wrote it, but he did point out the source of the article. By doing so, he left some room for maneuver for both himself and Nie Jialei. After reading the article, the solemnity on the head of state¡¯s face grew. After a long while, the head of state said very seriously, ¡°Jiansheng, a wise man has written this. Your grandson, I¡¯m afraid, has not yet reached that level. He needs to be further enlightened about domestic politics, let alone understanding international political environment.¡± That one sentence unraveled the truth, showing the wisdom of the head of state. It gave Deputy Prime Minister Huang a sigh of relief. No matter what, at least there was not any significant issue with Nie Jialei. However, at this point, the head of state smiled and said, ¡°Jiansheng, what I mean is, it¡¯s enough for just you and me to know about this matter. This article, you pass it on to ¡®rm¡¯ to publish, as per my instruction. It must be published verbatim. Well, as for the authorship, just use Nie Jialei¡¯s name.¡± With the head of state¡¯s final decision, the new issue of ¡°rm¡±, at a prominent ce on the front page, disyed the title of the article. The preface specifically included ament from the head of state about this particr article, and the entire article was published starting from the second page. For a time, the whole country was in an uproar. The Soviet Union, thergest superpower in the world and the only socialist power that could go toe-to-toe with the United States, was reportedly facing the risk of disintegration due to reforms. The bold prediction of the author immediately triggered all theorists and professors nationwide to take action. The neutralists and conservatives also began to stir. They instructed their associates to praise the article in the newspaper, saying that reform should not happen and that the Soviet Union was the role model for Huaxia. At this moment, Elder Nie was furious, pping the coffee table so hard that two teacups were knocked off. His gaze swept over Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei, finallynding on Nie Jialei. In meetings like this, women of the Nie family were absolutely forbidden from participating. As for the men in the family, Nie Jiamin was a student and thus only allowed to sit in as an observer. This was due to Elder Nie¡¯s desire to give Jiamin an early start in the family¡¯s affairs. As for Nie Zhenbang, at this point in time, he was seen by the elder as nothing more than an illegitimate son who had no right to take part. ¡°Jialei, let¡¯s hear it. What exactly happened for such an article to be written? What¡¯s your intention?¡± Elder Nie roared. To the average person, the article seemed to be criticizing the domestic reforms. However, at the level of Elder Nie and the country¡¯s leader, the thought process and perspective in interpreting the article were quite different. On the surface, the article criticized the reforms, but in fact, it affirmed them. It illustrated the differences between China¡¯s reforms and those of the Soviet Union. The conservative faction used it as a weapon against the reformists, but internally, they were somewhat discontent with the Nie family. What in the world happened for the Nie family to endorse the reforms? Nie Jialei, at this time, was still in a state of confusion. He had no idea how the article had been submitted in his name. All he knew was that, all of a sudden, his name was being discussed and queried nationwide. ¡®Hope Daily¡¯ even published an op-ed countering his views. The intensity of the conservative¡¯s words and their ferocious momentum made Jialei apprehensive. At the moment, the heir to the Nie family, had his head bowed low, daring not to even nce up. He meekly said, ¡°Grandpa, I didn¡¯t write this article. I have no idea about it.¡± Elder Nie¡¯s gaze was sharp, scrutinizing Jialei for a long time. He had seen countless people in his life, and he understood Jialei¡¯s demeanor. After a moment of silence, he seemed a bit disheartened, sighed, and said, ¡°What a cunning divisive strategy.¡± ¡­ As Elder Nie left, Nie Guodong and Guowei got up and went out. At this crucial moment, the order for Guodong¡¯s transfer had also arrived. Joining Guowei, the two brothers were simultaneously transferred to Yuedong, holdingparable positions. Guowei was appointed as deputy secretary of Yuehai City Committee and mayor of Yuehai City Government, while Guodong was appointed as deputymander of the Yuezhou Military Region concurrently serving as the First Political Commissar. These appointments indicated that the country¡¯s leader was also beginning to take action. Ensuring Jingcheng City Military District¡¯s security, the leader would not take risks. The moment the elders left the house, Jialei¡¯s expression turned grave. He looked at Jiamin, who was fiddling with his fingers on the sofa, and said, ¡°Jiamin, tell me the truth. How did this articlee about?¡± After the article was published, Jialei also started to carefully reflect. There was no one in the office capable of setting him up so covertly. This left only one possibility ¨C it was done by an insider; an insider who had constant ess to him. That narrowed down the choices. Only Jiamin could be the suspect. Jiamin, stunned for a moment, stood up and retorted, ¡°Big brother, you must have evidence when you make usations, just like catching adulterers in bed or thieves red-handed. On what grounds are you so sure it was me?¡± Just then, Nie Zhenbang walked in from outside, pping and smiling. Looking at Jiamin, he felt gratified. In this situation, Jiamin didn¡¯t betray him, which meant that he had gained Jiamin¡¯s trust. In his view, this was a good thing. Seeing Zhenbang arrive at that moment, Jialei felt that Zhenbang looked very much like a big viin who hade back to snatch away the family property. His expression darkened and he pointed at Zhenbang: ¡°You, you have no right to be here, get out immediately!¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression changed. Hepletely ignored Jialei¡¯s reaction and sat down on the sofa, crossing his legs and said casually: ¡°Jialei, the crown prince of the Nie family, the legitimate heir of the third generation, the eldest son¡¯s eldest grandson. If this is your attitude, I am concerned about what the Nie family will be like under your leadership.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Nie Zhenbang? You need to realize your position. You are nothing more than¡­ you are merely my uncle¡¯s son. You have not yet gained the family¡¯s approval. What right do you have to criticize me?¡± Jialei was prepared to denounce Zhenbang as an illegitimate child. But remembering that Zhenbang was his uncle¡¯s child, he decided to refrain from such harsh words. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang calmly said: ¡°Big brother, your suspicions are quite urate. I authored that article, and I had Jiamin ce it amongst your documents. One can therefore say that I am the one responsible for the Nie family¡¯s current defensive position. However, don¡¯t you think your life now is much better than before?¡± Chapter 14 - 13 Glory Together_1 14 Chapter 13 Glory Together_1 Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were harsh, at least, that¡¯s how they felt to Nie Jialei at that moment. Watching Nie Zhenbang in a casual demeanor typical of the stubborn Beijing folks, Nie Jialei saw the nonchnce on his dismissive face as if he had done something trivial. However, Nie Jialei was aware of the impact that this article had on the Nie family. The fact that even the old patriarch was startled was proof of the severity of the situation. Yet at this moment, Nie Jialei did not know how to respond. Thinking back to his time at work, although everyone was respectful due to his background, that was merely surface-level courtesy born out of fear of his power. It was only because Deputy Prime Minister Huang was his maternal grandfather that they acted so. However, after the article was published, Nie Jialei noticed a clear change in his colleagues. The hypocritical smiles were reced with sincerity. Rtionships between colleagues were much more harmonious than before. Moreover, many admired him because, in their eyes, Nie Jialei was a man of the people. There was no need for superficial politeness or secret precautions. With this article as a foundation, Nie Jialei believed that he could resolve the current-official-level issue within a year. Understanding that achieving such a position at the age of twenty-one during these times was unheard of. His lips twitched, and Nie Jialei stubbornly retorted, ¡°So what? Do you know what politics is? Do you understand the impact this has on our Nie family? This has nothing to do with personal circumstances. It is about the rise and fall of our entire Nie family.¡± Nie Jiamin also looked somewhat worried. He leaned over to Nie Zhenbang and expressed his dissatisfaction, ¡°Third Brother, are you trying to ruin the Nie family?¡± You wouldn¡¯t think it of him, but despite Nie Jiamin¡¯s nonchnt demeanor, it doesn¡¯t mean hecks political awareness. At that moment, Nie Jiamin felt as if he had been deceived. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression also became serious. To be honest, he didn¡¯t care about Nie Jialei¡¯s attitude at the moment. However, he valued Nie Jiamin¡¯s opinion. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stood up and stared at Nie Jiamin, ¡°Second Brother, do you think I would do something like that? Don¡¯t forget, whether I admit it or not, whether our patriarch admits it or not, I am a part of the Nie family. I understand the principle of ¡®one for all and all for one.¡¯ Don¡¯t treat me like an idiot. No one instigated me to do this. I orchestrated everything.¡± Saying this, Nie Zhenbang looked at the eldest in the Nie family, ¡°Nie Jialei, I ask you, do you think your life now is better, or was it better before the reforms and opening-up?¡± As for someone with Nie Jialei¡¯s status and background, the reforms and opening-up didn¡¯t change much for him. Given the Nie family¡¯s status, there was nock of material possessions. However, it is undeniable that there were more goods avable on the streets of Jingcheng, more foreign goods, and more modern products. Even though there was no scarcity, there was no longer a need to wait for parents or elders to bring back a Walkman when they traveled. Overall, it was more convenient. As for ordinary people, Nie Jialei didn¡¯t understand much about them. However, judging from the economic data and living conditions reported by many regions in the office, most of themon people support the changes. In this circumstance, Nie Jialei didn¡¯t want to spout nonsense. After a moment of silence, Nie Jialei spoke, ¡°Life is better now. Material goods are regted by the market. If there is a shortage of something, the market will provide it. Traders seek profit, and things are valued by their scarcity. Shortage means demand, and naturally, there will be people willing to fill that gap. But isn¡¯t this spection?¡± Many people in this era share this viewpoint held by Nie Jialei. At the beginning of the reforms, quite a few private entrepreneurs were sentenced for spection. Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Spection? Elder brother, what is the definition of spection? It refers to those who hoard goods for profit, creating disturbances in the market such as buying low and selling high, adulterating goods, manipting prices, etc. But are those private entrepreneurs, who see business opportunities in the market, produce goods or use other ways to bring in merchandise, sell them at or even below market prices, spectors? On the contrary, I think they areplementing our nned economy.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang wanted to tell Nie Jialei that a market economy is not capitalism. Socialism also has a market. nned economy is not socialism. Capitalism also has a n. However, he would not say those words, uttered by the leader, himself. Seeing Nie Jialei deep in thought, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. Indeed, just as in the past. In fact, following the old man¡¯s departure, the attitude of Nie Guodong¡¯s family began to gradually change. This was also why the main branch managed to maintain a bare hold. As long as Nie Jialei could change his mindset, Nie Zhenbang would have confidence in his n. Because in the current situation, Nie Jialei, being the firstborn legitimate grandson, was the most crucial and heaviest link. ¡°Eldest brother, the reason our party was able to take power from Old Jiang was not only due to the wisdom of the revolutionary elders, but more importantly, because of public sentiment. Our Party has always been there serving the people at the grass roots. This will never change. The people¡¯s will is the key. Understand? And now, with the economic reform, everything is centered around economic construction. This is the people¡¯s will. Under such circumstances, do you think Comrade Nan Xun will lose? No! Because he has already joined the winning side. This is the fundamental reason I want to publish that article under your name through our second brother.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, though not loud, sounded thunderous in Nie Jialei¡¯s ears. Nie Jialei, as the third-generation sessor handpicked by the old family head, had his own capabilities and skills. The old man would never support a Liu Adou. This was a principle. At this moment, hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Nie Jialei also understood. ¡°One glory, one defeat¡±, Nie Zhenbang was right. Now, the Nie family is a conservative faction. In the future, they will undoubtedly lose. Nie Jialei understood the cruelty of political struggles. Once defeated, the Nie family would be nothing. As a Nie family member, regardless of whether Nie Zhenbang or others in the family ept or reject this notion, outsiders always consider Nie Zhenbang as a member of the Nie family. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s true intention. This was why he yed his cards through Nie Jialei. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Nie Jialei had a serious and shocked expression. What kind of person was this? So young, yet endowed with such a sharp political gift. Cautious and meticulous thinking. Perfect nning. Everything at present was ying out ording to his ns. Would such a person pose a threat to his position in the future? Nie Jialei was having doubts. Seeing Nie Jialei¡¯s reaction, Nie Zhenbang inwardly eximed, ¡°Not good!¡±. His performance was too prominent. Instead of putting Nie Jialei at ease, it had made him wary. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said: ¡°Eldest brother, are you worried that I might take your ce?¡± If Nie Zhenbang tried to be evasive, it might not be good. But saying it this way put Nie Jialei¡¯s mind at ease. People often hope to specte on the consequences. After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°Eldest brother, in our Yanbei rural region, when children grow up, they usually start their own families. Even if we part ways, the kinship still remains. Whenever there is anything, we will help each other out. Even if I enter the officialdom, do you think you can influence my thoughts as adults in the future? In other words, even if I be the family head, could I manipte your thoughts? That¡¯s impossible.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s purpose was clear. Being a family head was just symbolic in nature. It wasn¡¯t about whether he wanted to grab it or not. Whoever had a higher position would be recognized by the outside world, which was a very practical issue. Normally, they did not interfere with each other, but if someone wanted to humiliate the Nie family, they would immediately unite, forming a formidable force to deter any bullying. ¡°Hehe, elder brother, this is just a metaphor. My ambition lies elsewhere. Right now, I¡¯m interested in business. Under these circumstances, I feel that being in business is the most meaningful.¡± Nie Zhenbang reiterated his intentions. Nie Jialei was stunned for a moment as he gazed at Nie Zhenbang. After some time, he finally stood up and said: ¡°Little Third, I hope you will be careful!¡± Chapter 15 - 14 The Loud Slap_1 15 Chapter 14 The Loud p_1 Trantor: 549690339 The Capital Restaurant is regarded as one of the top-notch restaurants in Jingcheng. In the 1960s, the Moscow Restaurant was very popr in Jingcheng. Having dinner at Old Mo¡¯s was a great honour and worth showing off. However, due to social changes and the development of the catering industry, there are more and more western restaurants in Jingcheng nowadays. Today¡¯s elite in ** circle no longer pursues what the red second-generation wanted. The new generation of the red offspring cares about ss and showiness, and the Capital Restaurant is the uptown spot in the city, second only to the State Guesthouse. Block C of the Beijing Restaurant, a building constructed in the 1970s. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang is standing at the entrance with Xiao Yali, the daughter of his second aunt. Looking at the grandly decorated lobby of the hotel, Nie Zhenbang feels somewhat emotional. In his previous life, due to his disability, he had never been here. His rtionships with his siblings were not good because of his attitudes, which could even be described as bad. Looking back, in reality, his cousins from his aunts¡¯ homes were all very caring towards him. It was just that, back then, Nie Zhenbang was blinded by resentment and despair, failing to appreciate their care. ¡°Zhenbang, did the sun rise from the west today? Little Nie Jiamin told me you¡¯re treating me to a meal. Do you have money to spare? You wouldn¡¯t be thinking of getting me to pay for it, would you? No worries, whatever you want to eat, I got it.¡± Xiao Yali, with an innate boldness, is neen this year. Instead of attending school, she hangs around in the social circle every day, making her one of the most active figures among the Nie family¡¯s younger generation. This is why Nie Zhenbang wants to meet with her. Women, because of their gender, are naturally at a disadvantage in the officialdom. However, in the business field, the people in the circle of this metropolis city all have to save some face. After much thought, his eldest aunt¡¯s daughter Deng Yun has gone abroad, and Deng Yun¡¯s personality is not suitable for this, as for Nie Jiamin? This young fellow was bound to follow the path of the military in the future. The rest are too young. Only the second eldest sister is the most suitable one. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang just smiled. He didn¡¯t expect that his second aunt, who was always serious after she joined the army, had such moments of jest. He then pointed to the door and said, ¡°Second sister, don¡¯t rush, we can have either Western or Chinese food. However, we still have two more people to wait for.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, an exceptionally rare Crown Prince-version motorcycle in in the country at that time stopped at the side, an authentic American Harley Crown Prince Motor. The body shone brightly. Yang Anbang and Nie Jiamin got off the motorcycle. Yang Anbang, who was driving, casually hung his helmet on the handlebar. They left the bike at the entrance of the hall with no intention to move it, and walked towards Nie Zhenbang and Xiao Yali. Upon seeing Xiao Yali, Yang Anbang¡¯s face changed, and he said immediately, ¡°Third Nie, didn¡¯t you say there¡¯s important business to discuss? Why did you invite her?¡± ¡°Yang Anbang, what¡¯s with that tone? Don¡¯t you know how to speak properly? What do you mean by ¡®her¡¯? Are you much older than me? It¡¯s only three months, who do you think you are?¡± Xiao Yali immediately retorted sarcastically next to him. Being the Crown Prince and Princess respectively, they hold nearly identical statuses. Xiao Yali speaks without any hesitation. Yang Anbang was never known to be acent person. Hearing those words, his eyebrow twitched, and he retorted, ¡°Oh ho, what¡¯s with the fiery Xiao family girl today? Did your patriarch feed you gunpowder? Why do I smell the scent of jealousy? Could it be that you¡¯re into me? No way. This handsome gentleman, how could I be attracted to your kind?¡± ¡°You!¡± Xiao Yali was getting frustrated. Nie Zhenbang felt a headacheing on. How could he forget? In his previous life, these two constantly argued, neither one liking the other. The disputes grew deeper and eventually led to their elders being involved. It wasn¡¯t until Xiao Yali joined the army that things finally calmed down. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Stop, stop, stop. I mean, Second Sister Xiao, Second Brother Yang, both of you are second in your families, you both have second in your titles. Can you both not be so petty? Little Nie isughing at our immaturity. Let¡¯s stop fighting and focus on the matter at hand. This is a matter concerning the future of Earth and unification of the universe.¡± ¡®Second¡¯, which can mean someone pitiful or pathetic, is a term that became popr on the Inte twenty-odd yearster. Nie Zhenbang blurted it out without thinking. Just as he was regretting his impulsive words, both people suddenly turned to him and said in unison, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, who are you calling a dummy?¡± ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t this the Third Young Master of the Nie Family? Why, does the country bumpkin, the illegitimate child want to try some of the delicacies here as well? Well, it¡¯s a good ce, and you¡¯ve probably never been here before. Since you¡¯ve shamelessly entered the Nies¡¯ home, of course you should savour the feeling of being a young master.¡± An extremely irritating voice sounded from not far away. Again, it was Zhou Chen, in the previous life, the root cause of the Nie family¡¯s suffering began with the Zhou family. ¡°Zhou Xiaoshe, what the hell are you talking about? Didn¡¯t I beat you enoughst time? You still owe us three respectful bows, didn¡¯t youe here to make good on that? Forget it, we¡¯re all acquaintances, you¡¯re exempted from three. Considering your pathetic state, we¡¯ll reluctantly let you off with one.¡± Nie Jiamin immediately jumped in. Zhou Xiaoshe was Zhou Chen¡¯s nickname because there was a ¡°Chen¡± in his name. In the Chinese zodiac, ¡°Chen¡± represents the dragon. Therefore, some people in the circle began to call Zhou Chen ¡°Zhou Xiaoshe¡±. In the circle, it ismon for the younger generation to quarrel with each other, and the elders would not pay much attention to it. Especially when there¡¯s a grudge between the elders, the conflict between the younger generation bes more intense, which is what one might call a generational feud. In the circle, the Nie family had always lived peacefully with everyone. In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang was disabled. Even now, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t figure out why the Zhou family treated the Nie family as adversaries. Why Zhou Chen picked on him. However, since Zhou Chen had inflicted pain upon him in the previous life, Nie Zhenbang decided to pay him back in kind in this life. Therefore, since Zhou Chen was bent on causing trouble, it was time to teach him a harsh lesson and make him tread lightly around him. Several hangers-on standing next to Zhou Chen were apparently confused. Nie Zhenbang was the illegitimate son of the Nie family. Only a few families in Jingcheng knew about this. As for those from the provinces, they were obviously not privy to such information. Hearing Zhou Chen¡¯s words, these hangers-on believed that Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin were mere provincials from Jingcheng. Insulting their master was a severe offense. One of them couldn¡¯t wait, he jumped out and yelled. ¡°Hey, who do you think you are? Do you think you can provoke our Chen? Kneel down! Bow three times and then get the hell out of here!¡± As soon as these words were out, not only did Nie Zhenbang turn pale, but the expressions of Nie Jiamin, Xiao Yali and Yang Anbang also changed. There were rules within the Jingcheng circle. One must never swear at or insult the elders, of course, this only applied to equals. If a family had fallen from grace, everyone would kick them while they were down, and no one would stand up for them. However, the Nie family was now thriving, so such disrespect was crossing the line. Before Nie Zhenbang could respond, Xiao Yali sneered, ¡°Zhou Chen, is this your dog? He¡¯s extremely ill-mannered.¡± Yang Anbang stood aside, amused by the drama unfolding around him. Although he didn¡¯t yet know why Nie Zhenbang had asked to meet him, he was curious to see how Nie Zhenbang would handle this situation. Or perhaps, Yang Anbang wanted to evaluate whether Nie Zhenbang was capable of negotiating on equal terms with him. Nie Zhenbang wore a cold smile on his face. Finally, an opportunity had presented itself. He¡¯d been worried about not having a chance to establish himself within the circle. Luckily for him, Zhou Chen was cluelessly providing him with a perfect opportunity ¨C it was as if the whole thing had been prearranged. Despite Nie Zhenbang¡¯s youth, his towering height and sturdy build were quite intimidating. He walked straight up to Zhou Chen and said grimly, ¡°Zhou Stutter, is this your idea or his?¡± Zhou Chen stuttered as a child. Nie Zhenbang knew about this nickname in his past life but never dared to use it. Yet, when he called Zhou Chen by this name now, he felt a wave of satisfaction washing over him. By contrast, Zhou Chen looked pale, as if he hadn¡¯t heard that nickname in a decade. He could tolerate being called Zhou Xiaoshe, but Zhou Stutter was the ultimate insult to him. His face darkened, Zhou Chen red at Nie Zhenbang, his eyes shooting daggers. It¡¯s amon saying not to hit someone in the face, but Nie Zhenbang was figuratively pping him right now. Zhou Chen retorted, ¡°Regardless of whose idea it is, what will you do?¡± ¡°What will I do? If it¡¯s your idea, I¡¯ll hit you! If it¡¯s his idea, I don¡¯t mind helping you teach this dog a lesson.¡± Nie Zhenbang said this with a smile, but his tone was domineering and left no room for debate. ¡°It¡¯s my idea!¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s courage wasn¡¯t easily dampened. At this moment, if he backed down, he would appear weak and lose face. As soon as he finished speaking, a loud p echoed in the room. A red handprint promptly marked Zhou Chen¡¯s face. Zhou Chen was stuck in a difficult position. At this point, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words had already pushed him into a corner, if he backed down now, he would be seen as timid. Moreover, Zhou Chen had assumed that Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t dare to hit him. But he was mistaken, Nie Zhenbang had nursed a grudge against him for decades. Now that it had erupted, Nie was holding nothing back. Chapter 16 - 15 Equity Distribution_l Chapter 16: Chapter 15 Equity Distribution_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°How dare you hit me?¡± Zhou Chen was still dazed, then, awakening Zhou Chen, already rushed up. When had Zhou Chen ever been treated like this? Wherever he went, he was always favored by others. This also fostered his disdain for everything. In the past, Zhou Chen was actually quite intelligent. He would never dare to provoke the offspring of a family with greater power than his own. This time, Zhou Chen didn¡¯t consider the likelihood of such audacity in this illegitimate child. In Zhou Chen¡¯s mind, a person who has never seen the world would think a county chief might cause the sky to fall. Even if Zhou Chen now considers himself a prestigious son, it still takes time to adjust. Zhou Chen simply wanted to take this opportunity to establish his prestige in the circle by humiliating Nie Zhenbang. Reputation isn¡¯t something that falls from the sky but something that one fights for. Or in other words, it¡¯s something achieved by stepping on others and suppressing them. In the previous sh, Zhou Chen believed that since he personally did not make a move, Nie Zhenbang had the audacity to be so brazen. As such, this time, Zhou Chen decided to take matters into his own hands, assuming Nie Zhenbang would not dare to strike. A bastard who¡¯s not even recognized by his own family, wouldn¡¯t dare to touch him. Regrettably, he had seeded in his previous life, but in this one, he had miscalcted. Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t the same downtrodden misfit and cripple as he was in his previous life. Zhou Chen¡¯s boxing skills had some military characteristics. If it weren¡¯t an ordinary person, they might not necessarily be able to beat Zhou Chen. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s skill, his Shape-Intent Fist although hadn¡¯t reached the level of inner strength yet, was beyond Zhou Chen¡¯s level ot martial arts. The Shape-Intent Fist emphasizes straightforwardness and among closebat it is considered the most fierce and sharp. With one sweep, Nie Zhenbang had already broken Zhou Chen¡¯s attack routine. Followed by a simple tiger-shaped punch directly hitting Zhou Chen¡¯s chest. In one hit, Zhou Chen was sent flying and was slumped to the ground. ¡°Hey, who are you guys? Is this a ce to fight? This is the Capital Restaurant. Many foreign guestse and go. Please leave quickly.¡± Nearby, security who had heard themotion started to speak up. At this moment, Yang Anbang was looking at the upright Nie Zhenbang with a profound expression. He coldly said, ¡°This isn¡¯t something you can interfere with. They are just foreigners, right? So what? Should we serve them like we did during the Qing Dynasty in our country? Stay out of trouble. Stay aside. You can¡¯t meddle with this matter here. Even Liu Jian can¡¯t.¡± Knowing what was good for himself, the security guard shut his mouth. He knew who Liu Jian was, the lobby manager of the Capital Restaurant. In Jingcheng, he was quite influential. Given the sheer audacity of this person, his identity was quite evident. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t even nce at Zhou Chen and instead looked at the henchman who had been cursing at him earlier: ¡°Just now, it was you who cursed, right? I¡¯ll give you a chance, p yourself until you bleed. Otherwise, wait for your father¡¯s corpse.¡± The henchman wilted in fear. Initially, he had wanted to show his loyalty in front of Zhou Chen. But he didn¡¯t anticipate bringing such big trouble unto himself. That the strength of this neer, fear was not small. The two people with rxed expressions nearby were not ordinary people either. Even his father¡¯s position at the department level relied on the Zhou family. Realizing the situation, the henchman immediately knelt down, pping himself left and right. Nie Jiamin, watching Zhou Chen¡¯s situation, chuckled lightly: ¡°Zhou Xiaoshe, if you want to save face, I am ready anytime.¡± ¡°Elder Brother Yang, let¡¯s leave. I intended to treat you to dinner, but unfortunately, you ended up watching such a farce. Let¡¯s not let these trash ruin our mood. Brother Yang, please!¡± Nie Zhenbang turned and said with a smile. Acting swiftly, and staying calm. Laughing and scolding naturally, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression changed effortlessly. At this moment, Yang Anbang had a higher opinion of Nie Zhenbang andughed: ¡°Zhenbang, you are too humble. Soon, we will be one family, so no one is before or after.¡± ¡°Steamed Abalone with Shark¡¯s Fin, m Soup with Birds Nest, Tan Family Special Braised Pork, Monk¡¯s Vegetables Sea Prawns. Get a portion of these signature dishes per head. As for the rest, Elder Brother Yang, Sis, Jiamin, feel free to order whatever you want.¡± Inside the private room, Nie Zhenbang casually named these four signature dishes of Tan family. And then handed over the power to order to others. In the C block, seventh floor of Capital Restaurant, there was a dining hall named after the Tan family, known for its high-end service, high-end decoration, and semi-circr windows, coupled with luxurious and elegant furnishings. This hall had certainly became a ce to show off and was a favorite spot for people within their social circle, making it a great choice for dining in. Xiao Yali casually looked at the menu and casually said, ¡°Also get some Venison skewers, Prawn shoots, Snail minced meat, and Braised Mandarin Fish. As for dessert, serve some walnut paste. Brother Yang, you decide the wine. I don¡¯t drink anyway.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. These two were pretty simr in character, they kind of reminded him of a tortoise and mung bean ¨C a perfect match. If they were to get together, it would greatly benefit the Xiao family. However, Nie Zhenbang definitely wouldn¡¯t engage in a marriage alliance. Everything depended on their own fate and development. Yang Anbang was quite frustrated, wondering how he ended up with Xiao Yali. He didn¡¯t even bother to look at the menu. ¡°Having seafood with white wine or white grape wine would be perfect. In that case, let¡¯s have Maotai. It¡¯s the national liquor. I do like this kind of sauce-vored taste.¡± The dishes were quickly served. After a round of drinks with Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin, Nie Zhenbang put down his ss, turned to the attendant who was on standby, and said, ¡°Miss, could you excuse us? We have some matters to discuss. Please step outside.¡± Yang Anbang chuckled: ¡°Zhenbang, why so secretive? I hope it¡¯s not something shady. ¡± Nie Jiamin also looked puzzled: ¡°Third Brother, what¡¯s your game today? I even snuck out the money that our mother saved, if you don¡¯t spill the beans, I¡¯ll get into trouble when I get home, and you¡¯ll not escape either.¡± This remark almost made Nie Zhenbang crack up, this guy really did say whatever he thought, then he added awkwardly with augh, ¡°Ah, well, we¡¯re neers, and we¡¯re a bit strapped for cash. So what belongs to Jiamin belongs to all of us. Let¡¯s not be formal.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang turned serious: ¡°Second Brother, let¡¯s stop beating around the bush. I invited you here today because I want to start apany with you. Are you interested?¡± This surprised Yang Anbang, this third young master of the Nie family seemed born for this circle. He had just returned and was already like a fish in water, with no hint of unfamiliarity. He himself could not have adapted so fast. Moreover, it seemed that Elder Nie was submitting willingly. Xiao Yali was also quite astonished. Her grandfather¡¯s strictness was notorious. Not even Nie Jiamin dared to spend his mother¡¯s money without permission, her little brother was truly extraordinary. She asked in doubt, ¡°Zhenbang, are you quitting school? Did Aunt agree? Did Second Uncle approve?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Yes, they agreed. They won¡¯t interfere with my matters, neither now nor in the future. This statement left Yang Anbang invigorated. They were all in the same situation, their family affairs were quite simr. It wasn¡¯t just them, even the older generation had to consult their parents when making decisions, because stepping out represented the family. If they did something that irreparably damaged the family reputation, it would spell disaster. Although the Nie family had not formally recognized Nie Zhenhang. his residence in the Nie family mansion alone represented the Nie family. Without the elders¡¯ approval, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t dare to act. However, what Yang Anbang didn¡¯t know was that Nie Zhenbang had been reborn. He feared nothing, not even heaven or earth. The only one who knew, Nie Jiamin, naturally said nothing at this moment. Then, Yang Anbang alsoughed: ¡°Of course I¡¯m interested. Given the rtionship between us, there¡¯s nothing we can¡¯t coborate on. You say it, no matter what it is, I¡¯m ready to go through fire and water.¡± Nie Zhenbang gave a slight smile. ¡°For now, I won¡¯t say what we¡¯ll be doing. But rest assured, it won¡¯t be anything illegal. As they say, clear ounts make steady friends. Let¡¯s first determine the shares, then we can discuss the specific n.¡± ¡°Oh? Shares? That¡¯s an oddity. Right now, our country doesn¡¯t even have a corporationw. How can we establish the legal effect of the shares?¡± Yang Anbang looked at Nie Zhenbang with great interest, very curious as to how this would-be brother-inw of his would deal with it. The corporationw wouldn¡¯te into being until a few yearster. At present, individual proprietorship was the only thing allowed in the country. The registration ce for individual proprietors was the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. Most of them existed as secondary units under collective enterprises. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help butugh. The fact that Yang Anbang could say all this indicated that he had been focusing on these matters since this time. Yang¡¯s second son, who would have his private enterprise enter the Fortune 500 after two decades, was no coincidence. With his business talent and family background, his path to sess was naturally smooth sailing. ¡°We can register thepany in Hong Kong, don¡¯t tell me you cannot manage even this. If that¡¯s the case, then forget what I said earlier. Also, regarding the shares, initially, we need about seventy thousand for capital, which you will provide, and you will own fifty percent of the shares. My second sister will separately invest twenty thousand for fifteen percent of the shares. Jiamin will invest ten thousand for ten percent of the shares. As for me? I don¡¯t put in any money, just my brainpower, for twenty percent of shares. Do you have any objections?¡± Nie Zhenbangughingly proposed the share distribution n and registration mode.. Chapter 17 - 16: Small Business, Big Future_l Chapter 17: Chapter 16: Small Business, Big Future_l Trantor: 549690339 Yang Anbang started to analyze in his mind, seventy thousand, for his group of people, wasn¡¯t a significant figure. In Jingcheng, any children of decent families could scrape that together. Xiao family¡¯s second daughter put forward twenty thousand. She didn¡¯t significantly undercut him. However, Nie Zhenbang was ruthless about the shared stocks. Distributing shares also required some knowledge, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s goal was not to make a lot of money here or start a business. His future was in politics. The saying goes, ¡°a man cannot live without power¡±. In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang had seen numerous renowned tycoons fall. Once shining brightly, many politicians were honoured guests. However, when they copsed, nobody cared. Ultimately, it¡¯s all about power. Officials and merchants. Officialse before merchants. If there are no officials, merchants amount to nothing. Having ie to ensure a lifetime of food and clothing, without relying on illegal gains for material enjoyment, is enough. As for who runs thepany, Nie Zhenbang doesn¡¯t care. Furthermore, Yang Anbang, who made it into the top 500panies worldwide in his previous life, ispetent. Now, by aligning with him first, I am actually the one gaining an advantage. Although I could also operate alone, personal energies are limited. The rationale of being willing to part with something, Nie Zhenbang had understood for a long time. As for Xiao Yali and Nie Jiamin¡¯s shares, that¡¯s a product of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s whimsy. He never discussed it with anyone beforehand. Such an action, Nie Zhenbang considered two factors; firstly, Xiao Yali is currently idle. Together with Yang Anbang, they might be able to create something. If they marry, that would be even better. Secondly, if the two are ipatible, with this rtionship, the Xiao family, in particr Xiao Yali¡¯s brainless father, my second uncle, might need to be cautious when dealing with things in the future. Even if the Xiao family declines, with these shares, they can still livefortably as wealthy people. Although they may lose their power, they can still live without concern for food and clothing. As for Nie Jiamin, he is an important link. For the Nie family, having only one illegitimate son is not enough. Nie Jialei is impossible. The best strategy is to pull Nie Jiamin in. Then, outsiders would see this as the intention of the Nie family. ¡°Zhenbang, you really are ruthless. You butchered me like this. Can¡¯t you be a little merciful?¡± Yang Anbang joked. This shows that Yang Anbang has agreed to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s equity distribution scheme. Yang Anbang also has his own considerations. The Nie family can allow Nie Zhenbang to venture out independently, which indicates that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position in the Nie family is no longer limited to that of an illegitimate child. Perhaps, not acknowledging Nie Zhenbang is just a smoke screen intentionally released by the Nie family. The fact that Nie Jiamin can participate already exins the problem. Yang Anbang recognises Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ability. Perhaps, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang already has his own say in the Nie family. Don¡¯t underestimate this power, there are so many second-generation officials, and third-generation revolutionaries in the Four Nine City. However, in the new generation, besides those people in their thirties who have already been settled into the system, few of them can voice their opinions in the family. Nie Zhenbang, at the tender age of sixteen, has earned Elder Nie¡¯s affirmation, which is a testament to his capabilities. Yang Anbang didn¡¯t know that this was just an illusion created by Nie Zhenbang. Later, when Yang Anbang found out, he cried foul. Otherwise, back then, Yang Anbang would never have given so many shares to the Nie family. Another factor is the current politicalndscape. Though the leader holds the military power, the military is not a solid monolith. Elder Nie of the Nie family, coupled with his rtive Ye family¡¯s prestige andwork in the military, the leader¡¯s position is not as stable as it appears. The Nie family is a staunch conservative faction. If he can win over the Nie family, it would greatly promote the situation of the reformist faction. Although Yang Anbang likes trading, it does not mean he doesn¡¯t understand politics. On the contrary, an attribute a sessful businessman should have is understanding politics and officialdom. What kind of businessmen make the most money? In ancient times, Lu Buwei had ingenious strategies. In modern times, Hu Xueyan was immensely influential. Political investment is a significant business. At this moment, both of them have simr mindsets. Nie Zhenbang wants to break the inevitable deadlock for the Nie family and make some pocket money for himself. As for Yang Anbang, he wants to create an impression that the Nie family and the Yang family have already joined forces while also starting his business empire. ¡°Zhenbang, I have no objections regarding the equity issues. My word, Yang Eng, is known in Four Nine City, as reliable as spitting nails. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can draft an agreement first. I can sign and stamp it right away with pen and paper. But, brother, you have to disclose what kind of business you¡¯re nning to do.¡± Yang Anbang became much serious. Those tough chaps in Four Nine City, though they seem frivolous most of the time, they are good at gauging when to y around and when to be serious. Nie Zhenbang also broke into augh, waved generously, and said, ¡°No need. I trust that you will not stoop to tarnishing your reputation.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were definitely not baseless. The reason for Yang Anbang¡¯s great sess down the line was due to his background and abilities, that¡¯s true. But what mattered most was that Yang Anbang¡¯s approach to business never involved leveraging power to overpower others, nor did he ever act in bad faith.¡¯ ¡°Hehe, bro, in fact, there¡¯s not much to mention about my business, it¡¯s just a supermarket!¡± Nie Zhenbang revealed his direction. ¡°Supermarket? What is that?¡± Yang Anbang froze for an instant. Next to him, Xiao Yali also looked confused and said, ¡°Zhenbang, be clear, what is a supermarket?¡± Only at this moment did Nie Zhenbang remember, the term supermarket, in fact, only appeared a few yearster. This era still refers to supermarkets as self-selection stores. Just a couple of years ago, the first supermarket in Jingcheng was opened. However, it was only a meager space of less than 200 square meters, selling only vegetables and meat. In the future context, it was merely a fresh food store. In addition, its prices were five to forty percent higher than the regr markets. Thebels on the packaging bags only had prices, without product names or quality. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, this could not be counted as a real supermarket at all. ¡°Supermarket, fully called a Super Market. In English, it¡¯s supermarket. Currently, we have one in Jingcheng, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s located in West City District.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed and exined the meaning of a supermarket. At this moment, Xiao Yali smacked her head and said, ¡°Oh, so you are talking about that thing. How do you do this business? It¡¯s even pricier than outside. Such a small ce. How much can you earn?¡± Nie Jiamin, however, had full confidence in Nie Zhenbang. If Nie Zhenbang could write such an essay, this third brother¡¯s abilities were extraordinary and cannot be judged bymon standards. Hence, he said, ¡°Second sister, don¡¯t speak. Little brother definitely has his own n.¡± Although Yang Anbang didn¡¯t say a word, it was just his character. He believed that Nie Zhenbang would surely have more than just a little n. However, his eyes conveyed the same sentiment as Xiao Yali¡¯s. Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°What they¡¯re doing isn¡¯t a real supermarket. What we¡¯re going to do will be an authentic supermarket. Firstly, arge sales venue. Two thousand square meters, or even twenty thousand square meters. In addition to vegetables, meats, we¡¯ll have daily necessities, from small items like nails, screws, to food, garments. We¡¯ll do everything. That would be a real supermarket, a super market. In other words, we need to make sure that whenever people think of shopping, they just have to step into the supermarket to find everything. That¡¯s when we will have seeded.¡± Seeing that the two people looked indifferent, Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a small business? Hehe, let me tell you, never underestimate small businesses as they promise a bright future. There¡¯s a supermarket in the United States called Walmart. They specialized in this and became one of the top ten enterprises in the US.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also began tough. Hualian Supermarket would still take a few more years to register and establish. As for Walmart? They won¡¯t enter the domestic market until ten yearster. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t wait. I will take over the domestic market first. When you decide to enter, I¡¯m afraid there won¡¯t be much left for you.. Chapter 18 - 17 My Son_l Chapter 18: Chapter 17 My Son_l Trantor: 549690339 Upon returning home, Nie Guowei was sitting on the sofa, hisplexion grim. Ye Shuxian was also sitting beside him, her expression somewhat helpless. Seeing them like this, Nie Zhenbang greeted, ¡°Auntie.¡± However, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang deliberately ignored his father. In his past life, Nie Zhenbang can say that he had no fondness for Nie Guowei at all. The romantic escapade back then in Yanbei was, in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, nothing more than Nie Guo Wei failing to keep control over his personal affairs. Afterward, as if pulling up his trousers, he never thought of his mother again. No matter how Nie Guowei saw him, Nie Zhenbang had an indifferent attitude. However, towards his mother, this great woman who had given up her life for him, Nie Zhenbang felt gratitude and appreciation. Despite his mother¡¯s constant assertion that Nie Guowei was a man worthy of trust, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t see it. ¡°You worthless piece of shit. I don¡¯t know how your mother raised you,¡± Nie Guowei was in a foul mood seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude and couldn¡¯t help but curse. Ye Shuxian looked extremely embarrassed. As a stepmother, she had finally understood what they meant by the heart of a stepmother. At such times, it was easy to be misunderstood. She sat there, wondering if Nie Zhenbang was assuming she had said something about him in front of Nie Guowei. Nie Zhenbang sneered. It appeared that Nie Guowei¡¯s matter had been settled and he had been on the receiving end of some anger today. It was clear as day. The old man was unequivocally a conservative hardliner. Yet, Nie family¡¯s second generation representative in politics had chosen to go to Yuedong and Yuehai City to be a mayor. A ce on par with Peng City, one of the two special zones leading in reforms. Nie¡¯s eldest son had also taken up an important position in the Yuezhou Military Region. This irritated the old man greatly. The conservatives loudly criticized him, naturally he directed his anger at Nie Guowei. ¡°Got scolded by the old man, didn¡¯t you?¡± Nie Zhenbang spoke incisively, causing both Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian to look at him. At this point, Nie Zhenbang felt confident. If his previous inquiries were mere spection, now he was certain. He continued, ¡°ording to the old man¡¯s thinking, not opposing nor supporting is basically non-action. In other ces, this might be eptable, performing no merits butmitting no faults, you can still get promoted after a few years. But, Yuehai City doesn¡¯t work that way.¡± ¡°You ignorant boy, what do you know? Don¡¯t think you understand everything just because you¡¯ve read a few books. In the Nie family, it¡¯s not your turn to speak up or mock me. Politics is not something you can discuss,¡± Nie Guowei was clearly irritated. How had this boy suddenly be so bold? Seeing a fight about to break out, Ye Shuxian stood up promptly, holding back Nie Guowei she said, ¡°Guowei, don¡¯t speak like that. Let Zhenbang finish what he was saying.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words had resonated deeply with Ye Shuxian. Just earlier, both of them were discussing the same issue and it became apparent that her step-son¡¯s political talent was not a figment. Not many among Jingcheng¡¯s younger generation could match his insights. She looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s a bit upset today after being criticized by the old man. Continue, Auntie would like to hear your opinion.¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled. He didn¡¯t particrly bear any grudges against Ye Shuxian. After all, she was also a victim. She had suddenly gained a son, one that wasn¡¯t hers. There were very few women who could handle such a situation like Ye Shuxian had. ¡°Auntie, as I¡¯ve said before, Yuehai is a special zone. The job of the officials here is to develop the economy. Regardless of your merits in other aspects or how safe you y it, if the special zone¡¯s economy doesn¡¯t improve, it is considered dereliction of duty. The central government looks at the achievements of the reforms in the special zones. So, anyone who goes there can only fully focus on developing the economy. It¡¯s impossible to muddle through.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Guowei remained silent. In truth, this very afternoon, the old man had called him in andmbasted him, echoing the same sentiments. He had scolded him fiercely about forgetting who the head of the household was, growing wings, etc. His myriad criticisms summed up to: wait and see, muddle through. Although Ye Shuxian does not partake in political affairs, it does not mean that shecks a political sense. Being brought up within a prestigious n, she had absorbed a great deal of knowledge from her surroundings. Just by looking at Nie Guowei¡¯s facial expression, Ye Shuxian knew that Nie Zhenbang was probably spot on with his spections. She subsequently softly said, ¡°Guowei, Zhenbang is speaking wisely. What the people recognize is what is correct. As Emperor Taizong of Tang had once said, the water that can carry the boat can also capsize it. Truth does not necessarily lie in the hands of the few. It is the approval of the majority that leads to the correct path. During this trip, I think I should apany you with Ziyu. I am more familiar with Yuedong than you are, which could be beneficial for your work.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was unable to curb the smile that was creeping onto his lips. This was exactly what he wanted to hear from Ye Shuxian. They leaving meant that Jingcheng would be solely under his control, free and uninhibited. Secondly, Yuedong was the old stronghold of the Ye family. Having the princess of the Ye family with him would certainly facilitate Nie Guowei¡¯s work. Seeing Nie Guowei gradually warming to the idea, Nie Zhenbang then said, ¡°Dad, I think I should pay a visit to the Yang family.¡± Since Nie Zhenbang moved back home, he seldom addressed Nie Guowei as ¡®Dad¡¯. If he remembered correctly, this was the second time he had done so. Gauging Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression, Nie Guowe frowned and said, ¡°Yang family? For what? To express your gratitude? I won¡¯t be going, and neither should you.¡± If it were not for that young girl of the Yang family, he would not have found himself in this current predicament. The mere thought of it triggered Nie Guowei¡¯s irritability. However, this time, Nie Zhenbang remained steadfast, he looked at Nie Guowei and said, ¡°Indeed, as mom always taught me, a favour given should be reciprocated bountifully. The Yang family has earned my gratitude. Whether you choose to go or not, I am determined to.¡± Witnessing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s obstinate demeanor, Nie Guowei felt disoriented. ¡®He is so much like me¡¯ Nie Guowei mumbled to himself. At this moment, in front of Ye Shuxian, he had no need to hide his feelings. As he looked at Nie Zhenbang, memories swarmed him like a sudden torrent, transporting him back to the passionate era, and the dense curtain of his youthful days, back to the millet fields. Out loud, Nie Guowei voiced his disapproval furiously, ¡°You dare? If you dare go, we may as well sever our father-son rtionship!¡± After his words fell, Ye Shuxian stood up and chastised, ¡°Guowei, what kind of nonsense are you spouting? How can you utter such words?¡± Then, with guilt written all over her face, she looked at Nie Zhenbang and murmured, ¡°Zhenbang, your father he¡­¡± ¡°Auntie, you don¡¯t need to say anything. I understand your feelings. Although my arrival has caused you difort, you have gradually begun to ept me. I am very aware of this. Regardless, I ept you as my stepmother. Mother passed away too early, from now on, you are my mother.¡± His words were unusually passionate than usual. However, as he turned towards Nie Guowei, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s facial expression grew stern, ¡°If it¡¯s severed, let it be. From a young age, I¡¯ve ustomed to living without a father. Now, with or without you, it makes no difference to me. Do as you wish. I am determined to go to the Yang family. Do what you think is necessary; you may disown me or banish me, I do not care.¡± The atmosphere turned tense in an instant. After staring at Nie Zhenbang for quite some time, Nie Guowei stood upughing loudly, ¡°Good, good, indeed you are like me. This stubborn temperament definitely shows that you are my son..¡± Chapter 19 - 18 Yang Family_l Chapter 19: Chapter 18 Yang Family_l Trantor: 549690339 Upon hearing this, Ye Shuxian¡¯s face became somewhat awkward by the side. However, this embarrassment only shed by. Nie Guowei did not notice it at this moment, but Nie Zhenbang did. Looking at his stepmother, Nie Zhenbang felt a little moved. In his past life, Ye Shuxian was good to him, even though he was an illegitimate child. Moreover, he was a disabled illegitimate child. She never kicked him out, even when the family fell on hard times. Even if she had food for herself, there was food for him as well. This was a sort of kindness. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang suddenly remembered. Ye Shuxian¡¯s father, Ye Lao, should pass away from illnesster this year. Then, Nie Zhenbang looked at Ye Shuxian and said, ¡°Auntie, Ziyu has been saying that she wants to go see her grandfather. You should take her to see him.¡± The Ye family were staunch reformers, and since Elder Nie firmly followed the conservative path, the two old men had argued about it many times. Therefore, even Ye Shuxian did not dare to go home. After all, she was now a daughter-inw of the Nie family. On this issue, Ye Shuxian also had to make her stance clear. Before Ye Shuxian could reply, Nie Guowei nodded from the side and said, ¡°A-Xian.¡± Because Ye Shuxian¡¯s hometown was Yuedong, the Ye family kept some of the local characteristics in their naming. ¡°A-Xian¡± was Ye Shuxian¡¯s nickname. Nie Guowei also called his wife this in private. ¡°Just go see him. The elders¡¯ disputes are political differences and differences in political views. They don¡¯t involve family rtions. One shouldn¡¯t cease recognizing family just because of political views. Ziyu is still a child. Take her to see him. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡± At this time, Ye Shuxian looked at Nie Zhenbang, gratitude shed in her eyes. Jingcheng was not that big, and Ye Shuxian was naturally aware that Ye Lao was hospitalized due to his poor health. She was merely afraid to mention it. Now that Nie Zhenbang had brought it up, he had done her a great favor. Ye Shuxian¡¯s view of Nie Zhenbang had improved a lot. Nie Zhenbang gave a slight smile. Then he said, ¡°Dad, Auntie, I¡¯m going to rest now.¡± The next morning, Nie Zhenbang woke up early. He did not bring any gifts. Given the Yang family¡¯s status, they did not care for gifts, and Nie Zhenbang did not need to bring any. On the contrary, being simple and straightforward demonstrated sincerity. He arrived alone at the gate of the Yang family¡¯s courtyard by the Houhai. Looking at the Yang family¡¯s gate, Nie Zhenbang was full of thoughts. In his past life, he didn¡¯t have the courage toe here because of the Nie family. He was disabled, and in fact, the Yang family¡¯s patriarch brought Yang Anna to personally thank him. The exchanges between Elder Yang and Elder Nie were not smooth at that time, and they parted on bad terms. This time, he paid a visit himself, and Nie Zhenbang could even imagine the kind of situation that would arise after he returned home. Shaking his head, Nie Zhenbang decided not to concern himself with the old man. After experiencing his past life, Nie Zhenbang was very clear that even if he was not disabled, the old man would not value him. The old man was someone who ced great emphasis on tradition. As an illegitimate child, unless he was exceptionally outstanding, outstanding enough that the Nie family couldn¡¯t do without him, the old man would not look up to him. ¡°Bang! Bang, bang!¡± Knocking on the heavy door, the courtyard gate was opened swiftly. At the door, two young soldiers in military uniforms came out and looked at Nie Zhenbang. With serious faces, they asked, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Although Elder Yang did not have the privilege to reside within the red walls, given his current status, he was still provided with necessary guards at his residence outside. ¡°Hello, my name is Nie Zhenbang. I came here to see Uncle Yang Guodong. Could you please inform him?¡± Nie Zhenbang spoke with a calm demeanor and tone, showing a sense of humility yet assertiveness. There was a sense of pride in his modesty. This demeanor was something that Nie Zhenbang had never truly mastered in his previous life. Without profound knowledge and without being cultivated from childhood, one cannot simply imitate the demeanor of an heir of a distinguished family. However, having seen a lot in his previous life, enduring ups and downs for several decades, Nie Zhenbang had learned it. In this life, using it even seemed more fitting than most heirs. The guard looked at Nie Zhenbang for a moment, then assuring himself, he nodded and said, ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± In the living room, the Elder of the Yang family had a rare day of rest at home. He was a central government official and a member of the Political Bureau, though he had not yet entered the Standing Committee. His life was busy with countless tasks each day. Yang Shengli and Yang Guangrong were also at home. Upon hearing about the visitor from the guard, Yang Shengli was momentarily stunned, then asked, ¡°Nie Zhenbang? That wild young man from the Nie family? What¡¯s his purpose visiting us?¡± The Yang family consisted of three brothers. The eldest, Yang Guangrong, now 44 years old, was currently the deputy director of the National Broadcasting, Film, and Television Bureau, the deputy secretary of the partymittee, and the head of the national television station. He was responsible for managing the media front. The second son, Yang Jianjun, was currentlymanding a group army in the Xibei Military Region. He was a bona fide senior military officer. Among the brothers, it was the youngest, Yang Shengli, whose position was the highest, serving as the vice-minister-level official and Executive Deputy Mayor of Jingcheng at only 40 years old. ¡°Shengli, could he being to seek somepensations?¡± Yang Guangrong spected. Yang Guangrong¡¯s words immediately caused the elder Yang¡¯s brow to furrow. This was the disparity. Normally, the eldest son carried the most hope. Now it seemed that the eldest son might only reach a ministerial position. ¡°This young man is interesting. Both the second and third generations of the Nie family are unimpressive. I didn¡¯t expect this young man to show promise.¡± The elder had already stood up. The old man¡¯s evaluation shocked both brothers. Elder Yang was known for his strictness. For an outsider to receive such high praise, especially without having met him, was indeed apliment. At this point, Elder Yang continued, ¡°Both of you brothers should be aware of the current situation. Jingcheng must maintain stability at this time. We must carefully manage our propaganda. This is critical to the overall situation of reform and opening up. We cannot let our guard down. I¡¯m going to rest for a while. Shengli, entertain this young man yourself.¡± Under the guidance of the guard, as Nie Zhenbang entered the living room, the gazes of both Yang Guangrong and Yang Shengli focused on him. This situation momentarily stunned Nie Zhenbang. He recognized both of them. But he simply walked in unhesitatingly, slightly bowing and said, ¡°Good day, uncles.¡± Given the Nie family¡¯s status, it was not inappropriate for Nie Zhenbang to address the brothers as uncles. Yang Guangrong didn¡¯t utter a word, but Yang Shengli stood up, ¡°Zhenbang, please sit down. You saved our Anna. It should be us who should be thanking you, you shouldn¡¯t have made this visit. You¡¯ve made Uncle Shengli feel a bit embarrassed.¡± This was where Yang Shengli¡¯s clevernessy. The news of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s visit would certainly spread throughout Jingcheng. He didn¡¯t know what the Nie family¡¯s attitude would be, but by saying this, he had downyed the situation. Nie Zhenbang had saved Yang Anna and because of this incident, he had the opportunity to return to the Nie family. Whether the Yang family or Nie family should be showing gratitude was a matter of perspective. Even if Elder Nie were tointer on, he wouldn¡¯t be able to fault the Yang family for their manners. The purpose of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s visit was clear. He was just trying to mix up the current politicalndscape slightly. What he wanted was the fact that he was visiting. The process was not important. Such a move would increase the conservative faction¡¯s fear and suspicion of the Nie family in Jingcheng. For no one would expect that an illegitimate son who had just returned would be so daring as to visit the Yang family, the backbone of the reform faction, without his father¡¯s approval. As a matter of fact, his purpose had already been achieved the moment he walked through the door. After exchanging a few words and discussing some trivial matters, Nie Zhenbang prepared to leave. However, just then, a rushed figure came in from outside. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yang Anna¡¯s face broke into a happy smile. ¡°Hello, brother Nie Zhenbang. Would it be okay if I marry you in the future?¡± The moment Yang Anna said this, the Yang brothers both stood up in shock. Nie Zhenbang felt a headacheing on. He didn¡¯t expect history to repeat itself.. Chapter 20 - 19 Elder Nie’s Rage_l Chapter 20: Chapter 19 Elder Nie¡¯s Rage_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Anna!¡± Yang Shengli was feeling a mix of embarrassment and anger at this moment. After roaring, he looked at Yang Anna as if he just remembered that this wasn¡¯t one of his sons but his daughter. He then reverted to a calmer tone and said, ¡°Anna, you¡¯re still a child. What do you know about marriage? I will thank Brother Zhenbang on behalf of you for saving your life. Your task is to study.¡± Yang Anna ignored these words. As the only daughter and granddaughter of the Yang family, she was far braver than Yang Anbang and others. Looking at Yang Shengli, she said, ¡°Father, doesn¡¯t the book say, ¡®I am so grateful to the hero who saved my life, and as a youngdy I have nothing to offer in return other than myself.¡¯ Brother Zhenbang saved my life, I insist on marrying him.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat overwhelmed. He hadn¡¯t seen this historical eventing. In his previous life, he hadn¡¯t visited the Yang family. By June of the following year, Yang Shengli had brought Yang Anna to his house to express gratitude. At that time, Yang Anna also said the same words. However, in his previous life, Nie Zhenbang was just a crippled illegitimate son. Even though Yang Shengli didn¡¯t say anything at the time, he had sent Yang Anna abroad afterward. The Nie family felt that the Yang family was looking down upon them, and the rtionship had soured. Unexpectedly, the same thing happened when he visited the Yang family himself this time. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang naturally kept silent. Any words he said would be deemed a mistake. Agreeing to the proposal, he would be seen as taking advantage and potentially used of cheating a child. Disagreeing, the Yang family would perceive him, an illegitimate son, as arrogant for rejecting their cherished pearl. ¡°Nana, go back immediately. This isn¡¯t the ce for you to speak.¡± At this moment, Yang Shengli became angry. All his fondness for her aside, this was a significant issue, and he naturally had to make the stance of the Yang family clear. Perhaps Yang Anna had never seen her father or her family act like this towards her. She felt extremely aggrieved. Tears brimmed in her eyes. Looking at Yang Shengli, Yang Anna said tearfully, ¡°Father, I hate you!¡± Nie Zhenbang stood up at this moment: ¡°Mr. Yang, don¡¯t be angry. Anna is still young and doesn¡¯t understand what love is. When she grows up, she will understand. I will take my leave now.¡± At this moment, everyone assumed this was just a child¡¯s joke. But only Nie Zhenbang knew Yang Anna was serious. In his previous life, Yang Anna had always silently waited for him, staying single even till hemitted suicide. This was proof enough. Nie Zhenbang really wanted to make a promise to Yang Anna at this moment. But it clearly wasn¡¯t the right time. After leaving the Yang family, Nie Zhenbang went straight home. As he walked into the house, the atmosphere felt unusually heavy. The nannies, health workers, and security guards who had been working in the yard all stopped. ¡°Do you remembering home? Do you remember you¡¯re a member of the Nie family? You¡¯ve overstepped your bounds. Who taught you to make decisions on such major matters on your own? Unruly child!¡± Old Master Nie was seated in the middle of the sofa, his face ashen and looking at Nie Zhenbang with angry eyes. Next to him, his eldest brother Nie Guodong, his father Nie Guowei, and Nie Jialei were all seated on the sofa, looking solemn. Old Master Nie¡¯s authority in the Nie Family was indisputable. Even his eldest brother, who was about to take up the position in the Yuezhou Military Region and be a major general, was also very respectful in front of Old Master Nie. There are no secrets in Jingcheng; every family has numerous informants. The moment Nie Zhenbang went alone to the Yang family, those with the right connections knew. Given the circumstances, it had not gone unnoticed that a conservative stalwart element of the Nie family had visited the die-hard reformist Yang family. News traveled quickly to Old Master Nie. Many conservative bigwigs questioned him. The previous article had already put the Nies on the defensive. The legitimate grandson¡¯s article firstly, followed by the third grandson¡¯s visit to the Yang family. Within the conservative group, Elder Nie was already experiencing an isting trend. Although this third grandson was an illegitimate child and had a low status, the problemy here. Outsiders saw that a child raised in the ordinary world, without the consent of the Nie family or Elder Nie, wouldn¡¯t dare to make decisions on his own. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brain was whirling at a high speed at the moment. The year was drawing to a close. At the beginning of the next year, the conflict between the two factions would reach a conclusion. The reformists are at a disadvantage, while the conservatives are gaining momentum. In his previous existence, the Nie family did not benefit much from this strife. Instead, they were met with harsh retaliation after Xurirades took office. Because of fears about the power of the Nie family in the military, the leaders took decisive action. From then on, the Nie family went downhill. Now, the Nie Guodong brothers have been exiled to Yuedong, marking a shift. Regardless of the oue, the Nie family will not suffer as terrible a loss as before. But that is not enough. What he needed was for the Nie family to emerge as victors, not losers. Nie Zhenbang looked at his grandfather, fully aware of his temper. At this moment, if he could just endure and let things pass, he would be out of his grandfather¡¯s line of fire. But Nie Zhenbang was not prepared to keep his peace. A problem can¡¯t be resolved overnight. There was only one oue to admitting his mistake¡ªhouse arrest¡ª and that would hamper all his ns. With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang nced at the figures in the back of the living room, made a resolute decision and thought, this was a time to gamble. ¡°Grandfather, ording to the family motto of the Nie family, we should return a small favor with arge one. The Yang family has done something significant for me. I do not see any problem with me going over to the Yang family to thank them.¡± Before Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice even died down, even Nie Guodong¡¯s expression froze in surprise. The audacity of this young man! He dared make such a im public. By saying that the Yang family had a significant meaning to him, wasn¡¯t that admitting that the Yang family helped him regain his status in the Nie family? From an ordinary civilian, to bing a member of wealthy family. This was indeed a huge favor. It was understandable. However, no one would outrightly speak about it. In the eyes of Elder Nie, a member of the revolutionary proletariat, they were all public servants, with no special privileges over themon people. ¡°Father, I was involved in Zhenbang¡¯s decision to visit the Yang family.¡± At this moment, Nie Guowei also spoke up. ¡°Shut up! You useless thing!¡± Elder Nie, his face growing even darker, roared furiously at Nie Guowei. Nie Zhenbang then spoke: ¡°Father, enough. I do not think that I have made a mistake. Nor do I think there is anything wrong with reform.¡± As he said this, Nie Zhenbang took a deep breath, ¡°Grandfather, although I, Nie Zhenbang,e from a humble background, I have not received any favors or privileges from the Nie family. Throughout my sixteen-year life, I have been an ordinary citizen with no knowledge of privilege or matters of state.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were calm, causing Elder Nie to cool down and look at him coldly. This reaction pleased Nie Zhenbang, who continued, ¡°Before I was acknowledged, I was an orphan without a father, with my mother dead. That¡¯s all. But then, I was admitted to Jingcheng University. Although my future can¡¯t be said to be bright, at least my livelihood was assured. But now, I ambelled as an illegitimate child, against my will. That¡¯s the reality. I have to ept it. Should I me my father? No. Without him, I wouldn¡¯t be in this world. Being resentful isn¡¯t my style.¡± ¡°Grandfather, you are high above us all, one of the national leaders. But do you understand the needs of the people?¡± Nie Zhenbang paused before continuing, ¡°During the Anti-Japanese War and the Liberation War, a generation of great men built the New China with the support of peasants and the entire nation. This was the will of the people. He who wins the favor of the people, wins the world. The past decade of the Great Revolution has led us here. Several years ago, in Small Gang Vige, household contract was introduced for the first time. Since then, farmers across the country have been stimted to produce more. I don¡¯t know about other ces, but in Tang City, the farmers are focusing all their attention on theirnd. Before the household contract was introduced, no one had enough to eat when themunes were in ce. But now, every family has surplus grain and can afford chicken, duck and fish for New Year¡¯s Eve meal. This is change. The reform and opening up is not just an exchange between the upper echelons of society. It represents the hopes and dreams of the entire nation. It is the will of the people. Anyone blocking this will be abandoned.¡± As his words died away, there was a long silence in the living room. Elder Niey on the couch, looking at Nie Zhenbang for a long time before standing up. He uttered a cold huff and said, ¡°Arrogant! Nie Guowei, manage your own son. I can no longer deal with him..¡± Chapter 21 - 20: Field Trial_l Chapter 21: Chapter 20: Field Trial_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Zhenbang, your performance yesterday was something I could only look up to. I wouldn¡¯t even dare speak like that in front of grandpa. From now on, you¡¯re my big brother.¡± Nie Jiamin said excitedly as they walked the streets of Jingcheng. Everyone had expected Nie Zhenbang to be helpless when grandpa got angry. But to everyone¡¯s surprise, grandpa¡¯s bark was worse than his bite, and he left. Everyone was left dumbfounded. In fact, Nie Zhenbang had made a correct bet. Grandpa had spent his whole life doing political work. Patience and attention to detail were the key. Nie Zhenbang saw this and dared to be bold. It turned out that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s bet paid off. Then, Nie Zhenbangughed and said: ¡°Little brother, don¡¯t mention it anymore. Let¡¯s find a ce quickly. Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali, these two restless fellows, might be back in less than a week. If we haven¡¯t found a ce by then, they might attack us.¡± At that time, there was no professionalmercial real estate in Jingcheng. The street-side stores were basically state-owned units. Wangfujing Department Store was still called Jingcheng City Department Store, and only two years ago did it begin pilot separation from the government. The establishment of limited shareholding had to wait until five yearster. Therger buildings basically belonged to government agencies or state-owned enterprises. Renting them was out of the question. Just then, a wall came into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view. The state-owned Jingcheng Second Textile Factory. Looking at the factory buildings near the street, which were less than ten meters from the road, and the space between the factory buildings was not very wide, at most five meters, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind became active. He had fallen into a trap of thinking that he hadn¡¯t considered factories. But the mostmon thing in Jingcheng city was enterprises located near the streets. Some had good productivity, but some were nearly bankrupt. This was an opportunity for him. In the east of Changan Street, a factory suddenly came into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view near Wangfujing Street. The factory was less than a thousand meters away from Wangfujing Street. As the most famousmercial area in Jingcheng, this unexpected factory location was an opportunity Nie Zhenbang had not anticipated. Central District Hardware Parts Factory. Looking at the somewhat old sign in front of him, the gate was locked, and an old man was sitting in the open air beside a reception room, sunbathing. Nie Zhenbang approached him and knocked on the iron gate: ¡°Old man, why is your factory closed?¡± The old man looked displeased and sniffed at Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Hey, you young man, can you speak? What does it mean to be closed? The factory has moved to the suburbs. Isn¡¯t it close to the business street here? The district was bothered by the noise when the factory was in operation. So, it moved.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was overjoyed. The perfect opportunity hade so easily. He¡¯d been looking everywhere, but he didn¡¯t expect to find such a prime location in thismercial centre. Looking from the iron gate into the factory, it had an area of about 20 to 30 mu. There were 20 factory buildings in total. The one closest to the street was about 15 meters away. The spaces between the buildings were very small, probably because they didn¡¯t producerge machinery and didn¡¯t requirerge vehicles. The width of the factory road was only about five meters. It would be very convenient for renovation. Based on the calction of 500 square meters per factory building, there were 10,000 square meters of factory buildings alone. After expansion and integration of these buildings, the total business area would be at least 14,000 square meters, although it was only one storey. Yet, it was more than enough for now. ¡°Old man, I want to ask you a question. Does the use right of this factory belong to the district or the factory?¡± Nie Zhenbang took a Panda cigarette from his pocket, handed one to the old gatekeeper and started chatting. The old gatekeeper, half-squinting his eyes and examining the filter, softened his expression. ¡°It belongs to the factory. But after the New Year, it will belong to the district. Why, boy, do you want to rent it?¡± Nie Zhenbang shook his head, stood up andughed, ¡°Old man, do I look like I can afford to rent it? It¡¯s just a boss who wants to rent, and I¡¯m helping him look around for suitable ces. Old man, you go ahead. I¡¯ll be off now.¡± The Hardware Factory should have a good rtionship with the Second Light Department. At this point, Nie Zhenbang was pondering. As a forty-year-old man who had suffered a great deal, although his body became young, his psychological age was simr to a forty-year-old man¡¯s. He was not at an impulsive age to start a business entirely on his own. As long as he got a rtionship he could use, Nie Zhenbang would make full use of it. The Second Light Department, Nie Zhenbang seemed to recall, Director Guo, the aunt Huang Yuerong¡¯s close friend, held the position of Deputy Director of the Financial Department there. After grandpa¡¯s death and the Nie family¡¯s downfall, Guo Xiann had visited once, but nobody introduced her due to the situation at that time. However, she did tell Huang Yuerong her office phone number, which was quite simple. Nie Zhenbang remembered it. Guo Xiann and Huang Yuerong were so close they could trust each other with their lives; otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have made a risky visit. Having thought of this, Nie Zhenbang excitedly said, ¡°Little brother, we¡¯ve got a lead on our location.¡± ¡°What kind of oue? Zhenbang, you¡¯re being cryptic.¡± Nie Jiamin was confused. ¡°Hehe, second brother, do you know who owns this factory? It¡¯s owned by the Secondary Light Industry Bureau of the city. What do you think? Can we rent it if we get the leaders of the Secondary Light Industry Bureau involved?¡± Nie Zhenbangughed. Nie Jiamin is not a fool, but he puckered up his face: ¡°But we don¡¯t know anyone from the Secondary Light Bureau either.¡± Nie Zhenbang mysteriously said: ¡°We definitely have acquaintances. However, it¡¯s up to you to take this call. This leader is your mom¡¯s best friend. Whether this can work out or not depends on you.¡± He walked to a public phone booth and dialed Guo Xiann¡¯s number. The voice he was very familiar with from his previous life sounded on the other side of the phone. Nie Jiamin froze for a moment, then quickly adjusted his mentality and politely said: ¡°Aunt Guo? I¡¯m Jiamin. I met youst time at my house. Do you remember?¡± On the other side, Guo Xiann was stunned for a while, then soon came to her senses: ¡°Jiamin? You are Yuerong¡¯s son. Why did you suddenly remember to call Aunt Guo? Did you do something wrong and want me to plead your case?¡± The sons and daughters of the elite in Jingcheng City have almost all used this trick, making mistakes outside and then fearing being scolded. Most of them take this path, and it seems like Guo Xiann¡¯s son often uses this method. At this moment, Guo Xiann still regarded Nie Jiamin as a child and naturally thought of this. Nie Jiamin momentarily broke a cold sweat and quickly tried to steer her away from that assumption with augh, ¡°Aunt Guo, Do you think I¡¯m that kind of person? It¡¯s just my mom who recently wanted to go shopping, so I¡¯m calling to set up a date with you. Also, I have a small favor to ask of you. So, I¡¯m killing two birds with one stone.¡± ¡°You kid, you know how to sweet-talk better than my son. Go ahead, what can Aunt Guo help you with?¡± Guo Xiann also began to scold andugh on the phone. Shopping was a pretext, and discussing the affairs was the real objective. However, Guo Xiann was d for Huang Yuerong that her son was really not an ordinary one. ¡°Aunt Guo, it¡¯s like this. Are you familiar with the Central District Hardware Parts Factory? I saw that their factory is idle, and a friend wants to rent it to do some business. But I don¡¯t have any contacts, so can you help me ask?¡± Nie Jiamin got straight to the point and started talking. Atst, he added: ¡°Aunt Guo, rest assured, it¡¯s absolutely legitimate. They are Hong Kong businessmen who have plenty of money. There will absolutely be no problem with the rent.¡± On the other side, Guo Xiann also began tough: ¡°Haha, you¡¯re such a little generous soul. Do you really think I¡¯m worried about you? Aunt Guo is just afraid you might get cheated. Well, it¡¯s not a big deal, let me call the Secondary Light Industry Bureau of Central District to ask for you. Are you at the factory? Ok, wait a moment. I¡¯ll have someone from their sidee to meet you so you can stay in touch.¡± Within half an hour, a jeep and a Volga stopped at the entrance of the hardware factory. Four middle-aged men got out of the car. Seeing Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin standing at the factory gate, one of them quickly came forward to greet them: ¡°Hello, hello. Which of you is Nie Jiamin? My name is Wang Yunrong, Director of the Secondary Light Industry Bureau of Central District. Director Guo gave me a call, saying that you want to lease this factory. I specifically called the person in charge here. The two people beside me are Secretary Qin Weihong of the Hardware Factory Party Committee and Factory Manager Qiao Xinghua.¡± As soon as he met, Wang Yunrong shook hands with Nie Jiamin very enthusiastically. Although Director Guo was only the Deputy Director of the Finance Bureau, he held significant power. Compared to him, they were worlds apart. Although Director Guo did not reveal Nie Jiamin¡¯s background on the phone, the mere fact that he was a son of her best friend was enough. Anyone whom Director Guo called her best friend with would definitely have quite an impressive background. Nie Jiamin shook hands with a smile, ¡°Director Wang, you¡¯re too polite. I should be the one to visit you. I feel a bit guilty to have made youe in person. Hello, Secretary Qin! Hello, Factory Manager Qiao! Director Wang, let me introduce to you, this is my younger brother, my second uncle¡¯s son Nie Zhenbang. He¡¯s the one who wants to rent this factory. In your opinions, how much annual rent would be suitable for this factory?¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled and greeted the three. He was very polite to Director Wang, but in front of Secretary Qin and Factory Manager Qiao, Nie Zhenbang exuded a sense of nobility. This excited Director Wang even more. This is truly the demeanor of someone from an established family. He immediately signaled the factory manager, Qiao Xinghua, who understood and replied: ¡°Mr. Nie, leasing out the factory can be beneficial to us, too. In our opinion, annually¡­ about 30,000 yuan?¡± 30,000 yuan for renting a 30-acre factory, if this were 24 yearster, it would probably barely be enough for 30 square meters. Nie Zhenbang did not quibble over this. He looked at the three and said, ¡°The rent is not expensive, but can the factory be tested first?¡± PS: Thank you Luludada- for your generous reward. You¡¯re great! Fes, our new book is currently in the 13th position on the overall list. We¡¯re only one spot away from the rank. The gap between us and the book in front is only a little over 2000 points. Converted into specifics, that¡¯s either 400 clicks or 400 rmended votes. Everyone, let¡¯s give our best, and if today we can rush to the new book list on the front page, Old Cai will surely explode with inspiration.. Chapter 22 - 21 – Gaining From Someone Without Giving Anything In Return_l Chapter 22: Chapter 21 ¨C Gaining From Someone Without Giving Anything In Return_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Trial run?¡± The three people were a bit stunned upon hearing this. Was it possible to have a trial run for a property lease? This wasn¡¯t something intangible. However, Director Wang was a shrewd and clever man. He stared at Nie Jiamin and Nie Zhenbang, deep in thought. It appeared these two intended to receive something for nothing. Many high-ranking officials engaged in such tactics in Jingcheng. At this moment, it was impossible to directly refuse. Not just because it would be embarrassing for Director Wang, but also because he himself would find it difficult to exin this to Director Guo. Thus, Director Wang asked with a smile, ¡°Mr. Nie, what exactly do you mean by a ¡®trial run¡¯?¡± Nie Zhenbang attained the reaction he wanted. Looking at the three, he calmly said, ¡°Director Wang, it¡¯s simple. I¡¯m renting this ce with the intention of building a supermarket. This would cause all of your factory buildings to be renovated, and the roads in the factory area to be covered. The entire factory area would be expanded as a whole. Just think about the huge investment from the other party ¨C it¡¯s definitely not less than two years¡¯ rent. If it doesn¡¯t work, I n to withdraw and pay you based on the actual months used. I won¡¯t take anything with me when I leave. So technically, you¡¯d still profit.¡± Director Wang listened and pondered. Turning a factory into a supermarket seemed unlikely. Just renovation and reconstruction would probably take half a year. Was it possible to finish it in time? However, looking at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s serious expression and the sizable physical investment, it didn¡¯t seem like a joke. Buildings can¡¯t be moved like rented cars or properties. Worsees to worse, a few months of rent would be credited to him. Anything more might cause difficulties. Ultimately, the factory belonged to the collective and even he did not have the final say. If the workers disagreed, there could be a massive uproar, which could escte to top authorities as this was happening under the nose of the imperial court. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Director Wang asked Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mr. Nie, I have no problem with a trial run, but I am not sure how long your friend ns to try it out?¡± Nie Zhenbangughed upon hearing this. If the conversation had gotten to this point, then he was sessful. He replied promptly, ¡°Three months¡¯ trial period. In addition, there will be one month for renovation. Thisrge factory areaes with a considerable amount of work. Without half a year¡¯s time, it simply can¡¯t open for business. If possible, I can represent my friend and immediately sign an agreement with you.¡± Nie Zhenbang was employing a clever tactic here. While half a year¡¯s renovation seemed like a lot, to Nie Zhenbang,pleting it in a month was not overly difficult. With a simple piece of paper on the office desk in themunication room, and after signing the agreement with Factory Director Qiao, Nie Zhenbang extended his hand saying: ¡°Please take good care of me in future, Factory Director Qiao. Director Wang, thank you for today. When I have time in the future, I will be the host and invite you for a drink.¡± After securing the factory, Nie Zhenbang did not wait for Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali to return and immediately started renovations. First, all the fences along Changan Street were removed, and the bricks were reused. The walls of the street-side factory began undergoing renovations. Following the original height of the wall, new tiles were added. The roof above the street-side factory was converted intorge billboards veiling the original roof. Meanwhile, the interior walls were also transformed. Original walls were demolished, and load-bearing pirs made of a square meter of brick-concrete were constructed at positions where the truss beams were subjected to force. This made the entire 10,000+ square meters area appear open. The sign for the Wal-Mart Supermarket had also been put up. Arge advertisement was hung on the street-facing wall, indicating that Wal-Mart was under renovation and was scheduled to officially open on December 18th. They requested people to look forward to it¡­ Although this promotional tactic ismonly used inter years, applying it in this era caused quite the stir. With Xiao Yali and Yang Anbang¡¯s efforts, Capital City TV Station and other media followed up with continuous reports on Wal-Mart. Under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nning, Wal-Mart¡¯s Hong Kong background and detailed information regarding the supermarket slowly got revealed in the media. In less than half a month, news about Wal-Mart had spread all over Jingcheng. In the two-story office building behind the hardware factory, the ce was already turned into the Jingcheng headquarters of Wal-Mart Supermarket Co., Ltd. Right now, in Yang Anbang¡¯s office, looking at the renovation nearingpletion, preparing for interior decoration and shelving, Yang Anbang was a bit anxious: ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯ve spectacrly leased this property without spending a dime, even gaining a free month for renovations. Brother, I have to admire you. But brother, it¡¯s the end of October, and November is approaching. What should we do with our goods? We¡¯ve spent arge portion of our funds on the overhaul, and little remains.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was very rxed. As someone from the future, he knew how booming supermarkets were. To describe it as making a fortune day by day wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. He lightly chuckled and said to Xiao Yali, ¡°Sister, how goes the task I gave you? Did the bank agree to the loan?¡± Xiao Yali nodded and said, ¡°After reviewing our registered capital andpany qualifications and inspecting our sales area, the bank has agreed to lend us money, up to 300,000.¡± Hearing this news, Nie Zhenbang also excitedly clenched his fists. He did not worry about sourcing the goods. As long as the supermarket could open, the sales volume would exin everything. Now, if the renovations were suspended due tock of funds, that would be a serious matter indeed. The loan of three hundred thousand from the bank had been credited. To Nie Zhenbang, this was an event far more important than obtaining the goods. Now, upon hearing the confirmed news, he had a feeling of immense relief. He then looked towards Yang Anbang and said: ¡°Brother Yang, thank your friend, and start advertising. Take out fifty thousand yuan from what my sister has and run the ad campaign across the entire city. Also, mobilize your contacts to get us some of the most sought aftermodities. We are gearing up to get started with the goods.¡± The reasoning behind the supermarket¡¯s name, Walmart, was very simple in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind: it took a letter from both Walmart and Carrefour. Once the Walmart supermarket opens, it would certainly surpass them. In the future, they would probably not have much of a role to y domestically. ¡°Wal-Mart Supermarket is now open for business, located at the busiest Wangfujing Street. A huge shopping supermarket of sixteen thousand square meters. Over a hundred thousand top-quality products for customers to choose from. The prices are the lowest, the quality the best. The products are the most affordable. Now facing the whole country, sincerely inviting goods suppliers. Due to limited quota, the first ten to sign up will be exempted from supermarket entry fees. At the same time, the supermarket will ce these products in the best position among products of the same kind, to achieve the best results. The first thirty will get a half price discount on the entrance fees.¡± Without a second thought, Nie Zhenbang said this advertising phrase. At this moment,pared to his previous life,pared to twenty-four yearster, it was simply improvised, without any hint of consideration. Following Nie Zhenbang¡¯s order, once again, the advertisement for the Wal-Mart Supermarket appeared in the streets and alleys of Jingcheng. Unlike themon folk who were engaged in spectating the lively happenings, all the factions and families in Jingcheng started to move into action. The alliance of the Nie family and the Yang family proved that the Nie family was already standing behind the decision -makers. Unlike the upheaval among the upper ss, Wal-Mart Supermarket¡¯s goods suppliers also began to make progress. Under the joint strike of Yang Anbang and Nie Jiamin, despite their young age, their status was clearly demonstrated. Many state-owned factories could not resist the face and chose to settle in. At the same time, with the continuing bombardment of supermarket advertisements, some private wholesalers also began to lose patience. After tens of thousands or even a hundred thousand people pass by every day, it¡¯s not something that ordinary people can resist. ¡°Boss Dai, aren¡¯t you afraid that these goods will be swallowed up by them?¡± ¡°Hahaha, how much is this little merchandise worth? Such a bigpany and such arge supermarket, I believe that these bosses won¡¯t cheat us. Big deal, their daily advertising costs could cover your orders. I¡¯m not afraid.¡± As the first one stepped forward, the second one also began to get excited. Across the nation, everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the Wal-Mart Supermarket. ¡°Little brother, I admire you, really.¡±Se??ch ?ew???e?. o?g on ?oo?l? Since the admission fees were collected, the price has been half or discounted, but now, it is sold at the original price. Yet, the enthusiasm of the suppliers has been ignited, and they were almost all ready to put everything on the line. Another month passed, and all the renovations in the supermarket werepleted. As the renovations neared their end, on Yang Anbang¡¯s side, they immediately recruited more than a hundred people. Seventy yuan a month. The ie was not high in Jingcheng, but now they were all busy arranging the shelves. When thest bag of rice was stacked high, the whole supermarket under the lighting looked like daybreak. Yang Anbang, clutching the railing tightly at this moment, murmured to himself: ¡°Whether it¡¯s a worm or a dragon, it all depends on tomorrow¡¯s grand opening.¡± PS: Thank you! Thank you!! You guys are amazing, for the first time, truly the first time, Old Cai has felt the incredible power of his brothers. We made it to the top. The home page, although the gap behind is just a few rmend votes, a few member clicks, the power of you guys, for the first time on Old Cai, on Old Cai¡¯s book, has been perfectly embodied. You guys are great. This is the third update today. Later in the evening, around dawn, another update. Five updates tomorrow all day. Fulfill Old Cai¡¯s promise to you guys.. Chapter 23 - 22: Causing a Sensation_l Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Causing a Sensation_l Trantor: 549690339 In order to align with internationalrge-scale formal supermarkets, Nie Zhenbang specially used the connections of Nie Guowei to introduce the most advanced barcode identification system and cash register system from the United States under the auspices of the National nning Commission and the Foreign Economic and Trade Commission. It was a brand-new cash registerputer brought in from IBM, lined up in a row, with a total of thirty cashier outlets. Nie Guowei was about to leave office, and the recent performance of Nie Zhenbang had surprised him. If Nie Zhenbang had done this ording to the character of the old man before, he would have been driven out of the Nie family long ago. The fact that Nie Zhenbang is still living sofortably now is abnormal in itself. This small matter, Nie Guowei naturally would not refuse. After all, it¡¯s a good opportunity to improve his rtionship with Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Second Brother, has the cashier training beenpleted? Can they all operate independently?¡± Walking in the supermarket, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang also had a feeling as if he had returned to the 21st century. When the supermarket began to operate, Nie Jiamin naturally returned to school. The stake in the supermarket was just a quota. The actual person in charge was still Yang Anbang. Since Nie Jiamin doesn¡¯t have much to do, he naturally went back to school. At this time, Yang Anbang was already amazed by Nie Zhenbang. Those state-owned factories, such as Hucheng Daily Chemical Factory, Nanjing Radio Factory and so on, paid hefty entry fees to have their products entered into the supermarket. Free merchandise restocking was no problem. After all, Yang Anbang, Nie Zhenbang and Xiao Yali held their joint identity here, the energy they exert together is not to be underestimated, naturally some people will curry favor with them, and there is a certain amount of human rtionships involved. However, the products from the Hong Kong, Taiwan and private enterprises in Jiangnan Province and Yuedong Province also agreed to pay entrance fees for free stocking. This confused Yang Anbang. This era was still a time ofmodity shortage. What these factories produced was almost always in short supply. Is there any need to humble oneself in this way? ¡°Sister, the cashiers are your responsibility. Tomorrow, when the store opens, make all sixty cashierse to work. Be on standby in two shifts at any time,¡± Nie Zhenbang ordered again. Xiao Yali nodded, also somewhat puzzled, ¡°Zhenbang, all of them will be on duty? We have so many peopleing in to buy things?¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled without answering. The early phase advertising had already gone out. For these two months, from national leaders tomon people in Jingcheng, everyone was talking about Wal-Mart Supermarket. At the same time, the messages of high-quality and inexpensive goods, everyday low prices, wide variety of goods, and the ability to purchase without any n have been spread out. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang also used some small techniques from future supermarket promotions, such as the first fifty customers who enter the store can get two kilograms of rice for a consumption of ten yuan, which fully utilized the curiosity and penny-pinching mentality of the Jingcheng citizens. At eight o¡¯clock the next morning. Before Wal-Mart even opened, there were already thousands of ordinary people gathered outside the door. Seeing this scene, Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali jumped with excitement, hugged each other, and shouted loudly, ¡°We seeded. We seeded. We have seeded!¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled and looked at the two, showing a triumphant smile. These two people, from the initial skirmishes when they first met, seemed to have sparked something now. Then, Nie Zhenbang coughed and said, ¡°Second boss, seconddy boss, do you need to be mindful of your behavior? There is a minor nearby.¡± Seeing the angry look on Xiao Yali¡¯s face, Nie Zhenbang immediately said, ¡°Second brother, get some firecrackers ready for the opening.¡± A set of one hundred thousand firecrackers was ignited. Although Jingcheng City prohibits the use of fireworks and firecrackers, this small matter naturally could not affect people like Yang Anbang. If they couldn¡¯t even cope with this, they might as well have lived these years in vain. For the grand opening, Nie Zhenbang specially asked Xiao Yali to borrow apany of soldiers from her second uncle in the army. They all took off their military uniforms, put on security uniforms, and temporarily acted as the security forces for Wal-Mart Supermarket. In this era, working in a private enterprise was thest resort. Even in Jingcheng, it would be difficult to find so many security guards in such a short time. With the opening of the doors, the crowd rushed in. At each entrance, there was a girl with an excellent image and temperament, smiling and guiding customers to deposit their bags at the main service desk. The supermarket industry is apletely new industry in the country. These ordinary people were like unmarried girls getting married, experiencing everything for the first time. They naturally needed guidance. Inside the supermarket, a dazzling array of merchandise fills the shelves ¡ª from trend-setting clothing from Yuedong Province, consumer electronics and bicycles manufactured byrge state-owned factories to food from all over the country. Nutritional malt drinks, powdered milk, various electronic products from Hong Kong and Yuedong; shoes, sweaters, suits, socks, and much more. You don¡¯t need any ration coupons ¡ª as long as you have money, you can buy whatever you want. Even better, by cutting out the middleman wholesaler, Wal-Mart Supermarket achieves a lower cost base than wholesale distributors anywhere else. After all, wholesalers procure goods in small volumes resulting in higher transportation costs, far exceeding those incurred by Wal-Mart Supermarket. ¡°Old Chen, look, this bicycle only costs a hundred and sixty bucks. It¡¯s a brand model from Hucheng Phoenix. Last time I checked at the Jingdong Mall, it was over sixty bucks pricier. Our son has been wanting one of these for a while, hasn¡¯t he? Why not buy it for him today while it¡¯s cheap, we may not have this opportunity again.¡± A middle-aged woman, pushing a shopping cart, somewhat fascinated, said to the man beside her. The middle-aged man examined the bicycle ¡ª the quality and craftsmanship were outstanding. It was clearly not a counterfeit. He nodded and replied, ¡°I am going to withdraw some money. Please wait for me here.¡± Such scenes continued to y out in every corner of the supermarket. The average price of goods in the supermarket was 30 to 35 percent cheaper than outside. This was a genuine bargain that no one was willing to miss. Throughout the day, news of Wal-Mart Supermarket¡¯s low prices spread throughout Jingcheng City. The supermarket¡¯s slogan ¡°Every Day Low Price¡± also circted with it, gradually making its meaning apparent to Jingcheng citizens. From opening at eight in the morning to closing at ten at night, the store was always overflowing with customers. The supermarket¡¯s sixty cashiers worked in shifts but by closing time, they were all close to exhaustion. At this point, representatives from factories nationwide upied every avable office space within the two-story office building of Wal-Mart Supermarket.¡¯ Nie Zhenbang took a look, then stood up and said, ¡°Looks like this meeting room can¡¯t fit everyone. How about we go down to the supermarket and wait for the sales results there?¡± Outside the exit of the supermarket¡¯s cash registers, tables and chairs were brought out. The group of people, like a rural vige meeting, sat together. Half an hourter, Xiao Yali, the overjoyed chief of finance at Wal-Mart Supermarket, waved a report in her hand and said to Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anbang, ¡°The total daily revenue has been counted. It exceeded one million and reached a total of one million eight thousand three hundred sixty-five Yuan and six cents.¡± Nie Zhenbang, though he was prepared, didn¡¯t show any surprised expression. Yang Anbang, however, was left dumbfounded. A million in a day, assuming the supermarket¡¯s gross profit at about twenty percent, implied a profit of two hundred thousand in a day. Opening a supermarket was like printing money. Nie Zhenbangughed and said: ¡°Brother, this is just the first day. Many people overspent. In the future, the ie won¡¯t be as substantial as it was today. But I estimate that about three hundred thousand a day would be normal. You can¡¯t expect customers to buy televisions and bicycles every day.¡± At that moment, all the factory representatives received the sales details of their products. The bicycle factory alone had sold around two hundred bicycles in just one day. With such booming business, all of them felt reassured that their investment in Wal-Mart Supermarket would pay off. Sole distributorship contracts were enough to assuage their concerns. Just think, this was only the first store. What will happen if they had ten, or a hundred stores? The thought left them breathless. Nie Zhenbang calcted approximately in his mind. With over a hundred suppliersbined, they had paid about three hundred thousand in admission fees. This was pure ie for the supermarket. After deducting the annual rent, there was two hundred and seventy thousand left. Added to today¡¯s revenue, it was enough for Wal-Mart Supermarket to begin expanding. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, factory representatives, I¡¯d suggest you return home and ramp up production after today¡¯s celebration. Soon, we will be opening new supermarkets in West City, Dongcheng, Beicheng and Nancheng. The business area of each will be no less than our current supermarket. To show our appreciation and trust, the entry fee will be halved for those interested. All other terms remain the same, with monthly settlements. What do you think?¡± The first supermarket had just opened and was nning to expand fourfold. Everyone was taken aback by the rapid development speed of Wal-Mart Supermarket. PS: Just finished writing two chapters, and it¡¯s 11:20 PM. Guess I shouldn¡¯t wait until midnight. I am sure my readers understand. Four chapters for today, four for tomorrow. Pretty much the same as three chapters today and five chapters tomorrow. I¡¯ve been excited and touched all night. Your support fuels my passion. I want to thank brother kuei cab for his generous reward and brother OpenHeartEverydaY11 for the 1888 Qidian Coins. Thanks to Miss Bian Xiuling. I¡¯m not sure how to address you. It might be inappropriate to call you ¡°sister¡±. I don¡¯t want to make you feel old. I will stick with ¡°MM¡±. You are a new friend of mine. Thank you for your 1888 Qidian Coins. I will work harder to deliver more exciting content for my readers.. Chapter 24 - 23: The Storm is Coming _1 Chapter 24: Chapter 23: The Storm is Coming _1 Trantor: 549690339 Wal-Mart Supermarket, since it was opened a month ago, has an average turnover of more than 300 ,ooo yuan. This news greatly stimted all suppliers. This new business model soon became popr in Jingcheng. At the end of the month, Nie Zhenbang paid up without any arrears, which was very refreshing for the suppliers. At this time, thest thing Wal-Mart Supermarketcked was cash flow. To cut off Wal-Mart Supermarket¡¯s follow-up supply for this small amount of money was not something Nie Zhenbang would do. ¡°Zhenbang, things are not going well. A supermarket named Fu Family has just opened less than 500 meters away from ours. The business area is not small, it has tens of thousands of square meters, and I¡¯ve found out who the boss behind the scenes is. It¡¯s Zhou Chen! It seems this kid is bent onpeting against us,¡± Yang Anbang rushed in, with the opening of the Fu Family Supermarket, Wal-Mart Supermarket¡¯s turnover has also decreased a lot. Although it only decreased by a few tens of thousands of yuan, it was enough to make Yang Anbang feel anxious. Aside, Nie Jiamin, who hade to learn, raised his eyebrows on hearing it was Zhou Chen, ¡°Zhou Chen? This guy must be itching for a fight. How dare hepete with us? Zhenbang, I¡¯ll immediately call someone and smash his store.¡± ¡°Jiamin, what on earth are you yelling about? You think you are the only big boss in the city? If you can smash it, can¡¯t Zhou Chen smash it too? His supermarket has just opened. But our business is booming. Those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who do. If ites to the worst, we can quit altogether,¡± reasoned Xiao Yali who had matured a lotpared with before through a few months of training. However, Nie Zhenbang,ughed, Yang Anbang at this moment was not asposed as he was in his previous life, and his cultivation was not yet at the point where he could remain unfazed when faced with a formidable crisis . Zhou Chen? At this moment, Nie Zhenbang seemed very rxed, ¡°Brother, Jiamin. Don¡¯t worry. If others want to open, can we stop them? Competition promotes development. As the first supermarket, we can¡¯t stop others from imitating. We can only solve the problem by ourselves. Since he wants to imitate, let him always eat our dust. Check out this membership card n, what do you think?¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang handed his newly devised membership card n to Yang Anbang. After reading the entire membership card n, Yang Anbang alsoughed with joy, ¡°Zhenbang, I was wondering why you were so calm. Turns out you have an ace up your sleeve, once this membership card isunched, and the points n is implemented, these customers will be loyal customers of our supermarket and it would be impossible for others to take them away.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed at this moment, and then said, ¡°Imitation is just a basic thought. What we at Wal-Mart want to do is to stay at the forefront of the industry. Brother, we alone are not enough. Jingcheng is only so big, and there are only five supermarkets now. Four have not even opened yet, and we are already busy. If we expand to the whole north, and even the whole country, aren¡¯t we going to be stretched too thin? Proactive involvement is a good habit. However, cultivating our own talent is what we need to do. Topete with Wal-Mart in the United States and Carrefour in France, we should step up our talents reserve now.¡± After this period of training, Yang Anbang¡¯s talent in business has also gradually emerged. With the sess of his business, Yang Anbang¡¯s position in the Yang family has also gradually improved. Elder Yang has already stopped interfering in Yang Anbang¡¯s affairs. For Yang Anbang, this was undoubtedly liberating his hands and feet. ¡°Zhenbang, are we just going to let that Zhou Chen¡¯s supermarket be?¡± Yang Anbang still couldn¡¯t quite ept it. Zhou Chen was nothing notable, and the Zhou family was just a slightly above-average family in Jingcheng, a notch below the Yang family, and even more inferior to the Nie family. Such behavior was tantamount to a p in his face. Yang Anbang couldn¡¯t swallow this. Fu Family Supermarket, the name itself indicated Zhou Chen¡¯s intention, it was purely to challenge him. The business ce of Fu Family Supermarket used to be Zhongcheng District Materials Bureau¡¯s warehouse of threeyers. Eachyer had a nearly 10,000 square meter area. Even Nie Zhenbang was quite enamored of this location. ¡°Hehe, second brother, don¡¯t be in such a hurry. Opening a supermarket is not just about doing business, especially at such a sensitive time. Zhou Chen is just doing this out of spite, don¡¯t worry, that ce will eventually be ours.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed confidently. With the simultaneous opening of the other four Wal-Mart Supermarkets in Jingcheng, the implementation of the membership card n immediately captured the consumption mindset of the public. The daily turnover of the five supermarkets totaled to an astonishing 1.3 million yuan. This was a veritable money-printing machine. At the end of this year, in various meetings, the head of state gave speeches on ¡°Opposing Bourgeois Liberalization¡± and sharply criticized this type of behavior. At the same time, conservatives at home also started to attack the policy of reform and opening up for this reason. For a time, the atmosphere in the whole country became tense. From municipal to provincial departments, confrontations between conservatives and reformers were seen everywhere. This atmosphere in the central government became even more intense. Both conservatives and reformists attacked each other. Various circle meetings were secretly taking ce. Mei Xiang Park The residence of the leader is located here. At this moment, in the study of the leader in Mei Xiang Park. Several bigwigs from the central government sat solemnly. Elder Yang looked at the slightly solemn expression of the leader. He was a bit nervous. As early as November, the old master of the Ye family passed away. Ye Lao, as a reformist force, his departure was a significant blow to the reformists. At this time, if the conservatives mobilized the army, the entire nation would be in turmoil. Elder Yang couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Leader, the National Party Congress is about to convene soon, Our Comrade Zhaohua is about to step down. The conservatives mean business this time. Comrade Xuri is very ambitious. It seems like he is determined to take the position,¡± Elder Yang expressed his concerns. Several central bigwigs nodded their heads in agreement at the side, their gazes all turned to the leader. As the leader of the army, and the promoter of the nation¡¯s reform and opening policies, the leader¡¯s decision was the decision of the reformists. This was undeniable. At this moment, the leader shook his head slightly, his modest height radiating a sense of confidence. He emphasized in his unique ent, ¡°The military does not interfere in politics. This is the ironw of our party, whether it is me or Old Nie, we still have this awareness. The country¡¯s stability cannot change at this time. The international situation is veryplex. Since the conservatives are so steadfast, I think we can take things slow. This position, we can let go. We should still push for reform, and continue opening up.¡± The leader¡¯s words were very clear. Since the conservatives wanted the highest leadership position in the party so desperately, let thempete for it. As long as the nation is stable, the reformists will continue doing what they ought to do. There is no change in that. With the arrival of the New Year, Comrade Zhaohua officially stepped down from his highest leadership position in the party. At the same time, the conservatives operated at full strength. Comrade Xuri was officially elected as the highest leader of the party. Just when the conservatives were celebrating, within the Zhou family, the atmosphere was heavy. As the neutral party, the Zhou family always adopted a non-biased policy. Under such circumstances, both the conservatives and reformists wanted to win the Zhou family over. The Zhou family felt like a fish in water. However, during this critical moment, Zhou Chen, the eldest grandson of the Zhou family, decided to open a supermarket. This was a typical reformist move. With the victory of the conservatives, the Zhou family faced unprecedented pressure. Old Master Zhou was also mobilized into action. ¡°Kneel!¡± With a roar from Old Master Zhou, Zhou Chen quickly kneeled down. Old Master Zhou, like Zhou Chen, was originally a political worker, butter transferred to local government. Over the years, they have be a deeply rooted family in local government. However, Old Master Zhou had a fiery temper. Zhou Chen looked at his grandfather, then turned his gaze to his parents and respectfully knelt down. At this moment, even Zhou Chen¡¯s parents wouldn¡¯t dare to irk the old man. ¡°Ignorant and arrogant thing. Following suit and opening a supermarket. What does money count for? In front of power, all money is a paper tiger. I give you ten days to close this damn supermarket. It¡¯s not your turn to call the shots at the Zhou family. After closing, you go to the grassroots level in Chunan for training. If you don¡¯t do well, you do note back.¡± Old Master Zhou roared angrily. At this point, under the pressure of the conservatives, the old man could only show the Zhou family¡¯s attitude in this way.. Chapter 25 - 24 Wal-Mart Department Store_l Chapter 25: Chapter 24 Wal-Mart Department Store_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hahaha, Zhenbang, this time, it seems like we¡¯re going to get a great bargain.¡± Yang Anbang¡¯s heartyughter could be heard even before he entered the room. Upon hearing this, a slight smile crept onto Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. Indeed, there¡¯s something to be said for being naturally talented. Although Yang Anbang hadn¡¯t reached hister maturity yet, at this point, he already disyed a certain knack for business. The circle of Jingcheng is just so big. Zhou Chen got a scolding from the patriarch of the Zhou Family, was sent down to Chunan Province for a grassroots experience, and the news of his supermarket¡¯s closure within ten days was no longer a novelty among the inner circle. Yet Yang Anbang quickly saw that Wal-Mart Supermarket would acquire an existing supermarket; his foresight was indeedmendable. Upon seeing Yang Anbang enter, Nie Zhenbang grinned, but deliberately evaluated, ¡°Second Brother, it¡¯s a bargain, indeed. But how should we handle this supermarket situation? Are we going to run two supermarkets? It would be redundant for us and not conducive to resource utilization. Nie Zhenbang smiled at Yang Anbang. Truly, he had the prowess of a future strongman and invisible redmercial tycoon. At present, in Jingcheng, with the exception of the four supermarkets currently under construction, having two supermarkets in such close proximity was clearly inappropriate, and Nie Zhenbang could see that because he had the memories of his future self. But the fact that Yang Anbang could see it too showed his extraordinary vision. At once, Nie Zhenbang chuckled, ¡°Second Brother, it¡¯s still too early to discuss these matters. However it turns out, we must take over this ce. If others do, we¡¯ll get anotherpetitor, which is not something I wish to see. We need to think long term about this issue. Neither of us can be involved in negotiating this. Otherwise, given Zhou Chen¡¯s character, he would rather go bankrupt than give us an easy break. How about I leave this matter to you?¡± As Nie Zhenbang spoke, his intention to challenge Yang Anbang was clear. Although Yang Anbang had already proven his talents, there was a sense of hurrying things along in this life. As the brand expands, Wal-Mart Supermarket¡¯s growth will only elerate. And as the future helm of Wal-Mart, Yang Anbang¡¯s development is equally important. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yang Anbang readily agreed with a smile, ¡°Of course, you can count on me. I¡¯ll arrange this. I assure you, Zhou Chen will willingly transfer his supermarket to us.¡± These princes of Jingcheng were all haughty, each with an attitude that he was the best in the world. Though there were some small factions, these were mostly in-line with family alliances. Each person had their own connections, which was no longer a secret. Capital Restaurant ¨C Tan Family Hall At that moment, in the most luxurious private room of the Tan Family Hall, furnished in an antique style, aside from the dining area there was also a high-grade karaoke system behind a screen. Xiao Yali and Yang Anbang had enjoyed an increasingly harmonious rtionship since they started a supermarket business together. Although Xiao Yali still disyed her easygoing, forthright demeanor, a hint of gentleness could be seen in her interactions with Yang Anbang. The door to the private room opened, and Zhou Chen walked in wearing a ck woolen coat. Complemented by his tall stature, he did indeed cut a somewhat imposing figure. Unlike the previous generation, the former group of stubborn figures, they valued wearing military uniforms. The khaki woolen military coat, straight and rigid, symbolized their fathers¡¯ authority and status. Regardless of their struggle, Yang Anbang¡¯s generation prized obtaining the military coat. Now, with a cassette tape yer over their shoulders, wearing bell-bottomed jeans and sailor shirts, Zhou Chen¡¯s attire was somewhat unique. ¡°Hehe, who do we have here? It¡¯s Yang Second Brother. Has your supermarket business been stolen, hence the need for negotiation?¡± Zhou Chen maintained his usual swagger. His pride could be injured, and his blood could spill, but he couldn¡¯t lose face. The obstinate figures of Jingcheng all held face in high regard. Before Yang Anbang could speak, Xiao Yali scoffed on the side and derisively said, ¡°You think you¡¯re up to it? Humph.¡± In fact, Zhou Chen had noticed Xiao Yali early on but deliberately ignored her. As the second daughter of the Xiao family, she had a reputation in Jingcheng. Although men generally adhered to the rule of not crying over a fight, girls were different. Coupled with her exceptionally fierce grandfather, Xiao Yali became a notable figure in Jingcheng. ¡°Why did you bring this girl along?¡± Zhou Chen muttered to himself, thenughed, ¡°Yo, who do we have here? It¡¯s Xiao Second Sister, eh? What, did youe here to plead for your illegitimate cousin?¡± Seeing Xiao Yali about to blow up, Yang Anbang quickly stopped her and then said, ¡°Zhou Chen, let¡¯s cut the small talk. We were never friends, to begin with, so let¡¯s get straight to the point.¡± Very straightforwardly, Yang Anbang looked at Zhou Chen and continued, ¡°Your supermarket may not necessarily be able topete with us. But in this day and age, making a profit is certainly possible. It¡¯s a pity your grandfather won¡¯t allow it, and now you¡¯ve been exiled too. Just tell me, how much to buy your supermarket?¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s face was really awkward. Although his supermarket was only open for less than half a month. There was definitely a certain amount of business. With goods that were slightly cheaper than Wal-Mart, they¡¯d gained a sizable market share. If they proceeded, making money is a given. Initially, Zhou Chen was somewhat defiant, but now he¡¯s out of steam. But the bestid ns of mice and men often go awry. His grandfather was angry, and the supermarket would have to close. It was inevitable. Looking at Yang Anbang, Zhou Chen snorted, ¡°Yang Anbang, do you think I would let you take over my supermarket?¡± Yang Anbang, however, had subtly sat down now, smiling, and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s sit down and have a drink. Can I give you a detailed analysis?¡± Seeing Zhou Chen sit down, Yang Anbang continued, ¡°The country is currently divided into three sections: conservative, neutral, and reformist. Your Zhou family represents the neutral faction. If you quit, neither the neutral nor the conservative factions will dare to take over. And in the reformist faction, do you think anyone would dare to take it without my say-so?¡± Seeing Zhou Chen¡¯s expression shift, Yang Anbang felt a bit of stealthy glee and continued, ¡°If you think I¡¯m not qualified, what would you say if Nie Jiamin and Yali join me? Don¡¯t tell me about closing down or selling to other businessmen. Whatever you dare to sell, I¡¯ll dare to take over. As for closing down, that¡¯s even easier. If you close it today, I¡¯ll take it over tomorrow. The most I would have to do is refit it. Think about it carefully. One hundred thousand is extra, for you. I¡¯ll take over all the goods and debts from your supermarket.¡± The earnings from a supermarket, Zhou Chen was aware of. This price was almost equivalent to a giveaway. Although he still had hundreds of thousands of debts, at this point, no one would dare to debt collect from Yang Anbang. Despite his unwillingness, Zhou Chen was helpless. It was exactly as Yang Anbang analysed. Under these circumstances, indeed no one would dare take over. Since he was going to leave Jingcheng for Chunan, rather than gaining nothing, it would be better toe out ahead. Considering this, Zhou Chen stood up and said, ¡°Two hundred thousand. Deal or no deal, if it¡¯s no deal, I¡¯ll simply close down.¡± Two hundred thousand wasn¡¯t much. Considering this, Yang Anbang also stood up, opened a check on the spot, and said, ¡°Fine. This is a cash check from the Industrial and Commercial Bank. My people will take over tomorrow morning.¡± Zhou Chen took over the check and stood up, ¡°Brother Yang, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± As Zhou Chen left, Nie Zhenbang walked in from behind the screen, contemting as he watched Zhou Chen leave. Couldn¡¯t underestimate them. The princes and princesses of the 49 cities, appearing careless on ordinary days. When they put their minds to something, they knew exactly how to weigh their options. Zhou Chen doing this, he¡¯ll definitely be a formidable opponent in the future. Dismissing these thoughts, Nie Zhenbangughed and sat down, jokingly as he looked at the couple, ¡°Sister and brother-inw, cheers to your victory.¡± Xiao Yali red at him, a hint of shyness appearing on her face, ¡°Zhenbang, what are you saying? Nothing good everes out of a dog¡¯s mouth. Quick, tell me what you¡¯re going to do with this supermarket?¡± Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Three floors of business area, and an existing structural frame. It¡¯s a fine building. Here, we¡¯ll make this the first Wal-Mart department store. Looks like we¡¯ll be working hard for a bit.¡± One sentence left them both startled. A department store? Were there few department stores, big and small, in Jingcheng? Why start this kind of business? Neither could understand.. Chapter 26 - 25 Commercial Aircraft Carrier_l Chapter 26: Chapter 25 Commercial Aircraft Carrier_l Trantor: 549690339 In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, the department stores of this era were merely in their infancy. They can¡¯t bepared with the super andrge-scale department stores of the future, let alone those gigantic department stores with hundreds of thousands to millions of square meters of retail space. Seeing the puzzled expressions on Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali¡¯s faces, Nie Zhenbang felt a sense of enlightening them. He exined, ¡°These are not real department stores. In my vision, our department store should not only carry clothes, shoes, hats, toys, and the like. It ought to be aprehensive shopping mall thatbines clothing, food, shelter, and transportation. Moreover, our department store should differentiate itself from the prevalent mass-market malls. We need to aim for an upscale route.¡± It was a new term. Xiao Yali was confused, but Yang Anbang seemed thoughtful. Nie Zhenbang sighed silently. Yang Anbang¡¯s talent was genuine and not just built on background and boasting. He was a talented man indeed. Walking the high-end route? Wasn¡¯t that advocating a bourgeois, decadent lifestyle? This made Yang Anbang hesitant. Despite the Yang family being a driving force of reform, taking such a big step made Yang Anbang somewhat uneasy. He then asked, ¡°Zhenbang, I understand the high-end route. It¡¯s about selling the most expensive products. But won¡¯t this be suspected of being bourgeois? And also, does Jingcheng have the purchasing power for it?¡± Nie Zhenbangughed. Though the era of reform and opening up had just started a few years ago, ces like Jingcheng and Hucheng were undoubtedly affluent. Especially Jingcheng, the center of national power, where the highest ie earners were mostly based in this era. If Jingcheng did not have purchasing power, nowhere else could. As for the bourgeois lifestyle, in its current form, it might be considered audacious. However, this has nothing to do with the marketce. Instead, Nie Zhenbang nned to use this for publicity. Laughing lightly, Nie Zhenbang reassured him, ¡°Second brother, I understand your concerns. But rest assured, there¡¯s absolutely no problem.¡± The next day, Zhou Chen quickly turned over the site to Yang Anbang. Meanwhile, Yang Anbang immediately instructed his staff to start the move. Everything from the supermarket was transferred to other Wal-Mart outlets. The various distributors expressed no dissatisfaction. On the contrary, they were thrilled at the opportunity to enter Wal-Mart¡¯s market. However, when they actually started operating as a department store, Nie Zhenbang realized how challenging it was to set up an upscale,rge-scale department store in these times. Clothing? At this time, China had no mature brand awareness, let alone advertising. Appliances? In this era dominated by ck-and-white televisions, all appliances were considered luxury items. Cosmetics? The market had not even been cultivated yet; the trend was still Snow Cream. If they were genuinely to open such a department store, they would need to import over 80% of their goods from abroad. This would be a significant challenge. Nie Zhenbang shook his head at this thought. It appeared that Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali would have to step in again. It was clear that it was toote to make direct contact with the manufacturers. Besides, in this era of undevelopedmunication and the absence of inte, it was not as easy as in the future when you could search anything online instantly. For example, top-tier global brands like Versace or Chanel likely wouldn¡¯t even have contact numbers avable in China¡¯s Ministry of Foreign Trade. The only option was to inquire through their embassies. Finding onepany after another was not a big issue. However, a department store would require at least hundreds or even more brands. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang already had a n in mind. ¡°Second brother, Second sister, Jiamin, take a look. This is an investment nning proposal I wrote. Read it carefully and let me know if you have any suggestions,¡± Nie Zhenbang said as he tossed hispleted proposal onto the table in the office at Wal-Mart. Seeing the surprise on the faces of Yang Anbang and the others after they finished reading, Yang Anbang pped his thigh and stood up: ¡°Good, very good. All the world¡¯s top luxury brands are moving in. Zippo, Rolex, Versace, Chanel. This is really a great move, Zhenbang. These things are rare in China. If we introduce them here, all the owners in this capital might go crazy.¡± At this time, these brands might not be familiar to themon people, but they were to the people within the circle of the capital. Many of the older people in their families, like the Nies and the Yangs, often traveled abroad. It was normal for them to bring something back. ¡°There¡¯s no discussion needed. Zhenbang, I¡¯ll take care of this. My uncle works in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I¡¯ll ask him to contact themercial counselors of each embassy,¡± Yang Anbang immediately took over the task of contacting each brand¡¯s home country. Xiao Yali also stood up, smiling as she said, ¡°Then I will contact the Ministry of Foreign Trade. My uncle is there. If they send out the invitations, I believe these brands would be interested ining.¡± Seeing the two of them leave eagerly, Nie Jiamin looked worried. He said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, are we taking on too much? Will Elder Nie get angry?¡± At this, Nie Zhenbang smiled. Elder Nie had already expressed his displeasure. At this point, he probably wasn¡¯t interested. Ever since he entered the Nie family, an article had made the family the target of suspicion by conservatives. Then the Nie brothers were both sent to Yuedong together. They wouldn¡¯t have gone to Yuedong without Elder Nie¡¯s permission. Then came the opening of the supermarket, the visit to the Yang family. All these steps had gradually pushed the Nie family to the fringes of the conservative party. In his previous life, after Comrade Xuri took office, Elder Nie had to resign from his important position. But this time, there was no change in the militarymission. This meant there must have been some contact between Elder Nie and the head of state. Elder Nie¡¯s attitude had also changed. Theing business negotiation meeting was just another opportunity to further the reform agenda. With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang patted Nie Jiamin¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Jiamin, don¡¯t worry. The Nie family is now part of the reform faction.¡± Just as Nie Zhenbang had said, Elder Nie did not react when Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali made their move. It was as if he didn¡¯t know at all, and was focusing on the army, working on military modernization. The business negotiation meeting was a great sess. After Yang Anbang reported the n to Elder Yang, he immediately reported it to the head of state. With the support of the head of state, all government ministries offered full support. Quickly, arge business delegation from all over the world gathered in Jingcheng. The delegation visited the special reform zone in Yuedong and Hucheng¡¯s development under the personal guidance of the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Trade. They also inspected the business environment in Jingcheng, evaluated the five Wal-Mart stores, and conducted on-site investigations of Wal-Mart department store. After that, many brands signed agreements to move into the Wal-Mart department store. After the business negotiation meeting, the once empty Wal-Mart department store became lively. Renovation teams from world-renowned brands also moved in. ¡°Second Brother, good job. With this start, things will be much easier from now on. We thank you for putting so much effort into the supermarket and department store. After the New Year, you will be busy.¡± Standing at the renovation site of the Wal-Mart department store, Nie Zhenbang felt quite emotional. He had lived a disappointing life previously, but this time, his hard work had paid off. The Nie family had also managed to survive the first catastrophe thanks to his efforts. However, Comrade Xuri taking office would be a huge challenge for the Nie family. Whether they could ovee this hurdle would be clear in two years. Yang Anbang didn¡¯t notice Nie Zhenbang¡¯s unusual mood. Yang Anbang¡¯s talents in business were fully revealed. ording to the n, after the New Year, Wal-Mart supermarket would open at least fifteen stores in Hucheng, Yuedong, and several developed cities and provincial capitals along the coast. This was a new challenge, but Yang Anbang was full of confidence, smiling as he said, ¡°Tomorrow will be the 30th. You go to the airport to pick up Uncle Nie. After the New Year, you should go to Yuedong. I¡¯ll leave that to you..¡± Chapter 27 - 26: Celebrating the New Year_l Chapter 27: Chapter 26: Celebrating the New Year_l Trantor: 549690339 On the 28th of January, the New Year¡¯s Eve ording to the lunar calendar, Nie Zhenbang and Nie Ziyu are waiting on the tarmac at the Jingcheng City Airport. With Elder Nie¡¯s dedicated car avable, their journey was naturally unimpeded. Standing nearby were Elder Nie¡¯s bodyguard Xiao Yang and driver Xiao Zhang. Nie Guowei did not bring Nie Ziyu with him when he went to Yuedong for his new appointment. However, after this winter vacation, Nie Ziyu is likely to follow him there. Without any restrictions, the rtionship between Nie Ziyu and Nie Zhenbang was growing increasingly intimate. At this moment, Nie Ziyu, wrapped tightly in her cotton-padded jacket, clung to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arm and looked at the sky filled with airnes,ining in a sweet voice, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, why haven¡¯t mom and dad arrived yet? I¡¯m freezing.¡± Nie Zhenbang looked at Nie Ziyu and affectionately stroked her head, which immediately caused disagreement from Nie Ziyu, sheined, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t mess my hair!¡± Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help butugh too. In their previous life, the rtionship between the two siblings wasn¡¯t very harmonious. However, after their parents¡¯ demise, Nie Ziyu began to show concern for Nie Zhenbang despite her cold demeanor. Thinking of Nie Ziyu¡¯s sacrifice of her happiness for the Nie family, Nie Zhenbang felt guilty and made a secret vow to make her life carefree in this lifetime. ¡°Third young master, the ne has arrived,¡± reminded driver Xiao Zhang quietly. Despite not being a working secretary, Xiao Zhang, as Elder Nie¡¯s driver, held a good rank. There wouldn¡¯t be a problem if he called Zhenbang by his name, given he was just a child. However, the clever Xiao Zhang treated Nie Zhenbang respectfully regardless of his identity, and was thorough in all his duties. As the ne gradually descended and the gangway was put in ce, Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian appeared among the crowd. Many passers-by cast their eyes on therge red g next to the ne. Upon seeing Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian, Nie Ziyu rushed towards them, eximing loudly, ¡°Daddy, Mommy! Ziyu missed you a lot.¡¯ Nie Guowei¡¯splexion seemed much betterpared to a month ago. In Jingcheng, the hub of political decisions, Nie Guowei always remained careful. However, since being assigned to Yuedong and with the Ye family connections, Nie Guowei was thriving in Yuehai City. He had sessfully shed the ¡®acting¡¯ title and became an official standing member of the Yuehai City Committee, deputy secretary and mayor of the city¡¯s people¡¯s government. ¡°Haha, Ziyu has grown taller and even more beautiful just after a month,¡± Nie Guoweiughed heartily as he picked up Nie Ziyu. Nie Zhenbang also came forward, begrudgingly addressing the couple, ¡°Dad, Auntie!¡± No matter how things change, Nie Zhenbang stubbornly believed that he has only one mother. No matter how good Ye Shuxian is, what he can do is to repay her through other means, but he can¡¯t possibly call her mother. Contrary to expectations, Ye Shuxian wasn¡¯t unhappy at all; instead, she was smiling and nodding her head. She then addressed Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯ve been working hardtely.¡± When the family arrived home, Huang Qiumei and Huang Yuerong had prepared to meet them. Elder Nie was not present as he had gone to visit the troops on New Year¡¯s Eve, and Nie Guodong was currently at the Yuezhou Military Region. As it was thergest military region in the south, it was clear to everyone that Nie Guodong wouldn¡¯t be able to return home this year. ¡°Shuxian, you¡¯re back. Come in quickly. The weather in Jingcheng is nothingpared to Yuedong. Catching a cold isn¡¯t a good thing, ¡± Huang Yuerong said enthusiastically. The Huang and Ye families both belonged to the reformist faction, which made the rtion between the sisters-inw much more cooperative. Their families were reformists while their inw¡¯s families were conservatives. The twodies faced many hardships some time ago. But the family atmosphere has lightened up recently due to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s efforts, which has also improved the rtionship between Huang Yuerong and Ye Shuxian. Ye Shuxian was stunned by Huang Yuerong¡¯s attitude. In the past, Huang Yuerong wasn¡¯t that easy to talk to. Was it because she was a reformist? Ye Shuxian didn¡¯t think so. Looking thoughtfully at Nie Zhenbang beside her, she felt a wave of emotion. After a harmonious Chinese New Year dinner as a family, Nie Jiamin and Nie Zhenbang naturally gathered together. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s room, there was a coffee table with a few dishes of peanuts and some cold dishes. Next to it was grandfather¡¯s special Maotai wine. At this time, Nie Jialei also walked in from outside. Looking at the two of them, a slight smile appeared on Nie Jialei¡¯s face: ¡°What, you two brothers hiding to drink and leaving your elder brother behind?¡± Ever since that article, Nie Jialei, although he only topped a name, has also gained considerable benefits. Today, his regr treatment has been resolved. In the second half of next year, there is hope to move forward again and rise to the deputy level. Even Nie Jialei himself was excited. A 23-year-old deputy, there was only one in the whole country. However, as an office staff of grandfather Huang, Nie Jialei heard the most about Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin. Basically, Nie Jialei knew everything that the two brothers did from his grandfather. In just three months, they had built a business with tens of millions of assets from scratch. This ability was highly praised by his grandfather. Consequently, Nie Jialei¡¯s thinking and perspective changed, which was why he sought them out. ¡°Elder brother, I can¡¯t agree with that. Jiamin, bring a stool over for our big brother. Let¡¯s drink together,¡± Nie Zhenbang immediatelyughed and spoke. Nie Jialei was not polite. After filling his cup full, he raised it towards Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Zhenbang, this cup of wine, I would like to thank you for it.¡± Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang gave a faint smile, he clearly understood Nie Jialei¡¯s intentions. Although everyone knew that the article wasn¡¯t written by Nie Jialei, it was ultimately published in his name. Nie Jialei had received the maximum benefit. With this sentence, Nie Jialei was not only expressing thanks, but also recognizing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s authority. Nie Zhenbang also lifted his cup in return: ¡°Big brother, we both share the Nie surname.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Jialei paused for a moment before bursting intoughter. He nodded vehemently: ¡°Correct, we both are Nies.¡± Nie Jialei then smiled: ¡°Zhenbang, I respect your analytical and insightful abilities. Do you think there will be any policy changes in our country after Comrade Xuri takes office?¡± Was this question from Nie Jialei himself? Or was it from his uncle or grandfather? Nie Zhenbang started to ponder. Nie Jialei wouldn¡¯t have asked about Comrade Xuri¡¯s inauguration if it were up to Comrade Nan Xun or Vice Premier Huang. If there were any need for information, the grandfather himself would have asked. His uncle, the capable one of the Nie family, wouldn¡¯t have needed to worry after his posting at the Yuezhou Military Region. His ideas would have broadened. So it had to be Nie Jialei¡¯s own curiosity. Having thought this, Nie Zhenbangughed: ¡°Elder brother, there will definitely be changes. Comrade Xuri tends to be conservative. However, I believe that the overall policy of our country won¡¯t change. The path of reforms and opening up is the principle and policy established years ago. It is not something anyone can change. Our party represents the fundamental interests of the masses, the progressive productivity, and the forward direction of the culture.¡± Before he knew it, Nie Zhenbang was quoting the ¡°Three Represents¡± political theory from the future. Nie Jialei was slightly moved by the sinct summary. This brother of his was no ordinary person. After Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, he paused, wondering why he was repeating the future leader¡¯s words. Quickly changing the topic, he said: ¡°Elder brother, take our Wal-Mart for instance. Why have we been able to expand so rapidly in just a few months? Is it because of our background? The money is in the pocket of the people and no matter how privileged we are, we can¡¯t rob them. Can we? This shows that the majority of the people have the need and the desire for reform. Given these prerequisites, what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± Just then, a voice came from outside. Nie Ziyu¡¯s voice cried out: ¡°Grandpa, happy new year!¡± On hearing this, the three brothers stood up in unison. Grandfather was home.. Chapter 28 - 27 Ancestral-Grandchild Dialogue_l Chapter 28: Chapter 27 Ancestral-Grandchild Dialogue_l Trantor: 549690339 As the head of the Nie family, the grandfather¡¯s authority within the family was naturally unquestionable. The three brothers followed him out. In terms of order, Nie Jialei was at the very front while Nie Zhenbang deliberately fell to the back. Even though they were at home, Nie Zhenbang paid close attention to such details. Although it is just a simple routine of walking, it embodied not a few hidden implications. In Chinese officialdom, seating and order of entry are given much consideration. ording to traditional custom, the middle is considered the most prestigious, followed by the left side at the same distance. Of course, this varied throughout ancient China, with each dynasty holding different norms. During the Qin and Han dynasties, the right side was considered the most prestigious. After the Wei and Jin Dynasty, extending all the way to the Tang and Yuan dynasties, the left side was considered prestigious. After the founding of the People¡¯s Republic, the tradition of giving precedence to the left side was also continued. When walking, it¡¯s usually most appropriate to stay half a step behind. The old man had just sat down on the sofa when little Nie Ziyu clung to him. As the only granddaughter in the Nie family, Nie Ziyu upied a somewhat special existence. The treasure of the family. The princess at home. Moreover, the old man had absolutely no expectations from Nie Ziyu. Conversely, he was quite strict with the Nie brothers. ¡°Happy New Year, Grandfather.¡± Following Nie Jialei and Nie Jiamin, Nie Zhenbang also spoke out. Starting with Nie Jialei, Elder Nie¡¯s gaze swept over each of them, finallynding on Nie Zhenbang. Looking at this grandson who had suddenly appeared, Elder Nie¡¯s face was notably serious with no detectable signs of emotion. For a while, the atmosphere in the room had be somewhat heavy. Seeing this, the olddy, Huang Qiumei, immediately stood up, ¡°What are you doing, old man? Come on, we¡¯ve been waiting for you, the things for the ancestral worship are ready. Let¡¯s get started quickly, or else New Year¡¯s Eve will be over.¡± As for Nie Zhenbang, the olddy¡¯s thoughts were quite simple. Regardless of the circumstances, regardless of who the father might be, he was still her grandson after all. As the saying goes, ¡®The Emperor loves his eldest son; themon people love their youngest.¡¯ But this did not apply to the Old Lady. Had she not been excessively indulgent, Nie Guowei would not have done such absurd things back in the day. Love for the son extends to his offspring. As the son of the youngest son, and the youngest grandchild of the third generation, the olddy was indeed very kind to Nie Zhenbang. In the center of the living room, an eight Immortals¡¯ table had already been set up. In front of it, the names of the Nie family¡¯s ancestors were arrayed. With incense and candles lit, various offerings wereid out. The old man stood in front of the table and respectfully knelt down. After giving three bows, he stood up, walked to the side, and watched as his children and grandchildren each paid their respects to the ancestors. After Ye Shuxian finished her bows, only Nie Zhenbang and Nie Ziyu were left. The atmosphere grew awkward for a moment. ¡°Zhenbang, pay your respects properly. This is your first Chinese New Year with the Nie family. Show some reverence.¡± The old man suddenly spoke up. These words took everyone aback. Aunt Huang Yuerong was a little surprised. The look she gave Nie Zhenbang had also changed slightly. Before, Huang Yuerong did not consider Nie Zhenbang as significant. Even in her heart, she did not consider him a member of the Nie family. However, the old man¡¯s words today carried clear implications. Because he was admitting that Nie Zhenbang was a descendant of the Nie family. This was not a small shift. Although Nie Zhenbang had undergone a ceremony when he returned, in his previous life, Nie Zhenbang had never participated in the family¡¯s ancestral worship. But this time, the old man was explicitly letting Nie Zhenbang participate. Off to the side, Nie Jialei¡¯s face was a mix of emotions. From his adopted younger brother, Nie Jialei had gained numerous benefits. It was Nie Zhenbang who enabled him to be a rank holder at the age of 21, with every possibility of being a Deputy Director by 23. However, there were also conflicts within therge family. Each generation could only have one core around which all the family¡¯s resources and manpower were centered. As the saying goes, without rules, there can be no circles and squares. Suppose there wasn¡¯t a core. Suppose everyone did their own thing, and suppose there were divergent political opinions. What then? Fall apart? That would only lead to self-destruction. If so, the Nie family would be reced by other families in Jingcheng within three years. That was the harsh reality. At present, in the second generation of the Nie family, Nie Guodong had a slight upper hand. Nie Jialei, of course, did not want to lose his ce as the heir of the third generation. On the other hand, Ye Shuxian¡¯s expressions were the mostplex at this moment. It was the son she had supposedly adopted. Other families in Jingcheng also took in kids, but those kids were usually adopted when they were young. Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang was already grown-up when he joined the Nie family. This difference meant that she needed to spend more time and effort, and show genuine care to gain Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eptance. Would it lead to mutually assured destruction? Would it create an irreconcble situation? Maybe, before Nie Zhenbang was epted by Elder Nie, such things might have been possible. But now, since Elder Nie had epted him, any fuss she might create would be pure folly. At this thought, Ye Shuxian¡¯s attitude began to subtly shift. Nie Zhenbang was keenly observing these changes. He, too, was excited at the moment since he had never experienced ancestor worship before. Looking at the situation now, it was clear that his every move had had a significant impact. No matter what, he had changed a lot. What made Nie Zhenbang even happier was that from now on, his actions would garner further support. It would give him an even better chance to change the Nie family¡¯s fate. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang respectfully approached the altar, just like Nie Jialei and Nie Jiamin, lit three incenses, bowed three times, and with a serious expression, inserted the incense into the incense burner. After Nie Ziyupleted the ancestral worship, Elder Nie nced at his sons and grandsons, then turned his gaze to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang,e to the study with me.¡± Without showing any concern for the surprise on everyone else¡¯s faces, Elder Nie walked towards his study. Although Nie Zhenbang had spent nearly a decade living here across two lifetimes, he had never been privileged enough to enter the old man¡¯s study. The entire study exuded an antique character. There was a row of bookcases made of yellow pear wood, which gave Nie Zhenbang a feeling of extravagant wastage. Yellow pear wood is stable and not prone to warping. Its value is second only to premier woods like zitan. It is generally used for making objects with odd shapes. But in Elder Nie¡¯s study, even the bookcases were made of yellow pear wood. A huge desk, made from a single piece of redwood, which was at least 200 years old! This was another priceless object. ¡°Stop looking, these are just material things, national property. I am only one of their many users throughout the course of history. If you all could make me proud, then perhaps the Nie family could still get the privilege to sit here.¡± Elder Nie¡¯s words were in, but they radiated a sense of mncholy. The mediocrity of the second and third generations of the Nie family was undeniable. Now, Nie Zhenbang could somewhat understand the choices his grandfather had made in the past. When the descendants were not making good on their potential, Elder Nie had chosen a risky path. The conservative faction was not strong. As the second inmand of the Military Commission, Elder Nie¡¯s support was instrumental. In contrast, the reformists, due to their association with Comrade Nan Xun, perhaps didn¡¯t benefit from the Nie family as conspicuously. Unfortunately, anything that goes against history and public opinion can never triumph over justice. In the end, the Nie family¡¯s fortunes declined, which was inevitable. ¡°Grandfather, I will work hard.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded seriously. At this moment, Elder Nie sat down, raised his head to look at Nie Zhenbang, and said solemnly, ¡°Zhenbang, tell me, where do you n to take the Nie family?¡± .. Chapter 29 - 28: Creating a Glorious Huaxia 1 Chapter 29: Chapter 28: Creating a Glorious Huaxia 1 Trantor: 549690339 Seeing Nie Zhenbang still pretending to be oblivious, Elder Nie was exasperated. He jested, ¡°You stinky boy, you think I don¡¯t know? Even though you stay behind the scenes, that Wal-Mart supermarket you¡¯re running, and the recent high-profile international trade conference. Do you really think you can fool the people of Jingcheng? Do you think that just a few of you young ones could achieve this sort of sess? If it weren¡¯t for Nanxun Chief giving you a push behind the scenes, it wouldn¡¯t take Xuri standing up ¨C the grassroots alone could have shut your supermarket down.¡± At this point, Elder Nie saw Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprised expression and felt a bit of satisfaction. His own grandson was too mysterious ¨C too mature, steady, and elegant in handling matters. All of these were positive traits. But, he was too mature. Looking at him, Elder Nie felt like he wasn¡¯t looking at a young man, but rather a middle-aged man. Fortunately, Elder Nie didn¡¯t voice this out, otherwise, Nie Zhenbang would be scared out of his wits. He had actually reincarnated from middle age. If Elder Nie had said that, Nie Zhenbang definitely would have felt that his secret had been exposed. ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t get priorities wrong. In our country, power rules over everything. Military and political power. These are fundamental. Without them, even if you were the richest man in the world, it would all be devoid of substance. What I mean is, you and Jiamin, should tread this path. Leave all the misceneous things behind,¡± Elder Nie¡¯s character was once again revealed. Just a few words in, his paternalistic style made itself clear. Nie Zhenbang could swear that when it came to the things thate to pass in the future, nobody understood them better than he did. How did people like Zhou Zhengyi fare? They might have seen good times, but when they fell, they fell hard. Power. It has always reigned supreme above everything else. The Nie family, whether the second or third generation, were all quiet as a church mouse in front of Elder Nie. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t quite feel the same. He stered a glum expression on his face and said, ¡°Grandpa, you used to be a politicalmissar. We can¡¯t just have autocracy; we must focus on democracy. How old am I? Yes, I¡¯ll go into politics. But before that, I want to build a solid economic foundation for the Nie family, for our country.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s quite the ambition. Is it based on that little supermarket of yours?¡± Perhaps he was tired of his progeny always agreeing with him. Elder Nie showed no displeasure towards Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude and began teasing him. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rebellious look, he continued to taunt, ¡°Relying on this could indeed build an economic foundation for the Nie family, so that our descendants wouldn¡¯tmit any economic blunders. But for the country? Zhenbang, don¡¯t you think that is a bit of an exaggeration?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, then said solemnly, ¡°Grandpa, relying solely on the supermarket is indeed not enough. Our country¡¯s foundation in various scientific researches is extremely weak,gging far behind the world¡¯s advanced level. My target is not within the country, but northwards?¡± As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice fell, Elder Nie had already stood up. The north ¡ª that elder socialist brother, the superpower that stood alongside the United States on the world stage ¨C the Soviet Union. Was there a possibility of wresting food away from their mouths? With a keen look, Elder Nie studied Nie Zhenbang. After a while, he finally said, ¡°I should have guessed it. Jialiang, with his cautious and deliberate personality butcking boldness, couldn¡¯t have penned that predictive piece on the Soviet Union. I thought it was the work of Nanxun Chief and Old Huang. I didn¡¯t expect it to be yours. It seems you¡¯ve been nning this since then.¡± At this point, Elder Nie was somewhat concerned. What sort of grandson was this? He had manipted strings, so much so that he had gotten him and the senior officials at the center involved. Nie Zhenbang nodded. Politicians of the older generation weren¡¯t blowing hot air. With just a bit of information, they made urate deductions. Nie Zhenbang genuinely admired Elder Nie¡¯s skill. The old really are crafty. Suddenly, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Grandpa, you have ess to information about the Soviet Union. Since the death of Comrade Chernenko, Gorbachev has taken his ce. The politicalndscape of the Soviet Union is starting to highlight contradictions and problems. The enterprise autonomy reform started during Comrade Chernenko¡¯s time has met with increasing opposition. As you know, the Soviet Union focuses on heavy and military industries, but the supply of daily necessities and food is scarce. This, is the biggest problem threatening the welfare of the Soviet Union at its core. I¡¯m not exaggerating. Right now, the Soviet Union is as good as a dying camel, we¡¯re just waiting for the appearance of thest straw.¡± Upon hearing this, Elder Nie¡¯s expression turned serious. As a proletariat revolutionary, Elder Nie had strong affections for the Soviet Union. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he tentatively asked, ¡°Zhenbang, are these not exaggerated words? Is there really no way to save the situation?¡± Nie Zhenbang shook his head, then said, ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s impossible now. Even God and Buddha would be helpless at this point. Take the foreign exchange market, for example. Currently, the official foreign exchange rate in the Soviet Union is one US dor to 0.9 rubles. But on the ck market, one US dor is 90 rubles. And this gap is likely to continue to widen.¡± Even though Elder Nie wasn¡¯t involved in economy matters, he had some understanding of it. Thus, he understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n. By relying on necessities, scarce goods, and food, they could take advantage of the Soviet Union¡¯s increasingly chaotic situation to exchange for advanced heavy industrial equipment, like mother machines and advanced stamping machines as well as advanced military research materials and weapons, such as aircraft carriers, fighter nes, and missiles. On contemting this, Elder Nie looked at Nie Zhenbang seriously and asked, ¡°Zhenbang, how sure are you about this?¡± Nie Zhenbang knew about everything that would happen in the future. He was fully aware of the enormous profits gained by domestic spectors who shuttled back and forth between China and the Soviet Union through the Siberian Artery during the disintegration of the Soviet Union in thete 1980s and early 1990s. But having never operated it himself, he hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Eighty percent certain!¡± ¡°Eighty percent? Good, when will this n begin? I will make sure the military fully supports you. However, you must focus on national defense industry and weapons research. This would be considered significant if you aplish it.¡± Elder Nie, who was from a military background, made his decision without hesitation. In a war, six or seven out of ten chances of winning would be considered quite good, let alone eighty percent. For the older generation, national defense was always of paramount importance. Now that such an opportunity hade their way, Elder Nie would certainly not miss it. Having said that, Elder Nie looked at Nie Zhenbang again and said, ¡°Zhenbang, if you agree to this, I will leave you alone until your university graduation. In the meantime, the Nie family will fully support you. This is our agreement. Can you do it?¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was ecstatic ¨C with the old man¡¯s approval and hisplete control of the operation, Nie family would surely be able to ovee any uing struggle. His efforts were finally being rewarded. He was caught off guard by the sudden proposal but quickly regainedposure, nodded seriously, and said, ¡°Grandpa, a word once given is unalterable.¡± Elder Nieughed heartily at this point, ¡°Hahaha, good, good, this is the responsibility that my Nie family¡¯s descendants should bear. To start a grand era for Huaxia, how ambitious!¡± PS: We are first on the urban category and fifth on the new book chart! This is our joint honor, let¡¯s witness it together. Thanks again to brother Longshao LLI for his donation, that¡¯s his fourth time donating. Thanks to the brother Stone Soft Heart for his donation of 588 Qidian coins. Both of you are awesome! Here¡¯s today¡¯s second update, for all of you! Chapter 30 - 29 Layout of Yuedong_l Chapter 30: Chapter 29 Layout of Yuedong_l Trantor: 549690339 After celebrating the New Year at home, on the second day of the Lunar New Year, Nie Zhenbang followed Nie Guowei onto the ne bound for Yuehai. Naturally, Nie Ziyu was also apanying them. This semester, Nie Ziyu would be studying here in Yuehai. The transportation in this era was not as developed as it would be in the future. At the moment, the South China Sea Special Zone and Yuehai Special Zone were just starting. The South Sea Huangtian Airport had not even been nned yet. It would not start the formal strict project until next year, with construction beginning at the start of the following year. As for Yuehai Airport, it would be eventer. At this point, it was just the Baiyun Airport in Yuezhou City. When the ne arrived in Yuezhou, it was already five in the afternoon. As soon as they stepped out of the airport exit, a few uniformed soldiers greeted them. They said to Nie Guowei, ¡°Greetings, Chief.¡± Nie Guowei immediately replied with augh, ¡°Xiao Zhang, why are you so polite? Did your chief send you?¡± The group rode in the off-road military vehicle of the Yuezhou Military Region and directly entered the courtyard of the Yuezhou Military Region. By the time they reached the General Building, Nie Guodong was already waiting at the entrance. Old Nie had also called, discussing something that surprised Nie Guodong. From now on, the Nie family would fully support Nie Zhenbang¡¯s business, without any reason. This forced Nie Guodong to adopt this posture. Among the Nie family¡¯s two brothers and two sisters, Nie Guowei was undoubtedly slightly less capable than the others. Although they were brothers, Nie Guodong naturally yed a dominant role in their daily interactions. However, to his surprise, he had lost to the third generation. Looking at Nie Zhenbang next to Nie Guowei, Nie Guodong¡¯s face showed a somewhat unnatural smile, then said, ¡°Guowei, you came so quickly. Didn¡¯t you n to apany Old Nie in Jingcheng longer?¡± Nie Guowei was rather oblivious to the underlying meaning. Heughed, ¡°Old Nie has a lot of affairs to deal with. After spending one day at home, he went out. He said he was going to visit North Korea, and mother also went. There are many matters to attend to in Yuehai City. So, I came here.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also brought Nie Ziyu forward: ¡°Uncle, Happy New Year. Zhenbang (and Ziyu) are here to wish you a good year.¡± Nie Guodongughed heartily, repeatedly saying, ¡°Good, good. Come, this is the New Year¡¯s money that your uncle has for you.¡± With that, he took out two red envelopes from his pocket and handed them over. The group entered the living room. Nie Guodong, being themander, naturally did not have to prepare the food. As the family sat on the sofa, Nie Guodong began, ¡°Zhenbang, Old Nie is full of praise for you. This is good. In the future, the three of you brothers can work together, advancing in military, politics, andmerce. The future of the Nie family doesn¡¯t seem worrisome.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled slightly. Nie Guodong¡¯s words had a hidden message. Military, politics,merce. The eldest, Nie Jialei, was in politics. It seemed certain that Nie Jiamin would enter the military sooner orter. So, he must be referring to himself regardingmerce. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t argue, instead heughed and said, ¡°Uncle, you tter me. It¡¯s just an interest of mine. I came to Yuedong this time to survey the market for Wal-Mart¡¯syout. I heard that uncle has control over many military bases in the city, maybe you could consider transferring them over to me. In turn, you can construct new military bases in the suburbs. In this way, the confidentiality of the army would be much better than it is now.¡± These words startled Nie Guodong. This young man was audacious to even think about the military bases. However, Nie Guodong had to admit, these bases were built a decade or several decades ago. With the continuous expansion of Yuezhou City, they were bing somewhat unsuitable. If this problem could be solved in this way, it would indeed be a good solution. ¡°Zhenbang, if you¡¯re interested in this, I can help you work on it. However, I can¡¯t guarantee the sess of it.¡± After saying this, Nie Guodong looked at Nie Guowei beside him and continued, ¡°Guowei, this is the phone number of Li Jinbang, themander in Yuehai City. Get in touch with him more when you get back.¡± After staying with Nie Guodong for one night, Nie Guowei was picked up by people from Yuehai City the next day. Nie Zhenbang stayed behind by himself. This visit not only aimed to strengthen themunication and understanding with his family, but Nie Zhenbang also carried an important task. For this reason, Nie Guodong had specially arranged an upper-level officer who was familiar with Yuedong to apany him in his travels. After a few days, the situation in Yuezhou opened Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes. Electronics markets, clothing markets ¨C this ce, at the forefront of the Reform and Opening Up, was filled with enormous passion. Individual operators from around the country, carrying more or less cash, would take back bags of novel products. These people wouldter be the first group to be wealthy in the country. At the same time, Nie Zhenbang also chose several suitable locations, the most important of which was near Jingcheng Road in Yuezhou. As a reborn individual, Nie Zhenbang knew well that Jingcheng Road would be transformed into a famous pedestrian street in Yuezhou after entering the next era. Although that hasn¡¯t happened yet, it was still a business center of Yuezhou. Establishing a Wal-Mart in this location would bring obvious benefits for theyout of the Wal-Mart in Yuedong Province. ¡°Mr. Nie. The chief called, saying that there¡¯s some progress on the matter you discussed with him.¡± The serviceman¡¯s surname was Zhou, a local from Yuedong Province who could speak fluent Mandarin and Cantonese. He was the perfectpanion for Nie Zhenbang. Over the past few days, Nie Zhenbang encountered many Yuedong people who could not speak Mandarin. With Xiao Zhou¡¯s help, things were much easier. To facilitate contact, Nie Guodong also specially provided Xiao Zhou with a pager. In this era, even in a big city like Yuezhou, pagers were few and far between. ¡°There¡¯s progress?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes lit up. At this time, there were many military businesses across the country, especially in different major military regions, which had considerable autonomy. As the second-inmand of the Yuezhou Military Region, the matters raised by Nie Guodong wouldn¡¯t meet much resistance. At the entrance of the Headquarters of the Yuezhou Military Region, Commander Huang, Nie Guodong, Chief of Staff Liu, and Minister Guan of the Logistics Department were all already waiting at the gate. Upon getting off the car and seeing this arrangement, Nie Zhenbang immediately quickened his steps: ¡°Uncle Huang, all other uncles. I feel ttered that you are all waiting here for me.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Commander Huangughed and turned to Nie Guodong: ¡°Haha, Old Nie, your nephew surely knows how to speak.¡± Then, Commander Huang turned to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you are our god of wealth. We¡¯ve long wanted to relocate our two plots in the city center, but we could not do so because neither the central government has allocated funds nor could Yuedong Province help. Now that you, a rich businessman, havee, we couldn¡¯t have asked for more. It is only right.¡± Perhaps out of the intention to test the waters, this time, the Yuezhou Military Region had put up only two small bases for sale. These two ces had amon feature: they were once the supply warehouses of the Yuezhou Military Region. Moreover, they were not a veryrge area, thergest one only covering ten acres. But for Nie Zhenbang, this was the most suitable. He immediately signed a transfer agreement with the Yuezhou Military Region at a price of three hundred thousand per acre. The total cost of the sixteen acres was only a little over four million, which was nothing for Wal-Mart. Five supermarkets and one department store could bring in millions of revenue for thepany every day. After signing the contract, Nie Zhenbang immediately called Yang Anbang, who also began to take action on his end, sending a preliminary preparation team. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was on his way to the South China Sea Special Zone.. Chapter 31 - 30 Peng City’s Hai Ge 1 Chapter 31: Chapter 30 Peng City¡¯s Hai Ge 1 Trantor: 549690339 South China Sea This is the forefront of domestic economic reform and opening up. From the sound of the first dynamite fuse ignited a decade ago, to a few years ago, the South Sea National Trade Building even set a record construction speed of one floor every three days, hailed as the ¡°South China Sea speed¡±. By the time Nie Zhenbang arrived in the South China Sea, it was already past eight in the evening. He parked his car at the side of the road and dialed a number given to him by his uncle Nie Guodong. As soon as the call was connected, Nie Zhenbang immediately said respectfully: ¡°Uncle Luo? This is Nie Zhenbang.¡± Three years ago, following the orders of the Huaxia Military Commission, more than 20,000 engineers from two divisions and seven brigades were transferred to the South China Sea to support the economic construction of the South China Sea Special Zone. Uncle Luo on the other end of the phone was themander of one of those divisions back then, holding the rank of colonel. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, a booming voice on the other end eximed: ¡°Zhenbang! Your elder leader called me. Where are you now? I¡¯ll send someone to pick you up right away.¡± The revolving restaurant at the top of the South Sea National Trade Building has be andmark building in the South China Sea area since the building waspleted. Luo Pingan was now waiting at the side. As the CEO of the South Sea Construction Group, Luo Pingan had been perplexed when he was transferred. His superiors cherished him. But he paid close attention when he got a phone call today¡ªthe leader¡¯s nephew wasing to the South China Sea. His leader is Elder Nie¡¯s eldest son. Isn¡¯t his nephew Guowei¡¯s son, Elder Nie¡¯s grandson? But Luo Pingan was also puzzled. In his memory, he had never heard of Guowei having a son. Just as he was pondering, Nie Zhenbang appeared at the door of the revolving restaurant. As soon as Nie Zhenbang stepped in, he saw a middle-aged man walking towards him. The man was not tall, about 1.7 meters, and a bit chubby. When heughed, he was very affable. Before Nie Zhenbang could say anything, the man said: ¡°Zhenbang? I am Luo Pingan.¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled slightly, extending his hand and saying, ¡°Nice to meet you, Uncle Luo. My uncle always speaks highly of you, saying that you¡¯re his top general.¡± Hearing this, Luo Pinganughed. From the moment Nie Zhenbang walked in, there was a calm smile on his face. His moves were poised and measured. This restraint, far from annoying Luo Pingan, instead earned his respect. This was the demeanor expected of a member of a prestigious family. Expecting nothing less would feel unnatural to Luo Pingan. Despite knowing that Nie Zhenbang was merely being polite, Luo Pingan modestly replied: ¡°Haha, Zhenbang, you are too kind. What general am I, just an engineer. Not worth mentioning, not worth mentioning.¡± The two had just sat down inside the revolving restaurant when Luo Pingan waived a waiter over to serve the dishes. Then, turning serious, he said: ¡°Zhenbang, the leader told me that you are here in the South China Sea nning to find a ce to set up a supermarket. You¡¯vee to the right person for that. I specialize in building houses. Where there isnd, I know better than anyone. Right now, there is a plot of about 70,000 square meters near this National Trade Commerce Circle. I think it¡¯s very suitable for your supermarket. What do you think?¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback, but soonughed. Luo Pingan¡¯s words were truthful. As an engineer, he dealt with real estate matters the most. Instead of looking aimlessly, it was more efficient to ask Luo Pingan. But before Nie Zhenbang could speak, a voice suddenly spoke from nearby: ¡°General Luo, I was wondering why you wouldn¡¯t give that ce to me. So it turns out that you are nning to give it to this kid.¡± The neer was a man in his thirties or forties, wearing a fur coat. His hairstyle was the popr slicked-back look of the time, and he was wearing a pair of sunsses on his forehead. Although Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t understand Cantonese, the change in Luo Pingan¡¯s expression was not lost on him. Luo Pingan sneaked a nce at Nie Zhenbang, then stood up and said, ¡°Brother Hai, I¡¯m really sorry. I have my own use for that ce, I hope you can forgive me.¡± Luo Pingan deliberately spoke in Mandarin. This made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s impression of Luo Pingan rise a notch. Luo Pingan was transferred to this ce in 1983, and after staying in the South China Sea for so many years, he certainly spoke fluent Cantonese. Yet at this moment, his intentional use of Mandarin indicated that he was considerate. Nie Zhenbang was a northerner and, being so young, naturally did not understand Cantonese. If Luo Pingan had conversed in Cantonese, it might have given Nie Zhenbang the wrong idea. But, as things were, Luo Pingan had made clear his stance to Nie Zhenbang. The person addressed as Brother Hai was taken aback for a moment. He turned his gaze to Nie Zhenbang and bowed: ¡°Young man, you¡¯re not simple. Able to have Luo, the CEO of the South Sea Construction, as apanion. I don¡¯t know which field you¡¯re in. That ce is crucial for me. I have searched all over South China Sea, and only that ce suits a supermarket. Would you be willing to let me have it? And if you ever need anything in the South China Sea, just let me know.¡± Supermarket? Nie Zhenbang was surprised. Although he knew very well that, with the continuous expansion of Wal-Mart, there would inevitably be followers in China, he didn¡¯t expect that it would happen this fast. It seemed that the pace of expansion of Wal-Mart needed to be sped up. Thinking about this, Nie Zhenbang gave a faint smile: ¡°Sorry, that ce is also important to me. I¡¯m also nning to open a supermarket.¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Brother Hai¡¯s expression changed. Brother Hai never believed in coincidences. Right now, he believed that this kid was intentionally opposing him. Brother Hai¡¯s face darkened and he turned to Luo Pingan: ¡°Good, very good! General Luo, it seems you do not intend to continue doing business on thend of the South China Sea.¡± As Brother Hai finished speaking, Luo Pingan¡¯s expression also changed. Ever since Brother Hai had entered, Nie Zhenbang had been observing Luo Pingan¡¯s reactions. It seemed that this Brother Hai was not a small yer, or Luo Pingan would not have been so wary. At this moment, Luo Pingan whispered in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ear: ¡°Zhenbang, this Brother Hai is the younger brother of Wei Wenoge, secretary of the Party District Committee of Nanhai City Port District. His name is Wei Wenhai. Because his brother Wei Wenoge is a standing member of the municipal partymittee and has strong backing from the deputy secretary of the municipal partymittee, in South China Sea, Wei Wenhai can be considered a local tyrant.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression turned grave. From both his former and current life, particrly due to the suppression experienced in his previous life, he held a deep disdain for those who abused their power to oppress others. After his rebirth, Nie Zhenbang vowed that if he encountered such people again in this life, he would not hesitate to trample them underfoot. Back in Jingcheng, he had shown his firm hand with Zhou Chen. Now, hearing Luo Pingan¡¯s introduction, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but smile, disying a carefree demeanor. He yed with the cup on the table and said: ¡°Haha, it seems Brother Hai has a big temper. Let me say something too. For now, this ground is still General Luo¡¯s. If General Luo agrees, I will have no objection. But if General Luo disagrees, then I can only say I¡¯m sorry.¡± Caught between the two, Luo Pingan found himself in a predicament. One side was his old leader¡¯s nephew, a direct descendant of the Nie Family in Jingcheng. On the other side was a local bully of South China Sea. Offending either side was not good. But under such circumstances, having it both ways was simply impossible. Gritting his teeth, Luo Pingan looked at Brother Hai and said firmly: ¡°Brother Hai, I am really sorry..¡± Chapter 32 - 31: The Fight Begins_l Chapter 32: Chapter 31: The Fight Begins_l Trantor: 549690339 Upon hearing these words, a flicker of admiration shed through Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes. Not all military men are merely acquainted with warfare. Right now, it seemed that Luo Pingan¡¯s emotional intelligence wasn¡¯t bad either. Although Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t a bad man, he definitely wasn¡¯t a good one either. If Luo Pingan chose topromise with Wei Wenhai, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t be so easily dismissed. From the looks of it now, Luo Pingan had his own considerations. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang looked at Wei Wenhai, shrugged his shoulders and said, ¡°Brother Hai, I¡¯m sorry. Since General Luo has spoken, if I were to give in to you. Wouldn¡¯t that embarrass him?¡± As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of food, tasted it, and said to Brother Hai on his side, ¡°The food tastes pretty good indeed. Why don¡¯t you sit down and have some too, Brother Hai?¡± Wei Wenhai was no ordinary man. When had he ever been treated with such indifference in the South China Sea Special Zone? The Special Zone is indeed special in certain respects. Since the establishment of the South China Sea Special Zone, it was considered a city of vice-ministerial level. As an official in the South China Sea, he had quite a bit of autonomy. In addition, the leaders of various regions under the South China Sea enjoyed quite a bit of power. Usually, relying on their brotherly connections, wasn¡¯t everyone treated like a god? When had Wei Wenhai ever encountered such disrespect? His face darkened, Wei Wenhai looked at Luo Pingan and said, ¡°Well done, General Luo. There¡¯s a saying, ¡®The mountains don¡¯t move, but the rivers move.¡¯ There will be plenty of opportunities, plenty of time to deal with this matter.¡± As he spoke, Brother Hai looked at Nie Zhenbang on his side and remarked, ¡°Young man, it seems that no great feats can be aplished without crossing the river.¡± Upon hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang started tough. He had seen far too many such ploys. Back in his previous life, right after the old master¡¯s death, and in the few years when the Nie family¡¯s influence was still present, any rich young man from Jingcheng who wished to bully him needed to find a reason. As they say, ¡®righteousness will move heaven and earth, but unreasonableness can hardly advance a single step.¡¯ Back then, although the Nie family was in decline, it wasn¡¯t there for anyone to bully. Butter, when the Nie Guodong brothers officially parted ways, and the Nie family fell from grace, having thest of its dignity torn away, anyone could bully Nie Zhenbang without needing any excuse. The absolute difference in conditions described a situation of having no scruples. At this moment, seeing Brother Hai¡¯s attitude, Nie Zhenbang feared that he was to be taken for a pushover. Just as the sound of Brother Hail s voice fell, a few henchmen immediately stood up. One of them pointed and shouted, ¡°You bastard, who do you think you are, daring to fight over territory with Brother Hai? Are you tired of living? Let us teach you a lesson about who not to offend.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened, and for the first time, he got to his feet. Abandoning his previous aloofness, a grave expression on his face, he pointed to the henchman who had just insulted him and ordered, ¡°You, p yourself twenty times. Don¡¯t stop until you vomit blood.¡± If there was anything that Nie Zhenbang held sacrosanct, then his mother was certainly at the top of the list. Nie Zhenbang had been dependent on his mother since he was a child. Moreover, his experiences in his previous life made him abhor two things in this one ¨C being called a bastard, and insults towards his mother. The youngster before him had no idea that he had enraged the one man he should never have angered with just a single sentence he often used casually. ¡°Ha ha! Ha ha ha!¡± At Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Brother Hai was the first to burst intoughter. In the South China Sea, Brother Hai simply could not believe that anyone would have the audacity to stand against him, let alone a northerner. Even the son of the provincial party secretary had never dared to cross him this was the Special Zone. Only Luo Pingan tightened up. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had already sprung into action. With a swift move, faster than the blink of an eye, Nie Zhenbang had moved in front of the henchman. Wham! Wham! Two ps came crashing down. The p was infused with all the power in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s body. Over time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s practice of Shape-Intent Fist wasn¡¯t for nothing. He was fully aware of the strength it contained. All one could see was the henchman flying up,nding on the ground with a bang and spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood, mixed with a few teeth. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s response. Brother Hai¡¯s face darkened as he stared at Nie Zhenbang, trying to figure out something from this young man. Who was this person who dared to be so reckless? This was the first time Brother Hai had encountered such audacity. This person was from the North; his Mandarin was good ¨C but with a distinct Tang City, Jibei ent. Could he not be from Jingcheng*? With that thought, Brother Hai said in a chilly voice, ¡°Very well, you dare to fight. Brothers, gang up, arrest him and send him to the police station. It¡¯s a major crackdown. We¡¯re doing a big service.¡± Ever since the national crackdown began three years ago, wrongful cases sprung up in many parts of the country. Although the central government emphasized discerning innocence during the crackdown, local authorities, being far from the emperor¡¯s reach, exploited loopholes. People like Brother Hai, who indiscriminatelybeled themoners under the campaign of severe crackdown, were not few. Seeing the chaos, Luo Pingan became anxious. This was the nephew of the old leader, the direct descendant of the Nie family. If anything were to happen to him here in the South China Sea, due to the Nie family¡¯s power, it would undoubtedly doom the entire South China Sea¡¯s officials. Looking at Wei Wenhai on the side, Luo Pingan anxiously said, ¡°Wei Wenhai, you dare. Today, if you dare to harm a hair on him, not even your brother, nor Deputy Secretary Li can save you. Try it if you don¡¯t believe.¡± By now, the scene had calmed. These followers were just ordinary adults ¨C they were no match for Nie Zhenbang. Upon seeing a group of men flopping on the ground, Brother Hai froze. Shaking with fear, he pointed at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°You, you, wait for me. If you dare, don¡¯t leave.¡± With that, he ran out, leaving the followers behind. At this point, Luo Pingan came over, his face somewhat worried. He knew what kind of person Brother Hai was. In the South China Sea, Brother Hai had a terrible reputation. He was known for taking bribes and creating problems in the construction industry. Suddenly organizing inspections or obstructing construction sites, there was a group of people who relied on him for their livelihood. He had monopolized sand and building materials on South China Sea construction sites. Many defiant contractors had ended up in jail because of him. This time, Brother Hai would undoubtedly not let the matter drop with what Nie Zhenbang had done. ¡°Zhenbang, let¡¯s leave. I¡¯ll negotiate thepensation with the boss hereter. If we don¡¯t go now, we¡¯ll be toote when Wei Wenhaies.¡± Luo Ping¡¯an began to softly persuade. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s unhappy face, Luo Pingan added, ¡°Zhenbang, I know you are not afraid of him, with your family¡¯s power. You can go anywhere in the country without fear. However, the problem is, there¡¯s no one here in South China Sea right now.¡± Nie Zhenbang sneered. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want to leave. Such a person surely wasn¡¯t good, and that so-called Secretary Wei, seemingly condoning his younger brother¡¯s actions, must be no better. Nie Zhenbang seemed to have thought of a good way to establish authority for his old man. After Nie Guowei took office, although the work was going smoothly, there were still many different voices in Yuehai City. This had a lot to do with Nie Guowei¡¯s personality. His political experience was mainly in the central ministries. He was somewhat naive about the harsh, or even cruel, struggles on the local level. Nie Zhenbang had been worrying about this recently, but now someone had delivered themselves to his doorstep. Nie Zhenbang naturally wouldn¡¯t miss such an opportunity. Consequently, Nie Zhenbang not only didn¡¯t leave but sat down. He looked at Luo Pingan and said, ¡°Uncle Luo, I¡¯m not leaving. Why don¡¯t you call my uncle for me? I want to see what Wei Wenhai can do to me. At this moment, suddenly a voice rang out from behind, ¡°Young Master Third, what are you doing here?¡± Chapter 33 - 32: Distorting the Truth_l Chapter 33: Chapter 32: Distorting the Truth_l Trantor: 549690339 San Shao, that¡¯s what I¡¯m called in Jingcheng. Outsiders absolutely wouldn¡¯t know this. Upon hearing this nickname, Nie Zhenbang immediately turned around. Could it be that someone from the Jingcheng circle has alsoe to the South China Sea? ncing aside, an eighteen-year-old young man was waving at Nie Zhenbang. He walked over with a smile across his face. Nie Zhenbang was bing a little puzzled. He didn¡¯t recognize this person. How could he know his alias in the Jingcheng circle? At this time, the young man had already walked up. He was about 1.75 meters tall. People from the south tended to be thinner and smaller. The man also had some unique characteristics of Southerners. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s puzzled expression, he smiled and said, ¡°San Shao, do you remember me? It¡¯s Guo Ming. From the entrance of the Yu Ying School. At that time, I was with the second brother and others.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang seemed to remember. When he went to the Yu Ying School for the first time, there seemed to be such a person behind Nie Jiamin. However, Nie Jiamin didn¡¯t introduce him. It seemed this person wasn¡¯t highly regarded by Nie Jiamin. Now, it wouldn¡¯t be polite for Nie Zhenbang not to greet him. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s principle of dealing with people was to respect those who show him respect, not to harm those who did not harm him, and to retaliate against those who offended him. He is neither boastful nor mboyant. But no one should dare to step on him. ¡°Ah, I remember now. Mingzi, what brings you to Yuedong?¡± Nie Zhenbang actually didn¡¯t remember, but he pretended on the surface to recall. If others came all the way and you said you didn¡¯t remember, wouldn¡¯t that be a public p in the face? And behind Guo Ming were a few young men and women who appeared to be in good family conditions like Guo Ming. Sure enough, hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Guo Ming¡¯s smile deepened. He then said with a smile, ¡°San Shao, my family is from here. My father is an official in Yuedong. It¡¯s Chinese New Year, so I came back.¡± In this era, it was always like this. In Jingcheng, at the Yu Ying School, at the Chaoyang Gate School. In a few schools where Jingcheng princes and princesses were concentrated, there were many students from other provinces, mostly the children of provincial and departmental leaders. Sometimes, the connections of your children are a form ofwork. At certain key moments, this can give you an advantage over others. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang appeared very cordial, smiling and said, ¡°Mingzi, don¡¯t call me San Shao. If you respect me, just call me San Ge. Today San Ge can¡¯t apany you. I have to deal with a few jumping clownster. You guys sit aside for a while. Once San Ge has taken care of everything, we¡¯ll chat. ¡± Guo Mingughed at this moment. He was clear about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s identity, a prominent figure in the third generation of the Nie family. A person whom even Nie Jiamin had to obey. Given the power of the Nie family, they certainly don¡¯t need help in small matters. However, asking or not asking is a matter of attitude. If you ask, it represents your attitude. ¡°If San Ge is doing it, there won¡¯t be any problems. These people don¡¯t deserve San Gel s action. If San Ge doesn¡¯t mind, can I handle the following matters?¡± Guo Ming further expressed his intentions. Nie Zhenbang shook his head slightly at this moment. Ever since he had swept away Zhou Chen¡¯s face in Jingcheng and, in the end, Zhou Chen had gone to Chunan Province dejectedly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reputation had already spread in the Jingcheng circle. The princes and princesses in the Jingcheng circle weren¡¯t fools. They understood that Nie Zhenbang, despite not being acknowledged publicly by the Nie family, had definitely received their support privately. Otherwise, an illegitimate child would never dare to be so impudent. If Nie Zhenbang backed down at this moment, that wouldn¡¯t be Nie Zhenbang. He then said, ¡°Mingzi, I appreciate your kindness. I¡¯ll handle this matter by myself. I want to see just how powerful this Special Administrative Region¡¯s officials are.¡¯ Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Guo Mingughed awkwardly and then backed down. On the side, a few young men and women gathered around. ¡°Mingzi, who is this guy? He seems quite impressive. You¡¯re the governor¡¯s son. Do you really need to be this courteous?¡± One of the men casually spoke up. Guo Ming nced at the young man, Jiang Wei. The young man¡¯s father was a standingmittee member of the South China Sea city¡¯s municipal partymittee, and the secretary of the city¡¯s Political and Legal Affairs Committee. He had close ties with Guo Ming¡¯s father and was considered part of his father¡¯s camp. Normally, Guo Ming would not have bothered answering such a question from others. However, now he casually replied, ¡°Politeness aside, haven¡¯t you heard the saying, ¡®Until you go to Jingcheng, you can¡¯tprehend the size of the officialdom? My father is merely a locally born vice-provincial cadre. Even if Xiong Bangguo¡¯s son goes to Jingcheng, he has to walk with his head bowed down. In Jingcheng, what does the child of a provincial ministerial cadre ount for?¡± Having spoken, Guo Ming walked towards his phone. At that moment, a group of policemen rushed in from outside. Wei Wenhai trailed behind them. At this moment, Wei Wenhai who had appeared downcast moments ago, was now imperious. His gaze swept over Nie Zhenbang, who was still present, and passed over Luo Pingan. He thenughed uproariously, ¡°Luo Pingan, your audacity is really something. Daring not to run away. Well, well, since you¡¯re offering yourself up for punishment, don¡¯t me me. Captain Liu, this is the man who, for no reason at all, knocked over my friends. He¡¯s suspected of intentional assault and injury. I suggest you arrest such a dangerous person immediately, as per thew.¡± Captain Liu was the head of the public security detachment in the port area. Wei Wenhai was the local tyrant of the area. He was the younger sibling of the Port Area Party Secretary. As the youngest in his family, he was brazen enough to swear at the Party Secretary of the Port Area, right in front of him. Captain Liu knew both Luo Pingan and Nie Zhenbang, but he didn¡¯t recognize the man next to them. Judging by his dress and demeanor, he didn¡¯t appear to be someone significant. Captain Liu sighed, wondering why Nie Zhenbang had to offend Wei Wenhai. Then, Captain Liu stepped forward, presented his police badge to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Young man, someone has used you of intentional bodily injury. Pleasee with us.¡± On the side, Wei Wenhai began to mor, ¡°Old Liu, why talk so much? Just take him away directly! In this time of severe punishment, isn¡¯t it supposed to be a strict, severe and fast trial? My friends here are all injured because of him, we have all the evidence we need and the people to testify against him. I see no point in him trying to escape. What are you afraid of?¡± As Wei Wenhai¡¯s words came to an end, the police officers present began to approach them. Witnessing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrowed. He was well aware that local officials could be daring. In his previous life, a child from Jingcheng who went to Xibei was dealt with by local officials there. In the end, all that was left was a corpse. Although that official¡¯s family was punished afterward, death was irreversible, and anything else seemed meaningless. ¡°What¡¯s happening? Are you going to act purely based on the one-sided derations of this man? This seems too naive,¡± Nie Zhenbang sneered, looking calmly at the police. At this moment, the owner of the Revolving Restaurant also stepped forward. Luo Pingan was well-known in the South China Sea¡¯s business sector. The owner of the Revolving Restaurant also came forward as Luo Pingan went to great lengths to protect the young man. ¡°Gentlemen, I¡¯m the owner of this establishment. It¡¯s true that the young man initiated the fight, however, these people are not entirely meless. I think you should proceed more carefully.¡± At this time, Luo Pingan also took a step forward: ¡°Wei Wenhai, if you dare to arrest him, you¡¯ll have to step over my dead body first. Let¡¯s see if you dare to kill me, a representative of the People¡¯s Congress of the South China Sea.¡± ¡°Arrest him! Old Liu, do you want to keep your job as captain or not? If anything happens, I¡¯ll take responsibility for it,¡± Wei Wenhai shouted as he saw Luo Pingan once again interject. With Wei Wenhai¡¯s continuous prodding, Captain Liu¡¯s men finally sprung into action. Nie Zhenbang stepped forward, snorted, and said, ¡°Since none of you care for the truth, then don¡¯t me me for not showing any courtesy.¡± Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t get far before there was the sound of movement from outside. Shortly afterward, a group of fully armed soldiers rushed in. One of the uniformed officers leading the group walked up, looked around, and asked, ¡°Who is Comrade Luo Pingan?¡± Chapter 34 - 33 Big Trouble_l Chapter 34: Chapter 33 Big Trouble_l Trantor: 549690339 A group of armed soldiers charged into this high-end ce. Completely disregarding any image of brotherhood. The first sentence out of their mouth was to ask who Luo Pingan was. This sentence immediately made the whole situation go silent. At this moment, Wei Wenhai was also taken aback, then burst intoughter, saying, ¡°Luo Pingan, who doesn¡¯t know that you¡¯re a former construction engineering divisionmander. If you were an official in the administration, I might even defer to you. However, now you¡¯re just a self-employed individual, at most a slightly bigger one. You even dare to leverage your connections to mobilize the army. It seems that you don¡¯t know what the word ¡®death¡¯ means.¡± Speaking, Wei Wenhai addressed Captain Liu next to him, ¡°Old Liu, immediately contact reinforcements, tell them that someone here is misusing the army and we need immediate suppression.¡± This kid even uses the word suppression. It¡¯s ridiculous that he¡¯s suggesting the police suppress the military. What logic. Luo Pingan chuckled, everyone said that Wei Wenhai was unlearned. Now it all made sense. The national army, was it something one could mobilize? Not to mention he had already retired, and had no connection with the military. Even if he was still in the military, only the engineering troops under hismand could be moved. It was absolutely impossible to mobilize any other troops. At the same time, Luo Pingan also gained insight into the power and tactics of the Nie family. The old leader was giving him face right now. Instead of looking for the direct descendants of the Nie family, they immediately came looking for him. To outsiders, this would raise a spection. His rtionship with the military was not shallow and today¡¯s matter would soon spread throughout Nanhai. In the future, whether it be in the Nanhai official circle or business world, people would have to be careful around him. Immediately after, Luo Pingan stepped forward and said, ¡°I am Luo Pingan. I was dining with this younger brother when we were harassed by these people. These people spoke rudely. My younger brother stepped in only then. Now, these people want to take my younger brother away.¡± Luo Pingan understood very clearly that when these soldiers arrived, the local military leaders must have instructed them. As expected, after listening to him, theplexion of the army officer leading the team changed. Before they arrived, the politicalmissar of the military region had reminded them a thousand times that the safety of the young man apanying Luo Pingan had to be ensured. The officer nced at Nie Zhenbang and immediately saluted, ¡°Yuezhou Military Area, the 79th Tiger Campmander, Han Jianguo reports. Awaiting your instructive orders, sir.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang nced at Luo Pingan beside him, then said, ¡°These people, perverting the course of justice and colluding with gangsters. Take them all away.¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words falling, a group of vignt soldiers pulled the triggers of their weapons. This scene shocked the spectators in the restaurant. Who was this person? He was so audacious. At this moment, Guo Ming felt a sense of great respect. The young people next to Guo Ming were also stunned, whispering in Guo Ming¡¯s ear, ¡°Young Master Guo, who is this friend of yours? He¡¯s so bold.¡± Guo Ming just sneered without responding. If they ever went to Jingcheng, then they would know where they stood. At this time, Wei Wenhai also froze. Originally, he thought it was just an easy target. However, he didn¡¯t expect the army to be mobilized, especially the Tiger Battalion of the 79th Army. This was the direct reconnaissance camp of the 79th Army. As a local of Nanhai, Wei Wenhai knew this bit ofmon knowledge. At this moment, Captain Liu was also taken aback, but upon seeing that the military was about to act, if he didn¡¯t speak now, he wouldn¡¯t even have a chanceter on. Immediately, Captain Liu stepped forward, took out his police credentials and said, ¡°Comrade, I am Liu Shunan, the head of the public security team of the Port Area Police Station. Is there some misunderstanding between us?¡± ¡°Misunderstanding? Ha, there¡¯s no misunderstanding!¡± The officer¡¯s gaze swept over Captain Liu and the others. Immediately, he waved his hand, ¡°Disarm them and take them all away. If they resist, they are to be charged with treason.¡± The officer was also a smart character. When he received the orders from the politicalmissar, one sentence from themissar was still fresh in his memory. Comrade Shao Xiang, the head of the military region is paying great attention to this. You must ensure the safety of important personages. The officer understood very clearly that as a field army, they were out of the jurisdiction of the Nanhai Military Region. The head of the military region, then, could only possibly refer to the head of Yuezhou Military Region. This was a leadership position in arge military region. If he performed well, his future would be worry-free. At this point, if these people dared to use a crackdown to frame him, he would dare to charge them with treason. After all, if something happened, someone would definitely intervene. Captain Liu was also stunned. Treason? Was it really necessary? Following the officer¡¯s orders, the soldiers swarmed forward and seized these people. Only then did the officer salute and say, ¡°Commander, we have orders from our politicalmissar. Pleasee with us to the military guest house for rest.¡± This was also a protection measure. At this point, Nie Zhenbang had made an enemy of Wei Wenhai. Staying in Nanhai was not safe, so the only option was to go to the military. They would wait until higher-ranking officials came calling. As everyone left, the owner of the Revolving Restaurant hurried to the phone. Wei Wenhai had been arrested in his restaurant. Regardless, he had to report to Wei Wenhai. After the restaurant owner finished the call, Guo Ming stepped forward and said: ¡°Mr. Zheng, I think you¡¯d better tell Deputy Secretary Li directly about this. Simply reporting to Wei Wenhai won¡¯t get us anywhere. May I borrow your phone? I need to report this to my father.¡± The words of Guo Ming shocked the restaurant owner, especially considering how submissive Guo Ming had been in front of that young man. Guo Ming was even reporting to Deputy Governor Guo. The Deputy Governor was a member of the Yuedong Provincial Committee and the standing deputy governor. He was a likely candidate for governor and carried significant influence in Yuedong Province. For a moment, the entire Nanhai and the high-ranking officials of Yuedong Province were shocked. As a special economic zone, everything in Nanhai was under the spotlight. Nanhai held a status equivalent to a vice-ministerial level. A district was equivalent to a vice-department level unit. An entire district¡¯s public security bureau and dozens of its police officers had been disarmed and taken by the military. Upon receiving this news, Wei Wenhai hit the table and stood up. But after a while, he sat down again and instructed his secretary, ¡°Prepare the car; we¡¯re going to the 79th Army Station.¡± Nanhai Municipal Committee Compound At the home of Li Qianjin, the standingmittee member of Yuedong Provincial Committee and Secretary of Nanhai Municipal Committee. As Li¡¯s secretary finished his report about the event at the Revolving Restaurant, Li Qianjin straightened up saying, ¡°The 9th Army? Cheng Mazi¡¯s forces had been dispatched? Interesting¡­ It seems that Wei Wenhai is in trouble.¡± ¡°Secretary Li, do you think we should¡­?¡± the secretary began to suggest. Secretary Li waved his hand and shook his head, ¡°No, let¡¯s leave this matter to Vice Secretary Li. Let¡¯s just sit back and watch the spectacle. It¡¯s unusual for Cheng Mazi to get involved; it seems that the visiting young man must be from the Nie family.¡± Secretary Li, also from a prestigious family in Jingcheng, was quiteparable to the Nie family in terms of background. His family was also quite influential in the central government. The Li family, known as reformists and trusted allies of the Yang family, were two key yers around the country¡¯s leader. Nanhai, as a vanguard of reform and opening up, needed reliable people to oversee it. Being the heir of the Li family, Secretary Li was naturally assigned here. Meanwhile, after receiving a phone call from Guo Ming, the entire Yuedong province started to get in motion. Xue Ligong, the standingmittee member of the Yuedong Provincial Committee, the Secretary of the Provincial Committee, as well as the chief politicalmissar of the Yuedong Provincial Military Region, was regarded as the most important cornerstone of Yuedong. Despite the fact that Xue participated in the Anti-Japanese War when he was just a child soldier, his credentials were undeniable. After being ced in Yuedong post-war and quickly moving up the ranks, Xue¡¯s authority in Yuedong was beyond question. At this moment, it was already past nine in the evening. ording to Xue¡¯s routine, he would have been in bed by now. Just then, the phone beside his bed rang. As soon as Xue picked up, Vice Secretary Chu Zheng Nan¡¯s voice came from the other side: ¡°Secretary Xue, something has happened in Nanhai..¡± Chapter 35 - 34 Position Swap_l Chapter 35: Chapter 34 Position Swap_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°What? The 79th Army has been mobilized and detained the local government officials? What exactly is happening?¡± Upon hearing this, Xue Ligong immediately sat up, shaking off most of his drowsiness. After a moment, Xue Ligong promptly made a decision, ¡°Comrade Zheng Nan, notify the standingmittee members at home to rush to the provincialmittee conference room for a meeting immediately.¡± While the incident sent shockwaves throughout Yuedong province, Nie Zhenbang was currently sitting in the guest house of the Ninth Army stationed in Nanhai City. Cheng Bangguo, themander of the 79th Army, was sitting next to him at this moment. Despite being themander, he didn¡¯t try to assert his authority. Instead, he acted as though they were having casual small talk. Despite the young man before him not even being eighteen years old yet, Cheng Bangguo didn¡¯t look down on him. With a smile, he said, ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯ve heard about you from Guodong before. And seeing you in person now, you truly are outstanding. These people were arrested by me for you. So, what do you n to do next?¡± Beforeing, Nie Zhenbang had already got some information from Luo Pingan. Wei Wenhai¡¯s elder brother, Wei Wenoge, is the head of Kou¡¯an District, which directly borders Hong Kong, and is also known as the ¡°Inner Gate¡±. As the most important district in Nanhai, its secretary also serves as a standing member of the citymittee. And standing behind Wei Wenoge is Li, the deputy secretary of the Nanhai Municipal Committee. Nie Zhenbang never believed in staying clean while involved in a dirty situation. There¡¯s a saying in the military, ¡°If your leader is corrupt, the whole team is corrupt¡±. If Deputy Secretary Li were a good person, would Wei during a special period dare to be so rampant? Obviously, that¡¯s impossible. Then, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°Uncle Cheng, I¡¯d like to take this opportunity to thank you on behalf of my parents for this matter. I ask that you press on with the investigation and unearth the evidence of these people¡¯s illegal activities. I¡¯ve already called my parents. They¡¯re on their way and should arrive around midnight tonight.¡± This statement surprised Cheng Bangguo. Initially, he thought it was simply a childish fight, with the adult members of the Nie family just supporting their descendant. But now, he saw that the matter wasn¡¯t as simple as he had imagined. The fact that Nie Zhenbang could mobilize Nie Guowei¡¯s couple alone was enough to rify the issue. Right after, Cheng Bangguo also said seriously, ¡°Zhenbang, rest assured. In my investigative team, no matter who someone is, or how hard they resist, I guarantee they¡¯ll spill everything within three hours.¡± As he spoke, a hint of pride appeared on Cheng Bangguo¡¯s face. It¡¯s known that the Ninth Army was one of the few domestic forces that had seen realbat and shed blood, having participated in the counterattack against Vietnam several years ago. The army had its own methods. In this era, there weren¡¯t any specific rules against torture, and Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t about to say anything about that. He nodded slightly and said, ¡°Uncle Cheng, thank you in advance.¡± ¡°Sir, several government vehicles have stopped outside the military region. They im to be from the Kou¡¯an District Committee and they want to see you. What do you think?¡± At this moment, an officer walked in from outside and spoke to Cheng Bangguo. Cheng Bangguo made a slight hand gesture, a hint of annoyance appearing on his face. District Secretary Wei Wenoge seemed to be taking himself too seriously. Cheng termed himself as a high-ranking officer equivalent to themander of the Yuedong Provincial Military Region. He waved it off, saying to an aide next to him, ¡°Comrade Gu, reply to them for me. Say that I¡¯m currently attending an emergency meeting of the Yuezhou Military Region and I don¡¯t have time.¡± Wei during a special period was showing a face of urgency right now. Knowing his brother was in trouble, Wei Wenoge immediately took action. He knew what Wei Wenhai had done over the years. Apart from being spoiled by their mother, Wei Wenhai had also helped him significantly. This was why Wei Wenoge was anxious. It was already past eleven at night. Right then, a car with a Yuehai license te drove into the 79th Army¡¯s garrison, making Wei Wenoge even more anxious. At this moment, the lights were still on in the guest house. As soon as Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian entered, Nie Zhenbang rose to his feet and saw the concerned look on Ye Shuxian¡¯s face. It moved him. This stepmother of his, to be honest, was quite good. Regardless of whether it was in his previous life or now, she had fulfilled the responsibilities of a stepmother. At this moment, this attitude could not be feigned. Thinking of this and seeing Cheng beside him, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Mom, why did you have toe, too? Ziyu might be scared alone at home.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words made Ye Shuxian stand stiffly, shaking slightly. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, her expression became quite emotional. She nodded, her eyes filling with tears. Nie Guowei looked surprised too. His rtionship with his son was not the best. As a father, he had failed his duties. He didn¡¯t understand what Nie Zhenbang thought, did, or needed. Even his own political career relied on his son¡¯s strategizing, making Nie Guowei feel quite embarrassed. His attitude was gradually changing. At this moment, Nie Guowei was quick-witted. He immediately smiled and said, ¡°Shuxian, sit down first. It must be tiring to rush over like this. Zhenbang, don¡¯t worry about Ziyu. I¡¯ve asked my secretary to look after her in Yuehai. There will be no problems.¡± Ye Shuxian came back to her senses. As one who grew up in a major family, the Ye family was a schrly family, with Ye Lao being a famous schr-general of his time. Thanks to the strict upbringing, Ye Shuxian gently said, ¡°Ziyu will be fine. But Zhenbang, you didn¡¯t get hurt, right? When we received the call from Brother Cheng, we rushed over. This situation is outrageous. How could anyone dare to misuse state institutions for personal service!¡± Then, looking at Cheng, Ye Shuxian said, ¡°Brother Cheng, you must investigate this thoroughly.¡± Cheng nodded at this moment. He could disregard Nie Guowei¡¯s words, but he had to listen to Ye Shuxian¡¯s. He used to be a guard under Ye Lao and was promoted by the Ye Family. As the saying goes, ¡®Gratitude begets service¡¯, and the key lies in crucial moments like this. Seeing that the family seemed to have something to discuss, Cheng very prudently said, ¡°Guowei, I¡¯ll leave you all to chat. I have some things to take care of, so I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± After Cheng left, Nie Guowei said seriously, ¡°Zhenbang, what on earth are you doing? Even if you were bullied, with Old Cheng here and your uncle backing you up, you couldn¡¯t be in any real trouble. So why did you call us over?¡± Seeing the puzzled look on Ye Shuxian¡¯s face, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°It was a spur-of-the-moment decision when I noticed certain individuals walking right into my hands.. Mom, don¡¯t you think that now is the perfect time for Dad to secure a better position?¡± Chapter 36 - 35: Is This Possible? 1 Chapter 36: Chapter 35: Is This Possible? 1 Trantor: 549690339 Swap positions? Both Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian were surprised, but Ye Shuxian quickly recovered, looking at Nie Zhenbang with a different gaze. In others¡¯ families, parents wished their sons to be dragons and their daughters to be phoenixes. But in her own family, this seemed to be the exact opposite. Now that she had heard Nie Zhenbang call her ¡®mom¡¯, Ye Shuxian¡¯s heart waspletely open. The initial emotional turmoil disappeared. When Nie Zhenbang first came into the family, Ye Shuxian had conflicting feelings. On one hand, she wished for Nie Zhenbang to bepetent so that the Nie family would not be too pitifully defeated. At least, there would still be a man to carry on the family¡¯s legacy. On the other hand, this was a secret child born from her husband¡¯s affair, even though it was before she got married to him. When she saw Nie Zhenbang, she did sometimes wish that this incident had never happened. After all, it was a kind of humiliation for her. But now, she no longer had these concerns. After Ye Shuxian¡¯s mentality returned to normal, she regained her original cultured and refined demeanor. Nie Guowei was still pondering the words when Ye Shuxian looked at Nie Zhenbang in surprise. Once she ascertained that her son wasn¡¯t joking, she said, ¡°Zhenbang, you are too audacious. Can this¡­can this be possible? Your father has only been appointed in Yuehai for a few days. Would the higher-ups approve?¡± Although both Yuehai and Nanhai are special economic zones, the treatment there is quite different. Yuehai is a mere prefecture-level city under Yuedong Province, while Nanhai is not the same, being the first special economic zone in the country. Firstly, in terms of rank, Nanhai is a notch higher than Yuehai as a bona fide sub-provincial city. In addition, when ites to policy preferences and support, Nanhai is superior to Yuehai. As a centrally administered municipality, Nanhai¡¯s parent unit is still Yuedong Province. However, it has much more autonomy than Yuehai. This makes it easier to produce results. Initially, when Nie Guowei was demoted to serve as the mayor of Yuehai, this was merely the best choice made by Nie Zhenbang in a hopeless situation. At least, it wasn¡¯t a wasted effort. Nie Guoweipleted the crucial transformation from deputy department level to department level here. That is the key point. It alsoid a foundation for Nie Guowei¡¯s future advancement. ¡°Mom, nothing is impossible. As the saying goes, where there¡¯s a will, there¡¯s a way,¡± Nie Zhenbang said with a smile. When Cheng Mazi was around earlier, Nie Zhenbang, considering Ye Shuxian¡¯s dignity, finally took the difficult step of calling a strange woman ¡®mom¡¯. This was the first time he had ever done so, including both his past and present life. But after he got over this daunting step, Nie Zhenbang felt unbound. He doesn¡¯t find it too challenging to call her ¡®mom¡¯ anymore. Seeing the perplexed looks on the two¡¯s faces, Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°However, you guys cannot propose this condition. This time, I seized the opportunity. Taking down the District Secretary Wei Wen, is absolutely feasible. This man, in collusion with his brother, misused his position for their private gain. If rightly carried out, even his boss, the acting Secretary Li, will have to take responsibility. With that, our opportunity wille.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang deliberately nced at his father, and then said, ¡°Just not sure if you have the guts, dad. This Deputy Secretary Li, as far as I know, is a very influential figure. His supporter is none other than the Zhou family.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Nie Guowei chuckled and gave a reprimandingugh, ¡°You, this kid, are using reverse psychology. Although I don¡¯t have that much ability, the people of Nie family have nevercked courage. You just tell us how to do it. Your mom and I will support you unconditionally. As for your Uncle, I will talk to him.¡± At this time, Cheng Mazi walked in from outside. Seeing the family of three happily chatting, he smiled and said, ¡°Guowei, Shuxian, the Deputy Secretary of the Nanhai Municipal Committee, Li, is here. He is outside and says he wants to meet with me. What do you think, should I meet him or not?¡± Although Cheng Mazi belonged to the field army system, since he was stationed near Nanhai, maintaining a harmonious rtionship with the local government was still necessary. Cheng Mazi did not want the situation to be irreconcble. He came in and asked this question, clearly revealing his own intention. Nie Guowei was about to speak, but to his surprise, Ye Shuxian pulled at his clothes. She gave Nie Guowei a sharp nce. Her husband was good at everything, but his political skills were too weak. Isn¡¯t this Deputy Secretary position the one their son was aiming for? Meeting at this point wouldn¡¯t be beneficial. Then, Ye Shuxian took the lead and said, ¡°Brother Cheng, do you have any difficulties? If you do, I won¡¯t say anything. If not, we would like to see what Zhenbang¡¯s attitude is. After all, he is the main party involved in this matter. This child really is spoiled by us. At home, he¡¯s never been slighted. Even his grandfather indulged him. There¡¯s nothing we can do. Our elders favor the youngest generation.¡± Cheng Mazi was stunned for a moment, he hadn¡¯t expected that he would misjudge the situation twice today. This Nie Zhenbang, despite his young age, actually held such a high status in the Nie family. Are they nning to cultivate him as the sessor of the third generation? Howe he hadn¡¯t heard about this? Cheng Mazi was a bit confused. He immediatelyughed and said, ¡°Shuxian, what are you talking about, what difficulties could I have? I don¡¯t answer to the Yuedong province. My direct leader is your family¡¯s eldest uncle. You guys can just decide how it should be handled. I will fully support you.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also stood up and said, ¡°Uncle Cheng. I owe you one. I know what you¡¯re worried about. However, don¡¯t worry, wait until the Secretary Li from the Nanhai Municipal Committee arrives. I assure you that everything here will remain the same as in the past. There will be harmonious rtions between the military and the residents. There will be no impact. Right then and there, outside the base of the 79th Army, two sedans were parked. Deputy Secretary Li, around fifty years old, whose hair had thinned quite drastically to the point of being bald, was wearing a pair of gold-rimmed sses. He looked very much like a sessful man. Seeing Wei Wen standing in front of him like a grade school student, Deputy Secretary Li scolded, ¡°You good-for-nothing! I¡¯ve already warned you to be cautious, to be low-profile. Look at your brother here, pulling this kind of stunt.¡± Just then, a soldier came out from the base, looked around at the crowd expressionlessly, and asked, ¡°Who is Deputy Secretary Li?¡± Upon hearing this, Deputy Secretary Li immediately greeted him with a beaming smile, ¡°That would be me, it is. Youngrade, you must be tired. What did Director Cheng say? Is he avable now?¡± The soldier indifferently nced at Deputy Secretary Li. In the eyes of these soldiers, they don¡¯t care if you are a secretary or not. In their sight, only the orders from the superior officer count. He simply said, ¡°The director said that he is currently busy preparing for the annual regional military exercise. Come back tomorrow.¡± Right at that moment, at the entrance of the base, along the road leading to Nanhai City, a car fleet headed towards them slowly with their police lights shing. When the car stopped, a group of people stepped out from the vehicle in front. Seeing the two people leading the group, Deputy Secretary Li, who was originally observing from the side, was taken aback. His heart missed a beat, wondering what the hell was going on, even the Provincial Party Secretary Xue Ligong was involved. He also saw the Municipal Party Secretary Li Qianjin apanying Xue Ligong. Deputy Secretary Li immediately ran over and said in a low voice: ¡°Secretary Xue, Secretary Qianjin, howe you¡¯re here?¡± Chapter 37 - 36 Another Article_l Chapter 37: Chapter 36 Another Article_l Trantor: 549690339 If it weren¡¯t for the trouble in the South China Sea, Xue Ligong wouldn¡¯t be so tense. However, things are different now. There has always been a dispute over the South China Sea domestically. Some people say that the South China Sea is a concession. If something happens in the South China Sea, he as the provincial party secretary, cannot divest himself of the me. ¡°Why just came now? If you don¡¯te soon, the South China Sea will probably make international news.¡± Xue Ligong walked ahead with a glum look on his face, letting out a cold humph. Beforeing here, Xue Ligong had a discussion with Nie Guodong, the Deputy Commander and First Political Commissar of Yuezhou Military Region. The meaning of Nie Guodong was clear. The one involved in this incident was his younger brother Nie Guowei¡¯s son, Nie Zhenbang. How to let go of the situation, Nie Guodong said he couldn¡¯t decide. It would have to be up to either Nie Guowei or Nie Zhenbang himself. Xue Ligong was also somewhat shocked. He was clear about Nie Guowei, Ye Lao¡¯s son-inw. Considering his own affiliation to Ye Lao¡¯s lineage, there was some affinity. However, from Nie Guodong¡¯s words, Xue Ligong caught something useful. It seemed that the old Nie patriarch highly valued Nie Zhenbang. Otherwise, how could the core figure of the second generation of the Nie family, the heir of the Nie family, be unable to control a young member of the Nie family? Watching Xue Ligong¡¯s departing figure, the secretary of Nanhai Municipal Committee, Li Qianjin, nced at Deputy Secretary Li. Although they were from the same n, they didn¡¯t have much rtionship. Li Qianjin was from Chubei, while Deputy Secretary Li was from Longxi. Moreover, on normal days, Deputy Secretary Li and Li Qianjin didn¡¯t get along well. Hence, at this moment, Li Qianjin didn¡¯t mince words, whispering bitterly as he passed Deputy Secretary Li, ¡°Look at the mess you¡¯ve made.¡± Xue Ligong, who was already at the guard post, said to the guard, ¡°Comrade, I¡¯m Xue Ligong, the Secretary of the Yuedong Provincial Party Committee. Please notify your Director Cheng of my arrival.¡± As a high-ranking official of a province, especially a prosperous economic province like Yuedong, and given his position as a member of the Politburo, Xue Ligong naturally carried himself with a certain demeanor. At this point, the guard did not dare to act arrogant and quickly replied, ¡°Please wait a moment, leader. I will go in immediately to report.¡± In the guest house room, Nie Zhenbang was resting with his eyes closed. He was nning his actions for when the dust settled. After this, theyout of Wal-Mart in Yuedong would basically bepleted. He didn¡¯t need to worry about the rest. With Yang Anbang involved, the development of Wal-Mart wouldn¡¯t have too many problems. Now, it was time for him to make a trip to the Soviet Union. But before leaving, he had to make another grand entrance for his old man. It was only by thoroughly aligning the Nie family with the reformist faction that Nie Zhenbang could feel at ease. After all, going overseas wasn¡¯t something that could be finished in a day or two. ¡°Guowei, Shuxian, the Yuedong Provincial Committee Secretary Xue Ligong hase here personally. He¡¯s currently outside the garrison. What should we do?¡± Cheng Mazi was getting rather flustered. He hadn¡¯t expected that the arrest of such a small fish would draw out Xue Ligong. Hearing that, Nie Zhenbang quickly stood up and said to Cheng Mazi, ¡°Uncle Cheng, did you prepare the things I asked you? It¡¯s about time now.¡± Cheng Mazi was somewhat confused, but nodded and said, ¡°Of course, I didn¡¯t know until I checked. I was shocked. This Wei Wenhai, ever since his brother took office, he has been using his power to seize a lot of businesses in the port area. Many people have been driven to bankruptcy and ruin by him. Some were even sentenced on charges of hooliganism. At least more than five million yuan has been amassed illegally.¡± Hearing this, a smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. As expected, his spection was correct. Even in the 21st century, few people dared to be so arrogant. If someone was this audacious now, there must be something shady behind him. Now that he knew the result, Nie Zhenbang was relieved. Things seemed to be going as nned now. ¡°Uncle Cheng, mother and father, since Secretary Xue of the Yuedong Provincial Committee has personallye, how about we go greet him together? After all, my dad is still one of Secretary Xue¡¯s soldiers.¡± Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, with the demeanor of a great general. Your son is barely 20 years old and still so immature. Why is the offspring of the Nie family so outstanding? As the group approached the door, it naturally followed that Cheng Bangguo led them. Cheng Mazi, with a smile already on his face, stepped forward to greet them, shaking hands with Xue Ligong, saying, ¡°I am truly humbled that Secretary Xue would visit in person. My neglect is to me for this.¡± Xue Ligong scanned his gaze over Cheng Mazi and Nie Zhenbang among others, then, with augh, said, ¡°Old Cheng, you and I bothe from military backgrounds. I¡¯ve just served for a few more years than you. There¡¯s no need to be so formal. And this young man here, he must be Nie Zhenbang. Thed looks quite promising. It only makes me feel just how old I¡¯ve gotten when I see you.¡± At this moment, Xue Ligong deliberately ignored Nie Guowei. This was his indirect method of expressing his discontent towards Nie Guowei. So what if you¡¯re a descendant of the Nie family? So what if your brother is the Vice Commander of the Yuezhou Military Region? This is Yuedong and you¡¯re an official reporting to the Yuedong Province. I am still your direct superior.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled slightly. In terms of this matter, he did indeed go a bit too far. Regardless, he should have at least gave Xue Ligong a heads up. Then, Nie Zhenbang shot a nce at Ye Shuxian who was standing nearby. Understanding his intent, Ye Shuxian nodded and stepped forward to greet, ¡°Uncle Xue, we haven¡¯t met for a long time. You¡¯re still as spirited as ever. Do you remember Shuxian?¡± As a former bodyguard of Ye Lao, Xue Ligong watched Ye Shuxian grow up. Now that she had addressed him in such a manner, Xue Ligong found it hard to keep a stern face. The group followed behind Cheng Mazi into the military district guesthouse. Once everyone had taken their seats, Nie Zhenbang began to speak: ¡°Grandpa Xue, this incident was truly my fault. I did not expect it to rm you. I have definitely overstepped in this matter. If there were any mistakesmitted, I hope that you may vindicate me. Here, I apologize to you.¡± First and foremost, Nie Zhenbang took a humble approach, which made it difficult for Xue Ligong to hold onto the matter. Immediately, he smiled and said, ¡°Shuxian, you indeed have a good son.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang took out some documents that Cheng Mazi had prepared and handed them over to Xue Ligong, saying, ¡°Grandpa Xue, please take a look at these. They are some pieces of information that I unintentionally acquired. You adults can continue your discussion. I¡¯m going to step out for a bit.¡¯ This was a strategic retreat on the part of Nie Zhenbang. Describing Xue Ligong as an old fox may sound derogatory, but it was a fact. With this situation, simply handing over the evidence should be enough to rify the matter. Giving Xue Ligong the opportunity to handle this matter, rather than directly sending it to the central government, was a clear gesture. Xue Ligong knew full well what he had to do. After all, Ye Shuxian and Nie Guowei were still in the room; and he had already paved the way for the old man. If he couldn¡¯t grasp this opportunity, it would be better if he resigned and retired early from this officialdom. Sure enough, two hourster, even though it was then past three in the morning, a group of people emerged from the conference room. Xue Ligong appeared calm, while the expression on the face of Li Qianjin, the Secretary of the Nanhai Municipal Committee, remained inscrutable. Seeing Nie Zhenbang approach him, Xue Ligong revealed a faint smile, patting Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Zhenbang, isn¡¯t it? You are quite good. If you get a chance in the future, you muste to Grandpa Xue¡¯s house in Yuezhou.¡± With that, Xue Ligong turned to Li Qianjin and said, ¡°Comrade Qianjin, this is a wake-up call. In the process of reform and opening up, we must never cken our oversight of Party discipline and clean government. This is a lesson learned through blood and tears. The leading group of the Nanhai Municipal Committee must always keep this in mind. Regarding this Wei scandal, my opinion is to conduct a thorough investigation and enforce severe punishment. Any rted officials should be reassigned. This time, I have decided to let Comrade Guowei enrich the ranks of the Standing Committee of Nanhai MuniciDal Committee.¡± As Xue Ligong left, the political scene in Nanhai shifted the following day. Li Qianjin immediately convened a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Nanhai Municipal Committee. At the meeting, after Li Qianjin reported the disciplinary vitions of Wei Wenhai, the Secretary of the districtmittee of the port area, the Nanhai Municipal Discipline Committee immediately decided to suspend Wei Wenhai for investigation. At the same time, Li Qianjin, on behalf of the Provincial Committee, announced the resolutions of the Provincial Committee: Deputy Secretary Li of the Municipal Committee would be transferred to serve as Deputy Secretary of Yuehai Municipal Committee, and Nie Guowei, Mayor of Yuehai City, would be transferred to serve as a member of the Standing Committee and Deputy Secretary of Nanhai Municipal Committee. In the residential area of the Nanhai Municipal Committee, inside the newly assigned house for Nie Guowei, Nie Zhenbang, holding a set of documents, emerged from the study. Seeing Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian sitting on the sofa watching the news, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Dad, this is an article that I wrote. I¡¯d like to publish it using your name. Take a look.¡± Nie Guowei, puzzled, took the document. Just a nce at the title was enough for him to jump up from his seat, eximing in surprise, ¡°Zhenbang, aren¡¯t you being too bold?¡± Chapter 38 - 37-38 What Are You? _1 Chapter 38: Chapter 37-38 What Are You? _1 Trantor: 549690339 The Nie family¡¯s sudden movepletely shattered the conservatives¡¯ forecast. This was something they had never anticipated. Since the conservatives had gained the upper hand, a nationwide craze of cracking down on spection had emerged over these past few months. After sentencing a number of individual traders, the momentum of reform had slightly eased, somewhat contained. Just when everyone was celebrating and preparing for a potential counterattack from the reformists, they were caught off guard by the Nie family, which at this moment, had unexpectedly taken the lead in the reformists¡¯ counterstrike. ¡°Regarding the Reform of the Party and National Leadership System,¡± the title of the article was enough to rify the matter. Moreover, these were words the Nanxun Chief had said in the previous years. The article vetoed the rushed promotions employed during the previous period of chaos and proposed the concept of youth-based cadre solutions. All these bore clear marks of reformists. Comrade Xuri, at this moment, also began taking action, indirectly criticizing such thoughts at multiple central leadership meetings. At the same time, he made a very stern statement concerning the current situation. Meanwhile, at this time, at the militarymission meeting, quite a few members proposed their views, concerning the two Nie brothers¡ªone serving as deputymander of the Yuezhou Military Region, and the other as deputy secretary of the Peng City municipal partymittee. This was enough to raise eyebrows all around. Atrade Xuri¡¯s instigation, some members jointly suggested that Comrade Nie Guodong be transferred out of the Yuezhou Military Region and reassigned as deputymander of the Tianfu or Xibei Military Region. Inside the militarymission meeting room, Elder Nie kept a calm countenance, revealing no sign of fluctuations. The leader on the main seat seemed thoughtful. After scanning themittee members who were engaged in the discussion, the leader tapped the table saying: ¡°Stop arguing. All this noise won¡¯t solve any problem. Let¡¯s do a democratic vote to decide.¡± Upon hearing the leader say this, Elder Nie lifted his head, gave the leader a nce, and spoke: ¡°Before voting, I would like to say a few words. Comrade Nie Guodong, is my son. In the spirit of avoiding suspicion, I decline to vote.¡± The final result of the conference was that Nie Guodong was reassigned to serve as deputymander and first deputy politicalmissar of the Xibei Military Region. Although the rank was the same, everyone knew that the Yuezhou Military Region was the country¡¯srgest and oversaw the vastnd force group of the South while alsomanding the South China Sea Fleet stationed in the South China Sea. Although the positions were identical, the pros and cons of the new and old position were clear to everyone. The conservatives werepletely delighted in the misfortune. By all ounts, the Nie family had truly stumbled this time. Simrly, Nie Zhenbang in Jingcheng also sensed this shift. With the conservative¡¯s counterattack, Wal-Mart supermarket¡¯s nationwide expansion was also hit to different degrees. Many locations that had already signed agreements and were just awaiting redecoration had backed out due to the changing situation. The five supermarkets and two department stores in Jingcheng have sequentially received various inspections¨Ctax, sanitation, and fire safety. If it hadn¡¯t been for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s insistence on adhering to standards from the start, Wal-Mart supermarkets would have likely been shut down for rectification by now. Thus, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s original n to head to the Soviet Union was temporarily put on hold. Sitting in the Wal-Mart¡¯s headquarters on Wangfujing Street, looking at the business report in front of him, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Second Brother! Second Brother! Yang Anbang! Come here!¡± Nie Zhenbang called out, but hearing no response, he decided to use their full names instead. At that moment, Yang Anbang came in from outside, holding a thick pile of documents with a grim expression. cing them on the table, he said with a heavy voice, ¡°Dammit, who¡¯d have thought we¡¯d get screwed over by an out-of-towner? He dares to mess with me. It seems that after all these years of us lying IOW, people m tms capital City nave stoppecl taking us Drotners seriously.¡± ¡°What is it? Young Master Yang? Who¡¯s the fool that¡¯s pissed you off? A coal boss?¡± Nie Zhenbang was a bit confused. Yang Anbang usually conducted himself with the demeanor of a schr-merchant, iming that was the way of a nobleman, a gentleman. Swearing as he had, was truly out of character for him. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why has the business turnover fallen so sharply this month? The total sales of five supermarkets and two department stores around the city has decreased by half. Even though this is traditionally a slower period, this underperformance is far beyond normal.¡± Nie Zhenbang pointed to the report on the table and asked Yang Anbang. Yang Anbang put down the documents, sat down, and pulled out a pack of special supply Panda cigarettes from his pocket. He tossed a cigarette to Nie Zhenbang, saying, ¡°Have a smoke. These are hard for me to get from my old man.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled as he pinched the Panda cigarette. It was amusing; in his previous life, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have this privilege. He had smoked Zhonghua cigarettes all his life. Even when he had hit hard times, thanks to Yang Anna¡¯s support, he had nevercked Zhonghua cigarettes. In this life, although Nie Zhenbang could get Panda cigarettes, he hadn¡¯t smoked them yet. He lit the cigarette with practiced ease and took a puff before saying, ¡°Spill it. What happened to make you, the second young master of Yang family, so angry?¡± Yang Anbang reclined on the sofa, blowing smoke rings for a while before saying, ¡°It¡¯s the new guy. His father used to be the Communist Party Secretary of Jiangnan Province, and is now a Politburo Member and State Councillor. He¡¯s from the same faction as Secretary Xuri, and is even said to be Xuri¡¯s most trusted confidante. This kid is the youngest son of Ouyang. He¡¯s 23 years old this year, so technically, he¡¯s from the same generation as our fathers. After he arrived in Beijing, he gathered a group of people and started causing problems for us. If he isn¡¯t causing trouble in our supermarkets, he¡¯s causing problems in our malls.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow furrowed. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Second Brother, this isn¡¯t like you. They¡¯ve bullied their way to our doorstep and you didn¡¯t fight back?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yang Anbang looked uncharacteristically shy. He looked like he wanted to say something but hesitated. At this moment, Xiao Yali walked in from outside and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, it was my decision to not let him confront them. Do you have any objections?¡± Seeing the two of them acting this way, Nie Zhenbangughed. He hadn¡¯t expected their rtionship to have progressed so far since the New Year. It seemed like it wouldn¡¯t be long before they started discussing marriage. Then, stillughing, Nie Zhenbang asked, ¡°Did this young guy make any demands? There must be something more to his racket than just causing trouble.¡± Nie Zhenbang thought it was unlikely that he just wanted to shut them down. It wouldn¡¯t be so bad if he made some demands, but if he didn¡¯t ask for anything, that would be a problem. If all he wanted was to shut them down, that would be difficult to deal with. ¡°He did. He wants sixty percent of our gross ie each month. If that¡¯s the case, we might as well close our doors. The rent, taxes,bor costs, and product loss all fall on us. At this point, we¡¯re surviving on small profits. The profit on most of our merchandise isn¡¯t very high. At the most, it¡¯s only about thirty percent. So, if we agree to his demand, all our profits will end up in his pocket.¡± At this moment, Yang Anbang looked quite irritated. As the distinguished second young master Yang, he was being bullied by a neer. He would be theughing stock if word got out. A pure profit of thirty percent was already significant. In the future, when consumer goods became more plentiful andpetition increased, supermarket operators who could achieve more than twenty percent pure profit would be considered lucky. Of course, at this time, most goods were scarce, with many requiring ration tickets. Only people like Yang Anbang and Nie Zhenbang had the resources to secure such a wide array of goods. Whereas others tended to mark up prices, ces like the Wal-Mart supermarket were considered budget-friendly inparison. Sixty percent? Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows wrinkled. If he had only asked for ten percent, a proportional share of the pure profit, Nie Zhenbang would have been willing to give it to him. Including conservative figures in supermarket operations was a good way to twist their arms. However, asking for so much was overstepping. Even if this Ouyang fellow dares to ask for it, Nie Zhenbang would not dare to give it. If he did, the reputation of the Nie and Yang families would be ruined. It would be seen as ipetence. Sometimes, face is everything, especially in situations like this. ¡°So that¡¯s why the second young master Yang has been avoiding me these days, it¡¯s because the main guy is back.¡± A piercing voice rang out. Following the voice, a young man walked in arrogantly from outside, surrounded by a swarm of followers. He sported a slicked-back hairstyle, worerge leather shoes with jeans, and a down jacket that was rarely seen in the country at that time. The young man looked Nie Zhenbang up and down, took out a Panda cigarette and stuck it in his mouth. A sidekick came up immediately, lighting the cigarette for him. He blew a puff of smoke towards Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°So you¡¯re Nie Zhenbang? The third young master of the Nie family? Allow me to introduce myself¡ª¡± Before the young man could finish speaking, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand, looked at him, and sneered, ¡°Who do you think you are, being so arrogant in front of me?¡± Chapter 39 - 39 The Number One Person in the Crown Prince’s Party_l Chapter 39: The Number One Person in the Crown Prince¡¯s Party_l Trantor: 549690339 This statement was truly audacious. It¡¯s said, hit a man but not his face. In the Jingcheng circle, there¡¯s a kind of unspoken rule like this. No matter how severe a quarrel is or who wins or loses, it doesn¡¯t matter. However, if you show contempt for him, it¡¯s seen as formally dering an enmity. Whenever an opportunity arises, even if there¡¯s no real opportunity, he will want to crush you. Back in the day, there were such urrences among the old stubborn members of this circle. The results were tragic, with some being killed and others being detained. The one whomitted the murder is allegedly still being held in a prison in Tianshan Province. By speaking in such a way now, Nie Zhenbang has broken the unwritten rule. As a person who had a reincarnation, he is knowledgeable about the rules of the circle. Furthermore, in the posterior age, news about the sons of well-off families, the privileged second generation, and some affluent second-generation people was emerging constantly. Given this, Nie Zhenbang decides to use this opportunity to set a new melody which is not only for the children of wealthy families but also for the entire privileged second generation in the country. ¡°Good, good! Nie Zhenbang, I, Ou Zheng, will remember you. I hope you¡¯re still this arrogantter.¡± The young man named Ou Zheng is the youngest son of Ou Huajun, the newly appointed State Councilor. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang did not even nce at Ou Zheng, instead letting his gaze sweep across the crowd. A hint of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth as he said, ¡°Oh, almost everybody seems to be here today. Looks like all the important people of Jingcheng have arrived. Seeing this, I may as well take this opportunity to say a few words.¡± With that, he turned to Ou Zheng, saying, ¡°Listen up, kid. I¡¯m going to teach you today why you¡¯re nothing.¡± There are quite a few heirs apparent and princesses in Jingcheng. But do you know why there¡¯s hardly any scandal about them? There are two reasons. Firstly, no matter how wild they are outside, they still have some family education within their homes. Each family has a bottom line. Themon people are too distant from us. It¡¯s no big deal to abuse themoners relying on the privileges inherited from older generations. We all look down upon such behaviors. It¡¯s like the difference between an elephant and an ant. They¡¯re simply not at the same level, and there¡¯s no sense of achievement at all. The word circle refers to a group where people have more or less the same background. It¡¯s more interesting to fight and y within such a group. Even if one loses, it¡¯s not a big deal. One can always win the next time. That¡¯s what happens in the circle. But you, Ou Zheng, didn¡¯t do that. Ever since you came to Jingcheng, you¡¯ve ruined many women¡¯s lives. Is this because of your father who is a State Councilor? If so, bring it on, Ou Zheng. If I, Nie Zhenbang, get scared of you, I am a product of a dog. And let me tell you, I don¡¯t think highly of you at all. Today, I¡¯m setting a rule here. If anyone in the circle tries to bully themon people relying on their power, I, Nie Zhenbang, will surely intervene. Those who don¡¯t agree are wee to give it a try. ¡°Brother Nie¡¯s words resonate with me. I had been wondering why I had be so well-behaved recently and now I know why. It¡¯s indeed boring to y with themon people. I, Li Special Period, am the first one to agree.¡± Li Special Period shouted from the crowd. Nie Zhenbang looked around and quickly spotted Nie Jiamin, who was giving him a thumbs-up and a smiling at him. With Nie Jiamin and his group¡¯s support, the people under Yang Anbang also began to cheer. It¡¯s nothing new for Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anbang to partner up in business. Everyone knows what they should do at this time. The descendants of the red nobility have this kind of perception. Meanwhile, the solitary investors also nodded in agreement. Whether in the past or now, or even in the future, there have been very few scandals among the children emerging from the real red families that Nie has in his recollection. This is mainly due to three reasons. The first is family education. Although they¡¯re not easy to deal with, they¡¯re not willing to bully the people. Second, even if they did, thanks to the elite education they received from the red families since childhood, they basically have control over the fallout. It¡¯s utterly impossible for them to make it known to everyone. Thirdly, like Nie Zhenbang said, there¡¯s too much disparity and it¡¯s simply beneath them. ¡°Young Master Zheng, let¡¯s withdraw today. The situation is stronger than we thought. This Nie Zhenbang, look at his might. His call can summon all in Jingcheng. He¡¯s absolutely the numero uno.¡± One of Ou Zheng¡¯s followers murmured. ¡°p!¡± Ou Zheng pped the follower across his face without mercy, shouting angrily, ¡°What the fuck are you talking about? Number one? You mean him, a bastard child? What does he amount to?¡± After finishing his words, Ou Zheng then turned to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Very good, Nie Zhenbang. You¡¯ve sessfully irritated me. I tell you, your fucking supermarket will not open. Wait for someone toe and seal the entrance tomorrow.¡± Ou Zheng didn¡¯t realize that by doing this, he was making himself the target of public anger. People like Ou Zheng, who joined the circle mid-way, have no idea about the rules among the people in the Jingcheng circle. When considering power, which family sitting here does not have a few deputy ministerial or even some vice premier level figures? The Nie family, for instance, has real party and state leaders, with their patriarch being the fifth-ranking leader in the Political Bureau. Nie Zhenbang smiled at this. He wanted Ou Zheng to do exactly this, otherwise, it would have been difficult for him to make a move. Watching Ou Zheng prepare to retreat, Nie Zhenbang chuckled, ¡°Young Master Ou, tut tut, you¡¯re just going to leave like that? What do you take this ce for? Wait for it to be shut down? That¡¯s indeed a great disy of official power. I wonder if Young Master Ou is now a member of the Bureau of Industry and Commerce or the Taxation Department? Or has Young Master Ou perhaps already joined the Political Bureau? What gives you the right? Are you relying on your father¡¯s power? You should ask around, which official position here is smaller than your father¡¯s? If that¡¯s the case, we can certainly chat.¡± At this moment, Yang Anbang looked at Ou Zheng as if he were an idiot, saying solemnly, ¡°Ou Zheng, I, Yang Anbang, am not exaggerating. If your dad dares to help you, I guarantee he will retire tomorrow. The circle in Jingcheng is not a yground for your Ou family. Once here, you need to follow the rules of Jingcheng.¡± ¡°Young Master Ou, the name is really good. Brother Nie, you¡¯re not thinking about hitting the young master, are you?¡± Li Special Period started to heckle from the periphery. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang took off his coat, bowed with his fists and said, ¡°Guys, kindly clear some space. ording to our rules, one who seeks a fight cannot just leave. If it were so, we could go to someone¡¯s ce every other day, threaten them and then leave. Since he¡¯s here, we must have a contest. Ou Zheng, not to belittle you, today, no matter if you want a group fight or a duel, I, Nie Zhenbang, ept.¡± At this moment, Ou Zheng was also sweating profusely. The depth of the Jingcheng circle was something he hadn¡¯tpletelyprehended until now. Nie Zhenbang, the illegitimate son, was said to be powerful and influential in the Jingcheng circle. Especially now, when the Nie family is facing public condemnation from the national media, it appears as if they are being condemned to the eighteenth level of hell. Wanting to grab some profits from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pocket, Ou Zheng now realizes he¡¯s hitting a hard brick. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Ou Zheng felt a chill in his heart. The waters of Jingcheng are really too deep. Nie Zhenbang is truly worthy of his reputation as the top person in Jingcheng¡¯s princeling circle. Upon thinking of this, Ou Zheng gritted his teeth, waved his hand and ordered, ¡°Brothers, let¡¯s all go together. I don¡¯t believe that Nie Zhenbang has grown three heads and six arms. There¡¯re so many of us, we¡¯re not afraid of him!¡± With that said, at Ou Zheng¡¯s call, a group of followers charged towards Nie Zhenbang along with Ou Zheng.. Chapter 40 - 40: The Leader’s Attitude_l Chapter 40: The Leader¡¯s Attitude_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Do it together?¡± Nie Zhenbang sneered, charging in at once. He began demonstrating Shape-Intent Fist. His blows whipped up a wind. All that could be heard were painful wails and screams. Most of Ou Zheng¡¯s henchmen were brought over from Jiangnan Province. The remaining few were recruited right here in Jingcheng. They don¡¯t know anything about fighting techniques- they usually get by with a superior number of fighters. More often than not, they rely on their positions of power to oppress others. But right now, they¡¯re facing someone even tougher, and their authority isn¡¯t working. Ou Zheng and his gang withered on the spot. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have to exert much energy at all ¨C in a sh, the whole gang was lying incapacitated on the ground, with Ou Zheng¡¯s arm broken. Now, he is the one screaming the loudest. When Nie Zhenbang went into action, he made sure to exercise restraint. The others were just small-time flunkies- Nie Zhenbang went easy on them. But as for Ou Zheng, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t show any such courtesy. Breaking both his arms was a lesson to him ¨C not to stir up trouble again. Next time won¡¯t be so gentle. Watching as Ou Zheng was carried away, everyone cheered. Yang Anbang revelled in the excitement at that moment: ¡°Brothers, thank you all for bearing witness. Tonight, Zhenbang and I are treating everyone to a meal at the Capital Restaurant, in the Tan family¡¯s room. We won¡¯t leave until we¡¯re drunk!¡± The evening came. The entire Tan family room at the Capital Restaurant was reserved solely by Nie Zhenbang. The whole city¡¯s princes and princesses showed up like never before. The gentlemen naturally gathered together. The sound of the thirty-year-old Maotai being served was like a gift from heaven. The noise of merriment filled the air, echoing back and forth. The banquet finally ended around nine o¡¯clock in the evening. Nie Zhenbang, by this time, had drunk nearly two litres of white wine and was a little tipsy. It was funny to think that in this life, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s alcohol tolerance owes much to his past life. This time, even though he didn¡¯t drink a tremendous amount, his tolerance seemed to have been passed down to him. Staggering a little, Nie Zhenbang passed through the checkpoint of his red-walled mansion. As soon as he stepped into his house, he saw his grandfather sitting on the main seat in the living room, his face grim. Next to him sat a slightly balding, plump elder with a somber expression on his face, looking for him. ¡°Grandpa, why haven¡¯t you gone to bed yet?¡± Nie Zhenbang greeted his grandfather as soon as he entered the door. At this moment, Elder Nie nodded and said, ¡°Zhenbang,e sit down. Let me introduce you. This is our newly appointed State Councillor, Uncle Ou Huajun.¡± These words sobered up Nie Zhenbang quite a bit. Nie Zhenbang never expected that the Ou family would go to such lengths, having the parent of a twenty-something-year-old son who gets into fightse over to their house. Looking at Ou Huajun, Nie Zhenbang noticed that Ou Huajun was staring back at him. Before he could even utter a word, Ou Huajun¡¯s eyes shed a dark glint and he chuckled, ¡°Elder Nie, this must be Zhenbang. He indeed has a dignified presence and good looks.¡± Grandpa at this moment turned to Nie Zhenbang and asked, ¡°Zhenbang, did you beat up the Councilman¡¯s son today? You see, you don¡¯t know how to control your strength during a fight. You broke his arm.¡± Hearing the tone of his grandfather¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang could tell that his grandfather was likely to side with him. With his grandfather¡¯s character, he wouldn¡¯t have been so cordial. He would have berated and scolded. He wouldn¡¯t have spoken so favorably. Feeling surprised, Nie Zhenbang answered, ¡°Grandpa, are you serious? At that time, Ou Zheng was leading a dozen people to hit me. I didn¡¯t fight back that hard. How did he break his arm then? Yang Anbang and everyone else was there. Our rules dictate we do so. I have no idea how he broke his arm.¡± By now, Ou Huajun had figured it out. At the same time, he heard the truth. It turns out his son went with a bunch of his friends to beat up one man, lost, and got injured. At this point, Ou Huajun¡¯s face was burning with embarrassment. This incident isn¡¯t a secret. Anyone interested can easily find out what happened. Nie Zhenbang is definitely not lying. ¡°Elder Nie, you truly have a tiger for a grandson. I never dreamed your grandson could be so formidable. I¡¯ve been rude in this matter. Another day, I¡¯lle over again to apologize in person. Please forgive the misunderstanding this time due to the rashness of my son. Elder Nie, I must take my leave now,¡± Ou Huajun couldn¡¯t press further in this matter without feeling embarrassed and hastily took his leave. Once Ou Huajun left, Elder Nie resumed his calm demeanor, and while sizing up Nie Zhenbang, he nodded in approval after a while, ¡°Not bad, you remind me of myself, unlike your father who has always been indecisive since his youth andcks assertiveness. This is all because he was spoiled by your grandmother. You, on the other hand, grew up outside and seem to be doing well in various aspects.¡± Having said that, Elder Nie turned serious, ¡°Zhenbang, you must be extra careful during this period. The current situation is uncertain and you should maintain a low profile. The time for you to act freely will onlye in the next two years.¡± These words startled Nie Zhenbang. The old man was indeed no pushover, even though he was entrenched in the military, he had an astute understanding of matters. Historically, the next two years were precarious until the 1990s, when everything normalized after a new leader took over. With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang immediately nodded and responded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandfather. I know what to do. Besides, I n to go to the Soviet Union in a few days.¡± This statement, however, took Elder Nie by surprise. At this point, national diplomatic rtions with the Soviet Union were still frosty. There were not any apparent signs of a thaw in rtions and going to the Soviet Union through formal means was highly unlikely. However, going there privately raised a big question about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s safety. At this point, Elder Nie was conflicted. Among the third generation, Nie Jialei was more of a guardian and less of a risk-taker. Nie Jiamin, on the other hand, was clearly made for a military life. Politics and power struggles werepletely foreign to him. Only his grandson, who had grown up amongmon folk, showed promise and gave Elder Nie hope. After a moment of silence, Elder Nie looked at Nie Zhenbang and asked, ¡°Are you certain you want to go to the Soviet Union at this time?¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could respond, a heartyughter came from outside, ¡°Old Nie, what¡¯s this I hear about someone going to the Soviet Union?¡± Following the sound, both Elder Nie and Nie Zhenbang were shocked. The head of state ¨C why was he here? Elder Nie quickly recovered, got up swiftly, and went to greet him, ¡°Leader, why are you here?¡± The head of state, however, just waved with a smile on his face, came into the living room, sat straight down on the sofa, and chuckled, ¡°Old Nie, don¡¯t be so formal. We were equals during the Anti-Japanese War and we were ssmates. There¡¯s no need for such formalities. There¡¯s no leader here, only brothers. I overheard something about the Soviet Union. Are you nning to send Zhenbang there? This is not the best time. Gorbachev is not an easy figure to deal with, much like Khrushchev.¡± At this point, Elder Nie was fully at ease. Since the Nie family had been pushed to the side of the reformists, Elder Nie was no longer stubborn. He went on to share Nie Zhenbang¡¯s analysis of the Soviet Union and his reasons for wanting to go there with the head of state. The head of state¡¯s expression also turned serious at this point, and he looked at Nie Zhenbang and questioned, ¡°Zhenbang, where did you get this information? We have a lot of people in the Third Bureau of the General Staff Department in the Soviet Union who don¡¯t know anything about this. Are you sure about this?¡± The country has its own channels and spies. The head of state was somewhat puzzled. From Elder Nie¡¯s just-spoken words, it would appear that there might be some truth to it. Still, why did the country get no clues? This is what baffled the head of state. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also felt a little awkward. He certainly couldn¡¯t admit to his reincarnation. Having no other choice, he ambiguously said, ¡°Leader, it¡¯s just my spection. That¡¯s why I want to go there personally to see for myself.¡± Faced with the prospect of obtaining industrial equipment, mother machines for machine tools, as well as researchers and their data that the nation urgently needed, the head of state pondered for a while, then made his decision. He looked at Elder Nie and said, ¡°Old Nie, I¡¯d like to discuss something with you. I want to adopt Zhenbang as my foster grandson. We are preparing to hold a small-scale acknowledging ceremony. What do you think?¡± This statement instantly surprised both Elder Nie and Nie Zhenbang. The intentions of the head of state were made very clear here.. Chapter 41 - 41 Nie Zhenbang is Mine_l Chapter 41: Nie Zhenbang is Mine_l Trantor: 549690339 The title of leader is a unique one. The soul of the army, the mastermind behind the reforms and opening-up. Whether in terms of status or position, it is extraordinary. Ordinarily, a person of the stature of the leader wouldn¡¯t act this way, not even in the course of alliance building. For Nie Zhenbang, and even Nie family, this is a monumental honor. Superficially, Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, can be said to have firmly established his position as the crown prince of Jingcheng. With the influence of his title as the adopted grandson of the leader, coupled with the backing of the Nie family, no one in the country could touch him unless hemitted murder or arson. Seeing Elder Nie and Nie Zhenbang with their mouths wide open in shock, the leader humorously said: ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Old Nie? Are you displeased about having to share this great grandson? You¡¯ve always had a small-minded temperament. During the Anti-Japanese War, you hoarded Japanese canned food. Now you¡¯re treating your own grandson like a valuable treasure.¡± At the remarks from Elder Nan, Elder Nieughed too. The wisdom of the leader was indeed extraordinary. With such a humorous statement, even if he disagreed, he could defuse the awkward situation. Elder Nie was also weighing the pros and cons of his present situation. If agreed, he would have joined fully the Faction of Reformists. Also, given the leader¡¯s stance, the status of the Nie family is now elevated. The Nie family couldn¡¯t avoid this; they had no more choices. With the current political climate, refusing to cooperate was obviously not an option; Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ns, though not bad, were premature. Afterwards, Elder Nieughed as well and said: ¡°You¡¯re quite the talker, if not for my canned food back then, you might not have survived the Anti-Japanese War. My grandson is practically your grandson already, isn¡¯t he? Whatever you say goes. I have no objections.¡± Upon hearing this, the leaderughed heartily, saying: ¡°Good, good. You are indeed my good old war buddy, with such a generous character. We shall have a small gathering at my ce in five days to celebrate our new bond.¡± Turning to Nie Zhenbang, he added: ¡°Zhenbang, after the ceremony we¡¯ll discuss your trip to the Soviet Union.¡± Five days passed quickly. Those days, inside the Jingcheng circle of influence, all the prominent families received invitations from the leader. The news of the leader adopting Nie Zhenbang as his grandson had spread among them. On the morning of the gathering, decorations filled Mei Xiang Park. An open-air venue was set up in therge courtyard in the style of a Western buffet. Many employees from the Forbidden City were bustling around. The courtyard, known as ¡®Red Wall¡¯, derived its name from the ce of residence and office of central leaders, formerly the Imperial Pce, enclosed within a red boundary wall. Inside the courtyard, faces of all the prominent Jingcheng families showed up. The patriarch of the Yang family arrived with the second and third generations of the Yangs. Elder Li from the Li family soon joined inughing: ¡°Old Yang, what a sight we are in for today. Young people are to be respected indeed.¡± Elder Yang noticed the arrival of the Li family and Guo family, the stalwarts of the Conservative faction. Members of the Neutral faction, the Zhou family were also present. However, none of them looked particrly pleased. As soon as it was nine o¡¯clock. The leader, Elder Nie, Elder Li, and Elder Dong, who had long since retired, walked out together. The leader wore a smile on his face. ording to Chinese customs, various items needed for the ceremony were ready. Elder Dong served as the presider and the host. Although Elder Dong was already 87 years old, his vigor was evident when he announced loudly, ¡°Today, let us all witness the ceremony of the leader and Nie family forming an adoptive bond. Now, let¡¯s invite the leader to take a seat.¡± Under the direction of Elder Dong, the leader and Elder Nie took their seats together, and Nie Zhenbang bowed to Elder Nie before he knelt in front of the leader. After the solemn ceremony of bowing three times and kowtowing nine times, Nie Zhenbang called out ¡°Grandpa¡±. The ceremony was thuspleted. Everyone was a typical atheist. The traditional formalities were only a formality in nature. The various families in Jingcheng were more interested in the implications behind it. The leaderughed, ¡°Good, good. It seems I¡¯ve taken advantage of Old Nie this time and got half of this good grandson. Zhenbang, get up now.¡± After the ceremony, it was time for the free reception. At this time, the circle was formed. The Conservative faction quickly took their leave. The Neutral faction gathered together, discussing something from time to time. But regardless of their faction, everyone shared the same understanding ¨C they should warn their children not to mess with Nie Zhenbang after returning home. At this time, Elder Nie and the leader were also gathered together. Elder Dong was also smiling at Nie Zhenbang. He had attended Nie family¡¯s ancestor recognition ceremonyst time, however, he hadn¡¯t paid any more attention after a brief nce. Moreover, he didn¡¯t expect Nie family¡¯s grandson to be so remarkable. As the saying goes, observers have clearer minds than those in the field. As an outsider, Elder Dong saw it more clearly than anyone else. Everyone else thought the transformation of the Nie family was due to the change in Elder Nie¡¯s attitude. But only Elder Dong knew that given Nie Elder¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t flip-flop so much-bining the changes before and after, all of these alterations began after Nie Zhenbang entered the Nie family. This was not a simple matter. Thinking of this, Elder Dong smiled and said, ¡°Leader, Elder Nie. Having met Zhenbang today, it is clear he is an extraordinary young man. I would like to propose a match for him.¡± Not only were Elder Nie and the leader taken aback at his words, but Elder Yang was also stunned. Elder Yang was an extraordinarily intelligent man and he whispered to Yang Shengli, ¡°Shengli, quickly bring Anna over here.¡± Elder Dong looked at everyone¡¯s shocked expressions andughed, ¡°Zhenbang is seventeen this year, isn¡¯t he? My youngest granddaughter, Dong Wan, happens to be sixteen this year. She is indeed a beauty that can be presented before the crowd. If Elder Nie has no objection, we could use this asion to arrange a betrothal between them, how about that?¡± Everyone knew that Elder Dong¡¯s granddaughter was the youngest child of the famous Dong family¡¯s sixth son. Downing¡¯s sixth son, who had married amoner woman, was undoubtedly an important figure in Jingcheng. More importantly, the sixth son was clearly favored in the Dong family. Dong¡¯s sixth son was now only forty-three years old, but he was already the Secretary of the Xueyu Provincial Committee. With such qualifications and abilities, he was definitely the core figure of Dong family¡¯s future. As for the daughter of Dong¡¯s sixth son, she was known as a beauty in Jingcheng. If being described as ¡®nation-shaking beauty¡¯ would be a bit exaggerated, then ¡®national beauty¡¯ would not be an overstatement. Nie Zhenbang was standing next to them and frowning. Dong Wan? Nie Zhenbang was unfamiliar with the name because Dong Wan, who was just like her name, was gentle and quiet. She tended to avoid matters rted to the circle and naturally wouldn¡¯t have many people know about her. In addition, Nie Zhenbang himself disliked this kind of arranged political marriage. ¡°Third brother, you¡¯ve definitely hit the jackpot this time. Dong Wan is the top Ice Queen in Yu Ying School.¡± Li Wen whispered to him. Looking at Li Wen¡¯s envy, Nie Zhenbang already knew that Dong Wan must be good-looking, otherwise, Li Wen wouldn¡¯t react this way. Just then, before Elder Nie could say anything, Yang Anna jumped out angrily: ¡°Grandpa Dong, you can¡¯t y matchmaker. Brother Zhenbang is mine. No one can take him away..¡± Chapter 42 - 42 Meeting with Dong Wan_1 Chapter 42: Meeting with Dong Wan_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Girl! What nonsense are you talking about? Shut your mouth!¡± Before anyone else could speak, Elder Yang immediately scolded. This scene made Yang Shengli, who was standing nearby, feel a bit ashamed. The old man was too cunning. He was the one who had called Anna over. His motive was clear: Elder Yang wanted to break up this arranged marriage. It wasn¡¯t that he was worried about the Nie family¡¯s power bing too great. Rather, Elder Yang seemed to have an eye for Nie Zhenbang. Besides, considering the personality of his own granddaughter Anna, Elder Yang naturally had to consider her interests. The old are indeed cunning. In this situation, it was not appropriate for any outsider to speak, only Yang Anna, the child, could. After all, children¡¯s words are considered innocent. At this moment, Yang Anna stood like an indignant hen, puffing out her chest, ring at Elder Dong, and then at Elder Nie. It looked like if Elder Nie agreed to this marriage, she was ready to fight over it. At Elder Yang¡¯s yell, Yang Anna immediately burst into tears, ¡°Grandfather, you can¡¯t go back on your word. I¡¯ve said it before. Zhenbang brother is my life-saving benefactor. In this life, I will marry no one but him. If you won¡¯t let me, I¡¯ll just be his concubine.¡± At this juncture, people like Elder Nie, who hade from the old society, were aware of multiple marriages. But young Anna, only fourteen years old and already aware of these things, was quite precocious. At this time, Elder Dong hade to his senses and purposefully nced at Elder Yang next to him. This Yang fellow, resorting to all means to scoop up a grandson-inw. Perhaps out of confidence in his own granddaughter, Elder Dong smiled and said, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± Then he looked at Yang Anna, ¡°Little Anna, where did you learn all this from? At such a young age, it¡¯s not good to watch Hong Kong and Taiwanese TV shows. Children should focus on their studies. Dong will promise not to steal your brother Zhenbang anymore. But remember, if your brother Zhenbang doesn¡¯t like you but likes Dong Wan instead, you can¡¯t take it too hard.¡± Who was Elder Dong? He was the Deputy Director of the Central Advisory Commission, appointed by the Head of State to oversee theprehensive work of the Commission. In this era, it could be said that the Commission was indeed the true center. Since Elder Dong had already identified the issue, he would naturally not let the Yang family seed. Thus, he proposed this solution. The aim was obviously for free love, depending on whom Nie Zhenbang favored. At this moment, Yang Anna looked at Elder Dong. Her bright eyes sparkled. Beside her, Nie Zhenbang felt overwhelmed. Honestly, in his previous and present lives, Nie Zhenbang did feel guilt towards Yang Anna. However, he needed time to ept her. In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang had no feelings for Yang Anna. Gratitude should not be confused with affection. In this life, Nie Zhenbang was unsure about his future. It appears he could only take one step at a time. Yang Anna hesitated for a moment and finally nodded, ¡°Alright, Grandfather Dong, you must keep your word.¡± With this, Elder Dong burst into heartyughter, looking at Elder Yang, he said with hidden meaning, ¡°Old Yang, you have really brought up a great granddaughter.¡± After the kinship acknowledgment was over, the news of the Head of State considering the third son of the Nie family as his godson had already spread in Jingcheng. In the Forbidden City and the Purple Pavilion ¡ª Xuri¡¯s office, Xuri looked at Ou Huajun with a rather gloomy expression. They had attempted to test the waters but did not expect to elicit such a strong response from the reformist faction. The Head of State¡¯s decision to acknowledge Nie Zhenbang as a family member at this moment was not without the intent of backing Nie Zhenbang. After all, Wal-Mart, which hasunched arge-scale expansion across the country, opening fifteen stores in just two months, has now be famous. At the same time, it has be an example for private businesses. ¡°Huajun, slow down with Wal-Mart. The general principle is strict screening. As for those already operating, let¡¯s leave them as they are. As for those yet to operate, we certainly will not approve any further.¡± After some thought, Xuri expressed his intentions. Hearing this, Ou Huajun knew that matters pertaining to his son had reached an impasse. He nodded and replied, ¡°Chief, I understand. You can rest assured.¡± The Kin recognition incident brought changes to the central government, but Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t concerned. At this point, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t need to worry too much. At this time, the Nie family was already on board with the reformist faction. They wereparatively at ease. At this time, Nie Zhenbang was dragged to the gate of Yu Ying School by Nie Jiamin. Seeing Nie Zhenbange over, a group of people immediately gathered around, all familiar faces, including veterans from special wartime, Liu Kun, and the fourth child of the Chen family. The rest were all people who had been hanging out with Nie Jiamin. ¡°Third Brother, Young Master! This time, you¡¯re not just here to see your sister-inw, right? I heard the Dong family has proposed marriage already.¡± Many people greeted them one after another. ¡°Go away! What do you guys know? Today, our Young Master is here to test the waters.¡± Nie Jiamin also joined in the teasing. A line of people, impressively walked into Yu Ying School. On the field, another group had gathered at this moment. At the forefront of the group was a young man about 1.8 meters tall, very robust overall, with a strikingly handsome face. ¡°Young Master Xu, if you don¡¯t act now, it¡¯ll be toote. Just now, I got the news that Third Nie is here. He seems to be headed for Dong Wan. If you don¡¯tpete, it¡¯ll be toote.¡± A man with sses in the crowd said anxiously. On the side, a fat man chimed in, ¡°Exactly, Young Master Xu. We¡¯re all from Dongye background. We¡¯re no worse than them. I heard that Third Nie is now boasting to be the number one man in Jingcheng. Who gives him the right to do so? We from the militarymissionpound don¡¯t even speak out, who the hell does Nie Zhenbang think he is?¡± ¡°Young Master Xu, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s meet Nie Zhenbang. Considering the background, your family¡¯s Elder Zhang is number one in the National People¡¯s Congress. He is third in the Politburo Standing Committee. He is ranked much higher than Nie¡¯s. What are you afraid of?¡± On the side, someone stoked the fire again. In Jingcheng, the ruling social circle is roughly divided into several factions, one of which is the government. Additionally, the army is considered a faction. Inside the army, there are even more factions. In essence, they are divided ording to the units of the older generation at home. Those from the same units naturally get along well, making the younger generation even closer. This Zhang Xu is the direct grandson of the Zhang family. His grandfather came from the military background. Even though he is currently holding a position in the National People¡¯s Congress, Zhang Xu¡¯s parents are all serving in the military. He is part of the military faction among those who share a Dongye background, and he is seen as a top figure. Zhang Xu is also an impetuous young man. Stirred by his peers, he immediately threw away his basketball and dered, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± At the entrance of the teaching building, Nie Jiamin stood next to Nie Zhenbang, pointing to a young girl standing by the third-floor railing, whispering, ¡°Old Three, look, that¡¯s Dong Wan.¡± Following Nie Jiamin¡¯s pointing finger, they saw a girl standing by the railing on the third floor. She was about 1.7 meters tall, with long flowing hair, phoenix eyes, and a melon-seed face radiating an oriental charm. Her clothes were simple, yet very fitting and appropriate. Nie Zhenbang had to admire, she truly was an exceptional beauty. At this time, Zhang Xu and his group were already approaching. Seeing this group approach with an aggressive manner, without Zhang Xu saying anything, his followers began shouting, ¡°Make way! All make way! We¡¯ve only heard that Nie¡¯s Third Young Master is Jingcheng¡¯s number one prince. We¡¯ve got to see it for ourselves today!¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. This reputation was truly too tiring. His gaze swiftlynded on Zhang Xu. Their eyes shed in an instant, just like a duel between top-notch martial artists in a wuxia novel. With their first encounter, sparks were already flying. Zhang Xu tilted his head, sizing up Nie Zhenbang. After a long time, he finally said, ¡°So you¡¯re Nie Zhenbang? Let me introduce myself,l¡¯m Zhang Xu, from the militarymission¡¯spound No. 2. If you¡¯re here to y, I wee you. But if you¡¯re here for Dong Wan, I¡¯d advise you to know your ce and get lost!¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbangughed. Behind Zhang Xu, Nie Zhenbang saw Dong Wan walking over. With a serene smile on his face, he said, ¡°Zhang Xu? Heard of him. Somewhat capable. Seeing him today, he¡¯s just so-so. As for what I¡¯m here to do, you don¡¯t have the qualification to concern yourself.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude, Zhang Xu¡¯s face darkened and heughed, ¡°Woah, you¡¯re pretty arrogant, kid. Let me make it clear, Dong Wan is the one I¡¯m interested in. If you¡¯re not afraid to die, feel free to approach her..¡± Chapter 43 - 43 Going to the Soviet Union Together_l Chapter 43: Going to the Soviet Union Together_l Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was obviously ready for a show. Honestly, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care much about matters of affection. In Jingcheng, many crown princes liked to pursue women, elegantly, relying on their charm. In this era, those who could get rich information were still these elites. ying with charm and romance all required time. In ¡°Ouws of the Marsh¡±, the five major elements of attracting women that Wang PO and Ximen Qing spoke about, were hardly a problem for the troublemakers in Jingcheng. The so-called beauty of Pan An, wealth of Deng Tong, and leisure. First of all, the young generation of Jingcheng, their ancestors were senior members of the military and government. Just old bachelors. Marrying a beautiful woman was a gic optimization starting from the first generation. In the second generation, there were more unions between the upper echelons, both parents were not bad looking. By the third generation, for the majority, with the exception of a very few, appearances were not a problem. Secondly, the size of the ¡°donkey¡± depended on individual differences. This was something difficult to assess. However, aphrodisiacs were consumed in abundance. As long as there weren¡¯t any excessive indulgences, this shouldn¡¯t be a problem. Third, they needed to have wealth like Deng Tong. This aspect was the least difficult for these elites. Compared to the hardship of the older generation, the new one found it easy. With the start of reform and opening up, they could easily sell off a bit of something using their power and have enough to splurge. The fourth point, gentle care, was notcking for those who wished to y with charm and romance. If even this patience wascking, then it wasn¡¯t about elegance anymore, but about bullying women. The fifth is leisure. Everyone needs leisure time. Those who were constantly rushing around for their daily meals simply didn¡¯t have the time for love. Nie Zhenbang nevercked in these five aspects. To be honest, if it was an ordinary woman, Nie Zhenbang could get many with just a wave of his hand. With the experience of his previous life, Nie Zhenbang knew that with the deepening of reform and opening up, the defense between men and women hadpletely loosened. In the twenty-first century, one-night stands were amon thing. ¡°Zhang Xu, what right do you have to represent me?¡± A crisp and pleasant voice came from Dong Wan¡¯s mouth. The crowd instantly made way for her. Stepping into the circle, Dong Wan¡¯s face was very calm. Cold, this was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s most direct impression of Dong Wan. As expected, an ice beauty. Nie Zhenbang did not expect Dong Wan at this moment to look at him and say gravely: ¡°Nie Zhenbang, right? Everyone says that the third young master of Nie family is an exceptional person in this city. Seeing you now, you¡¯re just ordinary. Your vulgar attitude. The business between you and me, you don¡¯t need to worry about it, just continue with your sister An Ana.¡± After this sentence, Dong Wan had an implied statement that she did not say, but the meaning was conveyed, Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯re nothing special, I Dong Wan, look down on you. Do not tter yourself. Hearing this, the crowd gasped, and a hint of joy appeared on Zhang Xu¡¯s face. Dong Wan directly swept away Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face, could it be that Dong Wan favoured herself? Nie Zhenbang was startled for a moment, then he replied with a nonchnt smile: ¡°I really appreciate your choice. This is the best oue. It also solves a headache for me. Actually, I came over today to talk to you about this. I was worried about how to say it, but now it seems I¡¯ve been spared.¡± Nie Zhenbang was no fool. No matter how beautiful a beauty was, she was just a woman. A centuryter, we are all just skeletons. That¡¯s it. Nie Zhenbang was absolutely not the kind of man who would be unable to move his legs at the sight of a woman. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words also stunned Dong Wan. She was always the one rejecting others, but the Ice Beauty had never been slighted in such a way before. She didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. ring at Nie Zhenbang, Dong Wan gave a cold snort, then turned and ran off. At this moment, Zhang Xu¡¯s face darkened. If just now Zhang Xu saw Nie Zhenbang as a romantic rival, now Nie Zhenbang was his mortal enemy. He dared to disrespect the goddess in his heart. This made him inconsble. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang was so arrogant in public, swaggering about, causing his goddess to be insulted. If Zhang Xu didn¡¯t stand up for this, then he wouldn¡¯t deserve to be the leader of the Central Military Commission¡¯s Second Courtyard. As expected, Zhang Xu stood up again, his face gloomy as he looked at Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Apologize, apologize to Dong Wan immediately. Otherwise, don¡¯t me us for being rude.¡± Zhang Xu¡¯s attitude also irritated Nie Zhenbang, the antics of these kids. If it was his previous life, he might have been one of them. But in this life, after experiencing the pain and tragedy of the previous one, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t waste a single moment on such trivial matters. Looking at Zhang Xu, he said: ¡°Zhang Xu, right? I have no interest in you whatsoever. Single fight or group fight, pick your choice. Apologize? Beat me first, then we¡¯ll talk. But remember, only this time. In the future, I won¡¯t have so much time to apany you.¡± ¡°Hey! I¡¯ve seen crazy folks, but you¡¯re a whole new breed. You¡¯re ready for a one-on-one fight, and the same goes for a group fight. I, Zhang Xu, am not just anybody. If you lose, apologize to Dong Wan immediately. If you win, we¡¯ll let bygones be bygones.¡± Zhang Xu took a step forward, taunting provocatively. ¡°Heh?¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled, scanned his surroundings, and said, ¡°You want a one-on-one fight? I¡¯ll take on all of you. You want a group brawl? I¡¯ll brawl with all of you. Cut the dawdling and act like men.¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, seven or eight men from Zhang Xu¡¯s side charged forward in fury¡ªNie Zhenbang¡¯s words had struck a nerve. Zhang Xu and his group were vastly superior to Zhou Chen¡¯s bunch. Zhou Chen and his crew, their fighting strategy relied solely on bravery; they were all influential figures, audacious enough to crack the sky. They would dare to smash anything over their heads. However, Zhang Xu and his crew were highly skilled. Everything they fought with was the most practical wartime martial arts taught in the military. This had been the toughest and mostborious fight of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s life. Nheless, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s decades-long proficiency in Shape-Intent Fist wasn¡¯t for show. Despite the forceful attacks from these men, theycked Nie Zhenbang¡¯s resistance to blows. The measure of a fighteris based on aprehensive evaluation. After ten minutes, aside from Zhang Xu, everyone else on his side had fallen and lost their fighting abilities. At this point, Zhang Xu paused, his gaze more focused than before. The admiration in his eyes as he looked at Nie Zhenbang was evident. After a while, he rxed and said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯ve won. There¡¯s no need to continue.¡± Nie Zhenbang also nodded. Zhang Xu was straightforward and, although impulsive, was a real man. By then, everyone on Zhang Xu¡¯s side had fallen. The gap in their strength wasid bare. It was just a matter of time before Zhang Xu went down. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang earnestly said, ¡°Zhang Xu, well done. You¡¯re a real man. I, Nie Zhenbang, acknowledge you as a brother. I have some things to take care of today. Another time, we must share a drink.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang turned his head towards Nie Jiamin and the others, saying, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head to Old Mo¡¯s together. Let¡¯s taste the charm of Moscow.¡± Moscow Restaurant This is the most famous foreign restaurant in Jingcheng. Since its opening in ¡¯54, it has been considered a symbol of nobility and fashion. The restaurant¡¯s fame does note from its extravagant decor or the fact that national leaders have held banquets there, but from its service. In the early days, all the waitresses were Russian girls, and there were even lipstick and perfume provided in the restrooms. Old Mo¡¯s can¡¯t exactly be considered a high-end establishment for the younger generation. Yet, many people hadn¡¯t visited it before. The group marched into Old Mo¡¯s in a grand procession. Next to them, Li WenoGe started talking, ¡°So this is Old MO¡¯s, huh? Doesn¡¯t look as fancy as my dad and his friends made it sound. They used to say that if you hadn¡¯t dined at Old MO¡¯s, you were not aplete gentleman, even linking it to their spiritual integrity. Is it really that mysterious?¡± Nie Jiaminughed as well, ¡°Li WenoGe, what do you know? Our old folks lived in a time of scarcity. Affording to dine here might¡¯ve meant stealing a fortune from home. Their thrill came from being poor.¡± Right then, Liu Kun looked at Nie Zhenbang curiously, probing, ¡°Brother, why did you invite us here? We surely didn¡¯te to experience Soviet ambiance?¡± Nie Zhenbang nced at Liu Kun, admiring him for his quickness of thought and trivia. He was a remarkable talent. Responding, half-serious, half-jesting, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Heh, it¡¯s indeed to get a feel of the Russian ambiance. To get used to Russian cuisine. I n on going to the Soviet Union..¡± Chapter 44 - 44 Great Waves Sift Sand 1 Chapter 44: Great Waves Sift Sand 1 Trantor: 549690339 Going to the Soviet Union? Going to the Soviet Union!! As soon as these words were spoken, it immediately stunned everyone. Nie Jiamin secretly pulled Nie Zhenbang aside and whispered, ¡°Third brother, have you gone mad? Don¡¯t you know that our country is in a cold phase with the Soviet Union right now? How are you going to get there? What¡¯s your identity? Once there, we don¡¯t have an embassy. I¡¯m afraid you might not even know how you died.¡± Nie Zhenbang was somewhat moved by the profound concern Nie Jiamin was showing. In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang had a strained rtionship with his two Nie family brothers, Nie Jialei and Nie Jiamin, who had looked down upon him, the crippled illegitimate child. This time, Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t fully epted Nie Jialei and Nie Jiamin from the bottom of his heart either. All he had done in the past was to use them to change the Nie family. However, now, feeling Nie Jiamin¡¯s concern, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude changed in an instant. He smiled slightly, patted Nie Jiamin¡¯s hand, and said softly, ¡°Second Brother, don¡¯t worry. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± The way he called him ¡®second brother¡¯ was heartfelt. Nie Jiamin felt odd as well, and in turn gave Nie Zhenbang a patughing and saying, ¡°What¡¯s with you getting so sentimental.¡± Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin had just sat down when the conversation began again, ¡°Third brother, the current Soviet Union is not our big brother anymore and our rtions are not good. Going there might get you arrested on suspicion of espionage. I heard recently that the Soviet Union¡¯s secretary-general, Comrade Gorbachev, began to loosen up a bit. Low-level diplomatic contacts have gradually begun. Why do you have to make an issue out of this?¡± These were people who cared about him. Sitting around, the faces of others revealed difort. On watching this, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help smiling. This was what Nie Zhenbang intended. The n to deal with the Soviet Union was not something Nie Zhenbang could aplish on his own. Although he could connect with ** there, some things also required the assistance of others. Those people were merely coborators. As a result, he needed one or severalpletely trustworthy people to apany him. Now, Nie Zhenbang used the process of elimination. Only the true gold is revealed after the sand is washed away. First, he let out the news, then let everyone choose for themselves. Whoever could stay would be trustworthy, because going to the Soviet Union at this time was an extremely risky venture. Nie Zhenbang casuallyughed and said, ¡°Haha, it¡¯s nothing really. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve heard that the Soviet Union is in dire need of food and living supplies, so I¡¯m nning to go over there and see if there are any business opportunities.¡± Nie Zhenbang made it sound so trivial. Selling arms and scientific research materials wouldn¡¯t be disclosed, even as the head of the state said to keep it absolutely secret, Nie Zhenbang would never let anything out at this time. Having said that, Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°My brothers, enough talk about this. Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s enjoy a good meal and get a feel of Russian culture.¡± After the meal, everyone was a bit tipsy from the strong vodka. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang rxed in his chair. People from Jingcheng are like this, always presenting a courteous and poised demeanor in front of others. But once among like-minded people, everything was different. Everyone acted as they please. ¡°My brothers, in a few days, I¡¯ll be going for a visit. Is there anyone who wants to go with me?¡±, Nie Zhenbang asked casually. As his words fell, the room fell silent. Everyone was deep in thought. Soon, a few young men from small families in Jingcheng stood up, looking at Nie Zhenbang sheepishly, ¡°Young Master Nie, there¡¯s some stuff going on at home. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± The one who said: ¡°Brother San, I¡¯m sorry. My old man at home has been keeping a close eye on metely. I have to go home early, so I won¡¯t be able to apany you for long.¡± Following this remark, nearly all of the twenty people who were originally in the private dining room left in a sh. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t hold any discontent. These people were nothing more than the offspring of the district leaders of Jingcheng, barely considered figures within their circles. But in the eyes of someone like Nie Zhenbang, they were merely a band of idle characters. They were fair-weather friends,monly found in ces of feast and revelry, ready to help in a brawl or join in some fun and games. That was fine, but when it came to matters affecting their own lives and futures, they would disappear faster than anyone else. Don¡¯t be fooled when they all seem to gravitate towards you. If your family falls into hard times, you should be grateful if these people don¡¯t turn around to kick you. This is the harsh reality within these circles. The children of the elite grow up maturing faster than ordinary folk,rgely because they live in such an environment from a young age. At this moment, only four people remained in the restaurant. Apart from Nie Jiamin, Li Tesheuqi stayed behind, as did Liu Kun. To Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, Chen Yu, from the Chen family, had also stayed. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have much of an impression of Chen Yu. Chen¡¯s father held a position as Deputy Prime Minister at the State Council, in charge of economic work, and was a significant figure among the reformists. Chen Yu had a reserved personality. More importantly, he was academically aplished, which surprised Nie Zhenbang. After taking a look at the three men, Nie Zhenbang began to ponder. Li Tesheuqi, was simple-minded and physically strong. But going to the Soviet Union required finesse, and Li Tesheuqi wasn¡¯t suitable for it. It would be a better fit for him to join the military where he could then support Jiamin. He would be a great asset to Jiamin in the future. Liu Kun and Chen Yu would be appropriate choices. Yet, upon considering Chen Yu, Nie Zhenbang shook his head. He felt that this schrly boy was too naive. It wasn¡¯t the best timing to go to the Soviet Union now, anything could happen. If Chen Yu went, he might be fine if he stayed there, but would struggle to fend for himself if he ever returned home. So Nie Zhenbang decided against proposing Chen Yu. Having thought it through, Nie Zhenbang came to a decision. He looked at Nie Jiamin and said, ¡°Old Second, you, Tesheuqi, and Bookworm head back first. I need to have a serious talk with Kun.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n to go to the Soviet Union quickly spread throughout Jingcheng. At Yu Ying School, Zhang Xu left the field dripping with sweat after a basketball match. Someone at his side handed him a towel, while another person came over and whispered in his ear, ¡°Xu Shao. Today¡¯s news, that boy, Nie Zhenbang, is bored out of his mind. He¡¯s nning on going to the Soviet Union. He ims he¡¯s going there to help the impoverished and starving Soviet people solve their problems. I think the guy¡¯s lost his mind. He¡¯s heading right for the barrel of Soviet guns, and I doubt he¡¯ll ever make it back.¡± Unlike hisckey, who was reveling in others¡¯ misfortune, Zhang Xu was stunned upon hearing this. After a moment, he spoke solemnly, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, a real man. I, Zhang Xu, am no match for him. I can¡¯t carry on like this. There¡¯s no hope for me going to college now. I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯m going to join the military this year.¡± Chunan Province In the remote mountain township of Kaoshan in Yiyang, Chief Zhou had just finished work. When he returned to his dormitory, he found his phone ringing. Upon answering, he was immediately notified, ¡°Chen Shao, big news. Nie Zhenbang has lost his mind. Word is, he¡¯s nning to go to the Soviet Union. Haha, he¡¯s just heading to his death. I doubt he¡¯ll evere back.¡± After a few months of trials, Zhou Chen¡¯s state of mind has changed a lot. Upon hearing the news from his spy in Jingcheng, Zhou Chen burst intoughter. ¡°Haha, even the heavens are helping me. It¡¯s just a shame, a person like that, I should be the one to do away with him. It would be more satisfying to do it myself. ¡± The news of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ns to go to the Soviet Union spread like wildfire in Jingcheng. Some people cared, others watched from the sidelines, and a significant number rejoiced in his misfortune. But Nie Zhenbang paid no mind to any of this. After the in-depth conversation with Liu Kun, both of them had prepared themselves and were just waiting to depart.. Chapter 45 - 45: The Path of the Profiteer_l Chapter 45: The Path of the Profiteer_l Trantor: 549690339 The term ¡°profiteer¡± came into prominence only recently. It¡¯s abel that carries both honor and disgrace. Originally, in our country, the earliest profiteers were simply individuals who would buy eggs in rural areas and exchange them for food stamps in the cities. Later, with the advent of the dual-track system, they gradually turned to whatever was scarce. Hence, spection and profiteering was born. After such activities were suppressed domestically, these profiteers turned their attention to the Soviet Union in the north. By this time, it was already April of ¡¯87. The early spring was well underway in the northeast ¨C the residual snow was slowly melting and the spring chill was apparent. In the key border town between China and the Soviet Union, Manzhouli. At this instant, a few individuals d in military uniform were standing at the entrance to the tform of the Manzhouli train station. During this era, the reinstatement of military rank was still under discussion and implementation was not expected until the end of the year. As the train slowly came to a halt, Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun, both wrapped tightly in their overcoats, stepped off the carriage. Upon spotting Nie Zhenbang, the soldiers immediately stepped forward with a standard military salute and thunderously dered, ¡°May I confirm if you are Comrade Nie Zhenbang and Comrade Liu Kun arriving from Jingcheng?¡± With a grin sweeping across his face, Liu Kun was overjoyed to have left the school with Nie Zhenbang, a ce he found unbearably restrictive. Throughout the journey, Liu Kun was exceedingly excited. Cornered by the soldier¡¯s serious inquiry, Liu Kun nudged Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Brother Nie, seems like we¡¯ve turned intorades upon leaving Jingcheng.¡± After confirming Liu Kun as a suitable candidate, Nie Zhenbang had initially intended to ask his father to find a Russian trantor. However, when he visited the Liu Family, he learned that Liu Kun himself was proficient in Russian, which took Nie Zhenbang by surprise. Nevertheless, considering that Liu Kun¡¯s father had spent many years studying in the Soviet Union, particrly at the Frunze Military Academy, and his proficiency in Russian was not surprising. After all, like Nie Zhenbang¡¯s father and his generation, Russian was the foreignnguage they were taught. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t expect Liu Kun, who had always been sedate in Jingcheng, to be vibrant once he was out in the world. Nie Zhenbang red at Liu Kun before turning to the soldier, ¡°Comrade Officer, I am Nie Zhenbang and this is Liu Kun. You¡¯re from the Fengtian Military Region, right?¡± The Fengtian Military Region It¡¯s one of Huaxia¡¯s seven major military regions, established with the old foundation of Dongye. Although Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grandfather, who used to be its politicalmissar, remained in the Central ins area after the army¡¯s division, the connections still exist. Later, during the great revolution, most of Dongye¡¯s army was transferred from the Fengtian Military Region. However, those who left were reced. Themander of the 59th Army along the China-soviet border, Yuan Xinghua, was a subordinate of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grandfather in the Central ins region. This time, Nie Zhenbang intended to go abroad through Yuan Xinghua. Upon arriving at the 59th Army¡¯s garrison, Nie Zhenbang, apanied by the soldiers, entered the military guest house. Yuan Xinghua was already waiting there. Yuan Xinghua was about sixty years old, with a darkplexion. Although he was not tall, the sharpness in his eyes made Nie Zhenbang tense up. This was someone who had truly experienced battlefield carnage. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tall figure, his nonchnt attitude from the moment he stepped through the door, save for a brief moment of surprise when he saw himself, earned Yuan Xinghua¡¯s admiration. Certainly,parisons are easily shown to be odious. Compared to his own son, Nie Zhenbang, the grandson of his superior, was exceptional, imposing, and extraordinary. Immediately, Yuan Xinghua tookrge strides forward, a smile on his face, ¡°You must be Zhenbang. You¡¯re certainly impressive.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang too, had a smile on his lips, ¡°Uncle Yuan, you tter me. Before I left, my grandfather told me that you are an extraordinary war general. He specifically asked me to bring a few bottles of good liquor for you.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang took out two bottles of special Maotai he¡¯d brought from Jingcheng and handed them over to Yuan Xinghua. If it were just empty words, Yuan Xinghua would let bygones be bygones. But now, things were different. A hint of appreciation colored Yuan Xinghua¡¯s face as he epted the gift from Nie Zhenbang. Handing the present over to the attendant behind him, he said courteously, ¡°The old leader is thoughtful. Even after all these years, he remembers what Old Yuan likes. Zhenbang, you must be weary from your journey. I¡¯ve prepared some light refreshments for you and your youngpanion to rest and recover. We can discuss detailed arrangementster in the evening.¡± After the meal, Yuan Xinghua set down his chopsticks and took out a pack of special military cigarettes. Turning to Nie Zhenbang, he offered, ¡°Zhenbang, would you like one?¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled at this point. Commander Yuan didn¡¯t put on airs. It was rather unusual for an elder to offer a junior a cigarette. Yuan Xinghua¡¯s deportment and character showed an appealing freewheeling air. After lighting up, Yuan Xinghua pped his hands. Outside, an attendant walked in. Seeing Yuan Xinghua nod slightly, the attendant exited promptly. Returning less than two minutester, he held two documents in his hands. Having handed them over to Yuan Xinghua, the attendant left again. Yuan Xinghua slid the documents towards Nie Zhenbang, smiling as he said, ¡°Zhenbang, these are the passports for you and your youngpatriot. I will personally take you there at eleven tonight. Someone on the other side has already purchased tickets for you on the international artery.¡± Receiving the documents, Nie Zhenbang smiled. Yuan Xinghua had prepared the passports of the Democratic People¡¯s Republic of Korea. Their names had already been changed. Nie Zhenbang was now Kim Jungsung, and Liu Kun was Cui Yongxian. ¡°Third Brother, these names are well chosen. Now, I feel like we are special agents being deployed.¡± Liu Kun joked lightheartedly. Nie Zhenbang also started to smile at this point. Although the uing journey was fraught with difficulties, it was far less terrifying than what the outside world had imagined. Only those like Nie Zhenbang who had witnessed the aftermath of the Soviet army¡¯s corruption knew its true severity. In the nies, a truckload of watermelons could be traded for a tank. This was hardly an unusual urrence in those times. Although the chaos of the Soviet Union at this point wasn¡¯t so severe, Nie Zhenbang had faith. If an egg has a crack, he was confident he could get in. Having a new identity would allow him to act aboveboard in the Soviet Union. On the side, Yuan Xinghua pped his hands again, and two robust men entered from outside. Noticing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprised look, Yuan Xinghua exined with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, this was ordered by the old leader. These men are from our Tiger Group. They are experts inbat, firearms, driving and various other skills. They will apany you on this trip. Someone is waiting for you over there. Along the way, they will assist you until you safely arrive in Moscow.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat moved. The old man had a bark worse than his bite. Although he didn¡¯t reveal much, it was evident from this gesture how much concern he had for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s safety. Nie Zhenbang immediately stood up, examining the two men beside him. Both were about 1.75 meters tall, with lean bodies. Even while casually standing, they radiated a potential for immense strength. Nie Zhenbang inwardly let out a sigh of admiration. These men were the best of the best. At eleven in the evening, The China-soviet border was peaceful at this hour. In the pitch-ck darkness, the boundary markers representing the borders of the two countries towered, with their vivid national emblems standing stark against the snow. ¡°Commander, the Soviet patrol unit just passed by.¡± Upon seeing Yuan Xinghua arrive, the soldier patrolling the national defense line immediately saluted and reported. Yuan Xinghua nodded and returned the military salute. He then turned towards Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, Uncle can only escort you this far. Be cautious on your journey. I wish you sess.¡± Under the guidance of the two escorts, the group quickly crossed the national border. Seeing Liu Kun gasping slightly with a bit of nervousness, Nie Zhenbang teased him in a low voice, ¡°Kun, no, Comrade Cui Yongxian, our international massive-reversal journey has just begun.¡± PS: Thanks to book friends 100514212357550, doraemon1234, bnm123, and maplecsu for their generous contributions and to book friend 100514212357550 for the rating. Tomorrow there will be an update of over 12,000 words, surprisingly with 14 votes. Damn¡­. guys, you¡¯re tough! Chapter 46 - 46 Beautiful Girl Chasing After Guy_1 Chapter 46: Beautiful Girl Chasing After Guy_1 Trantor: 549690339 The international traffic line from Jingcheng, via Manzhouli to Moscow, spans nearly nine thousand kilometers. When Nie Zhenbang and the others arrived at Chita in the Soviet Union, a long train stood parked at the tform. The crowding throngs ofmuters all bore the same characteristic: they were mostly jammed onto the train with enormous parcels in tow. Our four protagonists stood in front of the tform. Compared to the rest, their lightly-equipped nature often prompted sideways nces from passers-by. ¡°Young master, the railroads in the Soviet Union all have broad gauges. As the old toon have said, when Huaxia and the Soviet Union had closer rtions, the railroad originating from Jingcheng had to switch tracks once they reach the port of Manzhouli. Young master, let¡¯s go, the person picking us up is on carriage number five.¡± Among the two guards, the slightly more robust one was speaking. His name was Long, and his leaner counterpart was called Tiger. When they walked towards carriage five, a man around thirty years old was already waiting. Upon seeing Long and Tiger, the man¡¯s eyes brightened and he advanced to meet them, smiling as he said, ¡°Long, I have been waiting for you for quite some time. Come, let us board together. The sleeping cabins have already been arranged.¡± The group entered the carriage and, after closing the cabin door, the man cheerily said, ¡°Su Zhenhua, my Russian name is Asimov.¡± Nie Zhenbang was also sizing up this middle-aged man with a typical Russian face who spoke fluent northeastern dialect. Such fluency wasn¡¯t foreign but innate, from his very marrow. Moreover, his habits were typically that of a Huaxia native. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression, Su Zhenhua also chuckled, ¡°You must be puzzled, brother. The truth is, many of the ¡®Russians¡¯ on this train, including myself, are actually Huaxia people. We are of Russian descent. It¡¯s more convenient for us to move around in the Soviet Union. Here, we have full legal Soviet identities.¡± Since the early eighties, with the increasing economic pressure on the Soviet Union, many Russians in Manzhouli had started trading across the border. Relying on their Russian appearances, these people were essentially the first group of international spectors in Huaxia. Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Brother Su, thank you for your troubles this time. My surname is Nie, third in the family. Usually, you can simply call me ¡®the third one¡¯.¡± Half an hour after the train stopped at Chita, it slowly elerated again at the sound of a long whistle. Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun were both a little excited at this moment, sitting by the window and observing the night scenery outside. After a while, their excitement waned, and they went to bed. About five hours into the journey, at dawn, the train finally slowed to a halt. Then, Su Zhenhua and his men took out numerous items from the bags underneath their beds, cing some of them on the window sills and carrying the others off the train. At the same time, the crowd on the tform began to swarm. They haggled over a leather jacket, a down jacket, or some daily necessities. This was the life of a spector. Nie Zhenbang had already risen early. As the train was about to arrive at the station, he sat up in his bed due to the reduction in speed. His alertness, honed by years of martial arts practice, was no less than that of Long or Tiger¡¯s; they were both well-trained special forces. Following Su Zhenhua, Nie Zhenbang also got off. At that moment, a striking figure in bright red entered his line of sight. This ssic Russian face belonged to a blonde woman with finely sculpted features and fair skin. She was tall, about five feet and nine inches. She was holding a wooden te full of odds and ends. As she got off the train, she called out for customers in fluent Russian, peddling her wares eagerly. Meanwhile, Su Zhenhua had already exchanged the two leather jackets in his hands for rubles. It must be said that at this time, it was not like a few yearster when the currency dealers no longer epted rubles. The most steadfast currency then was the US dor. The Renminbi would also do. Rubles, however, were not in demand anymore. But at this moment, the ruble was still the main currency used in transactions. He quickly counted the rubles in his hand then tucked the money into the inner pocket of his jacket. Su Zhenhua raised his head and saw Nie Zhenbang in a daze. Looking to the side, he saw a fiery figure. Su Zhenhua then walked over with a smile, ¡°Young Master Nie, look at that girl. She is quite the celebrity on this train ride. She¡¯s only twenty-three, but she¡¯s already spent close to six years on the train. She¡¯s one of the first to travel to the Soviet Union.¡± ¡°Oh? She started when she was seventeen? Alone? Is she like you, having both a Huaxia and Soviet identity?¡± Nie Zhenbang, now interested, continued to inquire. The train¡¯s stop herests about ten minutes, and it¡¯s just been two minutes, so there is plenty of time left. Su Zhenhua took out a cigarette, handed it to Nie Zhenbang, and after lighting one for himself, took a drag,ughing, ¡°Young Master Nie, as you know, our Soviet identities are all fake. They merely serve to deal with the train conductors. Once we arrive in Moscow, we all gather at Astha. After selling our goods, we immediately head back. We hardly ever stay long in the Soviet Union.¡± ¡°This girl¡¯s name in Huaxia is Li Lixue, but we usually call her by her Russian name, Evelina. Among this line of work, she is considered my senior. Allegedly, she was introduced to this business by the famous Sixth Master from our area. Later, in a robbery, the Sixth Master was killed. After that, I haven¡¯t heard of Evelina partnering with anyone else. She usually works alone.¡± Su Zhenhua said, with a certain amount of admiration. No one on this route, whether now or in the future, when the currency dealers will thrive, can im they haven¡¯t been robbed. That¡¯s the reality in the Soviet Union. The worse it gets, the more it demonstrates the changing situation in the Soviet Union. It¡¯s something Nie Zhenbang should be happy about. Nie Zhenbang nodded in agreement, any person who is tirelessly self-improving deserves respect. Nie Zhenbang never considered himself as such. In his previous life, after he became disabled, his heart too was crippled. In the end, he was unwilling to face reality and chose tomit suicide to escape it. Fortunately, he got a chance to start over. Since his reincarnation, Nie Zhenbang has strived to be a person who is continuously self-improving. While there¡¯s life, there¡¯s fight. ¡°Brother Su, why do it seems not many people are buying from her?¡± Nie Zhenbang once again asked out of curiosity. But at this moment, before Su Zhenhua could reply, Nie Zhenbang suddenly rushed out, Long, who was less than three meters away from Nie Zhenbang, promptly followed. Su Zhenhua turned around and saw that only a wooden te where Evelina had been remains. Evelina had been dragged away by two burly Russian men towards a narrow alley next to the tform. Seeing this, Su Zhenhua violently flicked his cigarette on the ground: ¡°Damn, robbers.¡± Immediately, Su Zhenhua shouted, ¡°Brothers, grab your weapons. Evelina has been kidnapped! ¡± PS: Thank you to djj Army, Long Shao LLI, kuei Cab, Serendipity, .North, Spirit of the Bright Moon, six brothers for your generous gifts. Impressive, I¡¯ve been typing all day and other than updating, I barely go on Qidian. I just checked, and I was shocked yet touched. Third on the weekly leaderboard, first on the new book leaderboard, first on the weekly category leaderboard, sixth on the weekly rmendation. This aplishment proves your strength once more. Tomorrow, I¡¯ll release five chapters. I¡¯ll definitely satisfy you. Hehe. 22 votes for earlier release. The brothers took it. Also, I¡¯m rmending a friend¡¯s book Rmendation for Xiaomo¡¯s new book, ¡°Only Heavenly Lord¡± , book number: 2207070. Man follows thews of Earth, Earth follows thews of Heaven, Heaven follows thews of Dao. If Dao is hard to go against, then I¡¯ll go against Heaven, Only Heavenly Lord. Qidian Chinese Network wees all readers for thetest, fastest, and most popr serialized works all on Qidian Original! Chapter 47 - 47: The Impostor Crown Prince_l Chapter 47: The Impostor Crown Prince_l Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speed was far beyond ordinary people. Evelina had just been dragged into the alley. The two Russian men hadn¡¯tid a hand yet, but Nie Zhenbang already appeared at the entrance. Seeing these two, a line of Russian slipped from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mouth: ¡°Stop!¡± These simple everyday words were what Nie Zhenbang had learned on the way with Liu Kun. After all, being abroad, understanding a few phrases coulde in handy. The two men were both tall and robust, typical features of Russian men. Even their physiques leaned towards those of Russian strongmen. Hearing Nie Zhenbang speak, one of the men immediately showed a fierce expression on his face, swearing rapidly in Russian. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t understand a single word he was saying, but he did understand the phrase ¡°your mother.¡± ording to Liu Kun¡¯s logic, in anynguage, the easiest and most memorable phrases to learn are usually the ones for swearing. Unfortunately, Liu Kun had told Nie Zhenbang all the Russian swear words he knew. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened, his biological mother and stepmother were two people he would not allow to be insulted. His biological mother held a fragile position in his heart. If anyone threatened her in this life, Nie Zhenbang would undoubtedly fight with his life. As for his stepmother, Ye Shuxian? This life was in stark contrast to his previous one. In his previous life, he was handicapped and she was indifferent. But in this life, Ye Shuxian had been nurturing him with great care. Without further ado, Nie Zhenbang charged forward letting out a roar, using tiger-shaped boxing, amon move in his Shape-Intent Fist with the highest lethality. The man was instantly knocked down by the powerful impact. Seeing hispanion fall, the other man also charged forward yelling. Nie Zhenbang snorted, observing the charging man. Without any proper technique and relying solely on brute strength, Nie Zhenbang could easily take down ten of him. ¡°Ignorant fools, rushing towards death. Today, I will show you that the people of Huaxia are not to be bullied.¡± Nie Zhenbang leapt up in the air, a kicknding squarely on the man¡¯s chest, knocking him down deftly. At this moment, Long happened to witness all this and mumbled in surprise, ¡°With the young master being so capable, why did the Commander send us to protect him?¡± However, Long immediately followed up, crouching swiftly and searched the two men. Two handguns were taken out from their pockets. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang also felt a hint of fright, he hadn¡¯t expected the two men to be armed, fortunately, they were too careless to even consider using their guns, deeming him an easy target. On the side, Evelina was already sitting on the ground, somewhat unsettled. Earlier, Evelina had been too eager. Her merchandise, after running for so many years due to its low cost and over-saturation had lowered her business. Just now, the two men imed they had a big deal to talk about, making Evelina follow them here. Initially, believing herself protected in view of so many people, yet shockingly encountering disaster instead. ¡°Are you okay, Li Lixue?¡± Nie Zhenbang approached Evelina, reaching out his right hand towards her. Seeing Evelina¡¯s state, Nie Zhenbang smiled, showing no awkwardness: ¡°Before just now, I asked Brother Su. It was him who told me your name. To be honest, I admire your spirit, a girl travelling such a dangerous route alone. You are impressive.¡± But Li Lixue managed to stand up by herself at the moment, ignoring Nie Zhenbang¡¯s goodwill. After straightening her clothes, Li Lixue said coldly: ¡°There¡¯s nothing impressive about it. Anyone can do it for the sake of survival.¡± As Su Zhenhua, Liu Kun, Tiger, and others hurried over, workers from the tform and train police also followed. Seeing the two men lying on the ground in the alley, the Soviet police hesitated at first, then looked around at everyone, his gaze finally settling on Nie Zhenbang. A person of Asian descent? At this time, due to the tension in China-soviet rtions, Soviets from top to bottom had no good impression of Huaxia or Asians. In such a situation, if it were a Russian, it would probably be downyed. However, seeing the four Asians¡ªNie Zhenbang, Liu Kun, Long, and Tiger¡ª the policeman¡¯s face darkened, and he sternly asked, ¡°Did you guys knock these two out?¡± Li Lixue was about to go back to pack up her wooden tray, then board the train. When she heard this, she stopped immediately, turned around, and said, ¡°Sir, a moment ago, these two men were trying to rob me. It was this gentleman who helped me before the two robbers could seed. I hope you could go easy on these fellows, please?¡± Listening to Li Lixue¡¯s story, the Soviet police officer¡¯s face darkened, and he said instantly, ¡°Filthy liar. Do you think I don¡¯t know who you are? You¡¯ve been on this train so many times, I know it well. You¡¯d better not meddle in this, or else, bear the consequences.¡± In fact, train officers were well aware of passengers like Su Zhenhua. But the ordinary traders bribed them generously and they turned a blind eye. At this moment, Li Lixue¡¯s words just angered him. Su Zhenhua became anxious at this moment, walked up to the police, and was about to hand over some Rubles. But before Su Zhenhua could speak, the policeman said again, ¡°Asimov, this is none of your business. You all, leave right away, or else, don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡± Most of the spectators had left by now. At this time, only Su Zhenhua, Li Lixue, as well as themselves were left. Su Zhenhua¡¯s loyalty, and the fact that Li Lixue had stayed behind, made Nie Zhenbang pause and his opinion of these two changed quite a bit. At this moment, Liu Kun had an idea and walked up to the police, speaking sternly, ¡°Scum, what are you? How dare you talk to us like that. We are from the Democratic People¡¯s Republic of Korea. This man, he is the little son of Chairman Kim, Comrade Kim Jungsung of our National Defense Committee, and I am the son of General Cui of the Ministry of National Defense of the Democratic People¡¯s Republic of Korea, Cui Yongxian. What? Is it a crime for us to save one of your countrymen? We will lodge aint with your Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Do you want to cause a diplomatic incident?¡± Liu Kun¡¯s voice was loud and firm, and his proficient Russian, coupled with his arrogant demeanor, left the Soviet police stunned where he stood. Nie Zhenbang noticed the police officer¡¯s hesitation at the moment and signaled to Liu Kun. Liu Kun understood and nodded, handing over the passports. Four passports, well-faked. This showed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s absolute trust in Yuan Xinghua. If any random person could tell, Yuan Xinghua wouldn¡¯t be skilled. Indeed, after the Soviet police officer had taken the passports and looked at them for a while, he saw the red steel seals of the direct-guarding troops of the Ministry of National Defense of North Korea on Long and Tiger¡¯s passports. The Soviet police officer began to show respect. Looking again at Nie Zhenbang, the Soviet police officer was even more respectful. The son of North Korea¡¯s supreme leader. He was indeed an elite. When in Moscow, even Secretary Gorbachev might have to meet him. Such people have an air around them that ordinary people can¡¯t mimic. The more the Soviet officer looked at Nie Zhenbang, the more he felt that Nie Zhenbang had the demeanor of a crown prince. Then, the Soviet police officer smiled and said, ¡°Comrade Kim Jungsung, wee to the Soviet Union. Sorry to trouble you.¡± At the side, Liu Kun started doing an urate trantion. At this moment, the two robbers had to face the wrath of the Soviet police. These two guys nearly got him involved in a diplomatic dispute. With a grim face, the policeman said to the men behind him, ¡°Get them to the local station. Conduct a thorough investigation!¡± Nie Zhenbang and his group took turns returning to the train. Seeing Li Lixue walking towards the hard seat, Nie Zhenbang felt a sudden pang in his heart, and blurted out, ¡°Li Lixue, if you don¡¯t mind, shall we go to the dining car and have a chat?¡± PS: Five updates explosion, first post Thank you to those who hit the ticket,.North, Newman889, seeing, four brothers for their generous rewards. Also, brothers, don¡¯t rush for 12000 words anymore¡­ How about¡­ Old Cai can only cry¡­. Chapter 48 - 48 Exorbitant High Salary_1 Chapter 48: Exorbitant High Sry_1 Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze was genuine. Inviting Li Lixue to dinner, his intentions were pure. He simply considered Li Lixue someone worthy of admiration. This was just a meal and had nothing to do with gender. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Li Lixue fell silent for a moment. She finally agreed and nodded, saying, ¡°Alright. In half an hour, let¡¯s meet in the dining car.¡± Upon hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang also nodded with a smile, ¡°Ok, half an hourter. See you there, or be square.¡± As soon as he boarded the train, Liu Kun rushed up to him, ¡°Brother, it¡¯s rare to see you so captivated. Even in front of Dong Wan, you never show any admiration. But today is quite different. I have to admit though, thisdy is no less impressive than Dong Wan. As the saying goes, ¡®spring flowers and autumn moon both have their own beauty.¡¯ Need me to clear some space for you two tonight?¡± Looking at Liu Kun¡¯s yful behavior, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, saying in teasing reproach, ¡°What are you bbering about? I haven¡¯t even thought about it yet. Better deal with the matters at hand first.¡± Having said that, he turned to Su Zhenhua on the side, ¡°Su, there is something else I need your help with. Please book another sleeper cabin for me, preferably one next to ours.¡¯ Su Zhenhua paused for a moment, then quickly understood. It seems that young Nie is tailing after Li Lixue. No wonder, among the pers who travel this route, who isn¡¯t attracted by Li Lixue? Otherwise, when Li Lixue was being robbed just now, so many would not have abandoned their business to rush over to help. This does not mean that Huaxia¡¯s people are indifferent. After a few years, once their status is legalized, the people of Huaxia are actually quite united. Misunderstandings and rivalries within themunity are not made public. But there¡¯s unity when dealing with outsiders. At this time, those running this route are walking on a tightrope, any conductor or patrol officer could make trouble for them. Everyone knows that there are two things you should not do when traveling to the Soviet Union. First, don¡¯t draw attention. Just keep your head down and make a quiet living. Secondly, don¡¯t offend the patrol officers. The dining car was in the ninth carriage. By the time Nie Zhenbang and hispanions arrived, Li Lixue was already waiting inside. When Nie Zhenbang and hispanions approached, Li Lixue stood up and said to the waiter, ¡°Waiter, please serve the dishes.¡± Then, Li Lixue exined with a smile, ¡°I do not know how I should address you, brother. But to express my gratitude, how about I treat you all to this meal?¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Liu Kun was about to interject, but was stopped by Nie Zhenbang. Observing Li Lixue¡¯s expression, she seemed determined to pay for the meal. She is a stubborn girl, indeed. It seems like she doesn¡¯t want to owe anybody a favor. Thinking about it, how could such a beautiful young girl not be stubborn and tenacious? If she did not have such a spirit, she would have long been lost on this extensive route. With Li Lixue¡¯s looks, she could easily find a powerful trafficker to lean on. Any man would be willing to ept Li Lixue, however, even a person like Su Zhenhua admits that Li Lixue insists on running independently. This is ample proof that this woman¡¯s inner strength and obstinacy. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang calmly sat down and said to Li Lixue, ¡°Well in that case, we will dly ept your hospitality. But let me make it clear first, originally, it was I who intended to invite you all for the meal. If you insist on treating us instead, I won¡¯t stop you. However, I happen to have a vacant sleeping berth here. It¡¯s a long six days and nights on this train. It¡¯s only beginning, and it will be tough. Later, you can move your goods to the sleeping berth. If you agree, we¡¯ll ept your invite for this meal, if you don¡¯t, we¡¯ll leave immediately. It will be like you never met us before. From then on, we¡¯ll be strangers. What do you say?¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s steadfast gaze, this man, who seemed gentle on the surface, exuded a remarkably strong and unyielding demeanor. A personality familiar to Li Lixue, because she herself was of the same temperament. Originally, Li Lixue, who never epted any goodwill, nodded like she was being influenced by an unknown force, ¡°Okay!¡± The food wasn¡¯t a grand meal. Given Li Lixue¡¯s means, it wouldn¡¯t have been possible to afford such a feast. It was simply an ordinary Russian meal. The alcohol was standard vodka. This fiery spirit is absolutely not for the faint-hearted. Yet oundishly, Li Lixue¡¯s capacity for alcohol was quite startling. In the end, she had engaged in a drinking duel with Nie Zhenbang. Both of them had downed nearly two bottles of vodka. Even with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s drinking prowess, he was feeling somewhat tipsy at this point. As for Li Lixue at this moment, her face was simply a bit flushed. Afterward, Long and Tiger acted swiftly and efficiently, moving Li Lixue¡¯s tworge bags of goods to the sleeper carriage. Li Lixue had just sat down when Su Zhenhua stood up and said: ¡°Young Master, you guys carry on. I¡¯ll go to the front of the car to have a cigarette ande backter.¡± At Liu Kun¡¯s signal, Long and Tiger too had made excuses to leave, such as going to the restroom or stepping out to have a smoke. Seeing everyone behaving in this manner, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help butugh. Now in thepartment, it was only Nie Zhenbang and Li Lixue left. The Soviet Union¡¯s train was a kind of broad-gauge train; the carriages were roomier than ordinary ones. Sleeper cars weren¡¯t open like those domestically; on these trains, whether it were for soft or hard sleepers, eachpartment had a door, like an enclosed mini environment. Seeing Li Lixue looking slightly uneasy, Nie Zhenbangughed and said: ¡°Haha, I thought you really had nerves of steel. Never did I expect that the famous Evelina would get scared too.¡± These words immediately incited a strong reaction from Li Lixue. Perhaps, it was the alcohol, her blushing face made Li Lixue seem more charming. She shot Nie Zhenbang a re and immediately pouted: ¡°Who¡¯s scared of you? I¡¯ve just had too much to drink, that¡¯s all.¡± From the start, Nie Zhenbang had only seen Li Lixue¡¯s strong side. He hadn¡¯t expected that this sturdy-looking woman could also be so adorable. He immediately burst outughing. Seeing that Li Lixue was starting to get annoyed, Nie Zhenbang cleverly toned it down and said seriously, looking at Li Lixue: ¡°Li Lixue, do you know why I regard you differently?¡± Upon hearing these words, a hint of contempt shed across Li Lixue¡¯s face. Seemingly, many people had already said something simr. However, Nie Zhenbang noticed this fleeting expression and said with a smile: ¡°Li Lixue, I believe you¡¯re good at keeping secrets. To introduce myself, I¡¯m from Jingcheng. Although I¡¯m here in the Soviet Union to dabble in business, I¡¯m still new here. Seeing that I¡¯m unfamiliar with the circumstances here, I must find someone suitable who is well-acquainted with the Soviet Union to assist me. It¡¯s purely coincidental that you¡¯ve caught my eye.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang realized that hisst statement seemed somewhat ambiguous. Indeed, Li Lixue blushed slightly. However, the shyness quickly disappeared. She calmly looked at Nie Zhenbang and said: ¡°There are plenty of people familiar with the Soviet Union. For example, Su. So why choose me? I do small-scale business. I don¡¯t know as many people as Su. I am not the best candidate. Young Master, you¡¯re involved in major operations, you better find someone else.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang replied calmly, lighting up a special ¡®Panda¡¯ cigarette, and after taking a puff, said to Li Lixue in amanding tone: ¡°There¡¯s no specific reason. It¡¯s because of your personality. Su is not bad. But those people he knows mean nothing to my business. What I need is not awork, but how to develop new ones. I believe you have what it takes. Let¡¯s put it like this, how much do you earn a year? Thirty thousand dors? Well, if you work for me, as my assistant, starting from now, every year, I¡¯ll give you three hundred thousand dors. You don¡¯t have to worry about the goods and the transportation. All you need to do is assist me with matters here. Interested?¡± Upon hearing this, Li Lixue was stunned. Thirty thousand dors, that¡¯s what people like Su Zhenhua make. For herself, making ten thousand dors a year would already be considered good business. Three hundred thousand, to her, that was a huge sum. PS: Exploding with the second update. Thanks to nqm, Reading is the Best Pleasure, There¡¯s Only One Fish, Su Yan, and Innocent Courage for their generous support.. Chapter 49 - 49 General Aselev_l Chapter 49: General Aselev_l Trantor: 549690339 Three hundred thousand US dors, this price did not make Li Lixue lose her bearings. She remembered the words of the man who introduced her to the business, Sixth Grandfather, who had once told her that there is no such thing as unconditional love in this world. Sixth Grandfather, a legendary figure in the world of the hawkers. The biggest wholesaler in the Astha Market. Unfortunately, he¡¯s gone now. Many people thought Li Lixue was Sixth Grandfather¡¯s lover. But what they didn¡¯t know was that the Sixth Grandfather was a close friend of Li Lixue¡¯s father. ¡°Third Brother, why are you offering such a high sry? The ie you calcted belongs to Brother Su and others. I don¡¯t have much capital. My annual ie is approximately between five thousand and eight thousand US dors. Sixty times that amount, do you think it¡¯s worth it? Perhaps my contribution is not that obvious. Someone once told me that there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. If you want me to do that kind of job, I cannot agree.¡± Li Lixue looked at Nie Zhenbang and asked. Being self-aware, quickly positioning herself knowing her own role, Li Lixue¡¯s attitude impressed Nie Zhenbang. The way this woman behaved only made him more pleased with her. If at first, Nie Zhenbang valued Li Lixue¡¯s beauty as an advantage in business negotiations, now, Nie Zhenbang recognized Li Lixue¡¯s abilities. Soon after, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, looking at Li Lixue and said, ¡°Li Xue, we are familiar with each other now. It¡¯s okay to address you like this, isn¡¯t it?¡± Li Lixue¡¯s face blushed at this affectionate address, but she agreed, nodding her head. Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Given your abilities, your performance, and your familiarity with the entire China-soviet trade, fifty thousand dors a year is a reasonable price. Do you know why I am giving you so much?¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang raised two fingers, smiled lightly and said, ¡°Two reasons. First, your potential is worth this price. Don¡¯t underestimate your business because it¡¯s small right now. Youck opportunities and capital. If you could find the source of the goods and the funds, your business would surpass any hawker. I am capable of recognizing this potential. Secondly, I feel that a girl from a financially difficult household has a tough time outside alone, so I am giving you a bit more. Are you satisfied with these reasons?¡± Li Lixue chose to ignore the first reason, as she was stunned by the second one. Her clothing and appearance were of a reasonable standard. No one amongst the hawkers on the train knew about her financial circumstances, other than the fact that she travelled in the lower berth. Many of the rich hawkers too travelled in the lower berths to save money. Everyone believed that she was hiding her wealth. How did he know? Li Lixue blurted out, ¡°How did you know?¡± Nie Zhenbangughed at her reaction. Since they had met, Li Lixue had always appeared calm and steady. This was the first time he had seen her this agitated. He proceeded tough and said, ¡°Hiding one¡¯s wealth is an inherent mindset of your circle. I am an outsider, so it¡¯s easier for me to see clearly. From my point of view, if you are traveling in the lower berth, it implies that you either can¡¯t afford anything else, or you are saving money. Additionally, although your clothes are average, the items you buy are low-profit daily necessities. Also, seeing how hard you tried to sell things on the tform, and almost getting robbed for a potential deal, I realized that your family circumstances must not be good. Otherwise, no family would let a girl of seventeen be a hawker.¡± Li Lixue fell silent. This man was terrifying. Judging by thepany he kept, he was a person of high status. His excellent skills and keen observation power made Li Lixue feel powerless for the first time. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang stood up, and with an aura of dominance, dered, ¡°The matter is decided then. You won¡¯t sell anything during this part of the journey. Once we reach Astha, dispose of your goods as quickly as possible, and then we can begin formal work.¡± Afterwards, Li Lixue didn¡¯t leave. Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun, after their initial curiosity and excitement, also lost interest. This was a long journey,sting six days and nights. It may well be the longest single-trip train in the world. The car stopped at the Moscow Railway Station. Su Zhenhua had also packed up his goods. From fiverge bags of goods that he started with, Su Zhenhua had already sold quite a bit along the way. By the time they got to the station, only one bag of goods was left. Long and Tiger also carried tworge bags on their backs at this moment. These were Li Lixue¡¯s goods. The group, imposing in their numbers, entered Astha Market. Here, it was a hub for Huaxia goods and businessmen. The most conspicuous buildings were the houses assembled from two containers. Around them, many locals had built tents. Astha at this point was far from being as bustling as it would be after the normalization of China-soviet rtions. Li Lixue had been running this operation for many years and naturally had her own connections. She quickly found a Huaxia businessman who often stayed in that ce, and sold her goods at almost cost price. This once again made Nie Zhenbang admire her. This woman could indeed be called extraordinary. She could dispose of such important goods without much effort. Her decisive actions showed she was someone who could handle big affairs. The Metropol Hotel was a five-star hotel near the Kremlin Pce located in the center of Moscow. It was close to the Moscow Grand Theater and the Soviet Union National History Museum, and not too far from the Kremlin Pce. This hotel was on par with Capital Restaurant in terms of its scale during this era. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang and his group had changed into new outfits. Long and Tiger were both dressed in dark-colored woolen coats with fur cors, Liu Kun wore a wolf fur coat, and Nie Zhenbang himself had changed into a ck mink coat. Li Lixue, however, was wearing a fiery fox fur coat. Her high-quality clothes emphasized her elegant aura. Nie Zhenbang made a gesture for her to take his arm and looked at a somewhat embarrassed Li Lixue, saying, ¡°Evelina, my current identity is Kim Jungsung from North Korea. Liu Kun is my assistant, Long and Tiger are my bodyguards, arm. Nie Zhenbang had a tall and well-proportioned figure of about one meter eighty-three. Despite his young age, he had a mature face. Standing beside Li Lixue, theyplemented each other well. Li Lixue¡¯s face shed with blush, her cheeks a little red. She hesitated for a second, but still took Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arm. The group boldly walked into the hotel. Liu Kun, who had already checked in, greeted them, ¡°Master Nie, the rooms have been arranged. The 505 and 506 suites on the fifth floor. It seems that you and Miss Li will have to share a room tonight.¡¯ Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t think much of it. There were only two rooms left in the hotel. It couldn¡¯t be helped. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Kun, let¡¯s not discuss such trivial matters. Have you called General Aselev?¡± General Aselev was the vice-chief of staff of the Soviet Union¡¯s General Staff. He was an old friend of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grandfather. In the Soviet military, he was quite influential. This time, when Nie Zhenbang came over, the old man introduced Nie Zhenbang to his old contact. As it was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first visit, he was unfamiliar with the ce. Even if Nie Zhenbang knew about the future, he had no connections, but if he could connect with Aselev, the path to the future would be much smoother. Liu Kun quickly replied with a serious face, ¡°I just borrowed a phone from the hotel reception and called him. I made an appointment with the general and told him you will visit himter. When Aselev learned that you are the grandson of your grandfather, he was very pleased and said he would send a car immediately.¡± Just at this time, outside, two GAZ jeeps with Soviet military license tes pulled up at the hotel entrance, and two servicemen got off the car. Upon entering the lobby, their eyes immediately focused on Nie Zhenbang and they marched straight toward him. PS: Thanks to brother huayong123up for your generous reward. Brothers, who votes for 6000 updates? Bursting with the third update.. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for your strong support! Chapter 50 - 50 Soviet Union Crown Prince Party_1 Chapter 50: Soviet Union Crown Prince Party_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Excuse me, are you Comrade Kim Jungsung¡¯s group? I am General Aselev¡¯s aide-de-camp, dimir Nemofov.¡± The leading officer saluted Nie Zhenbang and then inquired. With the trantion from Liu Kun beside him, there was no problem inmunication between Nie Zhenbang and Nemofov. Nie Zhenbang stepped forward and extended his hand: ¡°Colonel Nemofov, I am Kim Jungsung.¡± Although Liu Kun had already stated this on the phone, outside, Nie Zhenbang still used his pseudonym. After all, at this time, the thaw between China and the Soviet Union had just begun. Not only would being too open affect Aselev, but Nie Zhenbang himself was also likely to run into trouble. After all, in this era, the Soviet Union¡¯s KGB was a world-renowned intelligence organization. The group hurriedly boarded the military vehicle, and after turning two main streets, they entered a military restricted area. This was where the Soviet Union¡¯s General Staff was stationed. As the Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Aselev was also qualified to live here. The car stopped at the entrance of a Soviet-style vi. As soon as Nie Zhenbang got out of the car, he saw a white-haired old man at the door greeting him with a smile. Before Nie Zhenbang could speak, Aselev said with a smile: ¡°My child, wee. How is your grandfather? We haven¡¯t seen each other for thirty-two years since 1954.¡± Nie Zhenbang also greeted him. Regardless of Aselev¡¯s friendship with his grandfather, his grandfather had many connections in the Soviet Union, but he only introduced Aselev, which showed that their rtionship was extraordinary. Now it seems that Aselev personally receiving him in such a situation further proves Nie Zhenbang¡¯s guess. Then, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said: ¡°Grandpa Aselev, thank you very much for your warm hospitality. This is something my grandfather asked me to give you.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang took a photo from his pocket. It was a ck and white picture. There were no people in the picture, just a scene of an explosion. The huge mushroom cloud rose into the sky, radiating almost dazzling brilliance. The surrounding sky faded inparison. Seeing this photo, Aselevughed. It was just an ordinary photo, but the old general treasured it and put it in his pocket. At this moment, Aselev seemed to be lost in memories and murmured: ¡°Nuclear weapons, I heard that you made them long ago. I didn¡¯t expect that Mr. Nie is still sopetitive. That time, we, the Soviet Union, really wronged you.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was also stunned, in the 1950s, the event of the Soviet Union withdrawing all experts indeed wronged them. ¡°My child, let¡¯s not discuss this anymore. Come,e in. To wee your arrival, our whole family is quite eager.¡± Aselev then chuckled. Following Aselev into the spacious living room of the vi, there were already many people sitting in the room. A few middle-aged people huddled together, whispering from time to time. A group of young people, ranging from a few years old to their teens or twenties, also directed their gazes towards Nie Zhenbang. Aselev coughed and thenughed: ¡°Children, this is Nie Zhenbang from Huaxia, and the grandson of Uncle Nie.¡± The middle-aged people might all have met Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grandfather. In fact, two of the slightly older ones had alreadye over. ¡°My God, are you Guowei¡¯s child? You¡¯ve grown so big.¡± ¡°Peter, of course, back in the day. When you and Guowei first met, you were both only five years old. But now, you¡¯re a father of five children. Do you think it¡¯s still like when you were ying with Guowei in Huaxia?¡± said a middle-aged man next to him,ughing. A traditional Russian feast. Even though the Aselev family had been very sincere, Nie Zhenbang found himself somewhat listless. The whole thing felt like a formality. Maybe he had been too naive. Originally, Nie Zhenbang thought that once in the Soviet Union, he could just pick anyone from the streets, win them over, and get whatever he wanted. But it was only after he arrived in the Soviet Union that Nie Zhenbang realized he had overestimated the situation. The Soviet Union at this time, although somewhat chaotic, was not quite as chaotic as it would be in a few years. The military and government systems were still running efficiently. People¡¯s emotions were high, but they had not yet reached a boiling point. Right now, it was still simmering. During this time, Comrade Yeltsin, the main architect of the Soviet Union¡¯s copse, was just beginning to be recognized by Gorbachev and had been appointed as the Secretary of the Communist Party of Soviet Union. He was a candidate member of the Moscow City¡¯s First Committee Secretary. Moreover, it is estimated that by October of this year, Comrade Yeltsin would be sent by Comrade Gorbachev to the Building Committee to serve as the first chairman. Without Yeltsin stirring up trouble in Russia, the regime of the Soviet Union was still more or less stable. However, a few yearster, as Yeltsin gradually became more powerful, the Soviet military and political officials began to feel threatened. They gradually began to ept bribes and sell anything within their reach. With these worries in mind, Nie Zhenbang naturally had little appetite. When he left, it was a well-known uproar in Jingcheng. If he went back downcast like this, losing face would be the least of his problems. If his and the Nie family¡¯s reputation were negatively affected, it would, in turn, affect the entire reformist faction. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s biggest concern. Just then, the youngd sitting next to Nie Zhenbang, who appeared to be about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, leant over towards Nie Zhenbang, and spoke softly in his ear, ¡°Nie, it is a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯ve heard my father talk about your father. They were good friends. I think, as their descendants, we should continue this friendship. Let me introduce myself, my name is Ganokovich. My father is Peter from Sukhoi Design Bureau.¡± Next to him, Liu Kun tranted Ganokovich¡¯s words, and then added, ¡°Third brother, this is a member of the Soviet Union¡¯s ** , right?¡± **? Sukhoi Design Bureau? Upon hearing these two terms, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback, and his thoughts suddenly became clearer. Yes, since there are no other leads at the moment, the ** approach might be a good option. And conveniently, the Peter with whom his father had a close rtionship was from the Sukhoi Design Bureau. Surely, with the old man Aselev around, his position must be significant. This is thepany that designs the Su-series fighter aircraft. If they can get detailed information, the domestic military research units could leapfrog the current stage and catch up immediately. With these thoughts in mind, Nie Zhenbang turned to Liu Kun and said, ¡°Kun, tell him right away that I am also delighted to meet him. And to honor the traditional friendship between our two families, I would like to invite him out. He can choose the ce.¡± When Liu Kun tranted Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intentions to him, Ganokovichughed and replied, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re too kind. Tonight, let¡¯s have fun at a nightclub.¡± This young man certainly didn¡¯t waste any time. He took the opportunity and jumped right on it. However, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t upset. He had brought plenty of money for this trip, the purpose of which was to spend it. At the moment, he couldn¡¯t have hoped for a better response from Ganokovich. Heughed and said, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m curious to experience Soviet nightlife. Ganokovich, I¡¯m relying on you to arrange my time in the Soviet Union. Don¡¯t worry; money is not a problem.¡± PS: Thanks to the generous rewards from my two book friends, I am crazy and I fall in love with you on purpose. The explosion today, the fourth update is sent out.. Chapter 51 - 51: Doing Too Poorly_l Chapter 51: Doing Too Poorly_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Ganokovich, what are you up to? Do you have any schemes?¡± Suddenly, Aselev from the main seat asked. Next to him, Ganokovich¡¯s father Peter looked serious. Seeing Ganokovich¡¯s frightened look, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help butugh. It seemed that whether in their own country or abroad, these offspring of high-ranking officials shared the trait of being going big outside while behaving timidly at home. Following this, Nie Zhenbang stood up andughed, ¡°Grandfather Aselev, I was just telling Ganokovich that I¡¯d love to experience the nightlife of the great Soviet Union, something we don¡¯t have in our country.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Aselev¡¯s expression also softened. Among his many grandchildren, only Ganokovich gave him the most trouble. Therefore, Aselev was concerned that his grandson would lead his old friend¡¯s grandson astray. However, if it was the guest¡¯s proposal, Aselev didn¡¯t mind at all. He looked at Ganokovich and said, ¡°Ganokovich, I¡¯ll leave Zhenbang in your care. You must promise to take good care of him for me. Understand? Alright. Go ahead. It looks like you¡¯re not in the mood to eat anymore.¡± With Aselev¡¯s words, Ganokovich immediately pulled Nie Zhenbang up. Outside the vi was parked a Gaz-67. This was a ssic military car of the Soviet Union after World War II. Back then, the Soviet Union had donated a batch to our country which is rare to see now. A car as iconic as the American Willys MB Jeep. It was surprising that this young man had such a hobby. It¡¯s known that during World War Il, due to the Lend-Lease Act, the Americans lent Willys Jeeps to the Soviet Union so abundantly that it seemed inexhaustible. All of the Soviet Union¡¯s automotive industry was put into the manufacturing the T-34 tanks. This kind of car was so sparse in the Soviet Union that they can only be found in number in China or North Korea these days. Nie Zhenbang was also surprised at the moment and said, ¡°Ganokovich, you really surprised me. This is truly an extraordinary car. Awesome.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s praise made Ganokovich very proud. He quickly climbed into the driver¡¯s seat, made a gesture to get in the car and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, my dear Nie. You have no idea how crazy I have been recently. Your arrival couldn¡¯t be more timely.¡± The seating space of the Gaz car is very small. The only actual seat is the front passenger seat. This car was designed for military leaders during the war. The seats in the back are basically just for show regardingfort or other factors. Liu Kun climbed up with great effort. Seeing Dragon and Tiger also preparing toe up, Ganokovich said, ¡°No, no. Nie, are you nning to bring bodyguards along too? I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary. Here, in Moscow, as long as I¡¯m here, no one can hurt you. I guarantee that the honor of the Aselev family.¡± At this point, Ganokovich looked at Li Lixue a little worried, and whispered in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ear, ¡°Nie, you see, the ce we are going to¡­¡± Dragon and Tiger were a little hesitant, but Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Dragon, Tiger, you guys stay here. You know my abilities and I won¡¯t get into trouble.¡± At the same time, Nie Zhenbang said to Li Lixue, ¡°Li Xue, you stay here. Liu Kun and I will go take a look.¡± The car started quickly, the harsh eleration made the engine roar. The car shot out. After about ten minutes, the car stopped in front of a nightclub. A very simple neon light decoration. A heavy wooden door with people going in and out from time to time. From inside came the sound of music. The Russians are not big fans of the nightlife. Apart from a few hidden nightclubs, most Russians prefer heavy drinking, movies, ballet, and opera. As for sex and nightlife, at this time, they were just hobbies for the few. Due to Gorbachev¡¯s alcohol ban, the business of nightclubs during these times were not doing so well. Gorbachev had shut down the vodka factories and stores that sold alcohol. However, this deep-rooted hobby couldn¡¯t be stopped. Homebrewed vodka wasmon and ces that sold booze always had long lines. Once inside therge round hall, a few fair-skinned Russian women were dancing disco on the stage. The heavy metal music filled the hall. But the sparse crowd made it seem rather deste. ¡°Gano, is this where we¡¯re supposed to hang out?¡± Seeing the scene, Nie Zhenbang asked deliberately. Ganokovich, on the other hand, gave a mysterious smile and pped his hands. A waiter walked over. Seeing Ganokovich, the waiter greeted him warmly, ¡°Mr. Aselev, it¡¯s been a while. Mr. Mikhail has mentioned you many times. Are these your friends?¡± Hearing the name Mikhail, Gano¡¯s eyes lit up, and he nodded, ¡°These two are honored guests of my grandfather. They¡¯re from North Korea, Mr. Kim Jungsung and Mr. Cui Yongxian. Please take us there.¡± After passing a gate near the backstage of the nightclub and a long hallway, we arrived in a ce designed to be incredibly ndestine. Based on these corridors, measures were taken to be very well concealed. If it was closed, there would be no indication of this hidden passage. Moreover, judging by its length, the secret club wasn¡¯t in this building at all. Even if they inspected, they wouldn¡¯t find anything. It seems that in both domestic and foreign contexts, for every policy, there is a countermeasure. It really is this way everywhere. Entering anotherrge gate, the scene inside was vastly different from the quietness outside. In the spacious hall, a circr stage was set up. The music was intense, and many young men were already seated, with plenty of bottles of liquor on their tables. On the stage, three Russian beauties in bikinis were dancing provocatively. ¡°Zhenbang, these dancers are all descendants of White Russian nobles. They have a certain appeal. Would you like a taste? I guarantee they will give you the most pleasurable moment a man can have,¡± Ganokovich introduced them as if he were a pimp. Nie Zhenbang felt a chill. He was a virgin in both this life and the previous one. Although he wasn¡¯t a saint, he didn¡¯t wish to lose his virginity in a ce like this. It seemed that Ganokovich had a good reputation here. People were often waving and gesturing towards him. Stepping up from the edge of the hall and heading upstairs, we entered arge private room. The room featured the world¡¯s most up-to-dateser disc system. The sight of these excited people singing their hearts out took Nie Zhenbang by surprise. He did not expect that karaoke, which is so popr in the Asia-Pacific region, would have such a big market in Moscow. Upon seeing Gano bringing people in, the room instantly became silent. Five or six men stood up. The man leading them walked up to them, saying, ¡°Gano, I¡¯m so pleased to see you again. Did your grandfather not ground you?¡± Ganokovich¡¯s face showed a touch of embarrassment, and he quickly exined, ¡°Zhenbang, let me introduce. This is Mikhail. His grandfather is the minister of our defense department. This one, is Alexander Shevchenko, whose grandfather is the deputymander of the Siberian military region.¡± The schrly young man next to him wearing sses, his grandfather is the director and the first secretary of the Party Committee of the Irkutsk Military Factory. A chubby guy¡¯s grandfather is the highest authority in the Siberian region. Hearing all this, Nie Zhenbang felt ecstatic. The grandsons of the military and political leaders of the Siberian region are all here. If he could get along with them, it would be a significant benefit to his future career. And also, the sses were great. The Irkutsk Military Factory wasn¡¯t famous among outsiders, but the weapons it produced are world-renowned. In the history of assault rifles, the famous AK-47 is produced by this military factory. Even if this factory was not the designer Kshnikov, as a manufacturer, it must have the core data of the AK series. This would significantly advance the development of rifles domestically. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang also chuckled, ¡°I am delighted to meet everyone. Let me introduce myself. I am from Huaxia, my name is Nie Zhenbang. Even though it¡¯s our first meeting, I have to say, you guys are not doing well at all.¡± As Liu Kun tranted these words, all these people looked at Nie Zhenbang angrily, among them, Mikhail stepped forward, ¡°Kid, what did you just say?¡± Chapter 52 - 52 Huasu Group_l Chapter 52: Huasu Group_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Mikhail, what are you doing? Zhenbang is my grandfather¡¯s guest. His family is also one of the top ones in Huaxia. Don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± Ganokovich also nervously stood up. If anything were to go wrong, he would be in serious trouble. At least, his grandfather wouldn¡¯t let him go easily. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang pulled Ganokovich aside and looked at Mikhail, ¡°Mr. Mikhail, it¡¯s my first time meeting you and the other elite members of the Soviet Union¡¯s military and political circles. Personally, I¡¯m very pleased. However, I must say, I do not agree with your lifestyle.¡± Nie Zhenbang nced at the people ring at him and calmly said, ¡°Do you know how old I am now? I¡¯m only seventeen. Mypanion here is just neen. I believe that everyone here is older than us, right?¡± That statement was indeed true. The oldest, Mikhail, was already twenty-four. The youngest, the chubby one, was also already twenty-one. Mikhail raised an eyebrow and looked at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°So what?¡± Nie Zhenbang was pleased, he had hoped for this reaction, for someone to engage with him, question and answer. His uing n would go smoothly. He didn¡¯t expect that Mikhail would be so responsive. ¡°It¡¯s not much. Just that, I think you all are pitiful. I don¡¯t know for how long you n to depend on your elders, for the rest of your lives? That¡¯s impossible. I feel pity for you all. You have great advantages and opportunities right now, yet you don¡¯t know how to utilize and cherish them. For instance, I already own a massive industry in our country. Every year, it earns for me at least tens of millions, if not billions of assets. And you? I suppose the money you used toe here was all thanks to the support of your family, wasn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t you ever think about making money, making big money?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s disdainful expression made Mikhail and the others itch to punch him. But what Nie Zhenbang said was true. ¡°So what business can we do? Arms trade? That¡¯s a joke.¡± Andrei Levski, the one with the small sses, said with a cold smile. This was indeed the reality in the Soviet Union. The focus of their industry and national power was on heavy industry and the military industry, weapons export ¨C that was indeed the Soviet Union¡¯s major trade. They had the feeling of being highly skilled but finding no avability of resources. Next to them, Liu Kun wasughing, ¡°Well, of course, you can. I think you would be interested in our partnership n. Nowadays, the most sought-after and scarce items in your country aremodities, foodstuff, clothing, and other light industry products. However, we don¡¯t have to worry about sourcing these items at all. You just need to organise the arms, then we can trade at the border in Siberia. We¡¯ll take full responsibility for the sale of the arms. You¡¯ll only need to deal with the transactions here and the sales problems. If we do this, do you think we still have to worry about money?¡± Nie Zhenbang took over the discussion, ¡°Of course, we can set up apany together, how about we call it the ¡®Asia-Europe Group¡¯ or the ¡®China-soviet Group¡¯, representing our strength and spanning across the Asia-Europe continent, operating in both Huaxia and the Soviet Union. Whether it¡¯s arms trade ormodities trade. We can each send people to supervise each other, share the profit ording to our shares. Of course, if I have personal preferences and want to buy something privately, I will pay you a separate fee. What do you think?¡± These Soviets, none of them were easy to deal with. Among those who shuttle between Huaxia and the Soviet Union were brokers who, despite their Russian appearance, held Huaxia citizenship. They were all familiar with this business, everyone knew how big the profits were. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, everyone was intrigued. As the leader of the group, Mikhail hesitated for a moment, and then decided, ¡°Nie, I admire your proposal. So, how do we calcte the ownership? There¡¯s so many of us, and there¡¯s only two of you.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed a little, this kid really wanted to take advantage of him. Immediately, he responded with a smile, ¡°Two options, first, we each own fifty percent. Second, you own eighty percent of the trade inside the Soviet Union, and I own eighty percent of the arms trade. Also, if you choose the second option, you must help me get a loan of thirty million US dors from your Soviet Central Bank, for half a month. I¡¯ll leave myself here as coteral.¡± In fact, Nie Zhenbang had set a trap of moderate scale at that moment. Although the two ns seemed almost identical, these people had significantly underestimated the vast potential of arms trade. For now, trade in daily necessities and food appeared to be incredibly profitable. As expected, after some discussion, Mikhail and his party promptly said, ¡°We choose the second n.¡± As for the $30 million loan, for the immense Soviet Central Bank, it was merely a drop in the bucket. Off to the side, a thoughtful expression flickered in Andrei Levski¡¯s eyes beneath his sses as he suddenly questioned, ¡°Nie, are you suggesting that we could trade Siberia¡¯s extensive energy and mineral resources for goods?¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected such shrewdness from the Soviets. It appeared he would need to maintain a good rtionship with this Andrei going forward. The cleverer people were, the higher their talent and the greater their potential for profit. This also implied they were more daring. Nie replied with a smile, ¡°Of course. Anything of value can be traded. Our goal is to establish a grand business empire, standing on the shoulders of Huaxia and the Soviet Union.¡± Under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s insistence, both sides drafted a cooperation agreement, as requested by Nie. This ensured he had a bargaining chip, so he wouldn¡¯t have to fear them ying tricks in the future. As for the name, they decided to go with ¡°Huasu Group.¡± Following the signing of the agreement, Nie Zhenbang and Mikhail, representing their respective parties, shook hands. Nie Zhenbang, with a smile, said, ¡°Mikhail, next, I will transfer $100,000 to thepany ount we registered together. As for my loan, I¡¯ll leave that with you. Half a month from now, once thepany has secured operational premises and inventory, I will return to my country to organize the delivery. In about two months, the first batch of goods ¡ª everyday items, clothing, and food worth about a million U.S. dors ¡ª will arrive at the Siberian border. I will handle our border forces; as for your side, it¡¯s up to you.¡± Off to the side, Alexander Shevchenko, being the grandson of the deputymander of the Siberian military district, confidently assured, ¡°Nie, you can trust uspletely. We are looking forward to our first cooperation.¡± Mikhail acted swiftly. In less than three days, the $30 million loan from the Soviet Central Bank had arrived in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ount. However, the monthly interest rate was rmingly high, a staggering 16 percent. That meant Nie Zhenbang had to pay an interest of $4.8 million one monthter. However, Nie Zhenbang was unconcerned at this point. He would immediately invest this money in the Soviet Union¡¯s ck foreign exchange market, and he would exchange it for rubles at a ratio of 1 to 15. Thenceforth, the $30 million would trante into 450 million rubles. Afterward, he would give back about 31 million rubles to the Soviet Central Bank using the official exchange rate of 1 U.S. dor to 0.9 rubles,pleting the loan payment. Nie Zhenbang would then be left with over 400 million rubles. This money would gradually be exchanged back for U.S. dors at a rate of about 1 U.S. dor to 1.2 rubles within the Soviet Union. This was the primary reason for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s visit. Finding a ck market had been difficult. It was only with help from Ganokovich that Nie Zhenbang managed to find one. By the time he finished all the currency exchanges and repaid the loan, twenty days had passed. As for the leftover rubles, Nie Zhenbang entrusted them to Li Lixue. For the following period, Li Lixue would stay behind toplete the supplementary currency exchanges. Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun, carrying the over $20 million they¡¯d exchanged, would embark on their journey back home.. Chapter 53 - 53 Liu Kun’s Friend_1 Chapter 53: Liu Kun¡¯s Friend_1 Trantor: 549690339 Moscow Station This time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s return trip seemed much more low-key. Twenty million US dors had been deposited in a Swiss bank through domestic connections. And it was stored in the state¡¯s secret ount. When Nie Zhenbang returned home, the state would naturally give him the equivalent amount in RMB at the official rate. On the tform, Li Lixue and Tiger stood aside. Considering Li Lixue¡¯s safety, Nie Zhenbang decided to keep Tiger behind. As a woman, especially one as beautiful as Li Lixue, Nie Zhenbang was indeed a little worried about her safety. Seeing Mikhail and Ganokoviching to see him off, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°My partners. Get moving. After I go back, I will immediately organize the goods. I look forward to our first start. Also, Evelina, I still have to ask you to take good care of her.¡± Mikhail also nodded. After the agreement was signed, he specifically went to understand the market for Huaxia¡¯s daily necessities, clothing, and food in his country. The result was aplete scenario of supply and demand, which gave Mikhail full confidence. He looked at the beauty next to him. Li Lixue¡¯s gorgeousness was not something ordinary people couldpare to. Russian beauty is said to be plentiful, with skin as smooth as jade; however, Li Lixue¡¯s beauty, coupled with the Eastern upbringing she received from an early age, gave her a Western face but an Eastern charm. This was not ordinary Russian beauty. If Li Lixue were not Nie Zhenbang¡¯s woman, perhaps, Mikhail could not resist either. Immediately, Mikhail alsoughed and said, ¡°Nie, rest assured. ording to your custom, I should call her ¡®sister-inw.¡¯ Please rest assured, even without Ganokovich¡¯s rtionship, your woman, I will definitely take care of her. With me around, no one in the entire Soviet Union would dare to touch ¡®sister-inw¡¯.¡± Mikhail spoke in Russian, but Li Lixue, who was fluent in Russian, stood by and looked embarrassed. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Li Lixue¡¯s expression was somewhatplex. She said there was no rtionship, but she is now working for him. Moreover, the exchange between the US dor and the ruble shocked Li Lixue. How did this man¡¯s brain grow? She underestimated him, who had known so much and made tens of millions of dors in just a month. With billions of rubles in her hand now, Li Lixue could hardly believe it. He ims to be interested in her beauty. However, aside from her initial worries, Nie Zhenbang barely paid any attention to her. Does she look that bad? Li Lixue even began to doubt her own appearance. They say a woman¡¯s mind isplicated and at this moment, Nie Zhenbang had no idea about Li Lixue¡¯splex feelings. He nced at Li Lixue andughed out loud, saying ¡°Mikhail, thanks a lot. In the future, if you get the chance, you can ask ¡®sister-inw¡¯ to help you find someone.¡± After saying that, he especially said ¡®thank you¡¯ in Russian: ¡®die and wash!¡¯ After saying this, Nie Zhenbang looked at Liu Kun next to him and said, ¡°Kun, I must say, their Russian thank you sounds quite disgusting. It¡¯s called ¡®die and wash.¡± Liu Kun knew that Nie Zhenbang was joking on purpose. Heughed and yed along, saying, ¡°Third Brother, this you wouldn¡¯t know. When a person dies, they naturally need to be washed. Since they can¡¯t do it themselves, it¡¯s only right that the living help. This saying is quite fitting.¡± It was the same train and conductor asst time. At this moment, seeing the several Soviet people on the tform, the military badge of the Ministry of Defense made the conductor feel a bit relieved. He was d he didn¡¯t make a move; otherwise, he would be in big trouble. After Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun got on the train, the conductor took good care of them all the way. The return journey always feels much faster than the journey there. The train arrived at Chita Train Station in the afternoon. The three of them casually found a hotel to rest and only headed toward the border after ten at night. With Long, who was highly familiar with the Soviet Union army¡¯s patrol regtions, they arrived in their homnd without any hitches. In a hotel in Manzhouli, perhaps Long felt that his mission wasplete. He stood up and announced, ¡°Mr. Zhenbang, my task ispleted. I¡¯ll return to my unit now.¡± Nie Zhenbang looked at Long. This young man was skillful and, more importantly, he was not nosy or talkative. He was a suitable candidate for a bodyguard. Moreover, his abilities in other areas were decent. During the past period, Nie Zhenbang had be ustomed to his services. Nie Zhenbang then took out a stack of US dors from his bag, put it on the table, and said, ¡°Long, take this. Consider it a token of my appreciation for your hard work alongside Tiger over this period. Take this money home for your family¡¯s expenses.¡± At this moment, Long straightened his body and said solemnly, ¡°Mr. Zhenbang, I¡¯m only following orders. I can¡¯t ept such a gesture.¡± Not greedy for money and aware of the rules. These were merits. Nie Zhenbang said no more. This kind of soldier had principles. If he were to use his authority to pressure him, then he would be the one at a disadvantage. Looking at Long, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Alright, if you insist, I won¡¯t force you. But, Long, would you be interested in working with me? I¡¯ll speak to your army chief. You and Tiger don¡¯t have to worry.¡± This time, Long did not resist. After pondering for a moment, he agreed, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll leave all arrangements to you.¡± Nie Zhenbang dialed Yuan Xinghua immediately. Of course, Yuan Xinghua wouldn¡¯t refuse Nie Zhenbang over a soldier and readily agreed. Long and Tiger didn¡¯t even need to handle their discharge paperwork. The army department would take care of it and deliver it to their local armed forces. On the return journey, they did not go through Northeast but passed through Caoyuan Province and directly ventured south into Jingcheng. The next afternoon, just past five o¡¯clock, the group finally rushed into Daliang City, the capital of Caoyuan Province. After securing rooms in Prairie Hotel, Liu Kun suddenly proposed, ¡°Brother Nie, I have a primary school mate. His father was transferred to Caoyuan Provinceter and, as I heard, is now the province¡¯s deputy governor. Shall I invite him over for dinner?¡± In their circle, one would generally refer to people of the older generation in their family as old man or olddy but fathers are usually referred to as ¡°old man¡±. Nie Zhenbang gave Liu Kun a nce. Liu Kun¡¯s family in Jingcheng wasn¡¯t influential since his grandfather had be a martyr early on and his father was merely a district secretary. This evoked early maturity in Liu Kunpared to others. Probably the recent operations had left Liu Kun quite awestruck. It seemed that he wished to give his childhood friend a hand up thedder. Nie Zhenbang chuckled. Naturally, he was not n?IVe enough to point it out. As a person in power, one must possess the skill to manage his subordinates. It¡¯s not only about obtaining benefits for oneself, but sometimes about giving subordinates some benefits or even allowing them to give benefits to others. Only then would they help unconditionally. Nie Zhenbang believed that Liu Kun was not the kind of person to shoot without aim. If Liu Kun introduced his friend at this point and aimed at promoting him, Nie Zhenbang believed that Liu Kun would know where to draw the line. Looking at Liu Kun, Nie Zhenbang showed indifference, ¡°Oh? If you have a friend here, then of course we should meet him. Let¡¯s first decide on a ce, and then you can call your friend over..¡± Chapter 54 - 54: Officialdom Layout_l Chapter 54: Officialdom Layout_l Trantor: 549690339 After Liu Kun made the call, within ten minutes, a Santana had pulled up at the hotel¡¯s entrance. In this era, a Santana was indeed the rare gem among sedans, surpassed only by a few luxurious cars like Mercedes and BMW in Jingcheng. In other provinces and cities, particrly a ce like Caoyuan Province, the Santana was unequivocally a status symbol. The car stopped, and a young man had already climbed out. He was about 1.78 meters tall. He had long hair, simr to that of a bohemian man. His beard appeared unkempt which created an air of decadence. Upon seeing Liu Kun, the young man was very enthusiastic, opened his arms wide and dramatically greeted him: ¡°Kun, my old pal. It¡¯s been a while. You¡¯re not luxuriating in Jingcheng anymore, what brings you to this out-of-the-way ce in Caoyuan province?¡± Liu Kun at this moment also seemed very happy, he too embraced, yfully punching the man in the chest, andughing said: ¡°Look at you, getting more and more of an artist¡¯s style. With those decadent eyes, I bet many bohemian girls are smitten. Really, does your old man allow you to behave this way?¡± The initially joyful man, hearing these words, immediately toned down his enthusiasm. Although still wearing a smile, but less naturally: ¡°Behave this way? I call it free love, understand? Anyway, my old man¡¯s hands are full so he can¡¯t bother with me right now.¡± Liu Kun was disdainful of his friend¡¯s remarks: ¡°Our supreme leader once said that any courtship not aimed at marriage is hooliganism.¡± Being a shrewd and agile character, Liu Kun knew that the hotel¡¯s lobby wasn¡¯t the ce for such exchanges. Smiling he said: ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ve reserved a box. I¡¯m introducing you to a real VIP. In Jingcheng, he¡¯s one of a kind. Nowadays, all my buddies are following him.¡± The man was aware of Liu Kun¡¯s family background, and seeing Liu Kun like this, the man became serious. The moment the two walked into the private room, Nie Zhenbang stood up. It¡¯s not that the man had significant rank or status. Nie Zhenbang was doing this purely out of respect for Liu Kun. Sometimes, these little details are the deciding factor for sess or failure in certain situations. Sure enough, seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions, Liu Kun¡¯s face also broke into a radiant smile, feeling proud in front of his friend. His ¡®Third Brother¡¯ was indeed giving him, Liu Kun, plenty of face. Then, Liu Kun alsoughingly went on: ¡°Third Brother, let me introduce you, this is my childhood friend, my brother, Liang Ligui. He is the son of Deputy Secretary Liang of Caoyuan Province.¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled, looking at this very bohemian Liang Ligui, and said: ¡°In the Analects, there is a saying: ¡®the rites are essential to harmony.¡¯ Your father did choose a cultured name. Ligui, it¡¯s indeed a good name.¡± Upon hearing this, Liang Ligui gaped in surprise. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s impression was too astounding. Their ages might not differ much, maybe Nie Zhenbang could even be younger. However, the aura exuding from him, as well as his wide knowledge, utterly shocked Liang Ligui. Looking at Liu Kun next to him, he said: ¡± Kun, your brother is a real guru. This name of mine, has beenughed at by people all over Caoyuan Province for being too rustic. Third Brother, you are the first one to truly understand it. I admire you enormously.¡± Liu Kun burst intoughter, a hint of pride appearing on his face: ¡°Of course, why else would he be my Third Brother? Ligui, let me formally introduce you: this is Nie Zhenbang, the third son in his family. Just like me, you can just call him Third Brother.¡± Nie Zhenbang motioned with his hand andughed: ¡°All right, all right. Let¡¯s sit down. Eat and talk.¡± All sorts of special dishes from the grasnd were set on the table one by one. Milk cheese and fermented milk were also brought in. Liang Ligui, at this moment, was also paying attention and observing Nie Zhenbang. The introduction by Liu Kun earlier was rather ambiguous. However, a great deal had been revealed from the moment they met till now. Liang Ligui was also aware of the background of Liu Kun¡¯s family. Although the old man was a revolutionary martyr, the connections of the old man still existed. Today, some big figures in Jingcheng do look after the Liu family. Within their circle, Liu Kun was also considered a significant character. The fact that Liu Kun was allied with him showed that this third brother was not simple. Moreover, from the moment he entered, the third brother was courteous in his words, yet there was an underlying feeling of reserve and indifference. He didn¡¯t care a bit about his own status. Besides, his surname was Nie. In Jingcheng, there were not many big shots with the surname of Nie. Thus, the identity of Nie Zhenbang was nearly exposed. Despite Liang Ligui¡¯s bohemian appearance, he was a capable assistant to Deputy Secretary Liang at home. Subsequently, Liang Ligui stood up with a ss of liquor in his hand, ¡°Third-Brother, this is our first meeting. I toast you a ss. I will drink it up, you can do as you please. Henceforth, if there¡¯s anything I can help with in Caoyuan Province, feel free to find me.¡± At this moment, Liu Kun was also nodding with satisfaction. Just as Nie Zhenbang had guessed, Liu Kun had called Liang Ligui over with this intention in mind. Ever since his visit to the Soviet Union, Liu Kun had understood; neither he nor the others in the Jingcheng circle were a match for Third Brother. Fortunately, he was now considered a trusted confidant of the Third Brother. There¡¯s a saying that when one person achieves enlightenment, even his pets ascend to heaven. Not to mention bringing good fortune to his neighbors, at least he can help a couple of old friends or brothers, which is feasible. However, having too many was not eptable. After all, Nie Zhenbang was Nie Zhenbang, and he was himself. For Nie Zhenbang, something might be easy, but it would still depend on whether the others were willing. Now that Liang Ligui has taken this step on his own, then with him adding a few more words on the side, only if Nie Zhenbang does not object, it will mean that he has been integrated into Nie Zhenbang¡¯swork. Thinking of this, Liu Kun immediately said with a smile, ¡°Third Brother, there¡¯s something I would like to bother you with. ¡®Ligui¡¯s father has been out of luck recently, do you think you could give him some advice?¡± In Liu Kun¡¯s view, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s advice was nothing more than using the power of the Nie family. Now, Nie Zhenbang was also pondering. At present, the situation of the Nie family is that they have substantial prestige in the military. After all, the old man is from a military background, and is currently the second highest-ranking official in the military. Besides, his eldest uncle Nie Guodong is currently serving in the Xibei Military Region, and only needs toplete this term, reach the mandatory retirement age, and get promoted to a high-ranking position in the Military Region. This is inevitable. However, the Nie family is presently somewhat weak in the government, whether it¡¯s connections or anything else. For someone like Nie Zhenbang who has a clear understanding of future events, the role of the military will greatly diminish in the future. The number one leader of theter generations all came from the government system. Therefore, how can Nies increase their status andworking in the government system is something Nie Zhenbang needs to ponder about. When they were in Yuedong, he and Guo Ming did establish an initial rtionship in Peng City. They believe that afterwards, the old man will be able to seize this opportunity to consolidate this symbiotic rtionship with Deputy Governor Guo. Now, if they can integrate Deputy Secretary Liang into the Nie family¡¯swork, along with their current connections in government, they will also represent a significant force. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said: ¡°Oh? Brother Ligui, justy out your troubles. Let¡¯s hear it.¡± Seeing the encouraging look in Liu Kun¡¯s eye, Liang Ligui immediatelyughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal really. Third Brother, as you would understand it, it¡¯s the year of the governmental turnover. Currently, apart from my dad, Wang Botao, the province¡¯s executive deputy governor, is also eligible topete for the governorship of Caoyuan Province. Behind Deputy Governor Wang stands the Wang family. Right now is the Wang family¡¯s heyday. My dad, being a pure civilian, only recognized Kun¡¯s old man back in Jingcheng. Right now, he has the will butcks the power.¡± Liu Kun¡¯s father is about five to six years younger than this Deputy Secretary Liang. Yet, even so, this Deputy Secretary Liang, from a deputy departmental level in Jingcheng, managed to climb to the current deputy ministerial level. This proves the strength of his capabilities. The Wang family were the main forces under Comrade Xuri, and were the backbone of the conservative faction. In the past, they were both civil and military, supporting the conservative faction with the Nie family. Nie Zhenbang is familiar with the Wang family-he knows they don¡¯t have outstanding members in the third generation. Thinking about this, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Ligui, waited with Kun, I have a phone call to make..¡± Chapter 55 - 55 Stealing FAW’s Business_l Chapter 55: Stealing FAW¡¯s Business_l Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s action somewhat moved Liang Ligui. Though Liu Kun didn¡¯t explicitly say it, Liang Ligui was well aware that Nie¡¯s third brother had significant connections in high ces. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was willing to humble himself and make a phone call in front of him, regardless of whether the matter would seed or not. This showed that Nie Zhenbang was open and sincere. The phone connected after just a couple of rings. Nie Zhenbang promptly picked it up and said, ¡°Hello, please connect me to the leader¡¯s office. This is Nie Zhenbang.¡± Soon, Elder Nie¡¯s hearty voice rang out from the phone, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re back? You were gone for more than a month. Not a single update, don¡¯t you think to give a call home, son?¡± Elder Nie¡¯s words carried a hint of concern, which touched Nie Zhenbang. In his previous life, he did not have much interaction with his grandfather. Reflecting now, it seemed normal. In his previous life, being a bastard child was a status his grandfather greatly disliked, and being physically disabled didn¡¯t help. A man of his grandfather¡¯s standing, no matter how much he loved him, would never lower his pride. In this life, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s series of actions helped remove the barrier between him and his grandfather. Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile, ¡°Grandfather, I¡¯ve been quite busy, with no time to make a call. Fortunately, everything that needed to be handled has been taken care of. I called you as soon as I got back. There¡¯s one more thing I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡± He proceeded to share Deputy Secretary Liang¡¯s situation from Caoyuan Province. On the other end of the line, Elder Nie fell silent for quite some time. In all honesty, Elder Nie wasn¡¯t a government official. However, he admitted that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s assumption was correct. After stepping into the core of the reform faction, Elder Nie truly understood the far-sighted vision of the leader. Since the major disbanding of a million soldiers years ago, Elder Nie understood that the main function of the military now was to maintain domestic stability during this transition period, ensuring the regr rotation of national leadership. Once the incumbent leader¡¯s sessor officially took the stage, the military¡¯s role would return to its original position. The principle and ideology of our party was that the military should not interfere in politics. Hearing Nie Zhenbang recognizing this situation made Elder Nie very pleased. Among the Nie family¡¯s second generation, his eldest son Nie Guodong was average, and his youngest son Nie Guowei was barely passable. In the third generation, Jialiang¡¯s abilities weren¡¯t bad, but his prospects were limited. Due to his rtionship with the Nie family, he could only expect to reach the level of a deputy national leader at most. And then there was Nie Jiamin, who was clearly suited for the military. Surprisingly, this originally superfluous third grandson, who once made Elder Nie feel mortified, aplished a lot more than he expected. After a moment of reflection, Elder Nie said, ¡°Zhenbang, let this young Liange to Jingcheng in person tomorrow. It so happens, I¡¯ve invited Old Huang to have dinner at my house tomorrow.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang understood Elder Nie¡¯s intentions. Old Huang was likely Nie Jiamin¡¯s maternal grandfather, Deputy Prime Minister Huang. It seemed that the matter around Deputy Secretary Liang had been resolved. After hanging up, Nie Zhenbang looked over at an expectant Liang Ligui and smiled, ¡°Ligui, it¡¯s done. You should have your father head to Jingcheng tomorrow. A phone call should suffice.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the tension in Liang Ligui¡¯s heart eased. The path had been paved for him; whether it woulde to fruition depended on how well his father performed in the meeting tomorrow. Liang Ligui stood up and said, ¡°Third Brother, I will remember this favor. In the future, if you need anything, just say the word.¡± After staying in Caoyuan Province for one night, Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun caught a direct flight to Jingcheng City the next day. Jingcheng City Airport At the moment, a crowd of young people gathered within the parking apron, around several brand new BMW 750i cars. This BMW model, coded as E32, was BMW Company¡¯s newest product for the year. A 5.0L V12 engine. It can give the car a strong power of three hundred horsepower. Three ck BMW 750s were parked side by side, with a Ferrari and a Porsche behind them. This kind of fleet immediately attracted the attention of passersby. But once they saw all the tes were uniform military tes, everyone took a quick nce and then moved away. Every person in Jingcheng knew very well that these people weren¡¯t ones to cross. At this moment, Yang Anbang was standing at the front, and Xiao Yali was next to him. Their rtionship had be clear, to the point where their elders had even met for the first time. It was expected that by the end of the year, their rtionship would be officially solidified. Li Hua and Zhang Xu were waiting nearby. As the nended, Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun just walked out of the gangway. Looking at the scene below, Liu Kun eximed, ¡°Oh man, Third Brother, are these our people in Jingcheng? It seems like they¡¯re weing Nixon. These arrangements seem too excessive. They all look like nouveau riche. I think the gas cars in Jarno are better.¡± Looking at these cars and listening to Liu Kun talking about gas cars, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes lit up at this moment. Cars were a man¡¯s favorite thing. In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have the opportunity to enjoy the pleasure of driving. However, this did not prevent Nie Zhenbang from appreciating and studying cars. From his memory, Audi didn¡¯t enter Huaxia untilter. Around this time, he guessed that FAWwas still in talks with Chrysler. This was a good opportunity. If he could snatch Audi from FAW, Nie Zhenbang believed that he could make a great profit from it, at least, not worse than FAWs 50-50 stake. At this moment, Yang Anbang felt especially moved. Before Nie Zhenbang went to the Soviet Union, he had some doubts and even advised Nie Zhenbang. But when the national central bank converted Nie Zhenbang¡¯s 20 million US dors into 744-4 million yuan ording to the current exchange rate and deposited it into the Wal-Mart Supermarket¡¯s corporate ount, he was surprised. Moreover, what was even more surprising was the news Yang Anbang got from his grandfather, indicating that this was only the beginning and there were more assets being processed in the Soviet Union. At this moment, Yang Anbang felt shocked, and even considered pulling Nie Zhenbang fully into business. From Yang Anbang¡¯s perspective, it would be a pity for Nie Zhenbang not to go into business. As Nie Zhenbang walked down the ne and headed this way, Yang Anbang waved his hand. Everyone shouted, ¡°Third Brother, wee back victorious.¡± At this time, Zhang Xu had alsoe over. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Zhang Xu now had less of apetitive feel. After a mutual embrace, both men felt a sense of camaraderie. ¡°Third Brother, I admit,pared to you, I¡¯m not as good. I was nning to go to the military unit before. Knowing that you woulde back today, I deliberately postponed it by one day. I¡¯m leaving. Ourpetition isn¡¯t over. Don¡¯t worry, I, Zhang Xu, won¡¯t admit defeat so easily.¡± Zhang Xu left, appearing very confident. Looking at Zhang Xu¡¯s retreating figure, Nie Zhenbang also sighed. He¡¯s really a young talent. Zhang Xu was indeed a friend worth having. Shaking his head, Nie Zhenbang adjusted his mood and teasingly hugged Yang Anbang¡¯s neck, and whispered, ¡°Brother-inw, development is going well, isn¡¯t it? Now, I have a new business. I am wondering if you¡¯re interested?¡± Yang Anbang was somewhat speechless. This kid always had something up his sleeve, and hisments were always full of traps. When he asked about development, Yang Anbang wasn¡¯t sure if he was asking about the supermarket or about his rtionship with Xiao Yali. Yang Anbang avoided the topic, but he was quite curious about the business proposition, ¡°What business? Regardless of whether I¡¯m interested or not, I¡¯ll join you if you¡¯re doing it.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Second Brother, this time it¡¯s not about supermarkets. This time, I n to establish a carpany, to deal with real industries. Do you know Audi? I heard that Audi seems to be very interested in FAW.. How about we snatch this business deal together?¡± Chapter 56 - 56 Communication with Talented People_l Chapter 56: Communication with Talented People_l Trantor: 549690339 The BMW 7 Series, with itsrge body and spacious interior, indeed perfectly suits the aesthetic tastes of the Greater Zhonghua region. In our country, BMW has always been synonymous with high-end luxury cars. In the first car, Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anbang were sitting in the back seats respectively. Yang Anbang immediately reported on the situation of the Wal-Mart supermarket over the past few months, then said, ¡°Youngest, I couldn¡¯t reach you for a while, so I decided on my own to acquire apany.¡± This statement caught Nie Zhenbang by surprise. Yang Anbang¡¯s character has always been cautious, never venturing into industries he is not familiar with. Even when Yang Anbang¡¯spany made it to the Fortune Global 500 in his previous life, he followed a specialized path. How could Yang Anbang be so aggressive and bold in this life? Could it be the butterfly effect? Nie Zhenbang, however, smiled and asked, ¡°Whatpany, and how much did it cost? Tell me about it. ¡°A small shop on East Street near the front gate of Jingcheng. I once heard customers in the supermarket talking about this store. It specializes in imported electrical appliances and is called Gome Electrical Store. I went to check it out in person. The owner is quite remarkable. In this era, goods are in high demand. However, he could resist the temptation of high profits and stick to the principle of small margins and high volume. This is quite simr to Wal-Mart¡¯s business philosophy. I saw him as a talent and wanted to recruit him to ourpany, specifically to oversee Wal-Mart¡¯s electrical appliance sector. So, I also acquired his store. The price I offered was an annual sry of 100,000, in addition to 5 percent of the shares in thepany¡¯s electrical department,¡± Yang Anbang exined casually. Nie Zhenbang, on the other hand, was taken aback. Gome? Huang Guangyu! That¡¯s an extraordinary man. In future times, he would be a top-ranking rich man on the maind. Nie Zhenbang had not thought that in this life, Huang Guangyu would be recruited by Yang Anbang. Sensing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, Yang Anbang became somewhat flustered and said, ¡°Zhenbang, if it¡¯s about the expenditure, I can take care of it. Regarding the shares, consider it my personal contribution.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbangughed and replied, ¡°Second Brother, do you not trust your own judgement that much? I would like to meet this person. Moreover, your decision is thepany¡¯s decision. Our choice to make you the legal representative and the chairman is indicative of our attitude. From now on, you are in full charge of the Wal-Mart supermarket. I will not participate in the daily operations. The industry we delve into and how we operate will be entirely up to you.¡± Yang Anbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Alright then. Once we get to thepany, I will ask him toe over and meet with you.¡± Along the way, seeing all the road guards assisting them by temporarily blocking traffic and saluting, Nie Zhenbang shook his head and said, ¡°Second Brother, we¡¯re being too high-profile now.¡± Speaking to himself, Nie Zhenbang added, ¡°Nowadays, in the Jingcheng circle, I presume neither the Li family, the Wang family, nor the Zhang family with military ties are as showy as we are. The saying goes, ¡®excessive is deficient¡¯. Our nation¡¯s culture for the past 5,000 years emphasizes moderation in all things. ¡®The tallest tree catches the most wind.¡¯ Aren¡¯t we just merchants? You¡¯re acting like a national leader with these special passes hanging on our car. Myrade, this will surely attract jealousy.¡± Feeling slightly embarrassed, Yang Anbang chuckled and said, ¡°Well, Wal-Mart supermarket did pretty well this year. After opening stores nationwide, your older sister reckoned we could be considered a national business tycoon. Driving a 212 jeep seemed too modest, so she bought a few luxury cars.¡± Slightly confident, Yang Anbang continued, ¡°As for anyone foolish enough to wish trouble upon us, they better have a strong stomach.¡± However, having said that, Yang Anbangughed again and said, ¡°But, youngest, you¡¯re right. We were indeed too shy. If we keep this up, the elderlies from both our families and old Xiao¡¯s will probably want to have a chat with us. Should we change our cars?¡± Nie Zhenbang was definite while replying: ¡°Yes, change them. BMWs and Mercedes-Benzes are too eye-catching. Second Brother, I¡¯m not criticizing you, but you don¡¯t seem to learn anything useful on normal days. You¡¯re acting much like a newly-rich. We should change these cars for something more low-profile. Bentley or Maybach would be a modest luxury.¡± The car drove directly into Wal-Mart Supermarket¡¯s new headquarters in Jingcheng. Ever since Wal-Mart Supermarket¡¯s nationwide expansion, it was no longer suitable to work in the small two-story building behind the supermarket. After Nie Zhenbang¡¯s funds arrived, Yang Anbang immediately purchased a ready-made six-story building in the Dongcheng district on the outskirts of Jingcheng¡¯s third ring road. Including the surrounding anciry facilities, it covers a total area of nearly fifty acres, costing just over sixteen million. Nie Zhenbang was amazed at the bargain. On entering thepany¡¯s headquarters, the first floor was the reception area. The second and fourth floors were the office spaces for various departments. The fifth floor was the office area for thepany¡¯s middle-level cadres. The top floor was the office for Yang Anbang and other senior executives. Next to the chairman¡¯s office, at the entrance, was an office without any sign. This was the office that Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali had specifically reserved for the Nie brothers, Nie Zhenbang, and Nie Jiamin. Considering that Nie Jiamin and Nie Zhenbang will be joining the army and politics respectively in the future, no signs were hung. The spaciousrge desk and chair, a row of bookshelves, made it feel a bit dignified. Sitting in the chair, Nie Zhenbang looked at the small national g and party g hanging on the table, but he was thinking about Huang Guangyu. As for Huang Guangyu joining Wal-Mart, Nie Zhenbang was only curious at the beginning. Since his rebirth and changing many things one after another, Nie Zhenbang understood clearly. This world is probably no longer the world he used to know. It¡¯s like a parallel universe, like the many branches on the main stem of history. Since the political leaning of the Nie family had been changed by himself, why wouldn¡¯t it be unusual for Huang Guangyu to join Wal-Mart? However, Nie Zhenbang believed that Huang Guangyu in this world, still had abilities. Otherwise, with Yang Anbang¡¯s high and mighty character, he wouldn¡¯t have spent such arge amount to bring him on board. While contemting, there was a knock on the door. Nie Zhenbang straightened his body and said, ¡°Come in.¡± Upon entering, Huang Guangyu stood at the door, appearing a bit nervous. At this moment, Huang Guangyu was only a year older than Nie Zhenbang. Looking at the notorious Nie San, who single-handedly ran Wal-Mart Supermarket, Huang Guangyu was still nervous. After carefully closing the door, he stood at the entrance of the office and said, ¡°Three Junior, you asked for me?¡± Nie Zhenbangughed at that moment, then motioned to the sofa in front and said, ¡°Mr. Huang, you are a talent invited by Director Yang. Don¡¯t be so nervous, confidence is the most important thing.¡± Seeing that Huang Guangyu quickly adjusted his mentality and sat on the sofa, Nie Zhenbang secretlyplimented him. True to his reputation as the future richest man, his psychological quality was absolutely first-ss. Then, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Mr. Huang, well, you are one year older than me, I¡¯ll call you Guangyu. I called you over to ask, what is your view of your new role heading Walmart¡¯s Electrical Appliances department?¡± Huang Guangyu hesitated for a moment. When he initially joined Wal-Mart, he was captivated by the offered price by Yang Anbang. Now, after officially entering, Huang Guangyu had some ideas. Huang Guangyu always thought, focusing solely on electrical appliances is good. On the contrary, he felt that with Wal-Mart¡¯s approach, people will perceive ack of professionalism. Looking at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sincere gaze, Huang Guangyu fell silent for a moment, then shared his true thoughts, ¡°Three Junior, I think the electrical department should be separated from Walmart Supermarket and be an independently operating and ounting department.¡± Originally, Huang Guangyu just casually mentioned this, he didn¡¯t expect Nie Zhenbang to agree. Regardless, since he had agreed, Huang Guangyu nned to stick to his job contract at least for the next few years. But at this moment, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Great! Guangyu, I¡¯m d you said that. We were nning on restructuring Wal-Mart Supermarket and setting up a new Wal-Mart Group, which will include Wal-Mart Supermarkets and a professional electricalpany. Let¡¯s just call it Gome Electrical Appliances. I¡¯m nning to put you in charge of Gome Electrical Appliances. However, I believe a specialized electrical store can still adopt the supermarket model. The whole country will be our territory. We will follow the path of chain operations. I am convinced that in the future, the channel will reign supreme!¡± This oft-repeated phrase in his former world was now being used by Nie Zhenbang for the first time, and he spoke about the essence of chain operations and scale operations. Huang Guangyu looked at Nie Zhenbang with new eyes. Is this¡­ is this a human? No, this is a god.. Chapter 57 - 57 Preparatory Party Member_1 Chapter 57: Preparatory Party Member_1 Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang has always been resolute and decisive in his life. Wal-Mart Supermarket, if it was like a big ¡°melting pot¡±, it wouldn¡¯t necessarily be unsustainable. However, the art of business relies on specialization. In this epoch, Huang Guangyu¡¯s vision to operate a specialized appliance store, which could attract a multitude of customers, is decidedly correct. Nie Zhenbang immediately issued orders and, given his influence in Wal-Mart, Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali naturally had no objections. As for Nie Jiamin, a nominal shareholder, he had not been seen for a long time. It was heard that he had suspended his studies at the Yu Ying School and went to Xibei. This was his final preparation before joining the military. Soon after, Yang Anbang and others incorporated a brand new Wal-Mart Holdings Group in Hong Kong. Yang Anbang still held fifty percent of the shares. Xiao Yali held ten percent. The remaining forty percent were distributed amongst Nie Jiamin¡¯s mother, Huang Yuerong, who held fifteen percent, Ye Shuxian who held twenty percent, and Nie Ziyu who held the final five percent. Below Wal-Mart Holdings Group, two departments were established, one was the current gship Wal-Mart Supermarket, and the other was a newly established Gome Electrical Appliances. As the actual person in charge of Gome Electrical Appliances, Huang Guangyu held twelve percent of thepany shares, bing thergest shareholder after Yang Anbang and Nie Zhenbang. At this point, it may appear that Nie Zhenbang was at a disadvantage, but in the future, everybody woulde to realize how astute Nie Zhenbang really was. Converting the shares into the mother¡¯s names of the two families was also one of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s considerations for the future. At face value, two people were participating in stock ownership, although these were the shares of their sons. However, to outsiders, this seemed like a union of the Nie, Yang, Huang, and Ye families. In China, it would be an existence akin to an unbeatable superpower that no one dared to trifle with. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang, knowing the evolution of the future development, understood that in the future, the state would introduce a policy to strictly prohibit state officials and military personnel from participating inmercial operations. As individuals who aspired to advance in political and military circles, Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin could not wait until then to separate themselves from the business world. If they did, they would be at a disadvantage. By acting this way now, they could preemptively solve future issues, which was the main reason Nie Zhenbang insisted that Huang Yuerong and Ye Shuxian hold shares. With the existence of Wal-Mart Holding Group¡¯s connections, plus the backing of the financially robust Wal-Mart Group, the operation of Gome Electrical Appliances was swift. Still on the main street outside the Front Gate, preparations were underway for the first Gome Electrical Appliances store, covering tens of thousands of square meters of business area. Even before its opening, it was causing quite a stir. Meanwhile, due to the existence of a dual-track system, there were essentially ns for domestically produced appliances. Nie Zhenbang, exploiting his connections, contacted these appliance manufacturers to work overtime. This policy was permissible. As a result, supply was guaranteed for ordinary, low-priced appliances. Simultaneously, arge quantity of various appliances was imported through the Yun family of Hong Kong, aiming to make Gome Electrical Appliances a hit right from the start. At this time, Nie Zhenbang was already seated in the president¡¯s office at Jingcheng University. For this trip to Jingcheng University, Nie Zhenbang kept a low profile. He wore ordinary clothes, rode a bicycle and did not use a car or a driver, he arrived on his own. Indeed, this had been one of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s long-cherished wishes. In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang was disabled. Every time he saw people leisurely riding bicycles around the campus, Nie Zhenbang was extremely envious. This time, upon hearing from his father that Jingcheng University had called and asked him to visit the school, Nie Zhenbang naturally wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity to fulfill his wish. The president of Jingcheng University was Professor Shi Yongchang, a well-known education schr and mathematician in our country. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbange in, Professor Shi put down his work, looked up at Nie Zhenbang, smiled and said, ¡°Student Nie is here. If I hadn¡¯t called your superior officer, we wouldn¡¯t be seeing you all year round.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt a bit embarrassed being teased by a respected headmaster. Profesor Shi, who had spent his entire life in education and research, exuded no worldly desires and was a true schr, deserving utmost respect. As a principal, Professor Shi was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background. At this point, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t appear flustered. He immediatelyughed and replied, ¡°Principal, it seems like you¡¯re chiding me. Perhaps I should visit the school more often? Come and see you more?¡± It was simply a matter of visiting a few more times, and Professor Shiughed heartily, waving his hand and saying, ¡°Let it be. I have heard of your merits. You¡¯re quite a self-made person. Moreover, I have seen your scores fromst term. First in the Chinese department. You are highly appreciated by Professor Qian, the head of your department. Given this, I don¡¯t have much to say.¡± After a short pause, Professor Shi continued, ¡°Zhenbang, this time, I called you here mainly to see what Nie Zhenbang, who is known only by his reputation at Jingcheng University, is really like. Also, the party membership application you submitted has been carefully considered by the party branch of your Chinese Department and the school partymittee. The school has agreed to your application. Go check with Secretary Wang. He is the secretary of the party branch. I will not be involved in this as I am not part of the party.¡± Professor Shi was a democrat and a member of other parties in the country. This feature is unique to Huaxia. Even though the party in power dominates, the multi-party system gives others the right to participate. Although Professor Shi was the principal, he did not have the authority to decide Nie Zhenbang¡¯s party membership. Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was surprised. He hadn¡¯t filled out a party membership application. Suddenly, he was supposed to be a member of the party in the university. He was only 17 years old. At this age, he became a probationary party member, skipping the step of bing an active party member. After a one-year probation period, he could be a full-fledged party member. Bing a party member at 18 would offer Nie Zhenbang an innate advantage on his future political path. If his guess was correct, the party membership application must have been done by his grandfather. Indeed, the elderly are certainly more cunning. Applying for party membership at this time would be just right for his graduation. Once again, he found the office of Professor Wang, the party secretary of Jingcheng University. Professor Wang has a background in economics, and is currently quite aplished in this field. In the domestic economy field, he is undoubtedly one of the top experts. This era¡¯s university is not as superficial as theter ones. The leaders of the school are generally schrly, and the air of administration is not as strong. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Professor Wang signaled for him to sit down and then began speaking, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, from now on, you are an honorable probationary party member. I hope that in future work and study, you will constantly require yourself as a party member. Modest and prudent, pragmatic and enterprising, make contributions to our country¡¯s socialist construction.¡± Of course, these were some formalities and cliched speeches. After finishing, Professor Wangughed at himself, touched his bald head, and jokingly said, ¡°I get nervous whenever I have to use these formalities for procedures. Forget all these, Nie. I¡¯m interested in having a discussion with you about market economics. Although you¡¯re studying Chinese, I think you have an economic talent. The supermarket you¡¯re managing is very advanced and impressive. Do you have any interest in pursuing a masters¡¯ degree after graduating?¡± Nie Zhenbang was truly stunned at this point. considering the credentials of Professor Wang,monly assigned to PhD students, but who was now suggesting that Nie Zhenbang pursue a Masters¡¯ degree, constituted an unparalleled opportunity. Even with Nie¡¯s current background, if Professor Wang did not want to ept him, not even personal pleas from his grandfather would likely sway him. Reflecting on this, Nie Zhenbang realized that he had indeed reaped a rebirth bonus. In any era, the initiator is always sessful. He pioneered a new model of market economy operation in the country; this was an initiative. Being noticed by Professor Wang was not surprising. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt no shame. Since he was reborn, he might as well be brazen for once. Moreover, having a master¡¯s degree would be greatly beneficial to his future. Nie Zhenbang immediately stood up, bowed deeply and said, ¡°Professor Wang, thank you for your praise and guidance. It will be an honor to be your student.¡± The two then chatted about some economic issues. The theories from the future in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind excited Professor Wang so much that he wished he could ept this student immediately. As Nie Zhenbang stepped out of Professor Wang¡¯s office and walked downstairs, an employee from the Wal-Mart Group was already waiting at the door. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, he immediately rushed to him and said, ¡°Mr. Nie, Director Yang asked me to inform you that he has already arranged a dinner with the leaders of Jingcheng Automobile Factory and the National Machinery Work Committee. We¡¯re just waiting for you now..¡± Chapter 58 - 58 National Machinery Committee_l Chapter 58: National Machinery Committee_l Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desire to delve into the automobile industry stemmed from his passions and grievances from his previous life. Most, if not all, men are fascinated by cars; the raw power and the fervor they ignite are irresistible for many men. As for grievances, it lies in the prices of these jointly-owned brands. In effect, if one were to look at imported brands such as Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz and so on, apart from some top-tier models, the prices of average models overseas were not exorbitantly high. However, the cost of imported cars doubled, and even with the factor of tariffs eliminated, the locally manufactured cars from the joint ventures sold for the price of imported automobiles. This was where Nie Zhenbang¡¯s frustrationsy. Of course, there was also the aspect of national policies aimed at protecting the domestic automobile industry. However, Nie Zhenbang believed such protection wasn¡¯t truly beneficial for the industry. The term ¡®innovate to thrive¡¯ aptly applied here. If they aim to invent more patented technologies, and bring about new automotive technologies, they needed to rival the toppetitors. This was what the automobile industry needed, instead of following sheepishly behind others. Otherwise, domestic cars would always be doomed to be second-best. The National Machine Industry Commission, a newly-founded department establishedst year, resulted from the merger between the First and Second Machinery Industry Departments. It oversees the civil machinery and defence industries. If Nie Zhenbang were to get involved in the car business, interaction with the National Machinery Industry Commission, the head authority in this matter, was inevitable. As for Jingcheng Automobile, at this time, they were in heated coboration with the Americanpany, Chrysler, to manufacture the domestically renowned Cherokee. If Nie Zhenbang wanted to seize Audi and snatch the business from FAW, having substantial amounts of US dors was not enough. As a luxury brand owned by Volkswagen, thepany was not in need of funds. Apart from financial aspects, they would mainly consider the production capability and quality of their partner¡¯s products. After all, their brand name would be associated with the joint-produced products; choosing the partner poorly would damage their own reputation. Thus, since Nie Zhenbang had returned and shared this idea with Yang Anbang, Yang Anbang had started to take action. His arrangement to meet the personnel from the National Machinery Industry Commission and Jingcheng Automobile was in preparation for future coborations. For this asion, Yang Anbang arranged the dinner at Quanjude. When Nie Zhenbang arrived, Yang Anbang was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s puzzled expression, Yang Anbangughed and helplessly exined, ¡°Brother, I didn¡¯t have much of a choice. The Premier particrly fancies Quanjude, having selected it as the venue for numerous state banquets. Personally, I¡¯m not ustomed to it. However, the Deputy Director from the National Machinery Industry Commission, our guest of honor tonight, enjoys this ce. So, I¡¯m catering to his preference.¡± The Deputy Director was the former head of the Second Machinery Industry Department, which managed the defense industry. With the merger, he had be the Deputy Director of the new National Machinery Industry Commission. Nie Zhenbang teased at this moment, ¡°Wow, who would¡¯ve thought that even the infamous second young master of the Yang family would have to wait for someone?¡± About five minutester, a military green Cherokee 2500 drove directly to the entrance. A somewhat overweight middle-aged man descended from the back seat. At this time, Yang Anbang stepped up to greet him, ¡°Uncle Fang, thank you for gracing us with your presence. The private room has been prepared. It¡¯s in the ¡®Blessing Hall¡¯ on the second floor. The Peking Duck Banquet you love so much is ready, and the drinks include 30-years old Maotai Liquor. Today, we hope you drink to your heart¡¯s content.¡± Deputy Director Fang was about fifty-five or sixty years old, with a prominent stomach and a hairstyle reminiscent of Mao Zedong¡¯s. This hairstyle wasmon among men of his age in this era. Based on the head of the Yang family¡¯s seniority, Nie Zhenbang should theoretically address him as ¡®Uncle¡¯. However, due to theirck of a close rtionship in Beijing¡¯splex society, they simply used an informal and somewhat ambiguous term. Hearing Yang Anbang¡¯s words, Deputy Director Fangughed heartily, his eyes squinting into fine lines. He patted Yang Anbang¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Ah Anbang, you are now a well-known magnate in the city of the emperors. You¡¯re the tax star among all privately-run enterprises here in Jingcheng. Your dear father, Mayor Yang, praised you to the skies at the People¡¯s Congress. Why be so formal? A casual meal would have sufficed. Speaking, Deputy Director Fang seemed to ignore Nie Zhenbang and walked past him. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care. Now, everyone in the Jingcheng circle knew that Nie Zhenbang was domineering in his actions and was a top figure in the ¡°princes¡± circle. He first punched Zhou Chen and then swept Ou Zheng, in Peng City, he had wiped out a young official. Finally, he snatched Dong Wan from Zhang Xu. His reputation was well-known now. However, that was all hearsay. Nie Zhenbang was not an unreasonable man. To put it inly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character was such that he did not stir trouble nor seek trouble. However, if anyone wanted to climb over him, they had to be prepared to bear his wrath. As for minor issues like Deputy Director Fang¡¯s behavior, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care. At this time, Jingcheng Automobile Factory¡¯s Factory Director L¨¹ had already been waiting in the private room. Seeing Yang Anbang and Deputy Director Fang enter one after the other, Factory Director L¨¹ stood up. He greeted them with a smile saying, ¡°Deputy Director Fang, you are indeed a rare guest. Next time you visit our factory, you must let us serve you. You can¡¯t leave without eating likest time.¡± Jingcheng Automobile Factory was also a state-ownedrge factory. Factory Director L¨¹ held the equivalent position of Secretary-level in the government. He ranked only slightly lower than Deputy Director Fang. Therefore, he was not nervous speaking now. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Deputy Director Fang looked somewhat disdainful at this moment. He asked Yang Anbang, ¡°An Bang, who is this youngrade?¡± At this moment, Yang Anbang wished he could punch Deputy Director Fang. First disdain, and now contempt. If he upset Nie Zhenbang, this dinner would probably be over. Immediately, Yang Anbang also said with a smile: ¡°Uncle Fang, I was negligent. Let me introduce him, this is my brother, Nie Zhenbang.¡± Upon hearing the name ¡°Nie Zhenbang¡±, Deputy Director Fang suddenly stood up, and the contempt on his face disappeared. With a full smile, he said: ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯m really sorry, look, this is really a case of not recognizing family in waters. When the old leader was at the Ministry of the Third Machine, I was his subordinate.¡± Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care too much at this moment. People like Deputy Director Fang were not rare in the society. In his past life, Nie Zhenbang had seen many people like this. When the Nie family was flourishing, many people tried to curry favor. However, as the Nie family fell, those who didn¡¯t kick them while they were down were considered nice. Nie Zhenbang had never met Deputy Director Fang, either in his past life or this one. His im of being a subordinate under the old man was just a polite remark to save face. Nie Zhenbang was not in the mood to care about such a person. He also replied with a smile: ¡°Uncle Fang, you¡¯re too kind. I should be the one saying sorry for not greeting you first. Please don¡¯t mind it.¡± Because they learned about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s identity, it was clear that Deputy Director Fang and Factory Director L¨¹¡¯s attitudes improved a lot. Unlike Yang Anbang, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ferocious reputation was well-known. As it was said, he was the adopted grandson of the former head of state, these people naturally dared not mess with him. After three rounds of drinks, Yang Anbang saw the hint in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes, and immediately stood up and said, ¡°Deputy Director Fang, Factory Director L¨¹, this time, our Wal-Mart Group is nning to set up a joint venture with Volkswagen of Germany to establish Huaxia Audi Automobile Co., Ltd., specifically for the production of Audi cars, to fill the gap in our country¡¯sck of high-end cars. However, as the two leaders know, our Wal-Mart group only has money without a foundation. Therefore, this time, my intention is to hope for a coboration with Jingcheng Automobile. We first establish a joint venture. Then we negotiate with Audi under the name of thispany. We need the full support of the two leaders.¡± Upon hearing this, Factory Director L¨¹ was shocked. Jingcheng Automobile Factory had coborated with Chrysler to produce Jeeps, so he had tasted the sweet fruit of such a venture. Factory Director L¨¹ was very interested and immediately smiled, ¡°Young Master An, you¡¯re too polite. This kind of project gives us at Jingcheng Automobile Factory a great advantage. I warmly wee it. ¡± On the side, Deputy Director Fang nced at Nie Zhenbang. Such a thing involved the auto industry. Under the current situation that the government has not yet formally opened up the auto industry to private enterprises, such cooperation naturally required the approval and recognition of the state machinerymittee. However, Deputy Director Fangughed at this moment and said, ¡°Personally, I fully support this cooperation. That¡¯s it, Young Master An. I will report this when I go back, and then give you a reply, okay?¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Anbang¡¯s face instantly turned cold.. Chapter 59 - 59: Tricked by Zhou Chen_l Chapter 59: Tricked by Zhou Chen_l Trantor: 549690339 Deputy Director Fang¡¯s servile and indecisive demeanor was truly vexing. When asking for a favor, he behaved as if he were godly, and had no qualms about stuffing himself when dining. However, when it was time to reciprocate the favor, he would wipe his mouth clean and refuse tomit to anything. In the circles of Jingcheng, everyone knew Yang Anbang to be a mild and good-hearted man. However, at this moment, Yang Anbang was feeling a bit vexed. It seemed like Deputy Director Fang really did not appreciate kind treatment. You have to understand that regardless of the era, be it this one or the future, those who cause scandals are typically the offspring of average officials or wealthy individuals. These people rely on the reputation carved out by their parents but subsequently lose their way. They look down on nouveau riche, but in reality, to the descendants of the true red families, they too, are considered nouveau riche. Why do the descendants of the red families maintain such a low profile? Aside from the state¡¯s intentional information embargo, the crucial reason is that these individuals generally disdain mistreating the public. To the descendants of the red families, pursuing business and politics, maintaining the family¡¯s glory and building their own careers, these are what truly matter. However, if anyone were to dare block their path forward, the oue would be in to see. Those blocking their path would be sent to their graves. Seeing signs of Yang Anbang¡¯s anger, Nie Zhenbang stepped in to calm him down, attempting to make peace first by saying, ¡°Of course, of course. We can understand why Uncle Fang would act this way, then we will wait for the good news from you.¡± ¡°Zhenbang, why are you holding me back? This Fat Fang really thinks highly of himself. Damnit. If it were the old me, I would¡¯ve pped his face already. He¡¯s talking bureaucracy to me,¡± huffed Yang Anbang with obvious indignation. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t seem irked at all. He watched Deputy Director Fang¡¯s receding figure, pondering before he said, ¡°Brother, making a move against him now would be the most unwise. If word gets out, you will find yourself in an unfavorable position. If you don¡¯t take a stand, others in our circle might mock you for being weak, iming that even a vice-minister can walk all over you. However, if you retaliate, it will be far worse. People will say that your business sess relies solely on oppressive and arrogant tactics and that you are leaning on your father¡¯s power. The choice is up to you.¡± In our circles, no matter how good the rtionship is, no one is willing to take orders from anyone else. Unless it¡¯s someone like Liu Kun, who is remarkably clear in stating his position. Usually, people like Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anbang, who have equivalent status, tend to build their rtionships to close the distance between them. As long as they¡¯re on the same page, the question of whomands whom would not arise. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yang Anbang calmed down a bit, waving his hand dismissively, ¡°I do not believe that without this butcher Fang, I can¡¯t get my hands on a pig.¡± The next day, upon entering the headquarters of Wal-Mart Holdings, Nie Zhenbang walks in to see Liu Kun chatting animatedly with the receptionist. Nie Zhenbang instructed him, ¡°Kun, go investigate Deputy Director Fang from the Machine Workers¡¯ Committee. I want to know who¡¯s backing him.¡± In the official circles, no one would dare to im they don¡¯t belong to a faction. Even the cleanest and most honorable officials would not dare to state they¡¯re loners. Being alone with no connections is a privilege only an emperor can have. Everyone has their own circle of interpersonal rtionships, formed by schoolmates, townspeople, and so on. Those they are close with ount for their faction. Here, just as Nie Zhenbang instructed Liu Kun to investigate Deputy Director Fang, Yang Anbang received a call from Deputy Director Fang in his office. On the other end of the phone, Deputy Director Fang¡¯s voice was as calm as ever, ¡°Hehe, An Bang. I am really sorry. Regarding your matter, I have discussed it with Director Sun of our Machine Workers¡¯ Committee. Director Sun thinks that our Committee does not object. However, the automobile industry is, after all, heavy industry. We simplyck the courage to endorse it over to private enterprises. How about you consult Elder Yang?¡± Hanging up the phone, Yang Anbang felt fury swell up inside of him. This old fox ¨C saying something was the same as saying nothing! If I wanted to ask my father, would I have even needed his permission? This was the most critical moment in the struggle. Whether it¡¯s the head of state, the Nie family, the Yang family, or the entire reformist faction, they had all reached a kind of tacit agreement. Progress slowly. Absolutely do not give the conservative faction a sense of despair. If so, the country might end up in chaos. So, there was no problem with Yang Anbang running some supermarkets. However, letting Yang Anbang get involved in the automobile industry would be enough to provoke Comrade Xuri. Whether this proposal could be approved was another question. If approved, Comrade Xuri would lose face and might do something extreme. If not approved, the face of the reformists, even the face of the head of state, would also be lost. Seeing Nie Zhenbang walk in from outside, Yang Anbang spread his hands, sat down and said solemnly, ¡°It fell through. That damn thing told me to go talk to my father. If I could go, I wouldn¡¯t need his help. I¡¯m afraid this thing can¡¯t be done.¡± But Nie Zhenbang smiled at this moment. He had already expected this sincest night. As expected, he looked at it today and then said with a lightugh, ¡°Yang, you¡¯ve worked yourself into a corner. Who cares if the Jigong Committee doesn¡¯t agree? We continue as nned. We don¡¯t show our faces, that¡¯s all. As long as Lv Qingjun dares to act, what are we afraid of?¡± Hearing this, Yang Anbang had a sudden sense of rity and immediately stood up and said, ¡°Zhenbang, let¡¯s go together to Jingcheng Automobile. I don¡¯t believe that Lv Qingjun would dare to refuse our request. If he does refuse, we¡¯ll find someone who dares to do it. After some persuasion and with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s assurance, Lv Qingjun¡¯s expression changed, he clenched his teeth and finally agreed. On the surface, Jingcheng Automobiles would negotiate with Audi Company as Huaxia¡¯s partner. Behind the scenes, Wal-Mart would infuse 1.6 billion RMB into the newpany established by Jingcheng Automobiles. Jingcheng Automobiles would hold 49 percent of the shares in exchange for its production base and technical personnel. Wal-Mart would hold 51 percent of the shares. With the signing of the agreement, the struggle in Lv Qingjun¡¯s heart was alsoid to rest. The thing was already at this point. Anything else didn¡¯t matter. If it was meant to fail, so be it. At this point, Lv Qingjun rxed, walked up, and extended a hand, ¡°Young Lord Nie, Young Lord Yang. From now on, we are friends in the same trench.¡¯ ¡°Factory Director L¨¹, let¡¯s enjoy our cooperation. I think, with the two of us escorting you, I guarantee that no one dares to touch your position. Factory Director L¨¹, prepare. The business representative from Audi Company will be here in a few days.¡± Yang Anbang said with augh. With the signing of the contract, the final obstacle for Wal-Mart entering the automobile industry was removed. As for the cooperation with Audi, Yang Anbang already took it for granted. With arge sum of money being injected into Jingcheng Automobile by Wal-Mart, Jingcheng Automobiles began to make big moves. With the full support of Elder Yang, the deputy mayor of Jingcheng, Jingcheng Automobiles quicklypleted the transformation from a factory to apany. The new Jingcheng Automobile Holding Co., Ltd. was officially established. At the same time, in the suburbs of Jingcheng, Jingcheng Automobile purchased 5,000 acres ofnd to build a new production base. Three days passed quickly. During these days, Jingcheng Automobiles became the focus of attention not only in Jingcheng but throughout the whole country. Everyone was wondering how Jingcheng Automobiles, which was merely a second-rate automobile enterprise in the country and was neither FAW Group nor SAIC, could suddenly make such a big move. At this moment, in the banquet hall of the Capital Restaurant, Nie Zhenbang, Yang Anbang, and the top executives of Jingcheng Automobilepany had already gathered. A long banner was hung above the banquet hall, reading ¡®Wee Mr. William, the Business Negotiating Representative of Germany¡¯s Audi Automobile Company, to Jingcheng Automobile Company¡¯. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang looked at his watch somewhat irritably. It was already half past ten in the morning. ording to the schedule, he should have arrived. However, there was no sign of William. Could something have happened? Just thinking about this, some staff members of Jingcheng Automobiles rushed in from outside. As soon as they entered, they shouted, ¡°Bad news, General Manager Lv. Mr. William has been picked up by someone from FAW.¡± At this time, Liu Kun also walked in from outside. Seeing the entire venue in silence, Liu Kun shivered, then walked to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°Brother Nie, I have checked it out. This Mr. Fang is from the Zhou family.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang realized that he had been set up by Zhou Chen.. Chapter 60 - 60 Counterattack! _1 Chapter 60: Counterattack! _1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Damn it, I¡¯ve been screwed over by that Zhou Chen.¡± Despite Nie Zhenbang generally having a calm and elegant demeanor, at this moment, he erupted with an explicit outburst. ¡°What do you mean by screwed over? Do you know something, third brother?¡± At his side, Yang Anbang and Lv Qingjun also walked over, their expressions serious. This time around, it involves major stakes and substantial investments. The entire Wal-Mart Holdings had practically thrown in all their liquid assets, including the money Nie Zhenbang had procured from the Soviet Union. Thankfully, with the ongoing influx of funds facilitated by Nie Zhenbang, they didn¡¯t need to worry about their capital flow. However, with such a massive investment, they couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch things unravel. If word got out, it would mean a great loss of face for both Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anbang. Lv Qingjun was even more anxious. He had taken significant risks for this coboration. If it wasn¡¯t for the backing of Vice Mayor Yang Shengli, the deal might not have even been possible. If this coboration worked out, there wouldn¡¯t be much to worry about. But, if it fell through, that would probably mean the end for him. Nie Zhenbang, currently in a foul mood, snorted coldly and stopped speaking. At his side, Liu Kun exined: ¡°We¡¯ve just found out. The one causing trouble was Zhou Chen. That Fat Fang is one of Zhou family¡¯s men. Likely, he was aware of the animosity between the Third brother and Zhou Chen. This time, it must have been Fat Fang who tipped off Zhou Xiaoshe. Consequently, Zhou Xiaoshe remotely orchestrated the departure of Audi Company¡¯s representatives from Chunan Province.¡± In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n, the minimum stake they were nning to negotiate with Audi Company was 51%. However, FAW could offer equivalent shares. Regardless of what a mere 1% difference appears to be, the concepts signified by the two figures were entirely different¡ªone represents majority control, the other symbolizes equal partnership. In addition, FAW¡¯s infrastructure and industrial standards exceeded those of Jingcheng Automobile. At the moment, FAW wasunching a new engine project with Chrysler which could easily be integrated into Audi models. Given this, if they tried to intercept William now, it would merely ce them in a disadvantageous position. ¡°Damn, I knew that Fat Fang was no good. I won¡¯t forget about Zhou Xiaoshe. Once I¡¯m back in Jingcheng, he better not provoke me,¡± Yang Anbang grumbled aggressively. Nie Zhenbang, however, offhandedly sat on a table and calmly said, ¡°We will deal with Zhou Xiaosheter, plenty of opportunities will arise in the future. But this time after the sabotage by Fat Fang, you must retake the initiative, Second brother. Otherwise, all sorts of unsavory characters will ride roughshod over us. Besides, FAW will produce Audi vehicles targeting government procurements, right? I would like to see if the Zhou family has such influence.¡± Turned back to Lv Qingjun, Nie Zhenbang said: ¡°Mr. Lv, you don¡¯t need to worry too much. The world isn¡¯t only Audi. There are still two automotive giants in Germany who haven¡¯t participated. Besides, there is also the United States, General Motors, Ford. Thesepanies are all internationally well-known. Let them upy Audi. We can seek to cooperate with Mercedes, BMW. If it goes really south, we can also partner with Cadic.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words brought rity to Yang Anbang. Previously, it seemed as if Yang Anbang had gotten himself trapped in a corner, where the world would end if Audi pulled out. At this moment, Yang Anbang nodded and said: ¡°That¡¯s right, the third brother makes a good point. Boss Lv, our new base will continue construction as nned and aims to bepleted as soon as possible ording to world standards. They think they¡¯re powerful with Audi? We can counter this by inviting global partners under the name of Jingcheng Automobile. There are plenty of top brands in the world. We might even be able to attract Rolls-Royce.¡± Of course, as the top luxury brand in the auto industry and a renowned handmade carpany, Rolls-Royce certainly wouldn¡¯te. However, since Audi has also made their move, it is likely that Daimler Company, the Bavarian Machinery Manufacturing Co., Ltd., General Motors, Ford, as well as Huaxia¡¯s neighbors, Japan¡¯s Toyota, Honda and Nissan, would show great interest. Then, it wouldn¡¯t be like they were sitting ducks just waiting to be taken advantage of. Yang Anbang was always a person who dared to think and act. Immediately, he turned to Lv Qingjun and said: ¡°Mr. Lv, when you go back, organize a strong team to promote the history and current status of Jingcheng Automobile. Additionally, make our new base presentable and create a set of beautifully designed promotional brochures to distribute to all the globally renowned car manufacturers. I don¡¯t believe Zhou Xiaoshe could intercept all the manufacturers this time.¡¯ With a professional like Lv Qingjun involved, there was naturally no need to worry about Jingcheng Motor nt. When the timees, all Nie Zhenbang would need to do was just steer the ship during the final stages of negotiation. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anbang were sitting in the office of Yang Shengli¡ªthe Deputy Secretary of the Jingcheng Municipal Committee and the Executive Mayor of the Jingcheng Municipal Government. Yang Shengli¡¯s secretary had just poured them each a cup of Biluochun tea and then smiled, saying, ¡°Master Nie, Master Yang, the mayor will be back soon. I will leave you two to chat.¡± She then excused herself and left. They hade to seek Yang Shengli¡¯s help. After all, they were dealing with a vice-ministerial level cadre, and unless they were to approach the elder directly, they were currently incapable of influencing the decision of the Central Organization Department on their own. Hence, among those in Jingcheng, Yang Shengli was the most suitable candidate. ¡°Ah, the premium Da Hong Pao from the elder¡¯s ce always tastes the best,¡¯ remarked Yang Anbang after lounging in his chair, his feet on the coffee table, ck and seemingly at ease, with a total disregard for decorum. Just then, the sound of the door opening signaled Yang Shengli¡¯s return. Seeing Yang Anbang in such a state, he quickly chided, ¡°Lousy brat, show some manners. This isn¡¯t your home. Sit properly.¡± Nie Zhenbang also stood up promptly, ¡°Uncle Shengli.¡± The Yang family had always fostered a strict culture towards boys but spoiled the girls. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yang Shengli gave a friendly nod, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re here too. You¡¯re here about Audi, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ve also heard about it. This time, FAW has certainly stepped out of line.¡± As the Executive Mayor of Jingcheng, and with Jingcheng Motors a city-controlled enterprise, Yang Shengli was in favor of the cooperation between Audi and Jingcheng Motors. This time, having their business snatched away by First Auto Work left the Jingcheng government somewhat displeased. However, FAW was, after all, arge state-owned enterprise directly under the central government and outside his jurisdiction. Although they were unhappy, there was little the Jingcheng authorities could do in response. At this point, Nie Zhenbang spoke up, ¡°Uncle Shengli, I think it might be a blessing in disguise. Without Audi, we still have Mercedes, BMW, Cadic, and a few Japanesepanies to choose from. We are already in the process of initiating these possibilities. However, having Jingcheng Municipal Government¡¯s support will greatly increase our chance of sess. Right now, we¡¯re targeting Fat Fang.¡± Hearing this, Yang Shengli couldn¡¯t fail to understand what was going on. He smiled and, looking at Nie Zhenbang with a sense of appreciation, he waved his hand while grinning and said, ¡°Alright, alright. You think I¡¯m not aware of your little schemes? Just leave this matter to me.¡± Aside from the factor of FAW snatching their business, this time round, the Zhou family had intervened as a neutral party and used a vice-minister level cadre as an insider. It was indeed a somewhat excessive move. If the reformists didn¡¯t hit back, the neutral party would likely sway towards the conservatives. Even when not considering personal grievances, taking action against Fat Fang was inevitable. With Yang Shengli¡¯s influence, the Central Organization Department quickly made adjustment ns. Fat Fang was transferred to the Ministry of Agriculture as the fourth-ranking deputy minister¡ªa fairly quiet post. Simultaneously, Liu Kun¡¯s father, previously the party secretary of West City District, was promoted to Deputy Director of the National Machine Workers Committee, recing Fat Fang¡¯s position. By this time, after nearly a month of preparation, the supplies that Nie Zhenbang needed were basically ready. This meant Nie Zhenbang¡¯s second journey to the Soviet Union was not far off.. Chapter 61 - 61 Return to Soviet Union_l Chapter 61: Return to Soviet Union_l Trantor: 549690339 Toothpaste,undry detergent, small household appliances, refrigerators, televisions, washing machines, air conditioners, clothes, food and grains ¡ª these were the items that Nie Zhenbang had managed to produce in various light industry factories nationwide over the course of a month, thanks to his old man¡¯s connections. A whole trainload of goods, gathered from all over the country and then stationed in Jingcheng. Under the old man¡¯s order, the Jingcheng City Military District dispatched troops to attach the sign of a military train, and it slowly started from Jingcheng railway station, bound for Manzhouli deep in the northern desert. Nie Zhenbang, along with Liu Kun and Long, had also boarded the train to Manzhouli. The train journey took a day and a night. By the time Nie Zhenbang arrived in Manzhouli, it was already daybreak. As he got off the train, Yuan Xinghua came forward to greet him. Upon seeing Yuan, Nie also quickened his pace. Although in terms of official positions, he was just a civilian who relied on the power of his elders; and in terms of age and rtionship, Yuan was his elder. Yuan meeting him was certainly due to this being the first operation between Huaxia and the Soviet Union, but there was also a certain attitude demonstrated by Yuan. ¡°Uncle Yuan, your actions have put me in a very awkward position.¡± Nie Zhenbang said, lowering his posture as soon as he started speaking. The saying that small details matter often determines a person¡¯s fate, perhaps it¡¯s these small details that matter. Yuan Xinghua alsoughed loudly at this moment, patted Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder, and said with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re too polite. Your Uncle Yuan is a soldier. Soldiers don¡¯t care about these formalities. Your Uncle Yuan may be rough, but he truly admires what you¡¯ve done. Otherwise, I would not have given you Long and Tiger ¨C two elite men. Come, rest at my home for a day, we have a lot of things to do tonight. I¡¯ve heard that the military is being frequently mobilized in the Chita region. It seems they are also fully prepared.¡± Wee hours of the night By now, the entire Manzhouli Railway Station had been put under martialw by the Border Defense Ninth Army stationed here. A train slowly came out from within the station. At this moment, the original standard track had been changed to the broader gauge used by the Soviet Union. Since the breakup of China-soviet rtions, this was the first broad gauge train that slowly entered Manzhouli Railway Station¡¯s broad gauge railway. Next, Nie Zhenbang, Liu Kun and the others who were waiting at the tform immediately followed and boarded the train. A soft sleeperpartment was specially attached behind the lotive. At the same time, soldiers from the Ninth Army were stationed on every freight car, fully armed, and looking solemn. At this moment, Yuan Xinghua, in military uniform, watched the train with a serious look and said in a deep voice, ¡°Give my order. Open the broad gauge barrier. Full-scale martialw.¡± Although both parties in the transaction were military, under such circumstances, necessary martialw and confidentiality were still essential. First, this is not something glorious. Simply put, this is typical smuggling. It¡¯s just that the smugglers are the officials of Huaxia on one side and high-ranking Soviet officials on the other. Second, at this time, China-soviet rtions are in a delicate period. If it bes known to all, it will not only affect Huaxia¡¯s international reputation and status, but also have some unpredictable effects on between the two countries. As the train slowly moved, it soon approached the border line. At this moment, the green safety signal light lit up on the other side¡¯s originally tightly closed and blocked tracks. At this moment, on the Soviet side, the perimeter was also full of soldiers. Seeing the situation outside, Nie Zhenbang nodded in satisfaction. It seems that Alexander Shevchenko and Mikhail were quite experienced in such matters. As the train entered Soviet territory, it immediately switched to the Soviet code. At this point, from the outside, there was no difference between this train and the ones from the Soviet Union. At the same time, the train slowly headed towards the Chita Train Station. As the train traveled a certain distance, the Soviet military gradually withdrew. They quickly disappeared into the dark night. Like Huaxia, at this moment, the cargo station in Chita was surrounded by soldiers from the Siberian military region, with the security perimeter being set two kilometers away. As the train pulled into the station and came to a steady halt, quite a few people were already standing on the tform. A quick sweep of his eyes, and Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but smile, turning to Liu Kun beside him: ¡°Kun, it seems these people are more anxious than us. Every single one of them is here.¡± At the front, Mikhail and Gano stood together, and next to them were the two young men Andrei Levski and Alexander Shevchenko. To Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, Li Lixue was also standing there. Tiger, at this moment, was doing his best to stand beside Li Lixue. As soon as he got off the train, Ganokovich, a little drama king, came up with an exaggerated wee and gave Nie Zhenbang a firm bear hug. Then heughed and said, ¡°Nie, my dear brother, you¡¯re finally here. We can hardly wait. In your Huaxianguage, we are anxiously looking forward to your arrival. ¡± Thest idiom he said actually in Mandarin, which made Nie Zhenbang startled. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reaction, Ganokovich seemed very proud andughed: ¡°Ha ha, didn¡¯t expect this, did you? I can speak Chinese now. This is my sister¡¯s achievement in the past month.¡± Beside them, Mikhail also came over. Unlike the enthusiastic greeting from Ganokovich, which was obviously due to the rtionship between the Ganokovich and Nie families, Mikhail also had an excited smile on his face. But his behavior was much more restrained than Ganokovich¡¯s. Simrly, Mikhail began in Mandarin, ¡°Nie, you¡¯re here!¡± Then Mikhail continued in Russian: ¡°Nie, ording to your n, the first batch of the deal. We have prepared a million dors¡¯ worth of weapons for you. Among them, there are a total of 50 ,ooo AK-47 automatic assault rifles. Each gunes with 10,000 rounds of ammunition. Moreover, we have also prepared RPG-7 40mm individual rocketunchers, as well as RPG-18 64mm rocketunchers, as well as the corresponding shells. The estimated value is neither more nor less.¡± This being their first trade, it was unrealistic to ask these people, who hadn¡¯t yet tasted the sweetness of making money or really gotten their feet wet, to deal with tanks, nes or even aircraft carriers. Rubles weren¡¯t even worth mentioning; these people were basically penniless. Where would they get any rubles? The most they could manage were these items. Given the status of Andrei Levski¡¯s grandfather, obtaining these weapons was not a problem for them. Even if the military factories were out, they could easily justify a batch being lost due to standard wear and tear by the Siberian military region. ¡°Well done, guys, you have exceeded my expectations. The entire train is filled with goods worth a million dors. There are clothes, food, electric appliances, daily necessities, anything one can ask for. These items are in high demand in the Soviet Union right now. I believe, after these goods are transported to Moscow, you will make tens of millions of dors in profit overnight. Guys, do we have any wine here? Let¡¯s celebrate our sess with the fiery spirit of vodka.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care how cheesy his words sounded. He was like a ponzi scheme salesman, trying to stimte the profit-seeking cells in these men¡¯s brains. Ganokovich quickly brought a bottle of vodka in from the station. Everyone poured a ss and raised them high, shouting in unison, ¡°Ura! Ura!!¡± At this point, the two trains had finished switching engines. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s soft sleeper car was attached to the armament train. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s private car, Mikhail¡¯s eyes lit up, and heughed, ¡°Nie, you really know how to enjoy life. I believe, next time wee, we will certainly have our own private car as well.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, waving his finger and said, ¡°No, Mikhail, you should have full confidence in yourself. I believe, we are not far from having our own private jet in the future. Isn¡¯t it?¡± After the first trade, naturally, they agreed on the next trade time. However, next time, what Nie Zhenbang would need is not just weapons. Half of it would be cash. After a brief exchange, both parties knew this was not the time for mere pleasantries, they got on the train with a tacit understanding. Naturally, Li Lixue also joined Nie Zhenbang on the return train. Once on the train, Li Lixue took out a folder from her bag and handed it to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Master Nie, this is the record of the transaction. Four hundred million Rubles have all been exchanged for US dors. Apart from the two hundred million US dors deposited into that ount at the Swiss Bank, the rest, as per your instruction, I have opened a secret ount for you in the Swiss bank, and the remaining one hundred thirty million is all there.¡± At this moment, Li Lixue looked up at Nie Zhenbang and said: ¡°Master Nie, I have a favor to ask from you.. May I?¡± Chapter 62 - 62: Female Ruffian_l Chapter 62: Female Ruffian_l Trantor: 549690339 Li Lixue¡¯s statement not only stunned Nie Zhenbang, but also Liu Kun, Long, and Tiger who were standing nearby, their mouths gaping open. This was particrly true for Tiger. As Li Lixue¡¯s bodyguard for a while, he had witnessed her bravado and decisiveness in the Soviet Union. Her audacity, even men would cower. This woman, such a strong person, she actually pleads for help too? ¡°What are you looking at? Haven¡¯t you seen it before?¡± After saying this, Li Lixue also began to feel somewhat embarrassed. In front of Nie Zhenbang, Li Lixue was quite a character. More importantly, the reason why Li Lixue was gentle in front of Nie Zhenbang had nothing to do with his power. Rather, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s series of actions deeply impressed her. Compared to the chain of military equipment exchanges, what she and her dealer colleagues did seemed to be child¡¯s y. Despite this, Li Lixue¡¯s admiration for Nie Zhenbang outstripping any fear she felt. Even more so when facing people like Liu Kun. Seeing Liu Kun¡¯s reactions, Li Lixue red at him annoyed, but started to speak. At this moment, Liu Kun chuckled awkwardly: ¡°Hehe, Li Xue, I was just curious. What exactly are you asking for Zhenbang?¡± The expectation in Li Lixue¡¯s eyes made Nie Zhenbang curious too. A woman like her could rightfully be termed extraordinary. At the moment, however, Nie Zhenbang only gave a slight smile and said, ¡°Li Xue, you¡¯re helping with my work now, there¡¯s no need for such formality. Just call me Zhenbang and speak freely.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang turned to Long and Tiger. ¡°Long, Tiger; you¡¯re both retired. We don¡¯t need to stand on ceremony between us.¡± Long cast a nce at Li Lixue, touched by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. Being a military elite, a Soldier King, both Long and Tiger had carried out many security tasks over the years. They had protected individuals like Nie Zhenbang on many asions. However, Nie Zhenbang was the only one who treated them as equals, stirring within them a strong sense of loyalty even unto death. Looking at each other, Long and Tiger both responded in unison, ¡°Young Master, decorum should not be discarded. We understand your intentions, but this is our respect for you.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s agreement, Li Lixue hesitated. After a moment of silence, she said, ¡°OK, from now on I¡¯ll call you Zhenbang. I hope you can apany me back to my hometown. Will you?¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback again. What did Li Lixue mean by this? To use his status and power to return home in triumph? He quickly dismissed this idea. For someone like Li Lixue, who seemed so detached from society, ttery was uncharacteristic, especially since he had always kept a low profile. What could be the real reason? Unable to figure it out, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t press Li Lixue further. Everyone has a secret. This wasn¡¯t a big deal. Then, Nie Zhenbang nodded. ¡°Fine, After the train arrives in Manzhouli, I will apany you. Where exactly is your hometown?¡± Upon seeing that Nie Zhenbang did not delve deeper into her situation, Li Lixue visibly rxed, responding, ¡°I¡¯m from Enluo Township in Eguna City.¡± The train soon arrived in Manzhouli. After Nie Zhenbang and his party alighted, the military convoy will head south again, arriving in Jingcheng where Nie Zhenbang will decide how to handle the consignment. Now, Nie Zhenbang made a call to Yuan Xinghua. Borrowing an off-road jeep from the Ninth Army, their team set off for Eguna City. Eguna City lies on the edge of Daxing Ridge, being the longest city bordering the Soviet Union in the entire Hulun City. The distance from Manzhouli is approximately three hundred kilometers. They were lucky to have Long and Tiger, two locals who had a deep understanding of the area. After forming up on national highway 31 and travelling a few dozen kilometers, they entered provincial road 021. Throughout the journey, since they were traveling overnight, the speed was kept low. By the time they arrived at Enluo Township, it was early morning. At this moment, Li Lixue became agitated for the first time. Because of homesickness, Nie Zhenbang noticed that Li Lixue was trembling slightly. In Enluo Township, more than ny percent of the poption was Russian. Russian-style buildings were spread all over the town. Under Li Lixue¡¯s guidance, the car stopped in front of a wooden house at the tail end of the town. At this moment, quite a few locals who were already up had noticed. Seeing Li Lixue step out of the car, many of them paused before subsequently crowding around her. ¡°Evelina, howe you¡¯re back? Quick, get out of here. It won¡¯t be long before you can¡¯t anymore. The local police are still searching for you,¡± said a sympathetic older woman, attired in typical robust Russian clothing, yet speaking fluent Mandarin with a Northeastern ent. ¡°Lixue, you should get going. Your younger brother¡¯s in prison right now. The year after you left, he was sentenced. used of harboring criminals and hooliganism. If it weren¡¯t for our opposition and the preferential policy for ethnic minorities, he¡¯d probably have been shot dead already. Now he¡¯s sentenced to fifteen years. You can¡¯t let him serve this sentence for nothing,¡± another old man advised. Upon hearing these words, tears welled up in Li Lixue¡¯s eyes. At that moment, the door to Li Lixue¡¯s home swung open from the inside. Themotion outside had alerted her family. A woman in her forties walked out of the house. At the sight of Li Lixue, the woman paused, rubbed her eyes, and then rushed over, saying, ¡°Lixue, my Lixue, how did you get back? My child.¡± Although the woman was also dressed in traditional Russian attire, she was Han Chinese, exining Li Lixue¡¯s beauty. She likely inherited her mother¡¯s Li surname. After her initial thrill, Li Lixue¡¯s mother released her and anxiously said, ¡°Lixue, go see your grandmother and leave quickly. Right now, they¡¯re still after you. You must leave immediately. It¡¯ll be toote if they receive the news.¡± Li Lixue whimpered, abruptly knelt down and said, ¡°Mom, it¡¯s all my fault. Everything is my mistake. If not for me, Dad wouldn¡¯t have died, and my brother wouldn¡¯t be in jail. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± At that moment, when the noise outside reached a certain level, a Russian woman in her sixties emerged from the house. She had a pronounced brow bone and had a stumbling gait. The old woman was blind. Perhaps because of her blindness, the old woman¡¯s hearing was sharp. Struggling to navigate the steps, she called out, ¡°Yuehong, Yuehong, is Lixue back? Is it Lixue? Is it my Evelina?¡± Upon hearing the old woman¡¯s voice, Li Lixue promptly stood and rushed over, shouting, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯s me. Your Evelina is back.¡± At that moment, Nie Zhenbang was puzzled. He wondered about the reason that led Li Lixue to be unable to return home. No wonder she fled to Manzhouli, no wonder she was working so hard to earn money. But, Nie Zhenbang was sure that after the time he spent understanding and interacting with her, Li Lixue was definitely not a bad person. So, why were the local police chasing her? While Nie Zhenbang was deep in thought, at that moment, five or six policemen, dressed in uniform and wearing broad-brimmed hats, were running towards them with an air of aggression from the street. The main street in Enluo Township was only five hundred meters long. Within a few tens of seconds, these officers had surrounded Li Lixue¡¯s family. One of the officers, looking coldly at Li Lixue who was embracing the old woman, dered sternly, ¡°Li Lixue, so you¡¯re back. I¡¯m from Enluo Township Police Station, and I dere, you¡¯re officially under arrest for hooliganism..¡± Chapter 63 - 63 The Master Has Arrived_1 Chapter 63: The Master Has Arrived_1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 63: The Rightful Person Has Arrived ¡°Hooligan crime?¡± Upon hearing this, both Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun burst intoughter on the spot. Liu Kun, with no regard for decorum, was holding his belly andughing hysterically. He pointed at Li Lixue, said, ¡°Hooligan crime? Her? Did she rape you? With a guy like you, does she even need to harass you?¡± ¡°Insolence! Who do you think you are, daring to openly obstructw enforcement? Keep messing around, and we won¡¯t hesitate to arrest you too, charging you with contempt of state authority!¡± Liu Kun¡¯s behavior and tone had infuriated the leading police officer. The officer red fiercely at Liu Kun, speaking with an utmost severity. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang remained calm, this matter seemed to be getting more and more interesting. He didn¡¯t know if Li Lixue was a virgin, nor did he have the ability to judge a woman¡¯s virginity based solely on their appearance. From his understanding of Li Lixue and from the attitude she disyed in recent months, she was without doubt a woman of self-respect and dignity. Hepletely refused to believe she wouldmit a hooligan crime. The ¡®hooligan crime¡¯ as defined in the nationalw, refers to behaviors such as participating in brawls, causing trouble, insulting women or engaging in other hooligan activities causing severe disruption to public order. But no matter how Nie Zhenbang looked at it, he couldn¡¯t find any hooligan behavior by Li Lixue. It seemed like yet another example of civilians being oppressed by those with power and authority. ¡°Oh, arrest me? I don¡¯t believe this, from childhood till now, no one has ever dared to say this to me. Here I am now, go ahead and try to arrest me.¡± Liu Kun might look obliging when following Nie Zhenbang¡¯smand, but on his own, Liu Kun was quite influential. In addition, his father had recently risen in ranks, so in Jingcheng, Liu Kun also held a rtively significant position. As Liu Kun spoke in his characteristic Jingcheng ent and with Long and Tiger watchfully standing nearby, the few policemen from the station also started to have second thoughts. This was all due to their strong demeanor. These men, who dealt with criminals on a regr basis and had a deep understanding of society, sure had quite the discerning eyes. Someone¡¯s true nature couldn¡¯t be hidden, and the guy standing in front of them was either a madman or someone they couldn¡¯t afford to offend. ¡°Gu Suo, don¡¯t be impulsive, take a look at those two guards, they¡¯re much better than us. That jeep on the side, it¡¯s got the Ninth Border Army¡¯s ques, these guys must be pretty serious. We can¡¯t afford it. In this situation, it¡¯s better for us to guard here while you go inform Xu Jingui. We just have to prevent her from running away, whether or not we can take her away depends on Xu Jingui¡¯s ability.¡± A policeman muttered quiet words of advice into the ear of the lead officer. Gu Suo nced at the military vehicle, took measure of Long and Tiger¡¯s formidable physique, and their seemingly ready-to-fight stance. Gu Suo, who was also a veteran, noticed these signs. After pondering for a moment, he nodded and said, ¡°Xiao Wang, you keep a close eye on her. Don¡¯t let this woman escape. If she does, we will all be responsible for it.¡± Having said this, Gu Suo immediately ran towards the police station while Xiao Wang, the cop he¡¯d addressed, approached the group and said, ¡°Gentlemen, we¡¯re just obeying orders from above. We can refrain from arresting her, but we ask for your understanding and cooperation to stay here and wait. If anyone attempts to run, don¡¯t me us for being inhospitable.¡± By this time, Li Lixue had also stood up. As she looked at Nie Zhenbang, she felt a bit guilty, aware that she had manipted the situation. Noticing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s notable displeasure, Li Lixue bowed her head and whispered, ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯m sorry. I know you¡¯re not an ordinary person. As I¡¯ve thought about it from every angle, it seems like you¡¯re the only one who can solve this problem for me¡­ If¡­if you don¡¯t want to get involved in the mess, 1¡¯11¡­1¡¯11 face it by myself. But I hope you could give ten thousand dors to my mother. If there¡¯s a chance in future, even if it means being a cow or horse, I will repay you.¡± Nie Zhenbang appeared unppable, showing no signs of emotional fluctuation as he stared at Li Lixue, ¡°Li Lixue, honestly, I despise women who y mind games in front of me. How do you know that if you told me directly, I wouldn¡¯t stand up for you? As for money, I can give it to you right away.¡± Having said that, Nie Zhenbang turned to Tiger, ¡°Tiger, get $100,000 from the car. Consider it Li Lixue¡¯s sry.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Lixue¡¯s face turned deathly pale, and despair overtook her. Seeing Li Lixue¡¯s reaction, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Li Lixue, consider this an advance on your sry. I don¡¯t want to see this kind of situation again. If it happens again, I won¡¯t be so courteous.¡± All present were shocked by the $100,000. However, Li Lixue, staring unbelievingly at Nie Zhenbang, paused for a while and quickly said, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡­you¡¯re willing to help me? Thank you, thank you. I thank you on behalf of my whole family.¡± Looking at Li Lixue in her state of disarray, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t feel he was overly harsh. While Li Lixue¡¯s beauty was undeniable, Nie Zhenbang had been skeptical from the start. Now he had a pretty good idea what was going on. If he didn¡¯t want to help, he wouldn¡¯t havee over at all. Right now, he just was giving Li Lixue a warning. After all, what Li Lixue was doing was extremely important to him, and with their transaction getting deeper, there might be highly confidential things involved in the future. Indulgence now could lead to major problemster. Nie Zhenbang preferred to be proactive, taking precautions before anything happened. Within an hour, two military-green Cherokees were tearing towards them at high speed, only slowing down and screeching to a halt as they neared. The piercing squeals of the brakes were only silenced when the cars came to a rest, and six or seven young men descended from the vehicles. The leader, adorned in a white suit and sporting an elegant demeanor, had a slick parting in his hair, resplendent from the generous application of mousse. The leader was quite handsome, but a risible gap in his smile from a missing front tooth made him stand out. Upon seeing Li Lixue standing beside Nie Zhenbang, the young man¡¯s eyes lit up. After giving Nie Zhenbang a disdainful nce, he turned his attention to Li Lixue. With a raspy voice, he began, ¡°Li Xue, I¡¯ve said, why bother hiding for so many years? I truly love you. Look, your father died because of this, and your brother has been jailed too. Do you really have the heart to continue this? Follow me, I promise to get your brother out immediately. From then on, your family can enjoy the best life in the entire Enluo Township and Eguna City.¡± Li Lixue¡¯s face hardened at these words, her voice filled with anger, ¡°Xu Jingui, stop dreaming! It was you who drove my father to his death. It was you who sent my younger brother to jail for some trumped-up punk charges. What could a fourteen-year-old child do to deserve that? Everyone knows what sort of person you are, not just in Eguna City! I would rather die than be with you. Stop deluding yourself.¡± ¡°Jingui, stop waste time bbering with this whore. I¡¯d say just take her back, put her to bed, and settle everything. Why prolong matters? Your chasing her for seven years has not been easy. This time, you should seize the opportunity and not let the bitch get away,¡± a young man from the side looked at Li Lixue dismissively and guffawed. Listening to him spouting obscenities, ¡°whore¡± and ¡°bitch,¡± rage welled up in Nie Zhenbang. After all, Li Lixue was with him, being insulted in this way would be a matter of his reputation as well. Liu Kun jumped in immediately, unable to contain his rage, ¡°Boy! Who are you cursing? Has your mouth been filled with shit when you were born, or what? Have you no manners? Didn¡¯t your family teach you the Five Stresses and Four Beauties?¡± Hearing Liu Kun¡¯s interjection, Xu Jingui¡¯s face darkened. He had been waiting for an opportunity to act.. Seizing the moment, he ordered, ¡°Boys, get this punk! ¡° Chapter 64 - 64 Don’t Mess Around 1 Chapter 64: Don¡¯t Mess Around 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 64 ¨C Don¡¯t Mess Around Seeing the recklessness of this young Xu, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow creased. Although at this moment he had Long and Tiger with him, and he himself wouldn¡¯t be facing any substantial harm. However, in this world, it¡¯s not themon dangers but the unexpected ones that one fears. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang murmured, ¡°Kun, this kid seems to have a solid backing. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t dare to act so outrageously in Eguna City. You should call Liang Ligui right away and inform him about our situation. And see if he has anyone in Eguna.¡± Though turning to Yuan Xinghua could also help resolve such a troublesome situation, considering the defense zones, this location fell under the jurisdiction of the 21st Border Defense Army. Going to Yuan Xinghua would inevitably involve ayer ofmunication and although things can be resolved, it would indebt Yuan Xinghua to someone else. In this world, emotional debts are easy to umte but hard to repay. Thus, Nie Zhenbang did not consider Yuan Xinghua¡¯s side at this moment. Instead, he focused on Governor Liang of Caoyuan province. After thest incident, Deputy Secretary Liang rushed to Jingcheng the next day. After meeting with the old man and Deputy Prime Minister Huang, Liang was satisfactorily appointed as the official Secretary. Naturally, at this moment, Governor Liang was sort of a Nie family faction¡¯s man. Within the jurisdiction of Caoyuan Province, this was a rtionship that should not be wasted. In the meantime, at themand of this young Xu, a group of people had already rushed forward. Long and Tiger stepped up to the forefront. Looking at these people, Long uttered in a deep voice, ¡°Tiger, don¡¯t hold back against anyone who dares attack the young master!¡± At this moment, in the chaos, no one noticed Liu Kun slipping away. He found a public phone, then immediately dialed Liang Ligui¡¯s home. After two rings, as soon the call connected, Liu Kun hastily said, ¡°May I ask, is Liang Ligui home? I¡¯m his friend, Liu Kun!¡± From the other end, the excited voice of a woman replied, ¡°Kun, it¡¯s been many years. I¡¯ve heard from Gifted Liang that his father¡¯s matter was greatly helped due to your introduction. Do you still remember me, auntie?¡± At this time, Liu Kun had no patience for idle talk. He quickly replied, ¡°Auntie, I do remember you. I have an important matter to discuss with Gifted Liang. Please quickly let him answer.¡± On his end, Liang Ligui had just gotten up. Recently Governor Liang was enjoying a period of sess. Thanks to a fortunate turn of events, his father had hitched his wagon to the Nie family, achieving his dream of bing the governor of the Caoyuan province. As the biggest contributor, Liang Ligui¡¯s status in the family had also gone up considerably. With hiszy demeanor long gone, he cut his long hair and opted for a neat buzz cut. Because Liang Ligui felt that as a member of the same faction, it was only natural for him to model himself after the young master and Kun. ¡°Kun, what¡¯s the matter? You¡¯re in such a rush. Weren¡¯t you supposed to be in the Soviet Union? Howe you are back?¡± Liang Ligui picked up the phone and immediately asked. ¡°Gifted Liang, let¡¯s skip the pleasantries. Is there anyone your father trusts in Eguna City? I am currently in Eguna City, and so is the young master. We have been cornered at Enluo Township by some worthless individual named Xu, who is the secretary of the Eguna City Committee. Send people to assist us immediately. I am worried about the young master¡¯s safety. I¡¯ve got to go. Goodbye.¡± Saying this, Liu Kun hung up the phone. In a situation like this, it was up to the Liang father and son to show their worth. He had done what he could and said what he needed to say. If anything were to happen to the heir of the Nie family, who had also introduced them to the Nie family, within the jurisdiction of Caoyuan province, then Governor Liang¡¯s political future was over. Looking at the phone, Liang Ligui was stunned. Eguna City, wasn¡¯t that a county-level city? How could he, being the son of a respectable governor, know anybody in such a ce? The only people he knew were from Hulun City. Remembering the young master was still in Eguna, Liang Ligui didn¡¯t dare to take the matter lightly. Immediately, he grabbed his coat and yelled to his mother; ¡°Mom, I won¡¯t be back for lunch. I have important business. I¡¯m headed to dad¡¯s.¡± Five minutester, Liang Ligui panted as he rushed into Governor Liang¡¯s office. At this moment, Governor Liang was looking at some documents. Seeing his son in this state, Governor Liang frowned and reprimanded sternly, ¡°Why are you gasping for breath? Are you in a hurry to reincarnate? Such a panic, what kind of conduct is this?¡± Liang Ligui couldn¡¯t care less at this moment. He quickly said, ¡°Dad¡­there¡¯s been¡­an ident. The third young master¡­the third young master of the Nie family, Nie Zhenbang has been pinned down in Eguna City by the son of the city¡¯s Communist Party Secretary and his gang.¡± Upon hearing this, Governor Liang was somewhat confused. He stood up and said, ¡°What the third young master? You little boy, speak clearly.¡± By this time, Liang Ligui had also regained his breath. He sat on the sofa and said, ¡°Dad, the third young master, the one from the Nie family, Nie Zhenbang! ¡± Hearing this, Governor Liang was also surprised. Immediately, he said, ¡°Ligui, aren¡¯t you good friends with Zhou Taiping, the son of the deputy Communist Party Secretary of Hulun City? Now, you should immediately call Zhou¡¯s son and ask him where he is. Tell him to rush to Eguna City with the colleagues from the Hulun City Public Security Bureau. On my end, I will immediately arrange for you to depart with Comrade Xing Weiguo from the Provincial Department of Public Security.¡± At the same time Governor Liang began to make all the arrangements, the situation at Enluo Township had unfolded. Theckeys of the young master, Xu, were quickly taken down by Long and Tiger. Each one either had a dislocated shoulder or elbow joint and all curled up on the ground, wailing in pain. Seeing these people daring to act this way, Xu was startled. He immediately eximed furiously, ¡°Goodness. You actually dare to openly attack national officials. Have you lost your minds? Do you want a rebellion?¡± With that said, Xu turned to the nearby head of the police station, ¡°Chief Gu, notify the Eguna City Public Security Bureau immediately. Have them send police reinforcements here right away. Arrest all these outrageous beings who dare to assault state officials. What kind of behavior is this? They all need to be shot.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang snorted coldly. Seeing the people from the police station immediately making contacts, Nie Zhenbang bes even more furious. In a low voice, he said, ¡°A group of scoundrels. Originally, I only wanted to settle this matter peacefully. But since it hase to this, why not make a big fuss about it. Long, Tiger! Take all these scumbags, handcuff them, and lock them up in Li Xue¡¯s house. I want to see if this world still belongs to the Party, or to the people. Do they really think they can conceal the truth with their own actions?¡± The moment Long and Tiger heard Nie Zhenbang¡¯s order, there was no hesitation at all. When they retired from the service, Yuan Xinghua had instructed them to follow Nie Zhenbang¡¯s orders. Furthermore, having followed him for quite some time, both of them knew that Nie Zhenbang had a powerful background. At this moment, anyone who threatened Nie Zhenbang¡¯s life would face their willingness to shoot to kill, let alone just handcuffing. In front of Long and Tiger, two special forces elites of the army, even the police of Enluo Township Police Station had no chance to fight back. Except for one police officer who escaped to call for reinforcements, including the head of Enluo Township, Gu Suo, they were all subdued. More than a dozen men were all thrown into the living room of Li Lixue¡¯s house. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun walked in with stern faces. Seeing the terrifying look in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes, Xu was somewhat scared. This was the first time he had been thrown on the ground, the first time he had been handcuffed. Xu was feeling a mix of anger and humiliation. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Xu was losing his confidence. Nevertheless, he still growled angrily, ¡°What¡­what are you trying to do? Do you know the consequences of assaulting me? My rtionship with Guo Yunliang, the son of Mayor Guo of Hulun City, is extraordinary. You better think carefully.¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could respond, Liu Kun started tough carelessly, ¡°Mayor Guo? Quite a hefty official. I¡¯m so scared. You, young master Xu, have such a profound background, how dare Iy my hands on you?¡± On the face of it, Liu Kun has a kind smile. But when he started to act, he didn¡¯t hesitate at all. He pped Xu across the face. Instantly, Xu¡¯s face had five red marks. At the same time, Liu Kun patted Xu¡¯s face, ¡°Young master Xu, huh? Bullying men and women, creating wrongful cases. It seems that you havemitted many sins. I want to see who can save your life today.¡± At this point, Xu was scared. He wondered where Li Lixue found these fearsome people who really dared to take action. Covering the still hot area on his face, Xu trembled, ¡°You¡­you¡­ What are you trying to do? Don¡¯t do anything rash..¡± Chapter 65 - 65 – The City Discipline Inspection Commission Arrives 1 Chapter 65: ¨C The City Discipline Inspection Commission Arrives 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 65: The Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission Arrives ¡°Ha ha, don¡¯t be reckless. Xu Dashao, the son of Secretary Xu. That¡¯s a high-ranking official. Would we dare to mess things up? I¡¯m scared of your father¡¯s vendetta,¡± Liu Kun mocked with augh. ¡°Brother, since you know me, you should understand my character. My uncle has no son. I am the only heir in the Xu family. If anything happens to me. You won¡¯t get away with it. Brother, if you let me go now, I guarantee your safe departure from Eguna City. How about it?¡± Xu Tianci seems to have beenpletely spoiled. At this moment, he misunderstood Liu Kun¡¯s words and tried in turn to persuade him. Having said that, Xu Tianci added another sentence: ¡°Brother, is a woman worth all this? I know, Li Lixue is indeed beautiful. A woman like that is one in a million. How about this, after I have sex with her first, we can share her in the future¡­ Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t listen any longer. There were such shameless people in the world. Li Lixue¡¯s family¡¯s faces turned ashen. Li Lixue also stood up, her face full of fury. Nie Zhenbang immediately scolded: ¡°That¡¯s enough. Kun, shut this son of a bitch up. p him until he spits blood. In the meantime, get all the facts about this bastard¡¯s years of bullying both men and women, breaking thew and creating chaos, and make him confess.¡± Even without Nie Zhenbang¡¯smand, Liu Kun had been itching to get his hands on Tianci. Nie Zhenbang could y it cool, but Liu Kun could see very clearly, even though there¡¯s nothing going on between Nie and Li Lixue right now. But this stuff between men and women is unpredictable. Li Lixue, with her beauty, won¡¯t change much even another ten years pass. Moreover, it¡¯s not like she¡¯s being brought home to be a wife, so age isn¡¯t an issue. Liu Kun was making assumptions without knowing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s true thoughts. In his mind, Li Lixue was already reserved for his brother. To bully Nie¡¯s woman is to bully Nie, which is to bully himself, so Liu Kun naturally had to settle the score. Immediately, Liu Kun alsoughed and said: ¡°Alright. Brother, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m good at this.¡± Then Liu Kun grabbed Xu Tianci by the neck and dragged him straight into a room next door. First, a crackling sound was heard from the room. Ten minutester, Liu Kun dragged Xu Tianci out of the room. By then, Xu Tianci¡¯s mouth was swollen. His eyes emitted a resentful gaze. If he could, he would kill these people instantly. When was Xu, the grand gentleman of Eguna City, ever humiliated like this. Within a dozen minutes, it was enough time for the Eguna City Public Security Bureau to respond. At this moment, outside Enluo Township, irritating sirens sounded. Following, about a dozen police cars parked in front of Li Lixue¡¯s house. Armed police officers surrounded the entire house. Several people in police uniforms got off the police cars, apanied by a few in-clothed officers wearing dark jackets. At the front, a middle-aged man, about fifty years old, wearing ck-rimmed sses standing with a protruding belly, looked serious yet anxious. Looking at the house, the man said: ¡°Director Zhang, at present the criminals who kidnapped the hostages and publicly attacked and detained the police are inside. The municipal government attaches great importance to this. The situation has been reported to the Hulun Municipal Committee. Before any significant instructions are issued from the Hulun Municipal Committee, I order you to ensure the safety of the hostages and bring the criminals to justice.¡± As the man finished speaking, a male officer standing beside him saluted the man and said out loud, ¡°Yes, the municipal government can rest assured, Secretary Xu can rest assured. We will definitely rescue the hostages safely.¡± Saying this, Director Zhang walked to a police car where a loudspeaker had already been installed. He personally took the microphone and said, ¡°Listen up, people inside, you are surrounded. Please surrender immediately.¡± Inside the house, upon hearing this, Li Lixue¡¯s grandmother and mother were both tense. They anxiously looked at Li Lixue. At this moment, Li Lixue was also somewhat at a loss. She never thought that things would escte to this extent. Seeing the eyes of her elders, Li Lixue didn¡¯t know how to respond, she could only tightly clutch her elders¡¯ hands, anxiously waiting for the final oue. At this moment, the policemen who had previously been like dead pigs lying on the ground, as well as the followers lying on the ground, upon hearing the announcement, cheered as if they had seen their family. They all burst into a heartyughter. Xu, pitiful looking as he was, has regained hisposure. Now missing a few more teeth from Liu Kun¡¯s recent punch, in addition to his original lost ones, his speech was garbled. He murmured: ¡°Brother, look, the house is surrounded. Resistance is futile. How about you let me go? I promise, I¡¯ll ensure that you can leave safely.¡± Gazing at Xu Tianci¡¯s sincere eyes, any ordinary person might have believed him. But Nie Zhenbang just snorted, saying: ¡°Long, show them your extraordinary flying knife skill. Let them know that if they dare to make any moves, Xu Tianci¡¯s life is no more. All other matters can be discussed after an hour.¡± Coming from Hulun City, nearly an hour is almost enough. This was another tactic of Nie Zhenbang. As expected, Long pierced a policemp with his flying knife, then stoically stated from a spot beside the entrance of the house, ¡°We¡¯ll resume negotiations in an hour. We¡¯re eating. If you want to collect Xu Tianci¡¯s body,e and get it.¡± The entire scene fell silent. All eyes turned to Secretary Xu. Director Zhang had a grim expression on his face before walking over to murmur, ¡°Secretary Xu, I suggest going along with their n. The one who just spoke is definitely a military genius. His tactics to evade the sniper were tricky. The people in there are not simple. In order to ensure Xu¡¯s safety, I advise exercising caution.¡± Secretary Xu nodded. He trusted Zhang, who was an expert in such matters, and subsequently pronounced in a serious tone, ¡°Let¡¯s take Director Zhang¡¯s advice. The priority is to rescue the hostages.¡± With the passage of time, Director Zhang conjectured that the negligence of Nie Zhenbang and his colleagues might allow for a silent ambush. However, the moment two officers neared the house, a warning was issued from within. Director Zhang then dismissed the idea. At this point, he was startled. Who on earth were these people to have such incredible abilities? At the moment, on the road to Enluo Township, more than a dozen police cars from Hulun City were speeding along. In the midst of them, a young man and a police officer were seated together in the back seat of a ck Santana. The young man was Zhou Ye, son of Zhou Taiping, the Deputy Secretary of Hulun City, and beside him was the Executive Deputy Director of Hulun City Police Department, Lin Yongzeng. Watching the speedingndscape outside the car window, Lin Yongzeng asked curiously: ¡°Ye, considering we¡¯re insiders, why are we acting so urgently to rush to Enluo Township in Eguna City?¡± Zhou Ye, who was also looking out the window, was filled with astonishment at that moment. The phone call from the provincial capital hadn¡¯t been very clear. Yet, this person was even feared by his own father. While Zhou Ye was very influential in Hulun City, in the face of this person, he barely amounted to anything. It was perplexing to see such a normally calm person behaving this way. As he contemted this, Zhou Ye replied with a smile, ¡°Uncle Lin, to be honest, I don¡¯t know who this person is. The instructions came from the provincial office. We are just enforcers. Since Young Master Liang from the province is already on his way here, let¡¯s just follow his instructions. We can¡¯t go wrong.¡± As soon as the car entered Enluo Township, Secretary Xu and Director Zhang looked over. Seeing Zhou Ye and Deputy Director Lin getting off the car, both of them went forward. Secretary Xu evenughed and said, ¡°Old Forest and Young Master Zhou are here, sorry for the trouble. We¡¯re still handling matters here. I fear we might not present a good image to our city leaders.¡± Zhou Ye cast a nce at them, understanding that the person his father wanted him to protect was apparently surrounded by the bureau of Eguna City. On ordinary days, Zhou might have nodded in greeting. But not this time. Zhou Ye coldly replied, ¡°Secretary Xu, the Working Group from the Disciplinary Committee of Hulun City will arrive soon. If you have any problems, discuss them with them. Uncle Lin, I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Lin Yongzeng nodded. Looking at Director Zhang standing beside him, Lin Yongzeng immediately said, ¡°I am Lin Yongzeng, Executive Deputy Director of Hulun City Police Department.. Now, I order everyone to assemble!¡± Chapter 66 - 66: The Person Who Can’t Be Offended 1 Chapter 66: The Person Who Can¡¯t Be Offended 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 66: The Unassable Ones The Municipal Discipline Inspection Committee? This must be a mix-up. Secretary Xu was taken aback, seeing all the Public Security Bureau personnel gathered by Lin Yongzeng. At this moment, he wanted to intervene and ask why they were retreating. However, at this moment, Zhou Ye had already started to stride towards the house ahead. Inside the house, young Xu once again heard the police sirens outside and burst into a heartyugh. He looked at Nie Zhenbang, quite smugly saying, ¡°Ha ha, listen to that sound, reinforcements areing. They must be the elite police from the city. If you don¡¯t let me go, I won¡¯t bother to recognize what I said earlier.¡± At this time, Zhou Ye spoke respectfully from outside, ¡°Is anyone in there? I am Zhou Ye, the son of Zhou Taiping, the Deputy Secretary of the Hulun City Committee. I¡¯m here under Governor Liang¡¯s orders. Could you open the door for me?¡± Next to him, Xu Tianci heard Zhou Ye¡¯s words and immediately burst intoughter, his triumph and arrogance tantly evident. As the scion of Eguna city, a county-level city under Hulun city, Xu Tianci spent most of his time in Eguna city. However, he was also very familiar with Hulun City and had quite a few dealings with Zhou Ye. Right after that, Xu Tianci loudly said, ¡°Brother Zhou, it¡¯s me, Tianci. I am inside. Brother Zhou, I am sorry to have disturbed you. Once we¡¯re out, you must give me a chance to show you my hospitality.¡± While speaking, Xu Tianci seemed quite self-satisfied, boasting, ¡°Well, I never expected my uncle to have such deep connections and influence in the province. Had I known this, I wouldn¡¯t have worried at all.¡± Long nced at Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun. At this moment, upon hearing Zhou Ye¡¯s words, Liu Kun realized that this was Liang Ligui¡¯s man. He then nodded and said, ¡°Long, open the door. There should be no danger now.¡± As the door opened, Xu Tianci finally struggled to his feet. With a face full of anticipation, he was about to speak to Zhou Ye, his face filled with smiles. However, contrary to his expectations, Zhou Ye scanned the room, his eyes finally falling on Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun. As he tried to hide his surprise, he asked politely, ¡°May I ask, who is Mr. Nie?¡± Nie Zhenbang was also evaluating Zhou Ye, noticing that this man, around one meter seventy tall, seemed more like a southerner in body type and personality. Unlike the northeners, he was neither rough nor irritable, but gentle andposed. This level of excellence wasn¡¯t confined to big family scions. While considering this, Nie Zhenbang stood up, revealing a subtle smile and replied, ¡°I am the one. I apologize for the inconvenience this time, Mr. Zhou.¡± At this moment, Zhou Ye was also examining Nie Zhenbang, who even under these circumstances managed to maintain an air of grace and calmness. This kind of mental strength was not something everybody possessed. Moreover, openly opposing the state¡¯sw enforcement was either an act of a madman or someone with exceptional background and resources. This kind of scenario would be insignificant in his eyes. Thinking about Young Master Liang¡¯s hurried demeanor and the fact that he was rushing here with the Deputy Director of the Provincial Public Security Department, Xing Weiguo, Zhou Ye was puzzled. Zhou Ye did not believe that Young Master Liang could summon a deputy at the bureau level. It would be possible if it were officials from a city bureau or a department director from the provincial department. But mobilizing bureau-level officials was a serious matter. Even if Young Master Liang was the son of a governor, there were protocols to be followed even for Governor Liang himself. Considering this, Zhou Ye became more respectful and courteously said, ¡°Mr. Nie, I¡¯m really sorry. I apologize for the difort you¡¯ve experienced in my district. Young Master Liang is on his way from the provincial city, how about we first move to Hulun City, what do you think?¡± Nie Zhenbang nced at Li Lixue, her face full of hope. Nie Zhenbang knew very well what Li Lixue was thinking. After all, her brother was still in prison, serving sentence for some ludicrous hooligan crime. Looking at Zhou Ye, Nie Zhenbang found the guy rather interesting. This youngster was quite brave with pretty clear implications in his words. In his domain, despite Mr. Nie suffering difort and having Young Master Liang¡¯s backing, local sentiments needed to be considered. Staying here would not only cause embarrassment but certain things would also be difficult for Zhou Ye to manage. ¡°Kun, do we leave?¡± But at this moment, Nie Zhenbang was intentionally staying. Li Lixue¡¯s brother being imprisoned was no small matter, and everything was decided by the court¡¯s verdict. To overturn it, even with Zhou Ye¡¯s status, sess wasn¡¯t guaranteed. The best way to handle these matters was to escte them, to cause enough of a stir that Hulun City¡¯s leadership team would have to get involved. Then it would be time to negotiate. Liu Kun¡¯s eyes turned slightly, and he sat down with a carefree attitude, shaking his head and saying, ¡°Brother, are you pping me in the face? If we leave like this, we might as well quit running around in this city. Today, we must wait until Young Master Liang personallyes here to see what kind of trouble we¡¯re in.¡± Seeing Liu Kun intentionally ying dumb, Nie Zhenbang startedughing as well. ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve said that, Kun, then we won¡¯t leave.¡± At this moment, Zhou Ye¡¯s face darkened. From childhood till now, no one had ever openly disrespected him. Even Young Master Liang, who was the governor¡¯s son, addressed him warmly because they grew up like brothers. But at this moment, with Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun ganging up, Zhou Ye was left in an extremely awkward predicament. His face turned crimson, his lips moved several times as he tried to suppress his anger. Then he managed a forced smile, ¡°Since you want to wait, then please wait, Mr. Nie. I believe Young Master Liang will be here soon.¡± Liang Ligui moved pretty quickly. As soon as he got the call, he immediately contacted the Caoyuan Province Military District using Governor Liang¡¯s connection. The military district immediately dispatched a helicopter. After a little over an hour¡¯s flight, the aircraft was now hovering over Enluo Township. The whole day had been strange for the fewer than two-thousand residents of Enluo Township. First, Li Lixue, the township¡¯s famed beauty who had been away for many years, came back. Then, they were treated to a spectacle of a police siege. After that, the police from Hulun City seemingly apprehended the city police from Eguna. Not long after, a helicopter began circling overhead. ¡°My word, Evelina knows some important people indeed. So many people, such amotion, it seems Xu has offended someone powerful,¡± a knowledgeable middle-aged man whispered. A woman beside him quickly covered his mouth, scolding him in a hushed voice, ¡°Hush! Watch your words, you might jinx it.¡± At that time, another convoy rolled onto the street. Vehicles with Hulun City license tes led the convoy, the tes numbered from one to five in order. Vehicles from Eguna City trailed behind. Zhou Ye looked quite moody on thewn in front of Li Lixue¡¯s house. By now, Liang Ligui and Xing Weiguo had descended from the aircraft¡¯s ropedder. After the aircraft left, Zhou Ye went up to greet them. Lin Yongzeng, standing nearby, saluted Xing Weiguo, saying, ¡°Greetings, General. Lin Yongzeng, from Hulun City Bureau of Public Security, reporting for duty.¡± ¡°Old Xing, what¡¯s going on here? What¡¯s with themotion?¡± At this moment, the crowd parted to provide a path for a middle-aged man in his fifties, who walked in from outside. The middle-aged man was Cao Houan, a standingmittee member of Hulun Municipal Party Committee and its General Secretary. As the leader of one of thergest cities in the country, or even the world, Cao held significant prestige even within the provincial party. Upon receiving several calls from the provincial government indicating that Governor Liang¡¯s son, Liang Ligui, and Xing Weiguo were visiting, Cao immediately gathered his staff and came over here. But Cao was not one of Governor Liang¡¯s allies. He was more aligned with the current Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, who was formerly the Executive Deputy Governor. He was not satisfied with how Governor Liang outyed him to snatch the governorship. As he entered, his tone was not very friendly, his words carrying an edge. Even though it appeared he was addressing Xing Weiguo, his words were a thinly veiled attack on Governor Liang. But Liang Ligui was no fool. Hearing this, he immediately huffed,menting, ¡°Secretary Cao, I am Liang Ligui. I heard from Zhou Ye that our guest from Beijing has yet toe out. Instead of venting, you should think about how to handle this situation properly..¡± Chapter 67 - 67 State Compensation 1 Chapter 67: State Compensation 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 67 State Compensation Cao Houan sneers, disdain evident from the tone of his voice. He addresses Liang Ligui, ¡°Young Master Liang, what brings you here? You are not part of our organization, nor an involved party. Are you meddling in things that don¡¯t concern you?¡± For Cao Houan, as the secretary of the municipal partymittee of a city, he would have been fearful should Governor Liang have been present. However, Liang Ligui doesn¡¯t carry the same weight. At this moment, Liang Ligui is irate after hearing Cao Houan¡¯s words. He hadn¡¯t expected Cao Houan to be so oblivious to the current context. It seems as if Zhou Ye, the old man, may have a chance after all. Nevertheless, Liang Ligui casually responds, ¡°Of course, Secretary Cao, you¡¯re not wrong. From the standpoint of position, I am just an ordinary person. However, Secretary Cao, I came here with Governor Liang¡¯s instructions. If you have any objections, I believe, I can get in touch with Governor Liang right now.¡± Upon hearing this, Cao Houan scoffs and strides into the house. As he enters, he sees people scattered on the floor, among them several public officials in police uniforms. His face darkens, and he retorts, ¡°You guys are really bold. Do you still recognize that we are a country? Who gave you the authority to act in such a reckless manner?¡± Liu Kun is taken aback. He initially assumed that Liang Ligui came to clean up the mess. However, he was surprised to be interrogated upon entering. Liu Kun is also furious by now. At this moment, he has grasped Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intentions. The more chaotic it gets, the better Nie Zhenbang likes it. Immediately, Liu Kun stands up fiercely, res at Cao Houan and retorts, ¡°And who do you think you are? Are these people your rtives? Youe in out of the blue and start making usations. Are you ustomed to pointing fingers like in the time of the great revolution?¡± Having said that, Liu Kun sits down again and in a deep voice, asks, ¡°Where is Liang Ligui? Let hime in and talk to us. As for you?¡± Liu Kun paused, deliberately giving Cao Houan a contemptuous look. Then he coldly says, ¡°You are not qualified.¡± This remark immediately fuels Cao Houan¡¯s anger. As the principal of the Party Committee of Hulun City, Cao Houan is supremely domineering. When has he ever been treated with such disdain in Hulun City? Immediately, he roars almost hysterically, ¡°Where is Lin Yongzeng? Where is he? Immediately get him here, take all thesewless people who ignore the king¡¯sws back to the police station for thorough questioning! ¡± At this moment, outside the door, Liang Ligui pulls Zhou Taiping, Zhou Ye¡¯s father, aside and in a low voice says, ¡°Uncle Zhou, I don¡¯t want to say too much. Before the person inside agrees, I can¡¯t reveal too much. I just want to remind you. The reason why my father was able to rise to power is due to the person inside. Whatever you do next, please use your own judgment.¡± Zhou Taiping, like Zhou Ye, is not very tall. However, as the old saying goes, ¡°Concentration is the essence.¡± Zhou Taiping, too, is an astute man. Hearing Liang Ligui¡¯s words, Zhou Taiping¡¯s expression changes with surprise. The fact that Governor Liang could rise to power with the help of others clearly indicates his background. Immediately after, Zhou Taiping gratefully nods and says, ¡°Ligui, I will shamelessly ept this great favor of yours. If you need anything in the future, feel free to ask. Uncle Zhou will not refuse.¡± As he finishes speaking, they hear Cao Houan roaring inside. Zhou Taiping and the others are shocked. He exchanges a nce with Liang Ligui before stepping inside. Soon after, Xing Weiguo and Lin Yongzeng also follow suit. Seeing Lin Yongzeng, Cao Houan angrily asks ¡°Lin Yongzeng, what are you doing? Your subordinates are detained by thesewless people, and as the head of the Public Safety Bureau, you are indifferent?¡± At this moment, Cao Houan was at the peak of his anger, even his usualposure and dignity were gone. At this time, Zhou Taiping said nonchntly, ¡°Secretary Cao, we do not yet understand the situation, and yet you immediately make an arrest. This¡­ seems somewhat inappropriate.¡± Xing Weiguo also provided timely support: ¡°Secretary Cao, I apologize. On Lin Yongzeng¡¯s side, that was my order. Beforeing here, I had already received Governor Liang¡¯s directive to ensure the safety of our VIP guests. As for the rest, we will handle everything ording to thew.¡± Seeing that everyone had almost arrived, Nie Zhenbang also stood up. At this moment, his usually warm demeanor was gone. Nie Zhenbang looked serious and walked directly in front of Cao Houan, saying casually: ¡°You must be Comrade Cao Houan, the Secretary of the Hulun City Municipal Committee.¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s aura, Cao Houan was actually taken aback. If Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t look so young, Cao would have really thought a central leader hade. However, subconsciously, Cao Houan replied, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.¡± As soon as he finished saying this, Cao Houan reacted, his face darkening, ready to get angry. But Nie Zhenbang immediately waved his hand. Tiger stepped forward, handing a stack of documents directly to Zhou Taiping. Nie Zhenbang then said: ¡°This is Mr. Xu Tianci¡¯s self-confessed testimony after a sudden bout of conscience. You all can take a look. Thisrade, in the ten years in Eguna City, everything he did after his uncle, Secretary Xu, took office as Deputy Mayor, has outraged both the gods and the people.¡± Speaking of this, Nie Zhenbang pointed to Xu Tianci and said: ¡°If you all don¡¯t believe me, feel free to verify. We absolutely did not perform any torture for a confession. This confession was entirely admitted without any distress. Furthermore, my friend, simply because of his good looks, was forced by this man to the point of not being able to go home, ultimately causing the death of my friend¡¯s father. Even my friend¡¯s sixteen year-old younger brother was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for hooliganism just over three years ago. He was only a thirteen-year-old child at that time. I don¡¯t know how such arge child could be used of hooliganism. I ask Secretary Cao and Secretary Xu to exin.¡± Nie Zhenbang then gave Cao Houan a nce and continued: ¡°Borrowing Secretary Cao¡¯s words from earlier, this world is still a world ruled byw. I refuse to believe that, in this world, there are ces without justice. If Hulun City is unreasonable, then I will seek justice in Caoyuan Province. If Caoyuan Province can¡¯t do anything, then I will go to the central government. There must be a ce where justice can be found.¡± Zhou Taiping epted the documents and began to read. It was very detailed, not only recording the facts of Xu Tianci¡¯s vition ofw and discipline but also some of Secretary Xu¡¯s deeds. For example, Secretary Xu was perverse, once ying with a woman together with Xu Tianci. There were also detailed records of how the cadres below over these years gave gifts to Secretary Xu through Xu Tianci. At this time, Zhou Taiping casually handed the documents to Xiao Yunshan, the secretary of the Hulun City Disciplinary Committee. Now, Zhou Taiping would naturally not bother to save face for Cao Houan. Given Cao Houan¡¯s close rtionship with Secretary Xu, even if Cao Houan ispletely clean, he now appears dirty. In any case, he can¡¯t continue being secretary. If he didn¡¯t seize this opportunity to step on him now, he would lose that chance altogether. Immediately, Zhou Taiping walked forward and said: ¡°Mr. Nie, I am Zhou Taiping, the First Deputy Secretary of the Hulun City Municipal Committee. The joy of receipt and materials you provided are very important. I guarantee my honor and Party spirit that I will thoroughly investigate the truth. Regarding Li Chunshan¡¯s wrongful case, I will hold the Procuratorate and the court ountable for a thorough re-investigation. We will definitely give the victims exnation and severely punish the relevant responsible persons. I wonder if Mr. Nie has any other requests?¡± Thest sentence was actually just a polite remark from Zhou Taiping as there is no asion now for an apology from the government. To be able to appeal for a redress of grievances would already be doing justice to you. However, Nie Zhenbang nodded at this moment and said: ¡°Hmm, there are still a few people in Hulun City who understand the situation. I will trust you once. I have no other requests. This time, your government must provide reasonablepensation..¡± Chapter 68 - 68 Commitment with Body_1 Chapter 68: Commitment with Body_1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 68 Offering oneself ¡°Compensation?¡± Zhou Taiping was stunned for a moment, then felt somewhat embarrassed. He looked at Nie Zhenbang. Although Zhou Taiping knew that he was dealing with a person of significant influence, he couldn¡¯t afford to offend him. After a moment of contemtion, Zhou Taiping nced at Liang Ligui who was beside him. At this moment, the young Liang Ligui disrespectfully turned his head away. However, it was Zhou Ye who stood up at this time. After all, they were father and son, and it was clear that Zhou Taiping was in a difficult situation. Zhou Taiping couldn¡¯t make a decision alone. This was not something he alone could decide. Not to mention that Zhou Taiping was not the top authority now, but even if he were, the people under him were not necessarily all in agreement. Now was an appropriate time for Zhou Ye to speak up. Firstly, Zhou Ye too was not a public official. Zhou Ye¡¯s agreement did not mean the government agreed. These were two different concepts. Secondly, Zhou Ye had a good rtionship with Liang Ligui. On this level, Liang Ligui would not embarrass Zhou Ye. ¡°Mr. Nie, governmentpensation? What kind ofpensation method¡­ Isn¡¯t this a bit¡­ You know, there is no such precedent. If Hulun City were to set this precedent, wouldn¡¯t the country fall into chaos?¡± At this moment, Zhou Ye¡¯s tone also changed. After knowing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background, any more arrogant remarks would be foolish. Nie Zhenbangughed. As a reborn individual, he knew very well that in a few years, the nationalpensationw would officially be implemented. From then on, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising for the government topensate the public economically. Looking at Liang Ligui aside, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand and said seriously: ¡°I don¡¯t see anything inappropriate. Think about it, how old is Li Chunshan? A thirteen-year-old child, who has not even finished his education, was arrested for being a hooligan. The impact on his body and mind is significant. This is one aspect. Furthermore, he lost his education and his future. The losses are tremendous. Even if he is released this time, he could not possibly return to school. How will he live his future? Does the state, the government, not bear any fault in this instance of wrongful conviction? Granted, these are individual acts, but they are indeed the adverse consequences of the misuse of national power. As a government, as a responsible government with a sense of duty, they must ount for their errors and give the public an exnation.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang dered firmly: ¡°Compensation is necessary. As for the matter above, I will address it. I think even if this matter reaches the central government, the rationale will be epted.¡± At this moment, what Zhou Taiping needed was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, so long as Nie Zhenbang was willing to take charge of the matter, let there bepensation, after all, it wasn¡¯t his money. The money belonged to the state. This had nothing to do with Zhou Taiping. Immediately, Zhou Taiping nodded and said: ¡°Mr. Nie, we at the Hulun City Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government will certainly attach great importance to your words.¡± Having said that, he ignored Cao Houanpletely and turned to Xing Weiguo beside him, saying: ¡°Deputy Director Xing, you are a leader at the provincial department level. Let¡¯s hand these people over to the provincial department for the time being. I believe that with the strength of the provincial department, we can give the general public an objective and fair response.¡± Simultaneously, the secretary of the Disciplinary Committee, Xiao Yunshan, who had read all the materials, said solemnly: ¡°Old Zhou, this is a serious matter. I think we should rush to the provincial capital overnight and report to Governor Liang and Secretary Cheng.¡± At this moment, Cao Houan¡¯s face was livid. He was directly sidelined by his subordinates. Where was his face, his authority? Immediately, Cao Houan roared: ¡°Shut up, Xiao Yunshan, Zhou Taiping, do you two still have party principles, organizational discipline? Do you have any regard for me, the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee?¡± Before the two could answer, Nie Zhenbang interrupted: ¡°Secretary Taiping, Secretary Yunshan, do whatever you have to do. As for Secretary Cao, I think you should worry about yourself. If you have some free time now, you¡¯d better run to the provincial capital. Otherwise, when the province gets involved, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t get a chance to escape.¡± That night, Zhou Taiping and Xiao Yunshan, along with Xing Weiguo, the executive deputy director of the provincial Public Security Bureau, rushed to the provincial capital with more than a dozen police cars. Those involved in this incident, including Xu Tianci and several police officers, were also handcuffed together and taken to the provincial capital. Early the next morning, Zhou Taiping and Xiao Yunshan respectively gave a detailed report to Governor Liang of the Caoyuan Provincial Party Committee and Secretary Cheng of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission. Hearing that Nie Zhenbang had proposed for the state to offerpensation, Governor Liang also stood up, contemted for a moment, and then made a decisive decision. He looked at Zhou Taiping and said: ¡°Taiping, you did a great job this time. Mr. Nie¡¯s status is very sensitive. In this matter, our Provincial Party Committee can only provide assistance. All matters will be handled by the Hulun City Committee. I have only one request: to ensure that Mr. Nie is satisfied.¡¯ Immediately afterwards, the team of the Caoyuan Provincial Party Committee also quickly responded. Before the meeting, Governor Liang had specifically found Secretary Wu of the Caoyuan Provincial Party Committee to discuss this matter privately. After learning about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s identity, Secretary Wu also took it seriously. He looked at Governor Liang with a different perspective. Although Secretary Wu knew that Governor Liang had influential support from Jingcheng, he did not expect it to be from the Nie family. As a provincial governor, Secretary Wu was well-informed about the news from Jingcheng. He had heard about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s influence in Jingcheng; he was not someone who could be dismissed lightly. And he heard that he even had a connection to the grandson of the Nanxun Chief. Upon thinking about this, Secretary Wu was somewhat grateful that Governor Liang had revealed this news to him in advance, and he immediately reciprocated: ¡°Old Liang, I think we need to take this matter very seriously in our province. Now that we have entered a period of reform and opening up, we cannot continue to follow the old revolutionary path. This crackdown needs to be careful. There¡¯s definitely something wrong with the case if such a kid couldmit hooliganism. I think we can lead an investigation team to Eguna City to conduct a special investigation. We have to give the people a satisfactory answer.¡± After hearing the opinions of several major leaders in Caoyuan Province, the Caoyuan Provincial Party Committee quickly made a resolution. The team, led by the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee and Secretary Cheng of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, stationed in Hulun City. Deputy Secretary Zhou Taiping of Hulun City Committee was fully involved and assisted her. On one hand, they revisited the case of Li Chunshan¡¯s hooliganism, and on the other hand, they suspended Secretary Xu of Eguna City Committee for investigation. Under severe interrogation in the provincial department, Xu Tianci confessed thoroughly. Soon, the Provincial Public Security Department handed over Xu Tianci¡¯s case to the Provincial Procuratorate. The Procuratorate initiated a prosecution and naturally, Xu Tianci was subjected to severe legal penalties. At the moment, Secretary Xu, in the face of sufficient evidence and solid facts, confessed his own sins. Hulun City Committee immediately held a standingmittee meeting to expel Secretary Xu from the Party, dismiss him from public office, and transfer him to the judiciary. Following this, the Caoyuan Provincial Party Committee also made a decision. The former Secretary of the Hulun City Committee, Cao Houan, was demoted due to dereliction of duty and epting bribes. Considering the circumstance of returning the bribe and its small amount, Cao was severely reprimanded within the party, demoted in his administrative position, transferred from Hulun City, and appointed as the deputy director of the Caoyuan Province Animal Husbandry and Aquatics Bureau. Moreover, he was the lowest-ranking deputy director. Desert Prison of Caoyuan Province. As the directly managed prison of Caoyuan Province, belonging to the jurisdiction of the Caoyuan Provincial Justice Department Prison Administration, it is where prisoners serving over ten years are held. High walls surrounded all sides and numerous armed police officers patrolled the area. At this moment, at the entrance of the prison, four ck Santana cars stopped at the ck main entrance of the prison. Nie Zhenbang, Li Lixue, Liu Kun, Liang Ligui, and Zhou Ye were all waiting nearby, while Long and Tiger stood beside Nie Zhenbang and Li Lixue. As the gate slowly opened, a man about 1.85 meters tall, with a rugged physique, walked out of the prison with a nk face. Seeing this young man, Li Lixue could no longer hold back and ran towards him: ¡°Little brother, you¡¯re finally out. It was me who harmed you, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Once the siblings had calmed down their emotions, Li Chunshan walked over. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he knelt down and gave three kowtows. Li Chunshan stood up and said, ¡°Third Brother, thank you. You¡¯re now my big brother all my life. I, Li Chunshan, don¡¯t have many skills, but I have a lot of strength. I¡¯m willing to give my life. From now on, my life is yours..¡± Chapter 69 - 69: I am not Liuxiahui_l Chapter 69: I am not Liuxiahui_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Third Brother, what is this? How is it called again¡­ Promising oneself in marriage.¡± Liu Kun began to tease. His words eased Nie Zhenbang¡¯s embarrassment. Li Lixue also helped her younger brother up and carefully dusted him off. Meanwhile, she took out a new set of clothes from the car. She said to Li Chunshan, ¡°Chunshan, I¡¯ve been a burden to our family and to you all these years. Even our father is gone. But from today on, everything is in the past now. The man who killed our father has met his retribution. Chunshan, from now on, let¡¯s start a new life. Change into this set of clothes. Let¡¯s say goodbye to our past hardships forever.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang could see that as Xu Tianci was executed and as Li Chunshan was released from prison, even Li Lixue¡¯s attitude seemed brighter. The woman who rarely showed any emotions managed to joke around now. The group got straight into the car and left Desert Prison. Three hourster, the car arrived in the provincial city of Caoyuan Province and stopped right in front of the Prairie Hotel. At this moment, Li Chunshan, who had changed into a new set of clothes, was particrly noticeable. These two sisters, they were really something. The woman was beautiful and the man was handsome. They were quite a pair of beauties and hotties. The suite on the top floor of the Prairie Hotel. Here, it was temporarily rented out by Liang Ligui. As a neer to the power circle in Caoyuan Province, the governor¡¯s son, Liang Ligui, certainly had the clout and resources. Currently, Nie Zhenbang sat in the main seat on the sofa in the suite, while Tiger was resting by the door. Long had also gone over to the window. Seeing all this, Li Chunshan felt like a country bumpkin who had ventured into the city. At this moment, Zhou Ye also stood up and took out two stacks of hundred-yuan bills from his bag, ced them on the table and then looked at Li Chunshan, saying, ¡°Brother Chunshan, I am from Hulun City. Your case has been thoroughly investigated by the Hulun City Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government. You werepletely framed by Xu Tianci, which led to your unjust imprisonment. On behalf of the Hulun City Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, I apologize for your experience. This money may not be much, but it shows our sincerity. Please ept it.¡± This was a roundabout tactic yed by Zhou Taiping, the newly appointed Secretary of the Hulun City Municipal Committee. Instead of having the Hulun City Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Governmente forward, he let his own son, Zhou Ye, do it. Although they repeatedly said it was on behalf of the Hulun City Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, everyone knew it was merely a formality. Moreover, twenty thousand yuan wasn¡¯t a huge amount. Of course, for themon people of this era, especially those in the Ind, it was a significant sum. In an era where ten-thousand-yuan households were still rare, apensation of twenty thousand by the government was already quite a lot. If there were any changes in the situation, Hulun City and Zhou Taiping couldpletely dodge any responsibility. After all, it was just twenty thousand yuan, Zhou Taiping could afford this expenditure with any excuse. Although Nie Zhenbang understood Zhou Taiping¡¯s intentions, he didn¡¯t n to expose them. In everything, one should leave some leeway for future encounters. This time, he had already caused quite a stir in Caoyuan Province. He had removed the Secretary of a prefecture-level city, brought down a county-level city¡¯s Secretary, along with his team. Caoyuan Province didn¡¯tment. If he kept pressing on this matter, it would be excessive. Then, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Chunshan, this is a token of sincerity from Secretary Zhou and the Hulun City Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, apensation for your years in prison. You should take it. If Third Brother tells you to ept it, don¡¯t hesitate. Later, I will have someone drive you home first to see your mom and your grandma. Once the family matters are settled, you can go to Manzhouli and wait for your sister at the Golden tform Hotel. From then on, stay with your sister and protect her. Now, your sister is working for me. Protecting her means you are also working for me.¡± Li Chunshan was a simple-minded person, but he was not stupid. He was just straightforward and upright. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Chunshan nodded, then stood up and said, ¡°Sure! I will do whatever Third Brother says. I¡¯ll listen to Third Brother. I¡¯ll go first then, Sister, take care of yourself.¡± That boy, he was really naive. He left in such a hurry. At this moment, Liang Ligui also startedughing, ¡°Young Master Nie, don¡¯t be in a rush to leave this time. Stay a few more days here. Allow me to treat you well.¡± After the Liang family had be aligned with the Nie family, this time, Liang Ligui¡¯s words were much more rxed than before. At this moment, he even enthusiastically asked them to stay. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Ligui, you are too polite. The overwhelming hospitality is hard to refuse. So be it. I will stay today and return to Jingcheng tomorrow.¡± In arge private room on the second floor of the Prairie Hotel, Liang Ligui had ordered a table full of Manchu Han Imperial Feast dishes. Roast flower duck, roast gosling the entire menu from theic dialogue was served. The liquor consumed was vodka from the Soviet Union. This strong liquor had quite a market in Caoyuan Province. At the end of the meal, Nie Zhenbang was surprised to find out that Zhou Ye, among this group of people, had an astonishing capacity for alcohol. Including Dragon and Tiger, the seven people there had consumed a total of fourteen bottles of vodka. On returning to his suite, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat dizzy. Dragon and Tiger were already resting next door. But at this moment, there was a sudden knock at the door. As Nie Zhenbanz opened the door, he saw Li Lixue standing at the doorwav. She was dressed in a purple chiffon nightgown with ckce edging peeking from underneath. Li Lixue¡¯s face was flushed. Under the dim light, she looked somewhat beguiling. Her perfectly proportioned figure radiating an irresistibly tempting aura. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Li Lixue seemed a little shy. As they stared at each other and after a brief silence, Li Lixue softly said, ¡°Zhenbang, without you, I might not have avenged in this lifetime. My younger brother could have ruined his entire life. Zhenbang, I know your background is impressive. You are an extraordinary person. I¡¯m of low status and not a match for you. But this is the only way I could think of to show my gratitude.¡± As she spoke, Li Lixue took the initiative to embrace him. Her arm, white as lotus root, wound tightly around Nie Zhenbang¡¯s neck, while her breath was as fragrant as an orchid. With her delicate fragrance, she provoked Nie Zhenbang¡¯s male pheromones. In his past and current life, Nie Zhenbang had matured to the point that even his physiology at the age of seventeen had matured where it needed to. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but react. Li Lixue¡¯s lightly d body made her acutely aware of it. She blushed even deeper, and then murmured, ¡°Zhenbang, be gentle. It¡¯s my first time.¡± At this, Nie Zhenbang waspletely stunned. After some waited in vain for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s response, Li Lixue looked up at him in surprise. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stunned expression, Li Lixue took the initiative and kissed him. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang came to his senses. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang struggled to stand up, pushed Li Lixue away, and went to sit down on the edge of the bed. Looking at Li Lixue¡¯s puzzled expression, he said, ¡°Li Xue, no, we can¡¯t. This isn¡¯t fair to you. You know I can¡¯t marry you. There is no future between us. Moreover, I don¡¯t love you. I only admire you. You are merely grateful to me. We are not suitable for each other at this moment.¡± With tears in her eyes, Li Lixue looked at Nie Zhenbang and murmured, ¡°No, Zhenbang, you are wrong. In fact, from the moment I saw you again, I found myself falling in love with you. I love you so deeply and so indelibly that I can¡¯t extricate myself. I don¡¯t care about the oue. I care only about the present.¡± However, Nie Zhenbang had nowpletely regained hisposure. Being an illegitimate child himself, he had always been very strict about such matters. Looking at Li Lixue ¨C a remarkable and rare good woman ¨C he knew that there was no future for them. He then softly said to her, ¡°Li Xue, listen to me. I¡¯m no Liuxiahui, but nor do I wish to be a Chen Shimei. I don¡¯t want to touch you until I¡¯ve figured out how to arrange your future.. Do you understand what I mean?¡± Chapter 70 - 70: The Laughingstock of Jingcheng_l Chapter 70: The Laughingstock of Jingcheng_l Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 70: The Laughing Stock of Jingcheng At this moment, Li Lixue¡¯s face was as pale as a sheet, hugging her knees rather pitifully, sitting on the carpet, her eyes filled with tears as she stared at Nie Zhenbang. A beautiful woman, an extraordinarily beautiful woman, presented herself only to be rejected. For a moment, Li Lixue seemed to have spiraled into self-recrimination. Nie Zhenbang also had his own bitter understanding of the situation. Born as an illegitimate child, the thing he detested most in life rted precisely to this. He himself was an illegitimate child. Moreover, in the previous life, Nie Zhenbang had lived through a tragic period. In his heart, he was utterly repulsed by this aspect. This was the fundamental reason why Nie Zhenbang had always been quite indifferent to romantic affairs. At this time, knowing very well that he couldn¡¯t provide a satisfactory exnation to Li Lixue, Nie Zhenbang was loathed to think that in the future, her child would have to follow the same path he had. But this was something he was unable to say to Li Lixue. A wry smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. Then he said, ¡°Lixue, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s not your fault. Moreover, I, Nie Zhenbang, have never belittled you, not in the past, not now, not in the future. This is my own issue, and I hope you won¡¯t ask what it is¡ªcan you do that?¡± At this moment, with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s constion, Li Lixue¡¯s emotions considerably stabilized. Then, with a boldness previously unseen, she suddenly stood up, rushed over and held Nie Zhenbang tightly, ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t say anymore. Whatever the reason¡­ I trust you. Just as my brother said, my life is yours. Whenever, whatever era, I will always wait for you. Even if you end up in hell, I¡¯ll apany you.¡± All night, Nie Zhenbang remained by Li Lixue¡¯s side. The two of them, a lonely man and a solitary woman, slept in the same bed. That night, what Nie Zhenbang felt was merely warmth and emotion. It was disconnected from physical needs. Even if by the standards of the next world, Nie Zhenbang was once less moral than a beast. But sometimes, it is this simple¡ªeverything is unrted to sex. Pure love or gay literature, whatever it may be, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang was truly pure, enacting a utopian kind of love. But Nie Zhenbang was very clear, at least, until he could find a reasonable and appropriate solution, he would absolutely not touch a woman. This had nothing to do with others and with the body, but it was a deep-seated shadow in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart. The next morning, Li Lixue got in Zhou Ye¡¯s car. She would rush to Manzhouli, and when Li Chunshan arrived, the siblings would leave the country together through the border, heading to the Soviet Union. After the events of the previous night, Nie Zhenbang had left the matter of the Soviet Union to Li Lixue. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also boarding a ne to Jingcheng. The nended at Jingcheng City Airport in the afternoon. This time, Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali were there to meet him. However, they had changed cars. It was a newly produced Bentley. The car was ck with a square and austere design, showcasing luxury in its simplicity. Seeing Nie Zhenbang look at the car, Yang Anbangughed, ¡°This just arrived a few days ago. ording to you, we should keep a low profile. The BMW 7 stands out too much. This car is better. With these tes, it doesn¡¯t attract too much attention on the streets.¡± Off to the side, Xiao Yali huffed, ¡°Keeping a low profile is good, but it¡¯s more trouble. The day we got the tes, we got pulled over by the traffic police in West City.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbangughed. In his past life, his second sister Xiao always had a fiery temper. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have quarreled with Yang Anbang in Jingcheng to the point where she had to join the military. This life, although under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intervention, the two antagonists hade together. Yet in front of others, Xiao Yali¡¯s temperament hadn¡¯t changed much. What others call ostentation, extravagance¡ªthese were ordinary things for Xiao Yali. Nie Zhenbang chuckled, and he and Liu Kun ced their luggage in the car. Long and Tiger, at this moment, also got into the nearby Red g. At this time, Yang Anbang walked over and spoke lowly, ¡°Third Brother, why did you bring all these things? Since the big disarmament, military depots across the country have been filled with weapons. Although these are original factory productions and are of better quality than our imitations, it¡¯s useless for us to take them. The news has already spread in Jingcheng¡¯s circles, and everyone¡¯s saying Nie the Third has gone mad.¡± As soon as he was seated in the car, Nie Zhenbang took the front seat and from behind, Xiao Yali also started to talk: ¡°Zhenbang, why did you bring back so many weapons? The stuff from the Soviets is good, indeed, but does our countryck weapons? This batch of goods piled up now, you¡¯ve smashed your own reputation.¡± Nie Zhenbang smirked. At present, the limitations of the country¡¯s top level and the military are too great. At this moment, the arms export of Huaxia is only aimed at some countries with good diplomatic rtions at home and abroad. But, wait untilter. Once I dispose of these weapons, these people will be definitely surprised. There are still many wars abroad. The AK-47, this is the best assault rifle in the world. Even in the 21st century, they¡¯re still being produced. Once these things turn into green cash, those whoughed at me will have to shut up. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mood is very indifferent; just as the poet Tang Bohu wrote, othersugh at me thinking I¡¯m crazy. Iugh at them for not seeing through. This era. It is an era in which opportunities exist all over the world. This era. Thend of Huaxia is full of gold. The same is true in the world. Like the Soviet Union at the moment, and Japan. Nie Zhenbangughed: ¡°Second sister, are you still caring about these things? Your character isn¡¯t like someone who lives by looking at others¡¯ faces. This time you¡¯re taking care of so many.¡± Ever since Nie Zhenbang entered the Nie family, Xiao Yali has been mingling with him, which is different from the children of Nie Guoping. Her uncle Deng Xianping and her older sister Nie Guoping are schrs with high spirits, and Deng Yuanchao is the same. Now, Deng Yuanchao, who is 25, is studying for a master¡¯s degree at Jingcheng Military Medical University and is nning to go abroad. He has little contact with Nie Zhenbang and others. Among the younger generation of the Nie family, Nie Jialeiang holds a transcendent position and is a mysterious figure. So, it has formed a small circle. Xiao Yali and Nie Zhenbang, together with Nie Jiamin who is now far in Xibei, get along quite well. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s joke, Xiao Yali red at him: ¡°You heartless! Isn¡¯t your sister angry for you? These guys, who has as much courage as you? If they have the guts, they should go to the Soviet Union to bring back a fleet of arms. It would be good even just to smelt them at home.¡± Blunt Xiao Yali, herst sentence revealed her true thoughts. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t get angry at all, and immediatelyughed: ¡°Smelt them? Second sister, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯d say that. Such a good thing, there¡¯s no way I¡¯m going to smelt it into steel. This stuff is worth more than gold. This time, you all just watch. I¡¯ll surprise you. Next time, I guess, there will be T72 tanks and even T80 tanks on the books.¡± Hearing this, Xiao Yali didn¡¯t react much. But Yang Anbang beside them, his face turned serious, he looked at Nie Zhenbang and said: ¡°Zhenbang, tell me the truth, are you working for the military now?¡± These two tanks are currently the main battle tanks of the Soviet Union, especially the T80 type main battle tank, which just started to equip the army a few years ago. So far, there are probably no more than 2,200 of these throughout the whole Soviet Union. This is definitely the core military secret of the Soviets. If Huaxia can obtain a sample of this tank, its tank technology will soon catch up with the Soviet level in terms of reactive armour, main gun, power assembly and other firepower control aspects. The significance of this is self-evident. Nie Zhenbang just shook his head, the fewer people that know about this n, the better. Smiling and ying coy, he said, ¡°Second brother, you know our party¡¯s confidentiality regtions. Don¡¯t ask what you shouldn¡¯t. Just have a good idea in your heart.¡± The car quickly stopped in front of the Capital Restaurant. At this moment, what Nie Zhenbang and others did not expect was that basically all the well-known figures in Jingcheng, including Zhou Chen, had gathered. The Li family, Wang family, Zhou family, Chen family and the military¡¯s Zhang family, plus the figures of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s group. At this moment, here could even gather a small politburo standingmittee. As soon as he saw Nie Zhenbang, Zhou Chen began to smirk triumphantly. Thest time, he managed to undermine Nie Zhenbang in the matter of Audi, although he lost a deputy ministerial level cadre, but that was just a camp follower, not a direct descendant of the Zhou family. Zhou Chen didn¡¯t feel any heartache at all. The Zhou family didn¡¯t feel much either. On the contrary, it made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s several hundred millions of RMB stuck in a wastnd in the south of the city, this is what made Zhou Chen most excited. This time, hearing that Nie Zhenbang brought back a load of arms, Zhou Chen immediately rushed back from Chunan Province. The purpose is simple, to watch Nie Zhenbang be aughing-stock in Jingcheng.. Chapter 71 - 71: Wager_l Chapter 71: Wager_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Whoa! Ho ho ho! Who do we have here? Isn¡¯t this young master Nie? What, back from the Soviet Union?¡± Zhou Chen made some snidements. Yang Anbang looked calm, as if he didn¡¯t recognize him at all. Yang Anbang¡¯s ambitions have always been inmerce, and it seems the Yang family¡¯s current attitude tacitly approves of his choice. Zhou Chen, however, again and again, first followed the trend and made a supermarket to steal business. But then, he conspired against Yang Anbang on the Wal-Mart automobile project. Now, this money is still held up. The buildings are under construction. But there¡¯s no interest in global cooperation. Although, this money was provided by Nie Zhenbang. But the shares are controlled by Wal-Mart. This money, although it¡¯s not currently on Yang Anbang¡¯s shoulders, will eventually have to be paid back by the Wal-Mart supermarket. How could this not provoke Yang Anbang¡¯s hatred? This surely is a huge grudge. At this moment, upon seeing Zhou Chen again, Yang Anbang nced briefly at him and then walked inside. Xiao Yali at this moment was also ring at Zhou Chen. Although, Zhou Chen acted very decisively, leaving no loopholes for Nie Zhenbang and his group. But this didn¡¯t stop Xiao Yali from blowing her top. ¡°Zhou Xiaoshe, not bad. Dare to ruin my good schemes. I see, you must be itching all over from your stay in Chunan Province. Yearning to rebel, huh? We all know what you didst time, there¡¯s no need to whitewash it. You just wait. What goes aroundes around, your judgment day ising.¡± At this point, Xiao Yali walked up to Zhou Chen, brash and brawny as she had been with Yang Anbang in her past life. Looking at Xiao Yali¡¯s demeanor, Zhou Chen waspletely unconcerned, ¡± Humph! Xiao¡¯s girl, I don¡¯t need you to point fingers at what I do. Did your father not teach you about the obedience women should have? A woman should not expose herself too much. It¡¯s not appropriate. What goes aroundes around? I¡¯m curious to see what you can do to me? Are you going to rape me? At this moment, Zhou Chen¡¯s people allughed. Yang Anbang came out again with a gloomy face,¡± Zhou Chen, you can try. Say it again.¡± Nie Zhenbang also stood up at this time, smiling, he stopped Yang Anbang, ¡°Second Brother, let it go. It¡¯s just a small matter, it¡¯s not worth it, don¡¯t let it upset you and Second Sister. Let¡¯s go in.¡± Despite Yang Anbang¡¯s business career, he has always been very easygoing. But that¡¯s just Yang Anbang following the principle of harmony brings wealth. Anyone who has made a name for themselves in Jingcheng¡¯s stubborn circles like him is certainly no pushover. He was quite a figure back in the day. At this point, Zhou Chen could never be intimidated. If so, the consequence is that both sides would start fighting, then, I too would lend a hand. Ultimately, Zhou Chen would end up in the hospital, that¡¯s all. However, it¡¯s not the right time to fall out with Zhou Chen now. Looking at the current situation. As Comrade Xuri¡¯s position in the center gradually stabilizes, conservative forces are gradually gaining the upper hand across the country. In some peripheral regions and some cities on the maind, officials who support reform have been reassigned one after another. At this point, the reformist momentum has been significantly suppressed. If I fall out with Zhou Chen now. It is bound to make the Zhou family have some thoughts. After all, there has been a conflict with Zhou Chen before. If there is another falling out this time, it will definitely affect the neutral faction¡¯s stance. If something affects these younger generations before the head of state, before the main figures of the reformists speak up, that would be a big joke. ¡°Zhenbang, what do you mean by that? He¡¯s persecuting your second sister!¡± Yang Anbang was somewhat surprised. Why is it that after a trip to the Soviet Union, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s courage has diminished? Next to him, Xiao Yali was also furious: ¡°Third brother!¡± But Nie Zhenbang was taciturn at the moment: ¡°Second Brother, Second Sister, do you find this interesting? If we really beat him up, wouldn¡¯t we be just ying into his hands? A dog bites you, you don¡¯t bite back, right? Let it go. It¡¯s just a small matter, why bother?¡± His words were extremely sharp. In the future information age, such verbal abuse would be typical. But in this era, it is absolutely brilliant and unmatched. Originally, Zhou Chen, who had been wearing a self-satisfied expression, immediately turned gloomy after hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, gazing intently at him. After hesitating for a while, ultimately, Zhou Chen didn¡¯t have the guts to step forward. After all, the impression that Nie Zhenbang had made on him was too profound. That resounding p, whose grudge he hadn¡¯t yet avenged, had resulted in him being exiled. Now, although his family has slightly rxed their supervision over him, Zhou Chen didn¡¯t dare to provoke Nie Zhenbang again. ¡°Brother Zhou. Don¡¯t worry about it. He¡¯s a famous Third Young Master; think of him as an almsgiver to a beggar, just let it go. Now that the Third Young Master is no longer a trafficker but a collector of scrap, can¡¯t we be more generous?¡± A hoarse voice echoed as, at that moment, Ou Zheng walked over from a distance. Nie Zhenbang nced at him and saw that everyone who had had even the slightest disagreement with him in Jingcheng hade, gathered in an unprecedentedlyplete force. He thenughed and said, ¡°I was wondering who it was. Turns out it¡¯s Commissioner Ou¡¯s son. A pleasure, indeed. I wonder, how is your wrist? Hopefully you didn¡¯t fracture it again by ident.¡± Ou Zheng¡¯s expression changed and he replied disdainfully, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you are nothing but a crude brute. I won¡¯t lower myself to your level. What do you think you are, merely a rag-and-bone man? What, thinking of switching to smelting steel? With your qualifications, you¡¯re not up to it.¡± ¡°Master Ou, you don¡¯t need to worry if I¡¯m qualified or not. I¡¯ve got money. What¡¯s the matter? I can light my cigar with banknotes if I want! You think you can do it? Collecting junk, what¡¯s wrong with that? If you have the ability, why don¡¯t you do it? Moreover, what I have here is a treasure. What do you guys know? Babies who haven¡¯t even grown a proper amount of hair.¡± If ites to swearing, these people put together aren¡¯t a match for Nie Zhenbang. Why, it¡¯s because information in this era is too scarce. Just take something from the inte inter ages, in this era, they¡¯re all ssic swearing phrases. These people,pared to Nie Zhenbang in terms of foulnguage, are like illiteratespared to postgraduates. There¡¯s absolutely noparison. The words that Nie Zhenbang just said almost made Zhou Chen and Ou Zheng choke. Arrogant! Too arrogant! This kid is overbearing, as if he doesn¡¯t care about anyone. Zhou Chen is Zhou Chen after all, although detestable. But, in the Jingcheng circle, he is a figure, much better than the waste that Ou Zheng is. Soon, Zhou Chen caught a loophole in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, and immediately sneered, ¡°Treasure? pping gold on your own face? Even if you¡¯re a y idol, you won¡¯t be able to put gold on it. Is it just AK? How many do you want? Tomorrow, I will get the Jinling Armory to produce a batch for you.¡± Ou Zheng, at this moment, was finally able to react. He looked at Zhou Chen, extended his thumb, and also chimed in, ¡°This can also qualify as a treasure? There are plenty of these treasures in Huaxia. If you need them, I¡¯ll get the city¡¯s military department to drag a few hundred thousand out from the scrap warehouse for you, Third Young Master. Anyone can puff themselves up beyond their means. If these are treasures, I, Ou Zheng, will kowtow three times to you and from then on, whenever I see you, Nie Zhenbang, in this city, I¡¯ll take a detour.¡± What Nie Zhenbang wanted was just the words from Ou Zheng. The time was not yet ripe to deal with Zhou Chen. However, there was absolutely no psychological burden to deal with Ou Zheng. He quickly responded, ¡°Ou Zheng, these are your words. Everyone here heard them. As long as I can sell these munitions, you remember your promise.¡± By the side, Zhou Chen, quick-eyed, spoke up as well, ¡°Everyone knows that the words of Young Master Zheng are as good as gold. However, Nie Zhenbang, what if you lose?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang answered without hesitation, ¡°If I lose, I¡¯ll crawl around the city!¡± Chapter 72 - 72: Return to the South China Sea 1 Chapter 72: Return to the South China Sea 1 Trantor: 549690339 The ¡°Four Nine City¡± is now generally referred to as the urban area of Jingcheng. However, at this moment, everyone knew that the Four Nine City Nie Zhenbang referred to was the circumference around the wall of the Forbidden City. Nevertheless, even so, the distance was enough for Nie Zhenbang to bear. Then, Zhou Chen finalized the decision: ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take the bet. But, let¡¯s get things straight first. You can only secure these weapons yourself. Don¡¯t pull any strings. If you do, it would be a mess. I too will sell it for you.¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback, then agreed, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s do it your way.¡± After having dinner with Yang Anbang and others, Nie Zhenbang returned to the red-walledpound. At this moment, there weren¡¯t many people at home. Nie Guodong and his wife and Nie Jiamin had gone to the Northwest. His father and stepmother were in the South China Sea. Nie Zhenbang greeted the olddy, who was very warm. The youngest son and eldest grandson were the apple of the elderlydy¡¯s eyes. In the past, the olddy was somewhat hesitant out of concern for her husband¡¯s feelings. But in this lifetime, the olddy has thoroughly expressed her love for her eldest grandson. After chatting with the olddy for a while, noticing she was getting tired, Nie Zhenbang stood up. In his previous life, as family changes took ce, the olddy had pent up sadness and died this year. Afterwards, his grandfather was incredibly grief-stricken, resigning from all his positions. From then on, the Nie family¡¯s fortunes plummeted, sinking into the second-tier families of Jingcheng following the defeat of the conservative faction a yearter. At this moment, seeing that the olddy was still alive, although her health wasn¡¯t great, her mood was good. There was always a health care doctor apanying her, so living for another two years didn¡¯t seem to be an issue. Nie Zhenbang also sighed incessantly. Then, he said to the olddy, ¡°Grandmother, you should rest. I¡¯ll be heading to the South China Sea soon.¡± The so-called blood bond is a kind of familial love. However, there are not only this kind in the world. In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang had a tragic personal experience. Coupled with the decline of the Nie family, his rtives were all in low spirits. His uncle had prejudiced views towards him but confined it to sarcastic remarks and did not go too far. As for Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian, they fulfilled their responsibilities towards him until their deaths. They may not have been very passionate, but they provided him with food and clothing security. Being so generous to a drunkard who was dead to the world was already considerable. Therefore, this time, with a fresh start, Nie Zhenbang realized that he didn¡¯t harbor much hatred against the Nie family, which is why he epted the Nie family so quickly. The other kind of familial love he spoke of was based on time; like an orphan who was abandoned as a child but was raised by foster parents. Regardless of what happens, even if the orphan¡¯s biological parentse forward, the foster parents are still his parents. This is what feelings are about. A person without feelings cannot be considered a human, but rather a beast. Siblings are only close if they keep in touch. Without any interaction, even biological parents may not be more familiar. This was why Nie Zhenbang nned to go to the South China Sea. Two hourster, the ne slowlynded at Baiyun Airport in Yuezhou. Just as he walked out of the airport exit, a young man aged around twenty-five was holding up a sign at the door. It was written with the five characters ¡°Nie Zhenbang from Jingcheng¡±. Nie Zhenbang had already informed his father beforeing, as soon as he saw the sign, he knew, this person must have been sent by his father. Nie Zhenbang then called out to Dalong who was carrying the luggage, ¡°Dalong, let¡¯s go, over here. The person picking us up is there.¡± As they approached, the young man greeted him with a smile, ¡°You are Zhenbang, right? Nice to meet you. My name is Li Wang, I am Secretary Nie¡¯s assistant.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also extended a friendly hand and said, ¡°Secretary Li, nice to meet you. Thank you for the trouble. Is my father busy with work? I feel bad that he sent you to pick us up.¡± Li Wang was not very tall, about one meter sixty-eight. His hair was very short, making him appear energetic. He had thick lips and a rtivelyrge mouth. With a pair of big eyes, he gave off an impression of sincerity and honesty when he smiled. Li Wang didn¡¯t have the usual ingratiating demeanormon to secretaries, leading Nie Zhenbang to have a favorable impression of him. As the Deputy Secretary of the Nanhai Municipal Committee, Nie Guowei also had ess to a dedicated vehicle. It was a brand-new Santana. This car, produced by the Volkswagen factory in Hucheng City, was considered the most luxurious sedan in Huaxia Nation. Seeing this car, Nie Zhenbang thought of Audi. Ever since FAW had cut them out, negotiations between Audi and FAW had quicklye to a conclusion. Since inspecting FAW¡¯s production base, Dr. Hahn, the president of Audi¡¯s side, had personally visited FAW and signed a cooperation agreement to produce the high-end Audi 100 model. He suspected that within half a year or a year, all official cars throughout Huaxia would be reced with Audis. He needed to hasten his own pace. Since he had bested them once, he was determined to prevent Audi from gaining a win this time. From Yuezhou to Nanhai, following National Highway 39. All the way south, at this time, the National Highway 39 was certainly the busiest highway in the entire Huaxia. Traffic was so congested that cars couldn¡¯t speed up. The rtively short distance actually took over two hours to reach the residential district of the Nanhai Municipal Committee. Nie Guowei¡¯s house was in the Bureau Level Building of the Nanhai Municipal Committee residential district. The so-called Bureau Level Building referred to a simr concept as the General Building in some military districtpounds in Jingcheng. Those who were eligible to live here were all bureau-level cadres. As the second-highest-ranking Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Committee, second only to the Deputy Secretary and the Mayor, Nie Guowei¡¯s residence was a two-story vi with the number three. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help butugh when he saw the number as he stepped out of the car. By this time, Nie Guowei had already returned home. With the arrival of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car, Nie Guowei, Ye Shuxian, and Nie Ziyu were all standing at the door. As soon as she saw Nie Zhenbang, Nie Ziyu threw herself at him, excitedly hugging his neck and whining, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re so heartless. How could you bear not to visit me for so long? Bro, I heard that you went abroad. Did you bring me any gifts? I want Barbie dolls. I want choctes. ¡± ¡°Ziyu!¡± Upon hearing Nie Ziyu¡¯s words, Ye Shuxian scolded her with a stern face. Nie Zhenbang watched Ye Shuxian and couldn¡¯t help butugh. He understood Ye Shuxian¡¯s concern. After all, he was not her biological brother. That¡¯s why she feared that he might dislike her. However, Ye Shuxian wouldn¡¯t understand Nie Zhenbang¡¯s way of thinking. During theirter life, Nie Ziyu was extremely kind-hearted to him. Although her tone was harsh, it was only out of disappointment. In reality, once Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian passed away, the responsibility of looking after Nie Zhenbang fell onto Nie Ziyu. Had Nie Ziyu not taken care of him, Nie Zhenbang might have died long ago without any chance ofmitting suicide. ¡°Mom, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m actually very happy that Ziyu is so attached to me. She¡¯s the precious gem of our family.¡± He then took out a set of Russian nesting dolls from the suitcase Long gave him, and shook them in front of Nie Ziyu and said, ¡°Ziyu, this is a set of Russian dolls from the Soviet Union. Isn¡¯t it better than a Barbie doll?¡± However, Nie Ziyu was pouting. She took the Russian dolls and mumbled, ¡°But I prefer Barbie dolls.¡± The reunion of the family felt much more harmonious this time around. This wasrgely due to Ye Shuxian¡¯s deliberate efforts and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s open -minded eptance. Upon entering the living room, Long proactively offered to help Li Wang in the kitchen. Nie Guowei then sat down on the sofa and patted the seat next to him, saying, ¡°Sit down. I heard from Grandfather about your trip to the Soviet Union. As long as you returned safely, it¡¯s all good.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled and agreed: ¡°It¡¯s fine, Grandfather introduced me to General Aselev over there. I even visited General Aselev¡¯s house. Peter mentioned you.¡± Just as they were about to have dinner, the phone on the table rang. Li Wang quickly picked up the phone, spoke a few words, then covered the mouthpiece and turned to Nie Guowei, saying, ¡°Secretary, Secretary Li called. He asked you to please arrive at the Municipal Committee¡¯s small conference room within the next half an hour, to discuss the issue of the Nanhai Airport construction..¡± Chapter 73 - 73: Nanhai Airport_1 Chapter 73: Nanhai Airport_1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 73 Nanhai Airport Nanhai Airport? Nie Zhenbang was taken aback when he heard the term. At this point, Nie Guowei had already stood up and dressed himself. He looked apologetically at Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you see, this¡­¡± Yi Shuxian, who was standing next to them, also mildly reprimanded, ¡°You¡¯re not a high-ranking official, but you seem to have a lot going on. The kid just got home, and we haven¡¯t had a family meal yet, but there¡¯s already another meeting. I really don¡¯t know what kind of work ethic you people at Nanhai have.¡± At this time, in this era, it could be said that the entire cadre team of Nanhai was made up of the country¡¯s elites. Everyone¡¯s main focus was to fully devote themselves to their work and make great strides in building Nanhai into a model city for the nationwide reform and opening up. Facing his wife¡¯sints, Nie Guowei decided to stay silent, offering an apology with a smile. He then turned to Nie Zhenbang and Nie Ziyu, saying, ¡°Zhenbang, Ziyu, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll have dinner with you guys once I get back tonight.¡¯ With that, Nie Guowei grabbed his bag and quickly stepped out the door. Li Wang also followed suit. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t clearly remember when the construction of Nanhai Airport began, when the project officially kicked off, and when it waspleted. As for when the Nanhai Municipal Committee started toying with the idea and began preparations for it, Nie Zhenbang was even more clueless. However, Nie Zhenbang did distinctly remember a news segment from either 1993 or thereabouts, broadcast on CCTV¡¯s evening news. It mentioned that within two years of starting operations, Nanhai Airport quickly developed into yet another international airport within the country. Inferring from this information, it should have been around 1990 or 1991 when Nanhai Airport officially started operations. Even with Nanhai¡¯s fast-paced development, the actual construction probably took ce between 1988 and 1990. Given that timeline, it made sense for the Nanhai Municipal Committee and Government to start project nning now, prepare the necessary documentation, and then submit it to the Yuedong Provincial nning Committee and the Yuedong Provincial Aviation Administration. Following this, they would report to the National nning Committee and the National Aviation Administration for flight routing. This was indeed the right time. Moreover, based on the aforementioned information, the initial scale of Nanhai Airport was only set to serve domestic routes. This brought Nie Zhenbang arge leeway for possible action. Despite many airports ¡ª over 70 percent nationwide ¨C reportedly running at a loss inter times, Nanhai Airport stands as an international air transit hub in the Asia-Pacific region. Investing in this project certainly wouldn¡¯t lead to sizable losses. Moreover,mercial real estate around the airport could provide Nie Zhenbang with an excellent opportunity to recoup his investment costs. Most importantly, this presents a great opportunity to boost Nie Guowei¡¯s prestige and political achievements within the Nanhai Municipal Committee. In regards to political achievements, Nie Zhenbang had a basic and straightforward view: there were no issues as long as money could solve the problem. Seeing Nie Zhenbang lost in thought, Ye Shuxian came over, waved her hand in front of his eyes and when she got no response, she patted Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Zhenbang, let¡¯s have dinner.¡± Even though Nie Guowei wasn¡¯t around, the meal was still enjoyed heartily. Looking at the affectionate rtionship between Nie Ziyu and Nie Zhenbang, Ye Shuxian was pleased. At this point, Nie Zhenbang felt like he was truly part of this small family. It was ten o¡¯clock at night, and Nie Ziyu had already gone to bed. Ye Shuxian too had retired to her room. As Nie Guowei opened the door, he turned to his secretary, Li Wang, and said softly, ¡°Li, you go and rest. Come pick me up at half-past seven tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll go check on things over at An Bao¡¯s.¡± Nie Zhenbang gently closed the front door. The light next to the door was left on, dimly illuminating the entire living room. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang emerged from his bedroom. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang fully dressed, Nie Guowei was momentarily taken aback before breaking into a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re still awake? Can¡¯t sleep in a new ce?¡± Without Ye Shuxian present, Nie Guowei¡¯s tone was noticeably softer. Even though Ye Shuxian did not mind, there were times when Nie Guowei made an effort to be more considerate. Looking at Nie Guowei, Nie Zhenbang assumed a serious expression and asked, ¡°Father, do you have some time? Let¡¯s talk in the study. There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡± Such formality, such a grave tone ¡ª it was unlike Nie Zhenbang. It left Nie Guowei momentarily speechless, before solemnly nodding, ¡°Alright.¡± Both father and son walked into the study next door. Nie Zhenbang carefully closed the door behind him. Staring at Nie Guowei seated on the study¡¯s sofa, after a prolonged silence, Nie Zhenbang spoke slowly, ¡°Father, at this time, my mother has already left us. Yet, she never harbored any resentment towards you when she left. She never once med you for leaving her or forgetting about her. Instead, she told me that you are a good man. A man worth loving for a lifetime. I want to ask you, did you ever love my mother in this life?¡± This topic was a heavy burden. As Nie Zhenbang asked his question, Nie Guowei seemed to be transported back in time, a distant look in his eyes. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Nie Guowei slowly responded, ¡°Why would you ask such a thing? Zhenbang, is it because your aunt¡­?¡± Nie Zhenbang shook his head, whispering, ¡°It has nothing to do with mom. Honestly, the name ¡®mom¡¯ suits her perfectly. I recognize her as my mother. I merely wanted to ask, for my mother¡¯s sake. Is the man she loved so deeply worth her love?¡± Actually, there was a deeper reason for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions. Nie Guowei¡¯s abilities and qualifications certainly had their limits. Even with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s support in this life, reaching the sub-national level would already be a remarkable feat. However, forcing someone who originally only reached deputy ministry level onto a sub-national position would consume an immeasurable amount of resources, connections and money. At this point, Nie Zhenbang was just making a final evaluation of his decision. ¡°Zhenbang, since you asked, I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Nie Guowei said, entering a reminiscent state. ¡°Your mother and I met when we were sent to work in the ruralmune of Yanbei. Back then, your mother was the renowned beauty of themune. Our romance was simple. At that time, I was rebellious. Once, your mother fell ill, and I carried her ten miles to the hospital. This was how our rtionship started. After that, we became intimate. Initially, I thought I¡¯d settle down in Yanbei. However, your grandfather interfered and transferred me directly to the military. During the New Year, your mother returned home to visit her family and we didn¡¯t get a chance to say goodbye. I left her a note, promising to return in a year. But when that time came around, your grandfather was exiled. Not until three yearster, when I was discharged from the military and returned to Yanbei, was I informed that your mother had left. Nobody knew where she¡¯d gone, and I couldn¡¯t find any leads.¡± For the first time, Nie Guowei¡¯s pain wasid bare. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Nie Guowei¡¯s eyes were clear and intense, ¡°Zhenbang, I know I¡¯ve failed your mother. I¡¯ve failed you. I¡¯ve always med myself. Seeing you just made me feel even more guilty. But if you ask me whether I loved her, then I, Nie Guowei, can im with a clear conscience that I did.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang nodded. His maternal grandfather might have been an ordinary civilian, but Nie Zhenbang was well aware of his influence. As a well-known master of Shape-Intent Fist in Yanbei, during the war he had made numerous military connections. After learning about his daughter¡¯s pregnancy, he used these connections to bring my mother back to Tang City. It was only natural that when Nie Guowei came to look for her, he could find no trace of her. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang seemed to have finally let go of a burden. He looked at Nie Guowei and asked, ¡°Father, were you discussing the construction of the airport in Nanhai today?¡± Nie Guowei didn¡¯t think much of the question and casually replied, ¡°Right. As Nanhai develops, it¡¯s necessary to build an airport. Recently, the municipalmittee and the municipal government have been working on this. Numerous meetings have been held.¡± At this, Nie Guowei paused, and turned the question around, ¡°Zhenbang, why do you ask?¡± Nie Zhenbang broke into a grin, ¡°Father, of course, the airport needs to be built. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re considering a regional airport? I think it¡¯s not necessary to be so conservative. The chief of Nan Xun once said that we need to take broader steps in reform. Considering the development prospects and pace of Nanhai, I suggest we go all in and start building an international airport directly..¡± Chapter 74 - 74: Come to Me if You Need Money_1 Chapter 74: Come to Me if You Need Money_1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 74: Come to Me If You¡¯re Short of Money ¡°An international airport?¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Guowei was taken aback. Although most of the initiatives his son had undertaken since joining the Nie family had surprised him, this idea genuinely took him aback. The entire Nanhai Municipal Committee currently held diverging views on the construction of an airport. After all, Yuezhou Airport was a major international hub, and was second only to Jingcheng City Airport and Hucheng Airport within the country. Nanhai was not too distant from Yuezhou. Along with the Hong Kong and Macao airports across the river, the issue of duplicative construction and resource waste had been raised earlier in the day. At this point, even the basic issue of whether to build an airport was unresolved, but his son was suggesting they jump straight to building an international one. After pondering for a moment, Nie Guowei turned to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°An international airport? It¡¯s not like a regional airport. An international airport would require a runwayrge enough for big nes tond and take off, hangars for the nes, and also separate terminals for domestic and international flights. The investment needed is far more significant than for a domestic airport. Is this even necessary? Nie Zhenbangughed. It was likely that the Nanhai Municipal Committee had had the same concerns in his previous life, hence why they hadn¡¯t jumped straight to establishing an international airport. However, having lived through it once, he had a keen understanding of Nanhai¡¯s future development. In the future, Nanhai established an international airport and, within just a few years, became the fourthrgest international airport in the country. This potential was significant. Moreover, in the future, the entire Pearl Delta Region had a considerable number of airports. Yuehai and Nanhai,bined with Hong Kong and Macao across the shore, had four international airports clustered in a small area. That was real resource waste. Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Dad, I think you¡¯re just not daring enough, and too conservative about Nanhai¡¯s development. At present, Nanhai¡¯s industrial, economic, andmercial development is advancing at a rate of over 20% annually. I¡¯m confident that within five years, Nanhai will be an international metropolis. Such a city needs an international airport. Rather than expanding an airport due to future growth, we should create it right now. Even though it might be challenging now, the future costs associated withnd appreciation and expansion will be significant.¡± Nie Guowei considered this for a moment. Ever since his appointment to a local position,pared to his old position in Jingcheng, the level of political strife was child¡¯s y. Having matured politically after months in the role, he paused and then shook his head, ¡°All you¡¯re offering is spection. It¡¯s too subjective and doesn¡¯t convince me. Even right now, funding for the current n is limited. Both Secretary Li and I will have to go to Jingcheng and the province to do some wrangling. If we¡¯re to get an international airport off the ground, how we will fund it is yet another issue. I think it¡¯s best to take things one step at a time.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Dad, as for the funding, if you guys don¡¯t have it, I do. I can invest to fill the leftover gap. Nanhai City can hold 51 percent of the shares, and we, Wal-Mart holdings, 49 percent. After deducting our investment, the remaining capital gap can be filled by us. We can repay it with airport profits. This won¡¯t impact the Nanhai city government in any way.¡± At this, Nie Guowei looked at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°This has never been done before. The airport is a crucial strategic resource for the country. Would the policy even permit it? Let¡¯s drop this subject. However, Zhenbang, your suggestion of an international airport is something I can bring up with Secretary Li, but I can¡¯t guarantee his reaction.¡± Stunned for a moment, Nie Zhenbang thenughed. He¡¯d been so excited that he¡¯d blurted out the cooperation approach. Private capital hadn¡¯t been involved in airfield construction until the 21st century. It wasn¡¯t just the Nanhai Municipal Committee that would balk right now, but even Xue Ligong of Yuedong Provincial Committee wouldn¡¯t dare to do this. Only the central government could authorize it. It seemed he would need to return to Jingcheng and seek help from the Elder or Elder Yang. However, if he could persuade the Nanhai Municipal Committee tounch the international airport project, even if he didn¡¯t take a share, it would still be worth it. After all, his father was serving here, and his name would surely feature on the list of contributors. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang promptly replied, ¡°Fine, if Secretary Qianjin agrees. I don¡¯t mind going to the Nanhai Municipal Committee to exin to the leaders why we should implement an international airport. I believe I can convince the leadership of the Nanhai Municipal Committee.¡± Looking at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s confident and domineering expression, Nie Guowei also felt veryforted and chuckled. Compared to his son, he felt like he wascking a lot. At least in terms of courage and spirit, he was much less. Nie Guowei also startedughing, feeling very rxed, ¡°You, I think in our family, you are the most like your grandfather.¡± Nanhai Municipal Committee Office Building At this moment, in the secretary¡¯s office located on the seventh floor. On the Huaxia officialdom, there are some rituals. Businessmen like the number 8. But in the officialdom, many leaders like 7, as the saying goes, 7 up 8 down, which is a symbol of good luck. Nie Guowei¡¯s office and the office of Nanhai Municipal Committee Secretary Li Qianjin were not far apart. The next morning, just shortly after starting work, Nie Guowei entered Li Qianjin¡¯s office. At this moment, upon seeing Nie Guowei, Li Qianjin¡¯s secretary, Ma Jun, also stood up, very respectfully and warmly said, ¡°Secretary Nie, you¡¯re here. Are you looking for the secretary? Pleasee in.¡± In officialdom, deputies are generally referred to by their surname. But the chief secretary is directly referred to by the position to distinguish between the chief and the deputy. Seeing Nie Guoweiing in, Li Qianjin, who was sitting at the office desk, also stood up. With simr backgrounds and both part of the reformist system, the rtionship between the two was very good. Li Qianjin had already stood up and smiled, ¡°Secretary Guowei is here so early. I heard that your son is here. He even called you over yesterday. I feel somewhat embarrassed.¡± Nie Guowei alsoughed, ¡°Secretary Li, you¡¯re too kind. We, as party cadres, have to set a good example. It¡¯s you, Secretary Li, who came to Nanhai alone. You¡¯re truly the model I learn from.¡± Li Qianjin alsoughed, then turned serious, ¡°Secretary Guowei, did you need something from me?¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Guowei also nodded, ¡°Secretary Li, indeed there is a matter I would like to report to you. Yesterday evening, as soon as I got home, my boy started talking to me about our Nanhai Airport project. He proposed some immature ideas. But when I thought about it, they sort of made sense, hence I came over today to discuss it with you.¡± Having said that, Nie Guoweiid out Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughts on the construction of the Nanhai Airport. Hearing about the international airport, Li Qianjin¡¯s face changed, a gleam in his eyes. But after hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s idea of co-investing with Nanhai City, Li Qianjin shook his head. After Nie Guowei finished exining, Li Qianjin pondered for a moment, then voiced his opinion, ¡°Secretary Guowei, I am really envious of you. Zhenbang is indeed exceptional. The idea of an international airport is very innovative and bold. The spirit shown by the young man is greater than us old bones. However, after careful consideration, Zhenbang¡¯s idea indeed has high feasibility. But as for the joint venture, I think it¡¯s best not to mention it.¡± After a pause, Li Qianjin continued, ¡°So, Secretary Guowei, I think we can certainly call a meeting of the Municipal Committee to let Zhenbang exin it to us in detail.. What do you think?¡± Chapter 75 - 75: Reporting to the Municipal Committee 1 Chapter 75: Reporting to the Municipal Committee 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 75: Making a Report to the Municipal Committee ¡°Eh¡­ This, Secretary Li, is inviting the boy to present to the Municipal Committee. This¡­ isn¡¯t it a bit too theatrical? If word gets out, it might undermine your authority¡­¡± Nie Guowei did not expect Li Qianjin to have such remarkable courage. A young man, barely seventeen or eighteen, is involved in the research of major projects in Nanhai. Even more shockingly, he could possibly influence the decisions of the Nanhai Municipal Committee. If this gets out, Li Qianjin will have to take responsibility. At this moment, however, Li Qianjin justughed heartily. Looking at Nie Guowei, he said, ¡°Guowei, we¡¯ve be friends now. So let me give you a piece of harsh advice. In your life, you¡¯ve always been too cautious. So what if we have to take responsibility? What is there to be afraid of? I don¡¯t believe that the provincial government and the Central Government would dismiss me for this.¡± When he spoke these words, Li Qianjin naturally exuded his own air of dominance and confidence. As the Secretary of the Nanhai Municipal Committee and a standing member of the provincialmittee, his rank wasparable to that of a deputy minister. This wasn¡¯t something Yuedong Province could decide on its own. Any transfer or dismissal involving Li Qianjin would have to go through the Central Organization Department. Then, Li Qianjin decisively dered, ¡°This is settled. We¡¯re going to do it as I proposed. Comrade Guowei, when you get back, make sure to talk to Zhenbang about it. The meeting will be set for three o¡¯clock tomorrow afternoon, in the small meeting room.¡± At two fifty in the afternoon the next day, Nie Zhenbang had already arrived at the office building of the Nanhai Municipal Committee. Next to the small meeting room on the top floor is a rest room. Here, leaders of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Committee usually rest during meetings. At this moment, all the leaders of the standingmittee had arrived at the meeting room one after another. As the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Committee, Nie Guowei had also taken his seat. But Nie Zhenbang was in the rest room, tightly clutching a stack of documents, while carefully recalling some information in his mind. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat nervous. He had met many provincial and national leaders in his life, and even had opportunities for direct interactions. However, in those asions, he was always treated merely as a junior. This time, he was technically making his official debut. Although Nie Zhenbang had clear ambitions to pursue a political career, he had no prior experience. His sess in this life was thanks to his foresight, but he had no experience or reference for navigating the system. This would be a true test of his abilities. ¡°Take a deep breath! Calm down. It¡¯s not a big deal, just think of it as a rehearsal before entering the political realm, ¡± Nie Zhenbang muttered to himself. Approaching three o¡¯clock, the door of the rest room opened. A middle-aged man walked in with a smile. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he was courteous and kind, smiling and saying, ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. Are you nervous?¡± Nie Zhenbang had met Li Qianjin before, so he stood up and smiled, ¡°Hello Uncle Li. I¡¯m a little nervous. But I believe I can persuade everyone.¡± Li Qianjinughed at this, patting Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder approvingly and nodded, ¡°Good, not bad. You have the vigor of the young. Great figures have said that the world belongs to you, as well as us, but at the end of the day, it is still yours. You are like the sun at eight or nine in the morning. What we need is this vibrant feeling, this confidence. Zhenbang, you¡¯re doing very well, much better than my own son.¡± With this, Li Qianjin turned to the middle-aged man next to him andughed, ¡°Old Qi, Cao Cao once said, ¡®I wish my son could be like Sun Quan.¡¯ Now, I want to borrow his words. ¡®I wish my son could be like Nie Zhenbang.¡±¡® Old Qi, now the deputy secretary of the Nanhai Municipal Committee and the mayor of Nanhai City, is Qi Yuchang. Mayor Qi wears a pair of sses, which gives him the demeanor of a schr-type mayor. In the past, Mayor Qi was the first mayor in the country to have a master¡¯s degree. He is indeed a notable figure. At this moment, Mayor Qi also chuckled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, Secretary Li rarely praises people. That¡¯s good. You¡¯re a talented young man, keep up the good work.¡± Li Qianjin alsoughed and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s about time, let¡¯s go together.¡± Li Qianjin was leading the way, and at this moment, Mayor Qi also kept half a step behind, with Nie Zhenbang trailing behind. Now, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat amazed. Everyone said Mayor Qi was a schr-type mayor. It seemed, it wasn¡¯t entirely true. At this moment, in terms of attention to such details, Mayor Qi vividly taught Nie Zhenbang a lesson. The three of them walked into the meeting room at the same time. At this moment, everyone in the room turned to look at them. After Li Qianjin reached his seat and sat down, he introduced with a smile, ¡°Comrades, the main character of this meeting isn¡¯t me, but this youngrade here. Nie Zhenbang has some distinct ideas about the issue at Nanhai Airport. After consulting with Mayor Qi and Deputy Secretary Nie, I felt it was very necessary to have Comrade Zhenbang share his analysis on the future nning of aviation and Nanhai¡¯s prospects.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, all the Standing Committee members below started whispering. Li Qianjin¡¯s move this time was too radical. How much could this kid know? Beside them, Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Nanhai Municipal Committee, and the Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Municipal Party Committee, snorted coldly and mocked, ¡°Secretary Li, this isn¡¯t like visiting someone with gifts during a festival. This concerns Nanhai¡¯s future development, don¡¯t you find it rather absurd to have a child teaching us a lesson?¡± ¡°Exactly, this boy looks to be only twenty years old. He¡¯s even younger than my son. My son, who¡¯s hardly ever at home. Let alone anything else. What does this little boy know?¡± Another person echoed. The speaker was the political and legal affairsmittee secretary of Nanhai City. On such asions, it¡¯s not that each one of the Standing Committee members would be afraid of Li Qianjin, after all, they all have the right to speak. If it were a normal meeting, these people certainly wouldn¡¯t act like this. However, Li Qianjin brought a young man with him, so those who oppose him, didn¡¯t have so much fear. Beside them, Mayor Qi coughed lightly and slowly said, ¡°Comrades, please calm down. Initially, I was also skeptical about Secretary Li¡¯s suggestion. But after doing some research, Comrade Nie Zhenbang is not an ordinary man. He is indeed the younger generation here. Zhenbang is the son of Comrade Nie Guowei. Hees from a well-educated family and is a high-achieving student from Jingcheng University. I asked my teacher, Professor Wang, the Secretary of Jingcheng University¡¯s Party Committee. To my surprise, my teacher highly praised Zhenbang, calling him a rare genius of Huaxia that onlyes along once in a century. I believe my teacher¡¯s character is trustworthy. Even if it¡¯s a child, if he can get such high praise from my teacher, he must be extraordinary.¡± At this moment, Minister Wang and Secretary Jia both fell silent. Their faces were slightly embarrassed since they indeed behaved a bit disrespectfully by assessing the child of Nie Guowei in front of him. At this time, Li Qianjin waved to Nie Zhenbang and signaled, ¡°Zhenbang, you may begin.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and took a deep breath. He solemnly started, ¡°Respected seniors and leaders. I am very grateful to the Nanhai Municipal Committee and City Government, and to all the leaders for giving me this opportunity. Zhenbang is still learning, so I¡¯ll put forward my ideas as a starting point for further discussion. If there are any inappropriate points, we canmunicate further.¡¯ At that, Nie Zhenbang brought out a map of the Pearl Triangle area and hung it on the wall. He then said, ¡°Everyone knows what this map represents. Please have a look. At present, in the area we are currently developing, in the vicinity of Nanhai City, including Dongwan City, as well as several other surrounding cities, aviation is a nk spot¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughts flowed out like a spring, uninterrupted. From the standpoint of the region¡¯s location advantage, he discussed the industry trends in the domestic and Yuedong aviation sector, and analyzed the international aviation industry trends. He talked extensively and learnedly. In the end, Nie Zhenbang concluded, ¡°Respected leaders, I believe that it is absolutely necessary for Nanhai to construct a regional airport. Leaning on sea transportation, along with the current highway and railway transportations, the construction of an airport will give Nanhai another pair of wings for development, forming three-dimensional advantages in sea,nd and air transportation. Moreover, constructing an international airport directly, will increase Nanhai¡¯s international reputation, serving as a business card for national reform and opening up. If Nanhai can immediately initiate the construction of an international airport, it will enhance our country¡¯s influence. Thank you, everyone!¡± As Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Secretary Jia next to him snorted coldly and disdainfully said, ¡°Nonsense. Absolute nonsense. A teenager without his hair grown out full, daring to talk big.¡± With the fall of his words, the venue fell silent. As a bureau-level leading cadre, although he came from a military background and was a bit crude, his disrespectful words in such a setting seemed rather inappropriate.. Chapter 76 - 76 Nie Guowei’s Outburst_1 Chapter 76: Nie Guowei¡¯s Outburst_1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 76: Nie Guowei¡¯s Eruption ¡°Smack!¡± In the meeting room, a sudden loud sound rang out, attracting everyone¡¯s gaze toward Nie Guowei. At this moment, Nie Guowei had already mmed his pen and notebook down on the table. The Parker pen was now in pieces from the force. Nie Zhenbang was smirking a little. Secretary Jia¡¯s words earlier had genuinely taken Nie Zhenbang by surprise. However, it was unexpected that the usually benevolent old man would explode in anger now. Nie Zhenbang was satisfied. At this moment, for the first time, Nie Zhenbang felt a sense of care and warmth from Nie Guowei. Even though at this moment,Nie Zhenbang¡¯s wings had gradually be fuller. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang did not mind receiving attentions from others. At this moment, Nie Guowei stood up and said, ¡°Secretary Jia, don¡¯t you think that you went a bit too far with your remarks? Outrageous. Utter nonsense? I¡¯d like to hear what you believe is different. Are you implying your words aren¡¯t nonsense? A young man, who has been invited by Secretary Li, Mayor Qi, and me, just to express his own viewpoint. He¡¯s not participating in our decision-making and discussion of Nanhai City¡¯s municipal government. What¡¯s there that makes you so heartbroken?¡± Secretary Jia was rendered speechless. Nie Guowei¡¯s status is simr to his, just ranking higher. Secretary Jia didn¡¯t take this too seriously, sat down, snorted and said, ¡°Absurd! Since when did a dignified state agency require a child to lecture them? I am a rough man. I don¡¯t know about economics or development. I feel building a branch airport itself is a high-risk matter. And yet you¡¯re talking about setting up an international airport. Where will the flights be routed to? United States?¡± Li Qianjin looked serious too. After all, Nie Zhenbang was his invite. But Secretary Jia¡¯s behavior was a true slight toward him. Li Qianjin immediately retorted, ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s still currently under discussion. As a new pathway for all Nanhai citizens, I believe not only do we have the right to discuss, so does every citizen of Nanhai.¡± That was typical Li Qianjin. The moment he opened his mouth, he put the hat on Secretary Jia. In this era, there was no such thing as listening to public opinion. Li Qianjin¡¯s idea was indeed ahead of its time. Mayor Qi also stated calmly, ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s inappropriate for you to use such a tone and attitude, considering your position as a Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, who is in charge of the city¡¯s political and legal work, and your status as an elder.¡± At this point, Nie Guowei said in a grave tone, ¡°Secretary Jia, as the saying goes, ¡®nepotism isn¡¯t a barrier when rmending a talent¡¯. I think my son Zhenbang¡¯s point is reasonable. Currently, domestic aviation in Huaxia is not advanced. Except for Jingcheng, Hucheng, and a few provincial capital cities that have international airports, all others are domestic branch airports. This situation will gradually change. After theunch of the reform and opening-up policy, since 1979, the Nanxun Chief had designated this area, and in eight years, Nanhai has developed from a fishing vige to a metropolis. The speed of this transformation is astonishing.¡± Upon hearing this, the expressions of the Standing Committee members started to change. Truly, Nie Guowei was correct. There were several members who had been here since those days, fully participating in Nanhai¡¯s construction. Even now, recalling Nanhai¡¯s rapid development, these members themselves found it hard to believe. Nie Guowei then continued, ¡°I fully support the establishment of an airport in Nanhai. I think it¡¯s essential as this is thest thing needed to perfect Nanhai¡¯s transport system. Moreover, with the deepening of the reform and opening-up policy, I believe, as our national power increases, Huaxia¡¯s status in the world will also edge up. By then, international exchanges will be frequent. Instead of waiting for that time to make up for our deficiencies, why not take a step ahead?¡± Nie Guowei looked at Secretary Jia and sternly said, ¡°My son¡¯s words are based on solid reasoning. Not only did he daringly specte about Huaxia¡¯s future, but he also provided realistic data analysis. He urately judged the current and future aviation development trends. I would like to ask Secretary Jia, where did this ¡®nonsense¡¯e from? My Nie family, may not be good at, and may even despise ying power games. But we cannot be wantonly insulted. Today, if Secretary Jia can point out any nonsense in these analyses, I will consider it a lesson for my son. However, if Secretary Jia cannot provide an exnation, I ask that you apologize to my son in person.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang gave a thumbs-up to Nie Guowei, praising the old man for a job well done. In front of all the standingmittee members, with a seemingly pressure-free tone, he had managed to get Secretary Jia to apologize in front of everyone. This action practically toppled the reputation of Secretary Jia. Secretary Jia, at this moment, felt like he was in a predicament. In the history of the establishment of Nanhai City, it was unheard of for the Secretary, the Mayor, and a deputy Secretary, to gang up against another standingmittee member. Right now, Secretary Jia looks at Nie Zhenbang with resentment in his eyes. At this time, the other standingmittee members wisely shut their mouths. They were all aware of Nie Guowei¡¯s background. The Nie family was a force to be reckoned with. Moreover, Nie Guowei had another identity, he was the son-inw of the Ye Family. In Yuedong, the Ye Family¡¯s words definitely carried more weight than the Nie Family. Moreover, what Secretary Jia had done was indeed a little too much. No one else was to me. As Li Qianjin had said, the young man hadn¡¯t even participated in the decision-making. Why did he have to jump out so eagerly, if only because he thought the young man would be easy to bully? But when he made the move, he found out he had bit more than he could chew. And now, he had lost face, he deserved it. Secretary Jia didn¡¯t understand anything really. If it was a matter of criminal investigation in public safety, having worked in the public safety sector for so many years, Secretary Jia might be able to provide some guidance. However, in terms of economics and development, Secretary Jia was apleteyman. After looking at Nie Guowei, who was ring in anger right now, Secretary Jia hesitated for a long time before finally saying in a deep voice, ¡°Anyway, I hold reservations on the construction of the airport project.¡± Having said that, Secretary Jia gave Nie Zhenbang a nce then opened his mouth, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He then turned around and left. At this moment, anyone would find it hard to ept a dignified secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission having to apologize to a young man, and in front of all the standingmittee members of Nanhai City at that. If Secretary Jia could achieve this level of humility, he indeed showed he was a broadminded man. Nie Zhenbang, however, still had a slight smile on his face, seemingly achieving a state of being pleased or displeased by nothing external. He bowed slightly and said, ¡°Gentlemen, if there is nothing else, I will excuse myself.¡± Once Nie Zhenbang had left, Li Qianjin also started speaking, ¡°Alright,rades. Since Secretary Jia has other things to do, let¡¯s consider him on sick leave. He made his stance clear just now. Rather than dying, it¡¯s better to carry out things early on. We are currently being watched by the whole country. Since the leaders have put us at the forefront, we should act sincerely and implement the spirit of the superiors¡¯ instructions. Now, I suggest we proceed to the voting process. Those in favor of immediately starting on the international airport, please raise your hands!¡± After saying this, Li Qianjin raised his hand first, followed by Mayor Qi. Nie Guowei also raised his hand. At this moment, with the three top leaders of the city¡¯s standingmittee raising their hands, other members, such as the Director of Propaganda and the Director of Organization, both known as Li Qianjin¡¯s trusted followers, of course, provided their unstinting support. On the city government¡¯s side, both the executive deputy mayor and member deputy mayor also raised their hands. Seeing this, a smile emerged on Li Qianjin¡¯s face. With the exception of Minister Wang from the United Front Work Department opposing, the military subdivisionmander abstaining, and Secretary Jia expressing reservations, the n was unanimously passed. Li Qianjin stood up, seemingly quite satisfied with his influence on the standingmittee, and immediately said, ¡°Since we¡¯ve decided, then Old Qi, the city government should immediately set up an airport project leadership group, with you personally serving as the team leader. Deputy Mayor Guo and Deputy Mayor Leng should serve as deputy team leaders. Immediately implement the spirit of this meeting. Prepare the necessary materials. Nie and I will immediately set off for Jingcheng..¡± Chapter 77 - 77 Dynasty Club 1 Chapter 77: Dynasty Club 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 77 Dynasty Club Back home, Nie Zhenbang and Nie Guowei seemed very calm. As Nie Zhenbang got out of the car and walked into the living room, he murmured under his breath, ¡°Dad, you looked very formidable today.¡± Nie Guowei was taken aback before breaking intoughter and scolding, ¡°You little brat, they were bullying you right under your nose. Could I just stand by and watch?¡± For once, the family had a pleasant dinner together. Nie Zhenbang put down his cutlery and said, ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡¯m catching a flight back to Jingcheng tomorrow.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Nie Ziyu started to grumble, and Ye Shuxian looked startled, saying to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, since you have nothing to do, it¡¯s better to stay here.¡± Nie Zhenbang felt a headacheing on at Ye Shuxian¡¯s pleading look, but time waits for no man. To be a superior person, one can¡¯t always rely on their ancestors¡¯ blessings. At this time of abundant opportunities everywhere, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want to waste this precious chance. He then apologized, ¡°Mom, I¡¯m sorry. This time I came back with a bunch of stuff, and I made a bet with that Ou¡¯s kid. If I don¡¯t go back, and the deadline passes, I guess I¡¯ll have to circle around the Forbidden City.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s exnation, Ye Shuxianughed and slightly admonished, ¡°Why would you make such a bet with others? You should be careful.¡¯ The next day, Nie Zhenbang departed early with Long, boarding a direct flight back to Jingcheng. This time, no one picked him up nor was anyone informed. His purpose ining to Nanhai had initially been fulfilled. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had onest procedure toplete. Once he had confirmed it with either Elder Nie or Elder Yang, his trip would be considered satisfying. Thus, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t inform anyone. If people like Yang An Bang knew he was back, he would probably not be at leisure. Within the Forbidden City, in Elder Nie¡¯s courtyard, Nie Zhenbang hadid out the teaware under a tree. The exquisite Mingqian Longjing tea was emitting waves of fragrant aroma. Around 11:50, the courtyard door was pushed open from the outside, and Elder Nie strode in energetically. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Elder Nie was taken aback, and then said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to Nanhai? Howe you¡¯re back so soon?¡± At the moment, Nie Zhenbang brought over a wicker chair, smiling and saying, ¡°Grandfather, please sit down.¡± If Elder Nie had no external activities or military inspections, he would usuallye home to eat at this time every day. It¡¯s almost a habit. Even if Elder Nie didn¡¯t want to return, the health care doctor nearby would always remind and urge him. In the eyes of people with Elder Nie¡¯s status, the health care doctor is actually the most feared. Gazing at the tea leaves on the table, Elder Nie sat down, waved his hand to dismiss the guards and health care doctor, and then chuckled, ¡°Top-notch Longjing tea and such enthusiasm, Zhenbang, you must have something in mind. Spill it. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Looking at Elder Nie, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Grandfather, I guess, my father will also be back in a few days. This time, the Nanhai Municipal Committee has decided to go ahead with the airport project. At my suggestion, the Nanhai Municipal Committee decided to aim for an international airport all at once. As a result, the funding gap has increased significantly. I was wondering, if possible, I would like to invest in the Nanhai Airport in the name of Wal-Mart¡¯s holding. What do you think?¡± Elder Nie was taken aback. He generally refrained from meddling in economic matters as a matter of principle. He always believed in the principle ¡®professionals lead the professionals¡¯ and economic construction wasn¡¯t his forte. After some time, Elder Nie nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll keep this in mind. In the afternoon, I¡¯ll find some time to consult the Nanxun Chief about it. After saying this, the old man looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, I don¡¯t know what your thoughts are. If your ambition lies in the business field, I won¡¯t say much. However, I heard you mention in the past that you would prefer a career in civil service in the future. If that¡¯s the case, I think there¡¯s no need for you to concern yourself with those bettingmitments.¡± Here, the old man paused for a moment, and then said, ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m still in my position? Because in my lifetime, I have served as a politicalmissar all along, from the division level to the field army, and finally to the military region. My connections now can be said to span across the entirety of Huaxia. Zhenbang, you¡¯re a smart man. I don¡¯t want to say too much, but I think you only have two years until graduation. It¡¯s time for you to start nning for the future.¡± ¡°Connections? Preparation?¡± Nie Zhenbang watched the old man¡¯s receding figure as he entered the room, lost in thought. What did the old man¡¯s words mean? Was he saying that it was time to start preparing now? At this moment, Nie Jialei also walked into the room from outside. Seeing Nie Jialei, Nie Zhenbang was curious and asked, ¡°Big Brother, why are you home so early today?¡± At this moment, Nie Jialei¡¯s attitude towards Nie Zhenbang had noticeably changed. Ever since the Nie family had shifted its faction, Nie Jialei had felt the unmistakable change, and life now felt much more rxed than before. Furthermore, with the publication of his schrly article, Nie Jialei¡¯s future knew no bounds. Now, he smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re back. I heard from people in the circle that you went to the Soviet Union. How was the trip? Did everything go smoothly?¡± At this time, no one in the Nie family, apart from the old man, knew Nie Zhenbang¡¯s real thoughts. Nie Jialei also assumed that Nie Zhenbang had chosen the path of business, which would mean no conflict of interest amongst them. After all, it is absolutely impossible for two high-level individuals to emerge from the same generation in a family. Even if both individuals are outstanding, only one can be chosen, as other families would not tolerate a single family¡¯s dominance. This is the nature of high-level political maneuvering. Hearing Nie Jialei¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang felt a sudden rity in his mind, as if everything made sense all at once. The circle, connections, preparation ¨C when connected, it implies that the old man was hinting at him that it¡¯s time to start nning for the future. At this time, regardless of their stubbornness, these men of the circle would certainly choose one path for the future ¨C either business, politics, or the military. These were the only three options. Despite the existence of this circle in Jingcheng, it wasn¡¯t an especially reliable connection. This was why the circle of Nie Guowei¡¯s generation had always had a loose connection. The word ¡®club¡¯ suddenly came to mind. In the future, the famous Luoyang Club of Jingcheng would be considered a top-tier club in the city. With high membership fees and a gathering of political and business talents, such private clubs, while serving as amunication hub, could y a significant role. At this time, there weren¡¯t any such clubs in Jingcheng. If he were to establish the first such club in the country, targeting political elites and the privileged youth of not only Jingcheng but also all provinces and cities, it would help him build an extensivework. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang began to feel excited. After quickly clearing the table, seeing that dinner was ready, Nie Zhenbang was so excited that he didn¡¯t even bother to eat. He rushed out and immediately said to Long, ¡°Long, let¡¯s go. Drive me to the Wal-Mart.¡± Half an hourter, Nie Zhenbang rushed into the Wal-Mart headquarters, marched straight into Yang Anbang¡¯s office. Yang Anbang was just about to finish work for dinner. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, he was about to speak. But Nie Zhenbang preempted him, saying, ¡°Second Brother, how much funds do we have left in the ount? Prepare 20 million for me. I want to start a club- the Dynasty Club..¡± Chapter 78 - 78: Meeting Dong Wan Again Chapter 78: Meeting Dong Wan Again ¡°What kind of club?¡± ¡°What does a club do? Is it simr to the membership system of our supermarket?¡± At this moment, Yang Anbang was somewhat puzzled. He asked question after question. Even though Yang Anbang alsoes from a well-connected family, in this era, he is considered knowledgeable. However, he still didn¡¯t understand much about those private member clubs in foreign countries. As soon as Nie Zhenbang shook his head, Yang Anbang suddenly realized, ¡°Ah, I get it. Zhenbang, your interests are really too diverse. Managing a football club? But at this time, is there anyone in Chinapeting with you in this?¡± At this moment, with the deepening of the Reform and Opening Up, Europe¡¯s top football leagues were gradually bing known to the Chinese people. Even though Yang Anbang didn¡¯t pay much attention, he knew quite some top European clubs. Nie Zhenbang felt like copsing right now, he made a pause gesture and said, ¡°Hold on, hold on! An Bang, I find you being as impatient as my sister. Are you influenced by her?¡± His words made Yang Anbang snort disdainfully. He smirked and said, ¡°How could she influence me? It¡¯s more like I¡¯m influencing her.¡± Looking at these two, Nie Zhenbangughed softly. They were bothpetitive. It was surprising that they hade together of their own ord and coborated in the long run despite their tough personality. He was not sure if this was a good thing or not. Shaking his head, Nie Zhenbang exined, ¡°An Bang, the club I¡¯m talking about is not what you think. It¡¯s more like the circle we are interacting with right now. Clubs in foreign countries have a long history. What I mean is to choose a location in Jingcheng, buy it, then renovate it and create a private club with a bar, dance floor, Western restaurant, and even various leisure and entertainment activities. But it¡¯s not open to the public, only for the club¡¯s members. In other words, we don¡¯t have to go anywhere else for gatherings in the future. We can just do it at the private club. Here, it is a private gathering ce and a symbol of nobility. Our target customers are only elite people like us and officials from all over the country. What do you think? Is it feasible?¡± Yang Anbang was stunned for a moment. After regaining his senses, he even walked over to Nie Zhenbang. Smiling jokingly he said, ¡°Zhenbang, how does your mind work? This is a good way to gather connections! Then I should make one too, aiming at business elites both at home and abroad. Since you are naming yours Dynasty Club, I will call mine the Tang Dynasty Club.¡± Yang Anbang¡¯s thinking was incredibly agile. He quickly grasped the crux of the matter. Nie Zhenbang nodded with a smile, adding, ¡°OK, you can name it whatever you want. You can call it Great Han, Great Qin, or Great Zhonghua, whatever you like. But I¡¯m leaving the location hunting for the club to you. My only requirement is that the property has to be independent, without any otherpanies or entities in it. Once you find a ce, give me a call. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± With the ongoing expansion under Wal-Mart¡¯s control, Huang Guangyu, a well-known tycoon, has been supported by Wal-Mart¡¯s vast capital and connections in this life. Gome Electrical Appliances chain stores have been quickly set up in major cities across the country. The pace of development has far exceeded expectations. Now, the cash flow of Gome is almostparable to that of Wal-Mart Supermarket. Naturally, under the control of Wal-Mart, Yang Anbang has also assembled a team of talents. At this time, many things no longer required him to take personal action as before. Now, if there¡¯s anything requiring a location, someone will handle it. Walking out of the doors of Wal-Mart Building and strolling on the streets of Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but ponder about the arms deal. At this point, there were not so many small-scale local wars in the world anymore. If it was the 1990s, the Iraq War, it could have been a different story. Taking the opportunity to sell some Katyusha or SAM-16 portable missiles to Saddam would have been a good move. At this time, the Iran-Iraq War was alsoing to an end. At Iraq¡¯s request, the United Nations had already intervened in the investigation. Also, after his agreement with Ou Zheng, his initial idea to sell products through Huaxia Arms Trading Company was no longer workable. Since he had to sell them himself, it appears that he will have to personally visit Iran and Iraq now. Just as he was about to turn this corner, he suddenly bumped into someone in front of him, followed by a cry of pain. Looking up, he saw a woman already sitting on the ground. Nie Zhenbang had practiced martial arts from a young age, which made his body control outstanding. Although he was distracted, his natural reflexes kicked in. Under inadvertent collisions, his body was designed to respond quickly. Seeing the girl fall, Nie Zhenbang rushed to her aid, apologizing, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I was lost in thought and didn¡¯t pay attention. I hope I didn¡¯t hurt you.¡± No sooner had the words left his lips than the woman on the ground looked up. Stunned, Nie Zhenbang recognized her¡ªit was Dong Wan. At this moment, Dong Wan maintained her usual icy demeanor. Her face was as unperturbed as a calm old well, and upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, she recognized him as the first man who did not mince words around her. Dong Wan was dressed in white jeans and a ck batwing top. The V-neckline was somewhat low, revealing her fair skin which added a touch of allure to her look. Looking at the outstretched hand of Nie Zhenbang, Dong Wan didn¡¯t even give it a nce. She stood up on her own and said coldly, ¡°I¡¯m fine. But, Nie Zhenbang, please watch where you are going next time.¡± At this point, a tinge of unspoken sadness could be detected in her eyes, blending with her usual cold beauty. Such an expression made Nie Zhenbang slightly intoxicated. Such a woman, like a fairy untouched by the mundane world, was the reason why Nie Zhenbang did not hold back in front of Dong Wan. He was well aware of his own status¡ªhe was just an ordinary person. He never even dreamed of winning over a fairy-like woman. The philosophy of being as hard as a rock when one has no desires perfectly defines Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mindset; since he had no intentions with her, he wouldn¡¯t be affected. At this moment, Dong Wan¡¯s face, beaming with its usual cold beauty and a tinge of sadness, exuded a certain aura as if a fairy had descended. Her demeanor evoked a sense of sorrow. Impulsively, Nie Zhenbang asked, ¡°Dong Wan, do you have something on your mind?¡± This question took Dong Wan by surprise. She had always hidden her feelings well, so much so that nobody at school had ever noticed. How on earth could he have figured it out? Could it be that he truly understood her? At this time, romance novels started to gain poprity on the maind. For someone of Dong Wan¡¯s status, getting hold of these books was not difficult. Like all girls her age, Dong Wan was also influenced by these stories and began to harbor dreams for her own love life. At this moment, Dong Wan felt somewhat different. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, she said softly, ¡°Whether I¡¯m sad or indifferent, what difference does it make? Everyone in this world has their share of troubles. Compared to others, I think I am quite fortunate.¡± Indeed, she¡¯s a girl with a soft exterior but a strong heart. Nie Zhenbang was over forty years of age, both physically and mentally. His youthful innocence had long faded away. Now, he was like a middle-aged man. Smiling, he said to Dong Wan, ¡°Dong Wan,e with me. Whenever I feel down, I do something. It works quite well. Would you like to try?¡± Saying this, Nie Zhenbang grabbed Dong Wan¡¯s delicate hand and ran towards Wal-Mart Building.. Chapter 79 - 79 Crazy Racing_l Chapter 79: Crazy Racing_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°He¡¯s holding my hand? This was Dong Wan¡¯s first reaction, sensing the peculiar warmth emanating from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hand, which caused her heart to involuntarily speed up. For the first time in her life, other than her elder family members and brother, she was physically in contact with a man. This made Dong Wan¡¯s cheeks turn somewhat crimson. Luckily, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t noticed any of these reactions. This helped Dong Wan escape from the potentially awkward situation. Down in the basement of the Wal-Mart Building, this was the underground parking lot of the entire Wal-Mart Holdings Company. In this era, unlike those of the future, at this moment, in the parking lot, other than a few luxury cars bought by Yang Anbang, there are a fewpany trucks andmon cars like Santana parked in a corner. Most of the employees mainlymute by bicycles and motorcycles. In the deepest corner of the underground parking lot, an area was walled off with red bricks. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Dong Wan appeared somewhat bewildered. In this underground parking lot, outside ofmuting hours, not even a soul could be seen. She thought¡­ he¡­ he wouldn¡¯t be nning to do something wrong, would he? If Nie Zhenbang knew Dong Wan¡¯s thoughts, he would probably be infuriated. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had just opened the garage door revealing a brand-new American-made Harley-Davidson Crown Prince motorcycle parked inside. The ck metallic paint shimmered stunningly under the lighting. With a massive 1200CC discement, it was powerful enough to rival any sports car in terms of speed. This is something Nie Zhenbang had Yang Anbang specially import from the United States. This motorcycle had been a dream of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s in his past life. But having brought it back, he had never used it. This was indeed an irony. Looking at the motorcycle, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat excited at the moment, carefully caressing it. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s focused attitude at this moment left Dong Wan a little perplexed. This man was truly a mystery, appearing to know everything yet seeming to care about nothing. Could he actually have such focused moments? Nie Zhenbang then turned around, looking at Dong Wan, and made an inviting gesture. He smiled and said, ¡°Are you interested in going for a ride? Experience the thrill of surpassing all the vehicles on the road and savor the exhrating speed thates from deep within.¡± Dong Wan was taken aback and before she could respond, Nie Zhenbang had already taken out two matching ck helmets. Next to them was a set of original racing gear. After donning the gear quickly, Nie Zhenbang called out to the still dazed Dong Wan. Seeing Dong Wan lift her head, he immediately tossed her one of the helmets. He then straddled the motorcycle, started it up. The roaring sound of the engine echoed like a beast about to break free. Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Dong Wan, give it a try. Feel the passion of speed. After experiencing this exhration, you might feel that things are not as bad as they seem.¡± Perhaps thest statement struck a chord in Dong Wan¡¯s heart. Dong Wan quickly put on her helmet and positioned herself on the back seat. For such a Crown Prince model motorcycle, the height of the back seat is significantly higher than the front seat. The passenger on the back seat usually has to lean over to grip around the driver. After a while, Nie Zhenbang only felt a soft touch gently grasping his waist. Nie Zhenbang then said, ¡°Dong Wan, hold on tight!¡± The motorcycle roared off. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s motorcycle driving skills, which were honed by talents like Long, were quite impressive. Although he hadn¡¯t driven much, his skills were quite impressive. Despite this being his first drive, after a short distance on the main street, Nie Zhenbang quickly grasped the performance of the motorcycle. Shifting another gear, elerating, the tachometer¡¯s readings shot up. Forty miles¡­fifty¡­ sixty¡­ Soon, within city limits, the speed had reached eighty miles per hour. As the wind whizzed by, Nie Zhenbang began screaming wildly in excitement. Even Dong Wan was bing influenced by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s enthusiasm. The traffic cops on the streets of Jingcheng watched as this motorcycle dared to speed so tantly down the main road. They immediately took action. Soon, four or five police motorcycles were trailing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s vehicle. The officer on the leading motorcycle shouted, ¡°Motorcycle numbered AT-45678, stop immediately for inspection. Stop immediately for inspection!¡± At this moment, Dong Wan was also leaning into Nie Zhenbang,pelled by the high-speed movement of the vehicle. Seeing the pursuing police cars, this well-behaved girl, who was never exposed to such spectacle, immediately whispered into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ear: ¡°Nie Zhenbang, stop, stop quickly. You¡¯ve dragged the police into this.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Dong Wan, don¡¯t you feel a burst of excitement right now? Let¡¯s be crazy for once and have some fun. Hold on tight. I¡¯m going to speed up.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t slow down; instead, he elerated. All the motorcycles used by Jingcheng police were 25 police models made by Suzuki from Japan. While they were faster than other vehicles, they were nothingpared to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Harley. As Nie Zhenbang sped up, the Jingcheng police were left in the dust. The cops had no choice but to stop and radio for backup: ¡°Command Center! Command Center. A Crown Prince motorcycle with the license te AT-45678 is heading south out of the city toward Nancheng district. Please set up roadblocks along the way.¡± With that report, the entire Jingcheng City Traffic Command Center sprang into action. At the city¡¯s fast track highway exit leading to Nancheng district, four or five patrol cars had already set up roadblocks, temporarily controlling the traffic. The road was covered in spike strips, police lights shing in anticipation. Their tant defiance of thew in broad daylight was a direct challenge to the Jingcheng traffic police. At that moment, everyone was determined to capture this reckless driver and penalize him for viting public security management regtions. Seeing the roadblocks ahead, with all thenes except the middle one blocked, forcing him to slow down, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but smile. The wild part of him again took over. He turned to Dong Wan, who was clinging tightly to him, ¡°Dong Wan, hold on tight, we¡¯re going to break through the blockade.¡± At the urging of the traffic police, Nie Zhenbang reduced his speed. It seemed as if he was obeying the police instructions, slowly navigating the roadblock. At that moment, the waiting officers started to gather around. Suddenly, Nie Zhenbang stepped hard on the elerator. The motorcycle roared as it shot out again. Beyond the roadblock was the open road outside the city. Nie Zhenbang immediately pulled up to speeds over 80 mph, quickly exceeding 130 mph, leaving the unprepared police far behind. About a mile or two out of the city, Nie Zhenbang took a left turn onto a side road. After making aplete round of Jingcheng, he was heading toward Haituo Mountain in the north. An hourter, the vehicle parked at the foot of the mountain. The high speed ride had ignited Dong Wan¡¯s spirit, her cheeks flushed with excitement. Taking off her helmet, her long hair flowed. At that moment, Dong Wan was unspeakably charming. Looking at the mountains, she took the initiative, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, feel like climbing a mountain?¡± Meanwhile, the entire city was in an uproar over the daring street racer. In Xishan, where the elderly Dong was recuperating, he sat leisurely on a recliner. A inclothes guard standing next to him reported, ¡°Chief, Miss Six encountered the Nie family¡¯s Nie Zhenbang on the road today. So, I didn¡¯t intervene. The current racing case that¡¯s causing a stir in Jingcheng involves Miss Six and Young Master Nie.¡± At this, the initially meditating elder Dong sat up with a start, looking surprised, ¡°Oh? Wan went out with the young chap of the Nie family? Ha ha, good! good! Li, arrange for this trouble to be resolved for the youngd..¡± Chapter 80 - 80 Iraq Ambassador_1 Chapter 80: Iraq Ambassador_1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 80: The Iraqi Ambassador At the top of the mountain, Nie Zhenbang had a rxed look on his face, standing behind Dong Wan. By now, because of the climb, Dong Wan seemed somewhat breathless. Engulfed by the air of nature, Dong Wan couldn¡¯t help but spread her arms wide, with the cool breeze gently blowing across her face. It was a feeling of immense joy and peace. Due to the exertion, her slightly flushed cheeks illicit a small smile. Overlooking the vast ranges of mountains, Dong Wan shouted out loud, ¡°Mountains! I love you! My mothend, I love you!¡± Her words echoed back to her as she let go of all the pressure and sadness in her heart. After a while, Dong Wan finally remembered Nie Zhenbang was still there. Turning around, she looked at Nie Zhenbang and said with a smile, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, thank you. I didn¡¯t expect you to understand how to live like this.¡± These words caught Nie Zhenbang by surprise. Looking at Dong Wan in astonishment, he replied half-jokingly, ¡°Miss Dong Six, in your eyes, am I really such an unbearable figure?¡± Dong Wan was somewhat embarrassed by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. After all, it was him who had just taken her on a thrilling adventure and cheered her up. Now that she was calling him out, she felt a little awkward. Dong Wan apologized shyly, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, I¡¯m sorry. I meant you¡¯re incredibly good at business and were able to go to the Soviet Union all by yourself. I thought you were more of a workaholic.¡¯ Having said this, Dong Wan suddenly frowned, expressed dissatisfaction, ¡°Furthermore, stop calling me Miss Dong Six. Just call me Dong Wan. I don¡¯t like that title.¡± After patting her hands lightly, sheughed, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go home now. I feel much better. Thank you for today.¡± Originally, Nie Zhenbang was worried that they might run into traffic police on their way back to the city, but to his surprise, the entire Jingcheng seemed as if nothing had happened. His car passed through several intersections without a second look from the police. The car stopped at the entrance of the Wal-Mart Building, bid farewell to Dong Wan, and drove into the underground garage of the Wal-Mart Building. By now, it was alreadyte May, close to June. There were less than two months left for his next deal with Mikhail and his team. Also, there were only five months left for the bet with Ou Zheng. If he didn¡¯t act now, there would be no chance for Nie Zhenbang. As Nie Zhenbang exited the Wal-Mart Building, he immediately went to the reception desk. Amidst the surprise of the receptionist, he dialed the phone number of Long¡¯s dormitory. As soon as Long answered, he murmured, ¡°Third Young Master, you called.¡± Given Long¡¯s status, it wasn¡¯t possible for him to live in the Red Wall Compound with Nie Zhenbang. Instead, Nie Zhenbang bought a courtyard house in the Eastern part of Jingcheng near Ditan Park. Reincarnated, Nie Zhenbang knew how the price of such a courtyard house in the central city area of Jingcheng had skyrocketed in the future. He bought this ce for Long, which was a grand courtyard covering over 2600 square meters. If this were the 21st century, even thinking about buying such a ce would require billions, but now, Nie Zhenbang spent only 400,000 yuan on it. ¡°Long, arrange for the purchase of two tickets to Baghdad, let¡¯s schedule it a week from now, ¡± Nie Zhenbang instructed immediately. August 25, 1958 That was the date when Iraq officially established diplomatic rtions with Huaxia. After that, both official and non-official exchanges between Iraq and Huaxia were frequent. This was the information Nie Zhenbang discovered from studying Huaxia¡¯s diplomatic history. His choice to turn to Iraq first was also based on his underlying intentions. At this time, it had been just over ten years since thepletion of the Iranian Revolution. After overthrowing the king, Iran adopted a presidential system. Currently, Iran had a close rtionship with the Soviet Union. Gorbachev greatly supported Iran, which led Iran to retreat from the initial stages of the Iran-Iraq War and chose instead to move the fight into Iraq¡¯s territory. At this moment,rade Saddam, who had the strong support of the United States, was having a tough time. If arge amount of weapons could be provided at this time, it would certainly be something Saddam desired. As the saying goes, it is hard to deliver much-needed relief. At this moment, trading with Iran is just icing on the cake, and it¡¯s still uncertain whether they even need these weapons. But Iraq is a different story. Hence, this is the main reason why Nie Zhenbang decided to approach Iraq first. Stepping out of the Wal-Mart Building, he was driving a Cherokee 2700 produced by the Jingcheng Automobile Factory, a gift from the factory director Lu. After all, Nie Zhenbang is now a major shareholder of the new Jingcheng Automobile Factory, so it was only proper to gift him a car. He drove directly to the Yu Ying School and parked at the front gate. At this time, school was just over and many people wereing out. Although Nie Zhenbang did not study here, he was considered a celebrity at the Yu Ying School, asionally greeted by enthusiastic individuals. Upon seeing Li Wen* , Nie Zhenbang called over: ¡°Mosquito,e over.¡± People like Li Wen* and Dong Wan were about to graduate today. Whether they would go on to university, join the army, or study abroad, depended on their family¡¯s arrangements. The atmosphere was tense despite academics being insignificant to these high-profile students. Li Wen* , who never carried a school bag, had one slung over his shoulder today. The yellow cloth bag was a ssic style from the 50s and 60s, and had Lei Feng¡¯s image and Taizu¡¯s words ¡ª ¡°Learn from Comrade Lei Feng¡± ¨C printed on it. Upon seeing Li Wen*¡¯s appearance, Nie Zhenbang startedughing. Perhaps the retro trend started with this youngster? Nie Zhenbang then teased, ¡°Mosquito, good for you. You¡¯re even carrying a school bag now.¡± Li Wen* also startedughing and swung his bag from his front to his back, transforming it into a backpack. He then replied ruefully, ¡°Brother Nie, don¡¯t make fun of me. Isn¡¯t graduationing up? My grandfather has been keeping a close eye on me. I had to put on a show. As for the bag, it¡¯s the only antique I could find at home. Brother Nie, didn¡¯t you say you were going to Peng City? Why did youe back? Do you need anything from me?¡± In this social circle, no kid above sixteen, whether they are in society or not, is easy to deal with. That¡¯s Nie Zhenbang¡¯s keen observation. They may not excel academically, but their political acuity is not matched by ordinary people. Nie Zhenbang then said with a smile, ¡°Mosquito, Brother Nie needs a favor. Find a way to get the Iraqi ambassador¡¯s phone number from your uncle when you go home. It¡¯s of utmost importance for my arms deals. Can you do it?¡± Having thought this through, Nie Zhenbang figured that the Li family was influential in the government. Li Wen*¡¯s uncle, Li Yuemin, was currently director of the Middle East Department at the Foreign Ministry. He would be the best person to help Nie Zhenbang build rtions with the Iraqi ambassador. By stating his intentions directly, it saved Li Wen* the trouble of guessing. Any ambiguity could lead to Li Wen* refusing to help for fear of causing trouble for the Li family. It was better to be candid and straightforward. As expected, upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s request, Li Wen*ughed and nodded, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. Don¡¯t worry, Brother Nie. I¡¯ll handle this for you.¡± At around seven in the evening, Nie Zhenbang was watching the news with his grandfather. Suddenly, the phone rang. His grandfather picked it up but before he could speak, he handed it to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, it¡¯s for you.¡± The moment he picked up the phone, Li Wen*¡¯s voice came through: ¡°Brother Nie, it¡¯s settled. My uncle has arranged it for you. The meeting will be tomorrow at eight pm, in a hl restaurant down Dong Min Street. Remember, the Iraqi ambassador¡¯s name is Abduh Yarabrum Sumaida..¡± Chapter 81 - 81 Heading to Baghdad 1 Chapter 81: Heading to Baghdad 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 81: Heading to Baghdad Dongming Lane This ce is a well-known embassy district in Jingcheng. From the Republic of China era to the Qing Dynasty, it has always been a gathering ce for foreigners. Around seven in the evening, Nie Zhenbang had already arrived here, less than five hundred meters from Dongming Lane, at Hl Restaurant, a well-known Imic restaurant in Jingcheng. Practically everyone who believes in Im, likes to eat here. As Nie Zhenbang entered, those who were dining inside looked up at him. It¡¯s rare for non-Muslims toe here, especially a Han like Nie Zhenbang. The waiter weed him with a smile, saying, ¡°Sir, are you here to dine? Since you¡¯re here, please be careful with your words. Please be mindful of Imic taboos.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and replied, ¡°No problem, I came here at the invitation of Mr. Abduh. May I know where his reserved room is?¡± The waiter¡¯s expression became respectful upon hearing his words. Abduh Yarabrum Sumaida was a familiar face in the Hl Restaurant. His identity as Ambassador of Iraq to Huaxia, and frequent visits to the restaurant eventually led everyone there to know Abduh. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s request, the curious spectators retracted their gaze. Guided by the waiter, Nie Zhenbang went directly to the second floor and sat in a private room filled with strong Imic decor. About half an hourter, Abduh appeared at the entrance of the private room. Seeing Nie Zhenbanz, Abduh greeted him in ented Chinese with a smile, ¡°Excuse me, are you Mr. Nie? Mr. Li told me that Mr. Nie is an extraordinary figure in Jingcheng, but I did not expect him to be so young.¡± Nie Zhenbang also stood up, extended his hand, and said, ¡°Mr. Abduh, I¡¯m delighted to meet you here. Mr. Li was overly generous. I don¡¯t have as much influence as he described. It¡¯s just that I have some small connections.¡± Abduh, dressed in a very Muslim style, was wearing a white, wide robe and a white turban on his head. His beard and appearance highlighted the typical Middle Eastern style. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reply, Abduhughed. He motioned Nie Zhenbang to sit down, and after the waiter had finished serving the dishes, Abduh said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Nie, ording to Huaxia customs, you like to discuss affairs at the dinner table. Can we have a good talk before dinner? Do you have any matters to discuss since you reached out to me through Mr. Li?¡± Abduh, also an Asian, was very direct. He got straight to the point in less than two minutes. Nie Zhenbang chuckled and looked at Abduh, ¡°Honorable Ambassador Abduh. To my understanding, your homnd is currently at war with Iran, and the mes of war have spread to your country, haven¡¯t they?¡± At this moment, Abduh was not at all surprised. The Iran-Iraq war had been going on for nearly seven years. It was not a secret. However, when talking about the war in Iraq, Abduh looked deste. It was fleeting, and then, Abduh¡¯s face was filled with a confident expression: ¡°Yes, Mr. Nie. The damned Iranians, with the support of the Soviets, have invaded my homnd. However, I believe that with the mediation of the United Nations and the support of the United States, we will ultimately win the war.¡± ¡°Of course, it is undeniable that at this time, due to the United States¡¯ interests in the Middle East, they must support you. But it seems the United States would not dare to directly confront the mighty Soviet Union. Your country is still in the midst of war. There is an old saying in Huaxia, ¡®without long-term considerations, there must be immediate sorrows¡­¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could finish his sentence, Abduh directly interrupted his words. Inter years, the Middle East region experienced many terrorist attacks, including the notorious uncle who gained fame in the early 21st century. These people were fanatic religious extremists, and their mentality was difficult for ordinary people to understand. Abduh also had these tendencies. Perhaps Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words had provoked him. Abduh¡¯s face darkened, and he cautiously said in a calm voice, ¡°Mr. Nie, what are you trying to say?¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Abduh, don¡¯t be impatient. I have no other intentions. The purpose of reaching out to you through Director Li is simple. I think your country must need weapons. AK-47 assault rifles produced by the Soviet Union, single-soldier rocketunchers, and even including Sam shoulder-fired missiles. Of course, if you need them, T72 or Katyusha style weapons are also possible.¡± At this moment, Abduh stood up. Who is this Mr. Nie, and what does he do? A Soviet? Impossible, he has such a typical Huaxia face. But how could he get so many Soviet-style weapons? The T72, a tank currently in service with the Soviet army. Moreover, Director Li was very mysterious and vague when he introduced him, only saying that someone wanted to discuss military affairs with Iraq. But he did not specify who Nie Zhenbang was or his background. After a moment of silence, Abduh also said solemnly, ¡°Mr. Nie, this is a significant issue. I can¡¯t make a decision right away. Everything will have to wait until I get a response from the President back home.¡± Soon, Abduh stood up, turned around, and walked out. Being a well-known Hl restaurant, people like Abduh certainly have some special emergency phone lines here. Otherwise, what if Abduh had an emergency while eating here? Could he let the President wait? After a while, Abduh came back into the private room, looking much more rxed. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Abduh said, ¡°Mr. Nie, I just contacted the authorities in my home country and had a direct phone call with the President. The President said that if this matter is true, there would be absolutely no problem on Iraq¡¯s side. But the President hopes that you could go to Baghdad in person and discuss the matter with him. What do you think?¡± In fact, for any ordinary arms dealer, such conditions are quite presumptuous. After all, this is only the first exploratory contact, and neither side has established a rtionship of trust. No one would take such a big risk to negotiate and trade with a country. However, Nie Zhenbang was initially prepared to go to Iraq. He clearly understood that rtions between Iraq and the United States were not as close as before once the Iran-Iraq war started. Instead, Iraq began extensive military trade with the Soviet Union, leading to the Gulf War several yearster. Iraq waspletely at odds with the United States. Considering all these factors, Saddam was eager to acquire military weapons from other sources besides the United States. It was safe for him to go there. With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said: ¡°Of course, Mr. Abduh, I would be honored to go to Iraq. I believe that our cooperation will be very pleasant.¡± Abduh also nodded, being a very decisive person himself. Right then, he stood up and said, ¡°Good, Mr. Nie, please give me your passport and those of yourpanions. I will arrange a Visa for you immediately. There is a direct flight to Baghdad in three days. I wish you a smooth journey in advance..¡± Chapter 82 - 82 Meeting with the President 1 Chapter 82: Meeting with the President 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 82: Meeting with the President A Boeing 737 airliner from Iraqi Airlines, after a long haul flight, slowly circles the skies above Baghdad Airport. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang and Long sit together in the First ss Cabin. Overlooking the cityscape of Baghdad, Nie Zhenbang bes somewhat emotional. Going forward, this will be the true battleground. Also, he will confront a figure who will be remembered as remarkable by future generations. At this moment, Long is still fretting over Nie Zhenbang venturing into danger: ¡°Third Master, you shouldn¡¯t havee. Look at this city, it¡¯s the capital. Pockmarks from bullets can be seen everywhere, this ce, it¡¯s really too dangerous. To be honest, I don¡¯t have much confidence either.¡± Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang responds with a smile, ¡°Long, you¡¯re overthinking it. Confucius once said, ¡®Prevent cmity beforehand to avoid further distress. Be aware and tread cautiously. A gentleman won¡¯t stand under a dangerous wall, how could one ignore it?¡¯ This doesn¡¯t mean one cannot venture into dangerous territory. It advises us to anticipate problems and take action before they ur, decisively deciding to retreat before danger emerges.¡± Speaking up to this point and seeing Long¡¯s half-understood expression, Nie Zhenbang shakes his head. Discussing Confucius with Long, a military man, seems to prove somewhat challenging. Immediately after, a resolution and confidence sh across Nie Zhenbang¡¯s features: ¡°Long, a man, a grown man, how could he cower at home? With this mindset, what achievements can we make? As they say, a worthy man has his heart set on the wider world. Back then, if our generation of revolutionaries had the same mindset, would Huaxia exist now? Since our predecessors built our current achievements with their blood, we, as the new generation, should also have the same ambition and courage, forging a prosperous era for Huaxia.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang pats Long on the shoulder,ughing: ¡°Alright, alright, Long, you can rx. I assure you, this time, there won¡¯t be any danger.¡± After establishingmunication with the ground tower, the ne slowly starts to descend. At the same time, it proceeds to the runway fornding. When the ne steadily parked in the apron of Baghdad Airport, numerous soldiers already filled the apron. The entire airport was practically under martialw. A convoy of HMMWV (Humvee 80s model) off-road military vehicles parked next to the ne, led by a young Arab man. As Nie Zhenbang descended the flight stairs, the young man approached. The man appeared to be around twenty-one years old. His eyes were very cold, emitting a brutal re constantly, filled with a sort of religious fanaticism. When Nie Zhenbang descended, the man examined Nie Zhenbang. Seeing Nie Zhenbang being younger than him, the man promptly saluted and said, ¡°Mr. Nie from the distant East, I am Uday Hussein. On behalf of the President, we wee your arrival.¡± Uday? Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. This was a famous figure. The guy who next year would beat to death his father¡¯s trusted bodyguard with a single strike. As Lao Sa¡¯s first son, he held an undisputed right to inheritance in the Arab world. Pity that Uday was too brutal. Dealing with someone like him, it¡¯s tolerable to keep up appearances, but as for any deeper associations, Nie Zhenbang would steer clear of him. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang responded with a smile, ¡°Mr. Hussein, hello. Thank you for your warm wee. Thank you for the President¡¯s magnanimity.¡± The convoy travelled through Baghdad city and stopped in front of an utterly inconspicuous house. Now is the critical moment of the Iran-Iraq War. At this moment, Iran¡¯s pressure left Iraq breathless. If not for the support from the United States from behind, Lao Sa would have been unable to hold on already. Naturally, Lao Sa held his personal safety in the highest regard. Under the gaze of several solemn-faced soldiers, two bodyguards approached Nie Zhenbang as soon as he entered the building. They said to him in English, ¡°Sir, please raise your hands. We need to conduct a routine search.¡± Nie Zhenbang and Long both understood a bit of English. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s English knowledge came from his previous life¡¯s school studies. Long, on the other hand, had learned English back when he was in the military, due to certain special needs. At this moment, hearing the mention of a body search, Long stepped forward first. He adopted a defensive posture, his expression serious, and said firmly, ¡°A body search? That¡¯s impossible. Mr. Nie is not your prisoner, he is a guest of your president.¡± The scene suddenly froze. At this moment, Uday walked in from outside, a sh of disgust passed his face as he looked at the bodyguards. He then said in a deep voice, ¡°Kamel, what are you doing? You always just try to please my father. Don¡¯t you know this is a distinguished guest from the distant East? Get lost.¡± Seeing Uday¡¯s reaction, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help butugh. No wonder Uday lost his inheritance rights and was forced out of the center of power in the future. He was reckless and impulsive, brutal, arrogant, and indulgently luxurious. He was apletely mad tyrant. At the same time, Nie Zhenbang looked at Kamel with interest. This confidant of Lao Sa¡¯s, who loyally makes up for his master¡¯s consumption, might have already started nning to take a mistress for Lao Sa. Sadly, Kamel didn¡¯t know that next year because of this, he¡¯d be sent to heaven by Uday with a single strike. With Uday¡¯s intervention, Nie Zhenbang and Long managed to avoid having their bodies searched. After passing through several doors in the building and descending a set of stairs, they were faced with an exquisitely grand door. At this moment Uday also stopped, looking at Nie Zhenbang, he said, ¡°Mr. Nie, please enter. The president is inside waiting for you.¡± Upon opening the door, they found Lao Sa seated in a wide chair. He didn¡¯t even bother moving but watched Nie Zhenbang intently. As Nie Zhenbang was sizing him up, Lao Sa was scrutinizing Nie Zhenbang. After a while, Lao Sa finally spoke with a smile, ¡°A guest from the East. Thank you for your sympathy and friendship towards Iraq. I¡¯ve heard from Abduh that your family is an elite one in the East. You¡¯re able to help us get arms, right?¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Saddam was a bit incredulous. Inwardly, he was cursing at Abduh for believing in the words of a mere child. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang chuckled, Lao Sa¡¯s expression was a ssic. His nonchnt demeanor and theck of enthusiasm towards him suggested that he still didn¡¯t believe in Nie Zhenbang. Perhaps it was due to his youthful appearance, which made him look twenty y.o. Had Lao Sa known that Nie Zhenbang was only seventeen plus, he probably wouldn¡¯t have given him an audience in the first ce. Thinking this, Nie Zhenbang shook his head, ¡°Mr. President, please forgive my audacity. I¡¯m unable to assist you and your country in acquiring weapons.¡± After saying this, Nie Zhenbang checked Lao Sa¡¯s expression. The dictator who dominated Iraq was poker-faced. Nie Zhenbang marveled inwardly at theposure of this ruler; an ordinary person couldn¡¯tpare. Then, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°However, as you know, my family in Huaxia, in the East, has a bit of status. Coincidentally, my grandfather happens to be a longtime friend of Deputy Chief of the Soviet Red Army, General Aselev. Through General Aselev, we have contacts with Soviet Minister of Defence, General Mikhail. This allows us to secure various weapons and equipment from the Soviet Union.¡± Nie Zhenbang was adorning a borrowed plume at this moment. These words were half-truth and half-fabrication; however, they seemed reasonable. Purposefully, Nie Zhenbang used ¡®we¡¯ instead of ¡®I¡¯, giving Lao Sa the illusion that the business partner would not be Nie Zhenbang, but others ¨C maybe a family or a team. At this moment, Lao Sa stood up for the first time, projecting an enthusiastic attitude, ¡°Wee, my young friend..¡± Chapter 83 - 83 Nie Zhenbang Arrested 1 Chapter 83: Nie Zhenbang Arrested 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 83 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Arrest At this moment, Lao Sapletely disyed the outstanding talent of a politician, speaking with great passion. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he said, ¡°My friend, on behalf of the whole of Iraq, on behalf of the entire world¡¯s kind-hearted Arab people, I extend my sincere gratitude to you and your family. You will always be my most sincere friends.¡± Immediately after, Lao Sa changed the subject, and asked Nie Zhenbang, ¡°My young friend, may I ask what kind of preparedness you have now?¡± Nie Zhenbang hade to gauge this very route. Hearing Lao Sa¡¯s inquiry, he already had a well-thought-out answer in mind. He immediately chuckled and said, ¡°In total, fifty thousand AK-47 assault rifles. These are genuine products produced by the original factory in the Soviet Union, and absolutely cannot bepared to those counterfeit products. They¡¯re all fully automatic. Additionally, each riflees with ten thousand bullets. Besides these, we have also prepared an extra five million bullets just for you. For other weapons, we have RPG-7V140MM rocketunchers as well as RPG-18 64MM rocketunchers. A total of three thousand sets. And the corresponding rocket rounds. I believe that with these, Iran¡¯s tanks will be reduced to scrap metal.¡± At this point, Lao Sa also became somewhat excited: ¡°Rocketunchers. Those damn Soviets. My army has lost numerous tanks because of these. The American¡¯s individual anti-tank weapons are simply too weak.¡± With this, Lao Sa addressed Nie Zhenbang, ¡°My friend.¡± Lao Sa is also that kind of shrewd figure who won¡¯t put his hawk-like attention to someone without seeing a clear benefit. Originally, Nie Zhenbang was just a ¡®young friend¡¯. But at this moment, after seeing so many weapons and ammunition, Lao Sa instantly promoted him to a ¡®friend¡¯ status. At this moment, after evaluating the approximate value of these weapons in his mind, Lao Sa continued, ¡°I will take all these weapons. They are enough for me to equip an army. The rifles, based on the current prices here, are calcted at forty US dors each. That¡¯s a total of two million US dors. As for the rocketunchers, the cost price of each is around eight hundred US dors. Let¡¯s say two thousand US dors ording to the current price. For the extra ammunition, I¡¯ll ount for nine million US dors. Add everything together, and ites to seventeen million. Is that eptable?¡± Upon hearing this number, Nie Zhenbang of course agreed. He had only spent one million US dors to procure these goods. That¡¯s a profit margin of seventeen times. No wonder weapons dealers around the world are willing to risk running around battlefields. However, Nie Zhenbang was also aware that Lao Sa¡¯s price was considerably higher than the current market rate. Even though the conflict was severe here, the war was drawing to a close. For instance, the ck market price for AK-47s in Iraq was only around twenty-five US dors. Forty US dors for a factory product was a high price indeed. Indeed, there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch. Consequently, after discussing the price, Lao Sa spoke up again, ¡°My friend, when exactly can these weapons reach the Persian Gulf at thetest?¡± Nie Zhenbang, prior to his visit, had already made preparations. By pulling strings, this line of weapons had already set sail from a port via the Huaxia Arms Trading Company route. At the moment, hearing Lao Sa¡¯s inquiry, Nie Zhenbang cheerfully responded: ¡°Mr. President, I can confidently say to you that, if there are no mishaps, at this moment, this batch of goods should have already crossed the a Strait and entered the Indian Ocean.¡± ¡°Oh, God Ah. Nie, your family is quite exceptional, already setting sail before things were confirmed. I¡¯m impressed by your foresight. You can rest assured. Once the arms arrive, I¡¯ll immediately pay you. But I hope that next time, you can provide some advanced tanks, airnes, or missiles. That would be even better.¡± Lao Sa, at this moment, was seeing Nie Zhenbang as a major arms dealer. However, Nie Zhenbang would no longer want such ordinary goods from now on. In the future, aside from some advanced weapons which Nie Zhenbang would bring back to his country for research by the military, what Nie Zhenbang wanted most likely were some industrial equipment and technical data. However, Nie Zhenbang would obviously not directly tell Lao Sa this. At this point, he simply smiled and said: ¡°Of course. Mr. President, you are our number one customer, and we will do our best to meet the needs of our customers.¡± After staying in Baghdad for more than ten days, Nie Zhenbang finally awaited the arrival of the cargo ship. Lao Sa immediately dispatched troops to receive the goods at the military port. To his credit, Lao Sa maintained his promise and swiftly transferred seventeen million US dors into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Swiss bank ount. At the same time, he arranged for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s return flight back to his home country. Baghdad Airport This time was far more grandiose than when they arrived, and the motorcade much more robust. With the arrival of Lao Sa, the entire Baghdad Airport was temporarily regted, and all departing flights were dyed. After Lao Sa personally saw Nie Zhenbang onto the ne, the whole Baghdad Airport returned to its usual routine as the ne took off. The journey back was much quicker than the outbound trip. Nie Zhenbang drifted off to sleep until Long nudged him. Upon waking, Nie Zhenbang realized that their ne was already taxiing on the runway. At that moment, Jingcheng City Airport was swarming with police vehicles patrolling back and forth. Inside the apron, rows of police officers had cordoned off the surroundings. Passersby, oblivious to the situation, had begun to crane their necks and gawk towards their direction. Witnessing this spectacle, Nie Zhenbang also started to feel perplexed. Upon the ne¡¯s stopping, the boarding stairs were being pushed toward the cabin door, and the flight attendant¡¯s voice echoed within the cabin, ¡°Dear passengers, we have a notification. ording to the Jingcheng police department¡¯s instruction, please remain seated for now, and all cabin crew, please assist.¡± That announcement caused Nie Zhenbang to start, and at that moment, a stewardess from the first-ss cabin approached and stated with a smile, ¡°Gentlemen, at the request of the local Jingcheng police, we kindly ask for your cooperation. We won¡¯t take up too much of your time. Please be patient and wait.¡± Following this, the cabin door opened, allowing four or five officers to walk in. One of them took a photo out of his bag and showed it to the chief steward, asking ¡°This person, which cabin is he in?¡± As soon as the chief steward saw the photo, he froze. Could this man, who was personally received by the president, be a fugitive from Huaxia? However, before the steward could finish his thought, a group of officers rushed in. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was talking to Long at his side when the officers strode in from the outside. Their cold gaze swept over the cabin, and when the lead officer noticed Nie Zhenbang, he walked straight up to him and said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, do you know why we¡¯re here to arrest you?¡± At this moment, Long leapt up and charged at them at lightning speed, causing the officers to tumble to the ground. To Long, as long as it affected Nie Zhenbang, it didn¡¯t matter who the opponent was. Moreover, given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background, Long¡¯s n was simple: to hold off until Elder Nie arrived. But just as this was happening, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Long, stop. You leave first. Go to the Yang¡¯s house to find Elder Yang.¡± The reason he asked Long to seek the Yang family lied in their residence¡¯s location outside the red wall. Although Long was with Nie Zhenbang, without the required pass or a personally approved notice from Elder Yang, Long wouldn¡¯t be granted ess, even if Nie Zhenbang acted as a warrantor. Now, the only option left was for Long to find Elder Yang. Seeing the police trying to stop Long, Nie Zhenbang said in a sombre tone, ¡°He¡¯s a three-time Soldier King from the Northeast Military Region. If any of you intend to be martyrs, feel free to obstruct him..¡± Chapter 84 - 84: Try Movements on Me 1 Chapter 84: Try Movements on Me 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 84: Try Me Looking at the determined gaze of Nie Zhenbang, the lead police officer, experienced in reading people, understood very well. Saying it and doing it was the typical style of these young masters and princesses in Jingcheng. Normally, these people were all fun and games within their own circles. But if anyone really provoked them, their fate would be extraordinarily tragic. Thinking of this, the lead police officer gestured to his men. At this time, no other officers went after Long. The lead officer had already started walking towards Nie Zhenbang. Standing in front of Nie Zhenbang, he handed over a document to him, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, take a look. This is an arrest warrant signed by the Ministry of Public Security. From now on, you are suspected of selling state assets, smuggling, and private rtions with foreigners, damaging Huaxia¡¯s international political image. You¡¯re arrested.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang sucked in a breath of cold air. What kind of a person was he dealing with, three serious charges all at once? Any one of them could be enough to get him executed. Moreover, the order came directly from the Ministry of Public Security. It seems that the politicalndscape of Jingcheng had changed quite a bit during his absence. At this point, what Nie Zhenbang needed was calm. Resistance, or even confrontation, was not the best choice. Under the current circumstances, the opponent had fully taken the initiative. He and Long were different, Long was just a bodyguard. Even if they killed him, with Nie Zhenbang still around, none of these people could get away. Yet, if he himself were to resist, Nie Zhenbang looked into the lead officer¡¯s eyes and saw a gleeful expression along with a hint of the quick intent to kill. At this moment, given the situation, Nie Zhenbang could be certain that if he made any move or resistance, these people would not hesitate to execute him on the spot. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Comrade, is it really that serious? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t run away. However, you must at least give me a chance to notify my family.¡± Nie Zhenbang understood at this moment. The person who could urately track his movements and deploy the Ministry of Public Security to arrest him was no ordinary figure. Neither Ou Zheng nor Zhou Chen had this kind of power. Even Ou Zheng¡¯s father, Ou Huajun, a state councilor, probably didn¡¯t have this power. The Minister of Public Security, usually, also held a deputy national-level position and was on par with Ou Huajun. Ou Huajun could notmand him. Hence, deducing from these facts, the one who had targeted him was probably none other thanrade Xuri.¡± Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback ¨C Comrade Xuri making a move on him? What did this mean; using him as a breakthrough to totally defeat the reformists? At this time, the lead police officer revealed a pitiful expression on his face. He then sternly said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, haven¡¯t you realized the situation? You won¡¯t be able to notify your family. We¡¯ll take care of those matters. Now, you should cooperate with us. If not, don¡¯t me us for being rude.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang put forward his hands to cooperate in handcuffing, the lead police officer released a breath of relief and ordered, ¡°Return to the team!¡± Jingcheng At the entrance of the Yang family¡¯s residence At this moment, the gate of the Yang duplex was crowded with people. Long was hiding in a corner, carefully observing. He even spotted a sniper in a house opposite thepound. At this moment, Long was on high alert. Who were these people? Despite not appearing to be from the military, they were extremely skillful. Plus, how dare they openly surround the home of a national leader? What did this mean, were they trying to control the news of the third young master¡¯s arrest? Didn¡¯t they fear being discovered by the guards at the Yang residence? However, Long had seriously underestimated these people¡¯s capabilities. Though appearing brazen, with time passing, these people quickly disappeared from around the residence, and the nearby snipers also concealed themselves. About five minutester, a big Red g car slowly drove into the alley and parked in front of the Yang duplex. Elder Yang, apanied by a guard, got out of the car. The guard looked around with some confusion before finally resting his gaze on Long¡¯s direction. Long, who had been watching carefully, immediately withdrew. This person was too formidable. That was Long¡¯s initial feeling. As the Soldier King of the military district, Long had his own pride. But at this moment, before this guard, Long felt somewhat timid. ¡°Sir, someone is watching from outside the gate.¡± The guard whispered to Elder Yang as soon as they entered the yard. Elder Yang paused, looked outside, gave an acknowledging grunt, and then said, ¡°Let it be. It would be strange if we weren¡¯t being watched at this time.¡± Upon scanning his surroundings, Long sprang into action. This was his prime opportunity. He quickly moved from the corner to the side of the Yang family¡¯s courtyard, made an agile leap, and in an instant was over the three-meter-high wall. As hended in the yard, a gust of wind hit him. Long rolled on the ground to dodge the sharp attack and immediately assumed a defensive stance, saying, ¡°Hold off. I am here on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s orders to bring news. As soon as the third young master returned from Baghdad, he was taken away by the police before he could even get off the airne.¡± Upon hearing Long¡¯s words, the guard paused. Elder Yang had also gotten up, his usual calmness gone. Looking at Long, Elder Yang felt a hint of familiarity. After confirming that Long was not joking, Elder Yang sternly said, ¡°Get the car. Go to the Red Wall Compound.¡± Jingcheng A training base of the Public Security Bureau At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was handcuffed in a deserted room in the training base. The room was a vast hundred square meters. Suddenly, the lights in the room brightened. Two strong beams directly hit Nie Zhenbang¡¯s head. The intense light had Nie Zhenbang squinting and lowering his head to avoid it. This was amonly used police interrogation technique. Under such circumstances, criminals who had not undergone counter-interrogation training naturally felt a strong sense of inferiority and guilt. About ten meters in front of the chair, a table was set up with two middle-aged police officers in uniform sitting across it. They were staring intently at him. Nie Zhenbang, avoiding the re, scrutinized the two officers. His mind, however, steadily calmed. He wasn¡¯t sure what had transpired in Jingcheng and why Comrade Xuri had, in a desperate move, sought a breakthrough from him. All he knew was that as long as he held on, he was absolutely secure. Subsequently, a smirk crossed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face, he said, ¡°Quite the grand show, indeed. I didn¡¯t expect that I, Nie Zhenbang, would have the privilege to experience such pomp. This must be my fortunate incarnation.¡± ¡°Bang!¡± All of a sudden, one of the officers pped the table, his eyes burning with anger, stared at Nie Zhenbang aggressively and said in a stern voice, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, be honest, don¡¯t you dare think that you can be above thew because of the connections and privileges of your family. I tell you, that is absolutely not allowed. Now, frankly admit your crimes. Perhaps, there may be a lighter punishment. Otherwise, get ready for the prison.¡± Nie Zhenbang only shook his head in amusement and taunted, ¡°Officer, there¡¯s a saying, confess and be lenient, resist and be strict. Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? Confess? Haha, confess what? There¡¯s a Chinese saying: if they want to condemn you, they¡¯ll always trump up a charge. Why don¡¯t you just p me with a bogus charge? Why the need for the charade with the interrogation? Wouldn¡¯t that be simpler?¡± As soon as the words came out, one of the officers stood up, looking at Nie Zhenbang and said sternly, ¡°Goodd, it seems that unless we use some methods on you, you¡¯ll not realize what the Horse King sees.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression also instantly darkened. These people were actually going to torture him for a confession? He then looked solemn, saying fiercely, ¡°Torture for a confession? Dare to touch me? Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you, if you have the guts, try touching me..¡± Chapter 85 - 85: Lying Dormant_1 Chapter 85: Lying Dormant_1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 85: In Hiding ¡°Ha ha, Nie Zhenbang, do you think this ce is the Nie family¡¯s territory? If Iy a hand on you, what can you do? Do you think you can even walk out of here?¡± The police officer who stood up ready to take action burst into mockery after hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. Nie Zhenbang sneered coldly, and a chill emerged in his eyes. In this life, Nie Zhenbang had never experienced such rage. Staring at the police officer, Nie Zhenbang slowly threatened, ¡°Let¡¯s see if you have the guts to try. I, Nie Zhenbang, am making myself clear today. If you darey a finger on me, as long as I don¡¯t die, I swear I will annihte your whole family!¡± Dominating and confident, that¡¯s Nie Zhenbang. Just now, amidst the dark circumstances, Nie Zhenbang carefully reconsidered the so-called three major sins. As for the so-called crime of embezzlement of national assets, it¡¯s totally unfounded. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shipment, although it does not have legal import and export procedures, does not exist in the domestic arms list either. So there is no issue of selling national assets. As for smuggling, it could barely be counted, except, currently, there is no trade between Huaxia and the Soviet Union, so there¡¯s no question of taxation. It¡¯s a gray area as to how to levy taxes on trade with countries that are diplomatically severed. When ites to exporting, he had used the channel of Huaxia Arms Trading Company and followed standard customs procedures. There¡¯s no smuggling involved. Thest crime, secretly having foreign connections, could perhaps hold during the time of ¡®The Great Revolution¡¯ amid the fervent atmosphere. But now? Nie Zhenbang possessesplete legal documents, including a visa issued by the Iraqi ambassador. Visiting a country that has officially established diplomatic rtions with Huaxia is perfectly normal. So, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang ispletely unafraid. Moreover, he has realized that these people are clearly targeting him. Despite Nie Zhenbang avoiding trouble, that doesn¡¯t imply he¡¯s afraid of any. Having experienced pain in his past life, Nie Zhenbang isn¡¯t willing to go through it again. This time, whoever stands in his way will be swiftly dealt with. As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words fell, the police officer about to attack leaped up, his face revealing a ferocious frightening expression. He roared, ¡°Wipe out my whole family? I¡¯ll wipe you off first. Let¡¯s see how you are going to annihte my family.¡± The officer was already rushing towards Nie Zhenbang. They knew very well that Nie Zhenbang is skilled in martial arts, hence why they had handcuffed him to the interrogation chair, immobilizing his arms. But, he had forgotten that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s legs were still free. As the officer approached the door intending to strike Nie Zhenbang¡¯s chest, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s leg had already kicked him. Two solid kicks struck the man, propelling him back several meters onto the floor. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s leg strength isn¡¯t something ordinary. His long-practiced martial arts, specifically Shape-Intent Fist, emphasizes explosive power. Those kicks left the man speechless for a long moment. Meanwhile, another man at the desk rose and ran to his co-worker, helping him regain his breath after some massaging. Staggeringly standing up and seeing Nie Zhenbang still smiling, the officer was furious. He roared, ¡°I will have you shot!¡± Then, he pulled out a Type 64 pistol from his holster and pointed it at Nie Zhenbang. This action shocked the other officers. Immediately, one of them rushed over and grabbed his agitated colleague, ¡°Old Chen, Old Chen, calm down. We can¡¯t kill him, not yet. We should focus on the important things.¡± Before he could finish, suddenly a loud mor erupted outside, and a group of fully armed soldiers carrying submachine guns stormed in with an aggressive aura. Upon entering the room, seeing the man with the weapon, at least five submachine guns were pointed at him. Then, an officer-looking man walked in. He nced around, his gaze eventuallynding on the man with the weapon. He casually said, ¡°You dare to draw your gun? Handcuff him and take him away.¡± Nie Zhenbang, whose handcuffs had already been removed by the soldiers who stormed in, stretched his hands which had been marked red by the cuffs and walked towards the two policemen. With two crisp thuds, two men were knocked to the ground by a couple of ps from Nie Zhenbang. The leading officer, clutching his face, stood up and looked at the group of soldiers around him, saying, ¡°Who are you people, barging into the Public Security Department¡¯s base like this? Are you staging a rebellion?¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could answer, the leading officer stepped forward toward the police and said in a deep voice, ¡°Rebellion? Where is your proof? I would like to ask you why you would secretly arrest active soldiers without notifying the military. Furthermore, you even pointed guns at us. Were you nning to shoot to kill? Who gave you such authority?¡± As he said this, the officer took out two small green booklets from his pocket and tossed them onto the table. The bright red August 1st military emblem on the cover was strikingly conspicuous. The officer then introduced himself, ¡°Allow me to introduce myself, we are from the 29th Group Army of the Jingcheng City Military District, specifically the Wolf Team. I am Liu Weibing, the battalionmander of the Wolf Team. The Comrade Nie Zhenbang whom you arrested is our 29th Group Army staff officer. He was assigned by the army to visit Iraq and investigate the Iran-Iraq War situation in order to adapt our army to new forms of warfare. Do you understand now? If you don¡¯t, feel free to report me to the Jingcheng City Military District. I am always at your disposal.¡± Inside the Xuri Comrade¡¯s office at the Red Wallpound, the instant Nie Zhenbang was taken away, Xuri¡¯s secretary received a phone call. After hanging up the call, the secretary stepped into Xuri Comrade¡¯s office and respectfully said to Xuri who was reading some documents, ¡°Leader, we have news. Nie Zhenbang was taken away by the military.¡± Upon hearing this, Xuri Comrade sprung up from his seat, ¡°What?¡± The secretary repeated what he said, which darkened Xuri Comrade¡¯s expression. After a pause, he said gravely, ¡°Get the car ready. We¡¯re going to the Head of State¡¯s residence.¡¯ With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s removal, at this moment, the bigwigs gathered at Mei Xiang Park could finally breathe a sigh of relief upon learning that Nie Zhenbang had safely left without leaving any written evidence or giving any testimony, including the Head of State himself. At their side, Elder Yang even joked lightheartedly, ¡°Elder Nie, Leader, this grandson of yours is really something! Elder Nie, Zhenbang¡¯s got your swagger.¡± The Head of State just furrowed his brow at this moment, looking at Elder Nie, he said: ¡°Old friend, it looks like Comrade Xuri¡¯s mindset has indeed changed. It appears that troublesome times are upon us again¡­¡± Just then, the Head of State¡¯s secretary knocked on the door and entered the room, looking at the group of bigwigs, and whispered, ¡°Leader, Comrade Xuri has arrived.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone¡¯s faces changed slightly. The Head of State had also risen to his feet and told the secretary, ¡°Arrange for the meeting in the West Hall.¡± For nearly an hour, no one knew exactly what the Head of State and Comrade Xuri had discussed. Comrade Xuri left with a grim expression on his face. At this moment, the Head of State returned to the study room and spoke to Elder Nie, who was still waiting there, ¡°Old friend, judging from the current situation, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to inconvenience Zhenbang by having him stay in the military for a while..¡± Chapter 86 - 86 Fresh Soldier 1 Chapter 86: Fresh Soldier 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 86: Fresh Recruits As a longtime veteran, Elder Nie had a deep understanding of the Leader. This moment, seeing the Leader¡¯s solemn expression, he didn¡¯t inquire about the reason. Nor did he bring up the results of the conversation between the Leader and Comrade Xuri. He simply nodded and straightforwardly said, ¡°I will abide by the Leader¡¯s decision. This kid has been somewhat unruly ofte. I think he should be sent over to Guodong¡¯s lot. Let him temper himself in the Great Xibei.¡± Those present were all old revolutionaries whose political awareness and sensitivity weren¡¯t derived from empty talk. Seeing the Leader¡¯s expression, they sensed that the conversation probably hadn¡¯t been pleasant. For Elder Nie to be so decisive in such circumstances, everyone present admired him. Listening to Elder Nie¡¯s words, the Leader regarded his oldrade with respect and nodded, agreeing, ¡°Going to Xibei isn¡¯t a bad idea. I think Zhenbang has unlimited potential. I mean that it¡¯s best to put him in the most challenging military unit. Let¡¯s see how he performs.¡± Upon hearing the Leader¡¯s words, everyone there, including Elder Yang, grew serious. This was a big deal. Ordinary people would never attract such attention from the Leader. His words could be seen as a test for Nie Zhenbang. If he could pass the test and performmendably, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s future would be limitless. Whether he turns out to be a dragon or a worm, depends entirely on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance. At this moment, Elder Nie suppressed his excitement. On the surface, he simply nodded and said, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll do as the Leader suggests.¡± The 29th Army Within the guesthouse at the military headquarters At this moment, since Nie Zhenbang was brought back here by these soldiers, he was arranged in the guestroom of the guesthouse, without any service personnel or anyone elseing over. Opening the door, two soldiers stood guard on either side. Seeing Nie Zhenbang open the door, both of them turned simultaneously, both watching Nie Zhenbang. Now, if Nie Zhenbang dared to go out, these people would probably tie him up immediately. ¡°Brothers, is your leader here? Saving me only to keep me captive doesn¡¯t seem like a solution,¡± Nie Zhenbang said with augh. However, his greeting was met with the expressionless faces of the two soldiers, neither of them replied. After hours of waiting, at the faint light of dawn, several Red g cars slowly entered the guesthousepound. Through the window, the old man was seen getting off with a stern expression. A momentter, the door was opened from the outside, the old man walked in. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, the first thing the old man said was, ¡°Not bad, a descendant of Nie family, brave and unyielding. You understand when to advance and when to retreat. However, this time, you won¡¯t be able to stay in Jingcheng.¡± These opening words brought Nie Zhenbang some joy. In his memory, whether it was his past life or now, the number of times the old man had praised the third generation of the Nie family could be counted on one hand. Even Nie Jialei, as the third sessor of the Nie family, was only praised once. However, thetter words caught Nie Zhenbang off guard and confirmed his guess. Even the old man and the Leader want to avoid conflict. The shadowy figure behind this attack on him is apparent. Only that person can make the Leaderpromise. Of course, this doesn¡¯t mean that the Leader and the old man are afraid of that person. At their level, there¡¯s a lot to consider. If it were a provincial or municipal official, it would be fine to have a fight to the finish. But, at this level, any tug could affect the whole country. Caught off guard for a moment, Nie Zhenbang quickly nodded and replied, ¡°Understood, I have no objections.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nonchnt demeanor, the old man looked approving. This grandson¡¯s behavior surprised Elder Nie, and he felt curious about his son-inw whom he had not yet met. How could a civilian cultivate such an outstanding person? Of course, Elder Nie didn¡¯t know that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current behavior was a result of his rebirth. Then, the old man also nodded and said, ¡°It¡¯s best that you have understood. This time, I n to send you to Tianshan Province, the Xibei Military Region. The Nie family has a military background. As a member of the Nie family, you should go to the great melting pot of the armed forces and get some good grinding. ¡± As he spoke, the old man¡¯s face became serious as he looked at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, Li Kang from the Wei Dynasty of the Three Kingdoms once said in his ¡®Fate Discourse¡¯: ¡®The tallest tree in the forest will be destroyed by the wind; the water piled up by the shore will be whipped into frenzy; if one raises himself higher than others, the mass will be envious¡¯. The mirror of history is nearby, the overturned chariot is followed by new tracks.¡± Pausing for a moment, the old man said earnestly, ¡°Zhenbang, the unwarranted trouble you encountered this time is probably rted to your mboyant behavior in Jingcheng over the past year and more. I hope that this time in the army, you will engage in some serious self-examination. Also, regarding your identity, I have taken care of it for you. You are Nie Zhenbang from Yanbei, amon foot soldier who is a university student. Do you understand my meaning? After three years ofpulsory military service, I hope to see a more mature Nie Zhenbang. I hope to see a Nie Zhenbang who can support the entire family. Do you understand?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart was pounding. What was the old man¡¯s intention? Was he expressing a certain attitude? Was he nning to train Nie Zhenbang as a key member of the Nie family? He brushed off these alluring ideas and calmed down. No matter what, he had to make a name for himself. The old man¡¯s intentions were clear. This time, he would just be an ordinary person. No privileges. No advantage. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Grandpa, I understand. Please rest assured, I won¡¯t disappoint you or Grandpa Nan Xun.¡± The current situation kept the old man busy. With Comrade Xuri¡¯s action, the whole country¡¯s atmosphere became somewhat tense. On the surface, the struggle between the reformists and conservatives seemed to have cooled down. But this is merely a superficial tranquility portrayed by the national media. In the local areas, the struggle was bing increasingly intense. This was the calm before the final battle. Nie Zhenbang took a military vehicle from the 29th Army in the morning. Protected by a group of soldiers, Nie Zhenbang flew directly from the military airport in the southern suburbs of Jingcheng to Ganzhou City, the location of the Xibei Military Region. At this moment, the tarmac of Northwest Military Region Ganzhou Military Airport was filled with new recruits from all over the country. Nie Zhenbang was also among the crowd. Compared to the others, who all carried a big bag, Nie Zhenbang, who came empty-handed, seemed entric despite also wearing a military uniform. At this moment, an open-top military jeep drove towards them. The leader of the team immediately shouted, ¡°Gather!¡± ¡°Stand at attention!¡± On the jeep, a soldier in histe twenties sat in the passenger seat, face full of pride, his gaze sweeping over each new recruit. He then said, ¡°Wee to the Great Xibei, you rookie soldiers..¡± Chapter 87 - 87: Dismounting Power 1 Chapter 87: Dismounting Power 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Chapter 87: The Show of Authority The whole ce fell silent. ¡®Newbie noddles,¡¯ wasn¡¯t a kind term. In fact, it reflected the old soldiers¡¯ scornful attitude towards new ones. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang had never had such an opportunity. Except for some past major incidents, Zhenbang¡¯s current path was entirely new. Just then, a man dressed as an officer jumped down from the truck and addressed approximately four hundred new recruits in a stern voice, ¡°Newbie noddles, from today, you are soldiers of the 18th Group Army¡¯s first infantry division in the Xibei Military Region. Our base is over one thousand three hundred kilometers away from here. Imand everyone to turn left and board the ne!¡± The military transport aircraft¡¯srge cabin door was opened. The soldiers lined up in two columns and orderly boarded the ne. These newbies, having gone through a basic training at their respective county¡¯s military department, could understand military orders. Once more than five hundred people had boarded the ne, the aircraft slowly moved onto the runway and gradually increased its speed to take off. After approximately two hours in flight, the nended again. At that moment, in the military airport located in the suburbs of Kashi in Tianshan, a dozen military trucks were parked along the side. The officer reappeared and as usual, began with the same line, ¡°Newbie noddles, get in the truck. Let me introduce myself as your new recruits instructor. My name is Yao Yuan. Starting from today, I will be apanying you through unforgettable three months.¡± The truck quickly left the airport. Kashi waspletely desert. Dust billowed behind the truck as it sped down the dirt road. After about half an hour¡¯s drive, the truck arrived at the military base. Many soldiers were training on therge training field. As soon as the recruits got off the truck, Yao Yuan¡¯s expression once again became serious, and he roared, ¡°All of you gather together, run around the entire training field ten times!¡± As soon as his words fell, all the new recruits started protesting. At that moment, they were essentially civilians who had just put on military uniforms. Concepts like regimentation, military discipline, and the weight of military orders, weren¡¯t in their minds yet. At this moment, in the eyes of the newbies, the instructor waspletely overbearing. They had just arrived after a long journey, and they should have been weed with a solemn ceremony of admission, assigned their barracks, and given a good meal and rest. This was simply ridiculous. They had hardly arrived and had yet to do anything before starting to run. Among the crowd, a few city recruits who had some insights started whispering, ¡°Standard track, four hundred meters perp, running tenps is four kilometers. Is this bastard trying to kill us with exhaustion? We won¡¯t run. We demand fair treatment.¡¯ ¡°Exactly, beforeing here, I heard from some soldiers that the first thing you do is get assigned a barracks. That¡¯s not how it works here. We won¡¯t run, let¡¯s see what he can do to us.¡± Yet another audacious guy chipped in. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also slightly frowning; this situation was rather unreasonable. Although Nie Zhenbang had never been in a military camp before, he had heard and indirectly learned some things. Furthermore, when Nie Jiamin had been sent to the Xibei Military Region, he had called Nie Zhenbang and shared his gripes. But Nie Jiamin hadn¡¯t undergone immediate physical training upon his arrival there. Looking at Yao Yuan who was standing in the front, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s lips curled into a cold smile. Nie Zhenbang then realized something. It seemed like this instructor was no ordinary person. Yao was demonstrating his authority to Nie and the others. Indeed, right as Nie Zhenbang was specting what Yao Yuan was nning to do next, Yao Yuan stepped forward and dered in a deep voice, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s unfair? Yeah? Well! I¡¯m telling you that for the next three months, there will be no concept of fairness here.¡± ¡°Just now, those who questioned me, you, you, you, and you as well. What are you hiding for? Did you think I couldn¡¯t see you? All of you who protested the fairness of it, run an additional threeps each. I¡¯m telling you, this is a military base, not your home. You newbie noddles!¡± Yao Yuan had a casual, cussing demeanor. After speaking, he himself donned fullbat gear, looked around at everyone and said, ¡°New recruits, pay attention. I am fully equipped, with a load of forty pounds. This time, I willplete the entire run with you. Don¡¯t say I¡¯m being unfair to you.¡± However, at this moment, a new recruit suddenly shouted from the crowd, ¡°Reporting.¡± Upon ncing, there was a young man, about eighteen years old, about 1.73 meters tall, thin, but his whole demeanor was strong and tanned. Speaking in ented Mandarin with a southern dialect, he said, ¡°Instructor, on what grounds do you disregard us new soldiers? I willpete with you. Isn¡¯t it just tenps? I will also carry forty pounds. After all, I¡¯m used to running on mountain roads.¡± This statement surprised Yao Yuan. Looking at the young man with an amused smile on his face, he said, ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll do as you propose. However, if I surpass you by twops, you will have to run an extra tenps. Fall in.¡± If this were any other time, Nie Zhenbang might have stepped forward. However, Elder Nie¡¯s words had sunk in. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang did not voluntarily stand up, but quietly prepared. Under Yao Yuan¡¯smand, the five hundred new recruits began running. After onep, those who started the fastest had almost all slowed down. By this time, Nie Zhenbang and the young man who had justpeted with Yao Yuan closely followed behind Yao Yuan. After threeps, a good number of city soldiers with insufficient training had already started walking. At this point, Nie Zhenbang and Yao Yuan were neck and neck. The young man who had been closely following Yao Yuan for fourps started slowing down under the same weight load. He was already panting a bit. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, a spark of interest shed in Yao Yuan¡¯s eyes, and he said, ¡°Kid, not bad. Much smarter than that guy. You know how to capitalize on your strengths and avoid weaknesses. You are a good prospect. Next, I will speed up. Are you still up for the challenge?¡± Nie Zhenbang sneered in his heart. This Yao Yuan appeared carefree, acting as if he were superior, but in reality, he was incredibly cunning. Four kilometers of armed running was nothing to an old soldier like Yao Yuan. After all, the Huaxia army excelled in physical training. Those who usually undertook ten or even twenty kilometers of armed cross-country running, putting all of their energy into this four-kilometer run, could naturally increase their speed considerably. Also, this guy was insidious. He knew that talking during a run was thest thing one should do, but he intentionally provoked Nie Zhenbang into speaking to disrupt Nie Zhenbang¡¯s breathing rate. He was certainly unscrupulous. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang merely nced lightly at Yao Yuan, raised his eyebrows, showing a hint of challenge in his gaze. Instead of responding, he increased his speed to temporarily overtake Yao Yuan and take the lead. At that moment, on the top floor of the First Infantry Division¡¯s office building, two officers were standing in front of a window, observing the situation on the drill ground through binocrs. One of the middle-aged men, who looked very amiable, seemed like a gentleman. He turned to another middle-aged man with a very serious face and said, ¡°Division Commander. What is Yao Yuan doing? As you said, the military region could have held a selection throughout the entire region, so why did they have to assign him to our division? Why not just keep him in the 84th regiment of the 21st army?¡± The divisionmander put down the binocrs and said in a deep voice, ¡°Chief of Staff, we can not decipher the intentions of the military region¡¯s leader. This is a death order from the group armymander. Our task is just one, to fully support Comrade Yao Yuan.¡± Speaking of this, the divisionmander looked somewhat envious, and sighed, ¡°Chief of Staff, Yao Yuanes from the Laoshan frontline and was the Soldier King of the 84th regiment of the 21st army. This time, the 84th regiment suffered heavy losses in the Laoshan defense battle. Our elite troops were lost. I heard that the Vietnamese secret agents caused us a big loss. Now it seems that the leaders of the military region are determined. Yao Yuan¡¯s mission has received the personal approval of Deputy Commander Nie from the military region. Our job should be to wholeheartedly support him..¡± Chapter 88 - 88 You’re Doing Great_1 Chapter 88: You¡¯re Doing Great_1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 88: You¡¯re Pretty Good Witnessing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current actions, Yao Yuan felt somewhat astonished. This kid was something else. As Nie Zhenbang picked up the pace, Yao Yuan soon followed suit, leaving the boy trailing behind them. By the time they reached the end, all new recruits had paused, having beenpped several times by Nie Zhenbang and Yao Yuan. Then, all the new recruits began to spontaneously cheer Nie Zhenbang on. Some of those who started with Nie Zhenbang were calling out his name. Then, all the others joined in. ¡°Nie Zhenbang, keep going!¡± they shouted. Within the final hundred meters, Nie Zhenbang was still leading. Yao Yuan, on his side, had caught up again, pushing past his own limits this time. Carrying forty kilos and running four kilometers at such a pace was not something just anyone could do. It was here that Nie Zhenbang had the upper hand regarding the weight challenge. Owing to particr circumstances, Nie Zhenbang had arrived without any luggage, making his burden lighter. Nie Zhenbang turned to Yao Yuan for the first time and said, ¡°Instructor, you¡¯reying it on a bit thick this time.¡± After saying this, he quickened his pace. The explosive power of Shape-Intent Fist was fully disyed at this moment. Nie Zhenbang crossed the finish line before Yao Yuan. At that moment, all the new recruits cheered. In this situation, almost every recruit positioned themselves as Yao Yuan¡¯spetition. But being of the same rank as them, Nie Zhenbang was someone they could rte to. Looking at Yao Yuan, who was taking off his equipment, an expression of indifference on his face, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. He walked up to Yao Yuan and said, ¡°Instructor, truth be told, you are the real winner. Compared to you, my victory feels undeserved.¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could finish, Yao Yuan waved it off. ¡°Losses are losses, victories are victories. To be frank, you¡¯re a new recruit, and I¡¯m a veteran. It¡¯s only fair under these circumstances. I can handle defeat,¡± he said. Then Yao Yuan looked at Nie Zhenbang and asked, ¡°Have you practiced martial arts?¡± Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised at Yao Yuan¡¯s powers of observation. However, Yao Yuan¡¯s straightforwardness made him appreciate the man even more. He nodded and admitted, ¡°I trained for a few years. It was a family tradition.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yao Yuan grinned. The look he gave Nie Zhenbang was like a man beholding a hearty meal, which made Nie Zhenbang tense. As expected, Yao Yuan¡¯s tone turned grim, ¡°That¡¯s good! Just as I thought. You¡¯re pretty good, Nie Zhenbang. In the uing three months, I will treat you differently than the others. Brace yourself for the hardship.¡± Following Yao Yuan¡¯s wave of the hand, fifty soldiers jogged over. These were the veterans, who from today onwards would lead these squads of neers through three months of training. Under the leading veteran¡¯s instruction, the teams and barracks were quickly sorted out. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s squad leader was a man from Tianfu, who spoke with a distinct Tianfu ent. The Southern youngster who carried the same load as the instructor happened to be assigned to the same squad. Seeing that everyone had settled on their beds, some excitedly chatting, the squad leader stood. The squad leader was around one meter seventy in height, of sturdy build, sporting a neat crew-cut. Hisrge eyes and candid smile gave off a feeling of honesty. His uniform was worn perfectly straight, and his buttons were meticulously fastened. pping his hands to gather attention, the squad leader began, ¡°Comrades, wee from all corners of the country and we¡¯ve all gathered here. This is a rare opportunity. Firstly, let me introduce myself. My name is Yan Zhongxun, I¡¯m from Tianfu. I¡¯ve been serving since 1985. I am honored to be appointed as your squad leader. Our squad has every reason to be proud. Besides having a neer who dared to carry the same load as the instructor, we have a neer who bested the instructor. Comrades, this is our squad¡¯s glory. I hope that during the uing training, we could unite as one, confident and cooperative, and excellentlyplete every training mission. Do you have that confidence?¡± In the army, that¡¯s how it is. The so-called money and connections don¡¯t work here, especially not in the eyes of the average soldier. What attracts soldiers is honor. As a veteran with three years of service, Yan Zhongxun clearly knows how to lead soldiers. With a few words, he rallied all the new recruits in the ss. At this point, morale was also on the rise. The atmosphere had be much more harmonious, and Yan Zhongxun seized the moment to say, ¡°I¡¯ve reviewed everyone¡¯s files, and Comrade Nie Zhenbang was already a pre-party member before enlisting. This point, this kind of proactive attitude, is worth learning from by all of us. I propose that Comrade Nie Zhenbang temporarily serve as our ss deputy leader. Does anyone have objections?¡± At this moment, all the new recruits were new arrivals, with no concept of in-group politics. Nie Zhenbang had just won against the instructor, which had already earned him some prestige among the soldiers. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status as a pre-party member rendered the new recruits somewhat envious. Yan Zhongxun¡¯s suggestion naturally passed without any problem. At the same time, Yan Zhongxun again said, ¡°Comrades, now we will hold a ss meeting for our ss where everyone can introduce themselves.¡± Once the words were out, Nie Zhenbang stood up first, saluted the crowd, and then said, ¡°Hello everyone, my name is Nie Zhenbang, and Ie from Tangcheng, Yanbei Province. I have enjoyed martial arts since I was a child. Last year, I was admitted to Jingcheng University. This year I enlisted as a college student. I hope everyone can help me out in our future life and work.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words startled all the new recruits. College student? And from a prestigious university like Jingcheng University, yet he gave up on studying and enlisted instead? They wondered if he had hit his head. This was everyone¡¯s first impression. In the meantime, Yan Zhongxun watched Nie Zhenbang, a new sense of admiration in his eyes. Unlike the new recruits, Yan Zhongxun was a veteran and well aware of the ins and outs of the army. With potential like Nie Zhenbang¡¯s, it was only a matter of time before he was promoted. Next, a boy named Xiong Changgui carried the same weight as Yao Yuan. Because the pronunciation of ¡®Chang¡¯ and ¡®palm¡¯ were simr, Xiong Changgui immediately got a unique nickname, Bear Paw Gui! At the same time, one soldier named Qin Lang from Qilu Province made a deep impression on Nie Zhenbang. Qin Lang was a typical urban soldier. But in his dealings, he exhibited a calm andposed style. His eyes were firm, and he was indeed a born soldier. For the entire afternoon, the life of the new recruits seemed normal. ss leader Yan Zhongxun was always instructing them on internal affairs. After dinner, they did their first drill on the field that evening. A few simple movements such as standing at attention and at ease tired all the new recruits beyond words. The moment they returned to the dormitory, almost everyone rushed to their beds. Wee hours At around three o¡¯clock, suddenly, the whistle for an emergency assembly sounded outside the silent barracks. The first to react were naturally the ss leaders, and the sounds of stumbling could be heard from every dormitory. On the field, Yao Yuan looked vigorous at this moment. Seeing the scattered and unprepared new recruits, many had not tied their shoces, done up their buttons, or even put on their caps properly. He admired the neatly dressed Nie Zhenbang, Qin Lang, and Xiong Changgui. He then said sternly, ¡°Surprised? Didn¡¯t expect it? New recruits, this is the army. This is what it means to be soldiers defending the Republic. More unexpected night assemblies wille. Prepare your minds for them. Dismiss now, ss leaders take your men back!¡± Yao Yuan stood motionless in the center of the field, watching rows of new recruits walk past him. When Nie Zhenbang passed by, Yao Yuan suddenly said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you did well. I¡¯m bing more and more interested in you..¡± Chapter 89 - 89: Long confronts Yao Yuan 1 Chapter 89: Long confronts Yao Yuan 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 89: Long confronts Yao Yuan Three months passed in a blink of an eye. Throughout the three-month fresh recruit training period, under Yao Yuan¡¯s strict demands, these five hundred new soldiers tasted the cruellest training ever. Starting from the tenth day of the new soldier training, when other ordinary recruits were still undergoing basic formation drills, Yao Yuan had already begun physical training. Initially, it included full gear like weapons, ammunition, helmets, emergency kits, water, dry food, sleeping bags, gas masks, shlights, raincoats, and army shovels, allbined weighing up to 25-5 kilograms. Moreover, Yao Yuan skipped the 5-kilometre threshold right from the beginning and went straight to 10 kilometres. This was an extraordinarily brutal test for all the new soldiers. In this round, two hundred of the five hundred new soldiers were eliminated. Yao Yuan was quite straightforward, directly transferring these two hundred people to other training units nearby. Then came live firing, wilderness survival, hand-to-handbat and so on. At the moment, Nie Zhenbang was keenly aware of the abnormality of the situation. This was definitely not an ordinary recruit training. Indeed, by the time all the training was over, out of the five hundred in the new recruit camp, there were less than ten left. Looking at Qin Lang and Xiong Zhanggui beside him, they had undergone a total transformationpared to three months ago. At the moment, Yao Yuan once again stood in front of everyone. His expression was as calm and solemn as always, showing no difference despite having only ten men left. Yao Yuan¡¯s sharp eyes scanned the crowd. Then, he said solemnly, ¡°Soldiers. I¡¯m pleased that till now, you have passed the examinations and stayed. Starting today, you will no longer be ordinary soldiers. You, will be members of the Xibei Military Region¡¯s elite troops.¡± Just then, an officer walked over to Yao Yuan from the side, whispered a few words in his ear, and Yao Yuan nodded. He swept his gaze over everyone else before finally resting on Nie Zhenbang, saying, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, someone¡¯s looking for you.¡± Momentster, Nie Zhenbang looked up to see Longing towards them. Seeing Long, Yao Yuan¡¯s face instantly turned grave. Just then, Long seemed to feel Yao Yuan¡¯s gaze and his whole body was instantly on high alert. He also turned to look at Yao Yuan. ¡°Long, why are you here? I thought I had you assist Li Xue in the Soviet Union?¡± Nie Zhenbang seemed nervous at Long¡¯s arrival. His joining the military was arranged by the senior figures, and not many people knew about it in Jingcheng. If Long wanted to know, he must have asked Yang Anbang. Could something have happened in the Soviet Union? Meanwhile, Yao Yuan was a little shocked. Looking at everyone else, he said, ¡°Dismiss, return to your dormitories to pack your belongings. Be ready to move out tonight.¡± Even if soldiers have never met before, they have a feeling of knowing each other instinctively, especially excellent soldiers. Yao Yuan was one of the top powerhouses in the army. But so was Long. Even though Long looked quite ordinary now, Yao Yuan knew that the man in front of him was no less capable than himself. As for Nie Zhenbang, what was his background? His extraordinary physique, outstanding shooting talent, and brilliant hand-to-handbat skills were all not qualities of a typical city soldier. Now, he had such an excellent soldier seeking him out. Could he be a spy from abroad? When Yao Yuan thought of this, he had a start. Then he quickly dismissed the notion. Domestic political screenings were as strict as theye. Spies might infiltrate the government system, but infiltrating the military was considered a near impossibility. Steal Huaxia¡¯s reconnaissance training? There¡¯s no need for that. Nowadays, our country¡¯s special forces are still in their infancy, existing mostly as reconnaissance units. None of the country¡¯s seven military regions have a formal special forces unit. We are just feeling our way in the dark. Stealing these things is impossible. The training of foreign special forces, such as those in the Soviet Union and Israel, is much more advanced than ours. They are globally recognized as formidable. As Nie Zhenbang approached, Long began to speak, ¡°Young Master Nie, there is a major issue with the Soviets. Miss Li is unable to make a decision herself. The matter has been brought to you.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression turned serious. He quickly asked, ¡°Long, have the Soviets broken their promise? Are Tiger and Li Xue okay?¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s anxious look, Long¡¯s face softened slightly. As soldiers, Long and Tiger had skills butcked capabilities. As Colonel Yuan had once said, they only had enough to make it as soldiers in this lifetime. However, where in the world could one be a lifetime soldier? The final oue was nothing more than returning to civilian life. But now, after following Nie Zhenbang, they no longer had to worry about their family¡¯s financial situation. Money was never a concern. The money they had umted so far in their lives was more than enough. Most importantly, Long and Tiger both felt a profound sense of loyalty towards Zhenbang. Long shook his head and said, ¡°No, Mikhail and the others did ask about you. However, Miss Li cleverly replied that you were tied down by urgent matters at home. Combined with Ganokovich¡¯s persuasion, they stopped paying much attention. My main reason for being here is that they want to sell an aircraft to us.¡¯ Aircraft? Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows rose. Do Mikhail and others have such audacity now? Yet, this was good news for Nie Zhenbang. He did not fear their audacity, what he feared was their indifference. Long continued, ¡°It¡¯s a heavy fighter designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau and officially introduced into the Soviet military in 1985, the Su-27. The product is of excellent quality. However, Mikhail and his team¡¯s price is outrageously high. They are asking 60 million US dors.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang frowned. The Soviets were insufferable. Both in the past and the present, under the European weapons embargo against Huaxia, the only import source was the Soviets. However, the price offered to Huaxia was always ten percent higher than that offered to other countries. They were pure bullies. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face turned stone-cold. He said, ¡°We¡¯ll buy it. Not only will we buy it, we¡¯ll raise the price to one billion dors. However, in addition to the Su-27, we want their Su-30 design schematics. Tell them we¡¯ll settle all payments in rubles and if possible,plete the transaction immediately, the sooner the better.¡± After Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Yao Yuan suddenly stepped forward, locked eyes with Long, and after a moment, solemnly said, ¡°Yao Yuan, Xibei Military Region, Commander of the Third Company of the Military District Reconnaissance Battalion.¡± Hearing Yao Yuan¡¯s words, Long¡¯s face showed unprecedented seriousness as he responded, ¡°Formerly Fengtian Military Region, Fifty-Ninth Army, Soldier of the Army¡¯s Security Battalion, Li Dalong.¡± ¡°Li Dalong? You are a formidable opponent, interested in a duel?¡± At that moment, Yao Yuan felt a camaraderie for the fellow warrior. It was rare to encounter such an opponent, Yao Yuan felt both an impulse and joy at the prospect. Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised at this development, Long¡¯s gaze disyed a hitherto unseen intensity. After a pause, he nodded slightly and said, ¡°You¡¯re not bad either. However, we can¡¯t do it here. Is there a quieter ce? After all, I have already retired from the military.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words excited Yao Yuan. A confrontation between two warriors of this caliber was thrilling to contemte. Yao Yuan gestured with a wave, ¡°Good, refreshing, a real man. Please follow me..¡± Chapter 90 - 90 We are Brothers 1 Chapter 90: We are Brothers 1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 90: We Are Brothers Southwest Region Within the dense subtropical primitive jungle At this moment, a pair of fully armed soldiers swiftly moved through. Leading them was a colonel, who abruptly crouched and waved his hand, signaling them to stop. On the ground concealed by the shrubs, there was a cigarette butt. The colonel picked it up, looked ahead, and chuckled, ¡°Clever boy, if it wasn¡¯t for Qin Lang¡¯s bad smoking habit, we probably wouldn¡¯t find you guys.¡± The leader was Yao Yuan. This was a long-distance training exercise by the Special Forces directly under the Xibei Military Region. At the end of 1987, after the reinstatement of military ranks, Yao Yuan was awarded the rank of Major. At the beginning of 1990, the original reconnaissance battalion directly under the military region waspletely transformed into a special forces battalion. As the battalionmander, Yao Yuan was naturally promoted, and his military rank was increased directly from a lieutenant colonel to a colonel. This was because the special forces battalion belonged to the regimental system. Yao Yuan had caught a good break. Three years had swiftly passed. Nie Zhenbang seemed to have disappeared since then. For every semester exam, the old man would use his connections to get an exam paper directly from Jingcheng University, and a dedicated person would deliver it to the Xibei Military Region for Nie Zhenbang to take the test. His four years of university life was about to graduate in the first half of this year. These years had seen dramatic changes, and with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s entry into the military, the conflict between the two factions had intensified. Eventually, these conflictspletely eruptedst year. The head of State ruthlessly acted. The entire nation¡¯s military went into the first level ofbat readiness, and the Jingcheng City Military District deployed to deal with thisx and seriously bourgeoisially liberal bourgeois trend. In the end, Comrade Xuri resigned in despair. After the new leaders took officest year, the head of state also resigned from his position as the party militarymission chairman. Meanwhile, as core forces of the reformers, both the Nie family and the Yang family received tremendous benefits. Yang Shengli, representing the Yang family, was promoted from the standingmittee member of Jingcheng Municipal Party Committee and Executive Deputy Mayor to Deputy Secretary and Acting Governor of Jiangnan Province. He was smoothly elected as the provincial governor at the People¡¯s Congress earlier this year. On the Nie family¡¯s end, Nie Guodong, with his exceptional ability, won the new head of state¡¯s favor and was assigned to serve as themander of Jingcheng City Military District, and his rank was promoted to general. Nie Guowei was also directly assigned from his position as the vice secretary of the Peng City Municipal Committee to serve as the deputy governor of Yanbei Province, entering the rank of provincial and ministerial levels. After three years of development, under the leadership of themercial genius Yang Anbang, the Wal-Mart Group assisted Jingcheng automobile and the German Mercedes-Benzpany to establish contact in early 1988. Mercedes-Benz, after inspecting Jingcheng Automobile¡¯s new production base and seeing the sufficient funds provided by the Wal-Mart Group, held intense negotiations. Yang Anbang, under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s instruction, did not give in, and in the end, the two parties reached an agreement. Jingcheng Automobile, with its new production base and an additional investment of 50 million US dors, held 51% of the shares in the newly established joint venture Jingcheng Mercedes-Benz. Hearing this news, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback, not expecting that the inertia of history would still bring these twopanies together, only more than a decade earlier than in history. The Wal-Mart Supermarket and Gome Electrical Appliances had wholly spread nationwide. The Wal-Mart Supermarket had nearly 150 shops in provincial capitals and several otherrge prefecture-level cities. An average of about three stores in each city. Gome Electrical Appliances was the same. This year, with the gradual rification of the reform and opening up policy, both Yang Anbang and Huang Guangyu were ambitiously nning to fully roll out and perfect theirmercialworks in all cities nationwide. In the Soviet Union With Comrade Lao Ye¡¯s return to power, his political offensive against Lao Ge had grown increasingly intense. Under Yeltsin¡¯s pressure, Lao Ge began to reform at the beginning of the year, and on March 14, he was officially elected as the first president of the Soviet Union. However, this reform was not sessful, instead elerating the Soviet Union¡¯s political instability. At this time, the wealth umted by Yang Lixue could only be described in trillions. In just three years, the Soviet Union¡¯s most advanced industrial mother machine, T80 main battle tank, and the Kiev-ss aircraft carrier¡¯s various data were all gathered by Yang Lixue. With the further instability of the Soviet Union¡¯s political situation now, it was time to withdraw from the Soviet Union. At this moment, deep in the primeval jungle, Nie Zhenbang, Qin Lang, and Xiong Changgui gathered together. Wearing green camouge uniforms with no shoulder badges or any military rank emblem. Their faces were painted with camouge paint. Nie Zhenbang gripped the Type 79 sniper rifle in his hand, a domestic replica of the Soviet Union¡¯s SVD sniper rifle. Xiong Changgui leaned close to the ground, his ear carefully listening to the unusual sounds transmitted from the ground. This was a gift of Xiong Changgui. In such aplex environment, he could clearly distinguish the types of sounds. After a while, Xiong Changgui stood up, his expression solemn, ¡°The instructor is chasing us. At this moment, the distance between us and him is at most a kilometer. We must run.¡± ¡°Damn it, the instructor is like a dog. His nose is so keen. He has been behind us for seven days. Let¡¯s go, ¡± Qin Lang said frustratedly as he threw away his cigarette butt, then got up, swearing and cursing. Seeing Qin Lang¡¯s reaction, Nie Zhenbang slightly furrowed his brows. Qin Lang was born to be a soldier, possessing the intelligence of a city soldier and the persistence of a country soldier. The only regret was that Qin Lang¡¯s personality was inherently restless and too impatient. This kind of person could only flourish in favorable circumstances and would likely be driven to the extreme once frustrated. Nie Zhenbang also stood up, looked at Qin Lang and said, ¡°Sun, stop smoking. The whole way here, the instructor has been following your cigarette butts. There are only three days left, this time, we must take it seriously.¡± Sun was Qin Lang¡¯s nickname. A sunny day is always clear and bright. At this moment, Qin Lang was also a little embarrassed. Smoking was one of Qin Lang¡¯s few hobbies. But at this time, it was a weakness. Qin Lang himself was clear about this. In the beginning, neither side put forth their full effort. At this moment, seeing instructor Yao Yuan get serious, Qin Lang also nodded. Looking at Qin Lang and Xiong Changgui, Nie Zhenbang said sternly, ¡°Let¡¯s go, leave the instructor a final cigarette butt.¡± For three days, Yao Yuan led a team to besiege and intercept the three of Nie Zhenbang. Along the way, there were several exchanges of fire. Qin Lang was also injured. But in the end, the three of Nie Zhenbang still persisted. At the finish line of this jungle training, Yao Yuan was waiting here with a serious expression. His face showed no signs of discouragement or annoyance, and he didn¡¯t show any emotion for losing to the three of Nie Zhenbang. Seeing the three of Nie Zhenbang emerge from the jungle, Yao Yuan stepped forward to give them a firm hug, ¡°Congrattions, you have seeded starting today! ¡± Speaking, Yao Yuan looked at Nie Zhenbang, his eyes containing some regret and reluctance. After a while, Yao Yuan said solemnly, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you are a good soldier. In due course, there¡¯s no denying that you have great potential for growth, something that Xiong Changgui and Qin Lang can¡¯tpare to. Truthfully speaking, I don¡¯t want to let you go. But, this is the order of the head of the military district. I have to obey and execute it. Zhenbang, your order of retirement has been sent to the battalion.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang, both Qin Lang and Xiong Changgui were stunned. Xiong Changgui quietly squatted down, while Qin Lang rushed up, grabbed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s cor, and roared, ¡°Crown Prince, you coward. You are deserting. We are the most elite soldiers, how could we retire? This is impossible, you are a deserter. I look down on you.¡± Crown Prince was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nickname. In this three-man group and the ten-man special operations team, Nie Zhenbang usually acted as themander. Hisrades nicknamed him Crown Prince, meaning the most cherished person, the brain of the team. However, no one knew that this nickname was not just a nickname, but also a fact. Nie Zhenbang also smiled bitterly. This retirement was too unexpected for him. He didn¡¯t expect his family to arrange for his retirement without notifying him. But at this time, although Nie Zhenbang had manyints, he could not express them here. He just smiled bitterly and looked at the two of them. He patted their shoulders heavily and said solemnly, ¡°Sun, we are brothers, aren¡¯t we? We are people who have carried guns together.. We are brothers!¡± Chapter 91 - 91 Elder Nie’s Arrangement_1 Chapter 91: Elder Nie¡¯s Arrangement_1 Trantor: 549690339 Chapter 91 Elder Nie¡¯s Arrangement The ne soared into the clouds. When the nended at Jingcheng City Airport, Nie Zhenbang was full of emotions. He had returned. After three long years, he was finally home. At this moment, the Zhou family had been marginalized. With the appointment of a new leader, the country was now dominated by the voice of reform and openness. The conservative faction was now being pushed into a corner. At the airport exit, a ck Mercedes E-ss 300E was parked on the sidelines. At this moment, the personal secretary of the old man hade up to greet him. In this life, unlike the previous one, although Audi had teamed up with FAW. But, at the same time, Jingcheng Automobile had also aligned with Mercedes. Consequently, the Audi 100unched in the country was inferior to the E300unched by Mercedes. The Audi 100 was a product of ¡¯82, while the Mercedes was a new productunched in ¡¯86. Moreover, ording to the agreement, for each new product of Mercedes, Jingcheng Mercedes has the rights and qualifications to request synchronous production or sale. In this manner, when there was not a significant price difference, Audi wasn¡¯t able to dominate the high-end car market in the country like it did in his previous life. Instead, it formed a rivalry with Mercedes. ¡°Zhenbang, you must be tired after the journey, please get in the car. The chief is waiting for you at home.¡± The secretary warmly took Nie Zhenbang¡¯s luggage and put it in the trunk of the vehicle. With Nie Zhenbang getting in, the car swiftly started and drove out of the airport. It was still the familiar red-walledpound, that strictly guarded ce. This was where the country¡¯s corey. The car had a smooth journey, and directly stopped at the front of the house. At this point, the olddy was already eagerly waiting at the entrance. As Nie Zhenbang got out of the car, the olddy had alreadye to greet him. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, the olddy got somewhat emotional, ¡°You¡¯ve grown stout. And darker. It¡¯s good that you are back. It¡¯s good that you are back.¡± At this moment, the old man also came out of the house. In terms of vitality, the old man had already deteriorated significantly. Looking at the maturity exhibited by Nie Zhenbang, the old man nodded in satisfaction and joked, ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re back. If not, your grandma would have grown calluses in her ears bothering me about it.¡± In the following days, Nie Zhenbang paid a visit to his school. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also reflective. In his previous life, he withdrew midway through his studies due to the fall of the Nie family after the official appointment of the new leader. Furthermore, the old man was no longer there to protect the Nie family at that time. Now, the tricky situation of the Nie family had finally changed. Moreover, the Nie family had actually be a leading force in the reformist faction. After obtaining his graduation certificate from Professor Shi, Nie Zhenbang immediately went to Professor Wang¡¯s office. Over the past few years, Nie Zhenbang had already achieved party membership, but as his enlistment in the army did not follow the regr procedures, all of his party rtions and academic records were maintained at Jingcheng University. In short, his three years of military career would not be found on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s resume. At this point, Professor Wang once again brought up the subject of Nie Zhenbang studying for a master¡¯s degree. This time, Nie Zhenbang epted Professor Wang¡¯s invitation without any evasion and agreed toe when the school starts. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was very clear. As the country¡¯s reform and opening up deepened, a person¡¯s academic record would be an important factor in an official¡¯s promotion. At this moment, since he had decided to tread on this path, there were certain things he had to prepare and couldn¡¯tpromise on. When he got home, his grandpa was rxing on a rocking chair. Seeing Nie Zhenbang return, he suddenly opened his eyes and patted the stone bench next to him, saying, ¡°Zhenbang,e sit, let¡¯s talk.¡± Hearing his grandfather¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang naturally had no objections. He walked over, sat on the stone bench, and asked, ¡°Grandpa, how¡¯s your health recently?¡± But his grandfather waved his hand and said, ¡°Not good. Actually, I¡¯m already in a semi-retired state. The old leaders have already retired. Old Yang has also retired. Among the old folks, only I am left. It¡¯s about time.¡± This statement took Nie Zhenbang aback. There would be a distinct difference in the family situation depending on whether his grandfather retained his position or not. For now, his grandfather was the oldest member of the Political Bureau Standing Committee, and with him there, Chief No.l would give some face to the Nie family no matter what. However, once his grandfather retired, if the Nie¡¯s descendants didn¡¯t have good capabilities, then it might be difficult for his father and uncle to progress any further. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s startled expression, his grandfatherughed. At this moment, he seemed to have a detached attitude of light-heartedness about everything. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Zhenbang, is there anything difficult toprehend? Birth, aging, sickness, and death, the session of old and new, are aw that all things in the world must follow. What¡¯s the problem whether I retire or not? If the descendants are promising, even without me, the Nie family can continue to thrive. But if the descendants are disappointing, can I live forever?¡± His grandfather¡¯s words, straightforward as they were, showed an eptance of the inevitable: descendants will make their own fortunes. Everything had to be done independently. Saying this, he looked at Nie Zhenbang who appeared thoughtful. The old man nodded approvingly. This grandchild was arguably the most outstanding among the Nie family¡¯s descendants. He hadn¡¯t seen it before, but in recent years, the influence of Nie Zhenbang had graduallye to bear. Let¡¯s not mention anything else, but at least in the fields of industrial machinery manufacturing, special steel metallurgy, and military equipment development, as Nanxun Chief said, one Nie Zhenbang could count as tens of thousands of soldiers. At this moment, he realized how astute Dong was in his insight. His grandfather spoke again: ¡°Zhenbang, when you graduate, the state will allocate you a position. The school assigned you to Yu Province, which is my old base. Most of the officials here are my former students and old officials. This can be considered as the sphere of influence of our Nie¡¯s family. If you start your career here, your road to officialdom will be easier. However, I turned it down.¡± Nie Zhenbang was greatly shocked by this. Originally, his n was to go to Yuedong, which is under the influence of the Ye Family, or to Jiangnan Province where his father Nie Guowei serves. He would serve as an official in a town, start from the grassroots, and climb step by step. This was the path that Nie Zhenbang had nned for himself. But now, his grandfather was suddenly changing the n. He was inevitably surprised. Nie Zhenbang, faced with his Grandpa¡¯s calm gaze, asked: ¡°Why, Grandpa? Isn¡¯t it good to start from grassroots levels? I think the organization will attach more importance to grassroots experience in the future. Doing this¡­?¡± In response to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s question, his grandfather was not only unannoyed but relieved. The descendants of the Nie family, for all their good qualities, have little personal thought and judgment. This was a regret for Elder Nie. It seemed that excessive discipline wasn¡¯t always good. However, Nie Zhenbang, his grandson who grew up among ordinary people, had given him some hope. ¡°Hehe, Zhenbang, grassroots jobs primarily refer to county and city levels. There¡¯s no need for township work. Therefore, I¡¯ve taken the liberty of arranging your work unit for you in advance.¡± After saying this, the old man paused. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s calm yet expectant look, he nodded approvingly and continued, ¡°Tomorrow morning, take your referral letter and report directly to the Youth League Central Committee.¡± Upon hearing his grandfather¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was amazed and opened his mouth in surprise. Looking at his grandfather, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder, had his grandfather also been reborn? The Crown Prince came from the Youth League Central Committee, and the next deputy leader was currently serving there. Thinking about this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart started to burn with enthusiasm.. Chapter 92 - 92 Reporting to the Central Group_l Chapter 92: Reporting to the Central Group_l Trantor: 549690339 The Central Organization of the National Youth League, an institution known for nurturing talent. The League provided a significant proportion of administrators in national politics, starting with the Crown Prince. Although the Crown Prince no longer works in the Central Organization of the League, he still carries significant influence as a leading figure in the League. Moreover, the current bigwigs in the League are not even the first Party Secretary of the organization yet. If¡­ Nie Zhenbang could establish a good rtionship with this crowd. Simrly, he would undoubtedly be able to establish a good rtionship with the Crown Prince. Gaining the trust of both the current and the prospective Crown Prince would be a significant benefit to his future career. With these thoughts, Nie Zhenbang started to show excitement. He stood up and said to his grandfather, ¡°Grandpa, I will follow your advice. Tomorrow, I will report to the Central Organization of the National Youth League.¡± As Nie Zhenbang was leaving, a hint of smile appeared on the grandfather¡¯s face. He seemed to be talking to himself, ¡°Old Dong, Old Dong, I know your sixth daughter is working in the League. Now, whether your granddaughter can seize this opportunity depends on the rtionship between these two youngsters.¡± Jingcheng¡¯s downtown, East intersection of Qianmen Street. This is the headquarters of the National Youth League. A simple yet imposing office building, guarded by several armed policemen who stood straight. When they saw Nie Zhenbang, they saluted him and then asked, ¡°Comrade, how can we assist you?¡± Nie Zhenbang took out his letter of rmendation and said to the policeman, ¡°Comrade, I am a recent graduate from Jingcheng University. I am here to report to work today.¡± After carefully examining Nie Zhenbang¡¯s credentials, the policeman returned his letter, and directed him to the office building, ¡°Turn left after you enter the door, go upstairs to the second floor, the third room. That¡¯s where the Organization and Personnel Department is located. You canplete your procedure there.¡± Following the policeman¡¯s directions, Nie Zhenbang quickly found the Organization and Personnel Department. The office door was slightly ajar. At that moment, he felt a wave of nervousness entering him. Even though he was reincarnated, this is his first foray into politics. Despite his recollection of his previous life, he couldn¡¯t help but feel timid. Standing at the door, he took a few deep breaths, then started muttering to himself, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, don¡¯t be scared. You¡¯re a man who has undergone rigorous military training. You can never show fear, never back down. You will never desert.¡± Just as he was whispering to himself, aughter followed by a familiar voice suddenly echoed behind him, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, it¡¯s been three years since Ist saw you. I didn¡¯t expect you to be as amusing as ever.¡± Nie Zhenbang spun around with a start, and to his surprise eximed, ¡°Dong Wan? What are you doing here?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Dong Wan¡¯s smile turned into a clouded expression as she sneered, ¡°Hmm, just because you can report to work here, doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t. What kind of logic is that?¡± With that, Dong Wan pushed open the door and walked in. There were two desks inside the office, and as soon as they saw Dong Wan, they greeted her with smiling faces. She nced at Nie Zhenbang, who was still standing at the door, her eyes twinkling with amusement. His reaction was quite surprising. He had been incredibly sessful in business, and his performance during his military service in the Xibei region over the past three years had also been outstanding. Besides, his university grades were praiseworthy. With such achievements under his belt, Dong Wan had to marvel at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s talents, it seemed there wasn¡¯t anything he couldn¡¯t aplish. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nervous demeanor today took Dong Wan by surprise. At this moment, Dong Wan finally found some bnce. Apparently, there were things in this world that this guy was afraid of. Seeing Nie Zhenbang still standing nervously at the door, Dong Wan spoke up: ¡°Nie Zhenbang,e in. What are you doing at the door? Aren¡¯t you here to report to work?¡± Hearing Dong Wan¡¯s familiar tone, one middle-aged woman in the office began to tease Dong Wan: ¡°Little Wan, who is this? You two seem very familiar. Could this be¡­?¡± As soon as Dong Wan heard this, her face turned red. Stamping her foot, she responded shyly: ¡°Aunt Yun, what are you talking about? There¡¯s nothing between him and me. Alright, this is the directory of the heads of the Young Pioneers in each province. There you go. I gotta go.¡± Thanks to Dong Wan¡¯s diversion, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nervousness gradually subsided. Now, Nie Zhenbang has returned to his usual confident andposed state. Walking into the office, he addressed the woman Dong Wan called Aunt Yun: ¡°Hello, I am this year¡¯s graduate from Jingcheng University, here to report to work. Here is my introduction letter. Please take a look.¡± Observing the way Nie Zhenbang spoke, the middle-aged woman was somewhat impressed. He seemed to know when to advance and when to retreat, and understood the rules of the game. Judging from the way he spoke to Dong Wan just now, there appears to be more than just an acquaintance between them. Moreover, when Dong Wan called her Aunt Yun right in front of him, some people might take the opportunity to build a rtionship by calling her Aunt Yun as well. However, he didn¡¯t do that. This impresses the middle-aged woman. That¡¯s knowing when to advance and when to retreat. After all, her rtionship with Dong Wan, doesn¡¯t imply that Nie Zhenbang can call her the same way. Since he¡¯s here to report for work, a clear distinction between public and private affairs is necessary. Few people understand this. The middle-aged woman then nodded her head, epted Nie Zhenbang¡¯s introduction letter, and after a careful look, she took out a form from the side drawer and handed it to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Nie, an exceptional graduate from Jingcheng University, huh? And a graduate student under Professor Wang, plus you¡¯re a party member. You¡¯re indeed talented. Wee to contribute to our Central Ministry¡¯s work. Go ahead and fill out this form first. I¡¯ll notify the finance department to set up your pay roll.¡± They say handwriting speaks about a person, and this era was not like the future whenputers would dominate. In this era, handwriting was a face card. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s graceful, unrestricted handwriting, Aunt Yun praised: ¡°Good job, Nie. As a top-tier graduate from Jingcheng University, your handwriting is quite good.¡± Aunt Yun rose to her feet and said: ¡°Nie, we¡¯ve already decided on your assignment. You will be allocated to the National Youth League. Go ahead and report to them. The specifics of your work schedule, you will have to approach your leaders for that.¡± Upon hearing Aunt Yun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang felt his heart race again. The National Youth League? Isn¡¯t that the ce that the next Vice Chairman Mu Dingjian is currently in charge? Following Aunt Yun, they went upstairs to the fifth floor, to a row of offices on the left. These are where the National Youth League offices are located. At the moment, the office door is wide open. It¡¯s arge office, with eight people working together, desks set out opposite each other. Seeing Aunt Yun, a middle-aged man about forty years old stood up with a warm smile on his face: ¡°Why has Deputy Minister Zhoue over personally? Who¡¯s this?¡± Hearing the man¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected that Aunt Yun was actually the Vice Minister of Organization¡¯s Personnel Department. She was so approachable and unpretentious. At this moment, Deputy Minister Zhou, or Aunt Yun as Dong Wan calls her, alsoughed and said: ¡°Old Guo, I¡¯m here to bring some talent over to your Youth League side. Let me introduce, this is Nie Zhenbang, a graduate from Jingcheng University.¡± She turned to Nie Zhenbang and said: ¡°Nie, this is your direct superior. Deputy Director Guo of the Youth League Office. You¡¯ll have to learn from and consult Director Guo in your work.¡± Nie Zhenbang was about to speak when Director Guo extended his hand with a warm smile: ¡°Nie, wee! From now on, we¡¯ll berades in the same trench. ¡± At this moment, looking at Director Guo and Aunt Yun beside him, Nie Zhenbang began to understand why his grandfather had arranged for him to join the Central Committee.. Chapter 93 - 93: Putting on a Fat Act After Getting Slapped in the Face_l Chapter 93: Putting on a Fat Act After Getting pped in the Face_l Trantor: 549690339 At this point, Nie Zhenbang realized that his grandfather didn¡¯t possess any prophetic abilities. He didn¡¯t foresee that in the next few decades, officials from the group would dominate the national political scene, bing an important force. At this moment, it became clear for Nie Zhenbang. The reason why Elder Nie ced him in this position was because the harshness of the political struggles here are much lowerpared to those in the grassroots and other ces. This was thest thing that his grandfather could do before retirement for his official career. Once Elder Nie retreatspletely, regardless of how things progress, the influence of the Nie family would no longer be so prominent. For his career advancement, aside from his family background, his abilities would be the deciding factor. For Nie Zhenbang, who had never had any political experience, embarking on a career path in the grassroots may ruin his political future if he was not careful. At the National Youth League, his career path could be less treacherous; the rank is present and the conflict is not as intense. It¡¯s considered the most appropriate ce to start. The National Youth League, although he was assigned here, in reality, he was still an ordinary clerk at the Youth League Central Committee. Here, he is mainly responsible for liaising with the members of various groups of the National Youth League. At the same time, he is also responsible for coordinating the Youth League¡¯s magazine, ¡°Huaxia Children¡±. At this moment, after the departure of Minister Zhou, the person Aunt Yun referred to, Director Guo immediately turned to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Nie, I will call you Zhenbang from now on for a more intimate rtionship. Come, let me take you to the office.¡± He followed Director Guo to the innermost office. At this moment, the entire Central Committee¡¯s office building has not been renovated, many units are sharing offices here, thus, the whole office building seems somewhat crowded. In arge office room, eight desks are arranged. As Guo led a young man into the room, the seven people in the office stood up. Inside the office, the two seats near the window facing the entrance were the best in the room. Naturally, the two seats were taken by the most senior staff in the office. To Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, a man who appeared to be about 24 years old was sitting there, his demeanor exuding a prideful stance. Indeed, the average age in the office was about 27 or 28 years old; many were older than him, yet none of them had managed to nab one of the best seats. This indeed was a fact worthy of pride. At this point, Director Guo pped his hands, attracting everyone¡¯s attention, and then pointed to Nie Zhenbang, introducing, ¡°Everybody, let¡¯s pause for a bit. I¡¯d like to introduce a new colleague. Nie Zhenbang. He is a top graduate from the Department of Chinese Literature at Jingcheng University. From now on, we are colleagues. Please take good care of him.¡± After the introduction, Nie Zhenbang was naturally arranged to sit in the worst spot of the room, facing the door, thest seat in the room. During the day, aside from opening and closing the door, even if the leader casually enters, they would not be able to notice him immediately. Although the political wrangling at the Youth Committee isn¡¯t as intense and apparent, even in the most rxed ce, seniority still matters. At this moment, Zhenbang adjusted his mindset. Here, there is no grandson of Elder Nie or the grandson of the Head of State, only Nie Zhenbang. After the Director Guo left, Nie Zhenbang stood up, smiling, ¡°Everyone, as the neer, I am not familiar with many matters and processes. If there are areas I am not doing well in my work in the future, I kindly ask for your understanding. My name is Zhenbang Nie, you can all just call me Nie.¡± After this, Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°If you all have time, how about joining me for a meal this evening at the Capital Restaurant, Tan Family Hall?¡± At this point, what Nie abides by is the principle of opening the way with human favor. He does not have much experience in politics. But, Nie Zhenbang has advantages that others don¡¯t. One, he knows about some personalities and incidents in the future. Particrly in the Youth Committee circle, he is certain he won¡¯t pick the wrong side. Besides, having no political experience does not mean he ispletely unqualified. He has basic knowledge. At the grassroots level, and those cadres who have struggled for many years, stepping on others to climb up might be too fierce for Nie Zhenbang at present. However, at the Youth Committee where personal interest is not too essential, he might not be in his element, but he should manage to stayposed and unhurried. In Huaxia, there is an old saying, ¡°A mouth that takes food is obliged, a hand that takes gifts is softened¡±. Since ancient times, this culture of treating has been valued in the Huaxia officialdom. Nie Zhenbang is now employing this approach as a quick way to foster rtionships amongst his colleagues. ¡°Ha ha, that¡¯s too kind, Nie. Tan restaurant isn¡¯t a cheap ce. You¡¯ve just graduated, there¡¯s no need to be so wasteful. I think the small eatery next to our office will suffice. We¡¯re all colleagues, there¡¯s no need for such extravagance.¡± The speaker is a man sitting by the window at the far end. The man appears to be around thirty years old and dresses quite modestly, in a gray jacket¡ªamon outfit in this era. However, his overall demeanor is quite refreshing. He emanates a youthful and upward energy. When he smiles, it¡¯s very inviting. As soon as his voice fell, the young man sitting across from the somewhat arrogant young man chuckled, ¡°The Tan restaurant? At this hour, I¡¯m not sure if we can even get a reservation. At this time, the Tan restaurant¡¯s private rooms are always very popr, we might not be able to book one even if we tried a few days in advance.¡± His statement has an arrogant undertone. This makes Nie Zhenbang frown. This man¡¯s sarcastic innuendo is quite obvious. At this moment, the arrogant man nodded, looking at Nie Zhenbang, saying in a patronizing tone, ¡°Nie, you have just graduated. There is no need to go around spending money you don¡¯t have. Old Zheng is right, we are all colleagues. We can just eat at the small restaurant nearby.¡± ¡°Liu Yang, you!¡± At the moment, not only Nie Zhenbang is unhappy, but Old Zheng, the man whose office position is almost equivalent to Liu Yang, is feeling somewhat incensed too. The arrogant man, Liu Yang, seems indifferent. He gets up, saying casually, ¡°It¡¯s time to clock off. I¡¯ll leave first. As Liu Yang gets up and leaves the office looking insouciant, a man opposite him, apparently his follower, gets up and looks at Old Zheng. Despite his smile, he shows no remorse, ¡°Sorry, Brother Zheng. Liu and I have another dinner appointment at the Tan restaurant with Kun. I won¡¯t be able to make it to today¡¯s dinner. You guys go ahead.¡± Watching them leave, the office springs back to life. One of the girls mumbles disdainfully, ¡°Bootlicker.¡± A man around 26 or 27 years old gets up, advises Zheng whose face has turned pale, ¡°Brother Zheng, it¡¯s not worth getting upset over such people. He¡¯s just a member of the extended Liu family. He acts as if he¡¯s the direct descendant of their family¡¯s eldest son. Such people will stumble sooner orter. We shouldn¡¯t bother with him.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang bes interested in Zheng. From the way Liu Yang and the other man were trying to belittle Zheng, it was quite obvious. But now, Zheng regained hisposure, the sort ofposure not everyone can have. Also, it seems that Zheng has good interpersonal rtionships in the office. He must be a talented individual. As Nie Zhenbang contemtes, Zheng smiles at him, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, I hope we haven¡¯t embarrassed ourselves in front of you. The head there was Liu Yang and the other one is Sun Hu. Liu Yang has some connections and always has his nose in the air. We should just ignore them. Let me introduce myself, my name is Zheng Gensheng. I¡¯m from Chubei. In our office, I am the oldest. If you¡¯d like, you can call me Brother Zheng in the future.¡± Zheng pauses for a moment before continuing, ¡°Zhenbang, Liu Yang is right. The Tan restaurant is too upscale for us. We are not some important figures, we can just find a casual ce to gather.¡± Nie Zhenbang considers Zheng a worthy acquaintance to make. As for his ability, he will have ample opportunity to observe. Yet, this kind of temperament is notmon. With this thought in mind, Nie Zhenbang jokingly says, half-seriously, half-mockingly, ¡°Brother Zheng, today I will save face at the cost of a swollen face. We¡¯ll go with the Tan restaurant..¡± Chapter 94 - 94: Sycophantic Bullying – Part 1 Chapter 94: Sycophantic Bullying ¨C Part 1 Trantor: 549690339 Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the remaining people in the office looked up at him in astonishment. The prevailing thought among all of them was that this new young man was simply too stubborn and somewhatcking humility. The Tan Family hall at Capital Restaurant, just as Liu Yang and others had said, was bustling with people due to the constantly developing society and the rising economic level. It wouldn¡¯t be exaggerating to say that the ce was always crowded. Nowadays, one might find a temporary spot in the dining hall, but to get a private room, a reservation was absolutely necessary. Furthermore, all believed that Nie Zhenbang was acting immaturely. If he bumps into Liu Yang at the Tan Family hall, wouldn¡¯t that embarrass everyone? Liu Yang is a proud and vengeful person. This action was equivalent to putting salt on his wound, almost like dering a war. Hearing that Nie Zhenbang still insisted on going to the Capital Restaurant, many silently shook their heads. Only Old Zheng was watching Nie Zhenbang silently. The temperament disyed by Nie Zhenbang was too calm, not at all like trying to unt his unaffordability. Old Zheng, a graduate from the renowned Huaqing University in Jingcheng, had once been ambitious when he first joined here. But reality had given him a stark lesson. Sometimes, mere enthusiasm wasn¡¯t enough. Being just an official enjoying sub-department level treatment at the age of 26 or 27 was a failure for Zheng Gensheng. However, canny observational skills were an unexpected result from those years of failure. His gaze met with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s for an instant. Immediately after, Zheng Genshengughed and said, ¡°Since you¡¯re insisting, Zhenbang, we¡¯llply with your wishes. I¡¯ve heard that the imperial cuisine at the Tan Family Hall is exceptional. Today we¡¯ll have the chance to experience it.¡± After work, a group of people walked out of the office building in a grand manner, drawing curious looks from colleagues in other departments. As they reached the foot of the building, Nie Zhenbang was surprised when Dong Wan suddenly appeared from the side. The present Dong Wan,pared to her time at the Yu Ying School, seemed less cold and more gentle. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Dong Wan chuckled and said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, seeing such a big group of you, you must be going out to eat.¡± At this moment, Old Zheng nced at Nie Zhenbang with amusement. He was well aware of Dong Wan¡¯s deep connections. She currently worked at the Youth Group and was a well-known aloof beauty. Old Zheng hadn¡¯t expected her to know Nie Zhenbang. Appearing somewhat bitter, Nie Zhenbang recalled how Dong Wan¡¯s attitude towards him had changed since their intense race. He then chuckled, ¡°Well, since I¡¯ve just reported for duty, I¡¯m taking my senior colleagues out for a meal to show my gratitude. Want in?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s memory of Dong Wan was still stuck in the past, and this invite was nothing more than a courteous gesture. However, much to his surprise, Dong Wan promptly epted, saying, ¡°Sure!¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s dumbfounded expression, Dong Wan wore a teasing smile and urged everyone, ¡°Let¡¯s go. If we stand here any longer, there won¡¯t be any food left.¡± Seven people in two taxis headed straight to Capital Restaurant. At this hour, luxury cars were already gathered at the entrance of the brightly lit Capital Restaurant. Ever since Audi and Mercedes had entered Huaxia, the domestic automobile industry had begun to prosper, and these brands had be moremon on the streets. With the deepening of domestic reform and opening up, a doorman was stationed at the entrance of the Capital Restaurant. Luxury cars would receive a warm wee, but for two taxis, it was nice enough not to be rushed by the attendants and security guards. The group got out of the taxis and boldly headed straight to the seventh floor. By now, the Tan Family hall was already buzzing with activity, even in the main dining hall. As soon as they walked in, a waiter was already greeting them: ¡°Good evening, may I ask, do you have a reservation?¡± Nie Zhenbang had been to Tan¡¯s Restaurant quite a few times in the past. However, in recent years, after Nie Zhenbang disappeared from Jingcheng, he found that it had changed a lot when he returned. As the host today, everyone naturally looked at Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also stepped forward, smiling and said, ¡°Seven people, no reservation, do you have any seats left?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the waiter nodded, indicating a table in the corner of the hall with some regret, ¡°The only seats left are at that table, but it¡¯s a table for six. If you all want to sit, we will have to add another chair. Is that okay?¡± ¡°Brother Zheng, what do you think?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang handled the situation very well. He was the host, but this time, he wanted to build rtionships with his colleagues. If he took care of everything himself, not only would it be ineffective, but it would also give people a sense of arrogance. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang deliberately handed the decision-making power to Zheng Gensheng. In this situation, this was a clear sign of respect towards Zheng Gensheng. This would win the approval of everyone else. Everyone felt that Nie Zhenbang knew when to hold back and when to push forward. As expected, the way Zheng Gensheng looked at Nie Zhenbang at this moment also showed a difference. At first, Nie Zhenbang seemed to Zheng Gensheng like a young calf not afraid of a tiger. He didn¡¯t understand what power was and was stubbornly confrontational. But now? Old Zheng thought, this Nie was not simple. Then, Zheng Gensheng alsoughed and said, ¡°Zhenbang, today you are the host. It¡¯s not right to listen to the guests, right? This would be like dering a siege! Everything follows your arrangement, even if we have to stand to eat, we don¡¯t mind.¡± Seeing Zheng Gensheng say this, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°Since Brother Zheng said this, let¡¯s arrange it over there. Please bear with us, seniors. Next time, after we reserve a box in advance, we can enjoy it again.¡± If you say that Tan¡¯s Restaurant didn¡¯t reserve any boxes, that would be impossible. But you see, he had been away for several years now, and at this moment, if he went to Yang Anbang or Liu Kun, his identity would be exposed, and this was something Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want. After the group sat down, Nie Zhenbang took the initiative to hand over the task of ordering food to Dong Wan. This was also a kind of skill Nie Zhenbang had developed. At a ce like the Capital Restaurant like Tan¡¯s Restaurant, having a meal now cost at least a few hundred yuan. At this point, everyone else¡¯s sry might just be a little over two hundred. A month¡¯s sry wasn¡¯t enough for even a meal, letting his colleagues order would be insulting. Nie Zhenbang naturally wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. Handing it over to Dong Wan, on the other hand, seemed very suitable, and the others wouldn¡¯t have any objections. When all the dishes were served, suddenly, a voice from the side rang out: ¡°Dong Wan? Little Wan, is that really you? Why are you here? You said you didn¡¯t want toe out to eat, didn¡¯t you?¡± After saying that, the voice rang out again, ¡°I was wondering who it was? It¡¯s you guys. Howe there was only one table left? Even had to add a chair, if there¡¯s no seat, you should¡¯ve looked for me.¡± At this moment, Liu Yang walked over. His gaze was focused on Dong Wan. Looking at Liu Yang, a trace of anger appeared on Dong Wan¡¯s face. Dong Wan was angry with Liu Yang¡¯s tone of voice, and her face was as cold as before. She said unkindly, ¡°Liu Yang, I¡¯ve told you a long time ago, you can call me Dong Wan, or Comrade Dong Wan. Please don¡¯t be so familiar. We are just acquaintances. Besides, do I need your permission for who I dine with?¡± As soon as Liu Yang heard this, his face darkened. Next to him, one of his followers jumped out, pointed at Dong Wan and said, ¡°Dong Wan, you shouldn¡¯t reject an act of kindness. Do you know who our Young Master Yang is? He is offering to feed you, it¡¯s an honor for you. Don¡¯t give a damn if you don¡¯t appreciate it. You came with this kid, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯ve said that you were strangers to our department before, but today you are gathering together. This kid is just a student from Jingcheng University, right? Crushing him would be simpler than crushing an ant.¡± At this moment, hearing these speech from the follower, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but stand up. He looked at Liu Yang and the follower next to him and said, ¡°Young Master Yang, whom Dong Wan dines with should be her decision, shouldn¡¯t it? Yourckey here is not very likable, and his mouth isn¡¯t clean either. He is a bully. I think Young Master Yang needs to manage him. There are many people in Jingcheng that one cannot afford to offend. If he getts Young Master Yang into trouble, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be good..¡± Chapter 95 - 95 People leave, tea gets cold_l Chapter 95: People leave, tea gets cold_l Trantor: 549690339 As the saying goes, even before you kick a dog, you should consider its owner. No matter how arrogant this follower might seem, he only acts this way to others. He only asserts himself to boost his master¡¯s reputation. It wouldn¡¯t matter if he was applying dog-like loyalty or anything else; it¡¯s all a matter of their internal affairs which they could handle behind closed doors. However, in front of so many people, especially when those present are colleagues from the same department, if Liu Yang really acquiesces to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, then he would lose facepletely. No one then would dare to associate with him in the future. Consequently, Liu Yang¡¯s expression had darkened, looking at the young girl Dong Wan sitting close to Nie Zhenbang. He¡¯d clearly heard the bantering words and now, old resentments and new grudges welled up in his heart, causing his face to darken even more. His face was stormy as he sneered coldly: ¡°Little Nie, you should be more humble in life. In Jingcheng, the water¡¯s deep. You can offend someone if you¡¯re careless. It would be terrible to end up meeting a grim end.¡± At this point, his view of Dong Wan had changed. People change. Initially Dong Wan was famously known as a cold beauty in themittee, not showing favoritism to anyone, which attracted Liu Yang¡¯s patience. After all, for women like her, patience usually pays off. However, now, seeing Dong Wan and Nie Zhenbang acting so intimate. He didn¡¯t believe for a moment that it was due to work matters. One was in charge of Qinglian, the other led the Young Pioneers; two departments that had nothing to do with each other. His viewpoint had taken a shift. It¡¯s like a fairy from heaven suddenly turning into a prostitute. At this moment, Liu Yang was watching Dong Wan, and he said in a deep voice, ¡°Dong Wan, you can stop pretending now. I thought you were a virtuous and hot-tempered woman, but it seems that you¡¯re nothing special, just a bit more attractive. This guy here, he¡¯s even younger than you. I didn¡¯t expect you to have such a preference, an older woman going for a younger man.¡± When his words ended, Dong Wan¡¯s face turned pale in anger. She stood up, her face flushing. When had the sixth daughter of the Dong family ever been so humiliated? When had she ever been spoken to like this? Dong Wan rose, her finger shaking as she pointed at Liu Yang, ¡°You¡­ You bastard!¡± Nie Zhenbang was standing now too. Normally he could tolerate some verbal irony against himself. After all,pared to his past life, this was nothing. But now it was Dong Wan who had been hurt. Nie Zhenbang had to intervene. If the old man found out that Dong Wan had been bullied and he, as a man, hid in the background, then the old man¡¯s crutch would likely end up hitting him. Therefore, looking at Liu Yang, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression turned serious, and he said sternly, ¡°Liu Yang, I¡¯m giving you a final chance. Apologize to Dong Wan, otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡± After saying this, Nie Zhenbang looked at Zheng Gensheng and the others nearby, his face carrying an apologetic smile, ¡°Sorry everyone for causing this mess today. How about this? Let¡¯s meet here at the same time tomorrow. I¡¯ll reserve a private room for us. Consider it a small gesture from me.¡± Turning towards Dong Wan, he said, ¡°Wan, could you help send them to their cars?¡± Dong Wan had now regained herposure, looking at Nie Zhenbanging to her aid. The knight in shining armor scenario had befuddled her. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intent was clear to her. At themittee, Dong Wan¡¯s identity was deliberately concealed. Nie Zhenbang mustn¡¯t want her identity to be revealed. There¡¯s a difference between guessing something and witnessing it first-hand. Seeing the awkward atmosphere, Zheng Gensheng knew that he alone could not resolve the situation. Even though he held good influence at the office, he knew that Liu Yang would not heed him. Intervening now would only humiliate himself. Having been in themittee for many years, his rtionship with Nie Zhenbang had not yet reached a point where he would risk his future for him. Therefore, Zheng Gensheng alsoughed, ¡°We¡¯re all colleagues, it doesn¡¯t have to be like this, Zhenbang, I¡¯m really sorry. Let¡¯s leave first then.¡± Once Zheng Gensheng and the others had left, Nie Zhenbang spoke again, ¡°Liu Yang, this is thest chance. I¡¯ll count to three, apologize now, or don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡± At this moment, Liu Yang wore an arrogant expression, looking disdainfully at Nie Zhenbang. Not only did he not mean to apologize, on the contrary, he patted his face mockingly, arrogantly saying, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, aren¡¯t you just a college student? You were lucky to be assigned to a ministry. What are you so arrogant about. Let me tell you, there¡¯s so much in Jingcheng that you don¡¯t know. What did I do to her? Is Dong Wan a princess or ady of noble birth? I¡¯m here, hit me if you dare, can you?¡± Before the words had fully fallen, a clear, resounding p echoed through the hall. At this moment, the entire hall fell silent. All eyes turned in their direction. At this time, those who were dining in the Tan family hall were somewhat distinguished individuals within Jingcheng. Seeing someone starting a physical altercation in such a high-ss venue piqued their curiosity. By now, Liu Yang had already covered his cheeks. Nie Zhenbang had hit him very hard. Initially, Nie Zhenbang was an expert in Shape-Intent Fist. Coupled with his three years of military training, his strength and explosive power had increased dramatically. This p from Nie Zhenbang was delivered without any reservation. In an instant, Liu Yang¡¯s face had swollen and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Liu Yang seemed somewhat incredulous. At this moment, his sidekick came to his senses and anxiously said, ¡°Young Master Yang, wait here. I¡¯ll go get Young Master Kun and the others. We can¡¯t just let this kid get away with it. If we do, we won¡¯t survive in Jingcheng.¡± However, at this time, Nie Zhenbang was relentless and, staring at Liu Yang, continued, ¡°Liu Yang, apologize now or your face will receive another p.¡± At this moment, Liu Yang was also somewhat stunned. Who exactly was this Nie Zhenbang, and why was he so domineering? Whether it was out of ignorance or high status, Liu Yang began to specte. But upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Yang became violently angry. He red at Nie Zhenbang and roared, ¡°Apologize? Over my dead body. If you¡¯re so tough, you might as well kill me today. Otherwise, you better be prepared to pick up your own corpse.¡± Simultaneously, Liu Yang also vented his anger at Dong Wan, with equal fury, ¡°Dong Wan, you whore, remember this. If I don¡¯t die, I will rape and then kill you. How dare the two of youy a hand on me!¡± p! Another crisp p echoed. This time, the right cheek also swelled up. With both sides swollen, it could be said he had been ¡®bnced¡¯. Looking at Liu Yang, who had been beaten to the point of squatting on the ground, Nie Zhenbang said solemnly, ¡°Liu Yang, this is a lesson for you for not minding your words. From today onwards, get out of Jingcheng. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me if I take matters into my own hands.¡± Just then, a voice rang out, ¡°Well, look who¡¯s showing off. I want to see who dares to make such big ims.¡± Looking up, Liu Kun and Li Hua, former chief of staff and current deputy politicalmissar of Jingcheng City Military District, were walking over from the corridor. As soon as they saw Nie Zhenbang, both Liu Kun and Li Hua¡¯s eyes widened. Upon seeing the furious Dong Wan next to them, Liu Kun knew that his distant cousin must have stirred up big trouble. At this point, Nie Zhenbang sat down indifferently and said, ¡°It seems out of sight is out of mind. I¡¯ve been absent from Jingcheng for just three years, and now every Tom, Dick, and Harry is picking on me..¡± Chapter 96 - 96 Dong Wan ‘s Madness_l Chapter 96: Dong Wan ¡®s Madness_l Trantor: 549690339 Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Kun¡¯s face also turned a bit awkward. Liu Kun¡¯s identity was different from others. His old man is now a bonafide member of the Nie camp. From his own perspective, the rtionship between Liu Kun and Nie Zhenbang has very clear boundaries. Looking at Liu Yang, still squatting on the ground, Liu Kun wished he could kick him hard. His distant rtive was just too arrogant. He had no real talents, but had picked up some of the bad habits in Jingcheng, taking pride in having a Vice-Minister-level uncle and relying on his cousin as if he owned the entire Jingcheng. At this time, Liu Kun also felt somewhat regretful, ming himself for having been too indulgent before. Next to him, Li Hua also came up. Nie Guodong, the Nie family¡¯s eldest uncle, is now the head of the Jingcheng City Military District. Li Hua¡¯s father is also a deputy politicalmissar in the Jingcheng City Military District and has a deep rtionship with them. Li Hua walked up and whispered, ¡°Third brother, look, under such public circumstances¡­ how about we go to the private room to discuss matters in detail?¡± Seeing Liu Kun hanging his head in silence, Nie Zhenbang felt much better. Liu Kun¡¯sportment pleased Nie Zhenbang ¨C his silence was a sign of acknowledging his mistake and taking responsibility for it. It also meant Liu Kun had no opinion on whatever punishment Nie Zhenbang decided for their rtive. In fact, Liu Kun had made the best choice at that moment. Not to mention Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status, but even the princess behind Nie Zhenbang, Dong Wan, was one of Jingcheng¡¯s untouchables. Dong Wan¡¯s grandfather was a big shot in the advisorymittee. Although he had now retired, he is still a highly respected figure even to the current leaders. If Miss Dong Six isn¡¯t pleased with what happened today and takes it further, it will not be something that can be resolved through a simple p. Following Li Hua¡¯s entrance into the private room, Nie Zhenbang immediately took a seat on the sofa. Dong Wan also sat down next to Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang took out a pack of ordinary Zhonghua cigarettes from his pocket. Although his grandfather and uncle have plenty of special-supply Panda cigarettes due to their status, Nie Zhenbang, perhaps due to his fondness from his previous life, had no interest in them. In contrast, the ordinary Zhonghua cigarettes were somewhat intriguing to him. At this moment, Liu Kun took the initiative and came up to Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Third brother, it¡¯s obvious that we have an issue here. You know my temperament. I have nothing to say. Liu Yang is my cousin, but feel free to deal with him, or Miss Six deal with him ¡ª I won¡¯t have any objections. Whether you want him dead or alive, you can decide.¡± Liu Kun stating so at this moment was not forck of family affection, on the contrary, Liu Kun had a deep understanding of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughts. By saying this, perhaps, Nie Zhenbang might let Liu Yang off. Otherwise, Liu Yang might not lose his life, but he would never be an officer again. As expected, upon hearing what Liu Kun had to say, Nie Zhenbang pondered in thought, looking at Liu Kun with an intrigued smile. After having not seen each other for three years, he didn¡¯t expect Kun to have developed such cunning. But, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t n on calling him out on it. This minor incident was not worth severing ties with Liu Kun over. It just lowered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s opinion of Liu Kun slightly; from now on, it depended on Liu Kun¡¯s performance. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang turned to Dong Wan and said, ¡°Wan, what do you think?¡± When Nie Zhenbang had first addressed her as Wan, she did not react. But now, in front of familiar faces like Liu Kun and Li Hua, Dong Wan became a bit shy, and said in a low voice, ¡°I leave it to you to handle.¡± ¡°Kun, how about this ¨C I¡¯ve already beaten someone and taught him a lesson. Your brother should go back to where he came from. As for what you want to do with him, that¡¯s up to you. I won¡¯t interfere anymore. How does that sound?¡± Nie Zhenbang pondered a while, then expressed his views. In fact, Nie Zhenbang was doing this for Liu Kun¡¯s own good. With Liu Yang¡¯s haughty character, continuing to hang around in Jingcheng might causerger problems, which would also be troublesome for Liu Kun. Sending him back home, Nie Zhenbang believed, would secure a position for him ¨C the Liu Family should still have that capability. At this moment, Liu Kun turned his head towards Liu Yang and said, ¡°Why are you still here? Do you find it enjoyable?¡± Under normal circumstances, he would not leave upon seeing Nie Zhenbang. But in this situation, Liu Kun had no choice but to go. He nced at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Third brother, please chat with Dong Wan. I have some matters to attend to and I am afraid I cannot apany you longer.¡± Off to the side, Li Hua, the young man, looked quite at ease. He was watching Dong Wan and gave a thumbs-up to Nie Zhenbang, murmuring a few words. Judging by his lip movements, it was clear what he was saying: ¡®Third Brother, you¡¯re really impressive.¡¯ Dong Wan retorted lightly, ¡°Go away! Don¡¯t expect to get ivory from a dog¡¯s mouth.¡± For a moment, therge private room was left with only Nie Zhenbang and Dong Wan. They both seemed a bit awkward. Liu Yang¡¯s remarks seemed to hint at something, as if puncturing a paper window. Just then, a waiter came in from outside the door. He looked at the two of them and said respectfully, ¡°Sir, Mr. Liu has already ordered a new meal for you and thisdy. Will you be dining here?¡± Liu Kun was renowned at the Capital Restaurant, and in the Tan family hall. His earlier instructions to the waiter also made the waiter provide utmost respect at this moment. Nie Zhenbang nced at Dong Wan by his side and smiled. ¡°Dong Wan, why don¡¯t we¡­ eat here and then leave?¡± Dong Wan nodded slightly, whispering softly, ¡°Let¡¯s eat before we go.¡± After the waiter left, Dong Wan looked at Nie Zhenbang and shyly said, ¡°Zhe¡­Zhenbang, didn¡¯t you just call me¡­? Why did you change it back?¡± His words made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart skip a beat. Looking at Dong Wan, could it be that he had such a charm? That even a woman like Dong Wan fell for him? After a thought, Nie Zhenbang immediately denied this idea. He let out a sheepishugh, ¡°Dong Wan, you know, it¡¯s that Liu Yang¡¯s words just now that got me upset. Don¡¯t mind it.¡± But Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t notice that there was a flicker of anger on Dong Wan¡¯s face. This blockhead, he seemed so smart, yet why was he so stupid at crucial times. When the waiter came in again, Dong Wan suddenly said, ¡°Waiter, bring in four bottles of Maotai.¡± Looking at Dong Wan¡¯s bold demeanor, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. He looked at the four bottles of Maotai on the table and was about to say something when Dong Wan cut in, ¡°I want to drink. You drink three bottles, I drink one. Is there a problem? I know your drinking capacity.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbangughed bitterly. He had some understanding of Dong Wan¡¯s personality. Although she appeared cold, she had a wild side hidden inside her. Otherwise, a few years ago she wouldn¡¯t have agreed to a thrilling car race with him. Although he was the one who initiated it, she could have declined at any time. If he refused at this moment, she might explode on the spot. Two bottles were already a suitable amount for him. But with three, he would likely get drunk. Bracing himself, Nie Zhenbang decided to join her glory or downfall, saying confidently, ¡°Bring it on. Don¡¯t me me if you get drunkter..¡± Chapter 97 - 97: Open Heart_l Chapter 97: Open Heart_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Zhenbang¡­Zhenbang, I¡¯m so happy. You¡­you called me Wan.¡± After finishing four bottles of wine, Dong Wan is nearly over the limit of what she can handle. After all, this is her first time drinking. Yet, she managed not to fall over after a bottle of Baijiu, which is quite impressive. Nie Zhenbang was also quite tipsy. Stumbling in his steps, he grinned in response to Dong Wan¡¯s words, ¡°Wan, you don¡¯t understand, do you? You¡¯re way too cold. You¡¯re like a block of ice on a regr basis. Even people like Zhang Xu are scared off by you. Who would dare to pursue you? Now, you¡¯re much better. Verymendable. Let¡¯s go home. Your home must have arranged a guard for you. How about asking the guard to help you home?¡± Usually, girls like Dong Wan are pampered and guarded by their families. However, it varies among families. For instance, the Yang family, led by Elder Yang, always keeps a low profile. They never assign guards to secretly protect the younger generations. On Dong Wan¡¯s part, Nie Zhenbang assumed her grandfather would have arranged a guard given his affection for her. Upon hearing this, Dong Wan randomly waved her hand, speaking incoherently, ¡°No¡­ No, I don¡¯t have one. Grandpa did arrange for one initially. But I asked him to withdraw the guard after I started to work.¡± As she spoke, she looked up at Nie Zhenbang with blurred eyes, pouting her lips, looking irresistibly cute. Her face was flushed from alcohol and she had a mysterious, bewitching look. She looked at Nie Zhenbang and cooed, ¡°Zhenbang, can you take me home? Not¡­ not to Fragrant Hills, but to my own¡­ own home.¡± In Jingcheng, several princes and princesses own a property outside. Influenced by Nie Zhenbang, they, like Nie Zhenbang, Yang Anbang, etc., have all purchasedrge siheyuans. Dong Wan¡¯s house is near the Asian Games Vige. By then, Jingcheng had sessfully bid to host the Asian Games next year. The Vige¡¯s construction was nearing its end stage. Even though the Vige is to provide amodations for athletes and coaches during the Asian Games, acquiring a house near there is not a problem for Dong Wan. She owned a small Spanish-style vi nearby the European ssic, Asian Games Vige. This is her residence. At this point, the vicinity of the Asian Games Vige was still somewhat deste, and Nie Zhenbang frowned, admonishing, ¡°Wan, why did you decide to live here? Once it¡¯s nightfall, it¡¯s too silent here. What if¡­?¡± By this time Dong Wan was leaning entirely on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s body. Herrge, full breasts were stimting Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arm and sensory nerves. He hadn¡¯t expected this slim girl to be so voluptuous. Dong Wan started giggling, and then whispered with a smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t it alright¡­ You¡¯re here with me, aren¡¯t you?¡± fumbling, Dong Wan took out a cluster of keys from her pocket, swung the door open, and before she could say goodbye to Nie Zhenbang, she went crashing down to the floor. When drunk people return home or to a safe ce and their minds rx, they bepletely intoxicated. Staring at Dong Wan in this state, Nie Zhenbang involuntarily shook his head, picked up Dong Wan who had copsed on the floor, and went into the bedroom. When he was about to help her onto the bed, she suddenly lost her bnce and fell backward. This caused Nie Zhenbang, who himself was quite drunk, to also fall over. Their faces were almost touching as Nie Zhenbang ended up on top of Dong Wan, and their lips intertwined. A heady mix of alcohol and Dong Wan¡¯s unique scent hit Nie Zhenbang. It was intoxicating, like passionate poison. ¡°Mmn!¡± Just two people, a man and a woman, alone in a room. It was, to start with, an evening prone to blunders. Both of them were in a semi-drunk, semi-conscious state of confusion. Under the stimulus of alcohol, the situation was magnified countless times. Reason and morality became irrelevant in that moment. It was summer, so they wore light clothing. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s white shirt hade off, revealing muscr, tanned skin. Today, Dong Wan was wearing jeans with a floral sleeveless blouse on top. Her fair arms and smooth skin were constantly tempting Nie Zhenbang. Eventually, they embraced each other, kissing passionately¡­ With Dong Wan¡¯s scream, thest barrier between them disappearedpletely. At this moment, Dong Wan held Nie Zhenbang tightly. Whispering in his ear, ¡°Zhenbang, I love you. Zhenbang, I love you.¡± When the sunlight shone through the window and illuminated their faces, Nie Zhenbang and Dong Wan were still in the same position asst night. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s impressive manhood was still buried deep inside Dong Wan. Nie Zhenbang, aroused by Dong Wan¡¯s scream, looked down at her, dumbstruck. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang looked like a distressed wife. But the sight of the fresh blood stain on the sheets assured him that this was not a dream. However, Dong Wan regained her senses at this point. She looked at Nie Zhenbang with a trace of disappointment in her eyes. Shortly after, she quietly said, ¡°Zhenbang, you are worried about An Na, right? A real man who truly loves someone, just loves. If you don¡¯t have any feelings for me, I, Dong Wan, will never appear before you again. But if you also love me, why is that difficult to admit? Love is love, and it doesn¡¯t require justification. In this city, aren¡¯t there many men who have multiple wives? They just don¡¯t have the audacity to have rtionships with two influential heirs like you.¡± Dong Wan¡¯s words pierced Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart, and he felt a sudden sense of rity. Indeed, even Yang Anbang from his future memories might have more than one wife. As a man, if you love someone, you just love them. If you love them, you simply love them.. Does it require further consideration? Chapter 98 - 98: Dynasty Night Banquet_l Chapter 98: Dynasty Night Banquet_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Wan, let¡¯s get married.¡± Nie Zhenbang suddenly stood up, his expression very serious. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart, since he and Dong Wan havee this far due to coincidence, he must give Dong Wan an exnation, regardless of her family background. If Li Lixue were in Dong Wan¡¯s ce, he believes he would still say the same. However, Dong Wan just shook her head at this moment. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, her eyes showed a touch of emotion. A man who could speak such words had not let Dong Wan¡¯s feelings for him go to waste. She responded, ¡°Zhenbang, let¡¯s hold off on this matter. Right now, you should be more concerned about your young girlfriend. As far as I know, Anna left the country three years ago. Now that she knows you¡¯re back, she must be restless overseas.¡± Listening to these words, Nie Zhenbang felt a headacheing on. He had experienced Anna¡¯s persistence in his past life. It wasn¡¯t realistic to say that there were feelings between them, considering how little interaction he has had with Yang Anna in both his past and present lives. Even after the Nie family fell from grace in his past life, whenever Yang Anbang visited him, Nie Zhenbang would either make sarcastic remarks or outright insult Yang Anna until she left mad. Nevertheless, it was impossible to say he was not moved. Any man would be touched if he knew that a woman was willing to stand by him for a lifetime. Unless that man had an iron heart. Looking at Dong Wan, Nie Zhenbang said with a firm expression: ¡°Wan, don¡¯t worry about Anna. I will rify things with her. I¡¯m serious.¡± At this moment, Dong Wan burst intoughter, then said, ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯m well aware of Anna¡¯s personality. She¡¯s an independent person who won¡¯t be easily swayed by your words. Let¡¯s not discuss this now. I¡¯m not pressuring you. We can talk about our situationter. Also, in Jingcheng, there are plenty of men with multiple wives.¡± Dong Wan¡¯s words were a bit seductive, causing Nie Zhenbang to blush. It seemed that having a wife on each arm, sharing the same warm nket was truly the highest state of life. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s indulgent expression, Dong Wan spat disdainfully and muttered, ¡°Humph, men, looking at one person while thinking of another. Both Anna and I are not ordinary women. If you mess things up, you might trouble the Nie family.¡± Then, Dong Wan seriously said, ¡°Zhenbang, there¡¯s something else I need to discuss with you. My close friend, who happens to be your rtive, a child from the Ye family, who has been abroad for many years, wants to host a high-society charity event in Jingcheng. After thinking it over, the only suitable ces in Jingcheng are your Dynasty Club and Yang Anbang¡¯s Tang Dynasty Club. Can you help with this?¡± High-society charity? This term was not unfamiliar to Nie Zhenbang. In his past life, after 97, the children of the red nobility, colloquially referred to as the ¡°third and fourth red generations¡±, seemed to be infatuated with this type of event while enjoying their luxurious lifestyles. Money and power, which are seemingly of utmost importance, seem easily obtainable to red nobility. However, within each red family, there will naturally be talented individuals who will continue the path of their elders and maintain this glory. But among them, many are devoted to their hobbies or public welfare. His so-called rtive, the young woman from the Ye family, seems to be a well-known person in this regard. She was one of the earliest to immigrate abroad among the noble circles and was also a famous socialite in Jingcheng. Nie Zhenbang never rejects doing charity work. Especially when this request ising from his girlfriend, who he has just crossed a line with. A direct refusal might seem as if he were burning bridges. However, Nie Zhenbang greatly disliked charity dinners that are just for show. In his past life, the public rtions crisis of the Red Cross was a widely debated issue on the inte. Looking at Dong Wan, Nie Zhenbang immediately followed up, ¡°Wan, I¡¯m willing do charity work. But, I would like to know your ns. How do you n to distribute the funds collected from this event?¡± At Nie Zhenbang¡¯s inquiry, Dong Wan was astonished. To be honest, Dong Wan didn¡¯t know much about charity dinners. Her knowledge was based solely on what Ye Hui had told her, iming that it was amon way to socialize among the high society abroad. But regarding how to use the funds collected from such an event and where to spend it, Dong Wan didn¡¯t know. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Dong Wan felt a bit embarrassed. After their rtionship had progressed, she was more at ease in front of him and yed coy, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say when you ask me these questions. Well, just get it prepared. And when my friendes back in a few days, you can ask her directly.¡± With Dong Wan¡¯s instruction, Nie Zhenbang became more diligent. Working at the Central Committee was quite leisurely, especially for someone like Nie Zhenbang, who had a certain status. The main goal here was to enhance his rank and acquire more experiences in officialdom. However, Nie Zhenbang was fully aware of the future glory of the League and had his own ns. But now, under Dong Wan¡¯s orders, Nie Zhenbang had to focus on the task at hand. Moreover, a social evening was also a good way to expand hiswork. Currently, Li Lixue was in charge of the Dynasty Club. Li Lixue was the nominal big boss of the Dynasty. With her Russian ethnicity, two cold-hearted bodyguards, Long and Tiger, always by her side, and the fact that most of the big shots in Jingcheng were very polite to her, Li Lixue had be quite a figure in Jingcheng in a short time. She was even rated as the most mysterious figure by some people. Outside the Dynasty Club. The Dynasty had undergone a significant change in the past three years. Initially, the Dynasty had just bought a two-story building in Dongcheng District for business. But the current Dynasty Club waspletely rebuilt on the original site. The squareyout was very consistent with Huaxia¡¯s aesthetic principles. All the scenery and decorations followed the principle of central symmetry in traditional Huaxia culture. The Dynasty Club covered arge area, about 20 acres in size. In the current Dongcheng District, wherend was exceedingly valuable, this was definitely a luxury. It wasparable to thend waste within the red walls. In front of the club was a huge parking lot. It seemed like a waste at the moment, but as the number of cars increased in the future, it would prove to be a disy of foresight. The whole building was square in shape, with a total of nine floors. In the traditional Chinese culture, nine represented nobility. The so-called supreme authority of the ¡°Nine Five,¡± precisely meant this. As soon as Nie Zhenbang appeared at the entrance, the two security guards, who looked like bodyguards, greeted him at the door of the lobby. They were very professional and said politely, yet confidently, ¡°Good day, Sir. Please show your membership card. This is a private club and is not open to the general public.¡± As a private club, membership cards were indispensable. They represented a person¡¯s status. Moreover, the membership card system was initiated by Nie Zhenbang himself. For this reason, the membership cards were even custom made from Hong Kong. The Dynasty Club¡¯s membership cards were divided into three levels. The most basic card required a payment of fifty thousand in annual fees and the card holder had to be a direct rtive of a deputy department-level official or above from any province or city to qualify. The next level was the Red Dragon card, which required a terrifying eighty thousand in annual fees, along with an one-time fee of eight hundred thousand upon joining. After joining, members could enjoy a lifetime membership. This level required at least department-level status. Thest level was the Golden Dragon card. The membership fee reached an annual sum of one hundred twenty thousand, with a one-time fee of one million two hundred thousand upon joining. The minimum status for this level had to be at least at the sub-national level. Moreover, the number of members at the Dynasty Club was not limitless. The club had a cap of nine hundred ny-nine members. Unless a member resigned or their membership was revoked, even if you were the grandson of the highest-ranking state official, you would have to wait for someone to leave to join. This demonstrated the Dynasty¡¯s dominance. Currently, the Dynasty Club had three hundred fifteen basic members, sixty-three Red Dragon members, and eleven Golden Dragon members. Nie Zhenbang immediately took out his membership card. It was a pure ck card, with a lifelike golden dragon coiling on it. The card number was just a single digit ¡®1¡¯. Seeing this card and remembering Boss Li¡¯s instructions, the two security guards instantly stood straight, and saluted, ¡°Boss, wee!¡± Chapter 99 - 99 Implements a Project of Hope_l Chapter 99: Implements a Project of Hope_l Trantor: 549690339 At the main entrance of the ninth floor of the Dynasty Club, here, is the apex of the entire dynasty. This floor, too, is the only floor of the Dynasty Club that is not open to the public. On this floor, a full 4900 square meters of space is exclusively owned by the Dynasty Club, and there are two dedicated elevators on this floor. One of these elevators leads directly to the office area of the Dynasty Club. This area covers only 900 square meters. This is where the Dynasty management, personnel department, finance department, and a series of other departments are located. The other elevator leads directly to the remaining 4000 square meters of space, which is akin to a private territory. There is a huge baroque-style living room, banquet hall, reception room, and dining room, as well as guest rooms and the master bedroom. The design here is like arge apartment. With Long leading the way, Nie Zhenbang took this private elevator directly up. Since it was a dedicated elevator, it didn¡¯t stop at other floors, and even the elevator portal wasn¡¯t designed. As the elevator opened, at this moment, Li Lixue was standing at the elevator doorway. She was somewhat excited at this time. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, a smile appeared on Li Lixue¡¯s face. This smile was different from her hypocritical one at public events; it was a sincere smile. Seeing Li Lixue again, Nie Zhenbang was also quite excited, as if time had returned to that night at the Prairie Hotel. It seemed like he could still hear that sentence whispering in his ear: ¡°I¡¯m not Liuxiahui, but I definitely don¡¯t want to be Chen Shimei.¡± Unexpectedly, Nie Zhenbang opened his arms, put on a calm and confident smile, and said to Li Lixue, ¡°Lixue, it¡¯s been a long time. Shall we hug?¡± Li Lixue was slightly taken aback, then charged towards him, throwing herself into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arms. For thest three years, she had beenpletely managing affairs in the Soviet Union. Things like T80, SU30, industrial mother machines,plete data of Kiev-ss aircraft carriers,rge-scale engines, nuclear power technology research materials, and new special steel smelting technologies. Even the research materials for aircraft engines and the ready-to-use aircraft carrier now parked at the Ukrainian shipyard were her doing. Although it was Nie Zhenbang who provided the n, all the specific operations were carried out by Li Lixue herself. In her three years in the Soviet Union, Li Lixue earned herself a nickname¡ªCatherine the Great. This name may not be familiar to many, but another one should be. Catherine 11. This title was bestowed upon Li Lixue by the Russians, a tremendous honor and sign of respect. The name Evelina became renowned among the high-ranking officials in the Soviet Union. ¡°Zhenbang, I missed you.¡± Her words were simple, but touching. At this moment, Long and Tiger had disappeared without a trace. Seeing the enchanting Li Lixue, Nie Zhenbang leaned in for a warm kiss. After a long French kiss, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes were filled with determination. He whispered, ¡°Even if the whole world bes our enemy, I am willing.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang feltpletely senseless about his debts. Since he had unexpectedly gotten involved with Dong Wan, why should he mind one more Li Lixue? He was going to face An Na anyway. If he refused Li Lixue at this moment, it would be unfair to her. Upon hearing this, Li Lixue suddenly broke free from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s embrace, her face filled with incredulous joy, and asked in return, ¡°Really?¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang nod affirmatively, only then did Li Lixue once again throw caution to the wind and leap into his arms. Holding Li Lixue gently, Nie Zhenbang could distinctly feel her body trembling. This was a pitiful yet admirable woman. He must never let her down in this lifetime. Then, Nie Zhenbang chuckled and said, ¡°Lixue, I¡¯m here this time to have you announce a notice in the club. Well, let¡¯s set it for a week from now. Host a charity evening for Dragon Teng¡¯s Rising Stars in the banquet hall. Go ahead and send the notice out. I guess there might be some charity sales. You better be prepared.¡± ¡°A charity dinner? I¡¯ve heard people talk about it, it¡¯s quite popr in the West, like a ¡°night of celebrities¡± or something. Even if you didn¡¯t mention it, I was nning to hold a small elite party at Dynasty Club during the western Christmas season in a few months. However, I heard that charity dinners usually require the organizers to provide some items for charity auction. Have you prepared for that?¡± asked Li Lixue, slightly startled, thenughed. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also felt a bit moved. Assigning these private businesses to Li Lixue really was the correct choice. From the earlier conversation, it was evident that Li Lixue was adept at business management. Nie Zhenbang then alsoughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s not necessary. This banquet is merely a request. We¡¯re only lending our ce andwork. Eventually, someone wille to discuss with you. We just need to handle some peripheral support tasks.¡± Having said that, Li Lixue suddenly appeared a bit shy, seeing Nie Zhenbang drinking tea, she suddenly stood up, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡­ you rest first. I am going to sleep now. Your room is over there, thergest master bedroom. Everything on the bed is new and is changed daily.¡± Watching Li Lixue¡¯s retreating figure, Nie Zhenbangughed, this girl, at this time, was bing shy. Several dayster Dong Wan¡¯s call went through to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mobile phone. Before Nie Zhenbang could speak, Dong Wan¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Zhenbang, where are you? My best friend has already arrived in Jingcheng. The moment we met, she asked about this matter. Can we meet somewhere?¡± Without waiting for Nie Zhenbang to suggest a ce, Dong Wan quickly added, ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s go to Dynasty Club, it would also be a good opportunity to check out the venue.¡± Since Nie Zhenbang and Dong Wan¡¯s rtionship had progressed, Dong Wan¡¯s whole demeanor changed in front of Nie Zhenbang,pletely letting go of her former aloofness. This made sense: Dong Wan¡¯s aloofness was simply a habit she had developed to reject others. But in front of Nie Zhenbang, this wasn¡¯t the case anymore. If she remained aloof at this point, it would be abnormal. Now, Dong Wan with Nie Zhenbang waspletely like family. It felt just right as she spoke. At this moment, Zheng Gensheng, sitting in his office watching Nie Zhenbang holding his mobile phone, was growing stronger in his suspicion that Nie Zhenbang was no ordinary individual. The next day, as promised, Nie Zhenbang treated his office colleagues to lunch. Based on a few observations, Zheng was more than ny percent certain that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background was far from ordinary. Seeing Nie Zhenbang stand up, Zheng Gensheng spoke before Nie Zhenbang could, ¡°Zhenbang, you need to go? Then you should go ahead, don¡¯t dy. We¡¯ll keep an eye out for you.¡± Nie Zhenbang immediately drove to the front gate of the Dynasty Club. At that time, it was a somewhat quiet afternoon. Outside the lounge, Dong Wan was standing next to a girl of about one meter sixty. The girl¡¯s appearance and profile bore some resemnces to Ye Shuxian. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang walked over, waving at Dong Wan. As soon as he approached, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Wan, you guys been waiting long?¡± At that moment, the girl next to Dong Wan looked at Nie Zhenbang with a smile, extending her hand and said, ¡°Ye Hui, you¡¯re my aunt¡¯s son, right? You must call me cousin.¡± Nie Zhenbang momentarily paused. Indeed, looking at it from Ye Shuxian¡¯s side, what Ye Hui said was correct. Although he was not her biological son, the Ye family situation was ratherplicated: the siblings of Ye Shuxian were not born of the same mother. From this perspective, what Ye Hui said was correct. The security officers who met him again did not stop Nie Zhenbang. He entered the club with Dong Wan and Ye Hui, and was weed by two beautiful Russian reception girls from the Soviet Union, who greeted them with clumsy Mandarin, ¡°Wee to the Dynasty.¡± The first floor of the Dynasty was styled like a bar. Casually finding a booth, as soon as he sat down, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Cousin Ye Hui, it¡¯s our first meeting, but regarding this charitable dinner, I do have some different views. The funds we¡¯re raising, in my opinion, we should set up a foundation ourselves. We can work with the Youth Committee¡¯s Hope Project, using their credentials to run the Hope Project nationwide.. What do you think?¡± Chapter 100 - 100 Ye Hui is very bold_l Chapter 100: Ye Hui is very bold_l Trantor: 549690339 The Hope Project, a charity project initiated by the Youth League in coboration with the Huaxia Youth Foundationst year. The aim was to support underprivileged children who had dropped out of school, as well as establish Hope Primary Schools in rural and remote areas, as part of an effort to improve teaching conditions in impoverished regions. These were two main aspects of the Hope Project. This timest year, when the Hope Project had just beenunched, even the head of state had personally inscribed the name of the project. It was a newly established charity project. Yet, before those pictures of the girl with the big eyes had be public, the Hope Project was still rtively low-key. Understandably, Ye Hui, who had spent a long time living abroad, waspletely astounded. Her puzzled look at Nie Zhenbang made her ask: ¡°Cousin, what is all this about? You could just donate the charitable funds to the Huaxia Red Cross Society, right?¡± His cousin¡¯s informal salutation startled Nie Zhenbang a bit, but he still responded with a smile, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s not a bad idea, but I always believe phnthropy is not just for show. Abroad, those who contribute to charity often supervise the allocation of funds and always seek to understand who benefits from their donations. Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have such norms in our country yet. If it were up to the Red Cross¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but he did recall that inter years, a woman who owned a Maserati brought disgrace to the Red Cross. Public trust waspletely destroyed. Before Nie Zhenbang could finish, Ye Hui furrowed her brows with a strong sense of confidence, ¡°Let them dare. If they misuse my donations, that would be the end of their reign.¡± Pausing a moment, she smiled and changed the subject, ¡°However, your idea is quite interesting, younger cousin. The real joy in givinges from getting personally involved. Listenting to you today is better than ten years of study. I just realized that all my previous donations were actually not effective. Perhaps it would be a good idea to raise the donations ourselves, and then personally find people and causes to support. This might just be a good way both to upy my time and learn about life.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled at Ye Hui¡¯s remark. He had never heard anyone talk about charity like this before. Her attitude was not quite right. Of course, he believed that once Ye Hui personally experienced the hardships in these impoverished regions and the joy that phnthropy brings, she would deeply fall in love with this approach. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want to dwell further on the topic, so he changed the conversation, ¡°Sister Hui, since we¡¯re hosting a charity banquet, it might be more lively if we adopted a charity auction format. After all, charity is not verymon, at least not in our social circle.¡± At these words, Nie Zhenbang paused. There was nothing he held back from Dong Wan or Ye Hui. He continued, ¡°Sister Hui, I assume you know. Among our social circle in Jingcheng, extravagance is not umon. While we have not seen cases of extreme poverty among us, the idea of these people getting involved in charitable activities is almost unthinkable in the current climate.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Ye Hui looked taken aback, she looked at him thoughtfully and then praised, ¡°Well done, young man from the Nie family, even knowing about these charity auction events. Seems like you¡¯ve certainly gotten a real life experience. Your words remind me. I think we should definitely have a charity auction. As for the venue and banquet preparations, you can take care of it. I will handle the items for the auction.¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s involvement, the charity auction and banquet started making heads turn among the Jingcheng high society. The Dynasty Club showed its vastwork during this time. Meanwhile, Yang Anbang also came with news of the banquet, and also joined in. Although the Tang Dynasty Club catered to business elites, many members also belonged to the Dynasty Club. With their involvement, the banquet turned into a grand gathering joining political and business circles. Five dayster, it was nearing August First, an important holiday for the Huaxia Nation¡¯s army. On this summer night towards the end of July, the sky was still bright around six o¡¯clock. Yet, arge crowd had already gathered at the Dynasty Club. Therge parking area was already full with an assortment of luxurious cars. As time gradually passed, the red carpet at the entrance of the Dynasty Club wasid out onto the road, and the spotlights around were already lit. Outside the Dynasty Club, numerous media reporters had already gathered. At this moment, as the hostess of the Dynasty Club, Li Lixue wore a ck, low-cut evening gown, entuating the firm fullness of her chest. Next to her, Yang Anbang leaned over and whispered into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ear, ¡°Zhenbang, such a beauty, and you haven¡¯t made your move. It seems, you¡¯re not just an ordinary man. Could it be that you¡­¡± Before he could finish, Nie Zhenbang retorted, ¡°Second brother, it¡¯s you whocks ability. What I have is romance, do you understand? Without feelings and love, the merely physical, I dislike. In that case, what¡¯s the difference between us and beasts?¡± Watching the gradual grandeur of the arriving cars, Nie Zhenbangughed lightly. The world seemed to have undergone massive changes. These past few years, following the acquisition of military technology data from the Soviet Union by Nie Zhenbang and Li Lixue, the national defense prowess of Huaxia Nation had levelled uppared to thest generation. Huaxia was a nation adept at advancing against the tide. Regardless of the product, as long as there were existing prototypes, Huaxia¡¯s scientists could quickly grasp the technology and data, swiftly transforming it into something their own. Changes in national power also caused a noticeable increase in the number of wealthy individuals in Jingcheng. With the example of Yang Anbang, many young men and women from notable families jumped into business. With privileges paving the way, they naturally thrived. Around 7:30 p.m., a golden Rolls Royce Phantom slowly drove up. Ye Hui and Dong Wan alighted from the car. For tonight¡¯s event, Dong Wan¡¯s attire was elegant, donned in a traditional Huaxia embroidered cheongsam with gold silk cloud patterns. The side slits, not too high nor low, gave her an alluring yet dignified bearing. In contrast, Ye Hui¡¯s ensemble was somewhat wild and bold. At this time, in the early 90s, Ye Hui appeared in a backless, one-shoulder, floor-length evening gown, apanied by heavy makeup. Her fiery red lips made Ye Hui the immediate focus of all eyes upon entering. At this moment, Dong Wan¡¯s gaze was fixed on Li Lixue, standing at the entrance. As the face of Dynasty Club, Dong Wan was well acquainted with Li Lixue¡¯s fame as well as her personal background. She must also be Zhenbang¡¯s woman, Dong Wan contemted. Dong Wan was mulling over it with a twinge of bitterness. She then smilingly greeted Li Lixue, ¡°Sister Lixue, it¡¯s an honour to finally meet you. As expected, your beauty is captivating.¡± Seeing these two women together, Nie Zhenbang felt a bit awkward. He quickly paced to align with Ye Hui, whispering, ¡°Sister Hui, the scale of this banquet is quiterge. I fear the ten items you¡¯ve provided for the auction may not be enough. An Bang and I have prepared a few more items for you, we¡¯re just short of one, what do you think?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Ye Hui paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Little brother, what¡¯s the fuss? Let¡¯s make my kiss the final auction item.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang waspletely dumbstruck. This Ye Hui, she was incredibly daring.. Chapter 101 - 101: The Eldest Son of Yun Family_l Chapter 101: The Eldest Son of Yun Family_l Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Ye Hui has changed so much in just four years. Captivating with a single kiss, huh? How about I ssh some cash and buy it?¡± Yang Anbang tapped his tongue at his side, feeling a bit like this society was changing too fast and he was somewhat behind the times. Nie Zhenbang chuckled. He hadn¡¯t even heard of Ye Hui in his previous life. He guessed she had been living abroad all along, which is amon lifestyle for the children of nobility, with many people emigrating. Observing Yang Anbang¡¯s reaction, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. In his previous life, Yang Anbang was a well-known yboy, but now? Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Brother, don¡¯t me me for not warning you. Miss Xiao is going to be here soon. Then¡­¡± As the host, Li Lixue stepped onto the stage. A restrained smile on her face, she gently said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, friends, wee to Dynasty Club¡¯s Night of Celebrity Charity. This is the first-ever Celebrity Night Dinner in Dynasty¡¯s history. It¡¯s apletely new concept. Now, I would like to invite the nner of this event, Miss Ye Hui, to the stage to exin the rules of the charity auction. ¡± As Ye Hui finished her exnation, the atmosphere soared. Those invited here were all influential figures in Jingcheng¡¯s circles, even those who were usually rowdy were now behaving as gentlemen, because all the VIPs were here. Imagine offending a Golden Dragon Card member, that would be like shooting oneself in the foot.¡¯ The first item. This was provided by Ye Hui, a 50-year-old special Maotai. Although, some people in the audience didn¡¯t consider it a raremodity. But a charity auction¡¯s real focus is the charity itself, not how much the items are worth. It could be a brooch or some ordinary item, but everything depends on the provider and their background. At this moment, Ye Hui took her ce as auctioneer. The auction adopted the English auction format. The organizer set a minimum price and increments for each bid. The highest bidder would win after no one else ced a bid three times in a row. At the side, a professional auctioneer specially invited from Hong Kong took the stage, nced around, and in a Hong Kong-style Mandarin said, ¡°This 40-year-old special Maotai is a drink reserved for officials at the central level. There were originally two thousand bottles of this liquor. After some preliminary estimates and consumption, there should be no more than ten left, making it extremely scarce. An excellent choice for your collection or enjoyment. Bidding starts at RMB 100,000. Each bid increase is RMB 10,000. Is anyone willing to bid 100,000?¡± Since it was the first round and people were still getting used to it, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t heated. Notwithstanding, as the host Nie Zhenbang raised his hand, ¡°I bid 100,000. I certainly want to support Hui¡¯s charity.¡± Nie Zhenbang said this on purpose, making known the real theme of the auction which wasn¡¯t about buying things but for charity instead. In the end, Nie Zhenbang bought the Maotai for 200,000. Its high selling price for the first item was a good start for Ye Hui. The next dozen or so items were practically sold at simr prices. At this point, it was already the penultimate item. A waiter walked up with a red tray, Ye Hui personally came forward to take it, lifted the red cloth covering it to reveal a pair of ear tassels. She smirked mysteriously and said, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this is not an ordinary pair of ear tassels. It is the personal ornament of a top beauty who is present here tonight. Perhaps, one of the handsome gentlemen could win the beauty¡¯s favor. Seeing Ye Hui¡¯s look, Nie Zhenbang knew something wasn¡¯t right. Sure enough, Ye Hui continued, ¡°This pair of ear tasselses from our lovely icy beauty, Dong Wan. This was designed by the famous Italian jewelry designer Pia Mariani. The value of the piece itself is substantial. Moreover, there is a chance of winning a beauty¡¯s heart. Gentlemen, please seize this opportunity. This item will be auctioned off with no base price. Now, let the bidding begin.¡± In fact, even among people from Yu Ying School, very few knew about Dong Wan¡¯s background. But there were many people who knew Dong Wan because she used to be the recognized school beauty. With Ye Hui¡¯s exciting introduction, a lot of men with ulterior motives started to stir. Even though it was a no-reserve auction, the first bid quickly rose to 50,000. Keep in mind, this was just a pair of tinum earrings. Considering both the ruby on the earrings and the identity of the designer, the price was basically fair, given that the designer was just a young man who had graduated only ten years ago. ¡°Ha-ha, fifty thousand? You think you can get them for that? They would be dirt cheap then. Let¡¯s say one hundred and fifty thousand!¡± At this moment, a boisterous voice rang out less than five meters away from Nie Zhenbang. Looking side by side, a man in a white shirt and western suspenders, sporting a well-cropped t-top haircut, expressed a look of nonchnce, hinting at a carefree attitude. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as Yang Anbang next to him chuckled, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯ve met your match. This man should be your rival today.¡± Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment. Given Yang Anbang¡¯s status and power, he would never have made such a statement if it had not been a really formidable character. Then, Nie Zhenbang became interested, asking, ¡°Oh? When did such a persone to Jingcheng? I would like to see him for myself.¡± ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t underestimate him, he¡¯s from the Yun family. His lineage should be the same as that of the domestic Yun family. When Old Jiang retreated, the Yun family was also split into several parts. The current vice-chairman Yun stayed in the country, and he is considered a top-notch Red capitalist. Another batch went abroad. This man¡¯s name is Yun Zhiguang, and he represents the younger generation of the Yun family¡¯s direct line. He has nowe to the country and seems set on making a big move. He is a diamond member of my Tang Dynasty Club.¡± Unlike Nie Zhenbang¡¯s membership grading, Yang Anbang¡¯s system has many levels, the mostmon being Bronze. Then there¡¯s ck Iron, Silver, Gold, Diamond, and the highest, Emerald. If Yun Zhiguang could be a diamond member as soon as he arrived in Huaxia, it indicated his unusual abilities. However, this was a moment when Nie Zhenbang had to step up. Looking at Yang Anbang next to him, Nie Zhenbangughed bitterly, ¡°Second Brother, do you think, at a time like this, I can¡¯t support it?¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang also raised his hand, calmly saying, ¡°Eight Hundred Thousand!¡± Money really wasn¡¯t an issue for Nie Zhenbang at that moment. The Soviet affair had resulted in nearly all of the wealth umted by the Soviet Union over the years being divided between Nie Zhenbang and the Soviet officials. Just by ying the foreign exchange market in the Soviet Union, Nie Zhenbang was already enough to livefortably for the rest of his life and ensure the security of his future generations. In this case, if Nie Zhenbang withdrew, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to face Dong Wan. ¡°One Million!¡± Yun Zhiguang¡¯s face also lost its initial arrogance at this point. He nced at Nie Zhenbang, and then shouted out this number. As a businessman, Yun Zhiguang was very rational. One million was already quite the limit. For a woman, for vanity, this was the highest price. Sure enough, after Nie Zhenbang shouted a price of 1.5 million, Yun Zhiguang casually said, ¡°A gentledy is for a gentleman. One million, in my opinion, just for a meeting, no matter whether it¡¯s Daji or Xishi, seems to be more than enough. More would not be worthwhile. I¡¯ll wait for the final items..¡± Chapter 102 - 102: The Challenge of Young Master Yun 1 Chapter 102: The Challenge of Young Master Yun 1 Trantor: 549690339 At that moment, Ye Hui took a deep breath, her face looking a bit peculiar. After all, this was a shocking auction, even if it was under the guise of charity. In Huaxia of this era, it was still a bit astonishing. Right now, Ye Hui¡¯s gaze seemed a bit hazy and kept peeking towards the eldest son of the Yun family. This made Nie Zhenbang feel a bit uneasy, fearing that his cousin might have taken a liking to the Yun family¡¯s son. ¡°Thest item to be auctioned can be said to be the most precious, or it can be said to be the least precious. It all depends on the person. Today¡¯s theme is charity. I hope this is not a one-time thing. I hope it can be like the Olympic me, passed on from generation to generation, spreading the concept and essence of charity and deeply into everybody¡¯s heart. Tonight, I will put up my kiss as thest item for auction. It¡¯s also a no-reserve auction. Let¡¯s start. At Ye Hui¡¯s final words, the auctioneer from Hong Kong was stunned for a moment. This item was beyond his expectation. Ye Hui had notmunicated with him about it beforehand. Lucky for him, his expertise was rich and he quickly took over the topic: ¡°A beauty¡¯s kiss. I believe it¡¯s more than just a kiss. Maybe, it¡¯s the beginning of a beautiful rtionship, or perhaps, an enjoyable encounter. Perhaps, it¡¯s the start of charity spreading across Huaxia. You all, will be tonight¡¯s witnesses. Thank you, Miss Ye Hui for the sacrifice and contribution you made for this charity auction. Your kiss will be the purest in the world.¡± Ye Hui¡¯s speech surprised the eldest son of the Yun family. He didn¡¯t expect such an extraordinary woman in Huaxia. Immediately after, Yun Zhiguang the eldest son of Yun responded with an indifferent demeanor: ¡°King Shang could ruin his country for a beauty. King You could start a war for a beautiful smile. I, Zhiguang, amoner, am willing to spendvishly for a kiss. 990,000, consider it my token of love.¡± It seemed that Yun Zhiguang loved to show off his literary style. However, his offering of 990,000 right off the bat shocked everyone in the room. In this era, being a millionaire was still high status, and 990,000 was enough to shake many people. At this moment, Yang An Bang startedughing and said to Yun Zhiguang: ¡°Yun, it¡¯s not that easy to win a beauty¡¯s favor. I think, I¡¯ll raise the bid. Yun, you won¡¯t care, right? 1.5 million.¡± Yang Anbang didn¡¯t have the same refined taste as Yun Zhiguang and offered directly 1.5 million. Yun Zhiguang justughed and said: ¡°Given Brother Yang¡¯s interest, I would die for a gentleman. Now that the ¡°local snake¡± Brother Yang bids, adding more to the price would make me appear petty. So, 2.99 million. 299, sounds like ¡°love long.¡± implying that love canst forever.¡± Yun Zhiguang¡¯s words had a double meaning. It suggested that he was the strong dragoning across the river, and wasn¡¯t it said that a strong dragon doesn¡¯t suppress local snakes? With the intention ofpromise and raising his bid by 1.49 million, Yun Zhiguang had certainly expressed his sincerity. At this moment, Yang Anbang had nothing to say. Following the auctioneer¡¯s three hammer strikes. With a final hammer strike, the auctioneer shouted: ¡°Mr. Yun, pleasee on stage, the deal is closed at 2.99 million.¡± This announcement deted the atmosphere a bit. Ye Hui, who was already on the stage, boldly looked at Yun Zhiguang. Ye Hui graciously stepped forward saying: ¡°Thank you for your contribution to charity. I am nning to establish a foundation with the funds raised, in cooperation with Huaxia¡¯s Hope Project. Are you interested in apanying me on some field trips across Huaxia? Yun Zhiguang startedughing. He couldn¡¯t deny that he was drawn to Ye Hui¡¯s personality ¨C straightforward, genuine, without the airs of socialites ¨C it felt very real. Used to the falsehoods of the social scene, Ye Hui gave Yun Zhiguang apletely new feeling. Ever since he got on stage, Yun Zhiguang had behaved like a gentleman, even more so at this moment. He shrugged his shoulders and said: ¡°It is my pleasure, I dare not ask for more.¡± Nie Zhenbang also startedughing at this. This man was quite interesting, his words were from ¡°Mencius¡± ¨C ¡°I dare not ask for more, it is my pleasure.¡± However, the vibes between them now seemed like there was a mutual attraction. Next, it was time for the charity dinner¡¯s cocktail party. It was fully modelled after a western-style buffet cocktail party. In the middle of the spacious hall, high-legged ss cups were arranged in a pyramid shape. Ye Hui, as the host, together with Yun Zhiguang, who had the highest bid of the auction, poured champagne from the top of the tower. A pop and colorful notes fluttered down from above signifying the sess of the banquet. The famous socialites,dies and gentlemen in Jingcheng, naturally formed different groups and started chatting andughing softly. The businessmen from the Tang Dynasty Club also gathered together discussing potential coboration possibilities and analyzing future economic trends. This was how high societv parties worked. Yun Zhiguang, holding a cup with Ye Hui, walked towards Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anbang. Seeing Dong Wan nestled beside Nie Zhenbang, Yun Zhiguang smiled politely, then turned to Yang Anbang saying: ¡°Brother Yang, aren¡¯t you going to introduce this handsome man to me?¡± Yang Anbang immediately responded with a smile: ¡°Mr. Yun, let me formally introduce him, this is Nie Zhenbang, my brother. He may very well be my brother-inw in the future. This is Yun Zhiguang, the son of the Yun family from the United States.¡¯ At this moment, Yun Zhiguang simply nodded, acknowledging the introduction. Then he smoothly changed the topic, ¡°Brother Zhenbang is a young and sessful man who can win over beautiful women. It makes Zhiguang admire him deeply. I wonder if Brother Zhenbang could showcase his talents for thedy, and allow Zhiguang to learn a thing or two?¡± Yun Zhiguang really was something. Nie Zhenbang cursed him in his heart while maintaining a courteous facade. However, he couldn¡¯t shake off the mild annoyance brought by Yun Zhiguang¡¯s calctive nature. But, at least, he wasn¡¯t a hypocrite. As for Ye Hui, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t think much; everyone has their own thoughts and pursuits. With Ye Hui¡¯s personality, she wouldn¡¯t change her rtionship with Yun Zhiguang just because of a word from him. These matters of the heart were indeed like a natural bnce. Nie Zhenbang was a little overwhelmed as he saw Dong Wan, who also seemed to be looking forward to his talent demonstration. He, however, didn¡¯t have any impressive talents to boast. His calligraphy could count as one but was obviously not suitable for the asion. Fortunately, he had hummed along to a few popr songs from his previous life and remembered a couple of memorable ones. After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang turned to Dong Wan and Li Lixue, smiling, ¡°I realize that for all these years, I¡¯ve never really done anything for you. Since Young Master Yun asked, I will sing a song. The title of the song may sound a bit tacky, ¡®Mouse Loves Rice¡¯.¡± I hear your voice, And it gives me a special feeling, It makes me think about you again, I dare not forget you. I remember there is a person who will always stay in my heart, Even if I could only remember you this way, I love you, I love you like a mouse loves rice, As Nie Zhenbang sang the song a cappe, Everyone present was stunned. Yang Anbang had an expression of disbelief, wondering when Nie Zhenbang had developed such a talent. Could it be that he hired someone to ghost-sing for him? Immediately, Yang Anbang dismissed the hypothesis. This waspletely unforeseen, so Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t have prepared for it. It seemed like Brother Nie Zhen had many secrets unknown to others. Dong Wan and Li Lixue, on the other hand, appeared to be infatuated. Like Nie Zhenbang had said, the song was quitemon. However, its simplicity touched the depths of their hearts. Li Lixue was able to control herself better, knowing it wasn¡¯t the right moment. But Dong Wang couldn¡¯t hold back any longer, and she threw herself into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arms, whispering, ¡°Zhenbang, I love you too.¡± Standing by, Li Lixue saw what happened and swiftly turned around to wipe away the tears from her eyes. Forced a smile on her face and turned back, ¡°Excuse me, guys. You can carry on, I am taking my leave..¡± Chapter 103 - 103 The Backyard is on Fire_l Chapter 103: The Backyard is on Fire_l Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, Li Lixue appeared to be somewhat misunderstood. Previously, under the public gaze, Nie Zhenbang naturally couldn¡¯t publicly address the matter involving both women. The impact would be too significant, not only on Li Lixue but also on Dong Wan. As one of the most powerful women in Jingcheng, if word got out that she was sharing a husband with another woman, Li Lixue¡¯s hard-earned reputation would be destroyed. Simrly, for Dong Wan, the position of Dong Wan¡¯s family on the matter was unknown. Even if the Dong family agreed, they would not let this matter be publicized, for that would cost them their face. This was the real reason Nie Zhenbang was hesitant. Yet, he didn¡¯t expect Li Lixue to misunderstand him at this moment. Next to them, Ye Hui, an intelligent woman, left with Yun Zhiguang. Yang Anbang looked helpless, ¡°Zhenbang, you have to handle this mess yourself. Besides, I am telling you, my sister will be back in a few months. At that time¡­¡±. Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang felt headache again. Dong Wan softly said, ¡°Let¡¯s not bother about An Na yet. Try to manage things here first. You are the one who keeps leaving loose ends.¡± Seeing Dong Wan¡¯s reaction, Nie almost defended himself. Who did he provoke? Conscience of heaven and earth, regarding physical intimacy, he and Li Lixue have kept their purity. However, Nie dared not argue at this point. He and Dong Wan immediately took the elevator straight to the eighth floor. At the entrance between the eighth and ninth floors, a very concealedrge door was locked. Nie Zhenbang extended his finger, pressed his fingerprint, the door opened, and he led Dong Wan onto the level. Currently, in the spacious living room on the ninth floor, Li Lixue was standing in front of a floor-to-ceiling window. Her perfect body and S-shaped curves were enchanting. Even Dong Wan had no choice but to admire that in terms of figure and appearance, Li Lixue surpassed her to some extent. ¡°Li xue!¡± ¡°Sister Li Xue!¡± At this moment, the call from Nie Zhenbang and Dong Wan made Li Lixue turn around. Looking at the anxious Nie Zhenbang and somewhat embarrassed Dong Wan, she forced a smile: ¡°Zhenbang, Little Wan, I¡¯m sorry. Just wanted some alone time.¡± This moment, Li Xue¡¯s state reminded Nie Zhenbang of the strong and stubborn woman he had seen back on the international train¡ªholding a te to brave the chilly wind, advertising her products on the tform of every station. The cold, alert, and strong woman. The woman who would rather pay herself than owe others, who would kneel on the ground, willing to bear the burden alone, not wanting to bring trouble to others. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang sighed, looked at Li Lixue sincerely, and said, ¡°Evelina, you know that isn¡¯t what I meant, didn¡¯t you feel it?¡± At hearing this title, Li Lixue shivered a little. That¡¯s right, with Li Lixue¡¯s intelligence, she couldn¡¯t possibly misunderstand Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. However, at this point, Li Lixue was infatuated. Dong Wan on the side saw some clues. In this era, despite the closed-door meetings of the polygamy circle, Li Lixue, although she had entered this circle, was ranked lower due tock of knowledge. Those who knew would not tell, because it might affect themselves. If the word got out, it would not be good for themselves. Naturally, no one would speak. Subsequently, Dong Wan took a few steps forward and gently wrapped her arm around Li Lixue, whispering: ¡°Sister Li Xue, who made us both fall for this guy. We have to put up with it. Plus, Sister Li Xue, you have to be mentally prepared, there is another formidable one who hasn¡¯t returned yet, who even stopped this guy and me from marrying. When shees back, you won¡¯t be the only one crying.¡± Dong Wan¡¯s humorous words put Li Lixue at ease. Just as Dong Wan implied, this lifetime, even if they can¡¯t have a marital rtionship they will be at peace behind him. Suddenly, Li Lixue paused and said, ¡°Little Wan, are you scared too?¡± At this, Li Lixue burst intoughter, looking at Nie Zhenbang with me, then said: ¡°Little Wan, let¡¯s live here from now on. I refuse to believe that when there are two of us here and only one at home, he would choose to go home.¡± Listening to Li Lixue¡¯s bold words, Nie Zhenbang could only smile bitterly. These two women seemed to havee to a consensus now. Beside them, Dong Wan was teasing Li Lixue, ¡°Sister Li Xue, are you going all soft and sentimental? Go ahead, I will leave him to you tonight.¡± As soon as Dong Wan said this, Li Lixue suddenly turned shy, ¡°Who cares about him? Just leave him alone. I am sleeping alone tonight. You two can go and do whatever you want.¡± However, Dong Wan couldn¡¯t bear to lose face at this moment. She turned to Nie Zhenbang and said with resentment, ¡°Tonight, Sister Li Xue and I will sleep together. As for Master Zhenbang, you are free to do as you please.¡± With the bedroom door shut, the two women left to have their private conversation, and Nie Zhenbang could only smile wistfully. Who said he was blessed with several women? He couldn¡¯t even touch one of them now. Next to the master bedroom, there was a study. A spacious desk, a soft executive chair, Nie Zhenbang finally calmed down. He had entered the political field now. But if he continued to ck off, he would let opportunities to connect with the next sessor slip away. He didn¡¯t need to worry about ranking. With his father¡¯s support, there would be no problem climbing to the top. But he was not willing to miss any interaction with the next second inmand. The most crucial thing was that Comrade Mu Dingjian was now his direct superior. As a key member of the group, Mu Dingjian¡¯s rtionship with the Crown Prince was undoubtedly extraordinary. After all, when the Crown Prince was at the group¡¯smittee, Mu Dingjian was still at work. If he seized this chance, he could connect with the Crown Prince through Mu Dingjian. In this way, the uing leader would take good care of the Nie family because of his father¡¯s presence. After his father passed away, and the Crown Prince came to power, his rtionship with the Crown Prince would also be established. Then Mu Dingjian would also follow up. This was almost a broad path leading directly to the Golden Luang Bao Hall. Thinking about this, Nie Zhenbang was excited. In his mind, a bright idea shed, and it seemed that he had found a great opportunity tomunicate and connect with Mu Dingjian. Nie Zhenbang then picked up a pen and paper from the desk and started to write swiftly.. Chapter 104 - 104: Winning the Future_l Chapter 104: Winning the Future_l Trantor: 549690339 With regard to Comrade Mu Dingjian, Nie Zhenbang doesn¡¯t really know him well. In his previous life, when Mu Dingjian truly emerged in front of the public, it was already in the new century. At this point in time, Mu Dingjian still maintained a low-key status. As a matter of fact, the Crown Prince was still governing in one of the provinces, and the current head of state had only just ascended to power. For the Crown Prince, this moment did not carry any particr meaning. The head of state had only managed to shake off the role of Crown Prince for less than a year. Naturally, nobody paid any attention to the league faction until the end of that century when the Crown Prince made his appearance with an air of arrogance. That was when the league faction gradually rose to prominence. At this moment in his past life, as the Nie family¡¯s power was on the decline, the head of state didn¡¯t pay them much attention. By the time the Crown Prince took center stage. The Nie family had long been distanced from the power center. But the one thing Nie Zhenbang distinctly remembers was that during Mu Dingjian¡¯s tenure as the chairman of the National Youth League, he did something that was still vividly in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s memory. In the bureaucratic world, how to manage and self-capacity ¨C these are one aspect. In addition, how to earn the recognition of the senior leadership is the most important aspect. Yet, the key is how to approach, how to gain the recognition of the leadership. Simply put, it¡¯s about reaching their hearts. The Youth Civilization Award, this project began two yearster. As the nner, Nie Zhenbang believes that even if Comrade Mu Dingjian was not the original creator of this project. However, it was carried out during his term, which means Mu Dingjian supported this project. It is even likely that he was the one who designed the project. If he could initiate this project in advance, then, he would definitely make a strong impression on Mu Dingjian. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang picked up his pen and wrote down his first line on the paper ¡°n forunching the Youth Civilization Award selection campaign nationwide¡±. The n, nearly twenty thousand characters long, emerged vividly on paper. From the original intention of establishing the Youth Civilization Award to its symbolic significance. Additionally, how the selection will be carried out and how many tiers it should be divided into, all of these ns are very detailed. The handwriting is fluid, clear, and well-structured ¡ª an apt disy of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s profound knowledge as a top student in the Chinese department at Jingcheng University. The next day at work, as soon as he entered the office, Zheng Gensheng had already stood up smiling, ¡°Zhenbang, you are a rare visitor, why did youe over today?¡± At the side, his other colleagues also smiled knowingly. A twenty-five or six-year-old girl next to him alsoughed, ¡°Youngmaster Nie is here to inspect the work, Zheng brother, you just don¡¯t understand.¡± Ever since Liu Yang was humiliated in publicst time, not only did he not retaliate, he soon transferred from the youthmittee. The people in the office realized that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background was not ordinary. Despite not knowing the specifics of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s backing, the fact that he could easily secure a private room at the Capital Restaurant and quickly oust Liu Yang were enough tomand awe from colleagues. At the moment, hearing the good-natured teasing from his peers, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, ¡°Brother Zheng, Sister Su, are you all teasing me? Fine, how about I treat you all again tomorrow?¡± Speaking of which, Nie Zhenbang had also approached Zheng Gensheng¡¯s desk, pulled up a chair, sat down and said seriously, ¡°Brother Zheng, take a look at this. I worked on it yesterday. Do you think there¡¯s a chance our leader might see it?¡± By ¡°leader¡±, Nie Zhenbang was not referring to their direct superior, Director Guo. At this time, the term ¡°boss¡± was not widely used to address senior leadership or department heads. The term ¡°leader¡± here refers to the department head. Themon leaders and deputy leaders of a department are generally addressed by their post. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbangs words, Zheng Gensheng, who hadn¡¯t yet looked at the paper, was stunned. This man, who wasn¡¯t like the rest of them, was already considering the leaders the moment he produced something. Soon after, Zheng Gensheng also grew serious, he opened the paper, and as soon as he read the title, he was taken aback. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n was indeed bold. The deeper he read into it, the graver Zheng Gensheng¡¯s expression grew. When he finished reading the entire n, the only thing left on Zheng Gensheng¡¯s face was admiration. This n was definitely bold, but also thorough. It was in sync with the era¡¯s context. From Zheng Gensheng¡¯s perspective, it did have strong feasibility. If he could get involved in this n¡­ At this thought, Zheng Gensheng also stood up, his expression serious as he said, ¡°Zhenbang, if possible, may I join your n?¡± As he spoke, Zheng Gensheng discarded any air of seniority. Instead, he put himself in the position of a coborator, showcasing his intelligence. Although he was not entirely sure of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status, he knew Nie Zhenbang could certainly achieve his goals without him. But the fact that Nie Zhenbang had shown him the n meant that Nie Zhenbang was looking to bring him along. Seeing Zheng Gensheng¡¯s attitude, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. Indeed, this was his intention. Although he had almost zero experience in the political field, he was now slowly umting knowledge and the advantage he currently held was his twenty years¡¯ worth of extra experience. However, as the saying goes, ¡®it takes a vige to raise a child,¡¯ and ¡®a fence has three stakes.¡¯ In Jingcheng, all families valued power andworking, including the factions that would dominate Huaxia for the next couple of decades. He could not rely on the Nie family¡¯s influence forever. The patriarch of the Nie family would pass away eventually, and his father, Nie Guowei¡¯swork of rtionships was not extensive. Therefore, starting from this moment, he had to begin building his ownwork. People like Liu Kun, Li Lixue, and Yang Anbang were his future connections, even if their rtionship was currently based on business. But Zheng Gensheng was the first political connection that Nie Zhenbang valued. Nie Zhenbang had observed Zheng Gensheng closely. The man was in histe twenties, had much potential for growth, andcked political baggage. Such a person was worth winning over. Moreover, Zheng Gensheng had proven to have excellent political savvy and skill ¨C someone who Nie Zhenbang would want to be his right-hand man in the future. Considering Zheng Gensheng¡¯s attitude, Nie Zhenbang felt satisfied. He was indeed intelligent. Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile, ¡°No need for formalities, Brother Zheng. Let¡¯s work on this together.¡± Shortly after Nie Zhenbang re-fixed the n with Zheng Gensheng, he quickly submitted it to Director Guo. In the office of Director Guo Nie Zhenbang was sitting solemnly on the sofa, facing Director Guo behind his desk, waiting for him to give a response. Director Guo was quite astonished at Nie Zhenbang. This young man had a deep background. Zhou Yun from the personnel department was someone Director Guo knew well ¨C she was the wife of a certain family member in Jingcheng. Although her husband¡¯s family was not one of the significant ns, it was still a medium-sized family. Zhou Yun usually carried an air of superiority in themittee. However, seeing her attitude towards Nie Zhenbang, Director Guo could not underestimate him. Just as Director Guo was about to light a cigarette, Nie Zhenbang came forward somewhat cheekily, pulled out a packet of special supply Panda cigarettes from his pocket, and promptly handed him one. He then ced the entire packet on the desk, saying with augh, ¡°Director Guo, these are for you to smoke; they¡¯re from my home. I don¡¯t smoke often, so please help yourself.¡± Seeing the special supply Panda cigarettes on the table, Director Guo was taken aback once more. He looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯ve read your n, it¡¯s excellent. I submitted it the day before yesterday. Secretary Mu wants you to visit his office tomorrow morning. Perform well. I always knew you were not ordinary.¡± At that moment, Director Guo was trying to express his goodwill towards Nie Zhenbang. However, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback and his mind went nk.. Was he finally going to meet Mu Dingjian? Chapter 105 - 105 Youth Civilization Number_l Chapter 105: Youth Civilization Number_l Trantor: 549690339 It¡¯s no wonder Nie Zhenbang was so excited. After all, his meeting with Mu Dingjian would directly determine whether he could enter the team¡¯s line of sight, an important test. As a fellow townsman of the Crown Prince and an important agent of the Crown Prince in the team, Mu Dingjian¡¯s opinion is valued, even by the Crown Prince. If he could earn Mu Dingjian¡¯s approval and be included in this n, it would be Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first significant political achievement since entering politics. Therefore, with this opportunity, it was possible for him to ascend rapidly within the team. Bright and early the next day, Nie Zhenbang waited by the entrance of Mu Dingjian¡¯s office, attaching great importance to this encounter. In terms of his attire, Nie Zhenbang paid attention to many details: a pair of dark-colored trousers, a white shirt, short hair that had been meticulously trimmed, making him look neat and clean. All in all, he exuded a refreshed and energized feeling. Around half past seven, a man of about thirty years old headed this way, walking straight to the entrance of the office, he looked at Nie Zhenbang with a puzzled expression, ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± Nie Zhenbang observed the young man who stood before him:posed and well-mannered. Despite the man¡¯s youth, his demeanor and speech disyed an air of calmness. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang understood that this must be Mu Dingjian¡¯s secretary. As the saying goes, the secretary is the leader¡¯s closest confidant. To be a leader¡¯s secretary, one must have the utmost trust of the leader. Nie Zhenbang, obviously, would not dare to offend such a person. He immediately responded with a smile, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m from Qinglian too. Director Guo informed me yesterday toe here this morning as Secretary Mu wanted to meet me.¡± ¡°Oh, you must be Comrade Nie Zhenbang. Please,e in. My name is Wei Bin, I¡¯m Secretary Mu¡¯s secretary. Yesterday, Secretary Mu instructed me to let you in without announcement. I didn¡¯t expect you to be this early.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Wei Bin immediatelyughed. Being Mu Dingjian¡¯s secretary meant he fully understood Mu Dingjian¡¯s ways of working. It was an unprecedented event to directly call a young neer to themittee. Despite not knowing why Mu Dingjian chose to do this, this didn¡¯t deter Wei Bin from showing Nie Zhenbang warm enthusiasm. About half an hourter, nearing eight o¡¯clock, Mu Dingjian had also entered the office through another door. A leader¡¯s office generally had two doors; one connecting to the secretary¡¯s office, where guests were usually greeted and then directed to meet the leader. The other door was mainly for the convenience of the leader. Sometimes when a leader is meeting with someone, there may already be another person waiting outside. To avoid awkward situations, the leader can choose to leave through the other door. At eight o¡¯clock sharp, Wei Bin brought in a cup of already brewed tea. Two minutester, Wei Bin returned, his attitude towards Nie Zhenbang even friendlier than before, his face filled with a warm smile as he said, ¡°Zhenbang, I hope you don¡¯t mind me addressing you this way. Secretary Mu has arrived, you should go in now.¡± Faced with Wei Bin¡¯s goodwill, Nie Zhenbang was slightly taken aback but then responded with a smile, ¡°Brother Wei, you¡¯re too polite. Why would I mind? I am more than d. How about this, when we finish work, let me treat you to a meal?¡± Getting on good terms with Wei Bin was essential. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s political keenness seemed to be growing smoother. Even though he hadn¡¯t entered politics in his previous life, the experiences of those twenty years considerably helped him now. As he stepped into the office and saw Mu Dingjian seated behind the desk, Nie Zhenbang could not help but feel a little excited. Mu Dingjian was about 45 years old, his hair neatly parted to the side. Behind his silver-edged sses, his eyes were not veryrge but were incredibly spirited. He had thick lips which curled up easily, making him seem affable. As Nie Zhenbang took in Mu Dingjian, thetter also sized him up. The regr staff of the team might not be too familiar with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background, but someone of Mu Dingjian¡¯s stature certainly was aware. The grandson of Elder Nie, the adopted grandson of the former head of state, the nephew of Nie Guodong,mander of the Jingcheng City Military District, the son of Nie Guowei, the deputy governor of Yanbei Province, the third young master of the Nie family. This series of identities warranted Mu Dingjian¡¯s close attention. Even though the older generation had retired, including the former head of state, Elder Nie was holding on firm, still at his post. This made Mu Dingjian view Nie Zhenbang in a wholly different light. What was even more important was that Nie Zhenbang had organized this n: the Young Civilization initiative. When the n was presented to him, Mu Dingjian was astounded. Ever since he was put in charge of Qinglian, he had been contemting how to carry out his responsibilities effectively. This Young Civilization program seemed to be tailor-made for him. The proposal was clear and logical, divided into national, provincial and municipal levels. The idea behind the Young Civilization program and its deeper implications resonated with his own thoughts, creating a sense of joyful destiny. To be honest, when Mu Dingjian first saw this n, he was extremely shocked. If this idea had only stayed in his mind and he was certain that he had never shared it with anyone else, he might have suspected that his idea had been leaked by someone else. Looking at Nie Zhenbang before him, dressed immactely even though he was only twenty years old. His attire made him seem quite mature and steady. In officialdom, this is what is valued. The so-called ¡®a smooth talker is not a good doer¡¯, in Huaxia¡¯s politics, experience and background are particrly valued. Background, Nie Zhenbang has. Experience? He is campaigning for it now. Combined with hisposed demeanor and humble confidence, Mu Dingjian inwardly admired him. He truly was a scion of the red nobility. At this, Mu Dingjian waved to Nie Zhenbang with a smile, ¡°Nie has arrived. Sit down. I have some work left from yesterday to wrap up. Wait a moment, let me finish, and then we can have a good talk about the Youth Civilization program.¡± Listening to Mu Dingjian¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang fell into thought, not expecting that he would face this kind of test. As a person and by principle, Mu Dingjian couldn¡¯t possibly have any unfinished work left over from the day before. If it were his character to do so, he would not have found such great sesster on. So, there was only one possibility ¨C this was Mu Dingjian¡¯s intentional test. As the red third generation, people generally view him as very high and mighty. Being left on the cold end like this ¨C some short time would be fine, but for longer, the stubborn ones of Jingcheng might just storm off. Leaving behind words that they can serve elsewhere if not weed here. Half an hour. Not long, but not short either. As Mu Dingjian looked at Hope Daily on his desk, he was also observing Nie Zhenbang. Throughout, Nie Zhenbang maintained the same expression, not showing any impatience from the wait. Seeing this, Mu Dingjian nodded subtly, then put down his pen, removed his sses, and looked up at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, the Young Civilization n you submitted, I read it yesterday and it kept me up all night. I am curious, what sparked this idea?¡± The intention was to connect with Mu Dingjian through this n, to board the train to the team, and even to the Crown Prince. This, Nie Zhenbang would naturally not say. Organizing his thoughts, trying to recall when the Young Civilization n was firstunched, when the current leader ?himself inscribed it. He remembered the constant broadcasts on the state television. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s memory was vague, but he still retained some of it. Afterword, he said, ¡°Secretary Mu, sincest year¡¯s incident, I¡¯ve been considering how to guide our nation¡¯s youth onto the right path. How can they y a more important role in the construction of socialism? I won¡¯t hide it. Before this, I had three years of military experience. From the military honor badges, I found inspiration. I think, an honor like a military badge is a way to correctly guide and awaken young people¡¯s sense of honor and cohesion. Hence, I came up with the Young Civilization idea. I didn¡¯t expect that my reckless actions would startle you. If there are any immature parts, please guide me, Secretary Mu.¡± Mu Dingjian thought for a moment. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n was mature with hardly any areas for improvement. But as a leader, he still needed to guide. This also showed that Nie Zhenbang was somewhat immature in politics, leaving no room for Mu Dingjian to perform. Fortunately, Mu Dingjian was not a petty leader. Otherwise, even a small mistake like this could have doomed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n. Now, it was impossible not to say anything. However, Mu Dingjian had not yet conducted a detailed and deep study of this n. After some contemtion, Mu Dingjian looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re still a clerk, right?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and Mu Dingjian rapped his fingers on the desktop. After thinking for a bit, he made up his mind and said, ¡°Zhenbang, this n of yours is pretty good. There¡¯s basically no need for significant changes. I think this n is highly feasible. So,ter, I will inform Director Guo to set up a preparatory group for the Youth Civilization program within Qinglian. You will be in charge of the main liaison work. Young people should take on more responsibilities. Especially intelligent young people like you with qualifications. You are an outstanding representative of the youth.. Do you have confidence?¡± Chapter 106 - 106 Start of the Plan (First update, asking for monthly ticket) _1 Chapter 106: Start of the n (First update, asking for monthly ticket) _1 Trantor: 549690339 With Mu Dingjian¡¯s words, as the deputy secretary of themittee and chairman of the National Youth League, he held a substantial deputy ministerial level position. It would be a breeze for him to elevate Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rank. The next day, Director Guo approached Nie Zhenbang directly. This time, Director Guo¡¯s attitude was even more cordial. If we say that initially Director Guo was suspicious and was operating on the idea that having an extra friend means having an extra path, now he was astonished. He clearly understood Mu Dingjian¡¯s character. In Jingcheng, there were not a few individuals with a good background serving in themittee, but Nie Zhenbang was the first one to truly win Mu Dingjian¡¯s admiration. Stepping into therge office, in front of everyone, Director Guo proimed with a smile, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please settle down. Our office has now produced a significant figure. Nie, Nie Zhenbang, starting from today, will be officially transferred to the Young Civilization Preparatory Group to take on the role of a team member, responsible for coordinating the team¡¯s work. His rank is at the departmental level.¡± Upon hearing Director Guo¡¯s deration, the entire office fell silent for a while, followed by apuse, some envious, and some jealous. But overall, there was more shock. Even Nie Zhenbang himself had not expected that Mu Dingjian would be so audacious as to directly skip the sub-departmental level and promote him straight to the departmental level. Of course, this kind of promotion was entirely reasonable. At this time, in this era, as an undergraduate, once you graduate, based on the nation¡¯s regtions, you were eligible to enjoy the sub-departmental treatment, and even in some impoverished regions of the Western Region, the possibility of receiving departmental treatment wasn¡¯t imusible. However, this was merely a piece of paper. If it were the 1980s, this document would carry substantial weight. However, in the past year, in the bureaucratic world, few paid real attention to such matters anymore. Of course, this regtion also provided a reasonable exnation for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s swift promotion. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t realize that this was merely one of Mu Dingjian¡¯s political strategies. Having reached the deputy ministerial position at the age of 45, even with backing from the Youth League, Mu Dingjian¡¯s abilities were worth recognizing. It also indirectly testified to Mu Dingjian¡¯s interpersonal skills. Since the decision was made to involve Nie Zhenbang in this project, a rank promotion was necessary. A sub-departmental level promotion might seem stingy to outsiders. Whether it¡¯s departmental or sub-departmental, for Mu Dingjian, it was a trivial matter. Therefore he might as well go all the way. In doing so, he was also extending goodwill and making amends to the Nie family. At this moment, as Director Guo spoke, Zheng Gensheng had already stood, barely concealing the excitement in his eyes. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sudden promotion affirmed Zheng Gensheng¡¯s thoughts. Instead of feeling any jealousy over Nie Zhenbang¡¯s progress, Zheng Gensheng was genuinely ted. Since he had decided to align himself with Nie Zhenbang, he could only benefit if Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status improved. ¡°Zhenbang, many congrattions. This time you have truly advanced up thedder,¡± Zheng Gensheng saidughingly. Thedder, in this case, signifies consistent progress and rapid rise. Nie Zhenbang understood the meaning of these words perfectly well and immediately stood up, saying to Director Guo, ¡°Director Guo, I thank the organization for its faith in me, thank you for your concern and care, and thank the higher authorities for my grooming. Please rest assured, I will perform my duties at the new post. This ce is my home and I will visit frequently. Colleagues, Brother Zheng, you must not stop weing me.¡± Nie Zhenbang was hinting indirectly, and Zheng Gensheng understood. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words meant to say that he shouldn¡¯t be impatient. Director Guo present there was also nodding in satisfaction. Some people be arrogant once they are promoted, looking down on everyone else, but Nie Zhenbang was remaining as humble as before. Even if paths didn¡¯t cross in the future, at least he wouldn¡¯te off as arrogant. This was a sign of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s maturity. True to his name, Mu Dingjian had a strong and resolute personality, swift and decisive in his actions. Just three days after conversation with Nie Zhenbang, the preparatory group for the Youth Civilization project was officially established in an office adjacent to the National Youth League¡¯s office in the Youth League Central Office building. What Nie Zhenbang did not expect was that the preparation team was personally led by Mu Dingjian, who took charge as the group leader. Moreover, Mu Dingjian¡¯s secretary, Wei Bin, was also assigned to serve as the executive deputy group leader of the preparation team, responsible for its day-to-day operations. As Mu Dingjian¡¯s secretary, Wei Bin held a legitimate high-ranking position. Serving as the deputy group leader of the preparation team was more than enough, considering this was a matter internal to the National Youth League. Being the Chairman of the Youth League, Mu Dingjian held this right. Meanwhile, the other deputy chairman of the Youth League, whose secretary was Zhang Jue, also served as the deputy group leader of the preparation team. At this moment, the preparation team consisted of the formal members Nie Zhenbang, Zhang Jue, and Wei Bin. In the small conference room of the Youth League, Wei Bin sat in the main seat, with Zhang Jue and Nie Zhenbang on his side. Zhang Jue, a young man in his mid-thirties, was still only a deputy-level official. Compared to Nie Zhenbang and Wei Bin, his prospects seemed rather dim. Zhang Jue appeared tall and thin, withrge eyes, but small pupils. At first nce, he gave off a somber impression. At this moment, Wei Bin seemed spirited. As Mu Dingjian¡¯s secretary, he was aware of many internal matters. The Young Civilization n, onceunched nationwide, would have a massive influence and impact. Although the major credit would be imed by key figures like Mu Dingjian, Wei Bin and the others, as the actual implementers, would also rue significant political capital,ying a solid foundation for their future promotions. Moreover, as the key person responsible for the implementation, this was Wei Bin¡¯s first major task, and he was determined to seed. After scanning the room, Wei Bin spoke with ease, ¡°Brother Zhang Jue, younger brother Zhenbang, I believe I don¡¯t need to emphasize the importance of the Young Civilization n. Our working together only signifies the trust the higher authorities have in us. Secretary Mu has already given a detailed report to the Central Committee and received approval from the leaders. Being the focus of the project, we, the preparation team, must carry out our duties effectively. Currently, the first important task is to enrich the team.¡± With a smile, Wei Bin continued, ¡°At the moment, it¡¯s just the three of us in the preparation team. You canpletely express your thoughts. Comrade Zhang Jue, do you have any suggestions about the assignment of the team members?¡± As soon as Wei Bin finished speaking, Zhang Jue on his side ced down his tea cup. Without any courtesy, he coughed and echoed in a slow voice, ¡°Secretary Wei, you are being too polite. As the executive deputy group leader and the leader of the preparation team, we should follow your lead. However, since you¡¯ve asked, I would like to rmend a few candidates. Divisional officer Gu JinQiang from the Youth League Agriculture and Labor Department is an excellent choice. He is familiar with rural youth work and holds a suitable level. I believe he can contribute substantially. Moreover, I propose deputy-level cadre Luo Zejun from the Urban Labor Department to serve as the chief secretary of the preparation team. For the rest, I won¡¯tment further.¡¯ Zhang Jue spoke light-heartedly. Once he finished, both Nie Zhenbang and Wei Bin¡¯s expressions turned sour. While Zhang Jue seemed polite on the surface, implying that Wei Bin took the lead, he addressed Wei as ¡®Secretary Wei¡¯, which seemed inappropriate. Furthermore, the two people Zhang Jue rmended, one was merely a decoy, and the other was his true intention. The supposed ¡®chief secretary¡¯ is akin to the equivalent role in a unit or government department, which holds immense authority. If Wei Bin were to relinquish this role, it would call into question his authority as the executive deputy group leader. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened. He was assigned to handle the liaison work of the preparation team, a role designated by Mu DingJian. This role was essentially executing the duties of the chief secretary. However, in the preparation team, there was no official title for this role. Mu Dingjian cleverly found a loophole allowing Nie Zhenbang to participate in leadership despite his lower-ranking status. Now, due to Zhang Jue¡¯s maniption, it seems as if Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position was taken away from him. Nie Zhenbang firmly believed that Zhang Jue was well aware of this. At this point, the preparation team consists of three people, two deputy group leaders, so appointing an underling to this role made no sense. That being said, it was clear that Zhang Jue didn¡¯t regard Nie Zhenbang highly. Zhang was openly trying to steal his job. At this point, if Nie Zhenbang did not make a statement, he wouldn¡¯t be himself. Considering Wei Bin, the executive deputy group leader, was in charge, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for him to immediately state his position. Consequently, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Since Group Leader Wei has named names, let me also have a say. I have a suitable candidate in mind, Zheng Gensheng from the Youth League¡¯s office of Comprehensiveness. When I was in theprehensive department, Zheng Gensheng and I were colleagues, and I know him quite well. He is very capable, and is a graduate from Huaqing University. Having worked in the Youth League for five years, he is familiar with the League¡¯s work. I believe if Zheng Gensheng were to join us, he could contribute significantly.. The preparation team needs doers, don¡¯t you agree, Group Leader Wei?¡± Chapter 107 - 107 National Pilot (Second update, asking for monthly ticket) _1 Chapter 107: National Pilot (Second update, asking for monthly ticket) _1 Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbangs remarks were hardly over when, beside him, Zhang Jue, whom the remarks were obviously directed at, visibly darkened. The meaning of Nie Zhenbangs words was unmistakable. What did he mean by someone who needed to work? It was an open provocation. His words were simple and clear. There was only one meaning: the preparatorymittee doesn¡¯t need an office director but someone who actually does the work. Zhang Jue was about to retort, but Wei Bin, also seated nearby, nodded approvingly. He was increasingly fond of Nie Zhenbang, who proved to be a flexible character. He understood the appropriateness of holding his peace on such an asion, and there was no need for Wei Bin to say anything. This kind of tacitprehension was a rarity that Wei Bin had not previouslye across. He was also amazed by Nie Zhenbangs keen political instinct. He immediately agreed, saying, ¡°Comrade Zhenbang is right. The preparatory team is a temporary organization, and will dissolve as soon as its mission is aplished. I think we need to focus on getting the job done. I think Zheng Gensheng, whom Comrade Zhenbang proposed, is a fine choice. I have no objections.¡± With this tone set, even if Zhang Jue had any objections, he was left with no room to voice them. However, the look Zhang Jue gave Nie Zhenbang was now somewhat different. Nie Zhenbang rose with a slight smile, took the initiative to shake hands with Zhang Jue, and said, ¡°Deputy team leader Zhang, we will be colleagues from now on. Please give me your guidance and support in our future work.¡± ¡°Nie, hahaha, you are too courteous¡±, Zhang Jue managed to cover any trace of dissatisfaction on his face. Over time, he had adjusted his mindset. ¡°We are all colleagues. From now on, we¡¯ll work together.¡± Thanks to Wei Bin¡¯s management, the preparatory group was soon augmented with capable personnel reassigned from other sectors. Naturally, Zheng Gensheng was pulled over from the administration office. Preparation team by name but, in reality, its main task was quite simple. At present, the preparatory group¡¯s primary purpose was to refine some details of the ¡°Youth Civilization¡± project, such as the selection method, criteria, and rules. The preparatory team¡¯s office¡­ presently, the entire preparatory team had two offices. One was a small office used collectively by Wei Bin, Zhang Jue and Nie Zhenbang. In reality, given their dual roles as secretaries, this office was mostly used by Nie Zhenbang. The other office was muchrger. The preparatory team had brought over five people from the entire Qinglian System. Apart from Gu JinQiang, Zhang Jue had also reassigned a youth named Shen Hua from another department. Two of the old hands belonged to Wei Bin¡¯s trusted team. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang was sitting in his office refining the ¡°Youth Civilization¡± project. After closely observing for a few days, Mu Dingjian had finally added a few suggestions to the purpose section of the ¡°Youth Civilization¡¯s¡± inception. Reflecting on this, Nie Zhenbang held Mu Dingjian in high admiration. As the real nner, every seemingly insignificant detail was filled in. Just then, there came a knock on the door, followed by Zheng Genshengs voice from outside, ¡°Is Director Nie in? It¡¯s Zheng Gensheng. I have something to report to you.¡± Director Nie ¨C this was Nie Zhenbangs new title in the preparatory team. Although officially he was also an ordinary member of the preparatory team, Nie Zhenbang was in charge of liaison and coordination work. In terms of responsibilities within the preparatory team, he was equivalent to the office director. Once Gu JinQiang arrived, he swiftly assigned Nie Zhenbang this role, causing others to follow suit. Hearing Zheng Genshengs words, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said to the door, ¡°Brother Zheng,e in.¡¯! Upon hearing Nie Zhenbangs words, Zheng Genshengs face rxed considerably. Even he himself hadn¡¯t expected Nie Zhenbang to pull him out of the general affairs office so quickly. While the preparatory team here was temporary in nature, it was clear to anyone with discerning eyes what being part of the ¡°Youth Civilization¡± project signified. By entering here, even on a temporary basis, and subsequently moving to the official ¡°Youth Civilization¡± office when the project formally kicked off, would lead to undeniable benefits for his future. At this moment, Zheng Gensheng also wanted to take this opportunity to express his stand to Nie Zhenbang. After listening to Zhenbangs passionate words, Zheng felt somewhat moved in his heart. Initially, Zheng was worried that Zhenbangs attitude might have changed due to his new position. But now, he was relieved. As soon as Zheng walked into the office, Zhenbang got up from his desk and, with a smile on his face, walked over to pour a ss of water for Zheng, saying, ¡°Brother Zheng, there¡¯s no need to stand on ceremony. We¡¯re brothers, aren¡¯t we? There¡¯s no need to be so formal.¡¯ At this moment, Zheng alsoughed. Zhenbangs politeness and friendliness warmed Zhengs heart. It showed that Zhenbang was not the kind of person who would forget old friends once he gained power. Such a person was worth following. Yet, as a smart person himself, Zheng knew that despite Zhenbangs disinterest, respect for hierarchy was still necessary. So, he respectfully epted the teacup that Zhenbang handed to him, and then jokingly replied, ¡°Zhenbang, it¡¯s not about formalities. We ought to act professionally at work, isn¡¯t it? After work, we can call each other whichever we like.¡¯ At this point, Zheng hesitated for a moment before saying, ¡°Director Nie, are you free tonight? If you are, how about having dinner together?¡± Seeing Zhengs hopeful eyes, Zhenbang alsoughed inwardly. He understood clearly that Zheng was trying to show his goodwill or more directly, his loyalty. Immediately, Zhenbang got up and said, ¡°Sorry, Brother Zheng, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t make it tonight. I¡¯ve just received a message that the preparation team is about to get busy. Secretary Mu has already reported to the higher authorities and the State Council about the Youth Civilization project during these few days. They have already approved our n. We¡¯re about to start pilot programs in several cities throughout the country soon. Secretary Mu¡¯s intention is for us to organize a grand opening ceremony. At that time, the number one leader will alsoe to personally inscribe a motto for our Youth Civilization.¡¯ Upon hearing Zhenbangs words, Zheng was stunned momentarily. However, he soon burst into joy. Now that he was also on board the ¡®Youth Civilization¡± ship, the more widely it became known, the higher the political credit and merit for those involved in the project, and naturally the more opportunities for promotion. Coming to this realization, Zheng nodded and said, ¡°Director Nie, this is a great opportunity. In this case, we should prioritize our work.¡± In September of 1990, as golden autumn arrived, the National Youth Leagueunched its first nationwide selection project, Youth Civilization, in the office building of the Central Committee of the Youth League. This was more than two years earlier than in the previous life. At the same time, the administrative level of the Youth Civilization Office was officially established. It was a directly administrated unit under the National Youth League, and the Director¡¯s rank was set as the Deputy Bureau level. This was carefully considered. ording to the rank of the Central Committee of the Youth League, the rank of the Fifth Secretary of the Central Committee was set at the ministry level. Organizations under the Central Committee of the Youth League, such as the National Youth League and the National Student Federation, should theoretically be general units or units of membership nature. However, due to the special circumstances of the Youth League, it is usually led by the Secretary of the Secretariat of the Central Committee, so its rank is roughly at the deputy ministry level. Inparison, the second level units under the Central Committee are at the bureau level, so the rank of Youth Civilization is set at the deputy bureau level. This time, Wei Bin finally got his wish and moved up to the Deputy Bureau level from the regr office level. Although it was merely a subordinate department of the Youth League Central Committee and couldn¡¯tpare in terms of real power with deputy officials in municipal governments, Wei Bin was still young. Being a deputy bureau level at thirty-one was still quite rare in the country. However, this time, Zhang Jue didn¡¯te. Since it was an official unit, if he were to hold concurrent positions, Zhang Jue would have to give up his secretary position like Wei Bin. Comparing a standing office level position with a secretary to the leader, Zhang Jue chose thetter. Nie Zhenbangs rank didn¡¯t change much, but he assumed the position of the director of the first division of Youth Civilization. At present, the Youth Civilization Evaluation Office was divided into six various departments, each responsible for supervising the national Youth Civilization Review and provincial Youth Civilization at various provinces and cities. On that day, at the entrance of the Youth League Central Committee building, colorful gs were flying and crowd was bustling. All the leaders of the Youth League Central Committee, including the first secretary, Secretary Song, were waiting at the entrance. Mu Dingjian was standing next to Secretary Song. Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, was also standing behind Wei Bin in a conspicuous position in the front row. After all, the number one leader from the central government wasing for Youth Civilization, and as the main characters, all the staff of the Youth Civilization office were already waiting on the side. With the arrival of half-past eight, the number one leader¡¯s ck bullet-proof Red g car slowly approached under the guidance of police cars. The first ones to get off were two t-headed men in dark suits and sunsses. Zhenbang was no stranger to these people; they were guards from the Red Wall Security Regiment, ormonly known as Red Wall bodyguards. As the number one leader got off the car, Secretary Song and Mu Dingjian both went up to greet him. With a smile on his face, the number one leader greeted the crowd and shook hands with everyone. Suddenly, while still smiling, he turned to Mu Dingjian and said, ¡°Comrade Dingjian, I¡¯ve heard long ago that the Youth Civilization initiative was proposed by a young person. Why don¡¯t you introduce me today?¡± (To be continued. If you like this work, pleasee to to vote for rmendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 108 - 108 Supervision of the Southwest (Third update requesting for monthly ticket) _1 Chapter 108: Supervision of the Southwest (Third update requesting for monthly ticket) _1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Zhenbang, this time you are going to the Southwest to supervise the selection of the Youth Civilization Award for the Southwest Three Provinces. This is a major responsibility,¡± Wei Bin said solemnly in his office. No wonder Wei Bin looked so serious. As the director of the Youth Civilization Award Office, the sess of the project was crucial to his career progression. While the project was nominally led by Secretary Mu, the office was the one truly responsible. If they did well, it would greatly enhance Wei Bin¡¯s career prospects. If they failed, his future would be bleak. Nie Zhenbang understood this well and subsequently stated seriously, ¡°Director Wei, rest assured. I will strictly follow Secretary Mu¡¯s instructions and yours, and willplete the task sessfully.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Wei Bin broke into a smile and promptly replied, ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t be so formal. Just call me Brother Wei. Feel free to take on your work with confidence. I¡¯ve got your back.¡± Wei Bin was just returning the favor as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s promising future was well-known within the centralmittee. From the moment the Youth Civilization Award was officiallyunched and the group-in-chief asked unprecedented questions, it shook the wholemittee. As soon as the first leader spoke, the rest of the centralmittee staff turned green with envy. The top leaders in the centralmittee, like Secretary Song and Secretary Mu, were clearly aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s family background and status. Given the prestige of the Nie family, the top leader¡¯s inquiry was not surprising and showed his respect for the Nie family. However, most people were unaware of this and assumed that Nie Zhenbang was rmended by Mu Dingjian. This demonstrated the prudence of the top leader, conveying his intention without appearing too assertive. The leader even had a friendly chat with Nie Zhenbang at the scene. After happily writing a dedication for the Youth Civilization Award, the project was officiallyunched. At the same time, the newly established Youth Civilization Award Office began to take action. Its six departments were divided into six working groups, covering Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, North China, Central China, South China, and East China. Wei Bin was in charge of North China, and each of the other departments was assigned a different region for the inaugural national Youth Civilization Award selection. Nie Zhenbang was assigned to oversee the Southwest Three Provinces. In fact, this couldn¡¯t be helped. Nie Zhenbang was quite junior in rtion to the other department chiefs. Although Nie Zhenbang¡¯s appointment to oversee the Southwest Three Provinces was a result of praise from the first leader, it did lead to Wei Bin entrusting him with more duties. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s department was the sixth office of the Youth Civilization Award Office with the fewest staff members. Apart from Nie Zhenbang, the deputy section Chief was Zheng Gensheng, along with two college students, Yu Shengli and Zhang Min, who were transferred from the centralmittee. Zhang Min, a vocational school graduate in her early twenties, was a hearty and carefree girl, who seemed toe from a well-off background. ¡°Chief, is this considered a business trip?¡± joked Zhang Min in Jingcheng City Airport Terminal. All four of them, Nie Zhenbang, Zheng Gensheng, Yu Shengli, and Zhang Min arrived, each with a suitcase. Zhang Min wore a youthful blue denim outfit and a ponytail. Upon hearing her words, Zheng Gensheng¡¯s face turned stern as he retorted, ¡°Zhang, what are you talking about? This is a trip funded by the Chief.¡± Yu Shengli chimed in, ¡°Zhang Min, you probably don¡¯t know about this. I¡¯ve heard from Xiao Zhou from department five and Xiao Wang from department three that they all had to take the train to South China and Northwest. Our entire fundinges from the centralmittee, but it¡¯s not a lot. I heard that only the department leaders are eligible to travel by sleeper train. The rest of us would have had to travel in hard seats if it weren¡¯t for our generous Chief who took us by ne.¡± Zhang Min stuck out her tongue yfully. She wasn¡¯t particrly fearful of Chief Nie Zhenbang, but she was quite apprehensive about Zheng Gensheng. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. He understood what Zheng Gensheng was doing, which was to establish his prestige and authority. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care much about it. He believed that respect should stem from the heart, not from forced authority. Instantly, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand and said, ¡°Alright, alright, stop quarreling now, Xiao Yu and Xiao Zhang. Be careful, or Deputy Chief Zheng might give you a hard time. It¡¯s gettingte; let¡¯s board the ne. Once we reach our destination, we¡¯ll all be pretty busy.¡± Watching Nie Zhenbang walk towards the boarding gate, Zheng Gensheng also followed him, whispering, ¡°Zhenbang¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang, however,ughed and interrupted him, saying, ¡°Brother Zheng, I know what you mean. After all, we¡¯re all young. It¡¯s normal to be breezy and rxed. We¡¯re both not old, so let¡¯s not be so serious. Let¡¯s work together and focus on doing our job well first.¡± The ne soared into the skies and when itnded again, they had arrived at Tianfu Province¡¯s Shuangxi International Airport. At this moment, at the domestic flight arrival exit of Shuangxi Airport, the leaders of Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee and the staff of Tianfu Provincial Youth Civilization Office were already waiting at the entrance. Seeing Nie Zhenbang and his party emerge, and the weing party holding up banners, Yu Shengli intelligently didn¡¯t need reminders from Nie Zhenbang or Zheng Gensheng and took the initiative to approach them. Soon after, the delegation from Tianfu Province came forward to wee them. Leading the group, a middle-aged man in his forties approached Nie Zhenbang with a smile, extending his hand and saying, ¡°Chief Nie, wee. On behalf of the Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee and our Secretary Guo, I wee the arrival of our senior leaders to guide our work in our province.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Shengli introduced them, saying, ¡°Chief Nie, this is Deputy Secretary Zeng Dingyuan from the Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee, and this one is Director Cao Guangchun of the Tianfu Provincial Youth Civilization Office.¡¯ Hearing Yu Shengli say this, Nie Zhenbang also got serious. The level of reception by Tianfu Province was indeed very high. A vice-ministerial official hase to meet a departmental official, and the difference in rank between them is worlds apart. However, it¡¯s also understandable, after all, Nie Zhenbang was sent from the Central Youth League Committee. Regardless of his rank, he represents the Central Youth League and he wasing for the National Youth Civilization Award selection. It¡¯s still undecided which of the three southwestern provinces will have how many ces. The first batch of National Youth Civilization Awards was set at a total of one hundred, averaging about three per province or city nationwide. However, there was no consensus on how many each province would have, it could be four for Tianfu Province and two for Caiyun Province, or Tianfu Province might not have any. Everything depended on the attitude of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reviewmittee. ¡°Secretary Zeng, hello, thank you for taking care of us from the Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee, and thank you for the attention that Secretary Guo and Secretary Zeng have paid to us. Zhenbang is humble and unworthy, I¡¯m sorry for troubling Secretary Zeng,¡± Nie Zhenbang also disyed a touched expression. Zeng Dingyuan alsoughed at this moment. He was pleased with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Department of Youth League Affairs was the Central Youth League¡¯s problem. But if Nie Zhenbang were to put on airs, Zeng Dingyuan, despite not reacting on the spot, would certainly be critical in his mind. After all, for a vice-ministerial level official toe and meet a departmental level official, he had already given face, and if Nie Zhenbang were to be any more arrogant, that would be looking down on people. ¡°Chief Nie, young and capable ¨C it¡¯s rather embarrassing for us local officials. But you are a leader from the Central Government and an expert in the field of Youth Civilization. We have only juste into contact with some of the spirit of the Youth Civilization Award, and there may be some areas we don¡¯t fullyprehend or appreciate. We look forward to Chief Nie¡¯s guidance and support,¡± Zeng Dingyuan also assumed a humble attitude. That is how it is in bureaucracy, barring any enmity, usually, if you show me respect, I¡¯ll return it tenfold. At the side, Cao Guangchun alsoughed and said, ¡°Secretary Zeng, Chief Nie, the car has arrived. Let¡¯s go to the hotel to rest first. As for work matters, let¡¯s discuss them in detail tomorrow. How does that sound to the two leaders?¡± Seeing Zeng Dingyuan looking at him, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Haha, Director Cao, both you and Secretary Zeng are the hosts. As a guest, I will follow the hosts¡¯ decision. Everything will be arranged ording to the two leaders¡¯ ns.¡± At the side, Zhang Min whispered to Yu Shengli, ¡°Little Yu, see it? Our leader does have prestige, even the Deputy Secretary of the Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee personally came to greet us. I told you, this trip of ours, it¡¯s almost like a paid vacation.¡± Tianfu Province¡¯s capital is Rongcheng, and the Rongcheng Hotel is one of the best hotels in Tianfu Province. The Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee didn¡¯t arrange for Nie Zhenbang and his party to stay at themittee¡¯s guest house, but at this hotel instead. This alone indicated the importance the Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee ced on Nie Zhenbang and his crew. The banquet was held at the Rongcheng Hotel¡¯s VIP building, and Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee Secretary Guo Zhen personally hosted Nie Zhenbang and his party. At the dinner table, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s alcohol tolerance amazed everyone. The banquet ended with the guest and host enjoying themselves ¨C Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee being courteous and respectful, and Nie Zhenbang assuming a humble attitude. After director Cao Guangchun sent Nie Zhenbang and others to their rooms on behalf of Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee, heughed and said, ¡°Chief Nie, this is the schedule for tomorrow. For the National Youth Civilization Award selection, our Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee has prepared several candidate units. Please take a look and see if there are any suggestions, and we can adjust it at any time.¡± Nie Zhenbang scanned the schedule and saw ten units listed ¨C three in Rongcheng and seven in other cities. Heughed to himself, seeing that the Tianfu Provincial Youth League Committee¡¯s ambitions were not small this time. (To be continued. If you like this work, you¡¯re wee to rmend and vote on .Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 110: Rushing to Qianzhou (Guaranteed Regular Update Seeking Monthly Tickets) 1 Chapter 110: Rushing to Qianzhou (Guaranteed Regr Update Seeking Monthly Tickets) 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡®¡±¡®Zhenbang, we are receiving so many gifts, they are about to fill up the entire hotel. Look at this¡­¡± Under the lead of Cao Guangchun, director of the Tianfu Province Young Civilized Office, they visited ten national youth civilization review sites in Tianfu Province in three days. On this journey, all except Wuhou Community Committee, Chongqing City Public Transportation Company Line 218, and National Highway 38 Liangzhou Toll Station gave Nie Zhenbang and others quite a bit of gifts before leaving. At the moment, in a room in the Rongcheng Hotel of Tianfu Province, looking at the gifts upying half of the room, Zheng Gensheng¡¯s eyebrows knit together. Zhang Min, this girl, was, however,ughing uninhibitedly, saying: ¡°Director Zheng, why worry? We¡¯ve epted the gifts, and I believe there will be solutions.¡± What Zhang Min said made Zheng Gensheng annoyed, and he criticizes with a stern face: ¡°Zhang! Why would you say something so thoughtless? Are gifts meant to be epted at will? You¡¯ve just started working and are unaware of many things, you must be cautious in your future work. Corruption and degeneration often start from these things. Starting off with epting gifts, soon enough it bes money. In the end, it¡¯s only a road of no return.¡± Watching Zhang Min on the side with her head lowered in scolding by Zheng Gensheng, sticking her tongue out in a dismissive manner, Nie Zhenbang can¡¯t helpughing:¡±Alright, Old Zheng, don¡¯t scare little Zhang.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang also said to Zhang Min, ¡°However, Zhang, Chief Zheng isn¡¯t wrong. As the saying goes, ¡®A pin stolen today, a gold tomorrow,¡¯ significant corruption often starts from small issues.¡± Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang turned to Zheng Gensheng and said, ¡°Old Zheng, don¡¯t worry. I had a purpose for openly epting all these gifts. Shengli, sort out these items to see which units sent these gifts and make a list for me. Now that the review process isplete, it¡¯s time to return these gifts to the Tianfu Province Committee. I believe that even Secretary Guo would not be able to object then, right?¡± With the conversation ending here, Zheng Gensheng seemed to have an epiphany. He looked at Nie Zhenbang, full of admiration, saying that ying his cards very cleverly. Soon after, Zheng Gensheng alsoughed and said,¡± That¡¯s one way to look at it. Based on this point alone, we wouldn¡¯t qualify for the national youth civilization award. But, Chief, if we operate this way, Tianfu Province will only have three quotas left. Will Secretary Guo from the Tianfu Province Committee¡­?¡± At this time, the youth civilization number was not worthless as it was in the old times. As one of the first batches of youth civilization numbers, it can be said that they are truly achievements. All have been acquired through hard work. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s group is evaluated under the standards of ten yearster, and all can be awarded the national youth civilization number. Besides, don¡¯t look at these candidate units that don¡¯t have much to do with themittee. But both the top and the bottom attach great importance to it. From the perspective of the Tianfu Provincial Committee, the more national youth civilization awards in Tianfu Province, the more outstanding the youth work and ideological work of the Tianfu Provincial Youth Committee. The same rationale applies to the units below. This can add points to the political future of these officials. No one would dislike it. ¡°Let it be three. Since it¡¯s already like this, we can¡¯t p our own faces. So, it¡¯s decided. I believe, even Secretary Guo can¡¯t say anything.¡± After a moment of contemted, Nie Zhenbang knew that even if there were only three spots in thisb of Tianfu Province, it would inevitably give the Tianfu Provincial Committee some thoughts. However, the situation has evolved to this point, and it¡¯s no longer just his decision. Out of the ten candidate units in Tianfu Province, it so happened that only three had not given a gift. If one were to pick out a candidate who gave a gift, that would be even more unseemly. In this selection, the Youth League Central Committee, and Wei Bin¡¯s side adopted a method of publishing results right after evaluating a province. This method ensures that each province would not object. On the other hand, it would also avoid creating an embarrassing situation where each province would run to Jingcheng to lobby their case after the evaluations are done. Rongcheng At this moment, Nie Zhenbang is sitting on the sofa in the office of Secretary Guo of the Tianfu Provincial Committee, he remains calm and stares straight ahead without looking askance. In front of the desk, Secretary Guo has a serious expression, looking at a stack of documents on the table. After a long while, he finally said, ¡°Chief Nie, I¡¯m really sorry, I didn¡¯t expect such a thing to happen in our Tianfu Province. This is due to ourck of effort in our work. On behalf of the Tianfu Provincial Committee, I will submit a self-critique to the Central Committee.¡± Nie Zhenbang clearly understands that this is merely an attitude presented by Secretary Guo. He wouldn¡¯t really submit a self-critique to the Central Committee in front of himself. Otherwise, it would seem like Secretary Guo was trying to find a way to save face. Listening to Secretary Guo¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help butugh, and said immediately, ¡°Secretary Guo, you¡¯re being too harsh on yourself, in fact, we also didn¡¯t do a good job. I believe that if we had directly declined, those units wouldn¡¯t have sent us anything, it can¡¯t really be considered an issue of style. It¡¯s in our nature to reciprocate in kind. It is understandable. In fact, it seems we might have been a bit inappropriate, we seem to have intentionally misguided. Please bear with us, Secretary Guo.¡± Nie Zhenbang clearly understood that people like Secretary Guo were not fools. They probably had guessed his intentions long ago. Rather than hiding it, it was better to be straightforward, which would make him appear more open and candid. Indeed, when Nie Zhenbang spoke like this, the expression on Secretary Guo¡¯s face eased. Earlier, Secretary Guo was worried that Nie Zhenbang was deliberately targeting him. Now, it seemed that it was just because he was afraid of directly rejecting him. With this in mind, the matter was not so serious anymore. Immediately after, Secretary Guo also stood up, giving Nie Zhenbang a thumbs up: ¡°Chief Nie, I admire you. You are highly capable. As expected of a cadre sent down from the Central Committee. Shall we go to the meeting room together?¡± At this moment, in the meeting room of the Tianfu Provincial Committee, all the leaders of Tianfu Provincial Committee including the Director of Tianfu Provincial Committee¡¯s Youth Civilization Office, Cao Guangchun, were seated. At the moment, Nie Zhenbang was specifically arranged to sit next to Secretary Guo of the Tianfu Provincial Committee. The Vice Secretary who had weed Nie Zhenbang at the airport was also sitting next to Nie Zhenbang. On the wall of the meeting room, there was arge red banner that read, ¡°Tianfu Province National Youth Civilization Review Meeting¡±. It seemed a little odd that a mid-level official like Nie Zhenbang was sitting amongst high-ranking leaders. However, nobody found it strange. Although Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rank was not high, he was a representative of the Central Committee, much like an ancient imperial envoy. Even if this envoy was only seventh rank, he was from Jingcheng. As the Director of the Youth Civilization Office, Cao Guangchun took up the role of the moderator. He looked around the venue and said loudly: ¡°Leaders,rades, next, we invite Secretary Guo to speak.¡± Secretary Guo of the Tianfu Provincial Committee is not old, about forty years old. In this era, which had just begun advocating for the youthfulness of leaders, Secretary Guo was extremely young among the high-ranking officials. After serving a term here, he could either transfer to the Central Committee or be sent down to take charge of local affairs. Therefore, Secretary Guo attached great importance to the selection of Youth Civilization. Seeing that everyone in the meeting room warmly weed him with apuse, Secretary Guo raised his hand, scanned the surroundings, and said in a deep voice: ¡°Comrades, I want to say something in front of Chief Nie. The review this time was a great lesson for us.¡± As he spoke, Secretary Guo picked up the documents from the table and gestured: ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± ¡°Comrades, this is the gift list that Chief Nie and others received. I have taken a look. The value is high. That¡¯s why I discussed with Chief Nie ording to standards, these units are fully qualified to be rated as National Youth Civilization. But why are they worried? Why did they send gifts? This is not how revolutionary work should be done. Have we forgotten our glorious traditions? I suggest that all units that sent gifts should be disqualified from the review this time. As for our Tianfu Province, regardless of how many we get, we count that.¡± This kind of talking from Secretary Guo gave a different meaning. If it was said by Nie Zhenbang, it would be a veto from the superior. But if Secretary Guo said it, it would be an internal matter of Tianfu Province. The conflict was significantly less. Of course, the phrase ¡®count what we get¡¯ was just Secretary Guo being polite. No matter what, Tianfu Province¡¯s three quotas were indisputable. At the entrance of the Tianfu Provincial Committee, two special cars, thetest Audi 100 models, were arranged for Nie Zhenbang and others. Because ofpetition, the prices of luxury cars like Audi and Mercedes were much cheaper than in the past. As such, many domestic units had much more luxurious cars than before. Secretary Guo and his team personally escorted Nie Zhenbang and others to their cars. The car started slowly, and soon it was driving out of Rongcheng and heading towards Chongqing City. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang and Zheng Gensheng were in one car, while Zhang Min, Yu Shengli, and Cao Guangchun were in another. At this moment, Zheng Gensheng greatly admired Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tact. Looking at Nie Zhenbang next to him, he said: ¡°Zhenbang, you yed this well. You didn¡¯t offend anyone and still managed to win over people¡¯s hearts.¡± Looking at the highway leading to Qianzhou Province, Nie Zhenbang pinched his eyebrow and said with a smile: ¡°Old Zheng, you canugh now. We might start feeling the headache when we reach Qianzhou. Now that Tianfu Province has released a quota, Qianzhou and Caiyun might start eyeing it too.¡± (..) Chapter 111 - 111 High-level Reception 1 Chapter 111: High-level Reception 1 Trantor: 549690339 The vehicle¡¯s excellent performance was fully demonstrated on the road. Setting off in the morning, it reached the border of Qianzhou by ten in the afternoon. At this moment, on the edge of the national road, on the Qianzhou side, under the sign that read ¡°Wee to Qianzhou¡±, four or five cars had already stopped, their police lights shing. Arge crowd was waiting by the side. Seeing this scene, the driver slowed down the car and edged to a stop. He turned to Nie Zhenbang and Zheng Gensheng and said, ¡°Leaders, the people from Qianzhou Province are here to wee us.¡± At this time, the car carrying Yu Shengli and Zhang Min had already stopped. People likes Cao Guangchun and Yu Shengli had gotten out of the car. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang turned to Zheng Gensheng and said, ¡°Old Zheng, let¡¯s get out of the car too. We don¡¯t want to give the people from Qianzhou Province the wrong impression, making us seem high and mighty.¡± As soon as they got out of the car, Yu Shengli and Cao Guangchun led several leaders towards them. Cao Guangchun¡¯s voice could be heard before he even arrived, ¡°Chief Nie, allow me to introduce you. This is Mayor Huang, member of the Bozhou Municipal Party Committee, Deputy Secretary of Bozhou Municipal Party Committee, and of the Bozhou City People¡¯s Government in Qianzhou Province. Next to Mayor Huang is the Deputy Secretary of Qianzhou Province Youth League Committee, Comrade Li Xiangdong.¡± Hearing Cao Guangchun¡¯s introduction, Nie Zhenbang also became solemn. Having already experienced the grand wee in Tianfu Province, Qianzhou¡¯s wee was not surprising. Even though he knew that Qianzhou would put on a show, Nie Zhenbang had not expected Qianzhou Province to provide such a high-profile reception. It is worth noting that there¡¯s only half a rank difference between Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and the Mayor of Bozhou City, with the former being a deputy department-level official and thetter being a department-level official. But everyone understands the difference between a Youth League official and local Party and government leaders. Seeing Mayor Huang, who was around fifty years old, Nie Zhenbang did not dare to neglect him and immediately approached to greet him. Extending both of his hands he said, ¡°Mayor Huang, I didn¡¯t expect to disturb you. I¡¯m really ttered. Mayor Huang, who was about 1.65m tall and slightly chubby, emanated a certain presence. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude, Mayor Huang also said with a smile, ¡°Chief Nie, you¡¯re overstating it. You are a leader of the Central Committee of the Youth League. Before Secretary Gu served as Secretary for Qianzhou Province, he served in the Central Committee of the Youth League. Us Qianzhou people have strong feelings for the Youth League.¡± Next to them, Deputy Secretary of Qianzhou Province Youth League Committee Li Xiangdong also came over and said with a smile, ¡°Chief Nie, on behalf of the Qianzhou Province Youth League Committee and our Secretary Yan, I warmly wee you to your visit to Qianzhou.¡± After shaking hands with the set of Qianzhou Province leaders, Nie Zhenbang also turned back to Cao Guangchun of Tianfu Province and said, ¡°Director Cao, since ourrades from Qianzhou havee over to wee us, you may go back. As the saying goes, ¡®A thousand-mile escort ends with a parting. Please convey my gratitude to Secretary Guo and Deputy Secretary Zeng on my behalf. Thank you for the warm hospitality of Tianfu Province Committee of the Youth League. The youth civilization program in Tianfu Province is going very well. After returning, I will definitely give Director Wei a detailed report. From now on, the work of Tianfu Province¡¯s youth civilization program will depend on you, Director Cao.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, especially when hearing that Nie Zhenbang was going to report good news to Wei Bin, a smile spread across Cao Guangchun¡¯s face. Thesements implied that Nie Zhenbang would not reveal the bribery incident that happened in Tianfu Province. And more importantly, it was certain that Nie Zhenbang would only report good news and not the bad. This was a great opportunity to get in front of the Central Committee. Afterward, Cao Guangchun nodded and said with a smile, ¡°Chief Nie, thank you for your attention to Tianfu Province. I won¡¯t apany you any further. Have a safe journey, everyone.¡± Then, with Nie Zhenbang and Mayor Huang of Bozhou City boarding the car together, Zheng Gensheng also got into the second car apanied by Li Xiangdong. The police cars on standby also made a U-turn and led the way, their lights shing, and sirens howling, they sped towards the downtown area of Bozhou. Around seven-thirty in the evening. The convoy neared downtown Bozhou. Nie Zhenbang was surprised to find that at the entrance of Bozhou city, the traffic police guide car of Bozhou had already been parked to the side, and the entire road had been temporarily controlled. Along the route, a traffic policeman was positioned every thirty meters, standing erect as the convoy passed quickly, each of them saluting. Seeing this scene, gazing at Mayor Huang beside him, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Mayor Huang, this¡­ I really can¡¯t ept it. This level of protocol is too high.¡± If this were different times, say in the future whenwork consultations were borate and big leaders were all using business vehicles, Nie Zhenbang would never ept such over-the-top arrangements. But right now, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t embarrass Mayor Huang by refusing the local government¡¯s goodwill. After all, if he rejected it, it may make him appear too proud and antisocial. Thest thing officials want is to be isted because that means there is no future for them in the bureaucracy. Mayor Huang was delighted by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, appreciating his respectful demeanor. Unlike some officials who behaved arrogantly under all circumstances simply because they came from above, this young central leader knew how to behave properly. If any leader behaved arrogantly, Mayor Huang wouldn¡¯t tolerate it. ¡°Chief Nie, you¡¯re a leader from the central government. We cannot do less than this. We have to show our six million citizens of Bozhou City that they wee their leaders with open arms. It¡¯spletely appropriate, ¡± said Mayor Huang. Afterward, he added: ¡°Chief Nie, please rest at our Bozhou Hotel tonight. Our Secretary Lin has reserved rooms for you and your team. He is waiting for you at the banquet hall of the Bozhou Hotel.¡± Given that Mayor Huang had referred to him respectfully, it was clear that this Secretary Lin was likely the Secretary of the Bozhou City Committee. Seeing the scale of preparations, Nie Zhenbang had little choice but to y along. ¡°Mayor Huang,¡± he began, representing the evaluation team. ¡°We appreciate Bozhou¡¯s hospitable reception. Now that we¡¯re here in Qianzhou, there¡¯s no need to rush to the provincial capital. It makes sense to start our journey south from Bozhou City, which will save us a lot of time.¡± Once they arrived, Nie Zhenbang discussed his ns with Li Xiangdong, the Vice Secretary of the Qianzhou Province Youth League Committee. Li wouldn¡¯t have any objections, of course. This was something for the evaluation team to decide. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s efforts to seek his opinion simply demonstrated his respect for the Qianzhou Province Youth League Committee. As expected, Li Xiangdong didn¡¯t object. Bozhou is known as the birthce of Maotai, a famous Chinese liquor, and the secondrgest industrial city of Qianzhou Province. The party gathered in room 888 of Bozhou Hotel¡¯s banquet hall. Nie Zhenbang was seated in the middle, with Secretary Lin from the Bozhou City Committee on his left and Mayor Huang on his right. Li Xiangdong sat next to Secretary Lin and Zheng Gensheng sat next to Mayor Huang. The rest of the guests were members of the Bozhou City Committee. Secretary Lin, who was in his sixties with graying hair, was soon expecting retirement. This likely exined his eagerness to impress during the evaluation of the Youth Civilization honors. If Bozhou won a national Youth Civilization honor, it would be a highlight in his administration, demonstrating his outstanding management of youth education in Bozhou and his dedication to training future leaders. Secretary Lin stood up and said with a smile, ¡°Here in Qianzhou, our local cuisine is not particrly unique. In the Southwest Three Provinces, Tianfu cuisine is nationally renowned, so I would like to use it to treat our distinguished guests this time.¡± The table was full of typical Tianfu dishes such as Mapo Tofu, Fuqi Feipian (slices of beef and offal), Yu Xiang Rou Si (shredded pork in garlic sauce), Dongpo cuttlefish, Maoxuewang (a spicy hotpot dish), and Shuizhu Roupian (boiled meat slices). The wine was, of course, Maotai, a special product of Bozhou. As home to Maotai, the leaders of Bozhou were naturally well catered for in this respect. There were bottles of Feitian Maotai, aged for thirty years, on the table. As soon as Secretary Lin finished speaking, a waiter came to pour everyone a full ss of Baijiu. The dense aroma of soy sauce-type Baijiu immediately filled the room as soon as the bottles were opened. Nie Zhenbang had drunk a fair amount of Maotai before. Both he and Nie Jiamin had stolen bottles from their grandfather¡¯s special collection at home. Their grandfather even had a bottle of Maotai wine from before the founding of the nation, stored in a pottery jar. This particr bottle was a rare artifact that their grandfather had preserved since the Long March. Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t surprised by the thirty-year-old Feitian Maotai. If Bozhou leaders couldn¡¯t get their hands on it in the hometown of Maotai. they¡¯d be pretty inept. Nie Zhenbang stood up, raising his ss as he looked around the room. ¡°On behalf of the evaluation team, I want to thank the Qianzhou Province Youth League Committee, Secretary Lin, Mayor Huang, and the Bozhou City Committee for your warm reception. Let me return your kindness. To everyone,¡± he announced. He then addressed Secretary Lin and the others, ¡°Secretary Lin, Mayor Huang, Secretary Li, and all the leaders, I¡¯ll drink first. Please, feel free to follow.¡± Nie Zhenbang had been humble throughout the get-together, which won him many points. It¡¯s not them who were valued, but what they represented. Nie Zhenbang understood this and made the asion enjoyable for everyone present. After the banquet, Nie Zhenbang had helped himself to two bottles of Maotai and was feeling a bit tipsy. They were amodated in the VIP room of the Bozhou Hotel. Just as Nie Zhenbang sat down, Zheng Gensheng walked in, carrying a pile of documents. He said wryly, ¡°Zhenbang, it has indeed be more troublesome this time. Even here in Bozhou, three candidate units have been arranged for us.¡±(..) Chapter 112: The Leader is Very Arrogant (Guaranteed to update thrice, asking for monthly ticket) 1 Chapter 112: The Leader is Very Arrogant (Guaranteed to update thrice, asking for monthly ticket) 1 Trantor: 549690339 Upon hearing Zheng Gensheng¡¯s remarks, Nie Zhenbang was not at all surprised. In the officialdom, Tianfu Province and Qianzhou Province sat adjacently, the exchange between the two provinces was frequent, any information about Tianfu Province, was clearly known in Qianzhou Province with just a slight inquiry. In Tianfu Province, they fell short, and in the end, only had three eligible units. This time, it seemed that Qianzhou had learned their lesson. A prefecture-level city alone brought forth three units, and Qianzhou has nine prefecture-level cities in total. So, the figures calcted indicate at least more than a dozen units. Looking at Zheng Gensheng who seemed somewhat helpless next to him, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. Zheng Gensheng was fine in other aspects but was somewhatcking in dealing with local officials. This was easy to understand, after all, Zheng Gensheng had always been in the ministries in Jingcheng. Compared to the brutal struggles at the local levels, the conflicts in the ministries were minor. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t underestimate Zheng Gensheng. When he first entered the Youth League Central Committee, his political experience was even less than Zheng Gensheng¡¯s. However, Nie Zhenbang had seen a lot more and had twenty years more experience. At this moment, applying it himself, he became quickly familiar with the ins and outs. ¡°Old Zheng, do not worry. This time Tianfu left an opening, and it¡¯s certain that Qianzhou has an idea. In fact, we understand very well, out of the ten spots, we will not leave one unfilled to take away, it will surely be ced among the Southwest Three Provinces. In this way, Tianfu will lose its chance. As the second stop, Qianzhou will be prepared and will not let Caiyun Province take the advantage easily.¡± Nie Zhenbang soon exined with a smile. Zheng Gensheng didn¡¯t disappoint Nie Zhenbang, proving himself to be the person Nie Zhenbang had chosen for careful cultivation; he grasped things at once. He suddenly said, ¡°Zhenbang, do you mean¡­? Simply hand this fourth spot directly to Qianzhou Province.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded at this moment, everything being pursued is for maximizing benefits. Tianfu Province had no hope. So, thepetition was between Qianzhou and Caiyun provinces. The conditions were equivalent in both provinces. Qianzhou, being the second stop, naturally valued it extremely. If this position was left to Caiyun, as thest stop, it would not attach as much importance as Qianzhou. Now, in Qianzhou, both the first and second inmand appeared to greet them, which exined the situation well enough. As for the three stops in Bozhou City, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have much of an impression of the other two ces but had a profound impression of the third workshop of Maotai Liquor Factory. After this, Nie Zhenbang and others, led by Li Xiangdong, quickly carried on to other ces without a break. Thest stop was Qianzhou¡¯s Qianzhou Buyei Autonomous Prefecture. As the southwest gateway of Qianzhou Province, Qianzhou is located at the junction trio of Qianzhou Province, western part of Guangdong Province and Caiyun Province. Geographically, it was very prominent. ¡°Chief Nie, the journey to Qianzhou marks thest stop of our Qianzhou Province tour. Here, after our preliminary examination by the Provincial Youth League Committee, two units have been evaluated as provincial-level civilized youth symbols. One is the Grass Dam Street Office in Yixing District, where the Qianzhou Provincial Government is located. The other one is the Qianzhou Tobo Company.¡± In the car to Qianzhou, Li Xiangdong introduced to Nie Zhenbang. Finishing speaking, Li Xiangdong paused and alsoughed and said, ¡°Chief Nie, after this long journey, how do you find the prospective candidates of our Qianzhou Province?¡± With the experience in Tianfu Province, the lesson was learned in Qianzhou Province. The practice of giving gifts and local specialties had thoroughly disappeared. The entire evaluation process was conducted strictly ording to the rules, without any vitions. Hearing Li Xiangdong¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbangughed. He was well aware of the intent behind Li Xiangdong¡¯s words; he was probing for information and insights. At this point, Nie Zhenbang had no intention of holding back. Since they had decided to give the fourth spot to Qianzhou Province, there was no point in hiding it. If he did, others might not appreciate it. Then, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Secretary Li, to be honest, beforeing to Qianzhou, my impression of it was poor and bacl?vard. But this time, the development of Qianzhou really surprised me. As a province located in the ind region and impoverished Western Region, it made such significant achievements on the road of reform and openness. The leadership of the Qianzhou Provincial Party Committee is not simple. The work of the Qianzhou Provincial Youth League Committee, as the Qianzhou Provincial Committee¡¯s reserve forces and the leader of the youth force, is also awe-inspiring.¡± Pausing for a moment, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°With such excellent results, naturally rich fruits can be obtained. Secretary Li, you need not worry too much.¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Xiangdong was much assured. For things like this, there was no need to be explicit. People could perceive it by themselves. As soon as the car entered Qianzhou, at a wide ce ahead, as usual, a few cars were waiting on the side. Li Xiangdong, as the deputy secretary of the Qianzhou Provincial Youth League Committee, opened the car window, nced around, and his face immediately sank. Immediately, Li Xiangdong opened the car door and stepped off, heading directly to the crowd waiting by the side, his face gloomy. He said, ¡°Comrade Guosheng, why is it only you who havee?¡± The Comrade Guosheng referred to by Li Xiangdong is the Secretary of the Qianzhou Municipal Committee of the Youth League. At this moment, listening to Li Xiangdong¡¯s questioning, Liu Guosheng did not know what to say. He hung his head while the deputy secretary of the Qianzhou Youth League Committee whispered, ¡°Secretary Li, we can¡¯t help it either. Regarding this matter, we have reported to the municipalmittee, but Deputy Mayor Huang doesn¡¯t take it seriously, look¡­¡± At this moment, Li Xiangdong¡¯s anger was somewhat reduced. He was well aware of the affairs of the Youth League Committee. Trying to manage the affairs of the partymittee and the government was impossible. As for Qianzhou Province, there were no specific orders. Weing and receiving by the local government leaders were merely a matter based on the level of importance orded by each local government. However, when Nie Zhenbang and his team were in Qianzhou Province, they were weed by the local party and government leaders at every location. Now they were at thest stop, and even the four guest spots were arranged, but all of a sudden there was no party or government leader present. Wouldn¡¯t this give people a feeling of being abandoned after crossing the river? Li Xiangdong¡¯s anger stemmed from this. After a moment of silence, Li Xiangdong lost his patience and waved his hand saying, ¡°Alright, alright. Lead the way.¡± The police car led the way, and in this regard, the Qianzhou Youth League Committee had done a good job. The motorcade drove directly into the Qianzhou Hotel. In the banquet hall of the Qianzhou Hotel, as soon as the group sat down, Liu Guosheng, the Secretary of the Qianzhou Youth League Committee, stood up with a ss of wine and said, ¡°Chief Nie, Secretary Li, and all leaders, on behalf of the Qianzhou Youth League Committee, I warmly wee you. If our hospitality is found wanting in any respect, I would like to apologize with this toast.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. The reception in Qianzhou was indeed unique. Local partymittee and government leaders did not attach importance to it. Nie Zhenbang had noticed this early on and didn¡¯t care much. Then, Nie Zhenbang also stood up and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, you¡¯re too kind. On behalf of the review team, I thank the Youth League Committee of Qianzhou Province and the Qianzhou Municipal Committee for their hospitality. I¡¯ll join in this toast.¡± Nie Zhenbang, who did not hold high position, indeed represented a different status at this moment. If one had to truly scrutinize, there wouldn¡¯t be much that could be said against Qianzhou Province. However, solely based on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s modesty, Li Xiangdong felt a strong liking for him. Surely, the bureaucrats from Jingcheng were at a different level. Just then, the door of the private dining room was suddenly pushed open, and a slightly plump man in his early fifties entered. Upon seeing this man, Liu Guosheng immediately greeted him, ¡°Secretary Huang, what brings you here?¡± Then, Liu Guosheng turned to Li Xiangdong and Nie Zhenbang and introduced, ¡°Secretary Li, Chief Nie, let me introduce you. This is Comrade Huang Yao, the Deputy Secretary and Deputy Mayor of the Qianzhou Municipal Committee.¡± Upon hearing Liu Guosheng¡¯s introduction, Nie Zhenbang also looked up at Huang Yao. Nie Zhenbang recalled that in the future, this man was the high-ranking official who fell from grace in Qianzhou Province. Rumors had it that this man was arrogant and domineering. It seemed that this was indeed the case. As Nie Zhenbang was contemting, Huang Yao had already said, ¡°So, ourrade from the Youth League Committee is having a gathering here. Is this the Deputy Secretary of the Youth League Committee, Li? Hello, and wee to Qianzhou for your inspection and guidance.¡± Although these words seemed polite, they wereced with a hint of contempt. Despite Li Xiangdong being a deputy secretary, just a ¡®Secretary¡¯ address would suffice, but to mention the word ¡®Deputy¡¯ was considered disrespectful. Besides, Liu Guosheng had introduced Nie Zhenbang among therge group of people here, but Huang Yao acted as if he had not heard it. This was another form of disrespect. For a moment, the atmosphere became awkward. Li Xiangdong¡¯s face changed slightly, but he recovered immediately. However, Zhang Min and Yu Shengli, the two recent graduates, stood nkly on the side, looking very dissatisfied. Li Xiangdong managed to calm himself and said with a smile, ¡°Deputy Secretary Huang, you¡¯re too kind. The Youth League Committee, with its work concerning youth education and ideological awareness, inevitably can¡¯tpare to the busyness of party and government leadership like Deputy Secretary Huang. ¡± Huang Yao was not a fool. He could tell from the address that Li Xiangdong was somewhat dissatisfied with him. He immediately smiled and said, ¡°Deputy Secretary Li makes a point. This Youth Civilization Project, as I see it, is just what it is. It¡¯s all surface work. It¡¯d be better to be realistic in whatever you do.¡± (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on ). Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 113 - 113 An Na Arrived (Additional info for 100 Monthly tickets)_l Chapter 113 - 113 An Na Arrived (Additional info for 100 Monthly tickets)_l Chapter 113: An Na Arrived (Additional info for 100 Monthly tickets)_l Trantor: 549690339 As Huang Yao finished hisment, Nie Zhenbang was rather indifferent, but Li Xiangdong¡¯s face looked somewhat displeased. Huang Yao¡¯s words obviously dismissed the work of the Youth League Committee as insignificant. As a central emissary, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care about the local party and government leaders¡¯ remarks. At most, he would just keep them in mind. However, for Li Xiangdong, Huang Yao¡¯s remarks were an unmistakable affront, a p in his face. As the Vice Secretary of the Qianzhou Province Youth League Committee, Li Xiangdong was also at the deputy department level, sharing the same rank as Huang Yao. The only difference was that Huang Yao was the party and government leader of the local government, with different amounts of real power. However, in front of the Central Committee¡¯s emissary, Huang Yao¡¯sment on themittee¡¯s work was tant disrespect to Li Xiangdong. A real p in Li Xiangdong¡¯s face. Thus, the hatchet between them was buried, and the resentment was far from ordinary. At this moment, Li Xiangdong, who had been smiling, immediately looked grim. He put down his wine ss with a bang on the table. Staring at Huang Yao, Li Xiangdong said in a low voice, ¡°Vice Secretary Huang, as a party leader, isn¡¯t thisment overly harsh?¡± The saying goes that one should not p others in the face. Evaluating the Youth League Committee¡¯s work as unrealistic and impractical, especially in front of themittee members and particrly a Vice Secretary, was indeed too much for Huang Yao to say. Nheless, at this moment, Huang Yao was indifferent. He thought, wasn¡¯t it just offending an executive of the League? Huang Yao deep down despised those who came up from the Youth League, who think they could sit on high positions without any genuine governance experience. For example, Li Xiangdong, who might be the top head of the local offices one day. How could it bear with those who had struggled their way up from the bottom, like himself? So at this moment, Huang Yao didn¡¯t care at all whether he offended someone with equivalent status. Even if Li Xiangdong has connections in the provincialmittee, Huang Yao has his own people. They belong to different systems. Huang Yao didn¡¯t care about offending Li Xiangdong at all. Then Huang Yaoughed and said, ¡°Hehe, it¡¯s just a difference of political opinions. Comrade Xiangdong, are we not allowed to have different opinions and perspectives? This can¡¯t be tolerated. Our party has always advocated criticism and self-criticism, even our great leaders humbly ept criticism. Comrade Xiangdong, you should change this mindset.¡± Huang Yao, who had weathered through the grassroots struggle and umted a wealth of experience in political conflicts, was expert at these provocative words. He immediately gave Li Xiangdong a metaphorical high hat, which left Li Xiangdong dumbstruck, his face growing ashen. Li Xiangdong snorted and said, ¡°Vice Secretary Huang, don¡¯t try tobel me. The time has changed, the old thought won¡¯t apply anymore. However, I did hear that Vice Secretary Huang is good at wieldingbels. You made your career out of it back in the ¡¯70s. I see it was true.¡± Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang also stood up. Although Huang Yao hadn¡¯t been targeting him since he entered the room, such an indifferent attitude was the greatest disrespect. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t consider himself a pushover. If you don¡¯t give me face, I don¡¯t see any need to save yours either. ¡°Hehe, so you must be Vice Mayor Huang of Qianzhou, right. I have heard about your domineering conduct. The rumor turned out to be true. Secretary Li, let¡¯s sit down and eat. Just ignore these insignificant flies. If a dog bites you, are you going to bite it back?¡± Nie Zhenbang spoke without any reservation. He knew Huang Yao quite well, who was eventually brought down to his knees in the future. He didn¡¯t mind offending him at all. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words shocked everyone present. Zheng Gensheng and others were bbergasted, while Zhang Min was thrilled. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were truly audacious. Wasn¡¯t he directly calling the Vice Secretary a dog? Usually, Huang Yao should be addressed as a Vice Secretary. Yet Nie referred to him as ¡®Vice Mayor¡¯, demoting him in status indirectly. Li Xiangdong also watched Nie Zhenbang with gratitude. He didn¡¯t expect Nie Zhenbang to blow up on the spot. In Li Xiangdong¡¯s mind, Nie Zhenbang stood up for him. This was the kind of person worth making friends with. At this moment, Huang Yao was furious. Although he despised Nie Zhenbang, there was nothing he could do about it. He was just a vice department-level official and had some authority in Qianzhou. He had no power over Li Xiangdong, let alone Nie Zhenbang, who was from the central youth league. He felt out of Nie¡¯s league. Eyeing Nie Zhenbang, Huang Yao went silent for a while before forcing a smile and saying, ¡°This youngrade is eloquent. The League cadres are indeed extraordinary for each having a sharp tongue. Today, I have learnt a good lesson.¡± After finishing his statement, Huang Yao left. He saw no point staying any longer. Among all the people in the box, the only person he had any control over was Liu Guosheng, the Youth League secretary of Qianzhou. However, Liu Guosheng didn¡¯t offend him. He could only watch but not act against the other two. If he continued arguing, who knew what they might say. He was merely humiliating himself. After Huang Yao left, Liu Guosheng also felt awkward. He looked at Li Xiangdong anxiously. He didn¡¯t care much about Nie Zhenbang as they were not in the same circles. However, Li Xiangdong was his direct superior. He was humiliated in Qianzhou and Liu Guosheng was worried that Li Xiangdong might vent his anger on him, which would jeopardize his career. ¡°Secretary Li¡­¡± Liu Guosheng could only brace himself to address him in front of everyone. Li Xiangdong was sensible. He waved his hand and said, ¡°Guosheng, there¡¯s no need to exin. I know what you mean. I¡¯m fine. However, it¡¯s impressive that you have managed to introduce the work of the Qianzhou Youth League with a leader like him around.¡± The following day, Li Xiangdong and Nie Zhenbang were working tirelessly. Theypleted their review of the two candidate units in Qianzhou in just one morning and afternoon. After the incident, Li Xiangdong had no intention of staying in Qianzhou any longer, as did Nie Zhenbang and others. After confirming the four slots at the Qianzhou Youth League Committee, Nie Zhenbang and his entourage, with the farewell from Li Xiangdong, set off to Caiyun Province. In Caiyun Province, perhaps after receiving the news that Qianzhou Province had sessfully secured the fourth slot, their reception was by the book, with no out-of-line urrences. Perhaps Caiyun Provincial Party Committee had lost interest, and they had arranged a total of six candidate units, all of which were concentrated around Chuncheng, the capital of Caiyun Province. Thus, Nie Zhenbang and others only spent two dayspleting their work in Caiyun Province. Chuncheng Spring Guesthouse In therge conference room on the fifth floor, representatives of the Youth League Committees from various Dizhou cities in Caiyun Province, and all members of the leadership of the Caiyun Provincial Party Committee were in attendance. At the moment, Nie Zhenbang was seated on the tform. This was the venue for the summary meeting of the National Youth Civilization Award selection results in Caiyun Province. The secretary of the Caiyun Provincial Party Committee made a speech on behalf of Caiyun Province. Then, his tone shifted, and he said, ¡°Next, let¡¯s wee Mr. Nie from the ¡®Youth Civilization Office,¡¯ Sixth Division, to address us.¡± The secretary of the Caiyun Provincial Party Committee elevated Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status with just a change of title, evidently a clever move. Nie Zhenbang stood up at this moment, bowed slightly, and pped his hands. As the apuse died down, Nie Zhenbang slowly began, ¡°Here, first of all, on behalf of the Southwest Three Provinces review team, and the Sixth Office of the National Youth Civilization Office, I would like to express my gratitude for the warm hospitality of Caiyun Provincial Youth League Committee¡­¡± At this moment, suddenly, the door of the meeting room was pushed open from the outside. Seeing the figure standing at the door, Nie Zhenbang felt a lump in his throat. At the door of the meeting room stood a woman of about 1.6 meters tall, with a well-proportioned figure. She was dressed in a white Adidas tracksuit with long ck hair tied in a ponytail, swinging behind her. She was pouting her lips as she stared at Nie Zhenbang, herrge eyes watery. Her eyes were somewhat crystalline, as if tears were about to fall. By this time, two staff members had alreadye over, ready to persuade Yang Anna to leave, and Nie Zhenbang immediately became worried. As expected, Yang Anna flicked her hand in clear dissatisfaction and then walked out. The sudden arrival of Yang Anna forced Nie Zhenbang to speed up his pace. He was well aware of Anna¡¯s character: spoiled in the Yang family, the only cherished daughter. Loved by her grandparents, indulged by her uncles, and among her peers, the men of the Yang family were exceptionally protective of their little princess. In his previous life, Yang Anna stubbornly insisted on being with a disabled man despite everyone¡¯s objections, yet there was little opposition from the Yang family. It was evident to what extent Yang Anna was pampered. Anna hadn¡¯t spoken aloud earlier, which demonstrated her sense of propriety. However, if those staff members outside upset Yang Anna, there was no telling what she might do. Soon, Nie Zhenbang had finished his speech, and after the three National Youth Civilization number units of Caiyun Province were officially confirmed. Nie Zhenbang whispered to the secretary of the Caiyun Provincial Youth League Committee, ¡°Secretary Liao, I¡¯m sorry, but a friend of mine from Jingcheng hase here. She has a bit of a fiery temper, and I¡¯m afraid if we wait until she barges into the venue, it won¡¯t be good. I have to excuse myself now.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Secretary Liao was a bit taken aback. A friend from Jingcheng who might storm the venue? Having reached Secretary Liao¡¯s position, he was no stranger to Jingcheng and naturally understood the implications of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. Consequently, Secretary Liao nodded, stood up, and said, ¡°Then, today¡¯s meeting will end here. Dismiss.¡± Chapter 114 - 114 1 Want to Give You (Guaranteed Additional Update, Begging for Monthly Pass) _1 Chapter 114 - 114 1 Want to Give You (Guaranteed Additional Update, Begging for Monthly Pass) _1 Chapter 114: 1 Want to Give You (Guaranteed Additional Update, Begging for Monthly Pass) _1 Trantor: 549690339 Given Yang Anna¡¯s background, finding Nie Zhenbang, a clear target, especially when Nie Zhenbang did not intentionally hide his tracks, was rather easy. Outside the conference hall of Chuncheng Spring Guesthouse, as Nie Zhenbang just stepped out, Yang Anna promptly rushed over, her hands tightly coiling around Nie Zhenbang¡¯s neck. Their faces were less than ten centimeters apart. The refreshing scent wafting from Yang Anna¡¯s breath startled Nie Zhenbang. In this era, it is not like the future where suspenders roam the streets. In the future, kissing in the street would no longer be a rare urrence. However, at present, such public disys of affection indeed send shockwaves. As the leaders of Caiyun Provincial Party Committee from various ces exit the conference hall one by one, they cast sidelong nces over. Nie Zhenbang could only respond with a wry smile, ¡°Anna, Anna! Can we not act like this? Look at the negative impression we are giving; these people are treating us like monkeys.¡± Hearing his words, Yang Anna also broke intoughter, wrinkling her nose and retorting, ¡°Humph, you are the monkey. I am the one who handles the monkey.¡± Saying that, Yang Anna nced at the other side, then said, ¡°If they want to stare, let them. If this were in Australia, on the Gold Coast, those bikini-d beauties on the beach could make their eyeballs pop out.¡± This remark left Nie Zhenbang even more taken aback. It looked like living abroad truly was different. In his past life, Yang Anna had not been so carefree. It seems everyone who goes abroad modifies their behavior, like Ye Hui did, and now Anna too. Before Nie Zhenbang could regain his wits, Yang Anna started speaking again. With her perky nose slightly wrinkled, she looked utterly adorable. In a soft and aggrieved tone, she asked, ¡°Zhenbang, did you forget about me? Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were going to join the army? Why didn¡¯t you contact me when you returned? Zhenbang, don¡¯t you like me anymore?¡± As he looked at the seventeen-year-old girl, not even eighteen yet, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat helpless. He was well aware of Yang Anna¡¯s persistence and dedication. Originally, Nie Zhenbang thought that since his body was healthy and without any issues in this life, Yang Anna would not feel guilty. However, he vastly underestimated Yang Anna¡¯s endurance. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang finally spoke, ¡°Anna, shall we go to the room and talk? Look, in such a public ce, everyone is watching us. It doesn¡¯t look good.¡± Yang Anna pouted, whispering, ¡°How does that affect things? I don¡¯t care at all. Despite her protest, Yang Anna did let go of Nie Zhenbang. Lowering her head, she said, ¡°Zhenbang, I will listen to whatever you say.¡± Inside the room opened by the Caiyun Provincial Party Committee for Nie Zhenbang and others at Chuncheng Spring Guesthouse, Nie Zhenbang shut the door as soon as he entered. Looking at Yang Anna standing in front of him, he felt somewhat helpless. His feelings for Yang Anna wereplicated, something he had ruminated over for a long time. Generally speaking, he felt more moved than affectionate toward Yang Anna. After all, if a teenage girl could arouse fanciful thoughts in Nie Zhenbang, his view of love would probably lean towards Lolitaplex. But he certainly couldn¡¯t reject her. With Yang Anna¡¯s personality, even if he fled now, she would probably return before long. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang finally gently said, ¡°Anna, sit down first. I will get you a cup of water.¡± It seemed that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone and voice possessed a unique charm for Yang Anna. At this moment, she calmed down. Perhaps she was a little restrained and nervous to be alone with Nie Zhenbang for the first time. She asionally stole nces at Nie Zhenbang and then quickly lowered her head. After cing the teacup on the coffee table and pushing it to Yang Anna, Nie Zhenbang also sat on the sofa. While he faced Yang Anna, seeing her expression, he pondered for a moment and then asked softly, ¡°Anna, how is your study abroad?¡± ¡°Zhenbang, I am anything but ordinary. How can those foreignerspare with me? Now, I am already in the second year of high school and will soon be taking the university entrance exam.¡± When it came to her studies, Yang Anna grew excited. That¡¯s how people are. Whenever they talk about their own highlights or achievements, they can always find endless topics. In reality, Anna wasn¡¯t stupid. From Elder Yang down the family line, everyone in the Yang family was outstanding. Yang Anna was no exception. The reason why she was thirteen but only in the first year of junior high was mainly due to the indulgence of her family. Elder Yang¡¯s wife always felt her granddaughter was too young for school, that she should be a little older, so she wouldn¡¯t get bullied at school. It eventually resulted in Yang Anna being a prime example of those who start school at ater age. But even though she didn¡¯tplete junior high school, Yang Anna had gone abroad with her younger aunt. The difference in foreign education standards immediately made Yang Anna stand out. Over these three years, Yang Anna not only finished two years of junior high school but also advanced a grade. She was now a sophomore in high school. As soon as she finished speaking, Yang Anna seemed to have an epiphany. She was unhappy and pouted, quite displeased, she said, ¡°Humph! Zhenbang, don¡¯t try to change the subject. You haven¡¯t answered my question yet. Are you telling me that you don¡¯t want me anymore? I belong to you. How can you be with Dong Wan? How can you treat me like this?¡± Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang was even more flustered, ¡°An Na, you¡¯re not serious. Are you an intelligence officer? Howe you know¡­¡± Before he could finish, Nie Zhenbang saw a change in Yang Anna¡¯s face and realized he¡¯d made a mistake. How could he forget? Nobody had ever spoken of his rtionship with Dong Wan. Yang Anna couldn¡¯t possibly know. Unexpectedly, his secret was tricked out by this little girl. At this moment, Yang Anna¡¯s face was flooded with tears, streaming down her cheeks. It was a shocking scene. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Yang Anna¡¯s expression was full of endless grievance and dissatisfaction. ¡°Zhenbang, how could you do this? How can you be like that to An Na? Not just you, but also Dong Wan, and Grandpa Dong, none of you are decent people.¡± ¡°An Na, calm down, it¡¯s not what you think, ¡± Nie Zhenbang forced a bitter smile and braced himself to exin. If Yang Anna had any mishap, he was afraid the Yang family would never let it go. Even if the Yang family didn¡¯t me him, his conscience wouldn¡¯t allow it. If so, he would have betrayed Yang Anna¡¯s devotion in her past life. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yang Anna suddenly looked up at Nie Zhenbang and softly said, ¡°Zhenbang, this¡­ this isn¡¯t true, is it?¡± Nie Zhenbang felt embarrassed. He didn¡¯t intend to deceive Yang Anna with lies. Moreover, one lie would require a thousand lies to cover up. Nie Zhenbang absolutely wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. He organized his thoughts, trying to soothe Yang Anna in a gentle and satisfactory way. After a while, Nie Zhenbang whispered, ¡°An Na, listen to me, you¡¯re still young, only seventeen years old. ording to our country¡¯sw, you¡¯re considered a minor, you know? At this age, your main task should be studying, not other things. ¡± Before he could finish, Yang Anna suddenly stood up, covered her ears, and repeatedly shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen. I¡¯m sick of listening to your preachings. I know everything you¡¯re telling me. But I have chosen you, Zhenbang, in this life, and I have chosen you. What should I do?¡± Watching Nie Zhenbang¡¯s dumbfounded look, a sense of desperation shed across Yang Anna¡¯s face. Suddenly, Yang Anna stood up, tightly wrapped her arms around Nie Zhenbang¡¯s neck. With her red lips pursed and then with a smack sound, she kissed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s cheek. Staring at the startled Nie Zhenbang, Yang Anna¡¯s face was full of determination, ¡°Zhenbang, I want to be with you. Anything Dong Wan can do, I, Yang Anna, can also do.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s lips quivered, but before he could say anything, Yang Anna stopped him and continued, ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t even try to tell me that I don¡¯t understand. These three years in Australia, I¡¯ve seen it all. Many ssmates of mine already have boyfriends or girlfriends. Many of them have already been in that kind of rtionship.¡± No matter if it was Dong Wan or Yang Anna, even Li Lixue, Nie Zhenbang would definitely not act rash in this situation. At this point, Yang Anna was already hugging him tightly, the fullness of her chest bringing waves of sensation, she wasn¡¯tcking in assets. However, Nie Zhenbang forced himself to sober up. While struggling, he grabbed Yang Anna¡¯s hands, looked at her and said, ¡°An Na, can you not be so impulsive? You¡¯re making me unsure of what to do. Please, don¡¯t pressure me.¡± During the conversation, Yang Anna¡¯s mood seemed to have stabilized. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, she said, ¡°Zhenbang, am I not beautiful? Or is there something wrong with my figure?¡± As she spoke, Yang Anna suddenly unzipped her tracksuit jacket. The tight-fitting clothes underneath were not ordinary T-shirts. Instead, they were strapless bras that were just beginning to be popr overseasHer smooth t belly was as white as jade. The tight bra perfectly entuated the deep crevices of her chest. Her firmness was mesmerizing. At this moment, Yang Anna was enchantingly whispering, ¡°Zhenbang, from now on, I¡¯m yours.¡± (To be continued. If you like this novel, please feel free to rmend it on .Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 115: Return to Beijing (Guaranteed to update twice, asking for monthly ticket) _1 Chapter 115: Return to Beijing (Guaranteed to update twice, asking for monthly ticket) _1 Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang felt a bit overwhelmed; Yang Anna had be much braver after her three years abroad. Silence fell in the room for a moment. As he watched Yang Anna, her eyes slightly closed and looking utterly helpless, Nie Zhenbang felt his own heartbeat elerate. Was it possible that he also had feelings for Anna? Realizing this, Nie Zhenbang dared not think further. It seemed like he already owed too much emotional debt. Any more and it would be unbearable. Yet, considering how Yang Anna had behaved and persisted in her feelings for him in both their past and present lives, it felt incredibly unfair to reject her. When Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t respond for quite awhile, Yang Anna opened her eyes. Seeing him standing there in a daze, she suddenly grabbed his hand, guiding it onto her chest. At the moment they touched, they both trembled. The strange sensation emanating from her chest caused Yang Anna to make a soft gasping noise, her breathing bing hastier. Nie Zhenbang quickly came back to his senses, biting his tongue to cool his heated mind. After pondering for a moment, he gently pushed away, holding Yang Anna by her shoulders, his tone soft. ¡°Anna, please don¡¯t do this, okay? Like I said before, you are still young. Your thoughts are still immature. You don¡¯t understand what love is yet.¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could continue, Yang Anna cut him off, shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. I¡¯m not immature, Zhenbang. I know. This¡­ this is love. I love you. I will love you in this life. Zhenbang, don¡¯t you like me?¡± With a sigh, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Anna, can you be sure? I do like you, Anna. But you are only eighteen. Give it another five years, and use that time to reflect. If then, you still feel the same, we can talk about our rtionship.¡± In reality, Nie Zhenbang himself was somewhat conflicted. In his past life, he had been guilt-ridden over his rtionship with Anna. In this life, had it not been for Dong Wan and that drunken night, perhaps he would have chosen Yang Anna, promising to be faithful till the end. Yet at this point, if he were to ept Yang Anna¡¯s feelings, Nie Zhenbang felt it unfair to her. She had deserved better than him in their Dast life due to his disability, and now after starting anew, to force her to share a man with another woman felt even more unjust. Therefore, he suggested this ¡°cooling off¡± period. If in five years, Yang Anna could find a man she truly loved, he would wish her happiness in secret. If not, he hadn¡¯t really considered what he would do yet. Initially, Yang Anna, being the intelligent woman she was, seemed to understand Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reasoning. Yet, she quickly retorted, ¡°No, Zhenbang. I don¡¯t want to wait for five years. Starting now, I want you to be my boyfriend. If not¡­ I don¡¯t know if I can find the courage to carry on.¡± Seeing the desperation in Yang Anna¡¯s eyes, Nie Zhenbang felt a sense of deja vu. Realizing that Anna was the kind of person who could indeed act on her words, he decided on apromise. ¡°Alright, alright, Anna. Look, I am your boyfriend, right? But, Anna, promise me you won¡¯t do this again. The most precious ¡®first time¡¯ should be saved for the happiest moment in life. You are still young. Let¡¯s discuss this when you are an adult. Then, I can even formally ask your father for your hand, alright?¡± Upon hearing this, Yang Anna revealed a sly grin on her face before nodding vigorously. ¡°Zhenbang, you must keep your promise, okay? Let¡¯s make a pinky promise.¡± Nie Zhenbang knew he had been tricked by Yang Anna but he couldn¡¯t back out now. If he did, she might end up crying again and could possibly do something extreme. Nheless, having managed to calm her down for the time being was a relief. Now, all he could do was take each day as ites. With augh, he linked his pinky with Yang Anna¡¯s and said, ¡°All right, Anna. Tonight, you can sleep here. Tomorrow, we will go back to Jingcheng together.¡± Jingcheng City Airport Before he returned, Nie Zhenbang had already informed Yang Anbang; upon arrival at the airport, Yang Anna was promptly picked up by her brother. Just before leaving, Yang Anna suddenly held onto Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arm and whispered in his ear: ¡°Zhenbang, introduce me to sister Dong Wan and the foreign woman tomorrow.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang felt overwhelmed. It looked like he was going to be very busy dealing with the three women. Yang Anbang, standing nearby, seemed to be reveling in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s predicament. Shooting Yang Anbang a re, Nie Zhenbang felt as if he were caught in a trap and reluctantly nodded. ¡°Alright. Fine. I will introduce you.¡± After sending off Yang Anna and her brother, Nie Zhenbang met with Zheng Gensheng and others to head to the Central Committee Office. Inside Wei Bin¡¯s office, he ced the assessment results and report of the Southwest Three Provinces on the table before leaving, saying, ¡°Director Wei, here are the reports from the Southwest Three Provinces. Please take a look. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll get going.¡± Naturally, Wei Bin wouldn¡¯t put on airs around Nie Zhenbang. For one, Nie¡¯s background was mysterious, something even Wei Bin himself couldn¡¯t figure out. This man had been personally singled out by the highest leadership. No doubt then, his background must have some serious clout. Furthermore, ever since the start of the Youth Civilization Project within the Central Group, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance, especially when dealing with Zhang Jue, had greatly satisfied Wei Bin. Currently, Wei Bin even considered Nie Zhenbang his closest confidant. After briefly looking over the assessment report, Wei Binughed and said, ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard these days. I feel at ease when you handle matters, Zhenbang. There aren¡¯t any major issues now, so why don¡¯t you take a few days Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t resist. Seeing that Yang Anna had already returned, it means that he probably wouldn¡¯t get any peace in theing days. Given Anna¡¯s character, she would certainly drag him to meet Dong Wan and Li Lixue. If that was the case, he would definitely not be able to work. Seeing as Wei Bin was already suggesting it, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t put on any airs, he nodded and replied with a smile, ¡°Director Wei, then I¡¯ll take my leave. If you need anything, feel free to give me a call.¡± Dynasty Club At around eight, a Mercedes-Benz C300 carrying Nie Zhenbang, pulled up in front of the Dynasty Club¡¯s entrance. As he got off, naturally Yang Anna, dressed in a white, low-cut evening gown looking just like a princess, clung to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arm. Looking over the square building illuminated by various lights, making the Dynasty Club look every bit the royal pce. Satisfied, Anna nodded, her demeanor much like a proud small business owner. Shemented, ¡°Hmm, not bad, not bad at all. Brother Zhenbang, your club is really quite nice. It has a feel reminiscent of those overseas private clubs.¡± Ever since Nie Zhenbang came a few times, the security guards at the Dynasty Club had remembered him. This was a true VIP, the very singr ck card holder of the Dynasty Club. It would not do to forget him. Upon reaching the entrance, two towering Russian security guards immediately straightened up and greeted respectfully, ¡°Boss, wee.¡± Next to these two security guards, there were two other Russian security guards. Just looking at their movements and demeanor, it was clear that these two were likely former Soviet military personnel. Following the front guards, they greeted in less fluent Chinese, ¡°Boss, good evening.¡± ¡°Brother Zhenbang, not bad at all. The boss here is very savvy. Hiring foreigners as service staff, it immediately feels high-end,¡± Yang Anna remarked from his side. Nie Zhenbang, also very pleased, nodded his agreement. Li Lixue¡¯s business strategy wasn¡¯t something an average person could match. At least, in her hiring process, Li Lixue was ahead of others. It was ingenious to employ foreigners as security guards, a strategy that could fully reflect the Chinese sense of superiority. With Li Lixue around, the Dynasty Club¡¯s leading status amongst Jingcheng¡¯s clubs was probably unstoppable. Looking at the security on the side, Nie Zhenbang also slightly nodded and smiled, asking, ¡°Good evening. Is Boss Li around?¡± The security guard was momentarily taken aback. Inquiries about Boss Li and her whereabouts were definitely not something ordinary guards would know about. However, the quality of the Dynasty Club was demonstrated at this moment. The guard quickly recovered and responded, ¡°Boss, Boss Li already instructed that you can use the internal elevator straightaway upon arrival. I haven¡¯t seen her go out today as her private car still parked in the garage. As for whether she¡¯s in or not, I¡¯m not sure.¡¯ Nie Zhenbang nodded, recognizing that hisst inquiry was indeed an overstep. He then led Yang Anna into the club, directly moving over to the private elevator behind the lobby using the side passage. He swiped his ck card through a slot on the elevator. As soon as they entered the elevator, Anna moved behind Nie Zhenbang,pletely hidden behind his imposing figure. When the elevator doors opened, Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anna directly entered the penthouse. As the doors opened, a wave of fragrance wafted in, followed by a voice which said, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re back? How ¡­¡± The voice belonged to Dong Wan, who froze in mid-sentence as Anna emerged from behind Nie Zhenbang. This time, Nie Zhenbang could be said to haveunched a sudden attack. He hadn¡¯t notified Dong Wan or Li Lixue in advance whatsoever. Upon seeing Yang Anna, Dong Wan was momentarily embarrassed. Standing to the side, Nie Zhenbang was expecting a fierce face-off. However, to his surprise, Yang Anna¡¯s behaviorpletely upended his expectations. She approached Dong Wan with a smile, grasping Dong Wan¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Sister Dong Wan, do you remember Anna?¡± P.S.: The following words are not calcted in the price, guaranteed by Old Cai¡¯s integrity. Shout out to the 40 new monthly tickets boosting the total to 165! We still have a base third update today as well as the 150 tickets¡¯ bonus update. Brothers, sisters, let¡¯s get passionate. Show off our sweeping momentum. 200 tickets is just around the corner. Forward march! Chapter 116: The Unfathomable Woman (Another 12000 words today) _1 Chapter 116: The Unfathomable Woman (Another 12000 words today) _1 Trantor: 549690339 Dong Wan was feeling an intricate mix of emotions at the moment as well, a hint of bitterness permeating amongst them. After all, she was considered a princess in her own right, the sixth daughter of the esteemed Dong family. In Jingcheng, she was someone pursued by countless individuals. Even Dong Wan herself couldn¡¯t believe that she had fallen to the point where she was nowpeting against a young girl over a man. Yet, Dong Wan understood that this was love, this was her faith. Her heart that remained calm and undisturbed for twenty years was now greatly stirred by Nie Zhenbang. Ever since their encounter at Yu Ying School, when Nie Zhenbang began to ignore her, a seed had been nted within Dong Wan¡¯s heart. Upon careful contemtion, their interactions and exchanges had not been many. However, the subsequent car race had thrown a stone into Dong Wan¡¯s previously calm life. From that moment on, Dong Wan began to contemte. After three years of separation, Dong Wan realized that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shadow had somehow cast itself into the recesses of her heart, although it remained a faint silhouette. Following that, their interactions deepened each time they met. This umtion of feelings lead to an all-consuming explosion of emotions. Losing herself in the heat of passion after a few drinks was something that came naturally to her. Shortly after, Dong Wan managed to adjust her mentality. With a warm smile and a dignified air about her, she said, ¡°Anna, of course, I remember you. Back in the day, you were always following around behind your brother An Bang. I used to look after you.¡± Yang Anna felt slightly embarrassed at the moment as she stepped forward to gently grasp Dong Wan¡¯s hand, yfully saying, ¡°Sister Dong Wan! How could you say that and embarrass me in front of Brother Zhenbang?¡± Her innocent demeanor made everyone smile knowingly. Nearby, Li Lixue also broke intoughter, suggesting, ¡°Anna and Sister Dong Wan, please have a seat on the couch in the living room. As the old saying goes, standing guests will leave quickly. Let¡¯s consider this ce as our own home.¡± Nie Zhenbang also chuckled in response. Originally, he thought Yang Anna would pull a long face, showing off her pride. If that were the case, Nie Zhenbang would be troubled about how to handle this. However, seeing Yang Anna¡¯s current behavior brought a grin to his face, as it did not fit the usual mold. Upon hearing Li Lixue¡¯s words, he joined in, saying, ¡°Exactly, exactly. This ce is my property; it is my home after all.¡± Upon hearing that, Dong Wan and Yang Anna simultaneously retorted, ¡°Who asked you?¡± This exchange lightened the mood amongst them greatly. Upon entering the voluminous suite, even the worldly Yang Anna was taken aback, her mouth dropping open in astonishment as if she had walked into a fairy tale. The real Italian leather sofas seemed to be a raremodity. As soon as the three of them sat down, Yang Anna turned to Nie Zhenbang once more, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, could you please leave us alone for a while? Perhaps go to the library and read some books? We women have a lot of things to discuss.¡± Upon hearing Yang Anna¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang burst intoughter. He found it amusing that this seventeen-year-old girl would use the term ¡°we women¡±. But seeing the three women looking at him unitedly, Nie Zhenbang quickly understood the situation and stood up saying, ¡°Okay okay okay, I will go to the library to read then. Ah, just one question¡­where am I supposed to sleep tonight?¡± This time, even Li Lixue chimed in unison with the rest, ¡°The library.¡± While Nie Zhenbang appeared disgruntled, internally he was exhrated. He had initially feared a stormy ending but was pleasantly surprised to find warm sunlight and a gentle spring breeze instead. Probably, even Yang Anbang wouldn¡¯t have expected his pampered younger sister to have this kind of demeanor. Nie Zhenbang was uncertain about what the three women were discussing amongst themselves, but starting from the next morning, the rtionship amongst the three women had improved significantly, almost as if they were one. However, Yang Anna seemed to be the primary figure amongst them. Seizing the opportunity after Anna left, Nie Zhenbang quietly approached Dong Wan and gently embraced her petite waist from behind. This sudden action caused Dong Wan, who was standing on the ninth-floor balcony and enjoying the scenery, to tremble slightly. As someone who had been intimate with Nie Zhenbang, Dong Wan¡¯s body was considerably more sensitivepared to Yang Anna and Li Lixue. However, Dong Wan didn¡¯t turn around; instead, she softly clinched Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hand. ¡°Wan, I¡¯m sorry for the difort I¡¯ve caused you,¡± Nie Zhenbang whispered into her ear, his voice low and deep. His words made Dong Wan shiver slightly. After a moment of silence, she softly replied, ¡°Zhenbang, no, don¡¯t apologize, I wholeheartedly ept everything. ¡± While saying this, Dong Wan turned around to face Nie Zhenbang, she raised her head and looked up at him, ¡°I know what you want to say. Things like family status, beauty¡ªthose are just given by our forefathers. I don¡¯t want you to feel burdened. Just treat me, Lixue, and Anna well; that would be enough. The man I fell in love with was not one to wallow in self-pity. He was that fearless Nie Zhenbang who dared to have a car race at 120 miles per hour, alerting the entire Jingcheng police force.¡± Upon hearing Dong Wan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face was filled with emotion, he thought, ¡°To have such a wife, what more could a man desire?¡± Jingcheng City International Airport At the international terminal, Nie Zhenbang, Dong Wan, and Li Lixue stand together. Over the past month in Jingcheng, their rtionship with Yang Anna has grown closer. Thanks to the connection of Nie Zhenbang, the three of them now feel like family. Moreover, ording to Yang Anna¡¯s n, their room for progress has been neatly divided. Dong Wan and Li Lixue will undertakemercial development based on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current assets and be the decision-makers for the business sector. In this way, Nie Zhenbang should no longer make any economic mistakes in the future. As for Yang Anna, she has already made her decision. Surprisingly, she intends to study international rtions in university, hoping to assist Nie Zhenbang in the future. In the golden autumn of October, the weather gradually turns cooler. At this moment, Yang Anna, with a heavy suitcase, looks downcast as she turns to Dong Wan and says, ¡°Sister Wan, I don¡¯t want to leave. I think I should return and study in our country instead. I¡¯m not going to Australia anymore.¡± Hearing Yang Anna¡¯s childish outburst, the three of them couldn¡¯t help but smile. Among the three women, Dong Wan, though subordinate to Yang Anna, holds great credibility. She looks at Yang Anna, who is pouting her reluctance, and smiles, ¡°Anna, this is not the time to throw tantrums. A temporary parting is for the sake of a more permanent reunion. Haven¡¯t you decided to help your brother Zhenbang? How can you give up so easily?¡± In front of Dong Wan, Anna¡¯s temper has no chance. Hearing these words, she fell silent for a moment before pouting, ¡°Ok then. But make sure to look after brother Zhenbang. Don¡¯t let him make another mess.¡± Nie Zhenbang, standing to one side, was left in an embarrassing situation. He gave an awkwardugh, took Anna¡¯s luggage and passport, and the ne ticket, then said, ¡°Uh, Anna, I¡¯ll go ahead and handle your boarding process.¡± Time flies and in the blink of an eye, two years have gone by. Nie Zhenbang has had afortable time at the Youth League Committee. Since the development of the Youth Civilization Program, it has received a lot of positive feedback. The program has been implemented nationwide in the second year, resulting in the emergence of city and provincial youth civilization programs, like bamboo shoots after a spring rain. Nie Zhenbang has remained steady in his position. During these two years, with the cooperation of Li Lixue and Dong Wan, a perfectbination of business and power was achieved. After the Wal-Mart Group¡¯s two years of dedicated development, its businesswork has now spread across the country. In Jingcheng, the most famous shopping mall now is Wal-Mart. At the newly opened Chanel counter within Wal-Mart. Nie Zhenbang, dressed in a ck suit paired with his 1.8-meter height and proportionate physique, fits clothes perfectly like a natural hanger. Dong Wan and Li Lixue are trying on clothes, a sight that has been repeated numerous times in the past two years. Even when Anna came back during the winter and summer vacations, the four of them shopping together wasn¡¯t umon. Two beautiful women, one cool and morous, the other with a western face. Apanied by a man, they are naturally the focus of everyone¡¯s attention. Fortunately, Nie Zhenbang seems to have adapted to this lifestyle after two years of practice and exhibits a calm demeanor. At this moment, Dong Wan and Li Lixue havee out of the fitting room. Dong Wan wears a white professional-style suit, while Li Lixue wears a ck one. Paired with Li Lixue¡¯s fair skin, both of them look dazzling, giving off a tempting vibe. ¡°Zhenbang, what do you think?¡± Li Lixue turns in a circle and asks Nie Zhenbang with a smile. Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang also stands up. He scrutinizes their outfits and then provides his observations, ¡°Hmm, excellent. The color suits yourplexion well. The design of the clothes is very good. Is this the new collection for this year?¡± Over the past two years, Nie Zhenbang has seen many such instances. At first, he used phrases like ¡°Hmm,¡± ¡°Ah,¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± ¡°Okay,¡± to rece his thoughts. But, such an obvious attempt to brush them off was unanimously objected to by the three women. As time passed, Nie Zhenbang got used to this routine. Just then, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mobile phone rang abruptly. The brick-like model represents the most advanced mobile phone of the time. However, they were not referred to as mobiles at the time, and most people liked to call them ¡°Big Brother¡±. Looking at the number on the screen, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. It was his grandfather¡¯s home number. Could something have happened at home? Upon answering the call, his grandfather¡¯s voicees through, ¡°Zhenbang, can youe home tonight? Your uncle and father are both here. Let¡¯s gather with the family.¡± Author¡¯s Note: The following content is not part of the main storyline. Since 6 o¡¯clock yesterday evening, Old Cai has been revising the public chapter content. With 105 public chapters that contain many character names, deleting or modifying numerous plots is a huge task. Old Cai has not stopped working until now. Thest two reserve chapters have been released as well. Today, two new chapters were written. In total, there are four updates with 12000 words. Old Cai has not paused the updates yet. If calcted from 8 0¡¯clock yesterday morning, it has been a total of thirty-six hours. Only at 4 0¡¯clock in the afternoon today was there an hour of meager sleep. I can¡¯t hold on anymore. Now that this chapter is done, I¡¯m going to sleep. The bonus chapter for 150 monthly votes will have to wait for tomorrow. Brothers and sisters, keep those monthly votesing! Old Cai promises not to disappoint you, no matter what. Let¡¯s hope there¡¯ll be a pleasant surprise (in terms of monthly votes) when I wake up tomorrow.. Chapter 117: Elder Nie’s Retirement (Guaranteed to update once, asking for monthly ticket) 1 Chapter 117: Elder Nie¡¯s Retirement (Guaranteed to update once, asking for monthly ticket) 1 Trantor: 549690339 When the old patriarch summoned, Nie Zhenbang did not dare to dismiss it. Over the past two years since he had returned, Nie Zhenbang had been on themittee. The old patriarch put him there when he came in, but he didn¡¯t exactly handle it himself. After that, the old patriarch adopted apletely hands-off approach. Whether Nie Zhenbang did well in his work or where he slept, the old patriarch never asked. Even during the Spring Festival in the past two years when the family gathered, the old patriarch never brought it up. This time, the old patriarch personally called, highlighting the importance of the matter. For ordinary gatherings, he wouldn¡¯t need to call himself, he could let his eldest son, Nie Jialei, or his father, Nie Guowei, make the call. ¡°Zhenbang, has something happened at home? Since Grandpa Nie has called, you should hurry back,¡± Dong Wan said while Nie Zhenbang was on the phone. Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Then Wan, Li Xue, you two continue shopping, I¡¯m heading back.¡± He quickly drove out of the Wal-Mart parking lot and retrieved his special pass from the glove box, cing it under the windshield. He quickly entered the Forbidden City. Seeing the special pass on the car, the guards naturally saluted and let him through. Upon entering the old patriarch¡¯s yard, the Nie family had gathered. The old patriarch was seated in the living room, with Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei apanying him by his side. Last year, Nie Jialei, the oldest son and legitimate grandson of the Nie family, was also reassigned from the State Council Office. He served as the Deputy County Chief in Xiangjiang County, Lang City, Yanbei Province, which was under his father¡¯s jurisdiction. Despite the distance of only an hour from Jingcheng, it¡¯s considered as a reassigned post. In fact, this was the old patriarch¡¯s way of protecting his eldest grandson; it was under his nce, in the event of any idents, he could handle them immediately. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang enter, Nie Jiamin, dressed in a neat military uniform, walked out of the living room. With a subtle smile on his face, the two brothers exchanged an understanding nce and broke into a smile. With a sturdy hug and heartyughter, Nie Jiamin and Nie Zhenbang were unlike Nie Jialei. As the eldest son and legitimate grandson of the Nie family, Nie Jialei has always been the focus of the family¡¯s care and training. Unlike his brothers, Nie Jialei is seen as more independent, while Nie Jiamin and Nie Zhenbang share a closer rtionship without such restrictions. Looking at the three stars on Nie Jiamin¡¯s shoulder, Nie Zhenbang was surprised. This kid had be a captain in just five years. ¡°Jiamin, impressive indeed. Thest time I saw you, you were just a cadet. I didn¡¯t expect you to be a captain in just two years.¡± Nie Zhenbang yed up his veteran status. Nie Jiamin sneered at this and retorted, ¡°I, a cadet? I think you¡¯ve got it wrong, old man. When I was receiving military training, you were still in the Soviet Union, or should I say, the Commonwealth now. And you¡¯re trying to act superior before me? I think you¡¯re asking for a beating. How about we test your Shape-Intent Fist sometime soon, you may not beat me anymore.¡± Seeing the aggressive temperament of Nie Jiamin, Nie Zhenbang silently nodded. Nie Jiamin had been in the Xibei Military Region alone since his older uncle was transferred to the Jingcheng City Military District two years ago. Despite having people to look after him, it was still clear that Nie Jiamin¡¯s promotion was due to his own efforts. ¡°Stop guessing. In my second year as a cadet, I was admitted to a military academy for a junior college ss. Now that I¡¯ve graduated, I just returned to the Xibei Military Region and was assigned to the Northwestern Autonomous Region Military Region.¡± Seeing the two of them joking around in the yard, Nie Jialei walked out from the living room, smiling, ¡°You two, stop dilly-dallying ande in. Grandfather has something to say.¡± They followed Nie Jialei into the living room. Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin sat down next to each other while the old patriarch looked at Nie Zhenbang, nodded his head approvingly and said, ¡°Very good. You¡¯ve both done well. You¡¯re true descendants of our Nie family. Your generation is much stronger than your fathers¡¯. Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei felt both ashamed and embarrassed by the old patriarch¡¯s bluntment, but his words were true. If it weren¡¯t for the old patriarch still being here and the Nie family standing by the right faction in several confrontations, it would be incredibly difficult for Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei to attain their current positions. A deep silence ensued. The old patriarch mulled over his words and said, ¡°Over the past year, I don¡¯t have the energy and strength I used to have. Now, the older generation has all stepped down. At the leader¡¯s request, I stayed on for a few more years. Since the beginning of this year, after the leader¡¯s Southern Inspection, the national situation has stabilized.¡± Upon hearing the old patriarch¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang felt anxious. It seemed that the old patriarch was going to step down. From what he could see, there shouldn¡¯t be much change for Nie Jiamin in the third generation, as he had just graduated. As for himself, he probably would be reassigned. Just as he was thinking, indeed, the old man changed his tone and said, ¡°Zhenbang has been doing well in the youthmittee for the past two years. Now, it¡¯s about time for him to make a move. As soon as the old man finished, the hall fell silent, and Nie Jialei¡¯s face took on a peculiar expression. A mix of envy and joy, it was quiteplicated. As the rightful heir of the Nie family, the focus should be on cultivating him. Had Nie Zhenbang not emerged, there wouldn¡¯t have been an issue with the two brothers¡ªone in politics and one in the militaryplementing each other. However, now both he and Nie Zhenbang are within the same governmental system, there ispetition. The old man¡¯sst sentence seemed to suggest that there was an intent to nurture Nie Zhenbang. This meant that the resources of the Nie family would be shared between the two. However, since they are both members of the Nie family, if Nie Zhenbang got promoted, it would serve as motivation for him. They all share the same surname; mutual harm and mutual honor are part of the family dynamics. This was also the reason for Nie Jialei¡¯splex expression. At the side, Nie Guowei pondered for a long while, and looking at his elder brother who was calm, he slowly said, ¡°Father, you are still in good health. Why notplete this term?¡± Upon hearing Nie Guowei¡¯s words, the old man red and felt a sense of helplessness. Among his two sons, the older one was somewhat better. However, his younger son seemed somewhatcking. Before the old man could reply, Nie Guodong slowly cut in: ¡°Guowei, the current situation is not because father does not want to serve, but he has to retire due to the circumstances. After this year, he will already be eighty-five. Now, among the older generation, only our father is still in position. Themanders have already handed over the military to the top leader. You still don¡¯t understand this?¡± After a pause, Nie Guodong continued, ¡°Given the situation, father taking the initiative to step down is much better thanter. At least, our posture is clear. Regardless, we must acknowledge the affection the Nie family has shown.¡± The old man nodded and said, ¡°Guodong understands better than you. Guowei, you are now a senior official at the provincial and ministerial level. You need to consider things on a deeper level.¡± The old man¡¯s words were very blunt and straightforward. Criticizing Nie Guowei in front of the younger Nie family members made him lose some face, but he knew it was the truth, so he didn¡¯t dare to say much. After a pause, the old man turned to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, among the three generations, your destiny has been beyond my expectations. Despite growing up among themoners, you possess astonishing political talent. If your maternal grandfather were still alive, I¡¯d have really wanted to converse with this extraordinary individual.¡± Even now, the old man believed that all of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s achievements were the results of his maternal grandfather¡¯s guidance. Nie Zhenbang obviously didn¡¯t say anything at the moment, simply nodding his head. Thinking of his grandparents and mother made him somewhat mncholic, ¡°The child wants to support, but the parents are not there. Grandfather, you should take care of your health.¡± The old man nodded. He seemed open-minded, smiling and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about my health. There are dedicated health doctors following me around in Jingcheng. I am doing very well. However, Zhenbang, what are your thoughts on being posted outside?¡± Upon hearing the old man¡¯s question, Nie Zhenbang fell into thought. Given his current rank¡ªequivalent to a full minister¡ªbeing allocated outside should mean a local township. After some deliberation, Nie Zhenbang finally said, ¡°Grandfather, my intention is to hope to go down and truly do something for themon people.¡± The old man clearly understood the meaning of this sentence: as a full minister, wanting to go and do practical work, meant a desire to serve as the single leader of a town or vige. However, the old man smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you are generally fine, but you¡¯re a bit too cautious. You¡¯re at home; you can speak openly. I remember, when you first entered the house, you were able to give directions even though you were not familiar with everyone. Howe you¡¯ve be cautious now? I have arranged for you to serve as the deputy county governor in Lixian, Bazhou of the Xibei Autonomous Region. How about that?¡± Upon hearing the old man¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. Regarding this location, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind was aplete nk. Why would the old man think of sending him there? Nie Zhenbang was somewhat confused. PS: The following does not count as part of the official word count and does not incur any cost. I was surprised to wake up at eight and find 224 votes. Brothers and sisters, you¡¯ve been so supportive. We are now only 34 votes behind the first ce. Can we surpass? Today, after a guaranteed three updates, there will be additional updates at 150 and 200 votes. The pressure is high. Old Cai will write as much as possible, even if it means writing until midnight, I will fulfill my promise without dy. I hope you brothers and sisters can keep voting. Chapter 118: Appointment in Northwest (Second update, asking for monthly tickets) _1 Chapter 118: Appointment in Northwest (Second update, asking for monthly tickets) _1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Baffled, are you?¡± the old man inquired with a faint smile on his face. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang nod, the old man¡¯s mood was quite good at this moment. He then chuckled, saying, ¡°During your two years in the Youth League Committee, you¡¯ve held the position of a full department level for two years. This time, with your transfer to the far-off western region, your rank is raised by half. This is a reasonable arrangement. At 22, you are able to reach the position of deputy department level. You¡¯re the first one. Your elder brother, Jialei was 24 years old when he was promoted to the same level. If you were to continue staying ind, there would be limitations due to your age. Your talents will only truly shine if you begin from the remote western region. Do you understand now?¡± Having said this, the old man immediately took out a piece of paper and handed it to Nie Zhenbang saying, ¡°Zhenbang, this is the contact number of Li Yifeng, the Deputy Secretary of the Xibei Autonomous Region Party Committee. Back when I was in Xibei, he followed me for some time. He¡¯s like a student of mine. You can visit him after you get there. However¡­¡± The old man¡¯s tone shifted and his expression became solemn, looking at Nie Zhenbang: ¡°This connection is not for you to boast about. I have already spoken to Li Yifeng. Normally, he won¡¯t provide you with any assistance. Everything will depend on you alone. This time, it will be a test for you. Are you a dragon or a worm? That simply depends on your fate. Do you understand?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. On some matters, the old man¡¯s considerations were indeed moreprehensive than his. After saying that, the old man stood up, hands behind his back, saying, ¡°You should handover your work in the Youth League tomorrow. Before you leave,e here to pick up a few boxes of wine and several packets of cigarettes.¡± With the old man¡¯s departure, the atmosphere among the second and third generations of the Nie family lightened considerably. As Nie Guodong, the eldest uncle, looked at Nie Zhenbang, his expression was quiteplicated. As the old man¡¯s son, Nie Guodong was well aware of the old man¡¯s personality. Despite treating Nie Zhenbang so harshly, the old man greatly valued Nie Zhenbang. Considering how he usually treated Guowei¡¯s family, Nie Guodong began to reconsider certain things. As for Nie Zhenbang, Nie Guodong didn¡¯t harbor any specific thoughts. In Nie Guodong¡¯s position, he wouldn¡¯tmit foolish acts such as hurting those close to him or delighting in his rivals¡¯ misfortune. Nie Guodong then smiles and says, ¡°Guowei, Zhenbang¡¯s trip is in fact a test for him by the old man. There¡¯s no need for you to worry. Compared to Jialeiang, Zhenbang is much more outstanding.¡± Beholding Nie Jialei¡¯s expressionless face, Nie Zhenbang reflected a bit on his uncle¡¯s meaningful words. However, he wasn¡¯t worried that his eldest uncle¡¯s family would do anything to undermine him, and hence modestly replied, ¡°Eldest uncle, you are ttering me. This time, I¡¯m afraid our eldest brother will also make his move. Our generation still needs to be led by our eldest brother.¡± Nie Guowei was rather dull in understanding these situations. After his son spoke, Nie Guowei also grasped the implication and heughed, saying, ¡°Eldest brother, what Zhenbang said is right. We should show respect towards elderliness. Even if Zhenbang excels, he still has Jialei setting an example ahead of him. I think all our children are doing great. They are indeed the fortune of our Nie family. I am not capable of anything. As the old man pointed out, Ick innate abilities. Now, the future depends on their generation.¡± Nie Guowei and his son¡¯s attitude somewhat satisfied Nie Guodong, who then stood up and said, ¡°Zhenbang, before you leave,e to my ce. I have several packets of cigarettes for you to take.¡± With Nie Guodong¡¯s current status, he had a fixed quota for special supply of cigarettes and alcohol each month. Several packets of cigarettes were indeed his monthly quota. Nie Guodong¡¯s words were a veiled signal of goodwill towards Nie Guowei. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang nodded andughed, saying, ¡°Thank you, eldest uncle. I was just worried about not having cigarettes, but you¡¯ve taken care of them for me.¡¯ After hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Nie Guodongughed out loud and pointed at Nie Zhenbang, saying, ¡°You young man, there you go ying poor in front of your eldest uncle again. Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know about you. You go to Miss Dong of the Dong house, go to Yang Anbang, couldn¡¯t you get any cigarettes and alcohol from Dong¡¯s father or Elder Yang?¡± With that, Nie Guodong stood up and said to Nie Guowei, ¡°Second brother, you too should be open-minded. It¡¯s inevitable that the old man will step down. As his children, we should let him rest. The Nie family eventually has to rely on the new generation to keep going. You and I have no potential anymore. Now, it all depends on their generation. I have quite a few matters to attend to in the military area, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± The next day, Nie Zhenbang arrived at the Youth League Committee early in the morning. As soon as he entered Wei Bin¡¯s office, Wei Bin, having already received the news, looked at Nie Zhenbang differently. Wei Bin had also received the information from Secretary Mu. Even though Nie Zhenbang¡¯s promotion led him to the western region, a 22-year-old deputy department level official was still a shocking spectacle. Seeing Nie Zhenbange in, Wei Bin alsoughed, saying, ¡°Zhenbang is here. I just finished your handover procedure for you. You just need to sign itter. In regards to the issue of the sessor of the sixth division after you leave, do you have any thoughts or candidates in mind?¡± Wei Bin was indeed good with people. By saying this, he was essentially handing the power to choose the sessor to Nie Zhenbang. This way, those under Nie Zhenbang¡¯smand would naturally be loyal to him, as everyone likes a leader who can bring them progress. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang would also owe Wei Bin a favor. Looking at Wei Bin, a faint smile emerged on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. There was no need for any pretense in such a matter. After pondering a little bit, Nie Zhenbang began to speak: ¡®Director Wei, first and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude to the organization and thank you for your trust and support for my work over the past two years. As for the candidates, I personally think Comrade Zheng Gensheng is quite good. Over the past two years, Comrade Zheng Gensheng has been a great help to me at work. In particr, over the past year, most of the matters rted to the sixth division were dealt with by Comrade Zheng Gensheng who has gained a lot of experience in management. Moreover, he is apetent and dedicated person. My suggestion is that the organization considers him.¡± In fact, it was clear. Ever since he started working on the Youth Civilisation, Nie Zhenbang had appointed Zheng Gensheng. Rmending Zheng Gensheng seemed inevitable. Soon, Nie Zhenbang hadpleted the handover process. As soon as he stepped out of Wei Bin¡¯s office, Zheng Gensheng was waiting nearby. When he saw Nie Zhenbang emerging, Zheng Gensheng approached him: ¡°Chief, I heard you¡¯re leaving?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, smiling: ¡°Yes, I¡¯m leaving for Xibei. Old Zheng, the work of the Sixth Division now relies on you. I rmended you to Director Wei just now. With your qualifications, there¡¯s no problem for you to be promoted to the official level. From now on, work hard.¡¯ Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s readiness to depart, Zheng Gensheng was somewhat hesitant, finally saying after a long pause: ¡°Chief, I¡­ I want to go to Xibei with you.¡± Zheng Gensheng¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang pause. While he was interested in fostering Zheng Gensheng¡¯s abilities and potential, it was too early for him to say this considering his current position and status. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang patted Zheng Gensheng¡¯s shoulder: ¡°Old Zheng, start by doing well here. There is a long future ahead of us.¡± After Nie Zhenbang spoke these words, Zheng Gensheng understood. If they were in a local area, it would be no problem for Nie Zhenbang to bring someone along for his new post. However, bringing someone directly from the central government seemed impractical. Soon after, Zheng Gensheng nodded: ¡°Chief, I wish you a sessful career.¡± Dynasty Club The atmosphere on the ninth floor was a bit heavy and depressing. Both Dong Wan and Li Lixue were gloomy, not speaking a word. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s transfer to Xibei came so abruptly that both women felt they weren¡¯t prepared. Naturally, their moods were not good. However, they both knew that Nie Zhenbang was dealing with an important matter, a decision made by the Nie family¡¯s master. It wasn¡¯t something that could be altered like changing a dinner location. Seeing the women¡¯s demeanor, Nie Zhenbang spoke up, trying to lighten the mood: ¡°Wan, Li Xue, don¡¯t be like this. This is not a death sentence, it¡¯s just moving to another ce. Is it necessary to be so serious?¡± Dong Wan red at Nie Zhenbang, then replied: ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of Lixian. I looked it up on the map, and even after reaching Urumqi, you still need to take a nearly seven or eight hour drive. It¡¯s on the edge of the desert, dry, with scarce water resources. Despite these harsh conditions, you talk about it as if it¡¯s a vacation. When An Naes back, won¡¯t she want to kill me? Why don¡¯t you pull back Long or Tiger and allocate one to apany you.¡± Nie Zhenbang shook his head. Long and Tiger were currently in Iran. The oil here had been part of his n for a long time. Nothing must disrupt it. After promising Dong Wan and the others that he would return to Jingcheng frequently, the two women finally calmed down. Dong Wan and Li Lixue then started helping Nie Zhenbang pack his clothes and luggage. On the third day, after receiving an introduction letter from the Youth League Central Committee, Nie Zhenbang boarded a flight to the Xibei Autonomous Region. After a flight of more than four hours, upon the ne¡¯snding at Urumqi Airport, Nie Zhenbang hailed a taxi and headed straight to the gate of the Party Committee of the Xibei Autonomous Region. Outside, he found a nearby public telephone booth and dialed the house number of Li Yifeng. After two rings, a woman¡¯s voice came through: ¡°Hello, who are you looking for?¡± It wasmon for leaders at a certain level in the bureaucracy to have someone else answer their home phone. This setup allowed them a buffer to avoid meeting unwanted people and they would never identify themselves first to avoid random phone calls. Whoever was capable of answering calls at Li Yifeng¡¯s house represented some form of status. So even if it were a nanny, Nie Zhenbang needed to treat them respectfully. He then said: ¡°Excuse me, is this Secretary Li¡¯s residence? I¡¯m Nie Zhenbang from Jingcheng.¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, keep your monthly ticketsing. This morning, we were only 34 votes behind second ce, but now we¡¯re already 48 votes behind. The gap has widened. We¡¯re currently at 238 votes. Can we reach 300 votes today? It¡¯s just sixty votes away. If we reach it, a seven-chapter explosion! (To be continued. If you like this work, I wee you to to cast rmendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 119 - 119 Bazhou Report (Third Update, Request for Monthly Tickets)_l Chapter 119: Bazhou Report (Third Update, Request for Monthly Tickets)_l Trantor: 549690339 Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s introduction, there was a moment of silence before another voice, a deep baritone, rang out. A heartyughter followed: ¡°Haha, Zhenbang, are you in Xibei? Would you like me to send a car to pick you up? Judging from the tone of Li Yifeng, Nie Zhenbang knew that Elder Nie must have notified him earlier. Considering his appointment to Xibei, Nie Zhenbang had done extensive research about the Xibei Autonomous Region. Currently, the secretary of Xibei is Jiang Zhenquan. Born in the 30s, he is now 62 years old. ording to the current official system, if he were to retire and be reced next year, he may likely be transferred to the National People¡¯s Congress or the Political Consultative Conference in Jingcheng. This would be hisst term as the retirement age for provincial and ministerial officials is 65, and one can only serve up to three years extension till the age of 68. The government leader of Xibei Autonomous Region is titled as ¡°President,¡± a position designated ording to the Autonomous Region¡¯s regtions for people of Uighur ethnicity ¨C an unchangeable rule. The current president is Mehmet Adijiang, born in ¡¯32, just turned 60 this year. Li Yifeng, whom Nie Zhenbang is visiting today, serves as the Deputy Secretary of the Xibei Autonomous Region Party Committee, the Minister of the Organization Department, and the President of the Party School. Born in the 30s and a Central Committee Alternate Member, Li Yifeng is also considered as an ally of the Nie faction. At 54 years old, Li Yifeng¡¯s achievements forecast a promising future. It¡¯s likely the reason why Elder Nie arranged for Nie Zhenbang to be assigned to Xibei. Listening to Li Yifeng¡¯s warm words, Nie Zhenbang politely replied: ¡°Uncle Li, I¡¯ve just arrived at the entrance of the Autonomous Region Party Committeepound. I am at the guardhouse now.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Yifeng immediately responded, ¡°Alright, Zhenbang, hold on, I¡¯ll send my son to fetch you right away.¡± A momentter, a young man around 26 or 27 years old came straight towards Nie Zhenbang. When he approached Nie Zhenbang, he smiled and introduced himself, ¡°You must be Zhenbang. I¡¯m Li Yunfan, I was sent by my dad to pick you up.¡± Guided by Li Yunfan, Nie Zhenbang followed him into thepound. Li Yifeng¡¯s residency was at the fourth courtyard of the Autonomous Region Party Committee family area; a ce where the hierarchy was still strictly observed. The first residence belonged to Jiang Zhenquan, the second to Mehmet. Adijiang, while Li Yifeng, the Deputy Secretary and Minister of the Organization Department, ranked fourth after the first and second leaders and the full-time deputy secretary. At this moment, Li Yifeng and his wife were already waiting at the gate. This shocked Nie Zhenbang, as Elder Nie¡¯s reputation was truly grand. Upon entry, Nie Zhenbang quickened his pace towards them, ¡°Uncle Li, Auntie, you are too polite. I am deeply honored.¡± Li Yifengughed heartily now, and said to his wife, ¡°Old Forest, look at this, just like when I was still a student under Elder Nie. Guowei had just got married, and I didn¡¯t expect Zhenbang to grow up this fast.¡± Upon entering, Nie Zhenbang took out from his tworge luggage cases a gift a specially reserved Maotai liquor for Elder Nie and two packs of special Panda cigarettes. After cing them on the side table, he respectfully said to Li Yifeng: ¡°Uncle Li, now that I am in Xibei, I might inconvenience you somewhat. Grandpa told me to bring you this case of liquor and two packs of cigarettes. He mentioned that you don¡¯t have many hobbies except for enjoying a smoke. These two packs should satisfy your craving.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were spot-on. Before his trip, he had asked Elder Nie about Li Yifeng¡¯s passions. Nie Zhenbang¡¯sments, however, were not taught by Elder Nie. Delicate etiquette was involved here. If Nie Zhenbang said it was his gift, then it might be mistaken as a bribe. Given Li Yifeng¡¯s status, he would undoubtedly reject it. One reason is the vast age difference between them, along with the gap in official ranking. Moreover, Li Yifeng wouldn¡¯t dare to ept Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gift without Elder Nie¡¯s knowledge. Wasn¡¯t that inviting trouble? In contrast, presented as a gift from Elder Nie, Li Yifeng wouldn¡¯t have so many concerns. As expected, when Nie Zhenbang mentioned it as such, Li Yifeng seemed incredibly pleased, gratefully saying: ¡°Elder Nie is too kind to remember my humble passion. We haven¡¯t visited him in Jingcheng and yet, he still sends us gifts, indeed, we are deeply ashamed.¡± Having said that, Li Yifeng turned to his wife, ¡°Old Forest, let¡¯s open a bottle of Elder Nie¡¯s finest liquor tonight. It¡¯s been years since I had a taste of it. Wait a moment, with Zhenbang here today, I¡¯ll cook a feast to showcase my culinary skills. ¡± Once Li Yifeng left the room, Nie Zhenbang again took out a pack of special cigarettes from his suitcase and gave them to Li Yunfan, ¡°Brother Fan, a small token of goodwill for our first meeting. These were thest few I had, conveniently taken from grandpa¡¯s study before I set off.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Yunfanughed heartily. Just like the rest of the young princes in Jingcheng, or the provincial or ministerial young masters ¨C they all had this kind of experience, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words immediately diminished the distance between them. Li Yunfan quickly took the cigarettes and put them away in his room before jokingly saying; ¡°Brother Zhenbang, you¡¯re too kind. People from Jingcheng are indeed generous. I can¡¯t wait to see what Ali will say about it.¡± Li Yunfan wasn¡¯t making false statements. Even for those at the provincial and ministerial level, special items reserved for central leaders were scarce goods among them. Usually, heads of the Party and the government at the ministerial level could ess some of them. But when distributed to these offices, there¡¯s hardly anything left. While the two were chatting, dinner was already prepared. With over ten dishes, it was quite a feast. After the meal, Li Yifeng also sat on the sofa, Nie Zhenbang immediately pulled out a white box of special supply cigarettes from his pocket, handed one over, and smiled, saying: ¡°Uncle Li, please have a smoke.¡± Li Yifeng was at ease at this moment. He took the cigarette, took a puff, looking at Nie Zhenbang, and said solemnly: ¡°Zhenbang, the old leader must have told you about my visit to Xibei this time. It was indeed me who arranged for your assignment in Xibei. But after you go there, I wouldn¡¯t be able to provide any support.¡± Nie Zhenbang had already mentally prepared for this. He nodded and said: ¡°Uncle Li, I understand. My grandfather also informed me before I came. Rest assured, I will do my best.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s calm and confident attitude made Li Yifeng, who was watching from the side, secretly nod his head. This was the true demeanor of the Nie family, something not possessed by the ordinary person. Then, Li Yifeng took out a note and handed it to Nie Zhenbang, saying: ¡°Zhenbang, the person on this note is Comrade Cheng Xinhua, the full-time deputy secretary and standingmittee member of the Bazhou City Committee. I arranged for him to help you with your appointment as deputy county head of Lixian, under Bazhou City. Comrade Xinhua was my old subordinate. If you ever need anything, just contact him. I won¡¯t see you off tomorrow, I¡¯ll have Yun Fan do it.¡± Hearing Li Yifeng¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang took it to heart. From the current situation, this Cheng Xinhua should be his support in Bazhou City from now on. Li Yifeng¡¯s decision to let Li Yunfan personally escort him there was a clear signal in itself because Cheng Xinhua must undoubtedly know who Li Yunfan is. Being personally escorted by Li Yunfan definitely implied significant influence. Regardless of whether Cheng Xinhua knew his true background or not, at least Cheng Xinhua¡¯s attitude would be different. After over seven hours of driving, thankfully, the performance of Li Yunfan¡¯s off-road vehicle was excellent. It was a genuine Mitsubishi off-roader, speeding through the Gobi Desert. They left at eight in the morning and finally arrived at Bazhou around four in the afternoon. Bazhou is located in the southeast of the Xibei Autonomous Region, bordering Ganzhou and Qingzhou provinces, with the imposing Kunlun Mountains at its back. Bazhou has eight counties and one city under its jurisdiction, with the Bazhou City Committee based in Ku City. The sunset is muchter in the Northwest Regionpared to Ind. Although it was already past four, it was barely over an hour into the afternoon shift here. The car drove straight into the courtyard of the Bazhou City Committee, Li Yunfan¡¯s license te made his passage unobstructed. As soon as he got out of the car, Li Yunfan smiled and said: ¡°Zhenbang, your grandfather is really tough, huh? I thought Urumqi was already backward enough, but here you are, being sent to this ce.¡± Li Yunfan was not part of the system. In this era, as the song says, out of a billion people nine hundred million are businessmen and one hundred million are watching. Whether ordinary citizens or officials, everyone was thinking about business at a time when the superiority of being a civil servant had not yet emerged. It was only natural for Li Yunfan to have such an idea. Nie Zhenbang chuckled at the moment, not exining anything, and said, ¡°Brother Fan, let¡¯s not dwell on that. Let¡¯s go and get the work done first.¡± Under Li Yunfan¡¯s lead, the two went straight up to the third floor. Perhaps Li Yifeng had already phoned Cheng Xinhua in advance, so when they walked directly into Cheng Xinhua¡¯s office, Cheng Xinhua was busy at his desk. As soon as he saw Li Yunfan bringing in someone, Cheng Xinhua also stood up, smiled and said, ¡°Yun Fan, what a rare visitor! Secretary Li called mest night and said you¡¯d being today, but I didn¡¯t expect you so soon. Did you eat well on the road? I had my sister-inw prepare a feast for you. Stay with me tonight.¡¯ Outside, Li Yunfan was not as well-behaved as he was at home. He casually sat down on the sofa, looked around Cheng Xinhua¡¯s office, and said: ¡°Uncle Cheng, ording to my Dad¡¯s instructions, I can only stay one night at most, I have to go back tomorrow. Uncle Cheng, let me introduce you, this is Nie Zhenbang. He¡¯s a son of a friend of my Dad. Now that he¡¯s on your turf, Uncle Cheng, I¡¯ll have to rely on you.¡± As Cheng Xinhua assessed Nie Zhenbang, Nie Zhenbang also stood up, smiled and said: ¡°Secretary Cheng, hello, from now on, I am one of your soldiers.¡± PS: It¡¯s tragic¡ªThe gap is getting bigger and bigger. At this rate, it¡¯s already the limit. Today, I still have two more updates, trying to make up for the 150 votes and 200 votes. Brothers, your support with monthly votes is my motivation to move forward. Brothers with monthly tickets, please don¡¯t hold back, give them to Old Cai, I believe I won¡¯t disappoint you. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are wee to cast rmendation votes and monthly votes at Qidian ). Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 120: Assuming Duty in Lixian (plus 150 votes)_l Chapter 120: Assuming Duty in Lixian (plus 150 votes)_l Trantor: 549690339 Cheng Xinhua nodded very pleased. Nie Zhenbang conducted himself with a calm and mature demeanor, not like a typical twenty-two-year old youth. He appeared somewhat mature and when silent, he seemed to be the same age as people in their mid tote twenties. Beforehand, Cheng Xinhua had concerns about such a young local Party and government leader. Even though Nie was only holding a deputy position, it still involved the welfare of local citizens. However, after observing Nie, Cheng Xinhua felt relieved. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang spoke with a good sense of propriety, which indicated his sincerity to Cheng Xinhua. This further pleased Cheng. Nie Zhenbang was introduced through Li Yifeng, Cheng Xinhua was uncertain about the specifics of their rtionship and didn¡¯t probe further. He couldn¡¯t pry into a leader¡¯s affairs and thoughts, he could only specte on his own. From the fact that Li Yifeng would send his own son to apany Nie, it suggested that their rtionship should be close. He had heard that Li Yifeng¡¯s deceased mother¡¯s surname was Nie, could it be a clue? Cheng Xinhua could also understand andprehend; Li Yifeng only had one son, and everyone amongst his other brothers and nephews were ipetent. Li Yifeng naturally needed to cultivate someone. Upon considering this, Cheng Xinhua smiled and nodded, saying: ¡°So you¡¯re Nie Zhenbang, quite impressive. This time in taking up your post in Lixian, you¡¯ve shattered Bazhou¡¯s record as the youngest deputy-sectional level cadre. In a young man, it is important to have a calm demeanor. But you should also have unrestrained motivation and spirit.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and immediately said: ¡°Secretary Cheng¡¯s critique is valid. I will definitely rectify it.¡± Rule of thumb among local leaders is that they like to instruct in every matter, this way it gives a sense of their leadership capability. In reality, this was just superficial talk. If Nie hadn¡¯t demonstrated calmness, then there would likely be a different criticism. After having dinner at Cheng Xinhua¡¯s house in the evening, Nie Zhenbang took the initiative to leave. He needed to be different from Li Yunfan, after all, the rtionship between Li Yunfan and Cheng Xinhua was evident. If he also stayed at Cheng Xinhua¡¯s house, it would seem somewhat inappropriate. Early the next morning, Nie Zhenbang paid another visit to the Bazhou Municipal Committee. This time, Cheng Xinhua¡¯s attitude towards him had changed slightly from yesterday. Compared to yesterday¡¯s courteous and cordial demeanor, today¡¯s Cheng Xinhua had more of a superior air about him. This was inevitable, yesterday, there was Li Yunfan there, setting a different dynamic. From today onwards, it would be a purely hierarchical rtionship. Even with Li Yifeng¡¯s greeting, propriety had to be observed. This was a principle within the system. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Cheng Xinhua showed a slight smile, and said with satisfaction: ¡°You look well. Certainly the old leader¡¯s rmendation. In this stint at Lixian, do well. If you encounter any difficulties, you cane to me. I¡¯ve already arranged things on the Organization Department side. Later, you can go directly to the Organization Department and report to Minister Fang. He will handle your arrangements.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, thenughed and said: ¡°Secretary Cheng, then I will be leaving first.¡± Watching Nie Zhenbang¡¯s receding figure, Cheng Xinhua also seemed lost in thought. The impression Nie Zhenbang gave him was too calm, to the point he didn¡¯t seem like a twenty-two-year-old youth. Logically, someone his age who has already be a deputy-sectional level cadre, should be exuding an air of confidence and ambition. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude was as if everything was taken for granted. Whether Cheng Xinhua said he needed to be more energetic or anything else, Nie Zhenbang was very polite on the surface, yet, Nie didn¡¯t seem to fear him at all. Nie Zhenbang was not an ordinary guy. On the Bazhou to Lixian Highway A ck Santana zipped along. The roads in the northwest were quite decent. At the moment, the Bazhou Municipal Committee member, Organization Department head Fang Gushan, and Nie Zhenbang sat in the car together. Fang Gushan, around fifty years old, was balding, thin, dark-skinned, and had a unique charm typical of a man of the northwest. He spoke Mandarin with a heavy northwest ent and said to Nie Zhenbang with a smile: ¡°Zhenbang, you must be psychologically prepared for your new position in Lixian. Conditions in Lixian areplicated. You should observe and listen more, and talk less during your tenure, after all, you¡¯re not part of the standingmittee. Sometimes, you need to keep a low profile.¡± In principle, Fang Gushan as a member of the Municipal Party Committee, wasn¡¯t required to be so courteous to Nie Zhenbang. But like Nie, Fang also belonged to Cheng Xinhua. Fang Gushan had also weighed and considered Cheng Xinhua¡¯s sudden arrangement of Nei Zhenbang¡¯s position. By doing so, it was also a way to get closer to Nie Zhenbang. After all, there is amon saying in the officialdom, one should not despise a youth for his poverty. Given Nie¡¯s age and his deputy-sectional rank, anyone with discerning eyes could see that he was an individual with a strong background. Such a person may skyrocket someday. Building a good rtionship at this time would certainly be beneficial. As soon as the car entered the territory of Lixian county, on the roadside, several cars were parked, and over a dozen people were already waiting. Upon seeing this, Fang Gushan also smiled and said: ¡°Zhenbang, let¡¯s get off the car together. I¡¯ll introduce you to the leaders of Lixian.¡± As Fang Gushan got out of the car, a middle-aged man in his fifties stepped forward smiling: ¡°Minister Fang, wee, wee. You¡¯re a rare guest who we could hardly invite.¡± At this moment, Fang Gushan also started tough, ¡°Secretary MO, I¡¯ll remember this statement. From now on, if Old Fang ever bes diligent, don¡¯t try to me me for it.¡± Speaking of which, Fang Gushan turned his head towards Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, allow me to introduce to you the ndlord¡¯ of your Lixian County, Comrade MO Zhihai.¡± At this moment, MO Zhihai, the permanent member of Li County Party Committee and secretary of themittee, also turned his gaze towards Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang immediately smiled back, saying, ¡°Secretary MO, hello. I look forward to your continued support and guidance in my future work.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, MO Zhihai also started to smile widely, revealing his yellow, smoke-stained teeth. As for Nie Zhenbang, MO Zhihai merely nodded in acknowledgment before turning to address Fang Gushan, ¡°Minister Fang, if it weren¡¯t for you escorting Comrade Nie to his position, we would hardly have the honor of your esteemed presence. This time, no matter what, you must stay with us for the night.¡± MO Zhihai¡¯s attitude surprised Nie Zhenbang. Was this the level of a county party secretary? Could he, without any background, have a minister of the organization department, like Fang Gushan, personally escort him? Not giving him any face in front of Fang Gushan, MO addressed him as ¡®Little Nie¡¯. To know, he was also a deputy bureau-level official. Although there was arge age difference, the official hierarchy exists here. If he was more friendly, he might¡¯ve called him Comrade Zhenbang. If less polite, he could¡¯ve used his full name, but addressing him as ¡®Little Nie¡¯ was somewhat disrespectful, especially in front of the municipalmittee leaders. Fang Gushan, a standingmittee member of the municipal partymittee and minister of the organization department, supervises the official appointments within Bazhou City. Impolitely put, even MO Zhihai¡¯s position falls under Fang Gushan¡¯s jurisdiction. So, MO Zhihai¡¯s behavior was somewhat inappropriate. The expression on Fang Gushan¡¯s face wasn¡¯t pleasant, however, he did not express his displeasure at this moment. MO Zhihai¡¯s paternalistic style was notorious. Also, he was reaching retirement age. After this term, he would definitely be reassigned to a position in the municipal government or the Political Consultative Conference for afortable retirement. This has boosted MO Zhihai¡¯s arrogance even more. ¡°Old MO, by saying this, you¡¯re literally roasting me over a fire. Which official in Bazhou City doesn¡¯t know thating here to your ce inevitably causes trouble?¡± said Fang Gushan as if jokingly. Subsequently, Fang Gushan continued to introduce Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, this is the Deputy Secretary of Li County Party Committee and County Mayor Wu Zhixiong.¡± Wu Zhixiong, about fifty years old, also came forward when Fang Gushan introduced him, proactivelyughing, ¡°Wee Comrade Zhenbang, a bright schr from Jingcheng University, I¡¯ve been looking forward to meeting you.¡± The hands of Wu Zhixiong were unusually rough, not at all like those of an official, such people generally aren¡¯t highly educated, they have worked their way up step by step from the grassroots level, even from the countryside. Nie Zhenbang also respected such officials and stepped forward to shake hands with Wu, ¡°Mayor Wu, you tter me. As a young person who has just started his career, there is still much I need to learn from a reliable leader like you.¡± After exchanging pleasantries by the roadside, the group then got into their cars and drove towards Li County. Li County, located on the edge of the Xibei basin, was quite a spectacle as the convoy flowed into the Li County Party Committee auditorium. At this moment, inside the massive auditorium, cadres from all the towns of Li County had already taken their seats. There was a banner hanging across the stage inscription ¨C ¡®The Leaders¡¯ Meeting of Bazhou City and Li County.¡¯ As Fang Gushan and the leaders from the Li County Party Committee filed into the hall, everyone attending the meeting stood up in respect. With the Party and Government in the lead, no one was foolish enough to remain seated. On the podium, Fang Gushan naturally took the central seat, with MO Zhihai and Wu Zhixiong nking him on either side. Nie Zhenbang was also seated on the stage at this moment, looking at the officials of Li County below. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s youthful face, whispers spread throughout the meeting. Next to him, MO Zhihai coughed. The meeting room immediately quieted down which demonstrated MO Zhihai¡¯s authority in Li County. Only then MO Zhihai began talking, ¡°Now, let¡¯s wee standingmittee member of the municipal partymittee, Minister Fang of the Organization Department, to announce the municipal partymittee¡¯s appointments.¡± Chapter 121: Mayor Wu ‘s Invitation_l Chapter 121: Mayor Wu ¡®s Invitation_l Trantor: 549690339 As MO Zhihai¡¯s speech came to an end, thunderous apuse filled the grand hall. Fang Gushan stood up, raising his hands to quell the apuse. He then took out a document and announced, ¡°On behalf of the municipalmittee, I am here to announce the decision of the standingmittee of the municipal partymittee. Comrade Mai Ziqi, a member of the Bazhou City¡¯s Li County Party Committee and deputy mayor of the county government, has been reassigned to Ku City. Comrade Nie Zhenbang is hereby appointed as a member of Li County Party Committee and deputy mayor of the county government.¡± When he finished, Fang Gushan suddenly turned to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, would you like to say a few words?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, understanding that Fang Gushan¡¯s gesture was a show of support. Furthermore, Fang Gushan escorting him to take office was in itself a form of endorsement. Normally, a deputy mayor who wasn¡¯t a member of the standingmittee like Nie Zhenbang could just be appointed by a deputy minister from the Organization Department of the Municipal Party Committee. Nie Zhenbang then got up and looked around. At the moment, the grand hall was silent, with all officials¡¯ eyes on him. Nie Zhenbang was really too young, even though he looked like he was in histe twenties. But even in Li County, being in yourte twenties was considered too young. Moreover, some well-informed officials had received news even before Nie Zhenbang arrived ¡ª the new deputy mayor was only twenty-two. This was indeed shocking news. Therefore, at this moment, all the officials wanted to see what kind of inaugural speech this leader, who was as young as their nephews or even sons, would deliver. There is a popr saying that you can get a glimpse of a leader¡¯s capability by observing the way he speaks. Nie Zhenbang knew this was his first major test as all eyes in the grand hall were on him. After a moment of thought, Nie Zhenbang said with a calm voice, ¡°Dear leaders, fellowrades. First of all, I want to thank the organization for their trust in me. Secondly, I want to thank you all for your support¡­¡± These two phrases were just formalities. What support? Nie Zhenbang had just arrived, there wasn¡¯t anything to talk about support yet. But the polite words that needed to be said still had to be said¡ªit was a rule. After these words, Nie Zhenbang changed his tone, and continued, ¡°Before I came here, my elders advised me. They said, ¡®To serve as an official is to benefit the people. If you can¡¯t serve the interests of the people as an official, you might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes.¡¯¡­ I believe that under the leadership of Secretary MO and Mayor Wu, we can definitely achieve greater sess in Li County.¡± As Nie Zhenbang finished his speech, the other officials didn¡¯t show much reaction, but the expression in the eyes of MO Zhihai and Wu Zhixiong was different. To be where they were now, they had been through countless political struggles and tests. From listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speech, they could already glean some information. Family elders? If Nie Zhenbang were just an ordinary guy, his family elders certainly wouldn¡¯t have said such a thing. Judging from Fang Gushan¡¯s attitude and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s age, all signs pointed to Nie Zhenbang having an unusual background. These thoughts were on both MO Zhihai¡¯s and Wu Zhixiong¡¯s minds. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival was too sudden. Any way you looked at it, he seemed like someone sent here for a stint. Wu Zhixiong looked thoughtful at this point¡­ As MO Zhihai announced the end of the meeting, apuse once again filled the grand hall. MO Zhihai and Wu Zhixiong both apanied Fang Gushan, who was walking in front. As they left the grand hall, MO Zhihai said with a smile, ¡°Minister Fang, you rarely visit Li County. You must stay with us for the night, allowing us to extend ourndlord¡¯s hospitality.¡± Fang Gushan, however, replied with a smile, ¡°Old MO, there¡¯s no need for a meal. I have more work to do in the city, and it¡¯s not too far from Li County to the city, so I¡¯ll be going first.¡± Fang Gushan¡¯s attitude was very obvious¡ªit was to show his support for Nie Zhenbang. When they met, the performance of MO Zhihai somewhat embarrassed Fang Gushan. At this point, Fang Gushan naturally wouldn¡¯t stay. As Fang Gushan left in his car, the expression on MO Zhihai¡¯s face darkened. After giving Nie Zhenbang a brief nce, he also left. Wu Zhixiong, however,ughed and said, ¡°Zhenbang, Secretary Zhihai is just of that nature. Once you interact with him more, you¡¯ll understand. Don¡¯t take it to heart. Zhenbang, I¡¯ve asked Li Lin from the government office to arrange for your amodations since you¡¯ve just arrived. Come over to my house for dinner tonight.¡± After a moment of pondering, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be troubling the mayor. This wouldn¡¯t be inconvenient to your wife, would it?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s straightforwardness and modesty pleased Wu Zhixiong. In terms of age, Nie Zhenbang could certainly call his wife ¡°auntie¡±, but in terms of ranking, Wu Zhixiong was just a division-level official while Nie Zhenbang was a deputy division-level official. There was no need for anything more than a ¡°sister-inw¡±. Nie Zhenbang responded in a very fitting manner, and there was no hesitance about the invitation he extended. He was very straightforward, which was clear in the implication. This made Wu Zhixiong quite pleased, and he, too, chuckled as he quickly replied: ¡°There¡¯s no trouble at all, just a simple meal with one more pair of chopsticks. It¡¯s decided then. I¡¯ll wait for you downstairs when we finish our work today.¡± Right as Wu Zhixiong was leaving, a woman of about forty walked towards Nie Zhenbang. She stood around 1.65 meters tall, which was fairly tall among Northwestern women. Attired in a dark,dy¡¯s suit, she seemed quite mature. Herplexion wasn¡¯t as tanned as those of average Northwesterners but was instead on the fair side. Smiling, she stepped up to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Director Nie, allow me to introduce myself. I am Li Lin from the government office. We¡¯ve prepared your office already. May I show it to you?¡± For any woman, and especially not an ugly one, to reach such a position within the system was a considerable achievement. Furthermore, it was clear that this Li Lin was incredibly personable as she was addressing a younger individual with respectful pronouns and without a trace of awkwardness or difort. This was quite admirable. As the housekeeper of the government and the director of the government office, Nie Zhenbang would definitely need Li Lin¡¯s help with a multitude of matters in the future. With a smile, he responded, ¡°Director Li, you¡¯re too courteous. I am fairly young, so you can just call me Zhenbang in the future. Referring to me as Director Nie seems too formal.¡± Even though he said this, Li Lin very clearly understood what Nie Zhenbang meant. If she were truly to address him in such a way, she would be seen ascking tact. Instead of directly calling him Zhenbang, she maintained her polite demeanor and suggested, ¡°Director Nie, let me show you your office.¡± The office buildings of the Li County Government and the Li County Party Committee were not located together, but rather separately on each side of Quli Road, standing directly across from one another. Under Li Lin¡¯s guidance, they crossed the main road and directly entered the government office building, which still retained its character from the seventies, with its red-brick exterior and green-tiled roof. All of the primary government officials¡¯ offices were located on the third floor, on ount of the building¡¯sck of an elevator. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, which used to belong to Mai Ziqi, consisted of two rooms. One had been recently renovated to serve as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office. The other room was connected to the first by a doorway. This secondary room housed an office desk, sofas, a coffee table, and so forth. It functioned as both a reception room for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s visitors and a workspace for his secretary. As per national regtions, only officials of bureau level or above were qualified for a full-time secretary. However, nowadays, it ismonce for all city and county officials to have full-time secretaries, and in some smaller townships, top governmental and political figures have simrly appointed secretaries for their own use. ¡°Director Nie, the room has been newly renovated. Could you tell me if there are any adjustments you¡¯d like to be made? I can immediately arrange for any changes. They could bepleted in a single evening,¡± Li Lin exined at his side. The entire room was very simply designed without any special decorations. On this front, Li Lin was very experienced; knowing that every leader had their own habits and preferences, she understood that the best decorative style was a universally epted one. After surveying the office all around, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Director Li, the room is excellent. I¡¯m very satisfied. However, could you please adjust the position of the office desk for me? And the bookcase can be ced against the wall over there.¡± This is how it works in officialdom. Being a neer, if Nie Zhenbang did not make any requests at all, he would inevitably give Li County¡¯s officials an impression of being too easy-going and indecisive, which might influence his authority and work in the future. But if he came in and made many changes, he would be seen as difficult, overbearing, and arrogant by the people below him. Finding the right bnce was difficult. He could neither be too casual nor too demanding. His current requests were just right. The rearrangement of the work desk and bookcase could be fulfilled by a few people. Li Lin was slightly surprised at the moment, but the look was fleeting. She promptly responded with a smile, ¡°Understood, Director Nie. I will make sure it gets done today.¡± Afterward, she led Nie Zhenbang to the residential area set up by the county government of Li County, where his amodations were set. The ce was a three-bedroom apartment in the housing zone of the county government¡¯s residentialpound the wholepound had been built less than two years ago. Complete with furniture and appliances, the house was basically move-in ready. After epting the keys from Li Lin and putting away his luggage, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°Director Li, I¡¯m sorry for making you apany me for so long. I¡¯ll invite you to dinner next time to express my thanks. Considering my recent arrival, I will need your assistance in my work.¡± Li Lin was aware that Nie Zhenbang was due to visit Wu Zhixiongter on in the evening, and tactfully replied, ¡°Director Nie, please carry on with your work. Here are my office and house phone numbers; if you need me to look into anything, simply call me. I¡¯ll be taking my leave now.¡± Once Li Lin had left, Nie Zhenbang took a box of special-edition Panda cigarettes from his suitcase, pocketed them, and left to walk to Wu Zhixiong¡¯s home. PS: Thanks to everyone¡¯s monthly passes. There will be at least six updates today with a total of 18,000 words. For those with monthly passes, please continue to support us (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, we wee you to vote for us on . Your support is our greatest motivation).. Chapter 122: County Mayor Office Meeting_l Chapter 122: County Mayor Office Meeting_l Trantor: 549690339 As a local-born bureaucrat of Li County, Wu Zhixiong could be considered the only one in the entire county who didn¡¯t live in the governmentpound. In the Northwest Region, there is never a shortage ofnd. Largest in area, smallest in poption, these are its primary characteristics. Near the edge of Li County City, there is apound that sits on about one acre. That is Wu Zhixiong¡¯s home. On the way, Nie Zhenbang had also bought a pair of beverages and some groceries from a shop. After all, it was his first home visit, and the necessary courtesy must be observed. As for cigarettes, Nie Zhenbang had already prepared them, right in his own pocket: a pack of special supply cigarettes. This was intentional on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s part. With Wu Zhixiong¡¯s status, thetter had probably heard of such cigarettes, but whether he had ever seen them was doubtful. Unless Wu Zhixiong had very deep connections, one wouldn¡¯t be able to tell. However, as a bureaucrat who climbed up from grassroots level, he should not have encountered them. In this way, gifting these cigarettes became the most appropriate n. It would keep Wu Zhixiong guessing about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s real background, but at the same time make him feel Nie Zhenbang¡¯s difference. The more mysterious the background, the better. If one¡¯s background is exposed, nobody is afraid of the well-shoed. City-level officials have a great impact on county-level bureaucrats. But as you move up to provincial and ministerial level, there is a deterrent effect, and these county officials are not so afraid anymore. When Nie Zhenbang arrived at Wu Zhixiong¡¯s front door, Wu Zhixiong was already waiting at the entrance. Upon seeing Wu Zhixiong, Nie Zhenbang quickened his steps to meet him, smiling: ¡°Sorry to have kept you waiting, Director.¡± Wu Zhixiong, on the other hand, did not put on airs. Heughed heartily: ¡°What¡¯s this about being a Director? I¡¯m just a farmer. Director Nie, young and promising, insightful, cultured, the cadre team of Li County has long needed someone like you to enrich it. Looks like my wish has finallye true.¡± This was the second time Wu Zhixiong had said something like this. From his words, it was apparent that he wasn¡¯t merely being polite, but genuinely meant it. Nie Zhenbang followed him in and promptly ced the gifts in the living room,ughing: ¡°Director, I wasn¡¯t sure what you¡¯d like for my first visit, so I picked up a few things in the street.¡± At the same time, Nie Zhenbang took out the special supply Panda cigarettes from his pocket and put them in Wu Zhixiong¡¯s pocket,ughing: ¡°Director, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re quite the smoker. These are a gift brought from home. I wanted to give you a taste of something different.¡± This exchange significantly eased the tension between the two. Now, Wu Zhixiong also took out the cigarettes from his pocket. Seeing the white packaging and ¡°special supply¡±bel, his countenance changed. Then heughed cheerfully: ¡°Now that¡¯s a good smoke. Zhenbang, you¡¯re too kind, but you knew exactly my guilty pleasure. It must have been Director Li who told you. Come on, let¡¯s sit down to dinner.¡± Throughout dinner, the rtionship between the two seemed to warm quite a bit. After the meal, Wu Zhixiong sat down on the sofa. After opening a Panda and offering one to Nie Zhenbang, Wu Zhixiong said slowly: ¡°Zhenbang, the situation in Li County isplicated. We have concentrated poptions from various ethnic groups: the Uyghurs, Han, Mongols, and Hui, all with roughly the same poption. Conflicts between the ethnic groups are significantly pronounced and very hard to manage. Now, the whole country is focusing on economic development. I¡¯ve been considering this matter too, but I don¡¯t have the ability to drive Li County¡¯s development. I¡¯m delighted about your arrival. You¡¯re young, educated, cultured, and most importantly, you possess ambition. I¡¯m considering letting you be in charge of economic affairs. Do you have any thoughts on this?¡± Wu Zhixiong¡¯s speech conveyed a lot of information. Firstly, he confirmed that Wu Zhixiong is a typical official, genuinely a good bureaucrat who works for the people. Secondly, despite his age, he is not outmoded but keeps up with the times, a fact that surprised Nie Zhenbang. Thirdly, the division of responsibilities among deputy directors isn¡¯t simply Wu Zhixiong¡¯s decision to make. ording to his understanding, Mai Ziqi is in charge of agriculture and pastoral affairs. If he were to assist Wu Zhixiong with economic work, they would inevitably have to take it away from another deputy director, Bayaer. This suggests that Wu Zhixiong stillmands a certain degree of authority within the Li County Government. Nie Zhenbang had also learned some information about Li County from Cheng Xinhua. Unlike other ces, Li County has eight towns and viges under its jurisdiction, with a total poption of over 160,000. Nearly every ethnic group has an equal poption, and all the ethnicities live mixed amongst each other. Each group has its unique lifestyle, inevitably leading to a rise in conflicts. What is most feared in economic development is ack of unity among the citizens. No matter howprehensive and excellent your ns are, if the people of one particr ethnicity support it while another ethnicity opposes or even sabotages it, then nothing will be aplished. However, Wu Zhixiong¡¯s wishes are clear. If Nie Zhenbang were to decline, it would seem as if he were avoiding difficulties. After contemting, Nie Zhenbang nodded: ¡°I will do as you say, Director. Personally, I obey the arrangements of the Party.¡± ¡°Good, the young should be ready to strive for sess. Back when we were constructing the irrigation system, our generation did not hesitate to roll up our sleeves and get stuck in with the cement. Comrade Zhenbang, I¡¯m entrusting you with Li County¡¯s economic grand n.¡± Wu Zhixiong decisively dered. The next day, nine o¡¯clock in the morning. At the Li County Government¡¯s main office building, in a small conference room adjacent to Mayor Wu¡¯s office. Usually, this is the ce for mayoral working meetings or casual meetings. At that moment, several deputy mayors had already walked in. Nie Zhenbang followed Li Lin into the room. When he saw Li Lin, a man of about fifty and slightly overweight, he chuckled, ¡°Director Li, it seems that you¡¯ve forgotten the old faces now that there¡¯s a new one. Now that Director Nie is here, you don¡¯t even look at us old guys.¡± The poprity of such crude jokes among male and female colleagues was gradually increasing locally. Li Lin rolled her eyes at thement, then retorted, ¡°Mayor Ma, I don¡¯t mind. I just fear your wife would give me trouble. By then, don¡¯t let your wife twist off your ear.¡± With that, the room bursts intoughter. They have been colleagues for many years and making jokes in their daily lives was not a big deal. Given Li Lin¡¯s status and rank, she was not that strict. Continuing, Li Lin introduced Nie Zhenbang to the others, ¡°Director Nie, let me introduce you to our partymittee¡¯s Deputy Secretary and standing deputy mayor, Comrade Ma Yunfang. On Mayor Ma¡¯s left is Mayor Bayaer. On his right is Comrade Bekri.¡± Nie Zhenbang, was also smiling, greeting each one of them with a nod. Just as he was about to speak, Mayor Wu entered the room. After sitting down, he also chuckled, saying, ¡°It seems everyone has already introduced themselves. So I won¡¯t say much. The main purpose of this meeting is to discuss the division of leadership duties within the county government due to Comrade Nie Zhenbang¡¯s transfer.¡± As soon as Mayor Wu finished speaking, Ma Yunfang from the side said, ¡°Mayor Wu, I feel that we should stick to the previous arrangement. Mayor Nie will take over Comrade Mai Ziqi¡¯s work and be responsible for Li County¡¯s agriculture and animal husbandry. This way, there¡¯s no need for a lot of adjustments and it ensures continuity in the work.¡± It was rather evident that Mayor Wu didn¡¯t expect Ma Yunfang to take that stance, and his face showed a brief change in expression. After remaining silent for a while, he finally said, ¡°I have a different opinion from Old Ma. At this time, we¡¯re almost at the end of the year. The various tasks set at the beginning of the year have essentially beenpleted. Any adjustments made now will not hugely impact the work. What¡¯s more crucial is my dissatisfaction with Li County¡¯s development this year.¡± Mayor Wu¡¯s words silenced the room as his severe gaze from under his sses had everyone thoroughly subdued. Even Ma Yunfang remained silent on the sideline. Perhaps sensing his words were a bit harsh, Mayor Wu softened his tone but continued, ¡°The economic data for this year is out. Even without December¡¯s data, it¡¯s pretty much the same. Currently, the national economy grows by more than ten percent each year. But our Li County¡¯s growth rate this year is just five percent. What¡¯s that? We arest in terms of growth rate citywide. To put it bluntly, we have been dragging down Bazhou City¡¯s economy. On arger scale, we¡¯re dragging down the national economy.¡± At this point, his tone shifted, and Mayor Wu looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Director Nie here is a talented graduate from Jingcheng University and is currently working on his master¡¯s degree in economics. He is a professional in the field, an expert. In this era where thepetent rise and the mediocre fall, letting Director Nie be responsible for the economy is undoubtedly correct. It is our responsibility to the 160,000 residents of Li County, to the city¡¯s leadership, and to the nation.¡± ¡°I agree with Mayor Wu¡¯s criticism. If Director Nie is capable, our Li County Government should use this fine ¡®steel¡¯ at the right ce. Letting people make the most of their abilities is the true essence of resource allocation.¡± Bekri also chimed in with agreement from the side. At this moment, some dissatisfaction shed in Ma Yunfang¡¯s eyes. As the standing deputy mayor, he was responsible for assisting with the economic development delegated by the mayor. This was supposed to be his job. Now, having the most important part of the economy carved out left Ma Yunfang naturally displeased. However, with Mayor Wu taking the lead, and Bekri and Bayaer sitting back to watch, the pressure left Ma Yunfang limited options and he had no choice but to harbor resentment towards Nie Zhenbang. Maintaining a chuckle, he said, ¡°I agree with Mayor Wu¡¯s criticization. I have been somewhat bureaucratic. I second Mayor Wu¡¯s suggestion. I believe that under Director Nie¡¯s expertise, Li County¡¯s economic work can certainly achieve outstanding results.¡± PS: Myputer crashed, and I didn¡¯t get it fixed until five. I finally finished the typing. Let¡¯s see how much I can update today. In any case, please support my work with your monthly tickets. I, Old Cai, will absolutely not disappoint you. (To be continued. If you like this book, please vote and subscribe at . Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 123 - 123 Secretary Candidates_l Chapter 123: Secretary Candidates_l Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang paid little heed to Ma Yunfang¡¯s resentment. In local regions, to flex one¡¯s muscles naturally incurs the displeasure of some. It was impossible to ascend smoothly while remaining friendly with everyone. In Jingcheng, the reason many offspring of distinguished families were reluctant to take lower positions had to do with these local struggles. Because once they took the plunge, they would not voluntarilybel themselves as the son or grandson of so and so. If they did, the national prestige would crumble. A family-run state would be considered intolerable under any circumstances. In fact, there were notable figures from Jingcheng who did not perform well when sent to local areas. There were countless examples of humiliated individuals returning in disgrace. Such failures impacted their once promising future, dimming its prospects. Of course, the official who returned them back would also be doomed. But barefooted ones are not afraid of those wearing shoes. Who would care about this? By the time it became known, the damage had already been done. Nie Zhenbang, after several years of probationary political career, now had his own insights. From the day he took office, Nie Zhenbang had never considered himself a ¡®good guy¡¯. Those who needed to be offended would still be offended. There was no such thing as a win-win situation in this world. Now, Nie Zhenbang clearly saw the situation in Lixian. Obviously, County Party Secretary MO Zhihai was not very fond of him. Therefore, all he could do was to follow closely in Wu Zhixiong¡¯s footsteps. As for what Ma Yunfang thought, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care at all. Right now, what he was considering was how to improve Lixian¡¯s economy. With Cheng Xinhua¡¯s support from above, he didn¡¯t care at all about others like MO Zhihai and Ma Yunfang. ¡°Oh, Director Nie, I need your help. There¡¯s too much economic data.¡± As Nie Zhenbang was deep in thought, Li Lin walked into the room holding a thick stack of papers. Nie Zhenbang stood up, took the documents from Li Lin, andughed: ¡°Li, you¡¯ve really taken a lot of trouble. It¡¯s rare for a leader like me to ask for economic data from past years. Judging by the amount of dust, it seems it¡¯s been dug out from the archives.¡± Now that she and Nie Zhenbang were familiar with each other, Li Lin was no longer as restrained as she used to be, and squarely said to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Since you realize it, that¡¯s good. I nearly choked on the dust while finding these materials. Zhenbang, you should consider hiring a secretary. Once you have a secretary, I won¡¯t have to do all this hard work.¡± Li Lin was a woman who knew how to take advantage of her femininity. However, she was outstanding in her work. It was not by luck that she managed to secure her current position. As he listened to Li Lin, Nie Zhenbang realized she was probably trying to arrange for someone of her choosing to be his secretary. However, this was not to imply this person would solely be loyal to Li Lin. That would mean no secrets could be kept safe. The meaning here was that the person rmended by Li Lin had some connection with her. Generally speaking, bing a secretary to a leader was a shortcut in one¡¯s political career, and those with rmendation qualifications were office directors. It was permissible to rmend friends, rtives, or people with indirect connections. Whether these individuals could earn the leader¡¯s trust and approval, and stay with them for a long time, would depend on their personal abilities. For such a trivial matter, Nie Zhenbang naturally wouldn¡¯t embarrass Li Lin. He said with a smile, ¡°Li, you¡¯re right, I did forget about it. These days, I¡¯ve been so busy with this economic data. If you have any candidate in mind, I¡¯d appreciate if you could rmend someone.¡± ¡°I knew you must¡¯ve forgotten. You wouldn¡¯t need a secretary these days when you¡¯re engrossed in the data. Since Director Nie mentioned it, I¡¯ve actually shortlisted two candidates for you,¡± said Li Lin, straightforwardly. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang had no change in expression, Li Lin took out two profiles and handed them over immediately. ¡°Director Nie, here are two of the more notable individuals in the Secretary section of the government.¡± Once this was said, there was no need for any direct conversation. Based on their conversation, Nie Zhenbang was certain that Li Lin must¡¯ve arranged everything beforehand. The two profiles would naturally have some differences, at least, the one Li Lin deliberately ced in front had its own significant advantage. The first candidate was rather interesting, a 24-year-old graduate from the Northwest Autonomous Region Teacher¡¯s University, and already a member of the party for four years. He had been working for a year. Under normal circumstances, a candidate like this should have been arranged by Li Lin long ago. Individuals graduating from the Literature Department of the University always proved to be good writers. Any leader should be satisfied to take them as their secretary. Why hadn¡¯t Li Lin rmended him before? Could she predict he would being? As for the second candidate, Nie Zhenbang only nced briefly. Compared to the first one, the second was not as remarkable. He looked up at Li Lin and chuckled, saying, ¡°Director Li, Yi Jun seems to be a good choice. Please ask him to meet me tomorrow morning. Let¡¯s have him work with me for a while.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Li Lin noticeably sighed with relief. At this, Nie Zhenbang revealed a small but confident smile. On the other hand, Li Lin responded with augh, ¡°Alright, Director Nie. I¡¯ll have Yi Jun visit you tomorrow. I¡¯ll let you get back to your work. If you need anything, just call me.¡± Early the next day Nie Zhenbang had just entered his office and opened the curtains, about to take the kettle outside to heat water, when there was a knock at the door. ¡°Come in!¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice fell, Yi Jun came in from outside. He was about 1.8 meters tall, a little thin, wearing sses, and looked rather schrly. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yi Jun seemed noticeably restrained, shyly saying, ¡°Director Nie, hello. I¡¯m Yi Jun!¡± Seeing Yi Jun like this, Nie Zhenbang seemed to have gained some understanding. It seemed that Yi Jun had read many books, which made him a bit introverted. This sort of character naturally leads to a mediocre first impression. However, being a secretary often depends on the first impression, which might exin why Yi Jun remained an ordinary staff. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care about these things. Confidence could be altered; the important thing was the person¡¯s nature. Yi Jun¡¯s attitude towards him was good, and he had arrived early for work, even if Yi Jun had arrived earlier. At this moment, Yi Jun appeared slightly embarrassed for beingte. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°So you¡¯re Yi Jun. Director Li should have spoken to you yesterday. There are no special precautions in being my secretary. Just do your job well. For the next few days, you can follow along and see how it goes.¡± As a leader, some necessary authority is needed. However, since he had promised Li Lin, he should at least try this out, considering whether Yi Jun was suitable. At this moment, it seemed Yi Jun had also understood something. He stepped forward to take Nie Zhenbang¡¯s kettle, saying, ¡°Director Nie, I¡¯ll handle these things. ¡± After a few days, Nie Zhenbang had gone through Lixian¡¯s economic data from the past ten years. Almost the entire output of Lixian was concentrated in the primary sector. The industry was virtually non-existent, andmerce was pitifully low. In such ces, the only way to develop the economy seemed to depend on agriculture, animal husbandry, and forestry. It seemed like the time to get moving. While pondering, Yi Jun knocked on the door and came in. After closing the door, he said, ¡°Director, outside, Deputy Director Lin Weimin from the County Agriculture Bureau has arrived. What do you think?¡± In these days, Yi Jun¡¯s work as a secretary became more mature. For Yi Jun, being promoted to the new deputy county head¡¯s secretary was like a big leap. Over the past few days, Yi Jun had clearly sensed the change in people¡¯s attitude towards him, which boosted his confidence. ¡°Deputy Director Lin?¡± Hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang paused. After taking office in Lixian, he had studied the local cadres. Nie Zhenbang had some impression of this Deputy Director Lin of the Agricultural Bureau. The reason was that Lin was also a graduate of Jingcheng University. As alumni, Lin made a deep impression on Nie Zhenbang. His duty was to oversee the economy¡ªwhile not directly rted to the Agricultural Bureau, he was curious about why Deputy Director Lin sought him. After thinking for a while, Nie Zhenbang decided to meet Deputy Director Lin. He then said to Yi Jun, ¡°Hmm, let him in.¡± Soon Lin Weimin came in. Lin Weimin was around thirty years old. In this era, bing a deputy director at this age was impressive. As soon as he entered, Lin Weimin greeted with a smile, ¡°Director Nie, sorry for the intrusion.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled and gestured towards the sofa, ¡°Hello, Director Lin, sit down. Is there anything I can help with?¡± Seeing Lin Weimin sitting with only half of his butt on the sofa, Nie Zhenbang nodded with satisfaction. It wasn¡¯t because Nie Zhenbang liked it when lower-ranking officials were cautious. It was their first meeting, and if Lin Weimin hadfortably sat down, it showed his arrogance. This current attitude was well-bnced. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Lin Weimin ced his notebook on the table and then said, ¡°Director Nie, this time I¡¯m here mainly to report on the agriculture work.¡± Hearing Lin Weimin¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Director Lin, I¡¯m not in charge of agriculture; reporting agricultural work to me seems awkward.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Lin Weimin was taken aback. In general, even if Director Nie was not in charge of agriculture, hearing the report was eptable. However, he had never been directly refused like this, creating a moment of awkward silence. PS: Roar, my potential erupted today, and I am in great condition. Here is another chapter, thanks to Ye Bo Changan¡¯s generous donation of 10,000 starting coins. Brothers and sisters, keep boosting your monthly tickets. The promise remains no change, 18,000 word updates. I¡¯m writing it continuously! (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free to rmend votes and monthly tickets at .Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 124 - 124 Block the National Highway and Collect Fees 1 Chapter 124: Block the National Highway and Collect Fees 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Hehe, Director Nie, I happen to hold a different view.¡± Lin Weimin hesitated for a moment, then quickly caught on. Just from Lin Weimin¡¯s quick response, Nie Zhenbang was rather pleased. There were many quick-witted people in the officialdom, but someone like Lin Weimin, who could respond so promptly in front of the leader, was quite rare. Generally speaking, most people would be taken aback by Nie Zhenbang under such circumstances. ¡°Oh? What kind of view? I am interested in hearing it.¡± Nie Zhenbang said with a smile at this moment. Lin Weimin nodded and said: ¡°Director Nie, I know that you are in charge of the economy. However, economic development cannot be separated from the primary industry, especially in Lixian. With virtually no industrial industry, I can foresee that economic development can¡¯t be separated from the primary industry. So, you see¡­¡± What a talent, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s evaluation of Lin Weimin rose a notch. Seeing Lin Weimin maintaining hisposure, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Director Lin is a graduate of Jingcheng University, right? Well, we happen to be fellow alumnus. Your words have sparked my interest in agriculture. Please, tell me more.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude at this moment delighted Lin Weimin. Lin Weimin was already 31 years old. To hold a deputy section rank at this age was quite impressive. Many people may never reach the rank of deputy level, and many regr section cadre in Lixian only reach this level in their forties. But, others are others, Lin Weimin¡¯s views and ambitions were different. If he did not strive for more, his life might end up like those people, who struggle till their forties as county bureau chiefs, and then, wait for retirement. This was not Lin Weimin¡¯s nature. Originally, Lin Weimin thought that he would live his entire life this way, but to his surprise, Nie Zhenbang suddenly appeared. Such a young deputy county head. Lin Weimin believed that Nie Zhenbang was certainly not the kind of person who would idly beat the system. If he could closely follow Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pace, his life would be worry-free. As soon as the news spread that Nie Zhenbang was in charge of the economy, Lin Weimin keenly felt that his opportunity hade. At this moment, listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Lin Weimin knew that it was his turn to perform. This was a test from Nie Zhenbang. If he performed well, then they would have a close alumnus rtionship. Nodding, Lin Weimin then began, ¡°Director Nie, throughout Lixian, up untilst year, the total output value of agriculture was¡­¡± Going on and on, all the agricultural data of Lixian were imprinted in Lin Weimin¡¯s brain. The notebook on the table was merely a decoration. Lin Weimin didn¡¯t even flip a page. After presenting the figures, Lin Weimin suggested: ¡°Director Nie, regarding the economic development of Lixian, I have some immature thoughts. Lixian is rich in mineral resources. We have abundant vermiculite resources, proven reserves of 28 million tons, ounting for more than 90% of China¡¯s vermiculite reserves and second only to South Africa in the world. Furthermore, I believe that there may be oil in the southern part of our county near the basin area. In this way, by seizing the advantages of the agricultural and animal husbandry industries andbining them with resource exploitation, the entire economy of Lixian would be revitalized. ¡± By then, Nie Zhenbang had already stood up. Lin Weimin¡¯s words were impressive and hit home for Nie Zhenbang. After studying Lixian¡¯s economic data carefully, Nie Zhenbang also believed that there was great potential for development in the agricultural and animal husbandry industries of Lixian. After all, with county area of more than 50,000 square kilometers, 3-38 million mu of suitable arablend, 2.76 million mu of forestnd, and 17.64 million mu of grasnd, all these data represented the great potential of Lixian in the agricultural and animal husbandry industries. Additionally, regarding vermiculite, its wide range of applications was something that Nie Zhenbang had considered. However, the matter of oil was something Nie Zhenbang had not previously thought of. Seeing the confident Lin Weimin, Nie Zhenbang became somewhat excited. Nie Zhenbang, more than anyone else, knew the importance of oil. It was the lifeblood of future economies. Inter generations, didn¡¯t the United Statesunch several wars for this very thing? Not to mention far-off ces. Even the infamous Oil City in the northwest was known for this. If there was oil in Lixian then there would be no need for Nie Zhenbang to take action, as development would naturally ur. After a brief consideration, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Old Lin, are you able to confirm the existence of oil? Do you have any basis for this?¡± At this moment, Lin Weimin had some regrets. He had gotten too excited earlier. Despite constantly reminding himself to be careful and cautious, he had inadvertently let slip his spection. There was no basis for it, it was purely conjectural. If oil does exist, all good, but if not, it could be detrimental. It would certainly give Nie Zhenbang the impression that he was impulsive and reckless. However, at this time, Lin Weimin had no choice but to fiercely continue, ¡°Director Nie, this is just a guess. Looking at our northwest region, the oil-producing areas are primarily located in several basins. Moreover, oil has been discovered on the other side of the Tahe Basin. So, I thought, since it all belongs to the same basin, could there be a possibility of oil presence here in our area?¡± At this point, Lin Weimin quickly added, ¡°Director Nie, this is just my conjecture, it cannot be counted as anything substantial. It cannot be counted as anything substantial.¡± Seeing Lin Weimin¡¯s appearance, Nie Zhenbangughed: ¡°Haha, Old Lin, you¡¯re worried that if the oil exploration team is called and no oil is found, you won¡¯t be able to report any results, right? Rest assured, I¡¯m willing to take that risk.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s disyed momentum, further cemented Lin Weimin¡¯s belief. Although Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude was friendly, the dominance exhibited in his tone was not what an average small-minded person could possess. This was the characteristic of a truly influential figure. After speaking, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Old Forest, let¡¯s do this, I was nning to go to the countryside tomorrow. You can apany me.¡± Immediately, Nie Zhenbang had Yi Jun and Li Lin make the necessary arrangements. As the deputy county head, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s trip to the countryside required notification to the office, which was essential. The next morning, Nie Zhenbang was ready. Just as he left the building, Li Lin and Lin Weimin were already waiting at the entrance of the government building. Seeing Li Lin, Nie Zhenbangughed: ¡°Director Li, I feel guilty for having you personally apany me on this trip.¡± As the director of the government office, Li Lin¡¯s main job was to assist County Chief Wu Zhixiong in handling government affairs. In theory, a deputy director from the government office would have been sufficient for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rural visit. The way Nie Zhenbang said this didn¡¯t imply any pretentious politeness. Perhaps it was because Yi Jun had be Nie Zhenbang¡¯s secretary, but for some reason, Li Lin appeared rather modest in this regard. At the moment, Li Lin alsoughed and said: ¡°Director Nie, you are too polite. Serving the leaders is my duty, so there¡¯s no need to feel bad.¡± There were two vehicles in total, Nie Zhenbang, Li Lin, and Yi Jun rode in one, while Lin Weimin and two technicians from the County Agriculture Bureau rode in the other. The group had just left the county seat. Following the national highway, they had not traveled more than ten kilometers when traffic on National Highway 28 became congested. Seeing the situation ahead, Li Lin was the first to frown. On the edge of a town ahead, many people had gathered. A thick por treey across the middle of the road, and as each car passed, people in the cars handed something down to the people below. Even Nie Zhenbang frowned at this sight. What was going on? Bandits? Road bullies? They were openly collecting fees on the side of the road. ¡°Chen, park the car to the side for a while. Director Li, shall we go down and have a look?¡± Nie Zhenbang turned his gaze to Li Lin at his side. Li Lin was a clever person and immediately nodded, saying: ¡°This is trulywless. Xiaoyi, make a call to the police station and ask about the situation. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s really going on here.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang had already pushed his way to the front. At the moment, on the side of the national highway, the entire road was blocked on one side. Now, by the barrier constructed from a few pieces of wood, a young man casually smoked a cigarette with a military green cap on his head, wrapped up tightly in a military coat. As he collected money, he endlessly said to the passing drivers: ¡°Brother, sorry. But cars passing by here killed my sheep. Couldn¡¯t find the owner, so I had to ask everyone to share the cost.¡± Drivers passing by this man naturally wouldn¡¯t say anything. However, the drivers waiting behind were murmuring under their breaths. What sheep? This seems to happen every year, too coincidental, charging five dors per car. That¡¯s more than enough to buy a whole flock of sheep, not just one. Hearing the drivers¡¯ints, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened. It was clear what was happening. This was tant extortion under the guise ofpensating for a dead sheep. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stepped forward, and looked at the dozen or so young men sitting at the roadside, sternly saying, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? This is a national highway, who gave you the right to collect fees? Look at these vehicles you¡¯ve blocked. Remove this right now.¡± As Nie Zhenbang finished his words, several young men from the Hui ethnic group had already surrounded him. The leader, eying Nie Zhenbang with disdain, answered defiantly, ¡°Who do you think you are? Cars passing this road killed my sheep. Since I couldn¡¯t find the owner, I had to resort to this method. What, taking a littlepensation is wrong now? If you don¡¯t like it, call the police and have them arrest me.¡± PS: 12000 words in, and I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to finish before 12:00 today. Old Cai is giving it his all until it¡¯s done. Call for monthly tickets! Brothers and sisters, I believe that you can all see Old Cai¡¯s effort. I also believe that the monthly tickets will appear. (To be continued. If you like this work, wee to to cast your rmendation and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 125 - 125 Reaching for Power_l Chapter 125: Reaching for Power_l Trantor: 549690339 In the Western Region, ethnic conflicts are intense. There is considerable solidarity among the Han people and minorities due to the unique environment they inhabit. National ethnic policies have, to a certain extent, alleviated these conflicts. However, issues have emerged. Relying on this national bias, some rogue individuals have wreaked havoc locally. At this moment, one such rogue exemplifies this phenomenon. A sheep, worth at most two hundred yuan ¡ª and that¡¯s an overestimate considering current prices ¡ª isn¡¯t of significant value. However, he used the death of a sheep as an excuse to extort a road toll of five yuan per car. Highway 28 is a major artery in the Northwest Region and a crucial transit route connecting with the ind. It amodates thousands of vehicles daily. Just now, both sides of the road were blocked with at least five hundred vehicles. This rogue has recouped not just the price of one sheep, but almost a whole flock. Moreover, he was brazen about it because he had an excuse. His arrogant speech made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression turn sour. At this moment, Li Lin and Yi Jun had both rushed over. Seeing this man¡¯s performative audacity, Yi Jun stepped up and sternly demanded, ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? This is Director Nie. Remove your blockade immediately. Disperse the traffic. Look at what a mess you¡¯ve created.¡± When Yi Jun finished, the ostensible ring leader sneered, showing no fear. He eyed Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard we have a new junior director in Li County. Now that I see you, you truly are a junior.¡± The rogue changed his tone altogether, disdainfully dering, ¡°So what if you¡¯re Director Nie? I¡¯m not a thief or a robber. My sheep was hit and killed. I¡¯m collecting a single day¡¯s fee. That is still considered cheap. You should be grateful I don¡¯t charge it daily.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang kept hisposure. Surely, this gang had an experienced advisor guiding them from behind, helping them build such a convincing ruse. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t believe for a second that these rogues would only collect fees for one day; they were incapable of such restraint. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang once again addressed the man, ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s say your sheep was hit and killed indeed, but a sheep doesn¡¯t cost so much, you shouldn¡¯t need to collect fees for an entire day. What you¡¯re doing is a vition of nationalws, and you will be held ountable.¡± The rogue manughed heartily, ¡°It was indeed a sheep that died. But it was pregnant. If we calcte based on a yield of onemb per year, you tell me how much debt I¡¯m in.¡± Nie Zhenbang was aggravated. That was a ¡®chicken-or-egg¡¯ argument. If one extrapted sheep births that way, a month-long tax wouldn¡¯t be far-fetched. This man was just being difficult and ying dumb. Just as he was about to retort, a voice emerged from behind, ¡°Ma Ergou, you rascal. You¡¯re extorting motorists again. It seems like you¡¯re nning to spend New Year¡¯s in jail.¡± Looking towards the voice, several uniformed policemen emerged from the crowd. The leading officer appeared to be in histe forties, and the speaker seemed to be around forty. Rogues like Ma Ergou had no fear of governors, no matter what their rank. They figured, ¡®So what can you really do to me? Try and fight me?¡¯ If a fight broke out, rogues like him would relish in it, they thrive on such conflict. However, that would undermine the dignity of the officials who¡¯d be reduced to scuffling in the street, ending their political career. In contrast, police officers were the rogues¡¯ greatest fear. Upon hearing the policeman, Ma Ergou immediately changed his demeanor, shivering, and chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Officer Wang, how could that be with you around? How would I dare collect fees? I¡¯ll dismantle it right away. Allow the vehicles to pass.¡± At this moment, a few police officers also walked towards Nie Zhenbang. The leading officer chuckled and apologized, ¡°Director Nie, I apologize for this unfortunate scene. Li Lin introduced him to Nie Zhenbang,¡±Director Nie, this is ourrade from the Li County Party Committee. He is also the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee and the Director of the Public Security Bureau, Zhao Kunlun.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang understood why Zhao Kunlun¡¯s attitude was rather indifferent. As a member of the countymittee and secretary of the Political and legalmittee, Zhao Kunlun, was a ranking officer. His rank was in some ways higher than Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rank. For an officer of his ranking, his response was quite adequate. ¡°Secretary Zhao, you¡¯ve taken a burden off my shoulders. I must admit that these rogues were unaffected by my authority, but they dispersed as soon as you arrived. You really are the stabilizing pin of Li County,¡± Nie Zhenbang said while smiling. These harsh words seemed to make Zhao Kunlun somewhat awkward. Such a significant matter, collecting tolls on the highway, for such a long time, anyone could see that Ma Ergou would not have dared to do so tantly without the explicit approval of the local police. Now, Nie Zhenbang was indirectly expressing his dissatisfaction. Zhao Kunlun¡¯s expression changed, but he smiled and said, ¡°Director Nie, you tter me. I¡¯m no goddess of the sea. But in any case, you are now in charge of Lixian¡¯s economic work. The overall economy of our Lixian is dependent on you, Director Nie. I have many things to deal with in my office. I will excuse myself from keeping youpany.¡± After this farce, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mood became slightly gloomy. He had originally thought that he was familiar enough with the bureaucratic system and the grassroots level after years of cultivating in the Communist Youth League. However, when Nie Zhenbang really got to the grassroots level, he discovered that things are not as simple as he thought. In the officialdom, it seemed that he had lost all his advantages. His memories from his previous life yed little role here. After all, in his previous life, Nie Zhenbang had never been within the system. As for the experience in the officialdom, it¡¯s even morecking. Moreover, from the current view, not being a member of the standingmittee is a disadvantage from the beginning and it brings many restrictions. Just like now, even though he is a deputy county head, he is being defied by a punk. If he were a member of the standingmittee, perhaps Zhao Kunlun¡¯s attitude wouldn¡¯t be as it is now. As led by Lin Weimin, a group of people came to Muhe Township, located 60 miles away from Li County City. Upon seeing the infinite grasnd, Lin Weimin introduced. ¡°Director, look at this lush grasnd, it¡¯s a prosperous pasture. We have only 80,000 heads of cattle and sheep in our county each year, which is quite a wastepared with the 17 million acres of pasture. There is still much potential to be discovered.¡± In Wu Zhixiong¡¯s office At this moment, Nie Zhenbang sat on the sofa across from Wu Zhixiong. Having carefully read through Nie Zhenbang¡¯s economic development n, Wu Zhixiong took off his sses, looked up at Nie Zhenbang, and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re indeed capable, your n is exceptional.¡± At this time, Nie Zhenbang had walked up to Wu Zhixiong, took out a box of special supply Panda cigarettes, passed one over, and said with a smile, ¡°Director, there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure whether I should say.¡± Wu Zhixiong started tough too, epted the cigarette from Nie Zhenbang. The rtionship between the two had grown closer in these few days, and Wu Zhixiong now considered Nie Zhenbang to be one of his own. He had noints about his current attitude, and justughed, ¡°Your cigarettes are indeed smoother. Boy, you can always be frank, no need to beat around the bush, that¡¯s not like you.¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled, ¡°Director, don¡¯t be angry with what I¡¯m about to say.¡± Seeing Wu Zhixiong¡¯s smiling expression, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Director, my purpose with this n is clear. At present, our Li County has a lot of potential to be developed in the primary industry. If we execute this well, Li County¡¯s economy will improve. Additionally, the mining of vermiculite and the n for tourism development, after considering carefully, our Li County roast wholemb is well-known in and outside the region, along with Luobu Ren Vige. These are all great tourist attractions. If nned well, they can have an incalcble effect on the development of Li County. I mean, should the county government set up an economic development leadership team. And, I think, if I were to lead it, there would be too many restrictions. It would be better if you personally do it.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Wu Zhixiong frowned, pondered for a moment, and thenughed and scolded, ¡°You boy, you¡¯re beating around the bush. If you want to be part of the standingmittee, just say it directly. Don¡¯t be embarrassed.¡± Actually, Wu Zhixiong was also very surprised. The decision to enter the County Committee should be decided by the Bazhou Municipal Committee and should not be in control of the Li County Party Committee. However, they did have the right to rmend. As for Nie Zhenbang directly asking for a promotion, Wu Zhixiong found it rare in history. But he understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s concerns were not unreasonable. As the main person in charge of Li County¡¯s economic development, without being in the standingmittee, his influence and credibility would be much less. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s request may not entirely be for his own sake. Wu Zhixiong pondered for a while, then made up his mind and said, ¡°Zhenbang, here is the deal ¨C I¡¯ll go to the city and talk to Mayor Feng about your case today. Meanwhile, I think you should report your n to Old MO and try to gauge his attitude. Regarding the standingmittee, don¡¯t get excited yet. I don¡¯t know the city¡¯s attitude at the moment. For now, you should focus on your work. You can¡¯t quit halfway, understand?¡± Hearing Wu Zhixiong¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang chuckled and said, ¡°Director, rest assured. Don¡¯t you trust me when I do things?¡± PS: The fifth release, 15000 words, is as much as my dizzy brain can push out. It¡¯s already 12 0¡¯clock. I¡¯m sorry for not being able toplete the 18000 words I promised today. However, I¡¯ll make up for the sixth release around midnight. The updates tomorrow will resume as usual. This 250th monthly vote update, dear brothers and sisters, please keep voting. (To be continued. If you like this work, pleasee to the starting point ) and cast your rmendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 126 - 126 Arguing with the County Committee Secretary_l Chapter 126: Arguing with the County Committee Secretary_l Trantor: 549690339 Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Wu Zhixiong felt like he was observing a younger generation. Nie Zhenbang was a man whose background was shrouded in mystery, a fact Wu Zhixiong had affirmed from the continual supply of special cigarettes Nie took from his own pocket. The main reason Wu Zhixiong treated Nie Zhenbang differentlyy in two areas. Firstly, Wu Zhixiong himself was limited by his capabilities, and felt somewhat deficient in developing the economy of Lixian. The emergence of Nie Zhenbang was something Wu Zhixiong hoped for ¨C someone to take the reins. Secondly, Wu Zhixiong had his own agenda. His age was no longer a secret and his room for advancement was limited, even with a further promotion, he would only be At the top of the countymittee. But Nie Zhenbang was different. With his potential, theirbined efforts could possibly benefit his own children in the long run. What Wu Zhixiong hadn¡¯t anticipated, however, was Nie Zhenbang taking the initiative to seek a government position. It was widely frowned upon in the bureaucratic circle to openly seek an official post as it suggested strong utilitarian motives. At that moment, listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, he didn¡¯t feel any displeasure. On the contrary, he felt somewhat pleased. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s candidness in front of him indicated trust and was a promising start. Furthermore, Wu Zhixiong was quite impressed with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n for economic development. Should it be executed sessfully, Lixian could be a star county not just within the region but also countrywide. After pondering for a while, Wu Zhixiong replied slowly, ¡°Zhenbang, as I always say, I will do my best to present your case to the citymittee and government. Given the overall economic situation, it is indeed difficult to do your job effectively without being unconventional. You should also try to make some moves from your end if possible.¡± Wu Zhixiong¡¯s suggestion was clear, to use their collective power and influence within the city for Nie¡¯s benefit. Given the special circumstances, it might just work out. Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, I¡¯ll head over to the countymittee first.¡¯ With that, Nie Zhenbang exited Wu Zhixiong¡¯s office and crossed the street to the third floor. After knocking and being warmly invited in, Nie Zhenbang entered and seeing MO Zhihai¡¯s secretary, politely enquired, ¡°Director He, is Secretary MO avable? I have some work to report to him.¡± Typically, the secretary to a County Committee Secretary also served as the Deputy Director of the office or the Head of the Secretary Section. It was customary. Addressing him this way was courteous and respectful. MO Zhihai¡¯s secretary was He Bingquan, a man in his thirties of modest height but emitted a sense of steadiness. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, he rose and warmly weed him, ¡°Director Nie, such a surprise! Secretary MO is avable. Director Cao of the County Health Bureau is with him at the moment. Why don¡¯t you wait on the sofa for a moment? I¡¯ll go in and let him know.¡± It was typical protocol in the bureaucracy that one had to report their work to their superiors, unless they had been summoned beforehand. However, it wasn¡¯t long before He Bingquan returned looking troubled, ¡°Director Nie, I¡¯m afraid Secretary MO is currently preupied. Perhaps you could wait a little longer?¡± After waiting for half an hour, He Bingquan went in again and returned shortly after, smiling, ¡°Director Nie, Secretary MO is free now. Please, go in.¡± Upon entering the office, Nie Zhenbang greeted with a smile, ¡°Secretary MO, sorry for the interruption. I¡¯ve been meaning to report to you my work after taking office. This time, I specifically wanted to discuss our county¡¯s economic development.¡± But at that moment, MO Zhihai continued to look at the papers on his desk without giving Nie a second nce, responding indifferently, ¡°Director Nie, have a seat on the sofa. Let me finish dealing with these matters first.¡± This waitingsted for another half an hour, causing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows to furrow. MO Zhihai had not turned a page of his documents in all that time. If Nie were a regr section-level official, such a snub from MO would be entirely justified as an expression of dissatisfaction. However, as a deputy-office level cadre, Nie had already spent half an hour outside and another half an hour inside the office. MO Zhihai¡¯s behavior was rather excessive. However, under these circumstances, although Nie Zhenbang was dissatisfied, he couldn¡¯t just drop everything and walk away. This is a principle issue. Regardless of what MO Zhihai might say, at least on the surface, he has spoken up about certain matters that need to be dealt with. If Nie Zhenbang were to just walk away now, it would be interpreted differently, leaving the impression of a leaderless, unorganized situation. MO Zhihai would only need to slightly mention this, and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s role as deputy county mayor might reach its end. At this moment, MO Zhihai finally looked up, and seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current demeanor, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, he then said: ¡°Ah, Director Nie, you¡¯ve kept me waiting. It¡¯s not often that youe. Do you have any issues?¡± MO Zhihai continually referring to him as ¡®Director Nie¡¯ held an undertone of disdain; it was clear he didn¡¯t consider Nie Zhenbang as someone important. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression turned gloomy, thinking that MO Zhihai was being immensely arrogant. Suppressing his anger, Nie Zhenbang knew this was not the time tosh out. Looking at MO Zhihai, he ced the n he was holding onto the table and calmly said, ¡°Mr. MO, this time, Director Lin Weimin of Agriculture and I have conducted a detailed survey on the development of agricultural and pastoral areas throughout the county. This is the county¡¯s economic development n I¡¯vepiled, which I¡¯ve already reported to Mayor Wu. I wanted to present this to you and ask for your guidance.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, MO Zhihai¡¯s expression darkened. He was displeased with the rtionship between Wu Zhixiong and Nie Zhenbang. He quickly scanned the documents on the table and then said, ¡°Ah, Director Nie. Personally, I think this n is too superficial. I don¡¯t see the necessity of implementing it. Our Lixian is developing very well. This year, I estimate the economic growth rate can reach about seven percent.¡± As soon as MO Zhihai¡¯s words fell, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. A mere nce over the dozen pages of development n. Was he some sort of genius with a photographic memory? More importantly, MO Zhihai¡¯s dismissive attitude was clear ¨C regardless of his n, he would not support it. It¡¯s true that the county party secretary is responsible for the party. Still, typically in China, the economic development and various affairs in the county need the approval of the county party secretary. After all, the county party secretary is the top authority. Seeing MO Zhihai¡¯s attitude, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s anger red. He stood up and said: ¡°Mr. MO, don¡¯t you think yourments were rather inappropriate?¡± His words instantly darkened MO Zhihai¡¯s face. MO Zhenhai¡¯s domineering style was notorious throughout Bazhou City. It could even be said that MO Zhihai was essentially a local emperor in Lixian. But right now, Nie Zhenbang was openly challenging him. Even though they were in his office without any other witnesses, it was enough to rile up MO Zhihai¡¯s sensitive nerve. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, MO Zhihai sternly said: ¡°Comrade Nie, what do you mean by this? Are you questioning me?¡± After a pause, MO Zhihai continued: ¡°Comrade Nie, I think as the county party secretary, I don¡¯t need to be taught by you.¡± At that moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words had thoroughly angered MO Zhihai. It was no wonder that MO Zhihai had taken such a dislike to Nie Zhenbang. He was on the verge of retirement, and had originally intended for his nephew to seed him. But his n was unexpectedly usurped by Nie Zhenbang. Of course, MO Zhihai wouldn¡¯t be pleased. If Nie Zhenbang had been demure, he might have been tolerated. But now he had presented an economic development n. MO Zhihai was sure not to make things easy for Nie Zhenbang. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang was pushing back, giving MO Zhihai the feeling of being challenged. Their conversation started out somewhat courteous with him referring to him as ¡®Director Nie¡¯, but now he was directly addressing him as ¡®Comrade Nie¡¯. ¡°Mr. MO, as an oldrade, of course you don¡¯t need me to teach you anything. However, as a county party secretary, shouldn¡¯t you show some respect to the results of others¡¯ hard work? You rejected my n without even reading it. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit too much? Now, I ask you, can you tell me the specific content of my n? As the party secretary, it¡¯s only right to respect you. But you shouldn¡¯t belittle the fruits of others¡¯bor so much.¡± Nie Zhenbang was getting fired up. You think you¡¯re so great? That you¡¯re the party secretary? I¡¯m not going to kowtow to you. In a public setting, to maintain the prestige of the county party secretary, perhaps Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t dare be so bold. But here, inside MO Zhihai¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang no longer had any reservations. If things escted, it would clearly be MO Zhihai who was in the wrong. If it were to be made public, it would be MO Zhihai humiliating himself. As for having to suffer any repercussions, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care. Economic development was the business of the county government. As long as his n could be implemented, he could vie for a position in the Standing Committee. What could MO Zhihai do then? Hearing what Nie Zhenbang had to say, MO Zhihai trembled all over, pointed a finger at Nie Zhenbang, his mouth moving a few times. He hadn¡¯t imagined that Nie Zhenbang would be so bold and challenge his authority. His voice trembling, he stuttered, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ get out of my office right now.¡± PS: 18000 words. Even though an unexpected situation urred today, it¡¯s finally done. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote and support it on .Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 127: The Cheerleading Team is Here 1 Chapter 127: The Cheerleading Team is Here 1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡± Get out. Secretary MO, you don¡¯t need to ask me to leave, I¡¯ll do it naturally. Moreover, this n, I was prepared to implement. Since you do not agree, so be it. To begin with, I never expected you to agree.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang hadpletely let go. Since he had already offended MO, why not go a little further? As he left, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t forget to pick up the n from the table. Seeing the back of Nie Zhenbang as he walked away, MO Zhihai was furious. He pped his hand on the desk and roared, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯ll pay for this.¡± The saying goes that in the officialdom, if family rtions are used as a metaphor, the county party secretary is like the husband and the county mayor is like the wife. As for the other deputy positions, they are like maids who warm beds for concubines. But at this moment, it seems to MO Zhihai that these roles are reversed. He feels like he is less than a maid. In fact, MO Zhihai is at a loss for words. If it was in any other aspect, he would have ways to deal with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s audacity. But now, he is the one in the wrong. Usually, MO Zhihai would handle matters like this in the same way. However, he didn¡¯t expect Nie Zhenbang to lose his temper so directly this time. A deputy bureau-level official, reporting on his work, was directly rejected without even being looked at. This is not a matter of political differences, it is a matter of basic disrespect. Then, MO Zhihai sat down with a dark expression. Now it seems that this n will definitely be discussed at the Standing Committee in the future. By then, Nie Zhenbang will realize how formidable he can be. As soon as he walked out of the countymittee office building, the pager at his waist rang unexpectedly. Looking at it, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart sank. It was a call from An Na ¨C it seemed that she was back from vacation. As soon as he answered, An Na¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, where are you? Dong Wan, Li Xue, Kun and a few friends from our side are in Lixian now. We¡¯re just at the Li County Hotel.¡± Upon hearing Yang Anna¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. He had not expected that she would reallye. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang responded on the phone, ¡°You guys wait there, I will be there soon.¡± When Nie Zhenbang arrived at the Li County Hotel, Yang Anna and others had gathered in the hotel lobby, where Liu Kun was chatting with two young people. As soon as Nie Zhenbang entered the room, Yang Anna, who has sharp eyes, immediately bounded over, squealing, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, I missed you so much. Why did youe to such a remote ce? It¡¯s so deste. How about I go back and plead with my grandfather to let youe back, is that OK?¡± Hearing Yang Anna¡¯s words, everyone shook their heads in disbelief. This girl thought Nie Zhenbang had been banished to the frontier by the elder of the Nie family. Liu Kun also came over with a smile, ¡°Anna, Brother Zhenbang didn¡¯t get assigned here, and he doesn¡¯t need your grandfather¡¯s permission to leave. Your dad alone would be enough.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Yang Anna scrunched up her nose, ¡°Stinky Kun, I said, don¡¯t call me Anna.¡± After the incident with Liu Kun at the Youth Leaguemittee, the rtionship between Liu Kun and Nie Zhenbang had considerably cooled. Now, seeing Liu Kun again was rather unexpected for Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, Liu Kun stepped forward and introduced, ¡°Third Brother. Let me introduce you, this here is Qian Jin, son of Qian Zhenye, the standingmittee member of the Xibei Autonomous Region¡¯s partymittee and party secretary of Urumqi. Jin, this is the Third Brother I told you about.¡± Qian Jin, about twenty-six years old and about 1.7 meters tall, had the fashionable hairstyle. He wore a leather jacket and a fur coat outside. His demeanor was very graceful. He had heard about Nie Zhenbang from Liu Kun. In Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang was a big shot. He stretched out his hand and said, ¡°Third Brother, nice to meet you. I¡¯ve often heard Kun talk about you. I¡¯ve visited the Dynasty Club several times without meeting you. Finally, I get to see your real face. My name is Qian Jin, which means ¡®getting money¡¯ when it¡¯s reversed. From now on, you can just call me Money-lover.¡± Meanwhile, one of the girls who had been chatting with Dong Wan and the others came over. Without waiting for someone else to introduce her, she offered her hand, ¡°Nice to meet you, Brother Nie. I¡¯m Wu Qingyi.¡± She was very straightforward, which seemed to fit Wu Qingyi¡¯s personality well. She had short, neat hair and simple clothes. At first nce, she looked like a very forthright girl with a boyish character. Meanwhile, Dong Wan stepped forward and introduced, ¡°Zhenbang, you don¡¯t know, right? There is a connection between Qingyi¡¯s family and your family. Qingyi¡¯s father is now themander of the Xibei military subdistrict. Back in the day, (-ungyi¡¯s father used to serve as a bodyguard to Grandfather Nie.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang takes it seriously. It¡¯s not just anyone who could serve as Grandfather¡¯s bodyguard. This is clearly not just the kind of connection Qian Jin has. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang extends his hand, ¡°Qingyi, nice to meet you. In the future here in Xibei, I¡¯ll need your help.¡± After the initial greetings were done, Nie Zhenbang also walked to the hall¡¯s bar. Everyone in Li County was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status. At this moment, Liu Zhifang, deputy director of the county partymittee office and head of the reception department (also doubling as the manager of Li County Hotel), had alreadye up to greet him. Standing about 1.65 meters tall, Liu Zhifang was considered rather short in Xibei region. The man weighed at least 160 kilograms, looking round and plump. Liu Zhifang had now walked up to him, smiling and saying, ¡°Director Nie, your rooms have been arranged. We have prepared the best room avable for you, in total six rooms. Is there anything else that is not to your satisfaction?¡± Nie Zhenbang found Liu Zhifang¡¯s arrangements very satisfactory. Without any deliberation from his side, arrangements were promising and he thanked Liu, ¡°Manager Liu, you¡¯ve made good arrangements. Thank you. But I have to trouble you with preparing a private room for us. Please arrange for dinner as well. ¡± At this moment outside the hotel, MO Zhihai, apanied by a group of people, entered. Seeing Qian Jin, MO Zhihai immediately came over to greet him. MO Zhihai recognized Qian Jin, a well-known figure in Xibei¡¯s political circle. This year, at the age of 48, Qian held the position of party secretary of the Xibei province and was also a standing member of the Xibei Autonomous Regionmittee. This obviously indicated that he was heading towards the position of vice secretary or even secretary of themittee. Someone like him was certainly noted by Xibei¡¯s officials, especially MO Zhihai. MO Zhihai had met Qian Jin at a gathering hosted by Bai Zhou¡¯s deputy secretary, Zhao Fei. Seeing Qian now, MO Zhihai was delighted. The young master was unexpectedly in Li County. This was a rare opportunity to forge a connection. Shortly after that, MO approached Qian, feigning a look of surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Secretary Qian¡¯s son? Hi, hi. What brings you to Li County today?¡± Listening to MO Zhihai, Qian Jin was somewhat confused. Seeing MO Zhihai, Qian Jin was stunned for a moment, unable to remember where he had met him. However, given that Mo¡¯s first words were about Secretary Qian, Qian Jin dared not to take it lightly. After all, if it turned out to be a friend of his father¡¯s, wouldn¡¯t he make his father lose face? Thinking about this, Qian Jin still was a bit baffled, looking at MO Zhihai and asking tentatively: ¡°Excuse me, may I ask who are you¡­?¡± Sensing the numerous officials around, and seeing that Nie Zhenbang was with several women at the moment, MO Zhihai was in a dilemma. However, if he could establish a rtionship with Qian Jin, his own future would be secure. He could finally stop worrying about his son¡¯s future. Having the rising Secretary Qian as a backer could guarantee a bright future. MO Zhihai slightly embarrassed at the moment, it was clear from what Qian Jin said that he didn¡¯t remember him and was asking for an introduction. Then, without any embarrassment, MO Zhihaiughed and said, ¡°Little Qian, it seems like the wealthier a person is, the more forgetful they be. Last time, at Bai Zhou city, at Secretary Zhao¡¯s house¡­¡± As soon as MO Zhihai spoke, Qian Jin seemed to remember, and said as if suddenly realizing, ¡°Ah, right, right. Secretary MO right, I remember you were the county partymittee secretary, is it of Li County?¡± Hearing Qian Jin¡¯s words, MO Zhihai¡¯s face lit up with joy and he nodded, ¡°It¡¯s such an honor to be remembered by you, young master Qian. Since you are here today, why don¡¯t I host a casual dinner for you and your friends here?¡± At that moment, Nie Zhenbang subtly shook his head at Liu Kun, then headed towards the room with Dong Wan and others. Now, with MO Zhihai¡¯s invitation, Qian Jin was a bit embarrassed. Considering that Nie Zhenbang was serving in Li County as the party secretary, it seemed proper to have dinner together. However, Liu Kun understood. The deep friendship forged over many years was not bragging. With just one gesture from Nie Zhenbang, Liu Kun knew what to do. He didn¡¯t wait for Qian Jin to speak, andughed, ¡°Money crazed, I think we should pass. Now that Brother Three has readied everything, we should eat here. So, why don¡¯t you just stay here first?¡± Actually, Liu Kun¡¯s words were meant to provoke Qian Jin knowingly. With their acquaintances met at the Dynasty Club, Qian Jin was aware of Liu Kun and others¡¯ background. At this moment, Qian Jin also understood what was happening. It was clear at a nce who was more important. Immediately, Qian Jin also smiled and said: ¡°Well, Secretary MO, I am sorry. This time we came to see a friend who also happens to be posted in Li County, I will have to do without your hospitality today.¡± At this moment, MO Zhihai alsoughed sheepishly and said, ¡°Little Qian, don¡¯t be so courteous. There will be other opportunities. Since you have made arrangements, I won¡¯t stall you further.¡± Seeing Qian Jin and others enter the private room reserved by Nie Zhenbang, MO Zhihai¡¯s face turned increasingly embarrassed. PS: Old Cai feels too humiliated to show his face, our whopping 18,000 characters were not as attention-grabbing as the random howlings of others. We only have 70 votes now, creating a gap of 110 votes. Their book hasn¡¯t even entered the premium channel, that means it hasn¡¯t reached an average of 3,000 views. Is it that we, brothers, are not efficiant enough, or is it that the moral quality of Old Cai is not good enough? I¡¯mpletely distressed. I even dream about monthly votes. (To be continued. If you like this book, please vote for it at . Your support means the most to me..) Chapter 128 - 128 Secretary MO’s Transformation 1 Chapter 128 - 128 Secretary MO¡¯s Transformation 1 Chapter 128: Secretary MO¡¯s Transformation 1 Trantor: 549690339 As MO Zhihai entered, he saw Nie Zhenbang and Qian Jin chatting andughing together yet, he chose to ignore it. MO Zhihai was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s connections. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be possible for someone so young to hold such a high-ranking position, and even serving as a leading official. Nie Zhenbang was not only parachuted directly into his position, but was also escorted here by Fang Gushan, a standingmittee member of the Bazhou City Committee and the Minister of Organization. These signals were enough to prove the extraordinary background of Nie Zhenbang. However, in MO Zhihai¡¯s mind, he initially thought that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s connections were possibly due to him being rted to Fang Gushan¡¯s family, and Fang Gushan had personally escorted him down. However, now, MO Zhihai discovered that his original assumption was utterly wrong. MO Zhihai was quite familiar with Qian Jin and had heard a lot about him. Considering Qian Jin¡¯s background, if Nie Zhenbang was merely connected with Fang Gushan, he wouldn¡¯t have the qualification to make Qian Jin behave so courteously. MO Zhihai had clearly heard the conversation between Qian Jin and the unknown young man. Implying that Qian Jin was deferring to the young man. Furthermore, it appeared that previously, Qian Jin did not know Nie Zhenbang. This realization triggered MO Zhihai¡¯s deep thought. Why would a man with a pure Jingcheng ent venture all the way to Lixian, and with such arge group of people? Additionally, the short-haired woman seemed familiar to MO Zhihai. Just then, Zhou Peijun, themander of the Lixian Military Subdivision, walked over and whispered in MO Zhihai¡¯s ear, ¡°Secretary MO, it seems that I just saw Commander Wu¡¯s daughter. Excuse me for a moment while I go greet her.¡± Hearing Zhou Peijun¡¯s words, MO Zhihai was startled again, indeed, that girl looked like Wu Tianba, themander of the Northwestern Autonomous Region Military Region. MO Zhihai had also heard of Wu Tianba; he was formerly the deputymander of the 21st Army in the Xibei Military Region, a well-known tough guy. He waster transferred to the Xibei Military Region to maintain stability, considering the intricate situation in the Northwestern area. He is a crucial pir of stability in the Northwestern Region. Now, even Wu Tianba¡¯s daughter hade. Two provincial officials¡¯ sons and daughter visiting made it hard for MO Zhihai to believe that it was solely for social reasons. Considering Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pure Jingcheng ent, his background was worth pondering. Reflecting on the earlier encounter in his office, where Nie Zhenbang defiantly contradicted him without any hesitation; logically, a deputy county chief, who hadn¡¯t even attended the standingmittee meeting, shouldn¡¯t be challenging his authority. But looking at it now, it seemed reasonable. Someone with such a profound background naturally wouldn¡¯t take him. a mere director-level official. seriously. He made Nie Zhenbang wait for an hour and then arrogantly rejected his suggestion without even a nce. It would be strange if he didn¡¯t get angry. Earlier, MO Zhihai was considering exercising his veto power on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s economic development n at the standingmittee meeting. Generally, the party secretary, as the top executive, does have a single veto power in the standingmittee. Of course, the use of this power could decrease the respect a county party secretary has among the standingmittee. It shouldn¡¯t be used lightly unless absolutely necessary. Or, he could y it cool and put it on hold as immature for now. MO Zhihai had plenty of ways to stop Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ns from passing the county standingmittee. If the countymittee did not approve the n, MO Zhihai believes that even with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ability, it would be impossible to implement the n. After all, even if it¡¯s submitted to the city directly, the city officials would take into ount the opinions of theirrades below. However, MO Zhihai now hesitated. Comparatively, he was in the twilight of his career, whether retiring or stepping down; no one would care about him once he steps down. Though he still had some prestige, it would be a hit to his children and nephew. It seemed he needed to adjust his attitude towards Nie Zhenbang. With this in mind, MO Zhihai said indifferently, ¡°We should eat first.¡± Inside the private room, as soon as they entered, Yang Anna pouted and looked at Nie Zhenbang discontentedly, ¡°Bad Big Brother Zhenbang, you promised to spend the winter vacation with me. You sneaked out here without telling me.¡± Hearing Anna¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang could onlyugh bitterly. This girl¡¯s character cannot be predicted withmon sense. In her mind, ambition or career was not important to her. What mattered to her was that she does what she wants to do and likes to do. At this moment, Liu Kun and Qian Jin walked in from outside. Hearing Yang Anna¡¯s words, Liu Kunughed and joked, ¡°Yes, Anna, I think we should bring Third Brother back. Or, shall we go back now and discuss it with your old man?¡± As her words fell, Yang Anna wrinkled her nose and snorted coldly, ¡°Hmph, you¡¯re a troublemaker, always stirring up chaos. I know Zhenbang brother is busy with big things now, and I wouldn¡¯t dare interfere. Oh, my Zhenbang brother.¡± In her previous life, Yang Anna had always been incredibly strong. This time around, her cute demeanor was really something Nie Zhenbang had not expected. Thinking about it, this was normal; in her past life, he had been handicapped, and Yang Anna¡¯s mental state then was vastly different from this life, understandablycking the cuteness and carrying more gravity. Looking at Liu Kun beside him, their rtionship had be much more distant since Liu Yang¡¯s incident. However, Liu Kun¡¯s subsequent performance had satisfied Nie Zhenbang, which is why he hadn¡¯t pushed Liu Kun out of his circle. Now, Liu Kun had even started his own constructionpany. At this time, the whole country was undergoing massive development and construction, with no shortage of engineering projects. Liu Kun¡¯s choice to step into this field was proving to be the right one. Nie Zhenbang soon followed with augh, ¡°Kun, there¡¯s a project on my side now. Are you interested?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Kun instantly sparked with interest. He had witnessed firsthand Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ability to turn stone into gold. Back in the day, when they went to the Soviet Union, nobody in Jingcheng had optimistic expectations for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s journey there. However, thanks to a series of strategic moves by Nie Zhenbang, let alone the tremendous benefits he brought to the nation¡ªelerating Huaxia¡¯s military power and technology development¡ªthe plurality of scientists and research personnel he had transferred back from the Soviet Union during its dissolution, was an enormous personal gain for Nie Zhenbang himself. This was more than enough to excite Liu Kun. Now that such a golden opportunity hade his way, of course, Liu Kun wouldn¡¯t refuse. Without hesitation, Liu Kun shifted closer, smiling, ¡°Third brother, how could there be any disagreement? Even if you were to lead me to the underworld, I¡¯d dare to follow. A project from you is like a gift of respect, how could I say no? Third brother, just tell me straight what the project is. As long as it benefits you, I wouldn¡¯t mind even if I lose money.¡± Seeing Liu Kun¡¯s response, Nie Zhenbangughed. He had chosen Liu Kun previously for his adaptable mind. Seeing him now, he confirmed this. Thisd knew that he wouldn¡¯t be let down, yet he spoke so gantly. ¡°You little rascal, stop acting cute here. Isn¡¯t this embarrassing in front of Qian and Wu? It¡¯s Lixian¡¯s project. My preliminary n is to establish a modern agriculture and livestockpany in Lixian. There are seventeen million acres of grasnd in Lixian, of which less than one-fifth have been utilized. Even that¡¯s only been in a primitive way of farming. If managed correctly and some quality grass varieties are introduced, I believe there¡¯s much potential to explore in this agriculture and livestock venture. Subsequently, the model of thepany will be Company + Base + Farmer. That way, you just need to hire technical staff, and you needn¡¯t worry about the production. You also went to the Soviet Union with me, you know how vast the sales ofmb and beef are in Europe and the Middle East. What do you think, are you and Qian interested in this project?¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Kun¡¯s brief deliberation led him to ept, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll heed third brother¡¯s words.¡± Besides, Qian Jin was stunned. At this moment, he was somewhat abashed. Being a native of Xibei himself, he had never thought in this direction. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Qian Jin also felt a tinge of admiration. Merely this point was testament enough to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s extraordinary caliber. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words made sense to Liu Kun. There¡¯s never an end to earning money in this world. Everyone working together for wealth is the correct path. Now, Liu Kunughed, ¡°Qian, what do you think? I¡¯m tempted, can¡¯t wait to get started. ¡± At this moment, Qian Jinughed too. Such a project, as long as epidemic prevention is controlled well, is nothing but profitable. Where is there any reluctance? He smiled in response, ¡°If third brother¡¯s already given us such a wonderful opportunity. How could we not take it? All arrangements are up to you, Kun, I have no objections.¡± Just then, MO Zhihai walked in alone from outside. Everyone in the private room was looking at him, and MO Zhihai also revealed a hint of a smile, ¡°Director Nie is here too. I heard that Mr. Qian is dining here, and I specifically came to give a toast.¡± At this moment, looking at the two men¡¯s expressions, Qian Jin, being a sensible man, naturally understood. He guessed that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rtionship with MO Zhi, the County Party Secretary, might not be good. In this kind of situation, Qian Jin knew how to behave. Comparatively, Qian Jin naturally valued Nie Zhenbang more. Not to mention Nie Zhenbang¡¯s astonishing depth of background, having better rtions might help his father¡¯s political career in the future. Even at present, the benefits that Nie Zhenbang could bring were iparable to MO Zhihai¡¯s. Qian Jin alsoughed and said, ¡°Hello, Secretary MO, you¡¯re too kind. This time, thanks to Director Nie¡¯s introduction, my business partner and I n to invest in a small business in Lixian. In the future, we¡¯ll rely much on Secretary Mo¡¯s care. Come, third brother, let me toast you first. Here¡¯s to the sessfulunch of our cooperation.¡± Qian¡¯s attitude had changed MO Zhihai¡¯s expression once again. By not giving him face, Qian conveyed his intent: he would toast, but only after toasting Nie Zhenbang first. After gritting his teeth, Qian Jin also raised his cup and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Director Nie, we haven¡¯t had much contact before, but let¡¯s keep in touch more in the future.. How about we drink this cup of wine together?¡± Chapter 129: Joint Effort_l Chapter 129: Joint Effort_l Trantor: 549690339 Looking at MO Zhihai, a slight smile also appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. At this moment, MO Zhihai¡¯s tone and attitude still seemed a bit rigid. After all, he had just been acting high and mighty in his office, and now he was suddenly admitting his fault. The fact that MO Zhihai was able to act to this extent was a sign of a great man who can yield and stretch. At this point, Qian Jin also smiled and said, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is there any conflict between Secretary MO and my elder brother? Look how upset everything is. Elder brother, what if this issue doesn¡¯t¡­¡± Qian Jin¡¯s words shocked MO Zhihai. On the surface, it seemed like Qian Jin was trying to mediate, but MO Zhihai understood the deeper implications. If Nie Zhenbang was unwilling, then Qian Jin would certainly stand by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side. With this in mind, MO Zhihai said again, ¡°Director Nie, I toast to you.¡± As the Party Secretary of the County Committee, MO Zhihai was willing to lower his pride twice in a row like this. Just this show of patience and persistence alone made Nie Zhenbang take him more seriously. This MO Zhihai was not simple. It seemed that he would have to take MO Zhihai into ount in the future. It would be toote to regret it if a person capable of yielding, who he had already offended, decided to stab him in the back at a critical moment. At this point, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and raised his ss, saying, ¡°Secretary MO, you¡¯re being too courteous. Going by age, you¡¯re older than me, and by position, you¡¯re my superior. I should be toasting to you. Let¡¯s drink this one. Everything left unsaid.¡± MO Zhihai was after all the head of the County Committee. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words back in MO Zhihai¡¯s office were spoken in anger. Now they needed to get the economic n underway properly. If MO Zhihai¡¯s cooperation wascking or if he decided to deliberately cause trouble, it would be a problem. In the officialdom, there are no permanent friends or foes. Unless they are direct subordinates, coborators could be opponents at any moment, and vice versa. At this juncture, since he was working here, there was no need topletely alienate MO Zhihai. That would be a significant problem for him. Sure enough, after hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, MO Zhihai understood that Nie Zhenbang had given him face. Immediately after draining his ss with augh, he signaled to Nie Zhenbang with his empty ss, saying, ¡°Director Nie, Young Master Qian, and our esteemed guests who have traveled from afar, you continue. As long as they are friends of Director Nie, they are valued guests in Lixian. Let¡¯s charge this meal to the costs of the Li County Party Committee¡¯s hospitality.¡± ¡°Secretary MO, these are my old friends from Jingcheng. This¡­doesn¡¯t seem quite right.¡± Nie Zhenbang never wanted or stooped to take advantage of the government. The wealth he had already earned in his lifetime would be more than enough for generations of the Nie family. There¡¯s no need to leave a stain in this regard. Before Nie Zhenbang could finish speaking, MO Zhihai waved his hand, smiling, and said, ¡°Director Zhenbang, you¡¯re being too polite. Your friends are also friends of Lixian, and what¡¯s more, Young Master Qian and this gentleman are valuable guests preparing to invest in our county. I approve. Regardless, it would be inexcusable to have you pay for this meal.¡¯ At this moment, MO Zhihai indirectly expressed his intention. Initially, MO Zhihai opposed the idea, and now he warmly wee the investment guests. It was clear that he supported the economic development n. A ck Santana stopped directly at the entrance of the Bazhou City Committee Residential District¡¯s Second Courtyard. At this point, Wu Zhixiong had already gotten out of the car, and his secretary had taken several boxes from the trunk and entered the courtyard. The secretary naturally headed towards the small room to the side. Typically, any leader at the departmental level and above would have such a room in their home solely for storing gifts, saving visitors from having to carry various packages to their doorstep. Upon entering. Wu Zhixiong skillfully removed his shoes. The man on the sofa stood up and said with a smile, ¡°Comrade Zhixiong is here.¡± The man, about fifty-three or fifty-four years old, was slightly bald and chubby. His thinning hair and broad smile make him seem very amiable. This was the Deputy Secretary of the Bazhou City Committee and the Mayor of Bazhou City, Ding Aiguo. Wu Zhixiong appeared very casual. When Ding Aiguo was working in Lixian, Wu Zhixiong was his subordinate. Wu Zhixiong¡¯s earnest and down-to-earth nature,bined with his pragmatic attitude, greatly impressed Ding Aiguo. As Ding Aiguo rose through the ranks, he also promoted Wu Zhixiong to his current position. Decades-old friendships and connections. This made Wu Zhixiong feel very rxed in the presence of Ding Aiguo. Hanging his coat on the coat rack nearby, Wu Zhixiong also sat on the sofa, smilingly said, ¡°Old leader, this time I have specificallye to report to you about the development of Li County.¡± Hearing Wu Zhixiong¡¯s words, Ding Aiguo alsoughed, ¡°You, still impatient as ever. Can¡¯t hold back anything.¡± ncing at his wristwatch, Ding Aiguo said, ¡°You have brought the n, right? I know you always fight sure battles. Leave the n here first, and use the remaining half an hour or so to summarize key points.¡± Wu Zhixiong seemed ustomed to the straightforward approach of Ding Aiguo. Being equally blunt, he said, ¡°Old leader, after the city assigned Comrade Nie Zhenbang to our county, Director Nie has drafted an economic development n. I personally feel that this n has strong feasibility. Hence, I brought it here for your review.¡± Speaking of which, Wu Zhixiong highlighted the key points of the n and nced at Ding Aiguo¡¯s expression saying, ¡°Old leader, apart from just reporting, I also feel that maybe the city can consider enhancing Comrade Nie Zhenbang¡¯s role within the Li County standingmittee. This way, Deputy Director Nie¡¯s influence in the county would increase, which would make things smoother.¡± Wu Zhixiong was a good leader indeed. It was originally Nie Zhenbang who sought the position actively, but under Wu Zhixiong¡¯s consideration, it seemed like a promotion for Nie Zhenbang. This preserved Nie Zhenbang¡¯s impression in front of the city leaders. At this moment, Ding Aiguo also began to ponder. The request made by Wu Zhixiong was reasonable but intricate. After all, Nie Zhenbang was the main nner of this project. Excluding Nie Zhenbang and executing this project alone wasn¡¯t feasible. Ding Aiguo had heard about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background. Apparently, he was arranged by Cheng Xinhua and also received approval from Liu Wenqing, the Secretary of the Municipal Committee. Ding Aiguo had a high opinion of the n itself. Although he had only heard a rough outline, it was very clear and had a high chance of realization. This made Ding Aiguo curious about Nie Zhenbang, a real talent. However, joining the standingmittee wasn¡¯t a small thing. At present, there were seven standingmittee members in the entire Li County. It wouldn¡¯t be good to remove any of them. Adding another to make eight would not be ording to rules. And although there seems to be no change in grade if promoted to the standingmittee, there is a significant difference between being a member and not being one. Ding Aiguo couldn¡¯t just agree on it alone, this matter would probably need to be discussed at the meeting of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee of Bazhou. After mulling it over, Ding Aiguo solemnly said, ¡°Old Wu, you have been my old subordinate. I have nothing to hide from you. Joining the standingmittee isn¡¯t a small matter. With Nie¡¯s age and experience, it may not be possible even with only my support. Of course, as you said, it would be ideal if Comrade Nie Zhenbang, as the originator and future executor of the n, could be a standingmittee member. But the difficulty is not small. Because it¡¯s not just one person anymore.¡± Wu Zhixiong nodded in agreement. He knew this matter was troublesome from the start. Removing a current standingmittee member to raise Nie Zhenbang to the post wasn¡¯t practical. This would make Nie Zhenbang¡¯s work in the county even more challenging. But increasing themittee based on the existing situation would not only draw attention from the county, but the city leaders would also contest. The key point would be how to maintain bnce in this situation. ¡°Old leader, this is what I¡¯m thinking as well. I made it clear to Comrade Nie Zhenbang. From this end, I think he will make an effort as well. What do you think, if we both try, could there be any possibility?¡± Ding Aiguo nodded and then stood up saying, ¡°Let¡¯s try it. Even if it doesn¡¯t work, with you steering from behind, I don¡¯t foresee any big problems, just some more trouble. I will consider this matter. Let¡¯s have dinner first. I heard you wereing, so my wife personally went to the market to buy lots of good dishes. It¡¯s rare for you to visit, let¡¯s set work aside this time and have a good drink.¡± The following day was the regr secretary¡¯s office meeting day of the Bazhou City Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee. In the morning, Li Qingde, the Standing Committee and Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee Office, sent the agenda for the standingmittee meeting to Liu Wenqing, Secretary of the Bazhou Municipal Committee. Generally speaking, the issues to be discussed in the standingmittee meeting need to be first decided in the secretary¡¯s office meeting. Liu Wenqing had the final say. Seeing the discussion items listed by the Municipal Party Committee Office, Liu Wenqing was taken aback. This was the eighth time in two days that Liu Wenqing had heard the name Nie Zhenbang. Looking at Ding Aiguo¡¯s proposal to promote Nie Zhenbang to the Li County Party Committee standingmittee, Liu Wenqing also fell into thought. Who exactly was this Nie Zhenbang, for whom Ding Aiguo, Cheng Xinhua and even Zhao Weihong had all spoken up. These people were usually not a group, but this time they seemed united.(To be continued. If you like this work, do support me at . Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 130 - 130 Dispute in the Municipal Committee 1 Chapter 130: Dispute in the Municipal Committee 1 Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, while Liu Wenqing, Secretary of Bazhou City Committee was considering the matter of Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang was sitting in Cheng Xinhua¡¯s office. Seeing Cheng Xinhua about to light a cigarette, Nie Zhenbang had already stood up and taken out a lighter to help Cheng Xinhua light it. For Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude, Cheng Xinhua was very pleased. Nie Zhenbang is someone with a considerable background, but he is not shovvy. Instead, he was very low-profile, which indicates he is a practical person. Such people understand the principles of adapting to changes. Such people are truly capable of aplishing great things. Following this, Cheng Xinhua chuckled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, I didn¡¯t anticipate this matter. I¡¯ve read your economic proposal, it¡¯s very good. My original intention was to let you transition for a while, to first adapt to the work of the local government, and only consider the Standing Committee next year. But to my surprise, Mayor Ding proposed it ahead of time. However, I didn¡¯t expect that Zhao Weihong would also vote for this matter. It seems like your work in Li County is admirable. You¡¯ve managed your rtionships with the county Party Secretary and Mayor very well.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. He had expected that Ding Aiguo, who was backing Wu Zhixiong, would propose it. As Ding Aiguo¡¯s spokesman in Li County and as one of Ding Aiguo¡¯s trusted subordinates, it was inevitable to get support from Ding Aiguo for this matter. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t expect MO Zhihai to lend a hand as well. Listening to Cheng Xinhua, Zhao Weihong was likely backed by MO Zhihai. As a deputy secretary of the citymittee, who also upied the position of county Party Secretary, Zhao Weihong was no ordinary talent. Additionally, he had ties with Qian Jin. All signs point to Zhao Weihong¡¯s extraordinary ability. Usually, Zhao Weihong didn¡¯t pay attention to trivial matters. Hence, this change was likely the result of MO Zhihai¡¯s behind-the-scenes machinations. Therefore, this was what surprised Nie Zhenbang. He just had a confrontation with MO Zhihai, and now things had changed rapidly. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t believe MO Zhihai would be so magnanimous. ¡°Well, you¡¯re puzzled, aren¡¯t you? I was also confused at first but not anymore. MO Zhihai¡¯s nephew, MO Mingyu, is currently the head of Li County Finance Bureau. He was supposed to take over your position, but you got in ahead of him. This additional Standing Committee seat has provided MO Mingyu with an opportunity¡±, Cheng Xinhua exined with a smile beside him. Listening to Cheng Xinhua, Nie Zhenbang came to understand. Indeed, that exnation made sense. If the selection of additional Standing Committee members could pass, considering the current situation, it was necessary to add one more Standing Committee member. Themittee can¡¯t be an even number. In that case, besides the other two deputy county governors, the only ones eligible for promotion to the Standing Committee in the county were MO Mingyu and the Party Secretary of Chengguan Town where Li County City was located. The two deputy county governors were out of the question. Now, the two positions of county governor and executive deputy county governor were already in the Standing Committee, and once Nie Zhenbang was added, there would be no more Standing Committee seats added to the county government team. In that scenario, MO Mingyu would have his opportunity. Being promoted to the Standing Committee would obviously be beneficial to MO Mingyu. In this case, it was natural for MO Zhihai to strive to make it happen. Meanwhile, Cheng Xinhua continued, ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited just yet. Although this matter has been facilitated by Ding Aiguo, Zhao Weihong, and myself, we all have our own considerations. Additionally, the other Standing Committee members haven¡¯t unified their views. I¡¯m afraid there will be another debate during the Standing Committee meeting of the city Party Committee. In the end, I believe we¡¯ll have to wait for Secretary Wenqing¡¯s stance.¡± The standingmittee meeting of Bazhou City Committee proceeded as scheduled, which was just a regr meeting for themittee. At this moment, all the standingmittee members had taken their seats in the meeting room. At nine in the morning, as the time was nearly up, Bazhou City Committee Secretary Liu Wenqing and Mayor Ding Aiguo came in from outside, chatting andughing. Liu Wenqing sat in the central main seat, holding a military green enameled tea cup in his hand. This was a distinctive feature of Liu Wenqing, symbolizing his military background. After Liu Wenqing took a sip of tea, he put down his cup and promptly said, ¡°Let¡¯s get started, everyone¡¯s here.¡± As his voice fell, Liu Sufang, a member of the citymittee and the head of the city Propaganda Department, lifted her head and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, leaders, andrades, let me speak a few words first. A few days ago, our district Propaganda Department held a propaganda work meeting for the entire district. Secretary Jiang of the district Party Committee made important directions on the issue of ethnic policies and border stability. I suggest that we in Bazhou City should also act proactively in our propaganda work, align with the excellent situation in the entire district, and make positive propaganda in economic development and ethnic harmony and stability.¡± After several issues had already been addressed, Ding Aiguo¡¯s gaze met with Cheng Xinhua¡¯s and he gave a cough. This was a small habit, or perhaps a custom, of Ding Aiguo. Whenever he was about to speak during a meeting, it was his inevitable preface. Indeed, as the room quieted down, Ding Aiguo slowly said, ¡°I have a proposal regarding expanding the standingmittee of the Li County Party Committee.¡± Ding Aiguo¡¯s words immediately silenced everyone. Matters like propaganda work, sanitation work, and even economic development work were routine business. No matter the ce, no matter the meeting, anything that had to do with personnel appointment was of interest to almost all standingmittee members. Even though there was an existence of degrees of closeness and factions amongmittee members, irrespective of factions, self-interest always inducedplexities. If I choose your nominee this time, you will have to reciprocate with a favor to someone from my faction, or you will support my people next time. After a brief pause, Ding Aiguo continued, ¡°This time, the regional partymittee and the local government have given high priority and care to the economic construction and development of our Bazhou City. For this reason, they have specifically assigned high-quality junior cadres to Li County. Comrade Nie Zhenbang, since taking office in Li County, has, after careful research and consideration, formted aprehensive development n. Both Secretary Liu and I have reviewed this n which is very well written and disys a far-reaching vision. It will greatly facilitate the progress of Li County, and even the whole of Bazhou. What I mean is, should we consider electing Comrade Nie Zhenbang to the standingmittee of the Li County Party Committee to ensure better implementation of this n?¡± As soon as his voice fell, Zhao Weihong chimed in, ¡°I agree with Mayor Ding¡¯s view. Although Li County is small, with only eight towns under its jurisdiction and a total poption of less than 180 ,ooo, there are presently only nine standingmittee members, which is not sufficient to keep pace with Li County¡¯s current development trend. From a work perspective, it is time to expand the standingmittee of the Li County Party Committee. However, if we only add one more member, it will create an even number situation. It seems necessary to add one more standingmittee member. Personally, I believe our current Li County Finance Bureau Director, Comrade MO Mingyu, is an excellent candidate. Thisrade is young and energetic, only 37 years old, and a top graduate from the Department of Finance and Economics at Xibei University. Considering the economic development that can¡¯t proceed without financial support, I think it¡¯s important to elect Comrade MO Mingyu to the Li County standingmittee.¡± On the surface, Zhao Weihong seems to agree with Ding Aiguo¡¯s proposal, but all standingmittee members understand that Zhao Weihong only agrees to the idea of electing two new members. As for Nie Zhenbang, Zhao Weihong hasn¡¯t expressed any opinion, instead, he proposed his own nominee. Now, Liu Wenqing, tapping his finger rhythmically on the table, but subtly enough not to make a sound. There are only a few people who are qualified to be standingmittee members, but when ites to voting, there is likely to be a sh. This affects future issues, so everymittee member wouldn¡¯t easily let go of an opportunity for gaining favor from others. Then, Liu Wenqing turned to Fang Gushan, ¡°Minister Fang, you are the Minister of the Municipal Committee Organization Department, what do you think?¡± Fang Gushan nodded, in fact, sitting in his position, he was in a delicate situation. On one hand, he was somewhat under Deputy Secretary Cheng Xinhua¡¯s thumb. However, he also had to consider Secretary Liu Wenqing of the Municipal Party Committee. After all, a secretary of a municipal partymittee would never willingly relinquish their power over organization and personnel. Fang Gushan must keep both sides satisfied. After ncing at Liu Wenqing, Fang Gushan spoke, ¡°Regarding the candidates of the Li County Standing Committee, our department only received the news a few days ago. In the midst of urgency, we did consider a few candidates.¡± By saying this, Fang Gushan shifted the responsibility away. With such haste, there will inevitably be oversight. Even if a mess is made, Fang Gushan won¡¯t be held ountable. ¡°Aside from the candidates rmended by Mayor Ding and Secretary Zhao, Comrade Huang Shuyong, the Party Secretary of Chengguan Town in Li County, is also a good choice. In the past two years, although Chengguan Town, thanks to its location in the county city, has seen economic development exceeding 10% each year. This shows Comrade Huang Shuyong¡¯s ability should be recognized.¡± The moment he finished, Cheng Xinhua also spoke, ¡°Comrade Huang Shuyong is indeed good. He is young and energetic. Plus, he has held a leadership position at the regr department level for many years. He was also hopeful of further advancement this time. Traditionally, a city secretary of a provincial capital would be a member of the provincial standingmittee, while a city where a city government is located would be a city standingmittee member. As Chengguan Town is the host town for the Li County Party Committee and County Government, it¡¯s only fair for Huang Shuyong to serve as a standingmittee member of the county partymittee. I think both Comrade Nie Zhenbang and Huang Shuyong are good candidates.¡± After hearing Cheng Xinhua¡¯s words, Zhao Weihong¡¯s face looked somewhat dark. PS: A big thank you to all my brothers and sisters for your monthly tickets. Today¡¯s update of 12,000 words is currently at 366 votes. If it can reach 400 votes by midnight tonight, I¡¯ll write 15 ,ooo words for tomorrow¡¯s update. This is essentially adding another chapter on top of the additional one for reaching 400 votes. It¡¯s already the 7th of the month. My dear brothers and sisters, there are only 29 days in February. It¡¯s time to give it your all. (..) Chapter 131: Launch of the Plan_l Chapter 131: Launch of the n_l Trantor: 549690339 What was Cheng Xinhua trying to imply? That if he didn¡¯t seed, he wouldn¡¯t let others benefit either? Both of them were Aiguo¡¯s men. If this were the case, there might be a shake-up in the Li County Standing Committee. With this in mind, Zhao Weihong calmly stated, ¡°I don¡¯t quite agree with Secretary Cheng¡¯s words. Comrade Huang Shuyong certainly has experience and capability, but his advantage lies primarily in his position in the county. This, by itself, calls into question his full capability. Furthermore, this vote is specifically for the expansion of the Standing Committee with the aim of furthering the economic development of Li County. In this regard, Comrade MO Mingyu would be a more fitting choice.¡± At this point, Zhao Weihong was avoiding the substantial nuances of the matter. Comparatively speaking, Nie Zhenbang was the initial reason for this situation. If all was overturned, it would likely incite a bacsh from Ding Aiguo. For now, by adding just one seat, Ding Aiguo was allowed the bulk of the advantage, which Ding presumably wouldn¡¯t oppose. At this moment, the city¡¯s Party Secretary, Liu Wenqing, knocked on the table, the sound audible this time. Just as Ding Aiguo had to cough before he spoke, it was Liu Wenqing¡¯s habit to knock on the table. He nced at everyone present. At this stage, both sides were arguing their own truths, and it seemed as if the discussion might continue indefinitely without any resolution. Li County was not within Liu Wenqing¡¯s traditional sphere of influence. In Li County, Liu Wenqing only had one direct subordinate: the Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee, Zhang Chubin. This was the man Liu had designated to seed MO Zhihai. So long as it did not involve Zhang Chubin, Liu Wenqing wouldn¡¯t be concern about anything else. It could be said that whoever joins the standingmittee and whoever doesn¡¯t, was not a matter of concern for Liu Wenqing. Before the discussion was reignited, Liu Wenqing timely stepped in, ¡°There¡¯s no need for further debate. We have numerouspetent candidates. Let¡¯s vote by show of hands. Those in favor of electingrade Nie Zhenbang into Li County Party Committee, please raise your hand.¡± Right after Liu had finished his sentence, Ding Aiguo was the first to raise his hand, soon followed by Cheng Xinhua. Liu Wenqing also raised his hand. Zhao Weihong hesitated a bit, but he did not raise his hand. At this moment, the city¡¯s Party Secretary, Mayor and Deputy Secretary had all raised their hands. The othermittee members clearly understood that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s election was inevitable. Should a favor be required, they would naturally extend it. Nie Zhenbang received ten votes in favor and one against, thereby officially bing a member of the Li County Party Committee. Shortly afterward, Liu Wenqing said again, ¡°Those in favor of electingrade MO Mingyu into Li County¡¯s Party Committee, please raise your hands.¡± This time, Zhao Weihong was naturally the first to raise his hand. As a leader, if he could not show such basic support, he would not have any followers in the future. Zhao Weihong understood this well enough. At the same time, Liu Sufang, the Minister of Propaganda and someone with a good rtionship with Zhao Weihong, raised her hand. Under these circumstances, and given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s situation, Fang Gushan, who generally kept a somewhat detached rtionship with Cheng Xinhua, followed Liu Wenqing¡¯s lead not to offend Zhao Weihong and Liu Wenqing. Voting for Mo Mingyu, who was clearly one of Zhao Weihong¡¯s men, and not getting the support of Ding Aiguo, Cheng Xinhua, or the deputy mayor and Standing Committee Member Temor. Badam were a bit embarrassing to Zhao Weihong. With the inclusion of Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Li Yong and United Front Work Department Head Bu Yuzhen casting dissenting votes, it became more awkward for Zhao Weihong. MO Mingyu ended up with only five votes in his favor, not even a simple majority. In fact, MO Mingyu¡¯s downfall was influenced by his uncle MO Zhihai. Being promoted to a deputy-level position might not have presented any problems under proper operations, but joining the standingmittee was a different matter. Many in the citymittee did not want to see both uncle and nephew on the standingmittee ¨C hence, the opposing votes. Finally, it was Huang Shuyong¡¯s turn. Naturally, Zhao Weihong directly cast a dissenting vote. Along with Liu Sufang, there were only two votes against. At this point, the Secretary of the City Commission for Discipline Inspection, Li Yong, contemted for a moment and then said in his uniquely husky voice, ¡°Comrade Huang Shuyong, I know him well. He was admirable when he worked in the Li County Commission for Discipline Inspection. He is an exceptional cadre. I vote in favor for Huang Shuyong to be a member of the Li County Committee.¡± At this moment, the result was clear. Huang Shuyong had seven votes in favor, two more than MO Mingyu, demonstrating the support of most members. With everything settled, Liu Wenqing stood up and said, ¡°Good, since it¡¯s settled. Gushan, the Organization Department will officially announce it. Meeting adjourned.¡± The resolutions of the Bazhou City Committee had not been formally issued yet, but the news had already reached Li County. At this moment, in the Li County Guesthouse Qian Jin picked up the phone. After hanging up, he said spiritedly, ¡°Congrattions ¡®third brother¡¯. I just received the news that the Bazhou City Committee has just concluded, and you were elected into the Li County Party Committee.¡± Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t react much to his own election. He knew very well that his election was guaranteed as long as Zhao Weihong agreed to increase the membership. His position was secure unless the Bazhou City Committee initially rejected the proposal of Li County. It seemed it was indeed so. Nie Zhenbang immediatelyughed and said: ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about that other stuff, Kun, Qian Jin. Let¡¯s discuss the agriculturalpany first. My idea is that, while we still have some time before the New Year, you should set up thepany structure, get it registered, and ensure that all necessary funds are allocated. You should also go ahead and hire all the necessary experts. Before the New Year, let¡¯s pick a date for the groundbreaking ceremony. After the spring thaw next year, we can start constructing thepany¡¯s headquarters.¡± At this, Nie Zhenbang joked: ¡°This is a proper business, not some swindle. You two shouldn¡¯t be nning on hitting-and-running.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Qian Jin, who was still rtively new to Nie Zhenbang, hesitated to respond. On the other hand, Liu Kun chuckled, ¡°Rest assured, Brother Nie, from now on, I¡¯m deeply rooted in the Great Xibei.¡± A groundbreaking ceremony, along with an initial investment, the construction of a headquarters building, warehouses, and processing nts, as well as hiring agricultural and animal husbandry experts, wouldn¡¯t require a huge amount of capital. Up to twenty million would more than suffice. To Liu Kun, who¡¯d been involved with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ventures in the Soviet Union for so long, twenty million was a drop in the ocean. Liu Kun and Qian Jin acted swiftly. By the next day, the initial twenty million was already deposited in Li County Agricultural Bank. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s support, approvals fromnd management,merce, and tax departments were readily granted. In less than three days, the Northwest Minong Farming and Livestock Development Co., Ltd. was formally established in Li County. At the same time, thepany¡¯s bank ount was set up. In addition, the Li County Land Bureau set aside a hundred acres for Minongpany on the outskirts of Li County. The cost for this, based on currentnd prices in Li County, was just two million for Liu Kun. In the following days, Liu Kun and Qian Jin were kept busy with the preparations for a grand opening ceremony. After thepany structure was in ce, Liu Kun began to actively recruit talent from agricultural universities. Meanwhile, he asked Yang Anna to reach out to her ¡°Australian ssmates¡± to look for quality grass breeds. The appearance of Minong Company had stirred up quite a buzz in Li County. In the main conference room of the Li County Government. The time was already half past nine in the evening. Yet, the room was still brightly lit, and the continuous supply of heating gave it a spring-like warmth. Surprisingly, Nie Zhenbang, not Wu Zhixiong, sat in the main seat. As the leader of the Li County Economic Development Working Group, Nie Zhenbang took the lead without hesitation. Wu Zhixiong was more than happy to y the supporting role. The quick start of their first major project was beyond Wu Zhixiong¡¯s expectations. Opposite Nie Zhenbang, Liu Kun, Qian Jin, and several newly recruited professional managers from Minong Company were seated together. Liu Kun¡¯s mouth twitched a little at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposal. Though he had anticipated this, he was still shocked at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ruthlessness. Seven million acres of grasnd, excluding those allocated to the people of Li County, were given to Minong Company by the Li County Government as stock in exchange for free usage. At the same time, the Li County Government would have a fifty percent stake in Minong Company. As for the herders of Li County, the government would assist with negotiations, but the final pricing and terms would be left to thepany. This asking price was ruthless. Even after all the preparatory work, Liu Kun¡¯s mouth still twitched. Off the record, he could act a little shameless in front of Nie Zhenbang. But in a formal setting like this, Liu Kun had to act with propriety. After whispering to Qian Jin at his side, Liu Kun raised his head and said, ¡°Mayor Wu, Director Nie, we agreed in principle to the proposal from your county. However, regarding the share ratio, we propose that it should be at most thirty percent.¡± No sooner had Liu Kun¡¯s words settled than Nie Zhenbang chimed in with a smile, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go with that ratio.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Kun instantly realized he¡¯d still been outmaneuvered by Nie Zhenbang. PS: 374 votes, only 26 votes left to reach 400. Brothers and sisters, please show your support. If we reach 400 votes before midnight, there will be an explosive 15,000 words tomorrow. Today, an explosive 12,000 words. (..) Chapter 132 - 132 Spectacular Groundbreaking_l Chapter 132 - 132 Spectacr Groundbreaking_l Chapter 132: Spectacr Groundbreaking_l Trantor: 549690339 Thirty percent of the shares were exchanged merely for seven million acres of grasnd. Moreover, there¡¯s a stringent rule that Farmer Welfare Company must ensure sustainable development while progressing. Simultaneously, in the span of three years, they must nt protective trees along the edge of areas threatened by desertification. This n will indeed bring enormous benefits to Lixian, now and in the future. You should know, the investment by the Farmer Welfare Company isn¡¯t just limited to these. The rotation of grass species is a huge start itself. In addition to this, introducing new breeds of animals for breeding is another expense. The Farmer Welfare Company will also be negotiating for another ten million acres of grasnd for the herders. Just these efforts alone provide for almost fifty percent of Lixian¡¯s poption. Once the Farmer Welfare Company starts bringing benefits, Lixian¡¯s economy will experience a qualitative leap. This is what really counts for Nie Zhenbang. Moreover, don¡¯t underestimate that it¡¯s only thirty percent. The input from Liu Kun¡¯s side is not trifling. Apart from the initial twenty million, the introduction of better-quality grass species, farm animals, and contract farming for herders form the major share. Since it¡¯s a joint venture involving farmers,nd base, and thepany, Liu Kun and his associates must initially bear the costs paid to herders. At this scale, even these expenses can¡¯t be considered small change. Nie Zhenbang is considering the issue of leonardite mining in his office. Leonardite is widely used and is an excellent soil amendment. If it can be exploited, it will greatly help in the transformation of the entire Xibei desert teaus. At this moment, Yi Jun also walks in from outside and looked at Nie Zhenbang, whispering, ¡°County Mayor, outside, General Liu from Farmer Welfare Company is asking to see you.¡± As soon as he finishes speaking, Liu Kun already crept in from outside, smiling awkwardly at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Brother Three.¡± Nie Zhenbang feels helpless about people like Liu Kun. Scolding him? It doesn¡¯t work. Moreover, they don¡¯t mingle within the institutional framework. They simply don¡¯t care about the internal rules and protocols. Waving his hand, Nie Zhenbang said to Yi Jun, ¡°Xiaoyi, you go out to work first. I will have a private chat with General Liu.¡± Nie Zhenbang pulled out a pack of special supply panda cigarettes from the drawer, gave one to Liu Kun, and lit a ¡®Zhonghua¡¯ for himself. He then sprawled on his chair, cing his feet up on the desk, saying, ¡°Out with it, you rascal. As the saying goes, no onees to court without a problem. Thest time, I admit I outfoxed you. So, what is it this time?¡± As Liu Kun took the cigarette offered by Nie Zhenbang, he exaggeratedly sniffed it and said, ¡°Still, Brother Three, your special supply cigarettes are morefortable to smoke. Once you left, my supply was interrupted. Brother Two, thatd, is firmly under the control of your sister-inw. He doesn¡¯t even help me to get special supply cigarettes. My old man¡¯s yearly quota is barely sufficient for me for ten days.¡± Rubbing his hands, Liu Kun leaned in with a chuckle, ¡°Brother Three, if your cigarettes are just sitting around getting moldy, why don¡¯t I clear out your stock for you?¡± ¡°Get lost; wasn¡¯t it enough making a fool of yourself in Jingcheng, now you¡¯vee to Xibei to continue the antics?¡± Nie Zhenbang immediately closed the drawer without putting away the newly opened pack of special supply cigarettes from the desk. He threw it to Liu Kun and said, ¡°Your notorious reputation is known to everyone in Jingcheng. I don¡¯t have any more cigarettes. I am left with this pack. If you want it, take it; otherwise, I can keep it for guests.¡± Smiling, Liu Kun didn¡¯t take Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rebuke seriously. He casually slipped the cigarette pack into his pocket, grumbling, ¡°Brother Three, you are bing stingier. What¡¯s the fuss about a few packs of cigarettes?¡± Nie Zhenbangughed at thatment and quipped, ¡°Kun, why do I feel like you¡¯ve turned into Yan Laoxi? Besides, the immigration of Mikhail¡¯s crew to the United States, as you personally nned and arranged, you wouldn¡¯t let them off without getting something from them, would you? I¡¯ve heard that a molting phoenix is not as good as a chicken. Now, with oldrade Ye taking up the mantle in the former Soviet Union, these descendants of high-ranking officials are targeted. Surely, you must have taken advantage of this.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words made Liu Kun somewhat ufortable. However, he instantly readjusted his expression and retorted, with great righteousness and revolutionary determination, ¡°Brother Three, you are underestimating me. My rtionship with Mikhail is one of great revolutionary friendship. How can I do something like that? Anyway, I had to save enough money for them to afford a decent life, didn¡¯t I?¡± After a round of iokes, Nie Zhenbang became serious and said. ¡°Okav, okav. I don¡¯t want to know about your shenanigans. Speak up, why have youe to me this time? You wouldn¡¯te solely for chit-chat, would you?¡± Liu Kun was also officially standing up at this moment, however, even when he is serious, he was still the same guy with a humorous grin on his face as he said, ¡°Brother Nie, the preparations for the foundationying ceremony are almost ready here with the help of Old Cai. We have nned for a grand celebration. Farmers, base, andpany, we are indeed the pioneers in China. I thought, why not we hold a grand and spectacr ceremony that could bring An Na¡¯s uncle here to get coverage on the court TV? Wouldn¡¯t that save us on advertising costs?¡± Liu Kun¡¯s speech made Nie Zhenbang get a bit overwhelmed. This little guy never spoke positively, and still, he exposed his real intention ¨C he simply wanted to hold the foundationying ceremony as means of free advertising. But, on the other hand, the news of Lixian¡¯s reputation would spread around. As the focus of the nation¡¯s attention is currently on the eastern coastal area in the progressive opening up era. The perspective of the people of the country towards Xibei and the entire west as well as the ind hasn¡¯t changed much. The west is still synonymous with poverty and backwardness. If Lixian could seize this opportunity to appear on the court TV, it would greatly benefit both Nie himself and the entire Xibei Autonomous Region. After some pondering, Nie Zhenbang looked up and asked, ¡°Tell me, what have you prepared, and whom have you invited? I know your style very well; you wouldn¡¯t stir up waves without wind. You probably have almost everything arranged since you are only reaching out to me now.¡± When it came to serious business, Liu Kun also lost his smile, calcted for a moment, and then said, ¡°Brother Nie, you always seem to understand me. Old Cai and I did make some preparations. Through his father¡¯s connection, Old Cai got in touch with Niu Yunchang, the vice chairman in charge of agriculture in Xibei Autonomous Region. He is the highest-ranking leader in the province. In addition, the heads of both the Municipal Party Committee and the city government will attend. A leader from the Department of Livestock of the Ministry of Agriculture will also attend. Brother Nie, how¡¯s that?¡± Nie Zhenbang thought for a moment. This Liu Kun during the past years in Jingcheng has proven himself to have quite a capacity, being able to invite so many people. After all, no one would have thought they would one day have dealings with agriculture. For the young people from noble families in Jingcheng, they generally won¡¯t take a close note of the Ministry of Agriculture unless their families have connections there. It¡¯s quite good that Liu could even invite a director. Seeing Liu Kun¡¯s expecting look, Nie Zhenbang said right away, ¡°This setup is still a bit smaller. If possible, consider inviting a deputy minister. This way, the impact will be greater. Do you know which family in Jingcheng has connections with the Ministry of Agriculture?¡± A single director would not be of equal level to the leaders from Xibei. Furthermore, the impact would be small if it did not resonate on a national level. Raising the level of officials could make the impact big enough, and it would give him a chance to show his face. Liu Kun was taken aback at first, but then heughed. The more Nie Zhenbang said, the more beneficial it would be for Liu Kun¡¯spany. The first nationally renowned agriculturepany would receive preferential policies and tax incentives regardless of the circumstances. However, the mention of the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture made Liu Kun frown and shake his head, he said bitterly, ¡°Brother Nie, it¡¯s a very small world. The current minister of the Ministry of Agriculture is Zhou Xiaoshe¡¯s father. However, the Li family has a son-inw who is currently the Deputy Minister of Agriculture. How about I get in touch with this nephew of the Li¡¯s?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. Since the suppression, the Zhou family has been quite isted. But he had not expected that Zhou Chen¡¯s father would be the head of the Ministry of Agriculture. However, a deputy minister would do the trick. There wasn¡¯t much difference between a minister and a deputy minister. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Alright, you take care of this. I¡¯ll talk to An Na first and have her get in touch with her uncle. Given his personality, he is more likely going to listen to her.¡± Without dy, Nie Zhenbang made a call to the hotel and when he had exined everything to Yang Anna, who had a rare opportunity to help Nie Zhenbang, she immediately agreed to all. Nie Zhenbang then hung up. With the bulk preparations for the ceremony almostplete, and given therge number of leaders participating, it was necessary to first consult with Wu Zhixiong. Not only Lixian, but the entire Bazhou City would need to get in motion for this event. As soon as Nie Zhenbang stepped into Wu Zhixiong¡¯s office, Wu¡¯s secretary immediately stood up weing him in. When Wu saw Nie Zhenbang enter, he also stood up with a smile, saying, ¡°Ah, Zhenbang is here, how are the preparations for the foundationying ceremony going?¡± Nie Zhenbang quicklyposed himself and then replied with a smile, ¡°Mr. Mayor, I am here precisely for that matter. I have just received information from General Liu of the Farmer Welfare Company. They have confirmed that Niu Yunchang, the vice chairman of our Autonomous Region, will be attending the foundationying ceremony. Besides, a deputy minister from the Ministry of Agriculture is also likely toe. Court TV has also contacted me; they¡¯ll arrange a special reporting team toe over. What do you think?¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Wu Zhixiong was stunned. He got up from behind his desk and walked out with a serious expression, ¡°Zhenbang, your report is extremely timely. I¡¯ll go to the city immediately to report to Secretary Liu and Mayor Ding, this event will be spectacr.¡± PS: Currently we have 388 votes, just 12 votes away from 400. It¡¯s so close! A big shout out- Thanks to all the brothers and sisters supporting Old Cai, you guys rock! (To be continued. If you like this work, pleasee to to vote with rmendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation..) Chapter 133: The Entire City Mobilizes_1 Chapter 133: The Entire City Mobilizes_1 Trantor:549690339 The Vice Chairman of the Autonomous Region was attending in person, as was the Deputy Minister of Agriculture. More importantly, the news column ¡°Daily at Seven¡± from Court TV station wasing too, along with a special documentary. This was a great chance to make a public appearance, even though the host was Nie Zhenbang. Still, as a county head, even the perpetually silent Mo Zhihai saw it as a valuable opportunity. Appearing on Court TV would make national headlines. It could also count as a significant contribution in one¡¯s political career. No wonder Wu Zhixiong took it so seriously. Even someone in Liu Wenqing¡¯s position was likely to be unsettled by this. Hurrying to the door, Wu Zhixiong suddenly turned back. He looked at Nie Zhenbang and asked, ¡°Zhenbang, is this for real?¡± It seemed Wu Zhixiong was still a little incredulous because the news was mind-blowing. It was simply a foundationying ceremony, not a productionmencement celebration. Yet it had such high attendance. He dared not imagine what thepletion ceremony would look like. At the moment, Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°Director, it¡¯s undoubtedly true. I stake my party discipline on it.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s serious demeanor, Wu Zhixiong nodded. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, he looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang,e with me now. Tonight, let¡¯s report to Mayor Ding and Secretary Liu immediately.¡± After considering for a while, Wu Zhixiong decided to take Nie Zhenbang along. After all, Nie was the most informed about the matter. If the superiors asked questions and he ended up knowing nothing, it would be better to bring Nie himself. As soon as they got in the car, Wu Zhixiong took out his mobile phone. The first number he dialed was Ding Aiguo¡¯s. At this time, Ding Aiguo was also preparing to leave work. Listening to Wu Zhixiong¡¯s words, Ding¡¯s face turned serious. ¡°Zhixiong, you¡¯re not joking, are you?¡± Ding clearly understood the implications more than Wu did. After all, it wasn¡¯t easy to be featured on Court TV. Even the Autonomous Region government asionally made an appearance. As for the municipalities under its jurisdiction, on average, only one or two appeared per year across Xibei. Hence, this was very significant for Bazhou. Wu Zhixiong chuckled bitterly at that moment. ¡°Old leader, would I joke about such a thing? Director Nie is with me right now, and we¡¯re on our way to you. Could you wait for me in your office?¡± Upon hearing that Nie Zhenbang was also with him, Ding Aiguo seemed to believe it. After hesitating for a moment, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t bothering here. You both go directly to Secretary Liu¡¯s ce. I¡¯ll be there shortly.¡± One hourter, just as their vehicle entered the urban area of Bazhou City, before the driver could ask where to go, Wu Zhixiong proactively instructed, ¡°Li, head to the Municipal Committee.¡± At this moment in Liu Wenqing¡¯s office, Ding Aiguo and Liu sat opposite each other on the couches. It was obvious from their faces that they were both pensive and pleased. Footsteps sounded outside, and Ding Aiguo, who went to the door first, said to Liu Wenqing, ¡°Secretary Liu, it seems Wu Zhixiong and Nie Zhenbang are here.¡± There was a rhythmic knock on the door, followed by Liu Wenqing¡¯s deep voicemanding, ¡°Come in!¡± As the door opened, before either Wu Zhixiong or Nie Zhenbang could speak, Ding Aiguo asked Nie, ¡°Is what you¡¯ve said true, Nie?¡± Liu Wenqing managed tough at this point. ¡°Mayor Ding, calm down. Let Nie and Director Wu catch their breath first.¡± Nie Zhenbang looked at Ding Aiguo and Liu Wenqing, and then recounted the whole situation. At the end, he added, ¡°Secretary Liu, Mayor Ding, I¡¯m sure about this. Liu Kun, the president, whose father is the current First Deputy Secretary and First Director of the National Engineering Committee, might be the Minister of Machinery Industry next year. The Agriculture Ministry¡¯s involvement is his initiative. On the Autonomous Region¡¯s side, it¡¯s Qian Jin, son of the Secretary of the Urumqi Municipal Committee. As for Court TV, a friend¡¯s uncle is the station¡¯s director. That¡¯s a promise from my friend.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words stunned the two bosses of Bazhou City Party Committee. The way Nie used names suggested he had profound connections. For someone to interact with these people, Nie must not be an ordinary person. Paying less attention to Nie¡¯s background, Liu Wenqing focused on the matter itself. Leaders from the region, central ministries, and the media from Court TV were alling. This was a rare opportunity for Bazhou. It was an excellent chance to present itself to the nation and showcase the city¡¯s progress. The rhythmic tapping of fingers on the wooden armrest of the sofa went silent as Liu Wenqing spoke next, ¡°Old Ding, In regard to this matter, I think it¡¯s time for us here in Bazhou City to take action. I will let Li Qingde notify the standingmittee members who stayed home to have a temporary meeting to discuss the preparations for the guest reception. What do you think?¡± Immediately after, Liu Wenqing made a final decision and said, ¡°Old Ding, I think this is a great opportunity and a significant event for our Bazhou City. As the directive has already been handed down from above, even though the autonomous region administration will notify us, we could already take action beforehand since we obtained the news in advance. Otherwise, we will be passive if things happen to wait for us.¡± After a short pause, Liu Wenqing turned to Ding Aiguo, his voice diplomatic, ¡°Old Ding, I believe it¡¯s necessary to mobilize various departments such as hygiene, municipal services, and public security. What do you think?¡± At this moment, Ding Aiguo nodded his head, then remarked, ¡°Secretary Liu, Ipletely agree with your views, better safe than sorry. Let¡¯s prepare fully on our end to ensure we showcase the best of Bazhou to the country. We need to present the most beautiful side of Bazhou to our people.¡± At this time, the standingmittee members of the Bazhou City Committee, who had just received the notice, sat in the meeting room with puzzled faces. Some of them had formed groups and began to whisper among themselves. At that moment, Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo entered the room together. This scenario stirred up whispers amongst the people, wondering when the rtionship between the secretary and the mayor had be so close. Although the cooperation between Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo had always been good, they often had disagreements. Yet, they seemed to have grown closer recently. It was the same during the addition of standingmittee members in Li County. And the same scene was repeated now. Cheng Xinhua, however, looked serene. Nie Zhenbang had called him earlier, so he knew why Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo wanted to hold a standingmittee meeting. Once everyone had settled down, Liu Wenqing tapped on the table. He went straight to the point, ¡°Comrades, I¡¯ve gathered you all here at thiste hour because there is an issue that needs to be announced.¡± After a brief pause, Liu Wenqing continued, ¡°I just received a phone call from Secretary General Xiao of the Autonomous Region Government Office. A week from now, Vice Chairman Niu of the Autonomous Region, as well as Xie Laixi, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, will be attending the foundationying ceremony at Li County¡¯s Farmer Welfare Company. Additionally, Court TV station¡¯s ¡°Daily at Seven¡± will be covering the ceremony.¡± The moment these words were spoken, a chorus of discussions broke out in the meeting room. Liu Wenqing was quite understanding. Since the establishment of Bazhou City, the highest-ranking official who had visited was only the Secretary-General of the Autonomous Region Party Committee. Neither the Party Secretary of the prefecture nor the Chairman of the Autonomous Region had ever visited Bazhou, which was a rather big irony. However, this time, if the Court TV stationes, and central ministry leaders are present, it¡¯s possible that the Party Secretary of the district and the Chairman of the Autonomous Region will alsoe. Moreover, having the coverage of Court TV would be a great honor for Bazhou City. Tapping on the table again, Liu Wenqing said solemnly, ¡°Alright, everyone, settle down. That¡¯s how things stand. Now, the primary issue is that everyone in the city has to be mobilized. The hygiene department, health bureau, education bureau, all counties and districts in the city, and all units, should be divided into sections for area-wide hygiene cleanups. Furthermore, traffic and municipal services have to take action. The maintenance and repair of roads along the route, the maintenance and cleaning of streetlight facilities within the city, all these should be implemented. On the public security end, Secretary Li Yong can lead these matters. Arrangement of the leaders¡¯ traveling routes, arrangements for lead cars, as well as amodation matters and security issues during the leaders¡¯ stay in Bazhou City, all need to be settled.¡± After finishing, Liu Wenqing turned to Ding Aiguo on his side, ¡°Old Ding, do you have anything else to add?¡± Ding Aiguo nodded, cleared his throat habitually, and said, ¡°I think therades present all understand Secretary Liu¡¯s proposal. This event is a rare opportunity for us all and for Bazhou City. From my end, there is nothing I need to stress. But let me emphasize once more that we must seize, and make the most of, this opportunity. We must present the brand-new face and spirit of our Bazhou City to the whole nation.¡± After the meeting, the following day, all of Bazhou City began to take action. Each of the several counties and districts under Bazhou City jurisdiction also began extensive cleaning work. After all, no one knew whether the leaders might suddenly decide to visit. If they did and found things unprepared, it would be toote. In the city area, all the burnt-out streetlights had been reced with new bulbs. The whole Bazhou City now looked like a city that never sleeps. The roads leading to other cities also underwent refurbishment. A few days passed in a sh. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun, together with Mo Zhihai, the Secretary of the Li County Party Committee, and County Mayor Wu Zhixiong, as representatives of Li County, joined the leadership team of the Bazhou City Committee and Municipal Government. At this moment, Liu Kun¡¯s pager suddenly rang. After ending the call, Liu Kun spoke, ¡°Leaders, I just received news. Vice Minister Xie and Secretary Jiang Zhenquan of the Autonomous Region Party Committee left this morning.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Liu Wenqing¡¯s phone also rang. As he checked the number, Liu Wenqing was stunned, it seems Liu Kun¡¯s information was correct, surprisingly, it was a call from the Autonomous Region Party Committee Office. PS: Now we have 394 votes, and we¡¯re nearing 400. Old Cai keeps his word ¡ª if we hit 400 votes before midnight, there will be a 15,000-word update tomorrow. Brothers and sisters, we¡¯ve taken another hit. They¡¯ve already told us why the flower is so red. Brothers and sisters, do you have the confidence to hit back?!! Chapter 134 - 134 The Ceremony is Very Shocking (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 134 - 134 The Ceremony is Very Shocking (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 134: The Ceremony is Very Shocking (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1 Trantor:549690339 They set off in the morning. It would take about seven hours from the provincial capital to Bazhou. With traffic police escorts from various cities along the way, the speed could be even faster, allowing them to arrive at Bazhou around two in the afternoon. Now, it was already noon. From here, it would take almost an hour to reach the outskirts of Bazhou City, perfect timing. The group was in high spirits as they rushed to the border of Bazhou City. Netted by four police cars in the front and back, more than a dozen vehicles headed out in a column. At the border of Bazhou City, the Bazhou City Police had already made arrangements a few days before, choosing a spot of open terrain. After the cars stopped, Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo got out, followed by everyone else. In the winter of Xibei, the chilling wind was dreadful. Everyone shuddered, and looking at his watch, Liu Wenqing estimated that there was still about an hour left. He then signaled, ¡°Everyone, back into your cars, please. Have a patrol car guard the point two kilometers ahead.¡± About an hourter, police lights shed in the distance. Three ck Mercedes-Benz cars, escorted by several police vehicles, drove towards them. By then, Liu Wenqing and the others were standing by the roadside. The cars slowed to a halt in front of the crowd. At this moment, the ss of the back seat of the lead car gradually lowered, revealing the figure of Jiang Zhenquan, Secretary of the Xibei Autonomous Region Party Committee. Jiang Zhenquan, 62 years old¡ª63e next year¡ªhad his hairbed neatly back, revealing some greying strands. Slightly overweight, he looked at Liu Wenqing and the others. With augh, he said, ¡°You guys are far too formal. Comrades Wenqing and Aiguo, please get in. The rest of you, get in your cars. Standing outside in this freezing cold is pointless. We won¡¯t stop in Bazhou, we¡¯ll go directly to Li County.¡± At this moment, Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s secretary tactfully exited and took a seat in Liu Wenqing¡¯s car. Ding Aiguo could only sit in the front passenger seat now. Seeing this, Jiang Zhenquanughed. Clearly, Secretary Jiang was in a good mood today. He continued, ¡°This time, you¡¯ve given the Party Committee and the government of the autonomous region a big surprise. Your achievements aremendable. If your strategy in Li County proves sessful, I believe it could be adopted throughout the entire Northwest. Land, except for the desert, is this part of the country¡¯s most abundant resource. As the nation ismitted to economic development, we in the Northwest ought to be bold. I¡¯ve heard that this movement was initiated by a newly appointed youngrade in Li County?¡± Upon hearing that even Jiang Zhenquan knew about this, Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo were both very surprised. This time, Nie Zhenbang had certainly made an impression. If he could leave a good impression on Jiang Zhenquan, his career in the Northwest would likely be smooth sailing. Still, since Jiang Zhenquan asked, they couldn¡¯t avoid answering. Liu Wenqing hesitated slightly before responding, ¡°Secretary Jiang, you are very well informed. Indeed, we owe our thanks to you and the Party Committee of the Autonomous Region for your concern and care for Bazhou¡¯s economic development, and for sending us such excellent cadres.¡± Liu Wenqing¡¯s words were somewhat reserved, not specifying what role Nie Zhenbang yed in everything. After all, there was no connection between Nie Zhenbang and Liu Wenqing, so Liu would naturally not sing too many praises for Nie. At this point, Ding Aiguo turned his head and added, ¡°Secretary Jiang, this time, the ¡®farmerpany-base¡¯ model in Li County was first proposed by Comrade Nie Zhenbang. A preliminary investment of twenty million has been made by General Liu from Jingcheng. We estimate that, based on development and the existing livestock in Li County, there will be a doubling or more in three years.¡± Upon hearing Ding Aiguo¡¯s words, Jiang Zhenquan paused for a moment, thenughed, ¡°Hmm, I looked at this idea, and it¡¯s indeed very good. I would like to meet this youngrade.¡± As the cars entered the outskirts of Li County City, by now, many local people had already gathered along the roadside. The road had been barricaded by armed police and local police from Bazhou City supporting Li County. The cars drove directly to the site of the Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s foundationying ceremony in the suburbs of Li County. At this moment, the entire ceremony site was decorated fabulously. Arge area of umted snow had been cleared on an open t field, and arge stage had also been erected. In front of the stage was a foundation stone. Upon the arrival of the leaders, Liu Kun and Qian Jin greeted them together. Seeing Jiang Zhenquan walking in front, Qian Jin naturally went up to greet him, ¡°Secretary Jiang, wee to the foundationying ceremony of the Farmer Welfare Company. We appreciate the support of the Xibei Autonomous Region Party Committee for ourpany.¡± Upon seeing Qian Jin, Jiang Zhenquan was taken aback for a moment, but moved on, responding with a smile, ¡°Manager Qian, you are too courteous. As the first agricultural industrial investment of Xibei in business promotion and capital introduction, how could I note?¡± At that moment, Liu Kun also shook hands with Vice-Minister of Agriculture Xie Laixi. Liu Kun, thisd, had already slipped over, whispering in Xie Laixi¡¯s ear, ¡°Uncle Xie, thanks a lot.¡± Xie Laixi also chuckled. As the son-inw of the old Li family, in certain positions, the attitude of the old Li family is his attitude. Usually, sons-inw like him are generally affiliates and peripherals of the wife¡¯s family n. Unless they are particrly outstanding, they would gradually transition from being a son-inw to their own family. The central position was naturally upied by Jiang Zhenquan. As a central leader, Xie Laixi, although holding the same deputy ministerial level as Niu Yunchang, sat on the left. On the right was Niu Yunchang, the vice chairman of the Autonomous Region. Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo were respectively leaning on Xie Laixi and Niu Yunchang from the left and the right. This was the art of ranking in the officialdom. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had already reached the host seat next to the main stage. As the protagonist of this groundbreaking ceremony, Nie Zhenbang naturally took the initiative to stand in the host¡¯s position. After scanning the surroundings, and after the first item of the national anthem was yed by everyone standing, Nie Zhenbang again said: ¡°Next, let¡¯s wee Secretary of the Party Committee of the Autonomous Region, Jiang, to make a speech. Let¡¯s wee him.¡± As soon as his words ended, Jiang Zhenquan stood up, smiling and said: ¡°Fathers and fellow vigers of Li County, I am Jiang Zhenquan. Here, I would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year.¡± As soon as Jiang Zhenquan opened his mouth, it immediately provoked waves of cheers from the crowd around. After all, given Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s status, the hearts of the people are easily satisfied. The grand His Excellency wishing a Happy New Year to amoner would naturally excite them. After the sound gradually subsided, Jiang Zhenquan continued: ¡°The experience of the coastal regions in reform and opening up and economic development is to develop the second and third industries, which currently seem to work quite well. Nowadays, in our ind, in our Xibei, many cities are also developing. However, manyin. They believe that without regional advantages, without economic advantages, it seems, development bes difficult. It seems that without these, it¡¯s natural to think that the development of our Xibei Region shouldg a bit behind, that we can¡¯tpare with the eastern coast, and that should be the case. However, I am gratified that not all cadres are numb. In Bazhou, in our Li County, I saw the dawn of Xibei¡¯s economic development¡­ The spirit of innovation is worth advocating. The spirit of daring to fight and daring to venture is also worth learning from for our Xibei cadres. Finally, I wish the Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s development in Xibei to open up new prospects and enjoy a bright future. I wish the people of Li County would get richer and truly rush towards a better living standard.¡± After his words, Vice Minister of Agriculture Xie Laixi also made a passionate speech. It was then that Nie Zhenbang announced the start of the groundbreaking ceremony. With Jiang Zhenquan leading, all the leaders, holding carefully prepared shovels, followed Jiang Zhenquan in shoveling the first mound of earth. The Farmer Welfare Company already had fireworks and firecrackers prepared, which began to go off. Large-scale fireworks purchased and transported from Chunan Province also soared into the sky. At this time, Liu Kun, seizing the opportunity, came prepared with pen and ink, paper and inkstone. Qian Jin also opportunistically approached, ¡°Secretary Jiang, would you like to leave a couplet for our Farmer Welfare Company?¡± Jiang Zhenquan seemed particrly happy at this moment. After he personally heard about the development n of the Farmer Welfare Company from Liu Kun and Qian Jin, as well as the cooperation conditions with Li County, Jiang Zhenquan seemed to have found a good development path. What Xibei didn¡¯tck the most wasnd. If there could be several more investors like this, then the entire situation of Xibei would be invigorated. Soon, Jiang Zhenquan alsoughed, ¡°Hehe, since Manager Liu and Manager Qian have warmly invited, then I would not refrain from showing my ugliness.¡± With a big stroke of the pen, Jiang Zhenquan left eight characters on the rice paper, ¡°Farmer Welfare Company, Benefiting the Country and the People.¡± As long as Jiang Zhenquan is still in Xibei, even if he retirester, at least within these ten years, the Farmer Welfare Company doesn¡¯t need to worry about its future. ¡­ At Li County Hotel As the ce where Jiang Zhenquan stayed, at this moment at the entrance of the No.1 courtyard of Li County Hotel, several department-level leaders from Bazhou City were waiting. At this moment, Liu Wenqing had already been inside for nearly an hour. The fact that Jiang Zhenquan coulde to Li County was also a rare opportunity for the leaders of Bazhou¡¯s City Committee. Regardless, they still needed to report their work superficially. Otherwise, in case Jiang Zhenquan had any objections, they would surely be in a difficult position. Just at that moment, the living room¡¯s door was opened, and Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s secretary walked out from inside, looking at the leaders waiting in the reception room. The secretary smiled and said: ¡°May I ask, which one of you israde Nie Zhenbang? Secretary Jiang has specifically asked to see him.¡± PS: At present, we have 429 votes. Thanks to all of my brothers and sisters. The difference is being reduced, currently, at 111 votes. Brothers, we don¡¯tpare with others anymore. Let¡¯s challenge ourselves. We are falling short by only 41 votes to reach 470 votes. So close. It looks like a breakout tomorrow is inevitable. Chapter 135: Secretary Jiang’s Affirmation (Explosion, asking for monthly tickets)_1 Chapter 135: Secretary Jiang¡¯s Affirmation (Explosion, asking for monthly tickets)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Outside the door, Nie Zhenbang was standing a distance away. Initially, Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t nned oning as he was aware that numerous leaders from Bazhou City were waiting to meet with Jiang Zhenquan. Even at the level of Lixian, it was likely that Jiang Zhenquan would only receive the county party secretary and the county governor as a sign of respect. Moreover, these meetings would usually include both the county party secretary and the county governor. However, it would be inappropriate not to attend such an event especially when everyone else was present. What would it look like if he, alone, didn¡¯t show up? Was he trying to show his superiority to Jiang Zhenquan? Thus, in the end, Nie Zhenbang had arrived, enjoying the warmth of the waiting guests¡¯ room in a corner seat. However, Nie Zhenbang never expected that Jiang Zhenquan would summon him. After all, at this moment, besides Liu Wenqing, the secretary of the Bazhou Municipal Committee who had been inside for more than an hour, even the Mayor Ding Aiguo hadn¡¯t been summoned, yet he directly called for Nie Zhenbang. Upon hearing the secretary¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. The secretary frowned, raising his voice, repeating, ¡°Is Comrade Nie Zhenbang of Lixian present?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡± Nie Zhenbang stood up, waving a smile. Gazing at Nie Zhenbang, some impatience filled the secretary¡¯s face. He nodded and proceeded, ¡°Follow me, don¡¯t keep Secretary Jiang waiting.¡± Quickening his pace, Nie Zhenbang walked alongside the secretary. In a secluded corner, Nie Zhenbang slipped a pack of cigarettes into the secretary¡¯s breast pocket,ughing, ¡°Director Tang, a small token of appreciation. I hope you won¡¯t mind.¡± Secretary Tang, besides being Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s secretary, also held the position of a deputy director in the provincial office. Hence, addressing him in this manner was appropriate. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Secretary Tang took out the cigarettes. Upon seeing it, he found it was a special edition of white-packaged cigarettes. Immediately, his demeanor changed. Having been around Jiang Zhenquan, Secretary Tang had seen many things. If Nie Zhenbang could have Qian Jin and Liu Kun on his side, that implied his unusual stature. Given Qian Jin¡¯s attitude, it seemed Liu Kun was the one truly in control. If you deduced from this, it indicated that Nie Zhenbang also had a formidable background. Secretary Tang chuckled, saying, ¡°How can I ept this? Director Nie, you¡¯re young and capable ¨C a model figure we should all learn from. Better hurry up, don¡¯t let Secretary Jiang wait. He despises exaggerations and punctuality.¡± These words were Secretary Tang subtly reminding Nie Zhenbang. This was a response to the packet of cigarettes and not necessarily a reflection of Secretary Tang¡¯s realistic nature. In the officialdom, three things are emphasized: connections, capability, and being able to navigate human rtions. Connections imply a person¡¯s background and personalwork. Having support from above and below ensures smooth promotions. Capability is essential, without it, simply relying on connections won¡¯t get you far. Take Nie Zhenbang¡¯s father Nie Guowei for example, hisck of ability was a major drawback. Even with his rank of a deputy national level official, it was more of an amodation. As for navigating human rtions, it¡¯s connected toworking. Arrogance and creating enemies wherever you go hampers your progress and restricts your promotions. At the moment, Nie Zhenbang mastered the essence of maintaining good rtions. A packet of cigarettes was insignificant and certainly not a bribe. Secretary Tang received it without any hesitation. However, the value and the background of the special edition cigarettes did make Secretary Tang take note of it. Such cigarettes were unlikely to be given out by a county-level official. Upon epting the gift, Secretary Tang naturally considered a few things. At this moment, his words were a hint to Nie Zhenbang: Secretary Jiang appreciates practical, sincere, and hard-working officials. This provided Nie Zhenbang a prior opportunity to impress. Catering to what people like can naturally lead to unprecedented sess. Secretary Tang knocked on the door, subsequently opening it. At this moment, inside the room, Liu Wenqing had already stood up, his timing seemed impable. Liu Wenqing and Nie Zhenbang passed each other. A smile spread across Liu Wenqing¡¯s face. It seemed that he was satisfied with the conversation he had with Jiang Zhenquan. ¡°Secretary, Comrade Nie Zhenbang of Lixian is here,¡± Secretary Tang whispered quietly. Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s gaze fell upon Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang was tall with a well-proportioned body. His behavior was grounded andposed. His first impression was rather impressive. Jiang Zhenquan nodded, said, ¡°Little Tang, you arrange it. Approximately an hourter, call for Comrade Aiguo. Let the others know I won¡¯t be meeting with them and they can stop waiting.¡± Secretary Tang nodded ordingly. After he quietly closed the door, Jiang Zhenquan turned to Nie Zhenbang who was standing by the door, and smiled saying, ¡°Comrade Nie, I¡¯ve heard so much about you. After all, this is your territory. You¡¯re the host here and I¡¯m the guest. Be at ease and sit on the sofa.¡± Nie Zhenbang also nodded, thenughed,¡± Secretary Jiang, you are joking. You are the party secretary of our Xibei Autonomous Region, the top authority and Lixian is under your rule. I am just a soldier under yourmand. I wouldn¡¯t dare to act without your order.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s remarks made Jiang Zhenquan burst intoughter as well. Such a calm demeanor in a county-level cadre was something Jiang Zhenquan hadn¡¯t anticipated. He had seen many county-level cadres, but Nie Zhenbang was the first to be soposed in front of him. Within a few sentences, Jiang Zhenquan felt that Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t as afraid or nervous in his presence as other county-level officials. He didn¡¯t sense any nervousness from Nie Zhenbang at all. ¡°Hehe, Comrade Little Nie is quite the smooth talker. Little Nie, I invited you here today mainly to hear about the corporate and farmer household model. It seems that this model has transferred all the risk to the investors. Would other investors be willing to undertake such a thing?¡± After the pleasantries, Jiang Zhenquan got straight to the point. Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s intention was clear: the investors this time, Liu Kun and Qian Jin, probably have deep ties with you. Whether there are any personal factors in this current model. If so, it would be difficult to promote it across the whole region, after all, not all local leaders have such rtionships. At Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s level, the issue is considered not just from a local or city perspective, but also from a broader Xibei area and even the whole nation¡¯s standpoint. If this model seeds, it can be applied not only in Xibei, but also nationwide. As the pioneer, the Xibei Autonomous Region will reap considerable benefits, honor, and achievements. After pondering for a while, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Jiang, I believe this model is practical.¡± He paused before continuing, ¡°Firstly, this model does not transfer the risk to the investors. On the contrary, it¡¯s a great way to expand operations and reduce risk. Whether it¡¯s agricultural farming or livestock breeding, farmers invest their own production materials andbor as costs, and investors provide the production capital. This greatly increases the enthusiasm of the farmers, and the investment cost is much lowerpared to hiring workers to manage thend directly. Yet, the actual production scale can rapidly expand.¡± ¡°Furthermore, farmers are not without risks in their operations. ording to the relevant regtions, farmers must ensure good production in order to earn the most profit. On this premise, farmers¡¯ spontaneous enthusiasm for production increases, which can minimize the initial risk. As for investors, they are spared the biggest problem in production management. They can focus only on subsequent deep processing and sales, thus forming a benign cycle. It also leads to faster industrialization, scale operation, and brand building.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s views gave Jiang Zhenquan a refreshing perspective. This model is indeed a win-win approach. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s innovative ideas, such as scale operation, industrialization, and branding, were somewhat shocking to Jiang Zhenquan. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s capability among county-level cadres in Xibei is unprecedented. Then, Jiang Zhenquan nodded and said, ¡°Comrade Little Nie, your words have given me a lightbulb moment. The Lixian model, my suggestion is, Little Nie, you personally take charge, summarize and form a mature model, then write it down and give it to me. I think this model can be fully extended across the whole Xibei area.¡± Hearing Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was excited. Getting Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s approval meant sess to Nie Zhenbang. This political achievement was irreceable. At this moment, Jiang Zhenquan suddenly said, ¡°Little Nie, I have a suggestion. I n to establish a regional agricultural reform development team on behalf of the autonomous regional partymittee and government. Would you like to be transferred to this team?¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected Jiang Zhenquan to be so ambitious. The model in Lixian hadn¡¯t shown results yet, but Jiang Zhenquan was already nning to promote it across the region. Being transferred to the regional office was an opportunity. However, after considering it, Nie Zhenbang hesitated, ¡°Secretary Jiang, thank you for your trust and attention. But the Lixian model has just started. I want to develop it here first, what do you think¡­.¡± The meaning of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words was already very clear, and Jiang Zhenquanughed at this moment: ¡°Hehe, this pragmatic attitude is good. Unlike somerades, who would abandon everything at the sight of a better prospect. This mentality deserves recognition and praise. It¡¯s the mark of someone who gets things done.¡± Then, Jiang Zhenquan changed the topic and smiled, saying, ¡°Little Nie, on your trip back to Beijing, please convey my regards to Elder Nie and Commander Nie and your father.¡± As soon as Jiang Zhenquan finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected Jiang Zhenquan to guess his background. PS: Brothers and sisters, please continue your support. From the morning until now, there has not been any movement in the monthly ticket count. Currently, I have 434 votes, and I am only 36 votes away from 470. Brothers and sisters, Old Cai has full confidence in all of you. With your monthly votes, Old Cai can have enough confidence and motivation. Chapter 136: Returning to Beijing for New Year (Begging for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 136: Returning to Beijing for New Year (Begging for Monthly Tickets)_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Haha! Little Nie must feel very surprised.¡± Jiang Zhenquanughed as well at this moment, the attitude towards Nie Zhenbang having shifted now that his background was known here. Compared to before, his secretarial solemnity had lessened slightly, reced with a more congenial, elderlike demeanor. As for his own identity, Nie Zhenbang was sure that his grandfather didn¡¯t leak it. When he left Jingcheng to take up his position in Xibei, his grandfather¡¯s approach was to keep it secret. Moreover, at the time, his grandfather had said that only Li Yifeng was made aware in the whole of Xibei. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stunned look, Jiang Zhenquanughed and said, ¡± There¡¯s no need for you to guess, Little Nie. When you arrived, Secretary Yifeng reported to me. At that time, he said a distant rtive wasing from Jingcheng. I didn¡¯t pay too much attention then. However, you caused such a stir here in Li County and are closely associated with the Qian family¡¯s boy and Liu Kun. I was able to guess then. The only person in Jingcheng with thest name Nie, a prominent background and a connection to Secretary Yifeng, it must be Elder Nie.¡± Upon hearing Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s exnation, Nie Zhenbangughed awkwardly and said, ¡°Secretary Jiang, I apologize for the confusion. My grandfather instituted a rule forbidding me from capitalizing on his reputation. I certainly did not mean to hide it from you.¡± Jiang Zhenquan didn¡¯t seem bothered, heughed and said, ¡°Haha, Little Nie, too careful. We still find Elder Nie¡¯s character admirable and praiseworthy. ¡®Gold will shine no matter what¡¯, your current achievements are quite remarkable. Just after taking office, you have aplished such a lot, which is impressive. Keep doing well. If there¡¯s anything you need, you can consult with Secretary Wenqing in your city.¡± In saying so, it was clear that Jiang Zhenquan had already given Liu Wenqing the heads up. At this moment, Nie Zhenbangughed; he was looked after by Cheng Xinhua, won the favor of Ding Aiguo through Wu Zhixiong and now had Liu Wenqing¡¯s support. In Li County, he no longer needed to worry about his future. That afternoon, at seven o¡¯clock, the entire leadership of Lixian County gathered in the County Party Committee¡¯s auditorium. At this moment, several TVs had already been set up, fully ensuring everyone could watch the ¡°Daily at Seven¡± news. The chief of Lixian CPPCC and the Director of People¡¯s Congress watched it together as the organizers. At the same time, in the banquet hall of the Li County Hotel, Jiang Zhenquan, Xie Laixi and Niu Yunchang appeared in front of the Bazhou City leaders along with the Lixian County Party Secretary and the county mayor, apanied by Nie Zhenbang. With the start of the news, finally, after broadcasting some of the activities of the national leaders, the scene changes and the anchor appears, saying, ¡°Against the backdrop of the national reform and openness, and the prosperous state of economic development, Xibei Autonomous Region, leveraging its local advantages and exploring the potential of primary industries, Bazhou City, Li County has taken the lead in the country inunching a novel mode of pany plus farmer plus base¡¯. The enthusiasm of the people has greatly increased. Autonomous Region Party Secretary Jiang Zhenquan and Deputy Minister of Agriculture Xie Laixi attended the event, apanied by relevant leaders of the Autonomous Region!¡± Thereafter, the scene shifts to Jiang Zhenquan and others at the groundbreaking ceremony, and the camera even gives Nie Zhenbang a big close-up, which left Nie Zhenbang feeling somewhat embarrassed. Clearly, this had been arranged by Anna. As ¡°Daily at Seven¡± ends, thunderous apuse erupts in the banquet hall. Being featured on ¡°Daily at Seven¡± is no small feat for any ce. As a national news program, it is one that even national leaders watch closely. Following that, Jiang Zhenquan stood up. The banquet hall fell silent. Jiang Zhenquan seemed very pleased, constantly wearing a smile. He looked around at everyone and said, ¡°Comrades, the economic development achievements of Bazhou City are outstanding, indeed far exceeding the estimates of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and the government. Here, on behalf of the Autonomous Region Party Committee, government, People¡¯s Congress and the CPPCC, I would like to congratte Bazhou City and Li County. I hope thatrades in Bazhou City will remain modest and prudent, continue to uphold the spirit of daring to think and dare to do, disy a practical and progressive spirit, and strive to create further brilliance!¡± The next day, after Jiang Zhenquan and others left, Li County returned to its normal state. By then, there were less than two days left until the Lunar New Year. Nie Zhenbang also packed his bags. His on-duty shifts during the Spring Festival were dismissed with the help of Wu Zhixiong. After meeting up with Dong Wan and Yang Anna, the trio rushed to Wumu. They were to take a direct flight to Jinghcheng that evening. ¡°Brother Zhenbang, you looked so handsome during your close-up on ¡®Daily at Seven¡¯. How was it? I did a good job arranging that, right? I had to beg my uncle for it for a long time.¡± Yang Anbang started boasting as soon as she boarded the ne. Yang Anna¡¯s uncle, Yang Guangrong, was known to Nie Zhenbang as a strict character. Serving in propaganda all this time, he is now the director of Huaxia TV station and concurrently serves as deputy director of the national radio and television administration. Holding such an important propaganda position wasrgely due to Yang Guangrong¡¯s principled character. He had always been highly trusted by the top leaders, both in the past and currently. For Yang Anna to have gotten this special feature from Yang Guangrong, she must have used all kinds of methods, pushing him to the point where he had no choice but to give Nie Zhenbang this special feature. Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t bother your uncle for such things in the future. When it¡¯s time to show up, even if you don¡¯t say anything, I would still make an appearance. You can¡¯t let your uncle break his principles for you in the future.¡± Upon their arrival in Jingcheng, Li Lixue had already been waiting at the airport. She first dropped off Yang Anna at home. After that, there was some sexual tension in the car between the three remaining people. In the evening, there¡¯s no need for borate words. Men and women who have tasted the sweetness of each other¡¯s love naturally burn with desire. They tumbled into a deep slumber only in the middle of the night. ¡­ Forbidden City The residence of the former leader, ever since he fully retired, the old man has almost been in a state ofplete seclusion, except for the national tour and inspection at the beginning of this year. At this moment, he was very pleased by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival. Nie Zhenbang did not bring any particr gifts for his visit. To the old man, material gifts were of no consequence. What mattered the most was sincerity. ¡°Zhenbang is here, have a seat. I didn¡¯t expect you to go to Xibei either. Your grandfather has really gone to great lengths for you,¡± the old man chuckled. Currently, the internal dynamics within the Nie family were gradually changing. Among the third generation, Elder Nie was gradually shifting his focus onto Nie Zhenbang. This was an undeniable fact. On one hand, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s achievements were simply too significant. His contribution alone to the nation was monumental. From the Soviet Union, the technology and research personnel that Nie Zhenbang had secured were priceless treasures. It could be said that the military strength of the entire Huaxia was enhanced by at least twenty years. And this even excluded the general industrial technology reserves. But this matter was confined to the top tier, as it was something that could not be made public. Nheless, this merit was more than enough. The current leaders had to acknowledge Nie Zhenbang¡¯s contributions. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s advantage. On the other hand, the identity as the old man¡¯s godson added quite a few points for Nie Zhenbang. Combined with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s own abilities, it was only natural for the Nie family to lean towards him. The old man was very pleased with Nie Zhenbang, who had achieved remarkable results even in Li County. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance could hardly be faulted. Although this was partly due to his extensive background and connections, unless Nie Zhenbang ruined his own political achievements, no one else would. And from what it looked like at present, this agricultural n was indeed a rare win-win model. Right then, the old man¡¯s wife walked in from outside. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, she also broke into a smile and then said, ¡°Old Nan, several of the leaders currently in Jingcheng havee to visit you. What do you think?¡± The old woman was implying whether Nie Zhenbang should withdraw for a moment, considering the current attendees represented the highest echelons of the country¡¯s leadership. It might be inappropriate for Nie Zhenbang, a junior member, to be present. But at this moment, the old man waved his hand and chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Zhenbang is my godson after all. It wouldn¡¯t hurt to let him listen in.¡± As several of Huaxia¡¯s current leaders came into the room, Nie Zhenbang also stood up and respectfully greeted, ¡°Hello, leaders.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang, the current leader was also momentarily stunned. He had not expected the old man to value Nie Zhenbang so much. Soon, the leader also broke into a smile, ¡°Zhenbang is here too. You¡¯ve done a great job in Li County.¡± After exchanging pleasantries, the current leader said with a smile, ¡°Old leader, ever since your national inspection tour this year, domestic opinions have coalesced. We¡¯ve discussed and agreed that reform and opening up are indeed suitable for our national development. The reform experiment has been tried for a considerable period of time, and facts have proven that we are on the right path. Now, we think it might be time to open up the light industry sector nationally and encourage private capital in national constructions to expand the scope of reforms. We came today to wish you and your wife a happy new year, and secondly, we would like to hear your opinion on this.¡± Upon hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang realized that the nationwide reform and economic development had officially begun. However, in his memories of his previous life, the domestic reform and development went off track initially. Many local governments had pursued achievements one-sidedly, neglecting the environment. Serious pollution urred across the country, andter on, tremendous funds had to be spent on environmental remediation. Watching Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression, the old man seemed lost in thought. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance so far had given people a irvoyant feeling. On a sudden whim, the old man was interested in hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughts. ordingly, the old man said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m retired and no longer manage these matters. I trust in the capabilities and practical spirit of the current leadership. It¡¯s up to you to handle everything.¡± After saying this, the old man turned to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, it seems like you have something to say.¡± PS: The vote was at 438. Brothers, sisters, we¡¯re only short of 32 votes. Keep going, let¡¯s push up the count, Old Cai is prepared to stay awake for a few days and nights. Chapter 137 - 137 Sustainable Development (Request for Monthly Ticket)_1 Chapter 137: Sustainable Development (Request for Monthly Ticket)_1 Trantor: 549690339 The old man¡¯s sudden feel, not only stunned Nie Zhenbang, but also startled other leaders. This was beyond generalmunication, it carried weight concerning the development and future of the nation. It involved major national affairs. Participating in such matters at such a youthful age was not child¡¯s y. A wrong decision could lead to irreversible damage. The old man added with a smile at this moment, ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. Everyone has a responsibility for the rise and fall of a nation. In our time, we were passionate youngsters during the revolution. You all have experienced that era. You should understand this. Ambition is not rted to old age, living to be a hundred without ambition is meaningless. Take Zhenbang¡¯s words as a reference. Being wrong is not the fear, implementing the wrong policies is.¡± Since the old man had given his approval, the present leaders couldn¡¯t object. The highest leader smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, since the elder has personally signaled you, you are free to share your ideas openly and exhaustively. Now, this is not the Politburo Standing Committee. It is a family gathering, you can speak your mind.¡± With the approval of the highest leader, Nie Zhenbang felt reassured. After organizing his thoughts, he said, ¡°Respected leaders! Grandfather! I think you should all be aware of the current concept of economic development in the world, that is, sustainable development.¡± Sustainable development, initially defined, was formally proposed at the United Nations Human Environment Conference in Stockholm, Sweden, in the 1970s. In the early 1980s, Brown from the United States, also published ¡°Building a Sustainable Society¡±, effectively giving a solid definition to this concept. Just now, talking about domestic reform and economic development, Nie Zhenbang felt profoundly moved. In his past life, many local governments pursued political merits one-sidedly, neglecting environmental issues and evolving into a distorted mindset of surrendering everything for economic development. This led to a continuous deterioration of the domestic environment. Desertification, sandstorms, extreme weather, and various other issues urred frequently. If we could rectify our development mindset from the beginning, it would benefit both the nation and its people. In fact,st year, a Jingcheng deration on environmental protection wasunched in cooperation with some developing countries. This year in Rio de Janeiro, the Huaxia government solemnly signed the Deration on Environment and Development. At this time, the new generation of national leaders was gradually paying attention to environmental protection. However, the concept of sustainable development had not been systematically proposed yet. Seeing the thoughtful expressions on several leader¡¯s faces, Nie Zhenbang knew, he couldn¡¯t stop speaking at this point. Decidedly, Nie Zhenbang continued freely. ¡°In my understanding, sustainable development should mean satisfying the needs and wants of the current generation without harming andpromising the needs and development of future generations.¡± This concept, upon presentation, brightened the eyes of several leaders, and the highest leader nodded approvingly, ¡°Good, the definition of this term is exined very well. Ensuring present development while leaving ample natural resources and environment for future development and living needs.¡± The chief domestic administrator and the present leader both nodded approvingly, ¡°This concept is innovative and unique. It makes a lot of sense upon further thought. Presently, the demand for development is high in our country. However, many officials in local areas are neglecting natural resources and causing extensive damage. This is uneptable. Ten, twenty, or even several decadester, we cannot leave this beautifulndscape damaged for the next generation. We must preserve it.¡± Since the topic had already been broached, Nie Zhenbang candidly disclosed a suggestion, ¡°Respected leaders, besides environmental protection, there is something else we can learn from Japan. Nowadays, Japan has sealed all of its domestic mineral resources for the future generations. Even while fulfilling its current developmental needs, Japan importsrge amounts of iron ores, oil, and other strategic resources from overseas, reserving them.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words plunged all the leaders into deep thought. However, it appeared that they did not rate Japan¡¯s strategy as highly. Japan¡¯s national conditions, demands, and international environment were different from ours. Not everything that works for Japan would work for us. Some resources are under embargo by western nations against our country. From the side, the old man, sensing an unusual atmosphere, smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang¡¯s words are indeed worth pondering over. It shows he values being prepared for a rainy day. This is a proverb invented by our Huaxia people. But now, Japan is ahead of us. Our domestic resources should be exploited with nning and control. We should also encourage domesticpanies to go overseas, increase ie and decrease expenditure, prioritizing the former.¡± The present leader pondered for a moment and then nodded. No matter the resource, no matter how vast the reserves, there wille a day when these will be exhausted. As for other nations and races, we cannot govern those, as long as it¡¯s guaranteed that the Huaxia people, including future generations, are not affected, that¡¯s enough. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, the present leader did not hide his admiration. In the presence of the elder lead, there was no need for hollow pretenses. Thus, the present leader also said with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, it¡¯s impressive that you have such a mindset. Even though you are located locally, you are still conscious of the nation. This mindset should be maintained and encouraged.¡± After spending some time with the elder, the leaders got up and left. Seeing the backs of the leaders, Nie Zhenbang could only leave his fate to the heavens. He had said everything he needed to, and whether the leaders considered them or not was beyond Nie Zhenbang¡¯s control. But he had faith that it would have some effect. Hopefully, this time, the nation¡¯s development wouldn¡¯t be the same as before. Nie Zhenbang stayed for lunch at the elder¡¯s ce and then left. At this moment, after retiring, the old man no longer lived in the Forbidden City. He did not go to Xiangshan Vi either, but had moved to a courtyard house. Nie Guodong, his uncle, also had his own house in the Military Commissionplex, and Zhenbang¡¯s father was usually based in Yanbei. At this moment, as Nie Zhenbang entered the living room, Old Cai had already set up the chessboard on the coffee table and beckoned with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang. How abouting over and having a game with me?¡± By the end of the game, Nie Zhenbang had lostpletely. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s condition, Old Cai started tough. He then said, ¡°How do you feel? Pressured, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯ve been watching your performancetely. Very good. Just now, the old leader called me. He had a lot of praise for you. It seems it¡¯s time for me to discuss the future ns with you.¡± Hearing Old Cai¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heartbeat quickened. The implication was obvious. The old man had never formally stated his position in this way before. While, indeed, the Nie family treated Nie Jialei and Nie Zhenbang fairly in their political careers, there was never a clear statement of preferential treatment. And now, the old man¡¯s statement indicated that he had made up his mind. Compared to Nie Jialei¡¯s achievements, Nie Zhenbang was much more outstanding. At 26, Nie Jialei only held an entry-level position. But Nie Zhenbang was already an assistantmissioner. At this level, the distinction between chief and assistant isn¡¯t that apparent. More importantly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯swork was far superior to Nie Jialei¡¯s, which was the crucial factor for Old Cai¡¯s decision. ¡°I believe you understand what I mean. This New Year, I will announce it to the whole family. You need to prepare yourself. Besides, you need to consider how you¡¯ll handle the situation with your older brother. Now, the Nie family future rests on your generation,¡± Old Cai said, suddenly serious. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reaction, Old Cai smiled, ¡°No pressure. And don¡¯t be too smug either. This is just a formality. How far you go depends on yourselves. Remember when you asked about the precious desk and bookcases in the study of the Forbidden City? I told you back then, it¡¯s up to you whether we can regain our ce there.¡± Nie Zhenbang immediately nodded gravely, ¡°Grandfather, don¡¯t worry, I will try my best. I believe both my older brother and I will strive hard. We won¡¯t let you down.¡± As soon as he walked out of the living room, Nie Zhenbang was about to go to his room when Nie Jiamin suddenly appeared and beckoned to him. Just as Nie Zhenbang approached Nie Jiamin, he whispered, ¡°Little brother. I know a good ce. How about I take you there? Interested?¡± Near the New Year, Nie Jiamin had also returned from Xibei. Although the brothers were both in Xibei, their interaction was minimal. Seeing Nie Jiamin¡¯s mysterious look, Nie Zhenbangughed. True to his reputation as a notorious trickster in Jingcheng. He had just returned and he¡¯s already found a ¡°good ce¡±. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, ¡°What good ce is it that you¡¯re being so secretive about?¡± At this moment, Nie Jiamin merely smiled and didn¡¯t exin. Instead, he dragged Nie Zhenbang outside, walking and talking, ¡°Why do I feel like you¡¯ve be a worrywart since bing a leader, little brother? Amongst our friends in Jingcheng, aside from those outside the system, who isn¡¯t an official or assistant official now? You can rxpletely. Just follow me. Do you think I would harm you?¡± Nie Zhenbang was practically pushed into the car by Nie Jiamin. The car started quickly and headed towards the suburbs of Jingcheng. Half an hourter, it pulled up in front of an abandoned factory. Looking at the dpidated factory, overrun with weeds and seemingly deserted for at least five years, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. He turned to Nie Jiamin, ¡°Brother, is this the ¡®good ce¡¯ you were talking about?¡± PS: First of all, I¡¯d like to congratte EdisonZXL for the generous donation and bing the new leader of this book. It¡¯s the first time one of my books has two leaders. I believe there will be more leaders in the future. Secondly, I want to thank you all for your support. Currently, the number of monthly tickets is 455, merely 15 away from 470. I believe tomorrow will be another explosive day. I¡¯m happy to write more for you. Let¡¯s hope for more fervid support. Chapter 138: Encounter with Zhou Chen Again (Fifth update, seeking monthly votes)_1 Chapter 138: Encounter with Zhou Chen Again (Fifth update, seeking monthly votes)_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Nie Jiamin gave a mysterious smile, looking quite disdainful. ¡°Brother, I feel like you¡¯re getting more and more out of touch. You can¡¯t even keep up with what¡¯s happening here.¡± With a regretful shake of his head, Nie Jiamin led Nie Zhenbang into the factory. As soon as they stepped into the abandoned building, two men dressed in army coats emerged from a small iron-walled house nearby. They studied Nie Zhenbang for a moment and on seeing Nie Jiamin, one of them smiled and said, ¡°So it¡¯s young master Nie. Pleasee in, the show is about to start.¡± Next to the small iron house, the ground was pulled back to reveal a hidden underground tunnel. A staircase led downwards introducing an entirely new world beneath. Within the huge foundation, a wide hall was built with concrete support frames. In the middle of the hall was a tform one meter high. Around the tform, there were chairs, and at the front, there were rows of sofa sets and coffee table booths. The room was extremely bare; in fact, there was no decoration at all. At this moment, many people had already arrived in the hall. Nie Jiamin seemed very familiar with the ce and soon found a booth with the help of a waiter and made himselffortable. ¡°Brother, tell me, what is this ce for?¡± In the center was a stage-like tform, and the air was permeated with the scent of blood. With a frown, Nie Zhenbang asked. Smiling, Nie Jiamin exined, ¡°Brother, see over there? Yes, those cages. This is a ce for dog fights. Nowadays, those mischievous men of Jingcheng are into this. It¡¯s bloody and thrilling. You can also gamble around. It¡¯s quite the pastime.¡± Nie Jiamin was speaking the truth. The mischievous men of Sijiucheng were experts in all sorts of things. Over time, they likely experienced a void in their lives that needed to be filled. This brutal and bloody sport of dog fights hit just the right taste for these men. It was indeed cruel, unbearable to people with a kind heart, or those with a weak mental capacity. Not to mention, dog fights werergely condemned by animal rights activists overseas as it meant torturing dogs. At that moment Li Hua, Wen Jiange, Liu Kun, and others also approached,ughing and joking. They evidently were regrs at this venue. ¡°So, even Brother Nie is here. Just in time, I was just thinking of inviting Brother Nie to join. Despite you¡¯re a leader now, you cannot distance yourself from us, themon people,¡± Wen Jiange joked as he saw Nie Zhenbang. Li Hua joined in with a smile, ¡°Great leaders have said we shoulde from the masses to serve the masses. Brother Nie returning to the grassroots level is an honor for us.¡± ¡°Guys, you joke among yourselves, but Brother Nie now feeds me. Mypany Farmer Welfare is in Brother Nie¡¯s hands. If any of you upset Brother Nie, causing a catastrophe for me, don¡¯t me me for being ruthless,¡± Liu Kun chimed in looking worried. Nie Zhenbang also responded with a smile, ¡°Kun, if you¡¯re so scared, there¡¯s an opportunity for you tonight. Cover all our expenses and consider it under the bridge, how about it?¡± No matter what Nie Zhenbang felt, you should enjoy when youe out to y. Now that he was out, Nie Zhenbang decided to let go and enjoy. Everyone wasn¡¯t pleased seeing him keep a long face. At this point, Nie Zhenbang recognized quite a few familiar faces. Yun family¡¯s eldest son was sitting with Zhang Xu and others. And on the other side sat Li family and Zhao Xinglong from the Zhao family, talking andughing. Zhao Xinglong was deemed one of the most mysterious wealthy young men in Jingcheng. The Zhao family kept a low profile in Jingcheng, but had significant connections in the official and military circles. Zhao Xinglong grew up studying overseas and had formally returned home this time. ¡°Hua, pretty ssy here. What¡¯s the background of this boss, and how did he snatch this lucrative business? You guys don¡¯t seem interested,¡± Nie Zhenbang teased wondering about the owner of the dog fighting business. Anyone able to run this in Jingcheng was certainly brilliant, at least in understanding the minds of these wealthy young men. Li Huaughed off thement, shaking his head, ¡°It¡¯s not that simple. The ones who are valued by the boss aren¡¯t afraid, and the ones that the boss is afraid of, wouldn¡¯t be interested in this ce.¡± At this moment, Zhang Xu and Zhao Xinglong were heading towards Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, Zhang Xu was feeling a bit conflicted. The woman of his dreams, the one he has been pursuing, had been taken by Nie Zhenbang. And now, their rtionship seemed unclear, which really annoyed Zhang Xu. ¡°Third, we meet again! You¡¯ve be quite spectacr after all these years we haven¡¯t seen each other.¡± Zhang Xu¡¯s tone was filled with irritation as soon as he began to speak. Nie Zhenbang smiled at this. Zhang Xu was indeed a devoted lover. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t know if Zhang Xu and Dong Wan had ended up together in his past life. But in this life, he had a good impression of Zhang Xu. Coming from a militarypound, Zhang Xu had a straightforward and unrestrained military personality. He loved who he loved, and disliked who he disliked, with no other options. This type of person had both good and bad aspects in politics. However, the Zhangs had always stayed away from politics, focusing solely on military advancement. Nie Jiamin whispered to Zhenbang, ¡°Third, Zhang Xu and I are in the same military region now. He¡¯s better than me; he¡¯s already a major, and he¡¯s rumored to be in the Tiger Battalion of the Northwest Military Region and might be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel soon.¡± Upon hearing Nie Jiamin¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang chuckled. It was true what they say, life is full of unexpected encounters. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t take Zhang Xu¡¯s aggressive attitude seriously, and even replied with a smile, ¡°You seem to be doing quite well in the army. Seems like you¡¯ve found your ce in this melting pot. When you get back to the base, send my regards to the ¡®devil¡¯. Tell him that the ¡®Crown Prince¡¯ misses him.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words shocked Zhang Xu. How did Nie Zhenbang know the internal nicknames of the Tiger Group? The ¡®Devil¡¯ was a codename for Yao Yuan, the Battalion Commander, earned due to his cruelty and strict training of new recruits. And, as for the ¡®Crown Prince¡¯, this name was used by Yao Yuan and ¡®Sun¡¯, signifying a legend and a myth within the Tiger Battalion of the Northwest Military Region ¡ªa soldier king bestowed with more talent than the Devil. It was something even the Devil himself had admitted. Zhang Xu had not expected this person to be Nie Zhenbang. Suddenly, Zhang Xu¡¯s attitude changed. He stared earnestly at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, even though you are my senior in the military and I¡¯ve long heard of your renowned name, I still have something to say. The military is the military. Feelings are feelings. Dong Wan has chosen you, and I regret nothing; it¡¯s her choice. However, I hope you don¡¯t make Dong Wan feel heartbroken or shed tears. Can you do that?¡± Now that¡¯s a real man. Nie Zhenbang appreciated Zhang Xu for his outspoken nature. Once this kind of person became your friend, he would be loyal for a lifetime. Maybe it was the sense of belonging that came from being in the same unit. Nie Zhenbang formally replied, ¡°Zhang Xu, you just rx, I will do that.¡± At this moment, Zhao Xinglong next to Zhang Xuughed and said, ¡°Don¡¯t make the atmosphere so tense. This must be ¡®Third Young Master¡¯, right? I¡¯ve heard so much about you but never met you since you were always overseas. Now, I get to meet you in person.¡± Zhang Xu had adjusted his state of mind by now. Anyone who could enter the Tiger Group definitely had strong psychological endurance and the ability to adjust. Heughed and introduced, ¡°Crown Prince, let me introduce you. This is Zhao Xinglong. He also came out of our militarypound, but he is an anomaly. He¡¯s never liked military affairs and lived abroad since primary school, onlying back to the country this year.¡± The Zhao family was also a core part of the militarypound, but this current generation of the Zhao family had few offspring and had gradually shown signs of leaving the military. Zhao Xinglong seemed to be around twenty-three or twenty-four. With his sword-like brows, twinkling eyes, and a height of one meter eighty-three, he was a strikingly handsome man. When he smiled, he emanated an elegantly schrly demeanor. Just then, another group of people walked in, led by Zhou Chen and Ou Zheng. Ever since the retirement of Comrade Xuri, the Ou family had fallen from grace. Ou Zheng¡¯s father, Ou Huajun, had been assigned to the National Political Consultative Conference for leisurely retirement. Thus, in Jingcheng, Ou Zheng was just amoner today. Compared to the veteran families like Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anbang, he had much to improve. But as the Ou and Zhou families had shared a simr plight, Ou Zheng naturally gathered with Zhou Chen. ¡°Today is indeed lively. It seems all have returned from their vacation.¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s voice was already heard before he reached the group. After his term in Chunan Province, Zhou Chen had matured a lot. But as the saying goes, ¡®Jiangshan is easy to change, but nature is hard to change¡¯, Zhou Chen¡¯s innate character couldn¡¯t be changed. Now, Zhou Chen had been transferred back from Chunan Province and had been appointed in a ministry, making him an assistant minister. Upon scanning the room and spotting Nie Zhenbang, Zhou Chen¡¯s face instantly turned gloomy. Then almost immediately, he smothered it with a smile, saying, ¡°I was wondering why it was so lively. Turns out Jingcheng¡¯s renowned ¡®Three Young Masters¡¯ is back. Have youe here just like us after being highlighted as an outstanding cadre by ¡®Daily at Seven¡¯?¡± PS: 461 votes, we¡¯re getting close to our goal of 470. Brothers and sisters, keep up the good work. Each ticket is creating a new history for us. I look forward topleting the goal at 11:10 pm. Tomorrow, there will be an assured burst of 12,000 words. Chapter 139: Raising Investment (Request for Monthly Ticket)_1 Chapter 139: Raising Investment (Request for Monthly Ticket)_1 Trantor:549690339 Zhou Chen¡¯s sarcasm was clear in his words. They were all people in the Jingcheng circle; who wouldn¡¯t know about each other¡¯s affairs? This time, the ¡°Daily at Seven¡± made a special feature for a deputy department-level official, indeed, it did raise a suspicion of purposeful publicity. Zhou Chen¡¯s words were naturally sarcastic. If the Zhou family had been like that in the past, Nie Zhenbang would have some reservations, but now? Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care. Moreover, recalling the humiliation the Zhou family had subjected him to in his previous life, Nei Zhenbang felt suffocated. Now, it was time to settle the score. However, Nie Zhenbang was very clear that in such a situation, at best, it was just about gaining small advantages and getting a bit of an upper hand verbally. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang turned to Zhao Xinglong and said, ¡°Dragon Young, since he is Zhang Xu¡¯s brother, he is also my brother. Tonight at the Dynasty Club, I will be the host and invite everyone. How about getting together?¡± Indifference is the greatest insult because others simply do not take you seriously. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude, Zhou Chen¡¯s face darkened, and he left with a wave of his hand. Zhao Xinglong alsoughed. He had heard about this kind of thing. Although he had always been abroad, this didn¡¯t mean Zhao Xinglong didn¡¯t understand the affairs of the circle. As the saying goes, where there are people, there is society. The Jingcheng families even divided themselves into factions, let alone their children. It¡¯s impossible for all these rebellious figures to get along well. What matters in the circle is clear-cut love and hatred. Those who try to please both sides will essentially end up displeasing both in this circle. Zhao Xinglong seemed to understand this very clearly. Then, smiling, he said: ¡°Third Young, you are too polite. I¡¯ve heard that the Dynasty Club is the number one club in Jingcheng. This time I can have a look. At the moment, I haven¡¯t done much. I wonder if Third Young has any good projects.¡± At this moment, as time approached, a bald man, about 1.65 meters tall and slightly chubby, walked in surrounded by a group of people. ¡°Old Three, this is the owner here, a figure in the circle. Few people know his real name, they usually just call him by his nickname, Baldy.¡± As Baldy appeared, Nie Jiamin softly introduced him to Nie Zhenbang. Zhang Xu also said in a deep voice, ¡°Baldy is indeed a figure in the circle, from our generation. The children of ordinary families in Jingcheng are famously brave and dare to fight. Quite a few rebellious figures are afraid of this kid. A few years ago, he was sentenced to ten years for intentional injury and was only releasedst year. These types of people are not afraid of those who have everything. The rebellious figures are valuable and they all give him some face.¡± At this moment, Baldy was walking towards Nie Zhenbang. Given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reputation and status in the circle, someone had naturally informed Baldy. About thirty-five years old, with big eyes and a friendly smile. Before Nie Zhenbang could speak, Baldy was already saying with a smile: ¡°If I¡¯m not guessing wrong, this should be Third Young. Truly extraordinary. This is my first visit to this small shop. Later on, please kindly support me, Third Young.¡± After ten years of imprisonment, Baldy has toned down a lotpared to ten years ago, bing much more cordial. Today, it is a great time for economic development. Everything revolves around the economy, and Baldy is no exception. He understands the principle of making money through kindness. At this time, Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re too kind. In the circle, you¡¯re a senior, we have much to learn from you.¡± At this moment, with the arrival of Baldy, the dog fight officially kicked off. Dog fighting has a long history in Huaxia. Originating in the Song Dynasty, there were dedicated dog fighters who even held seventh-rank official positions. In Jingcheng, dog fighting has been ongoing since the Ming Dynasty, but now it¡¯s bing more and more professional. A slender and bespectacled host, now wearing a white shirt and a red bow tie, had climbed onto the high tform. Along with the start of the sound system, after a st of heavy metal music. The host shouted, ¡°Oh~~~~ Wee everyone. Tonight, let me introduce tonight¡¯s two heroes. The first one is Lars, an American Pit Bull with an excellent pedigree, a ferocious style, and a strong physique. To date, it has an undefeated record of thirty consecutive fights. The other one is Okada Ichiro, a Japanese Tosa dog. It originated in the Tosa region of Japan. After crossbreeding with the German Pointer, British Bull Terrier, Mastiff, Great Dane, and French Mastiffs, it has be even taller, agile and aggressive. This Tosa dog tonight, named Okada Ichiro, has an unbeaten record of 37 consecutive fights. Currently, the odds for Lars and Okada Ichiro are one to five and one to two, respectively. Interested guests can start betting, and if you¡¯re interested, you can also make outside bets.¡± Betting is the biggest source of ie at dog fighting matches. The meaning of outside betting is to privately gamble with each other over winnings or losses. These bets are generally big, and dog fighting rings charge a certain service fee for outside bets. This is popr with the young rebels. Sometimes, without upsetting each other too much, winning a round and putting others down in such a ce is a pleasurable thing. Listening to Nie Jiamin¡¯s analysis, Nie Zhenbang also smiled. Baldy indeed managed to thoroughly dissect the gamblers¡¯ mentality. Just as he was about to speak, Zhou Chen¡¯s voice rang out, ¡°Okada Ichiro is indeed very resilient. He has won many rounds for me, so I¡¯ll naturally continue with him. Gambling in moderation brings joy, while high-stakes gambling harms the body. So let¡¯s y a smaller game, how about a bet of five hundred thousand on Okada Ichiro to win.¡± Pausing, Zhou Chen¡¯s eyes glinted with scorn as he nced in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s direction, adding, ¡°Additionally, for the side bet, two million on Okada Ichiro. Anyone interested can take that up.¡± Upon hearing Zhou Chen¡¯s words, the host immediately yelled into the microphone. Whether it was the primary bet or the side bet, both were sources of ie. As the master of ceremonies responsible for maintaining the atmosphere at the dogfighting arena, the host would not miss any opportunity to stir up excitement. Nie Zhenbang chuckled, clearly Zhou Chen was targeting him. He casually replied, ¡°I fancy Lars. Young and strong, the little Japanese simply cannotpete, didn¡¯t you see them still licking American ass nowadays! For a little fun, I¡¯ll ce two million on Lars to win.¡± Just as he was preparing to ept Zhou Chen¡¯s side bet, Zhao Xinglong calmly interrupted, ¡°Third Master, how about giving me a chance with this one?¡± Frankly speaking, Zhao Xinglong is quite a decent guy. He is easy to deal with and more importantly, he knows how to behave. That is to say, Zhao Xinglong was showing respect to Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, of course, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t object, he simplyughed and said, ¡°Young Master Long, since you are interested, you can take it. Please.¡± Zhao Xinglong nodded and smiled in acknowledgment, then he offered, ¡°A side bet of two million sounds interesting. Coincidentally, I studied in the United States. Consider it my second homnd. This time, I¡¯ll also support the American Pitbull, I¡¯ll ce my bet on Lars to win.¡± Once the bets were ced, two iron cages were pushed out from backstage. At this moment, iron mesh fences were lowered all around the elevated stage. There was one exit left on each side for the cages. The ck cloths covering the cages were lifted revealing the two dogs, both of whom barked defiantly. The dogfight was brutal. Regr dog fights are one thing, at least there are no deaths. However, this ce, specifically set up by Baldy to cater to the thrill-seekers of Jingcheng, was designed to be bloody from the start. Lars emerged as the ultimate victor. Okada Ichiro, the Tosa fighting dog from Japan, had his neck bitten off and died instantly on the spot. The pungent smell of blood filled the arena, triggering an even more ardent round of cheers and screams. After losing twice, Zhou Chen¡¯s face had darkened significantly. Nie Zhenbang stood up, watching as Zhou Chen walked past him. Nie Zhenbang casually remarked, ¡°Young Master Zhou, leaving just like that, aren¡¯t youcking a bit of manners? Isn¡¯t it just two million and five hundred thousand? Are you saying that Young master Zhou can¡¯t afford this loss?¡± In his past life, Zhou Chen had insulted himself in just this way. Gradually the insults escted to slurs and finally, humiliation. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t going to be polite. What needs to be taken back needs to be reimed. ¡°Haha. Isn¡¯t it just two-point-five? I, Zhou Chen, can afford this loss. However, I must warn certain people not to be toocent. It¡¯s too early to say who the final victor is. There will be a day when I turn the tables.¡± Zhou Chen didn¡¯t even realize his slip of tongue, saying ¡°two-point-five¡±. At this, Zhao Xinglong and others startedughing, and Nie Zhenbangughed even more delightedly. He then said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Young Master Zhou to be so self-aware. Since you already know you are a ¡®two-point-five¡¯, that¡¯s great. Young Master Zhou, you can take your time leaving, I won¡¯t see you off.¡± As Nie Zhenbang and others watched Zhou Chen take his leave in a huff, they stood up. There would be someone to handle the matter of the bets, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t need to worry about it. The group arrived grandly at the entrance of the Dynasty Club. In advance of their arrival, a banquet had been prepared. Nie Zhenbang had learned a few things about Zhao Xinglong. He was quite a restless character inpound number two of the Military Commission. He hated military life, but possessed a surprising talent in business. Currently, he has invested in numerouspanies in the United States and is a well-known financier in their circle. At this point, Nie Zhenbang began considering attracting an investment. He lifted his wine ss and said with a smile, ¡°Young Master Long, nice to meet you. I¡¯ll toast to you first. Just now, you mentioned investment. I happen to have a project in mind, I wonder if you would be interested?¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, the current monthly ticket is 473. Although we only have an increase of 12,000 today, I hope my brothers can continue to support. Old Cai¡¯s ideas and nning need buffer time if we maintain an increase of 15,000 every day, the quality will inevitably decline. This way now is already Old Cai¡¯s limit. The battle of new book monthly tickets, every day is decisive. Each day, weck a little and by the end of the month, the gap will be wide. However, if we can narrow the gap every day, by the end of the month we could push to the top. Please, brother and sisters, keep going. All monthly tickets are donated to Old Cai. Old Cai will go all out to provide everyone with the most exciting content. Chapter 140: Super Union (Seeking Monthly Tickets Again)_1 Chapter 140: Super Union (Seeking Monthly Tickets Again)_1 Trantor:549690339 The reason Nie Zhenbang sought out Zhao Xinglong was not without cause. It was, by any standard, their first meeting. The term ¡®familiar conversation amongst new friends¡¯ could appropriately describe the situation. Zhao Xinglong and Zhang Xu were as brothers, and friends, in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s understanding of Zhang Xu and judging from Zhao Xinglong¡¯s behavior just now, he had determined that Zhao Xinglong was a friend worth gaining. At this moment, not only was Zhao Xinglong shocked, but in the Dynasty Club, at present, Li Hua, Li Wen*Ge, Zhang Xu, and others were all ears. With Liu Kun and Yang Anbang as clear examples, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reputation had long been established in these circles ¨C referred to in Jingcheng as the golden touch. Whoever followed in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s footsteps never failed to prosper ¨C Liu Kun and Yang Anbang being prime examples. At this moment, hearing that Nie Zhenbang had another project, everyone naturally wanted to join in. Zhao Xinglong was even more ted, saying, ¡°Little San is indeed generous. No matter what the project is, I¡¯m joining. My total assets in the United States are around 50 million U.S. dors, is that enough?¡± Nearby, Zhang Xu also added, ¡°Um, if it¡¯s not enough, you can count me in, but I can¡¯t provide more. I can barely put together about 10 million RMB, and I guess that will have to involve some bank loans.¡± The Zhang family had traditionally not ced a high value on money, with only a few engaged in business. Zhang Xu¡¯s ability to gather so much money was already quite an achievement. Nearby, Li Hua and Li Wen*Ge alsoughed and joined in: ¡°Old Zhang, Old Zhao, we¡¯ve been old friends for many years, despite the little fights we had at Yuhong Primary School. Wouldn¡¯t you exclude your brothers from such a good deal? Why not try counting us in?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view was the more, the merrier, even if all these families came together, they would not be able to handle his new project alone. Without any further ado, he chuckled, ¡°Where I work now, Lixian, holds thergest vermiculite mine in the country. Vermiculite is widely used in soil amendment, building materials, and paint. The prospects are undoubtedly promising. Moreover, I suspect there may be oil reserves in the area. I¡¯ve alreadymissioned a professional survey and exploration team from the Xibei Autonomous Region for preliminary inspections. If oil does indeed appear, it will be a significant find.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, everyone was stunned and Zhao Xinglong rose in excitement. The future of oil was something Zhao Xinglong understood more clearly than anyone else. The United States waged the Gulf War for no reason other than oil. If oil were found in Lixian county, it would likely skyrocket. Even though private drilling was not permitted in the country, irrespective of the prominent families involved, having a small stake in it was possible. This would be an endless source of wealth in the future. Beyond this, Zhao Xinglong was imagining more. By establishing contacts, he could find professional surveyor and drilling teams. Oil reserves in foreign countries also weren¡¯t few and far between. That was the real emphasis andrger picture. Zhao Xinglong immediately made up his mind, affirmatively saying, ¡°Good. With that in mind, I¡¯m all in. I trust Little San¡¯s word and I¡¯mmitted.¡± Immediately following, Zhang Xu and the others all voiced their views, ¡°We¡¯re in, too.¡± Spring had returned to thend, breathing new life into it. After Nie Zhenbang had spent a few days in Jingcheng, he returned to Lixian on the fourth day of the first lunar month. During his time in Urumqi, Nie Zhenbang had made a point to visit Li Yifeng¡¯s home. Li Yifeng was pleased with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance. Li Yifeng, following his senior manager¡¯s instructions, didn¡¯t interfere much yet, Nie Zhenbang was still doing remarkably well, even appearing on ¡°Daily at Seven¡±. This was a testament to his abilities. Upon returning to Bazhou City, Nie Zhenbang also made a point to visit Ding Aiguo, Liu Wenqing, and Cheng Xinhua. By the time Nie Zhenbang got back to Lixian, it was already the sixth day of the first lunar month. Early that morning, Nie Zhenbang had prepared a gift, a pair of specially supplied Maotai, a gift specifically for Wu Zhixiong. Wu Zhixiong was quite pleased to see Nie Zhenbang. Looking at the Maotai Nie Zhenbang had brought, Wu Zhixiong intentionally frowned, asking, ¡°Zhenbang, what is this about? There was no need for gifts. Brings to mind a feeling of estrangement, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. He naturally understood Wu Zhixiong¡¯s words as a polite remark. Huaxia people valued etiquette. ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s clever interpretation, etiquette was essentially the giving of presents during the festivals. Of course, this is an amusing perspective, but it does hold some truth. In Huaxia, during traditional festivals such as the Dragon Boat, Mid-Autumn, and the most prestigious Spring Festival, the art of gift-giving is a must and is considered a polite gesture. ¡°Director Nie,e on, it¡¯s the New Year. Surely, you wouldn¡¯t have me show up empty-handed? I didn¡¯t bring much with me this time, just a couple of bottles of wine¡­ Just a small gesture of goodwill. Please, don¡¯t reject it.¡± Nie Zhenbang seemed quiteposed at this moment. This nonchnce pleased Wu Zhixiong greatly. If their rtionship turned formal and phony, Wu Zhixiong wouldn¡¯t hold Nie so highly. ncing at the wine, Wu Zhixiong grinned, ¡°Now this is top-notch liquor! I must say, I¡¯m basking in your glory, Zhenbang. I¡¯m certainly going to treasure this.¡± After having lunch at Wu Zhixiong¡¯s house, Nie left. As soon as he returned to his dormitory and before he could even settle in, there was a knock at the door. Opening the door, Yi Jun was standing there, hands filled with bags of gifts. Seeing Nie, Yi smiled and said, ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re back.¡± Nie looked at Yi at this moment, who was a little formal, and startedughing, ¡°What are you acting coy for? You¡¯ve probably been waiting for me downstairs, haven¡¯t you? Come in.¡± Just as Yi came in and closed the door, there was another knock. When the door was opened, Lin Weimin of the Agricultural Bureau was standing at the door carrying a gift. Lin was slightly taken aback by Yi, thinking he hade at the wrong time and decided toe backter. However, Nie invited Lin in. ¡°Director Lin,e in. We¡¯re all familiar with each other, no need to be formal.¡± Those words delighted Lin. Nie¡¯s casualness and eptance indicated that he now considered Lin part of his inner circle. With that, Lin entered and ced his gifts by the door, smiling as he said, ¡°I had nned to be the first to wish you a Happy New Year, but I see Secretary Yi beat me to it. Working closely with a leader gives you a one-step advantage.¡± Over the past few days, a steady stream of people had visited Nie, who had already made quite an impression since taking up his post. His initiation of major projects, his attention from the district party secretary, spot on ¡°Daily at Seven¡±, and his election as a standing member of the county partymittee, made everyone realize that Director Nie was not an ordinary person. More importantly, Nie¡¯s youthfulness. Just 23 years old this year, he had unlimited potential, and those following him would enjoy a prosperous future. On the eighth day of the first lunar month, the office officially opened. At that point, Liu Kun and others had returned to Lixian, and a dozenrge excavators had arrived at the construction site. As soon as the office opened, Lin Weimin was already waiting in the office. Nie didn¡¯t strut about. While taking off his coat, he asked, ¡°Director Lin, you¡¯vee so early. What¡¯s the matter?¡± Lin nodded and said, ¡°Director Nie, the office building for the Farmer Welfare Company has been officially started. General Liu and I have discussed and decided to first convert five million acres of grasnd into Australian high-quality grass species, which will increase the average grass yield by up to thirty percent.¡± In addition, concentrated breeding areas in the grasnd have also started construction. About 100,000 more animals should be bred this year. The problem now is that thepensation for our local farmers has not yet been paid, and the herdsmen are still a bit worried. Could we perhaps expedite General Liu.¡± Hearing Lin¡¯s words, Nie frowned. The negotiations regardingpensation with the herdsmen had been settled by Liu Kun and others with the help of local township officials as early as the end ofst year. However, thepensation hasn¡¯t been paid yet, even though the construction has already started, could cause conflicts with the herdsmen. Doesn¡¯t this cause trouble for Nie himself? ¡°How could this be? Didn¡¯t we agree to pay a portion at the end of the year? Howe it¡¯s not been paid yet? First, you have to stabilize the herdsmen. I¡¯ll personally call Liu Kun.¡± After pondering for a while, Nie gave instructions ordingly. Nie knew exactly what Liu was thinking. With 60,000 herdsmen in Lixian, thebination ofnd rent, pre-payment of wages and livestockpensation would require an investment of at least half a billion. This was quite a pressure on Liu, who would naturally dy payment as long as he could until the construction started. Once the bank loan came in, funds would not be so tight. However, this project is not only Nie¡¯s first one, but it¡¯s also the most important one. Thinking of this, Nie immediately stood up and said, ¡°Yi Jun, prepare the car, we¡¯re going to the Farmer Welfare Company.¡± Just then, Liu Kun stormed in. Seeing Lin Weimin by his side, Liu copsed on the sofa and said to Nie, ¡°Third brother, I¡¯m about to blow my top. Just barely started work today, and someone has already started causing trouble.¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, currently at 477 votes, I¡¯m seriouslycking power here. The gap has widened to 112 votes. It¡¯s time to rally people. Let¡¯s go for it! Chapter 141: Turf Snake (Third update, seeking monthly votes)_1 Chapter 141: Turf Snake (Third update, seeking monthly votes)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Seeing the weary andzy look on Liu Kun, Nie Zhenbang felt like he was on the verge of copse, guessing from Liu¡¯s tone that there seemed to be a disturbance at the construction site. For such a minor issue, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t in a rush. He calmly sat down and said to Liu Kun, ¡°Kun, we were just talking about you.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang gave a nce to Lin Weimin, who was next to him. Lin got the hint, stood up, and left the office. It¡¯s better not to get Lin involved in these matters. It would be okay for him alone to talk about this, but having Lin present might put Liu in an awkward situation. At this moment, Liu Kun also sat up straight,ughing, ¡°Third Brother, what were you saying about me? Are Li Hua and the othersing?¡± Indeed, keeping Liu Kun holed up in Lixian was somewhat challenging for him. He had grown ustomed to the colorful nightlife in Jingcheng. Being in Lixian was like banishment for someone like Liu Kun. Without nightlife, beautiful women, fine wine, and any form of entertainment, this harsh northwesternnd was only bearable because of the money involved. If Li Hua and the others dide, having the group here would provide some relief, so it was no wonder Liu Kun would ask. Nie Zhenbang furrowed his eyebrows, smiling and scolding, ¡°Dream on, young man. If you want to live in debauchery, you need to find someone responsible first. Things are always hard in the beginning, once everything is settled here, you can then go back. As for Li Hua and them, they will have to wait. The extraction of chlorite takes a lot more work than what you¡¯re used to and requires more paperwork. Besides, they¡¯re nning on a big project this time, and might even bring experts from the Oil Exploration Institute. Let¡¯s talk about your problem first, once we¡¯re done, we can go to the construction site together.¡± Upon hearing what Nie Zhenbang had to say, Liu Kun became serious, saying, ¡°Third Brother, what¡¯s the matter, so grave, my problem. I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, did I?¡± ¡°I heard thepensation you promised to the herders hasn¡¯t been delivered yet. What¡¯s the matter? Out of money? How about I tell Li Xue to give you a hand? You don¡¯t even need to pay it back, just convert it into shares,¡± Nie Zhenbang teased on purpose. Liu Kun made quite a fortune in the Soviet Union, at least a billion, especially from thest deal, where even Mikhail and others must have suffered huge losses. Hearing this, Liu Kun felt rather embarrassed. This was actually Qian Jin¡¯s idea. Many people in the circle like to invest a bit upfront and then use their own background and connections to get loans from banks for project operations. But, Liu Kun would never say this in front of Nie Zhenbang. Qian Jin was in the middleyer, and in case his idea upset Nie, Liu Kun would be the one caught in the middle. It¡¯d be better if he took the me himself. With this in mind, Liu Kun stood up and said, ¡°Third Brother, I forgot about that if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it. I delegated the matter to my subordinates. I promise, within three days, thepensation will be fully delivered. How¡¯s that for a n? Now, let¡¯s go to the construction site together. The site was shut down by a horde of people who stormed in on the first day of construction. They said they have a beef. If it wasn¡¯t for your territory, I would¡¯ve shown them the door already.¡± As Nie Zhenbang and Liu Kun headed downstairs, Xiaoyi already prepared the car. Less than five minutes of walking could get them from the Li County Government to the Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s construction site. Nheless, in less than two minutes, they arrived. Seeing thousands of people flocked inside and outside the construction site, Nie Zhenbang frowned and said, ¡°Xiaoyi, dial Secretary Zhao Kunlun from the Political and Legal Affairs Committee for me.¡± Despite most of the crowd only wanting to enjoy the spectacle, Nie Zhenbang worried that some people might stir them up. It would be troublesome withoutw enforcement present. As soon as the call connected, Zhao Kunlun¡¯s voice came over, ¡°Hehe, Director Nie, hello there. What brings you to call me today?¡± Compared tost year, Zhao Kunlun¡¯s tone was much more polite. Back then, although Nie Zhenbang held the post of deputy director, he was not a Standing Committee member. From a certain point of view, Zhao Kunlun, as a Standing Committee member and the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee, ranked higher than Nie Zhenbang. After Nie Zhenbang became a Standing Committee member, Zhao Kunlun¡¯s attitude changed. ¡°Haha, Secretary Zhao, hello there. I happen to need your help with something,¡± Nie Zhenbang was very straightforward. After providing the details of the situation, he continued, ¡°Secretary Zhao, you¡¯re aware that the matter with the Farmer Welfare Company has been taken seriously by the municipal government and the District Party Secretary Jiang. Presently, the situation can still be controlled but, just in case, I figured I¡¯d discuss mobilizing some police force with you.¡± Nie Zhenbang waspletely name-dropping. While Zhao Kunlun disdained this, he understood that since Nie Zhenbang had informed him, if something went wrong and questions came down from above, the responsibility would be his alone. Immediately, Zhao Kunlun agreed, ¡°No problem, I will mobilize the police right away. In the meantime, if you could maintain the current situation, Director Nie.¡± Liu Kun and Yi Jun walked ahead, on either side, parting the crowd and Nie Zhenbang was finally able to walk in. At this moment, atop arge excavator, a man stood high above the crowd, while Qian Jin looked gloomy beneath it. The construction crew was equally helpless. Construction sites feared local bullies the most, it was amon urrence in the industry, and if you didn¡¯t give someone their cut, you couldn¡¯t get work done. The moment he saw the man standing on the excavator, Nie Zhenbang frowned. The person leading the halt in construction was none other than Ma Ergou, who had blocked the national highway for a toll. At this very moment, dozens of punks were upying crucial positions around the heavy machinery by Ma Ergou¡¯s side. Surveying the situation, Ma Ergou loudly proimed, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, fellow vigers, you¡¯ve all heard of me, Ma Ergou. Today, I¡¯m showing my mettle and pleading for justice on behalf of our people. This Farmer Welfare Company, they¡¯re not ying fair.¡± At this point, Ma Ergou spotted Nie Zhenbang but showed no signs of fear. In Ma Ergou¡¯s mind, this young county leader was just so-so, he had blocked the road for a toll before, and it did not seem to affect him much. As for such a greenhorn, he thought, he was easy to deal with. Especially considering he had support behind him. Then, Ma Ergou continued passionately, ¡°Folks, look at this Farmer Welfare Company. They took all ournd under the guise of eminent domain. True, theypensated us for it, but we are farmers, we depend on ournd for a living. When we lose ournd, how are we supposed to survive? These buildings are constructed on ournd. They should at least leave us with a way to make a living? We can¡¯t erect such high-rise buildings, but what about a few small apartments, aren¡¯t we even capable of that?¡± With Ma Ergou riling the crowd, many of the originally disgruntled rehoused residents now started to yell their approval. Ma Ergou¡¯s insiders within the crowd began to kick up even moremotion, ¡°That¡¯s right, Ergou is correct. We locals should be the ones to build on this site. We should benefit from ournd, too.¡± Hearing all this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face became grim, not because of Ma Ergou¡¯s rabble-rousing, but mainly because of Ma Ergou¡¯s words. His strong agitation skill has resonated among the ordinary folks. This would put the Li County Party Committee and County Government at a severe disadvantage. These words weren¡¯t something someone like Ma Ergou could juste up with, there must be a mastermind behind him. Nie Zhenbang was irritated by the person hiding behind Ma Ergou. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang stepped forward and stood in the center of the construction site, shouting angrily, ¡°Ma Ergou, get down immediately! Is this a ce where you can run amok? Do you know what your actions amount to? Illegal trespass at a construction site. Bullying and highhandedness, these are punishable byw!¡± At this moment, Ma Ergou hesitated for a bit, and adjusted quickly then spoke defiantly, ¡°Director Nie, don¡¯t intimidate me. We¡¯ve lost ournd. Why is it wrong to ask for jobs? This is Li County, the outsiders shouldn¡¯t be benefiting from our resources. We need to eat too. We want to work on this construction site as well. You can¡¯t just back those outsiders.¡± Just then, the sound of police sirens could be heard. Zhao Kunlun and his hundred-member police force had arrived. The crowd spontaneously made way for Zhao Kunlun and his men. Looking at the scene, Zhao Kunlun also felt a bit worried. He was relieved that he arrived in time, if something were to happen, he couldn¡¯t escape the responsibility either. ¡°Ma Ergou, you rascal, causing trouble again? I believe you want to spend a few days in jail.¡± Zhao Kunlun¡¯s face was incredibly solemn. This punk was a famous small-time gangster of Li County. Nevermitting big crimes, just a string of petty offenses, and often the most severe penalty was detention. More slippery than an eel, this kind of punk was the most headache-inducing. Now, he even began to mobilize the public. The police still had considerable deterrent power against the likes of Ma Ergou, and at this moment, he was a bit cowered. After hesitating for a bit, he still insisted, ¡°Director Zhao, I haven¡¯t done anything wrong. Isn¡¯t this building just a six-story apartment building? If outsiders can build it, so can we. Don¡¯t we build our own houses in Li County? Now that ournd is gone, we should at least have a ce to earn a living.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang let out a cold chuckle, promptly stepped forward to stop Zhao Kunlun, and stared at Ma Ergou, matching him word for word, ¡°Ma Ergou, it seems you¡¯re adamant and relentless. Let me tell you, this building, however simple it might look, is not just some average residence that anyone can construct. Do you know what this building is? It¡¯s the research base of the Farmer Welfare Company. It¡¯s meant for scientists to conduct research. This is no ordinary residential building. If you remain determinedly misguided, thew will show no mercy.¡± PS: I am a bit dejected. Last night the votes were at 473, till now, it has only increased by six. Brothers and sisters, I ask for your constion in the form of voting! Chapter 143 - 156: 156 Message_1 Chapter 156: 156 Message_1 Trantor: 549690339 Clear and twinkling droplets of water gently slid off the vibrant red lychees, spreading a pleasant sweetness in the air. Even though it was winter currently, the proud nting techniques of the half-elves made it possible to have off-season fruit like lychees in the royal pce. Colin, at this moment, was enjoying being indulged on the half-elf throne, as Queen Isa tenderly fed him a peeled lychee. A beauty in his arms, sweet words to his ears, and savory lychees in his taste. Colin had to admit, the gentle township could indeed be a hero¡¯s grave. No wonder so many once dominant figures are eroded by the luxurious and corrupt lifestyle, losing their ideals and goals. ¡°Your Majesty, Viscount Auston has been brought here.¡± The attendant reported from outside the hall. Only then did Queen Isa rise from Colin¡¯s arms, elegantly adjusted her half-open clothes, and ordered in a calm, natural tone, ¡°Bring him in.¡± Colin also stood up from the throne, stepping down from the high tform. Two guards escorted Viscount Auston into the hall from outside around the same time. ¡°It¡¯s good, you can go.¡± The guards acted ording to the order and left the pce, leaving Viscount Auston hunching his back, saluting carefully to Queen Isa and Colin. Once full of confidence, the Eastern Viscount, was nothing but pathetic now. Colin came near Viscount Auston, greeted him with a smile and said, ¡°Viscount, are you satisfied with your treatment these past few days?¡± ¡°Satisfied, satisfied! This humble one is impressed with His Majesty¡¯s hospitality!¡± Colin smelled the sour and rancid stench on the other party¡¯s body due to several days without a bath, and quickly retreated a few steps to keep some distance. ¡°d to hear that. Today I¡¯ve asked you here is to ask a few questions. If you answer well, His Majesty might consider letting you return to the East Territory.¡± A hint of joy appeared on Viscount Auston¡¯s face, and he nodded repeatedly, ¡°Please ask! I will definitely tell the truth!¡± ¡°Who leaked the whereabouts of the Dark Cavalry to you?¡± ¡°This¡­ I¡¯m not quite sure. Really, Lord Angler, I¡¯m not purposely avoiding the question, the military order to ambush in the Shadow Gorge came directly from Duke St. Prowse. Not just me, even the Marquis Vincent might not know the ins and outs of it.¡± Viscount Auston was on a fix, as if worrying if because of not being able to answer the first question, the other party would think he is not cooperating. After pondering, he added: ¡°However, along with us to Shadow Gorge, there was also Mage Cusius, the Vice President of the Yevir Council, a powerful Tier 6 mage. So, I suspect the battle at Shadow Gorge may have been instigated by the Yevir Council.¡± Colin frowned instantly, the involvement of yet another mage forceplicated the current situation. However, Colin had this intuition that the Yevir Council may have participated in this incident, but they were definitely not the mastermind behind the scenes. Noble families of the Empire were always repulsive and alert to these mages and could not allow them to lead them by the nose. Seeing Viscount Auston in this state, there was no point in asking more questions. So, Colin switched the topic: ¡°Did you intercept any carrier pigeons from the North Territory during your time surrounding Silver Moon City?¡± This time Viscount Auston resolutely nodded: ¡°Yes. And, they were from Ice Rock City.¡± Colin perked up, quickly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the letter?¡± ¡°The letter¡­ I don¡¯t know where it is now¡­¡± Viscount Auston was again in a predicament but then hurriedly said, ¡°I remember the general contents of the letter. I can recite them to you.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°All right. The letter mentioned three things. The first one was about Duke St. Hilde. The letter stated that more than half a month ago, Prince of the North from the Troll Empire, the Holy Warrior Otto Volkin, appeared in Winterfell City and challenged Duke St. Hilde to a duel. Duke St. Hilde immediately responded, and they fought day and night, obscuring daylight and moonlight, and finally ended in a draw¡­¡± ¡°A draw?¡± Colin eximed, ¡°Are you saying that Duke St. Hilde is actually a Holy Knight?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid so, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have been able to outmaneuver Holy Warrior Otto.¡± Colin was astounded by the breaking news revealed in the first message of his letter. Only now did he understand why Marquis Garcia remained reticent despite being betrayed by his own brother. At first he thought the Marquis Garcia was unwilling to plunge the St. Hilde family into strife, but now it seemed likely that he knew the trump card his brother was holding! This also exined why Duke St. Hilde, amidst unstable internal affairs, dared to marry Vera off to the Half-Elf Kingdom, attempting to gain influence over the Eastern Territory. Suppressing his inner astonishment, Colin gestured to Viscount Auston to continue. ¡°The second matter is that the harvest in the North Territory was scant this year, and instances of ve rebellions have be increasingly frequent and severe. The Golden Lion Legion has been dispatched under themand of Duke St. Hilde to suppress this.¡± ¡°The final matter, concerns your Viscountship. There are food shortages which have also led to several rebellions, luckily, these were promptly suppressed and, for now, the situation is rtively stable.¡± After hearing the three pieces of news contained in the letter from Ice Rock City, Colin fell into contemtion. He now felt more strongly that a pair of mysterious hands were pulling the strings behind all this. Previous doubts resurfaced once again. Who was it who poisoned Marquis Adams to death at Lion Roar Castle? Who instructed Cis Savoy to assassinate Vera? Who instigated the Eastern Territory to ambush the Dark Cavalry in Shadow Gorge? Who arranged for Holy Warrior Otto to challenge Duke St. Hilde? And set it to coincide with the outbreak of rebellion in the North Territory. Given some thought, even the current rebellion led by ves in the North Territory was probably incited and guided by someone. If Duke St. Hilde hadn¡¯t intentionally hidden his power, he probably would have died in the duel with Holy Warrior Otto. On top of that, the North Territory would certainly be plunged into disorder without a leader. Considering the ambush on the Dark Cavalry in Shadow Gorge, where one of the North Territory¡¯s most solid military cornerstones copsed, it can be deduced that the real goal of this mysterious maniptor is to plunge the North Territory into civil unrest! With this thought, Colin couldn¡¯t help but envision Count Uman¡¯s grim face. Back when the Trolls invaded, Colin had suspected that the ¡®deceiving-enemy n¡¯ Count Uman presented to Duke St. Hilde was sinister in nature. Could it be that Count Uman was behind all of this once again? Colin¡¯s silence made Viscount Auston nervous, and after a considerable pause, he cautiously asked, ¡°My lord, do you have any other questions?¡± Colin came back to his senses, shook his head, and said, ¡°That will be all for now. As promised, I will send you back to the Eastern Territory, as long as you will deliver a message to Duke St. Prowse for me.¡± ¡°Please, speak your message.¡± ¡°Tell Duke St. Prowse, if he wants to ransom his son, he should trade him for Marquis Garcia.¡± ¡°Alright, I will make sure your message is delivered.¡± With a wave of his hand, Colin signaled for Viscount Auston to withdraw. Queen Isa saw Colin deep in thought. She seemed to realize something, then walked over to him and humbly asked, ¡°Are you leaving?¡± Colin nodded, ¡°Yes, I must return to Ice Rock City as soon as possible. The North Territory is about to face a major crisis.¡± Queen Isa didn¡¯t press further. Instead, she embraced Colin, whispering, ¡°If you need any help, please be sure to tell me.¡± Colin, feeling the soft contours of the body in his arms and the fragrance in his nose, smilingly replied: ¡°I do, indeed, need your help.¡± Chapter 144: Nie Zhenbang’s Decision (Second update, seeking monthly votes)_1 Chapter 144: Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Decision (Second update, seeking monthly votes)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Upon hearing this news, Nie Zhenbang was shocked. Zhao Kunlun was actually nning to release the suspect. Even though this happened after Wu Zhixiong¡¯s phone call, Zhao Kunlun, as a member of the standingmittee, was not obligated to save Wu Zhixiong¡¯s face. However, having said that, it was after all, a directive from the second-inmand. What was Zhao Kunlun trying to signify with this act? Or was there some insider information, was it due to the maniptions of someone behind the scenes? Not daring to specte further, Nie Zhenbang quickly left the room, whispering in Wu Zhixiong¡¯s ear: ¡°Director, I need to step out for a while. There seems to be an issue at the Public Security Bureau. Zhao Kunlun is nning to release the suspect.¡± Upon hearing this, Wu Zhixiong frowned. If things were really as Nie Zhenbang suspected, then releasing the suspect would pose a problem. Once released, follow-up investigations would be difficult. However, with the current troubles still unresolved and Mayor Ma still around, Wu Zhixiong simply could not disengage. After a moment of thought, Wu Zhixiong nodded: ¡°You should go first. I will handle things here. Don¡¯t worry.¡± This time, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t even call for Yi Jun. He darted out alone, got into the car parked at the roadside. Nie Zhenbang quickly started the car and headed directly for the Public Security Bureau. On the road, Nie Zhenbang was deep in thought. This Chen Le, Nie Zhenbang had heard of him, he was only twenty-eight this year. A top graduate from the Police University of Huaxia. Prior to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival, Chen Le was the youngest deputy-section-level cadre in Bazhou City, and the youngest county-level deputy director in the public security system. Currently serving as the Deputy Director of the Li County Public Security Bureau, and the Political Section Chief, he was in charge of political affairs and police training. In the Public Security Bureau, the most crucial divisions are Criminal Investigation, Public Safety, Traffic, Logistics, Finance, among others. The departments managed by Chen Le could be considered low-risk. Nie Zhenbang had limited interactions with Chen Le in the past. But why was Chen Le suddenly calling him? Was he trying to curry favour? Showing goodwill? Or was there something else? That¡¯s what Nie Zhenbang wanted to know. As soon as the car entered the courtyard of the Public Security Bureau, Chen Le, who had been waiting at the entrance, came forward, directly opened the car door, sat in the passenger seat, and said to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Director Nie, after Zhao brought Ma Ergou back, he immediately organized an interrogation. Ma Ergou cracked quickly, confessing everything. The mastermind behind him is someone called ¡®Brother Wu¡¯. After Secretary Zhao received a phone call, he instructed the staff to prepare to release Ma Ergou. One of my men happened to be involved in this interrogation. I received the news and felt that it was unusual. I believe you are the only one who can handle this.¡± Chen Le had no other choice. Zhao Kunlun was the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the County Party Committee and the Director of the Public Security Bureau. In terms of rank, Zhao Kunlun, as the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the County Party Committee, was at deputy department level. ording to the customary practice of the public security system, Zhao Kunlun was a half level higher and enjoyed treatment at the departmental level. In Li County, his seniority was second only to the leaders of the four groups. Chen Le, with his rank, simply could not intervene. However, Chen Le was ambitious. Being so young, in order to climb up the ranks, he needed to align himself with a higher power. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was the prime candidate. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s age, background, and demonstrated capabilities, it was undoubted that he was an extremely good choice. In fact, Chen Le had been nning this for a long time. Chen Le was not one to randomly curry favour. With his current status at such a young age showed that he was indeed capable. This time, the issue with Ma Ergou could be considered as a good starting point. ¡°Brother Wu?¡± Nie Zhenbang repeated, and then said: ¡°Deputy Director Chen, you¡¯ve been in the police force for a long time, and have dealt with people from various circles. Do you have any impression of this ¡®Brother Wu¡¯, or can you roughly deduce who this might be?¡± At this moment, Chen Le was also greatly shocked. He was aware of ¡®Brother Wu¡¯s¡¯ identity. Just now, by not mentioning ¡®Brother Wu¡¯ and focusing only on Ma Ergou, Chen Le was actually avoiding the crux of the matter. Initially, Chen Le assumed that Nie Zhenbang only wished to make an example out of Ma Ergou to serve as a warning to others. As long as the construction progress of the Farmer Welfare Company was ensured, the matter would be dropped. However, now, from what Nie Zhenbang implied, not only Ma Ergou had to be dealt with, but also, he intended to capture the mastermind behind the scenes. Simultaneously, Chen Le was pleased in his heart, only such boldness was characteristic of Nie Zhenbang. He nods and says: ¡°In Li County, there aren¡¯t many who go by the name ¡®Brother Wu¡¯. There are two; both small-time characters from the viges, they are unlikely candidates. The most probable one is, Secretary Mo¡¯s eldest son, Mo Mingwu.¡± Upon hearing Chen Le¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s fingers that were tapping the steering wheel stopped. Chen Le¡¯s conjectures surprised Nie Zhenbang. However, if it was Mo Zhihai¡¯s eldest son, then things started making sense. Even though Zhao Kunlun was not afraid of Mo Zhihai, when such matters were investigated thoroughly, the oue would most likely be inconclusive. Naturally, Zhao Kunlun would not offend Mo Zhihai over this. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was lost in thought. If Mo Mingwu was the mastermind behind the scenes, it seemed like he was also responsible for inciting people to besiege the government. It implicated a lot of issues. Furthermore, judging by Mo Mingwu¡¯s actions, his operations were likely not clean either. Now, Nie Zhenbang had two choices. The first one was to disregard the matter just like Zhao Kunlun, act as if the incident never happened, and keep everyone happy. However, this clearly did not align with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character. The second option is to continue the investigation in depth, to uncover Mo Mingwu, or even to find some of his other illegal activities. If one chooses this option, it would mean directly dering war on Mo Zhihai. If they can take down Mo Zhihai in the process, it would be worth it. But, a single blunder could drag oneself in. Ultimately, if one leaves Lixian shamefaced, the loss would be massive. Now is a test for oneself. If one were to leave now, the old man¡¯s opinion and the family¡¯s attitude would undergo a pronounced change. In other words, one¡¯s failure would render all previous efforts in vain, and that¡¯s not an exaggeration. After all, the family has many considerations. If one wins, it shows that Nie Zhenbang ns carefully and is certain of his victory before making a decision. But if one loses, it demonstrates recklessness and impulsiveness, and the family wouldn¡¯t dare entrust responsibilities to such a person. This is simply the rule of the victor gets all. ¡°Director Nie?¡± Chen Le is worried and hopeful at this moment. He¡¯s worried that Nie Zhenbang doesn¡¯t dare to take the lead, and hopeful that Nie Zhenbang will make a resolute decision like he envisioned. If it¡¯s thetter, Chen Le¡¯s time to take charge is not far away. Nie Zhenbang,ing back to his senses, looked at the Public Security Bureau building in front of him, pondered for a moment, then turned to Chen Le and said, ¡°Director Chen, tell me the truth. Why did you think to call me? Are you so sure that I would intervene?¡± Nie Zhenbang could not help but worry. If Chen Le had always been following him, it would be fine. But since this is their first intensive interaction, Nie Zhenbang has to consider whether he can truly trust what Chen Le says. Chen Le¡¯s heart skipped a beat, knowing that this was a test from Nie Zhenbang. Consequently, he solemnly said, ¡°Director Nie, to put it bluntly, I too am ambitious. Zhao Kunlun has been in this position for far too long. I want to try my luck.¡± Expressing loyalty and ttery are meaningless at this point. Nie Zhenbang would pay them no mind. Chen Le considered and decided to be straightforward. This was the only way to treat each other with sincerity. Only by unabashedly revealing his ambition could Chen Le reassure Nie Zhenbang and earn his trust. Nie Zhenbangughed at this moment. Chen Le was indeed someone worth cultivating. Nie Zhenbang was never worried about his subordinates having ambitions. On the contrary, he wouldn¡¯t appreciate those without ambitions. When people have ambitions, they strive and struggle. It¡¯s an evident truth. A fine bird chooses a tree to rest, a wise minister chooses his lord; this is an ancient saying. Ambitious people wouldn¡¯t settle for amon master. Looking at Lixian, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t being arrogant, but he was the only one potential enough for such people. With this thought, Nie Zhenbang made his decision. He looked at Chen Le and said, ¡°Director Chen, how many people can youmand in the Public Security Bureau right now?¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang added, ¡°I mean, how many trusted subordinates do you have?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Chen Le was overjoyed. The implication was clear: Nie Zhenbang intended to take action. Without dy or much thought, Chen Le answered, ¡°Currently, there are two people I can trust, Deputy Director of the Crime Investigation Department, Lin Wei, and Cai Weijun, the Chief of Chengguan Town Police Station. These are part of my inner circle. In addition, they can mobilize about twenty people.¡± Chen Le¡¯s words surprised Nie Zhenbang. Despite Zhao Kunlun and other deputy directors in higher positions, Chen Le, a lower-ranking deputy director, somehow had reliable people in two key positions. Seems like, Chen Le wasn¡¯t as simple as he seems. In this way, Nie Zhenbang was even more satisfied with Chen Le. Such a person would certainly be a good helper in the future. Then, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Director Chen, you get in touch with them now. We need to divide our forces. Have one group staking out here. Don¡¯t alert Zhao Kunlun. When Ma Ergou leaves, follow him and then take control of Ma Ergou. As for the reason, make up one. The other group, let the Chengguan police station step in under the guise of conducting a survey, learn about the whereabouts of Mo Mingwu. Take control of him first. I don¡¯t believe Mo Mingwu can be so squeaky clean.¡± Chen Le nodded. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s method was quite ruthless. However, Chen Le was thrilled. Following a leader like this, his future and prospects would definitely not be bleak. With a surprise attack, if they could get their hands on some of Mo Mingwu¡¯s illegal evidences and facts, no matter how skilled Mo Zhihai is, he wouldn¡¯t be able to turn the tables. PS: Brothers and sisters, the gap is narrowing. Yesterday the fourth ce had a gap of 192 votes, and now it¡¯s reduced to 145 votes. And this gap is still narrowing. The danger of being overtaken is bing greater. Brothers and sisters, don¡¯t save your monthly tickets anymore, it¡¯s time for us to make a push. Give your monthly tickets to Old Cai to help him secure the third position. This is Old Cai¡¯s biggest wish. Brothers and sisters, can you offer your support? Chapter 145: Caught a Big Fish (Third update, Five updates today)_1 Chapter 145: Caught a Big Fish (Third update, Five updates today)_1 Trantor:549690339 Chen Le¡¯s favorite animal was a leopard. Why a leopard and not a tiger? Tigers, with their regal air, were too ostentatious, exuding a bloodthirsty aura upon entering a scene. But a leopard, a creature of extreme patience, could lie in wait for an extensive amount of time to catch its prey. Afterward, it wouldunch an unexpected attack on the unsuspecting prey, always deadly with a single strike. In Chen Le¡¯s eyes, Nie Zhenbang currently resembled a leopard, an expert at disguise and staying under the radar. However, his first move was always a direct hit to a critical point. If they dug something up from Mo Mingwu, Chen Le was confident that things would be increasingly more interesting. Secretary Mo Zhihai¡¯s position was likely nearing its end. Following that, Wu Zhixiong would take over Mo Zhihai¡¯s position, and Nie Zhenbang would surely reap significant benefits. Nie Zhenbang did not stay at the Public Security Bureau for long. He had not overthought his presence when he first arrived, but after his conversation with Chen Le, he started to regret driving there. If he had known the circumstances, he would have kept a lower profile when meeting. Now, all Nie Zhenbang could hope for was that Zhao Kunlun had not seen him, or did not care. Not long after Nie Zhenbang left, Ma Ergou was also released. At this moment, he seemed somewhat smug, after all, following Brother Wu was a good decision. Even the Public Security Bureau had no way of dealing with him. Standing at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau building, Ma Ergou stretched his body, feeling extremely satisfied. As he began to yawn, a policeman walked by him, lowering his voice as he passed, ¡°Brother Wu told me to tell you not to spill the beans. We couldn¡¯t get a message to you before. Did you keep quiet?¡± Hearing the policeman¡¯s words, Ma Ergou trembled. Damn, why did they wait until after he had confessed everything to ask this? Startled, Ma Ergou quickly chuckled, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t say anything. If I had, would they have let me go?¡± The cop gave a nod, fully convinced by Ma Ergou¡¯s words. The fact that Ma Ergou was released so quickly clearly meant he had kept quiet. The officer said, ¡°It¡¯s good that you know your priorities. If you did spill something, you better start nning your own funeral.¡± Watching the policeman¡¯s retreating figure, Ma Ergou shivered. During the interrogation, he had spilled everything out of fear. From the sound of it, if Brother Wu found out he had spilled the beans, his life would be in danger. An immediate thought of escape surfaced in Ma Ergou¡¯s mind. He quickly quickened his steps and left the Public Security Bureau. At this moment, Ma Ergou didn¡¯t realize that there had already been four undercover cops staking out at the entrance, who immediately started following him. As soon as Ergou crossed the street outside the Public Security Bureau and entered an alley, the group swooped in, tackling him to the ground. The leading officer, pulling out his ID, shed it in front of Ergou and said solemnly, ¡°Ma Ergou, we are from the Criminal Police Team. You¡¯re in trouble,e with us.¡± ¡°Officer, what have I done? You have to exin. I¡¯ve just been released.¡± At this moment, Ma Ergou was petrified, thinking that Brother Wu¡¯s men hade for him. The leading man was the vice-captain of the Criminal Investigation Team, Lin Wei, who found Ma Ergou¡¯s situation difficult to exin. With no other choice, Lin Wei vaguely stated, ¡°You don¡¯t need to know exactly what it is just yet. All you need to know is that it¡¯s time for you to pay for your actions.¡± At the same moment that Ma Ergou was being taken into custody, Chen Le was personally leading a fully prepared team, which included the head of Chengguan Police Station, Cai Weijun. Chen Le¡¯s face was incredibly serious at this moment. Chengguan, the ce where he had started and made a name for himself. In front of his trusted subordinates, he didn¡¯t mince words, saying bluntly, ¡°Brothers, our futures depend on this operation. Wei Qiang, you probably know best where Mo Mingwu is hanging around these days. You will lead today¡¯s operation. Everyone, myself included, will follow your orders. We aim to wrap things up within half an hour. Also, we¡¯re going to conduct an unexpected search of Mo Mingwu¡¯s residence.¡± Mo Mingwu, the son of the county Party secretary, should logically be surrounded by women. However, he had a rather detestable hobby; ordinary single women failed to catch his interest. Even the most beautiful flowers were dismissed with contempt by him. He was particrly drawn to married women, and assisted by his father¡¯s power, many officials¡¯ wives throughout Lixian had been involved with him. Some voluntarily, but many were coerced. Wei Qiang was one such victim. Wei Qiang¡¯s wife, a well-known beauty who taught at Lixian Chengguan Middle School, had caught Mo Mingwu¡¯s eye. He had raped her at the school one day, leading her to take her own life out of despair. This remained Wei Qiang¡¯s deepest wound. However, Wei Qiang was just an ordinary police officer and waspletely powerless against Mo Mingwu. But he had been always preparing for his revenge. Chen Le¡¯s current attitude was in part influenced by Wei Qiang¡¯s situation. Now, Wei Qiang¡¯s face was sombre and filled with agitation, the fervor of revenge burning bright within him. Looking at Chen Le, Wei Qiang nodded and said grimly, ¡°Director Chen, rest assured. I¡¯ve been investigating this bastard¡¯s residence all this while. Today is Wednesday, and he should be in the residential area of the finance bureau. He¡¯s been getting quite close with Gu Fengjiao, the head of the Personnel Division of the Finance Bureau.¡± After this, Wei Qiang looked at Chen Le, ¡°Director Chen, I¡¯ll finally have my revenge today. I can finally make it up to Juan¡¯er. From now on, I am at yourmand. Even if it means my death, I will not back down.¡± Chen Le waved his hand and said solemnly, ¡°That¡¯s enough. We¡¯re all brothers. I understand what you mean. There are still plenty of days ahead, so you need to buck up. We have Director Nie to thank for this opportunity for revenge. From now on, we¡¯re in the same boat with Director Nie.¡± Chen Le was a good subordinate. He didn¡¯t need to say these things with Nie Zhenbang not being there, but he did, which showed his true nature. After saying that, Chen Le looked around at everyone present. Each police officer was steadfast and serious. This kind of spirit pleased him very much. Then, he nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s move. Wei Qiang and I will lead a few men to the Finance Bureau to arrest Mo Mingwu. Weijun, you lead another team to Mo Mingwu¡¯s private residence for a thorough search. Remember not to turn the house upside down before finding sufficient evidence.¡± Sinced this was a secret arrest, the group was not in uniform, and their vehicle carried civilian license tes. Under the cover of darkness, the car melted into the night. At this hour, even the quarters of various government units were bereft of security guards and property management staff. Their presence was minimal. There was a gatehouse, but it was generally only used to keep refuse collectors and scavengers out. Personal cars were still rare in those days, and there would be no barriers stopping them. They parked the car under the apartment building where Feng Jiao lived. Chen Le spoke again, ¡°Wei Qiang, don¡¯t act impulsively. Director Nie has the whole picture in mind. If we seed this time, not only will Mo Mingwu not escape, but neither will Mo Zhihai. When the timees, there will be a reckoning. Don¡¯t jeopardize the big picture out of momentary anger.¡± As they were about to disembark, Chen Le, still a little worried, reminded Wei Qiang. A wife stolen, a wife murdered¡ªthese were the reasons for his deepest hatred, and Chen Le was worried that Wei Qiang might not be able to resist acting out. Wei Qiang, face cloudy, simply nodded. ¡°Director Chen, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve been patient for so long. I won¡¯t rush things now.¡± Chen Le, Wei Qiang, and another police officer got out of the car, leaving one person to keep watch. The three of them went up to the third floor, to Feng Jiao¡¯s front door. Chen Le gave a signal, and Wei Qiang knocked on the door. A momentter, a voice came from inside, ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± The voice was impatient. It was Mo Mingwu¡¯s voice. At this point, Chen Le felt a thrill of satisfaction. He looked at Wei Qiang beside him, gave a nod, and Wei Qiang caught on and said, ¡°We¡¯re from the Public Security Bureau. Is the director of the health bureau, Yin, here? Director Yin got drunk and caused a scene at a restaurant. We¡¯re here to inform his family.¡± The moment he finished speaking, a woman¡¯s voice came from inside. ¡°The damn bastard. Even drinking causes trouble.¡± As soon as the door opened, Chen Le and Wei Qiang, already prepared, rushed inside. Mo Mingwu was stunned to see Chen Le, and he hastily tried to escape, but Chen Le tackled him to the ground. Now that he knew he couldn¡¯t escape, Mo Mingwu let loose. He turned his head and red at Chen Le, furious. ¡°Chen Le, Deputy Chief Chen! You¡¯ve got guts, arresting me. I¡¯ll let you see what happens when you cross me.¡± Since it hade to blows, all pretenses were gone. Chen Le didn¡¯t care anymore. He saw that Feng Jiao was also being subdued by Wei Qiang. He then said sternly, ¡°Mr. Mo, perhaps you don¡¯t yet know. You¡¯re implicated in instructing Ma Ergou to obstruct the Min Nong Company¡¯s construction and inciting a mob to besiege a state agency. You¡¯re exposed. Start worrying about yourself. Your father has serious troubles of his own.¡± Just after Chen Le¡¯s team¡¯s action had begun, another team led by Cai Weijun also brought good news. A police officer walked in from outside, looking at Mo Mingwu and Feng Jiao who were handcuffed in the side. Without any reservations, the officer said, ¡°Director Chen, we hit the jackpot. We found a whole hundred thousand cash in Mo Mingwu¡¯s residence, along with a ledger, plenty of gold and jewelry, bankbooks and other pieces of evidence implicating Mo Mingwu in illicit activities.¡± Upon hearing the officer¡¯s words, Mo Mingwu turned pale. The hundred thousand in cash was the gifts he received during the New Year. The rest were umted over the years. The ledger detailed who had given what, and crucially, the illicit evidence would be the nail in his coffin. (To be continued. If you like this novel, please vote for it at . Your support is the biggest motivation for me.) Chapter 146: Overnight Action (Fourth update, Five updates today)_1 Chapter 146: Overnight Action (Fourth update, Five updates today)_1 Trantor:549690339 Just as they were talking, the cars carrying Cai Weijun and the others drove into the town¡¯s police station. As soon as he got out of the car and spotted Chen Le, Cai Weijun made a hand gesture signifying victory. Opening the trunk lid, Cai Weijun couldn¡¯t contain his joy: ¡°Chief Chen, we¡¯ve nabbed a big fish. I¡¯ve made a preliminary estimate, the cash in yuan alone is a hundred thousand, in addition to the US dors, Hong Kong dors and valuable bonds, which together convert to about three hundred thousand yuan. Besides, there are six bankbooks, containing total deposits of more than two million.¡± At this point, Cai Weijun pulled out two notebooks from his bag, handed them to Chen Le and said: ¡°The crucial evidence is here. One book documents Mo family¡¯s bribery records. The other is a personal diary of Mo Mingwu, detailing his seductions of several women.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Le was overjoyed. These two ledgers would be the most potent evidence to bring down Mo Mingwu and his father. Chen Le then turned to Cai Weijun to say: ¡°Weijun, keep them in custody here for now. My request is that you withstand any pressure for twenty four hours. Don¡¯t let anyone take them away. Can you do that? I will report to Director Nie immediately. Stand by for my update.¡± Nie Zhenbang had just got home and taken off his shoes when the pager in his bag buzzed. As soon as he saw the number, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart rate quickened. Upon answering, he heard Chen Le say: ¡°Director Nie, are you at rest? We have captured Mo Mingwu. This time, we¡¯ve got something substantial. I would like toe over now and report it to you in person.¡± Without any hesitation, Nie Zhenbang responded: ¡°Good, I am home. You cane over.¡± Within ten minutes, there was a knock at the door. As soon as Nie Zhenbang opened it, Chen Le walked in. After closing the door, he reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out two ledgers and said with a smile, ¡°Director Nie, have a look at these pieces of evidence. I think they should be sufficient to bring down Mo Mingwu and his father.¡± Upon hearing Chen Le¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. Chen Le, a deputy-level cadre, dared to utter words about bringing down the secretary of the county partymittee so casually. Nie Zhenbang was stunned as he opened the notebooks Chen Le handed him. There was an array of entries: on a certain year, month and day, someone from the Bureau of Finance gave five thousand yuan; on another certain month and day, someone from the Health Bureau gave a gold ne and three thousand yuan in cash. The earliest entries went back three years. There were also records about how a sum of five hundred thousand yuan had been borrowed from the Bureau of Finance¡¯s public fund ount, with only four hundred thousand returned, and the remaining hundred thousand written off as public expenses. Honestly, Mo Zhihai had a good reputation and official style. Apart from being a bit domineering, he was generally good. But perhaps due to his two sons being unsessful, and his own impending retirement, Mo Zhihai began to amass wealth. Nie Zhenbang briefly skimmed through the other notebook, which contained details about Mo Mingwu¡¯s affairs. But right now, that didn¡¯t matter much. With this ledger and the seized money, that was more than enough. At this point in time, as the country¡¯s economy was starting to develop, it would have been shocking enough to have one corrupt official embezzling several hundred thousand yuan. And yet here was Mo Zhihai, from this impoverished and remote area in the Northwest Region. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt a strong urge to ask Mo Zhihai why he was so foolish. So foolish as to document every single transaction. Of course, that was just a joke. With this evidence, bringing down Mo Zhihai shouldn¡¯t be too much of a problem. However, once Mo Zhihai falls, the vacant post of secretary will suddenly be highly sought-after. Among the current leaders of Li County, the ones eligible for promotion are Wu Zhixiong and Zhang Chubin, the full-time deputy secretary of the county partymittee. One is Ding Aiguo¡¯s man, and the other is Liu Wenqing¡¯s. Moreover, Liu Wenqing had stationed Zhang Chubin in Li County precisely for this position. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said to Chen Le: ¡°This is a matter of great importance. I am going to visit Mayor Wu now, and I¡¯d like you toe with me.¡± By saying this, Nie Zhenbang acknowledged Chen Le. Chen Le was looking to advance further in Li County, and Nie Zhenbang alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to facilitate this. At present, in Li County, Nie Zhenbang and Wu Zhixiong were considered part of the same faction. This move by Nie Zhenbang was also meant to pave the way for Chen Le. At this point, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare ck off. Without the support of senior officials, it would still be possible to turn the tide with Mo Zhihai¡¯s son arrested and while the Bazhou Municipal Party Committee hadn¡¯t made a final decision yet. Mo Zhihai, still the secretary of the county partymittee, had majority of the local officials under his control. The two immediately drove to Wu Zhixiong¡¯s residence, on the way, Nie Zhenbang had already called Wu Zhixiong. When they arrived and got out of the car, the lights in Wu Zhixiong¡¯s yard were already brightly lit; he was waiting for Nie Zhenbang. As soon as they entered the living room, Nie Zhenbang made no fuss, walked straight up, sat on the sofa, and handed two notebooks to Wu Zhixiong, saying, ¡°Mayor, the mastermind behind this blockade incident has been found. Furthermore, we¡¯veted a big fish. These were found in Mo Mingwu¡¯s residence ¨C take a look.¡± Being an oldrade in Li County, Wu Zhixiong, who has worked his entire life in Li County, naturally knows the name Mo Mingwu ¨C Mo Zhihai¡¯s eldest son. Mo Zhihai¡¯s younger son is Mo Mingxuan, who is now working in the Bazhou City Youth League Committee and has already reached department level. His elder son, however, is not part of the system and has been loitering around the county town. On hearing this, Wu Zhixiong was somewhat shocked; Nie Zhenbang¡¯s audacity was beyond his expectation. After briefly skimming the notebooks, Wu Zhixiong stood up and looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you are very brave.¡± Nie Zhenbang understood Wu Zhixiong¡¯s words clearly. This operation appeared to be aimed at finding the real culprits, but Zhao Kunlun had clearly backed down, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have released Ma Ergou. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approach, however, was clearly aimed at Mo Zhihai. If they were not careful and nothing came out of it, the risk Nie Zhenbang was taking would be huge. No senior leader would approve of a cadre disrupting team unity. To put it bluntly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current action was disrupting team unity and challenging the authority of the county party secretary. Fortunately, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gamble paid off. This was the reason for Wu Zhixiong¡¯s sigh, and at this moment Nie Zhenbang also understood Wu Zhixiong¡¯s concern for him. He immediatelyughed and said, ¡°Mayor, this is Comrade Chen Le, the leader of this operation from the county Public Security Bureau.¡± Wu Zhixiong¡¯s gaze swept over Chen Le, he nodded in greeting, then he stood up and said, ¡°Zhenbang, get ready, we¡¯ll leave overnight. This matter is now beyond our control. We must report it to the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government.¡± ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯ve thought about it. After we arrive in the city, we will act separately. I¡¯ll go to Mayor Ding, you need to go to Secretary Liu personally. During the groundbreaking of the Farmer Welfare Company, Secretary Jiang had a good impression of you. Secretary Liu is also full of praise for you. As this matter involves a county party secretary, the attitude of the city is unclear. If we want to take this opportunity to bring down Mo Zhihai, we must have Secretary Liu¡¯s personal consent.¡± In the car, Wu Zhixiong gave this advice to Nie Zhenbang sitting next to him. Even leaders in local governments need to be mindful of bnce and face-saving. With such a major incident happening in Li County, if the city partymittee wanted to cover it up, then Wu Zhixiong and Nie Zhenbang could do nothing. Of course, this is considering the situation without taking into ount Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background. If Nie Zhenbang were in full possession of the evidence, even if the city wanted to cover it up, he most likely wouldn¡¯t agree. But if he took it directly to the autonomous region or a higher level, it would be a different matter. It would give the city party leadership an impression of insubordination. If you can¡¯t afford to provoke others, you could at least avoid them, right? They could reassign Nie Zhenbang to a backwater position, put him on ice, and he wouldn¡¯t have a good time in Li County afterwards. Under the circumstances, going through the formal procedure would be the best choice. In the residential area for family members of the Bazhou Municipal Government and Committee, the car stopped between the Number 1 and Number 2 courtyards. The two of them got out of the car at the same time; the two notebooks were handed to Nie Zhenbang. Given the rtionship between Wu Zhixiong and Ding Aiguo, even without the notebooks, Ding Aiguo would not be suspicious. They walked into the Number 1 and Number 2 courtyards separately. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang took out his phone and dialed Liu Wenqing¡¯s home number. A woman¡¯s voice came through, and Nie Zhenbang immediately said, ¡°Hello, aunt. I¡¯m Nie Zhenbang, the deputy director of Li County. I wonder if Secretary Liu is asleep. I have an urgent matter to report to Secretary Liu in person.¡± On the other end of the phone, which should be Liu Wenqing¡¯s wife, after a while, Liu Wenqing¡¯s heartyughter came: ¡°Is it Comrade Zhenbang? What¡¯s the matter that¡¯s so urgent? Where are you now?¡± ¡°Secretary Liu, I¡¯m so sorry to bother you at this hour. I¡¯m right outside your house right now. The matter is very important, it involves Comrade Mo Zhihai. It¡¯s major, and we dare not make the decision ourselves.¡± Nie Zhenbang spoke very politely. After a short while, Liu Wenqing had already opened the door. As Nie Zhenbang walked in, Liu Wenqing had already made him a cup of hot tea and motioned for Nie Zhenbang to sit down. Then he said, ¡°About Comrade Mo Zhihai. What happened, did something go wrong in Li County?¡± It was sote, and given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s statement, Liu Wenqing could guess a rough outline. Nie Zhenbang nodded, then took out the notebook and ced it on the coffee table, saying, ¡°Secretary Liu, this was found during a search of the residence of Mo Zhihai¡¯s son, Mo Mingwu. Please have a look.¡± PS: This afternoon, some brothers suggested that I ask for fewer monthly votes. I didn¡¯t in the previous chapter, but I¡¯m doing so now. It¡¯s really embarrassing. But now, we¡¯re in the danger of being overtaken. Third ce is likely lost. There were 145 votes between us and fourth ce this afternoon, but now they¡¯ve almost caught up with us ¨C there¡¯s a difference of just under 120 votes. Brothers and sisters. I need your monthly votes. Help us to maintain our honor. Thanks, everyone. ( To be continued. If you like this work, pleasee to to vote for rmendation, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. ) Chapter 147: Secretary Liu’s Attitude (Fifth update completed, requesting monthly ticket)_1 Chapter 147: Secretary Liu¡¯s Attitude (Fifth updatepleted, requesting monthly ticket)_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡®Bang!¡¯ Liu Wenqing started reading with a very rxed look. However, halfway through, Liu Wenqing¡¯s face darkened, and he mmed the notebook onto the table. The ounts in the notebook were too detailed. Just the first half roughly estimated to be about three to four hundred thousand, not to mention what was yet to be seen, which was certain to be more. Unable to read any further, Liu Wenqing was facing a typical case of corruption. Nowadays, domestic corruption amounting to a hundred thousand is considered a major crime. Yet, he never thought that under his jurisdiction and right in front of his eyes, a county party secretary could embezzle such an amount. ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, where did you get this from?¡± At this moment, Liu Wenqing also sat down and questioned Nie Zhenbang. In the officialdom, every matter is about evidence and sources. If one acts recklessly, one can lose their credibility. As a city party secretary, Liu Wenqing has a lot to consider. While taking this issue seriously, he also needs to consider what might be behind it. Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment, then began to recount the whole story of the work interruption at Farmer Welfare Company and concluded, ¡°Secretary Liu, we didn¡¯t expect such an incident in advance. Originally, my intention was to catch the mastermind behind this through this clue. I didn¡¯t expect that it would lead to such a big deal. As it is a significant matter, I dare not make a decision on my own, so I rushed over here overnight.¡± To Liu Wenqing¡¯s question, Nie Zhenbang also thought for a long time. This matter indeed seemed biased against Mo Zhihai. Now, Nie Zhenbang could only answer as he considered. As for whether Liu Wenqing would have any other thoughts, this was not for Nie Zhenbang to decide. At this moment, Liu Wenqing¡¯s fingers were tapping on the sofa- a habit of his which seemed impossible to change. There¡¯s no doubt that Mo Zhihai¡¯s case had to be handled. This was Liu Wenqing¡¯s attitude. He was already deeply concerned about the Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s foundation, not to mention the attention that the Party Secretary of the autonomous region, Jiang Zhenquan, was paying to the Farmer Welfare Company and Li County. Covering up didn¡¯t seem appropriate here. Even if he wanted to cover it up, it wouldn¡¯t stay hidden. This matter needed to be dealt with ording to thew, and the treatment must be strict. Now, what Liu Wenqing was considering was what would follow after Mo Zhihai. It was certain that Mo Zhihai would step down, and how to handle the position of county party secretary of Li County was what Liu Wenqing was pondering over. After remaining silent for a moment, Liu Wenqing looked up and said, ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, I now entrust you with a task. You should go back to Li County first and make sure to control Mo Mingwu for me. The City Committee will have a clear result tomorrow.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and then stood up, ¡°Secretary Liu, time is of the essence. Li County remains stable at the moment. I¡¯ll go back first. If anything arises, I¡¯ll report to you at any time.¡± Ding Aiguo, on the other hand, became serious after listening to the report from Wu Zhixiong. Compared to Liu Wenqing, Aiguo was much morefortable with his own confidants like Wu Zhixiong. He said to Wu Zhixiong, ¡°Old Wu, Mo Zhihai is finished this time. But the vacant position of county party secretary is very hopeful for you. However, from Secretary Liu¡¯s side, it¡¯s clear that Cao Chubin is the sessor. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to make some moves on your own.¡± For officials like Ding Aiguo and Liu Wenqing, their perspectives were no longer limited to the present. At this time, they began thinking about the future even before Mo Zhihai¡¯s case was resolved. ¡­ The next morning, as soon as work began, the secretary-general of the Bazhou City Committee office, Li Qingde, informed all standing members at home to attend a meeting at the Standing Committee meeting room at nine. Another special standingmittee meeting left all members somewhat confused. It seemed that there have been more issues in Bazhou recently. At the arrival of nine o¡¯clock, Liu Wenqing, Ding Aiguo, and the Secretary of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission Bai Weimin walked in from outside. Witnessing this, everyone present was taken aback. Did something happen in the city? Did another official break the discipline? Bai Weimin was notorious in Bazhou City for his upromising stand, and any official in Bazhou who caught his attention definitely wouldn¡¯t see good days. As soon as he sat down, Liu Wenqing gestured to Li Qingde, who was seated at the end of the table. Li Qingde promptly distributed the documents that had been printed in advance based on the findings of the notebook. Originally, Liu Wenqing had no intention of revealing these documents now. He had handed them over to Bai Weimin when they had met earlier. Seeing the expressions of the standingmittee members, especially Zhao Weihong¡¯s, Mo Zhihai was Zhao Weihong¡¯s man. Yet now, there was a significant issue at hand, and Zhao Weihong¡¯s reputation was entirelypromised. However, Zhao Weihong could not only fail to shield him but also needed to distance himself. This was the fact and this was the reality. If it were behind closed doors between Zhao Weihong and Liu Wenqing, Zhao Weihong might be able to negotiate. But now that it has been brought to the standingmittee, Liu Wenqing has made his stance clear. If Zhao Weihong tried to protect Mo Zhihai under such circumstances, it would be tantamount to aiding and abetting a suspect. ¡°Comrades, I believe that all of you have nced through this set of materials. It¡¯s shocking, indeed shocking,¡± Liu Wenqing repeated the phrase ¡®shocking¡¯ twice, his tone heavy. At this moment, the conference room was quiet. Liu Wenqing continued, ¡°These materials were sent byrades from Li Countyst night. Along with these, there were hundreds of thousands of cash, several passbooks, and plenty of gold and jewelry that were seized. This is a serious issue. I suggest that Secretary Bai of the municipalmission takes the lead to form a special task force to station in Li County. As for Comrade Mo Zhihai, the Secretary of the Li County Party Committee, my opinion is to temporarily suspend all his work and duties. Deputy Secretary and County Mayor, Comrade Wu Zhixiong, will temporarily take full charge of theprehensive work of the Li County Committee and County Government. Deputy Secretary of the Li County Party Committee, Comrade Zhang Chubin, will assist. The stance of the Municipal Committee on this matter must be clear. My stance is to investigate to the end regardless of who gets implicated, and which level of leadership gets involved. Nocency, severe punishment!¡± ¡°Let me say a few words.¡± With a cough, Ding Aiguo began to speak. He looked around at everyone and said solemnly, ¡°Comrades, this is a profound lesson for us in Bazhou City. Secretary Jiang of the district partymittee repeatedly emphasized the need to maintain the integrity of the officials in the New Year¡¯s greetingst year. Now such an incident has happened in Li County. Secretary Liu also emphasized the importance of anti-corruption at various meetings. However, a corrupt official embezzling millions has now emerged in our Li County, tarnishing the image of Bazhou City. I suggest that, on one hand, Secretary Bai of the disciplinarymittee should lead in-depth investigations and reviews in Li County to uncover and resolve the problems. On the other hand, I think there¡¯s a need to carry out a city-wide study on the spirit of the speeches made by Secretary Jiang and Secretary Liu, to reinforce anti-corruption education.¡± At this moment, Bai Weimin also said solemnly, ¡°I suggest that we request the Municipal People¡¯s Congress to revoke Comrade Mo Zhihai¡¯s status as a People¡¯s Representative, suspend all his duties, and ask the inspection department to implement ¡®shuanggui¡¯ on Comrade Mo Zhihai.¡± ¡°I agree with Secretary Bai¡¯s opinion.¡± Liu Wenqing said in a grave tone and raised his hand. Under such circumstances, all the standingmittee members of Bazhou City raised their hands. Zhao Weihong¡¯s face was somber, this incident was too sudden, there was no sign beforehand. This left Zhao Weihong with no opportunity to take action. Zhao Weihong was caught in a dilemma. If he raised his hand, the affairs of the standingmittee would not remain a secret or might be leaked afterward. At that time, his performance would certainly disappoint those who supported him. But if he didn¡¯t raise his hand, he would be associated with suspicion. Straightaway, Zhao Weihong raised his hand. Between himself and Mo Zhihai, Zhao Weihong naturally chose himself. Liu Wenqing stood up at this moment, looked at Bai Weimin, and said, ¡°Comrade Weimin, the case in Li County is handed over to you. Right now, somerades in Li County are also under great pressure. I think you should go to Li County lightly equipped and swiftly.¡± ¡­ On this side of Li County, many county officials had gathered at the entrance of the Li County Public Security Bureau. With a somber face, Mo Zhihai looked at Chen Le and said in a deep voice, ¡°Director Chen, you are doing a good job, insisting on truth and principles. Such an official is the role model for us to learn from. However, Director Chen, could you tell me what crime my son Mo Mingwu hasmitted that he has been brought here? If he is indeed guilty, I will personally request to recuse myself.¡± Chen Le smiled bitterly and looked at Nie Zhenbang beside him. At this time, what had to be said could not be said. After receiving the news, Mo Zhihai had plenty of time to destroy other evidence and collude on testimonies. If that happened, all their efforts would be in vain. Therefore, Chen Le could only brace himself and say, ¡°Secretary Mo, please calm down. We are also investigating the issue with Mingwu. He¡¯s not under arrest, he¡¯s only assisting the investigation.¡± ¡°Oh? Assisting in the investigation? Then why don¡¯t you release him or allow him to meet us, what on earth are you doing? Secretary Zhao, look at this, it¡¯swlessness. Chen Le, in your eyes, there¡¯s only a specific individual, right? Do you still have organizational discipline and principles? You are a cadre of the party, not a cadre serving a particr person.¡± Mo Zhihai, an experienced bureaucrat, had sensed something amiss at this moment. Zhao Kunlun¡¯s face was gloomy. He initially thought that Chen Le and Nie Zhenbang were against him because of the issue of Mo Mingwu being manipted behind the scenes. Zhao Kunlun had no temper with Nie Zhenbang, but Chen Le was his subordinate, who was even disregarding hismands. Wasn¡¯t this a p in his face? Upon this, Zhao Kunlun also said sternly, ¡°Comrade Chen Le, now, in my capacity as the director of the Li County Public Security Bureau, Imand you to immediately release Mo Mingwu.¡± Nie Zhenbang stepped forward at this time. If he didn¡¯t intervene in this situation, Chen Le surely couldn¡¯t withstand the pressure. PS: Brothers and sisters, today, another 15,000 words arepleted. I¡¯m begging for monthly tickets. I¡¯ve got wolves before and pursuers after. Right now, we are only 88 votes away from the second ce. Let¡¯s give it a go and strive for it. ( Chapter 148: Rising Storm (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 148: Rising Storm (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°Secretary Mo, Secretary Zhao. This seems somehow inappropriate, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Nie Zhenbang suddenly stood up. Given the current situation, only Nie Zhenbang could withstand it. Zhao Kunlun was the secretary of the Political and Legal Committee and the head of the Public Security Bureau. In such an organization, orders between hierarchical levels were like military orders. Regardless of what was happening, Chen Le had to submit. It was a matter of attitude. Otherwise, even after this matter was over, Zhao Kunlun could take advantage of it to get rid of Chen Le. ¡°What is inappropriate?¡± Mo Zhihai sneered coldly, looking at Nie Zhenbang, wishing he could kill him with a nce. He had already made concessions, but now Nie Zhenbang was pushing against him. It felt like he was against the ropes, ready to break free. In a deep voice, Mo Zhihai said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you are nothing more than a deputy county governor who is not in charge of this area. Don¡¯t you think you are overreaching?¡± Nie Zhenbang gave a slight smile. At this moment, Mo Zhihai was bing somewhat unhinged. He was talking so bluntly even in public, disregarding his own status as the secretary of the countymittee. It was indeed a case of panic when things got personal. He then said leisurely, ¡°Secretary Mo, your criticism is justified. However, the recent incident of the Farmer¡¯s Welfare Company stopping work, and the subsequent blockade are linked. Following the clues led us to Son of Ling. Please rest assured, Secretary Mo, we will definitely release him within 24 hours. However, Secretary Mo, ording to the system, you are the party secretary and act as a parent to the whole country. Given the current situation, don¡¯t you think you should recuse yourself? Your actions here can influence the attitudes of the investigators.¡± Generally speaking, for such matters, it is not appropriate for Mo Zhihai to show up. Even if he had to take action, he should do it discreetly. Acting openly as he is now would be bad in terms of public perception. Looking at Mo Zhihai¡¯s attitude, he seemed to be getting desperate. Just then, outside the Public Security Bureau, four or five cars drove in directly. The sight of a car with a Bazhou City¡¯s fourth license te made Mo Zhihai¡¯s heart skip a beat. This fourth car has quite a few stories in Bazhou City. Earlyst year, the city government bought thirteen Mercedes-Benz cars at once. When it came to assigning car numbers, none of the city leaders wanted the fourth car. The first, second, and third cars naturally went to Liu Wenqing, Ding Aiguo, and Cheng Xinhua. When it came to the fourth car, Zhao Weihong didn¡¯t want it, Li Yong didn¡¯t want it, and the Standing Deputy Mayor of the City Government, Hu Weihua, also didn¡¯t want it. Hu Weihua is an Uighur, whose Uighur name is Ali Ehmet. Hu Weihua is his Han name. In the end, Bai Weimin, the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, took the fourth car. Bai Weimin¡¯s words when he took the car were very ssic: ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of death. I¡¯m not afraid of four, I only hope that in the future, all the cadres in Bazhou City won¡¯t be afraid of this number, nor this car.¡± At this moment, the car stopped and Bai Weimin got out with a stern look on his face. Looking at the tense standoff, Bai Weimin¡¯s expression darkened and he said sternly, ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Does this even look like a state agency? Are you guys fighting among yourselves now, ready to throw blows?¡± Mo Zhihai adjusted his emotions and then walked up to him. In a low voice, he said, ¡°Secretary Bai, you misunderstand. It¡¯s not that, it¡¯s that Director Nie and his team have arrested my son without reason. It¡¯s been almost a day since he was arrested and they still haven¡¯t released him. That¡¯s why I¡¯m a bit anxious. I apologize to the organization, this is my fault. I should have recused myself.¡± At this moment, Mo Zhihai started to y the trick of the offenderining first. Bai Weimin nced at Mo Zhihai and felt a bit disgusted. If he didn¡¯t know about this matter, he would definitely think that Mo Zhihai was right. But now? He gave him a cold, sweeping look. Next to him, Leng Wenke, the head of the Second Inspection Office of the city¡¯s Discipline Inspection Commission, had already stood up. He looked at Mo Zhihai with an indifferent expression, saying, ¡°Comrade Mo Zhihai, now I announce one thing to you.¡± Mo Zhihai also recognized Leng Wenke, who worked at the First Inspection Office of Bazhou City¡¯s Discipline Inspection Commission, and was responsible for disciplinary inspection work in direct city institutions. The Second Inspection Office was responsible for disciplinary inspection and supervisory work in Ku City, Li County, and Tamu County. Hence, for the civil servants in Li County, Leng Wenke was probably the second scariest person after Bai Weimin. Upon hearing this, Mo Zhihai¡¯s facepletely changed. It seemed his secret was out. His son¡¯s arrest was only a precursor. ¡°Comrade Mo Zhihai, ording to the decision of the special meeting of the city¡¯s People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee, your qualification as a deputy to the Bazhou City People¡¯s Congress has been revoked. ording to the citymittee¡¯s standingmittee, your all work has been suspended for the time being. The work of Li County Committee and County Government will be presided over by Deputy Secretary and County Governor Wu Zhixiong. Now, pleasee with us.¡± Leng Wenke¡¯s voice was loud, his tone calm, he finished all in one breath. At this moment, everyone present was shocked. Zhao Kunlun was even more regretful and annoyed. This news was too sudden. He hadn¡¯t received any information beforehand, even the city¡¯s Political and Legal Committee Secretary hadn¡¯t given him any clues. Recalling how he had just been denouncing Chen Le alongside Mo Zhihai, Zhao Kunlun was somewhat worried and involuntarily moved a little to the side. At this moment, Bai Weimin waved to his subordinates behind him. Immediately, two staff members walked up and stood on either side of Mo Zhihai. Bai Weimin began, ¡°Mo Zhihai, ording to the Administrative Supervision Regtions promulgated by the State Council, the supervision organs have the right to ask you to exin and rify issues involved within a specified time and ce. In other words, from now on, you are under ¡®double regtion¡¯. Comrade Mo Zhihai, you are an old party member. The policy is clear. I don¡¯t need to say more. I hope you won¡¯t harbor any ideas and confess voluntarily to the organization.¡± When he finished, Bai Weimin waved his hand and said, ¡°Take him away.¡± With Bai Weimin¡¯s departure, the county public security bureau was immediately thrown into chaos. Zhao Kunlun¡¯s expression was somewhatplex; now, Wu Zhixiong was overseeing the full spectrum of work of the countymittee and government. His own situation was also quite worrisome. The news of Mo Zhihai being double-regted quickly spread across the whole Li County, and all the officials were frightened for a while. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, he came just in time and managed to hold on. If Bai Weimin hade an hourter, Mo Mingwu would probably have been taken away. By the time, father and son would confess together, pushing the me onto Mo Mingwu. Mo Zhihai would have no responsibility at all. Moreover, with Mo Zhihai around, even if Mo Mingwu was sentenced, there would be room for maneuver after the storm. But what now? Mo Zhihai had no idea what Mo Mingwu would say. This would make it easy to interrogate and find something. Nie Zhenbang was not familiar with the routine of the disciplinarymittee and was unclear. But seeing how these officials changed their facial expressions when talking about the disciplinarymittee, he guessed that there wouldn¡¯t be any good oues. At this point, Nie Zhenbang waspletely relieved. The municipalmittee¡¯s decision had been made, and no matter what, he had won this gamble. Looking at Chen Le next to him, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Old Chen, get ready, I guess the disciplinarymittee will take Mo Mingwu away tomorrow. The hardest time has passed. Old Chen, we should celebrate our sess.¡± Li County, Armed Department Guest House. This was one of the poorer conditions in Li County. However, every ce¡¯s military district guest house or armed department guest house was the favorite ce of the disciplinarymittee. The reason is simple: it¡¯s safe and secluded. The entire guest house only had two floors, all of which were simple tube buildings. At this moment, the entire second floor had been booked by the Bazhou City Disciplinary Committee. One room had been emptied and turned into an interrogation room. Next to the interrogation room, the original triple room had two beds removed, leaving only one single bed. This was where Mo Zhihai slept. To prevent Mo Zhihai from causing trouble ormunicating with the outside world, the city disciplinarymittee assigned six staff members to take turns on duty, 24/7. ¡°Mo Zhihai, sit down. Do you know why you were brought here?¡± Leng Wenke, who was very experienced, started off this way. Mo Zhihai was stunned for a moment, then said, ¡°Director Leng, I¡¯m still confused. What¡¯s the matter? The organization should give me an exnation, right? They brought me here without any exnation. What¡¯s going on?¡± Mo Zhihai was also an old hand, very clear about the procedures for double regtion. Double regtion didn¡¯t mean that evidence had been secured. There were people who came out after double regtion, and as long as he stood firm, he should be okay. ¡°Bang!¡± Leng Wenke mmed on the table. As an old member of the disciplinarymittee, he knew very well that people like Mo Zhihai generally didn¡¯t shed tears without seeing a coffin. He must be subjected to great psychological pressure. Seeing Mo Zhihai¡¯s stunned look, Leng Wenke chuckled and then threw two notebooks that were familiar to Mo Zhihai on the table. ¡°Isn¡¯t it familiar, Mo Zhihai? Don¡¯t try to resist. The organization has already investigated your matter very clearly. Otherwise, do you think the municipalmittee would easily issue a double regtion order on a county party secretary? Think about it clearly and write down everything that needs to be exined. To strive for lenient treatment, this is your only way out,¡± Leng Wenke continued to exert pressure. As Mo Mingwu was taken away by the disciplinarymittee and continuous heart wrenching evidence and testimonies appeared, Mo Zhihai stood his ground for three days, but he couldn¡¯t withstand anymore. At this point, Mo Zhihai was clear that his backing was probably unreliable. At this moment, nothing was more painful than losing hope, and Mo Zhihai straightforwardly confessed his problem. The city disciplinarymittee investigation team also formally withdrew from Li County, and the case was handed over to the prosecution authorities for public prosecution. Meanwhile, the municipalmittee formally issued a document relieving Mo Zhihai of his posts as a member of the countymittee, standingmittee member, and county party secretary. He was dismissed from public office and expelled from the party. Wu Zhixiong, the deputy secretary of the countymittee and county governor, was appointed to oversee all the work of the countymittee and government. With Mo Zhihai¡¯s position vacated, for a while, Li County started to stir again. PS: Yesterday¡¯s monthly tickets were very strong, thanks to all the brothers and sisters. Keep it up. Old Cai is now full of motivation. Chapter 149: Wait and See What Happens (Second Update for the Monthly Ticket)_1 Chapter 149: Wait and See What Happens (Second Update for the Monthly Ticket)_1 Trantor: 549690339 What surged was not anything else, but the mentality of the officials in Li County. The impact of this anti-corruption storm was significant. Aside from the downfall of Mo Zhihai, the former head of Li County, Mo Mingyu, the nephew of Mo Zhihai, the director of the Li County Finance Bureau, was also dismissed from his position due to serious discipline vitions, including conspiring with Mo Mingwu to embezzlement public funds. Simultaneously, officials whose cumtive bribe amount on some notebooks exceeded 100,000 were naturally rolled out by Bai Weimin. As such, many positions in the whole Li County became vacant. Just Bureau Chief positions at the regr department level alone, there were vacancies in four important entities: the Finance Bureau, Personnel Bureau, Transport Bureau, and Construction Bureau. Along with the top positions in two towns. Suddenly, so many vacancies, anyone with some ideas could not sit still. The members of the county partymittee could also not sit still, just like the lower-level officials. The position of the county party secretary was vacant. Those qualified began to have thoughts. And, naturally, there would be vacancies for promotions. Everyone was thinking about the top positions. The other positions also drew attention. Ma Yunfang was one of them. At Ma Yunfang¡¯s house, at this moment, Guo Haitao, the director of the Civil Affairs Bureau, was also cautiously saying to Ma Yunfang, ¡°Mayor Ma, this time, you¡¯re the most anticipated candidate. Mayor Wu is in charge of the overall work of the County Party Committee and County Government. The municipal partymittee will probably make a decision soon. At that time, during the two sessions, given your reputation and ability, you will inevitably be elected as the county mayor.¡± ttering words are always sweet to hear. Ma Yunfang was no different. Now, the situation in Li County was clear. As Wu Zhixiong was in charge of the overall work of the County Party Committee and County Government and was bound to be County Party Secretary sooner orter, the most suitable candidate for the position of county mayor, apart from Zhang Chubin, would be himself. Ma Yunfang himself also thought that as the executive deputy county mayor, he was more suitable than Zhang Chubin. However, on the surface, Ma Yunfang simply waved his hand and said, ¡°Old Guo, we must never be careless about political affairs. There are too many variables. Until an official document is issued, anything can happen. I¡¯ll keep your matter in mind. The Finance Bureau, however, may have some difficulties. After all, the newly appointed County Party Secretary will also have his thoughts. But, the Transport Bureau and the Construction Bureau are possibilities.¡± ¡°Kun, the progress is good. It¡¯s been just over ten days, and the foundation is almostpleted. Is the quality of the project guaranteed? You must pay attention to this.¡± Nie Zhenbang, at this point, was at the construction site of the Farmer Welfare Company. Next to him, Liu Kun, looked very professional in a safety helmet. Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Kun also said with a smile, ¡°Nie, rest assured. Everything is normal. I have hired a project supervisor from Jingcheng specially. The builder is also from Urumqi. His greedy father is supervising, so they dare not y any tricks.¡±While speaking, Liu Kun, grinningly said, ¡°Nie, this storm in Li County is quite sudden. Your move, I admire.¡±Next to him, Qian Jin was also shocked. He was getting his first real taste of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tactics. He generally keeps a low profile, but when he makes a move, it¡¯s like a storm hitting directly and precisely at the heart of the matter. Without using any connections, he managed to get rid of a group of officials. Only the descendants of renowned families from Jingcheng can employ such ruthless tactics. Immediately, Qian Jin also said with a smile, ¡°Nie, I guess there will be a big reshuffle in Li County this time. I can see that the officials in Li County are all rushing to Bazhou City. Nie, don¡¯t you have any thoughts on this? If you have any thoughts, we will support you fully. With you around, we will feel more at ease.¡± Nie Zhenbang understood Qian Jin¡¯s meaning. As the son of the Urumqi Municipal Party Committee Secretary, Qian Jin did have some connections in the Northwest Region. His father had held office in several locations, and quite a few officials found career beginnings under his stewardship. If Nie Zhenbang wanted, it would be a perfect win-win for everyone. Qian Jin would definitely help. However, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand. Not that he didn¡¯t have any thoughts. Who wouldn¡¯t want to make another step up and enter the ranks of senior department-level personnel? But he had just taken office in Decemberst year. It had only been three months. Although he had achieved sess with the Farmer Welfare Company, he had not thought about the county mayor position. Although promotions in the Northwest Region are rtively faster than in the ind, Nie Zhenbang was very clear about his own foundation. On one hand, in Bazhou, he is considered an outsider, on another hand, his foundation in Li County is still a bit weak. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°I won¡¯tpete for it. Now, the Municipal Party Committee has not yet expressed a clear attitude towards the adjustment of Li County¡¯s officials. The leaders in the Municipal Party Committee also have not expressed their positions. I think, the controversy over this adjustment is huge. I won¡¯t think about the position of the county mayor. I just need to make sure that your project is going well, and also get Hua¡¯s project started, then my task ispleted. Now? I am just watching the changes.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words surprised Qian Jin a little, and his attitude of not participating in thepetition left him a bit uncertain. However, Liu Kun understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intentions. Today, as the Deputy County Mayor in charge of the economy, as long as he can ensure the smooth progress of these two economic development projects, he would be satisfied. Rather than striving for something without knowing when to stop, it might be better not to strive for it at all, and wait for two more years. After the achievements here are shown, given Nie¡¯s background, he could easily jump to other ces. Perhaps, this was also the attitude of the Nie family patriarch. ¡°Old Leader, I came to Bazhou this time to fight for some funding for road construction from the City Transportation Bureau. Coincidentally, I also stopped by to pay you a visit.¡± At this moment, in the living room of Ding Aiguo¡¯s house, Wu Zhixiong was speaking with a smile. Deputized temporarily to oversee all the operations of the Li County Committee and County Government, Wu Zhixiong¡¯s originally dormant heart has be somewhat active. Now, he was only one step away from the position of County Party Secretary. Wu Zhixiong also wanted to give it a try. If he could make a leap forward before the age of fifty-seven, it would be no regret for him to step up to the vice hall level. At this point, Ding Aiguo naturally understood Wu Zhixiong¡¯s intentions. Wu Zhixiong was a person whom he knew very well, given their longstanding superior-subordinate rtionship, and he was one of his proteges. As for this old subordinate who had been devoted to his work, he was now starting to feel restless. Ding Aiguo could understand this. Perhaps, the pretext ofing to the Transportation Bureau for funding was false, and the real intention was to gauge the attitude of the citymittee. Of course, there was this wonderful opportunity now. Wu Zhixiong was already the Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee, ranked first, the County Mayor, and the second-inmand of Li County. Now,missioned by the City Committee, he was fully in charge of the work of the County Committee and County Government before the new County Party Secretaryes. This essentially meant he was ying the role of County Party Secretary and had already set foot into the great hall of the County Committee. It was understandable that he should be restless at this juncture. After all, everyone wants to progress. However, the current attitude of the citymittee made Ding Aiguo at a loss for words. After a moment of contemtion, Ding Aiguo finally voiced over gently, ¡°Old Wu, I can understand your feelings. However, with the current situation, there¡¯s much debate within the City Committee regarding the candidate for Li County Party Secretary, as well as some follow-up supplement actions. All the Committee members are withholding their statements for now. It¡¯s still hard to tell how things will turn out. The main dilemma is whether to bring in from outside or to choose someone locally. We may have to wait till the regr Committee meetingter this month to know the results.¡± Seeing Wu Zhixiong somewhat disheartened, Ding Aiguoughed and said, ¡°Old Wu, don¡¯t lose heart. After all, you have your advantage. Compared with others, your advantage is pretty apparent. On my end, I will also strive to fight for you. Now, don¡¯t think too much about other things, just focus on doing your job well. Handle the affairs of the County Party Committee. I believe the City Committee leaders will see your efforts.¡± Wu Zhixiong nodded his head. This news wasn¡¯t a good one for him. But he had no control over the decisions of the City Committee, and at this point, all he could do was wait. Subsequently, Wu Zhixiong stood up, ¡°Old Leader, I have to leave now. There are still many things to handle in the county.¡± After seeing off Wu Zhixiong, Ding Aiguo fell into deep thought. At the moment, there was no unanimity in the City Committee regarding the issue. He naturally favored promoting Wu Zhixiong to the County Party Secretary and having Liu Wenqing¡¯s man, Zhang Chubin, assume the role of County Mayor. However, it seemed that Liu Wenqing wanted Zhang Chubin to be the County Party Secretary directly. Furthermore, Zhao Weihong wanted Ma Yunfang to take over as County Mayor. But due to Mo Zhihai, Zhao Weihong was opposing our faction. He was firmly against Wu Zhixiong bing the County Party Secretary. Why would things be so favorable? If Wu Zhixiong did not get promoted, how would there be a vacancy for Ma Yunfang? Therefore, Zhao Weihong proposed another n, which was to transfer Wu Zhixiong out of Li County. In this way, the members of the City Committee had discussed a few times but without any conclusion. With this thought in mind, Ding Aiguo walked to the telephone. Picking it up, he dialed Cheng Xinhua¡¯s number directly. As the Deputy Secretary of the City Committee, Cheng Xinhua was a man who didn¡¯t show off and was extremely low-profile on normal days. Nevertheless, Ding Aiguo knew very well that Cheng Xinhua had strength. On the line, as soon as the call was connected, Ding Aiguo recognized Cheng Xinhua¡¯s voice. Immediately, Ding Aiguoughed and said, ¡°Secretary Cheng, I¡¯m sorry for disturbing you sote.¡± Cheng Xinhuaughed on the other end of the line, ¡°Mayor Ding, you are too polite. I wasn¡¯t sleeping anyway, just watching the news. What¡¯s up, Mayor Ding? Is there something you need to talk about sote?¡± Ding Aiguo didn¡¯t beat around the bush, and got straight to the point, ¡°Old Cheng, there¡¯s nothing major, I just wanted to discuss with you about the adjustment of the leading group in Li County. What do you think, Old Cheng?¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, the plot is now at its peak. Will Little Nie be able to go further? Brothers and sisters, your role as the City Committee¡¯s standingmittee leaders is important. Your monthly tickets are important. Please cast your monthly tickets for Old Cai. Today, I again break out with 12,000 words. If the monthly ticket score is satisfactory. And can reach 630 votes, I will break out with 15,000 words tomorrow. Now, we are only 43 votes away from 630, which I believe, should be quite easy for my brothers and sisters. Chapter 150: Playing the Fisherman (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 150: ying the Fisherman (Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1 Trantor: 549690339 In such matters, there is little room for niceties and pretenses in private exchanges among the leadership of the municipal partymittee. In essence, everyone gets straight to the point. At this moment, Cheng Xinhua had a distinct sense of standing aloof in the municipal partymittee. In Li County, he didn¡¯t have any subordinates, as he was not a cadre promoted from within there. Strictly speaking, Nie Zhenbang could be considered one, but his situation was different. He was someone whom deputy secretary of the autonomous region partymittee, Li Yifeng, had personally requested to take care of, so he couldn¡¯t exactly be considered Cheng¡¯s man. Furthermore, since Nie Zhenbang had not approached him this time, Cheng naturally would not take the initiative to help Nie vie for anything. Therefore, Cheng Xinhua was the most rxed about the reshuffling in Li County. Basically, any leader who was interested in Li County had approached him. Reflecting on Ding Aiguo¡¯s words, Cheng fell deep into thought. It was indeed straightforward, but how to respond was crucial. Any remark represented his attitude ¨C words were not to be spoken in vain, they had to be fulfilled. After some thought, Cheng Xinhua smiled and said, ¡°I have no particr opinion. Comrades Wu Zhixiong and Zhang Chubin are both excellent choices. Personally, I wholeheartedly respect the organization¡¯s arrangements.¡± Ding Aiguo cursed inwardly. Cheng¡¯s position was so slippery ¨C he had basically said nothing while seeming to agree with the idea of obeying the organization¡¯s arrangements. Wasn¡¯t he just waiting to see how the wind blew? However, on the surface, Ding was all smiles and said, ¡°Secretary Cheng, I think Deputy Director of the City Construction Bureau, Comrade Yu Zejun, is quite good. This time, severalrades from the city and municipal bureaus are ready for promotion. I think we can fully consider giving Comrade Yu a heavier responsibility. Capablerades should naturally be assigned to more important positions.¡± Though this statement seemed unrted to the reshuffling in Li County, in reality, Ding Aiguo was sending Cheng his terms. Yu Zejun was one of the cadres Cheng had brought up during his time as head of Ta County. He was one of Cheng¡¯s trusted men. The position of director of the City Construction Bureau was also a division-level position. In rtive terms, Cheng had gained an advantage since Wu Zhixiong was only transitioning from a county chief to a secretary, and his rank wasn¡¯t changing. This was the condition Ding Aiguo put forward. The offer was quite generous on Cheng¡¯s behalf. However, Cheng Xinhua merely smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Ding, I find Comrade Wu Zhixiong quitemendable. However, the incident with Mo Zhihai has given us a profound lesson. Secretary Liu has stressed multiple times the importance of mobility among local leading cadres. Now, the Secretary of Ta County Party Committee is approaching retirement age. I think it¡¯s feasible to have Comrade Wu Zhixiong transferred there to oversee theprehensive work of Ta County.¡± At this moment, Ding Aiguo furrowed his brows. Cheng¡¯s intentions were clear ¨C it¡¯s not about keeping Wu Zhixiong stationary. Cheng was supportive of Wu bing the partymittee secretary, but only in a different location. Since the incident in Li County, Liu Wenqing has emphasized the mobility of cadres at various asions to curb localism and corruption. It was clear that this tacit expression was in opposition to Wu Zhixiong bing the partymittee secretary. After all, Wu Zhixiong and Mo Zhihai¡¯s situations were quite simr. Wu was also a cadre who had been promoted from within Li County. At this point, it appeared from Cheng¡¯s attitude that the prospect of Wu Zhixiong bing the county partymittee secretary directly was highly unlikely. After careful consideration, Liu Wenqing certainly wouldn¡¯t agree, let alone Zhao Weihong and Bai Weimin, who always opposed localism. That ounted for three votes. Now, with Cheng Xinhua added, that made four. The Ministers of the organization department, Fang Gushan, and propaganda department, Liu Sufang, would certainly follow the majority. So, there was no hope of winning at the Standing Committee meeting. Rather than dwelling on Li County, it would be better to let Wu Zhixiong assume the position of Ta County partymittee secretary. At least, this would be a step up and beneficial for subsequent promotions. At this point, Ding Aiguo was not too concerned about the projects in Li County. Following this, Ding made his decision and smiled, ¡°Ta County is a good ce indeed. Secretary Cheng, I won¡¯t take up any more of your time.¡± Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. All the leaders in the Li County Party Committee who had their own ideas were busy lobbying. Wu Zhixiong was not too active and only went to Bazhou twice, while Zhang Chubin continually ran to Bazhou in the past few days. Likewise, Ma Yunfang from the county government was also doing the same. The atmosphere in Li County became eerie? The routine standingmittee meeting of the second half of the month in Bazhou was officially convened. At this moment, the entire conference room was silent. Unlike the previous standingmittee meetings, Ding Aiguo was sitting in the conference room early, holding a pen in his hand, asionally scrolling on the notebook, writing something. As soon as it was nine o¡¯clock, Liu Wenqing almost stepped into the conference room on the dot, his gaze sweeping over the attendees. At this moment, Liu Wenqing¡¯s expression was very serious as he took his seat. He began, ¡°In this standingmittee meeting, I would like first to ask Secretary Bai from the Discipline Inspection Commission to report on the corruption case of Mo Zhihai in Li County.¡± As soon as the words fell, Bai Weimin nodded and said, ¡°Leaders,rades, at themission of the municipal partymittee, the city disciplinary inspectionmission immediately sent an investigation team to Li County after the corruption case urred. I will now report the situation truthfully to everyone. During Mo Zhihai¡¯s tenure as Li County Party Secretary, he received bribes under various pretexts such as birthdays, holidays, and the Lunar New Year. His actions were extremely egregious, with a staggering amount of money involved, which had a detrimental impact on the local area. The case has been turned over to the procurator¡¯s office for litigation¡­¡± ¡°Comrades, this is a profound lesson for us. Mo Zhihai¡¯s corruption did note out of nowhere, but was rooted in his long-standing dominance in Li County, which fostered his overbearing, patriarchal style. This is a breeding ground for corruption. Without supervision, without any opposition, Mo Zhihai¡¯s corruption and depravity were inevitable. I believe it is absolutely necessary for us to increase the mobility of our party and government officials to firmly curb the spread of corruption.¡± Liu Wenqing at this moment is solemn, his voice stern and powerful. At this moment, all the standingmittee members know clearly that Liu Wenqing is only using this issue as a pretext, merely clearing the way for Zhang Chubin¡¯s ascent to power. Continuing, Liu Wenqing said, ¡°Now, the position of Secretary of Li County Party Committee has been vacant for half a month already. This vacancy is not conducive to the economic development of Li County. Minister Fang, you preside over the Organization Department. Do you have any thoughts on the candidates for the Secretary of Li County Party Committee?¡± Fang Gushan nodded, then added, ¡°After the Mo Zhihai incident, under the instruction of the municipalmittee, the Organization Department has performed a preliminary evaluation of the officials across the city. At present, there are threerades who are rtively qualified. The first is Comrade Zhang Chubin, who has held various positions such as a teacher in Hetai County¡¯s No. 1 Middle School, staff of the Hetai Education Bureau, Deputy Director, Director, Deputy Mayor of Hetai County, Deputy Mayor of Lunshuo County and so on. He is very experienced in politics and has remarkable abilities. All things considered, Zhang Chubin seems quite suitable for the position of County Party Secretary.¡± After a pause, Fang Gushan introduced the information of Wu Zhixiong and the current mayor of Hetai County, but everyone knew clearly that the mayor of Hetai County was just a side-role. The main candidates were Zhang Chubin and Wu Zhixiong, with Zhang Chubin being the most important. As soon as the words fell, Cheng Xinhua also said, ¡°Comrade Zhang Chubin is very good. I think it would be appropriate for him to take up the post of Secretary of Li County Party Committee. Also, Lv Qiuliang, the current secretary of the Ta County Party Committee, is of age to retire. I suggest we consider letting Comrade Wu Zhixiong take his ce.¡± In fact, all of these things had already been negotiated in advance. It¡¯s clear to all standingmittee members that this was apromise between Ding Aiguo and Liu Wenqing. Ding Aiguo gave up his control over Li County, but his people also received equivalent positions. Following this, there were no surprises in the statements made. Apart from Zhao Weihong who voted against Wu Zhixiong as the secretary of Ta County Party Committee, this agenda smoothly passed. Meanwhile, the incumbentmittee member and deputy governor of Ta County, Xie Yi, was appointed to Li County to take over the position of Deputy Secretary of Li County Party Committee, effectively recing Zhang Chubin¡¯s position. This time, Cheng Xinhua hit the jackpot. As the saying goes, when the snipe and m grapple, the fisherman profits. In this case, Cheng Xinhua was the fisherman. However, the following dispute on the selection of the county governor led to a stalemate in the Standing Committee. Liu Wenqing became a bystander at this point. His ultimate goal in Li County had already been achieved, and there weren¡¯t any other candidates, so he didn¡¯t really care. But, Ma Yunfang, who was nominated by Zhao Weihong, was jointly opposed by Cheng Xinhua and Ding Aiguo. Cheng Xinhua¡¯s concern was that if Zhao Weihong¡¯s person became County Governor, it would certainly affect Nie Zhenbang. Since Li Yifeng had asked him to take care of Nie Zhenbang, Cheng Xinhua was naturally opposed. As for Ding Aiguo, his reasons are simpler. In the matter of Wu Zhixiong, Ding Aiguo paid a price¡ªthe position of the Director of the Construction Bureau, and even let Cheng Xinhua get the position of Deputy Secretary of Li County. This ount, Ding Aiguo charged to Zhao Weihong. Of course, if he had a chance in the future, Ding Aiguo would naturally seek Cheng Xinhua. But at this point, Zhao Weihong became the target of the attack. Since you wouldn¡¯t let my people go up, then your people, Zhao Weihong, shouldn¡¯t either. For a time, the entire Standing Committee seemed like a debate meeting, with different groups arguing. Seeing this, Liu Wenqing hammered the table and said, ¡°Quiet down. Are we having a debate? We¡¯re all seasoned cadres. How are we any different frommon townsfolk? Isn¡¯t there any basic discipline and principles? Since there is a deadlock. I propose a candidate. I personally think that the currentmittee member and deputy governor of Li County, Comrade Nie Zhenbang, seems quite suitable!¡± As soon as the words fell, the meeting room instantly fell silent. Chapter 154: New Project Launched (Bursting Five Times, the Third Time Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 154: New Project Launched (Bursting Five Times, the Third Time Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Trantor:549690339 In the county partymittee assembly hall, at another meeting of all the county¡¯s leadership cadres, after Fang Gushan announced Xie Yi¡¯s appointment, Xie Yi officially became a member of the Li County Party Committee, standingmittee member, and deputy secretary. At this time, there was no regtion for appointing leading cadres, and it was entirely possible for one to be promoted several times or even more in a single year. Xie Yi had been promoted from the city¡¯s youth leaguemittee to Ta County only half a year ago. Now, he was promoted again to serve as a full-time deputy secretary for Li County Party Committee, as there wasn¡¯t any clear age or tenure limit for promoting cadres. This regtion would not be officially implemented until two yearster. Nie Zhenbang could be said to have benefited from the situation, only being able to achieve the leap from deputy to full-time official in just three short months. Afterwards, under the enthusiastic persuasion of Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang, this time, Fang Gushan did not hurry back to Bazhou City in the middle of the night, but stayed instead. On one hand, he was very pleased with the attitude and enthusiasm disyed by Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang. On the other hand, Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang were not outsiders, and it would seem inappropriate if he were to leave so abruptly. That night, a grand wee banquet was held at the Li County Hotel. This time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s alcohol tolerance shocked everyone, consuming three bottles of white wine with only a slight hint of drunkenness. Director Nie¡¯s reputation as a heavy drinker was enhanced. Xie Yi, a man in his forties, is considered young among the current county and department level cadres. He served as section chief of the city¡¯s youth leaguemittee for many years, and followed Cheng Xinhua¡¯s path to truly enter the Cheng clique. Just before his tenure at the youth leaguemittee was about to reach its limit, he was transferred to serve as the vice county head and standingmittee member of Ta County. However, he has only been in this position for less than half a year when he was once again moved to serve as the third-ranking full-time deputy secretary of the Li County Party Committee. This has somewhat of a feeling of an overnight sess. But, Xie Yi did not disy any arrogance or recklessness. On the contrary, whether it was eating, drinking, or conversing, he always embodied a sense of modesty. He can be said to havepletely inherited Cheng Xinhua¡¯s low-key style. The banquetsted until around ten o¡¯clock in the evening. At this point, Fang Gushan alsoughs and says, ¡°Let¡¯s call it a night, we¡¯ve had enough. I am grateful for the warm hospitality of Li County¡¯srades.¡± At this time, Zhang Chubin naturally escorted Fang Gushan personally to rest in the hotel guest room. Xie Yi took a step faster, caught up with Nie Zhenbang, and whispered by his side, ¡°Director Nie, I¡¯ve heard so much about you. I¡¯ll need a lot of support and help from Director Nie in my future work.¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled at this moment. Xie Yi was Cheng Xinhua¡¯s man, which was different in nature from Zhang Chubin. The reason for Liu Wenqing¡¯s treatment of himself was still attributed to his superiors. In fact, what Liu Wenqing was concerned about was Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s attitude. But Cheng Xinhua was different. After all, Cheng Xinhua¡¯s backing is Li Yifeng. Having been greeted by Li Yifeng, Cheng Xinhua must take care of Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, when Cheng Xinhua¡¯s own confidant and direct subordinates came to Li County for appointments, Cheng Xinhua must have mentioned his rtionship with him. If not, there would be a risk of hurting the ties within the Cheng clique. ¡°Ha ha, Secretary Xie is too polite. You are my senior and have more experience in local affairs. In the future, I should be getting more support from Secretary Xie. We are all on the same side and will have plenty of opportunities. Please go ahead, Secretary Xie,¡± Nie Zhenbang also said with augh. The next day at work, Nie Zhenbang was already energized. For Nie Zhenbang, his tolerance for three kilos of white liquor was just right. A cup of Longjing tea was already brewed on the table. Compared to the tea brick favored by people in Xibei, Nie Zhenbang preferred the delicate fragrant of Longjing tea. Several documents were carefully sorted, lining up ording to the urgency and importance of the matters. The most urgent and important issues wereid on the top, followed by urgent but less important matters, and the not so urgent but crucial documents were at the bottom. Next to the documents, Huaxia daily was on top, followed by Xibei daily and Bazhou daily. For government officials, especially cadres like Nie Zhenbang who were transferred to grassroots local areas, newspapers, especially party newspapers, were the most important channels to understand changes in the political situation, especially being far away from Jingcheng. Nie Zhenbang was very pleased with this. Yi Jun, the secretary, was bing more and more adept, gradually shedding his initial shyness and naivety. Just after he sat down, Yi Jun walked in from outside. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Yi Jun alsoughed, ¡°Director, Secretary Xie Yi of the County Party Committee is here, what do you think¡­?¡± Upon hearing that Xie Yi was visiting, Nie Zhenbang immediately stood up. He was not overly surprised about Xie Yi¡¯s arrival. As members of the Cheng clique, Xie Yi¡¯s visit was only a matter of time. However, Nie Zhenbang did not expect Xie Yi toe so soon. Even though he had only assumed his job the day before, he had probably just examined his office today, and came here without doing anything else. Just this attitude alone was enough for Nie Zhenbang to show high regard for Xie Yi. ¡°Secretary Xie has arrived,e in, Xiaoyi, from now on, when Secretary Xiees, there¡¯s no need to announce, he should directlye in.¡± Nie Zhenbang immediately said as he opened the door and stepped out to greet him. This was a form of respect. If Nie Zhenbang had stayed seated in a high and mighty manner, as if receiving a subordinate, even though they were from the same faction, Xie Yi might have had second thoughts. Seeing Nie Zhenbange out, and hearing his earlier words, Xie Yi was very satisfied. Nie Zhenbang, despite his youth, was very well-rounded when it came to dealing with others. Such a person, at such a young age, bing the county head was no ident. ¡°Director Nie, your officeyout is impressive. It¡¯s calm and dignified, just like you. You¡¯ve designed it at such a professional level,¡± Xie Yi praised with a smile as he entered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office was simply decorated, with pure white walls, and without excessive decorations or perplexing paintings or other art pieces. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, as an official, it was necessary to have a clear mind. What was the point of creating confusion? ¡°You are too kind, Secretary Xie. Earlier, Secretary Cheng spoke highly of you as well. I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you but hadn¡¯t had the chance. Now that you have been transferred to Li County, I look forward to learning from you,¡± Nie Zhenbang humbly said. Xie Yi nodded in acknowledgement. Since they belong to the same faction, they naturally needed to identify amon interest. Having a shared interest can ensure that the cooperationsts. After a moment of contemtion, Xie Yi said, ¡°Director Nie, you should carry on with your work. I¡¯ve got to get back to mine. I¡¯ve just taken the position and I am yet to find my amodation here. The main goal of today¡¯s visit was to connect with you. Since that has been achieved, I will take my leave.¡± Xie Yi¡¯s purpose was clear. He was merely making his stance known, dering their factional status to facilitate future coborations at work. As Xie Yi had recently taken up his role, there naturally wouldn¡¯t be any pressing matters. After seeing off Xie Yi, as soon as Nie Zhenbang sat down, his phone rang. Only a few officials in the county and people like Liu Kun knew this number. Nie Zhenbang picked up the phone and was stunned to see it was Li Hua calling. As soon as the call was connected, before Nie Zhenbang could speak, Li Huaughed and said, ¡°Haha, Nie, congrattions! We¡¯ve just arrived in Li County and heard your good news. You¡¯ve got to treat us to a meal tonight, regardless. We won¡¯t be going to Bazhou City. You¡¯ve just taken office and must be busy, so we¡¯re fine with having it at the best hotel in Li County.¡± From the tone of Li Hua, it seemed that he had arrived at Lixian. If he was here, then surely Wen Ge and others must¡¯ve arrived too, and together with Liu Kun and Qian Jin, Nie Zhenbang began to feel a headache. Liu Kun was fine, but Wen Ge and Li Hua, who came from a military background, are crazy drinkers. It seemed like Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t be able to escape tonight¡¯s gathering. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang was also delighted. It¡¯s been nearly two months since the New Year, and it seemed that all the necessary procedures had been processed for Li Hua and the others¡¯ visit. The leech stone mining project seemed to be starting soon. Apart from the need for a lot of manpower for mining the leech stone, Li Hua and others also needed to build a factory here in Li County for further processing of the leech stone and to employ workers. This would be another project adding to people¡¯s ie in Li County, which was what Nie Zhenbang valued most. Once these two projects werepleted, they could at least double the fiscal revenue of Li County. In the morning, Nie Zhenbang paid another visit to the construction site of Farmer Welfare Company. Today, after two months of construction with the financial support from Liu Kun, the main construction was almostplete. High-quality grass seeds had also been air shipped and were waiting for the appropriate weather for nting. In the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang received Deputy County Director Bekri in his office. With the recent adjustments, the position of the Executive Deputy Director in Li County had been left vacant. This was Liu Wenqing¡¯s smart move. To ascend to this position, the deputy directors would need to foster a strong rtionship with Nie Zhenbang, indirectly assisting him in gaining control over the county government. When it was time to get off work, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said to Yi Jun outside, ¡°Junzi, there¡¯s nothing else for today. After work, you can go and attend to your own affairs.¡± At the moment, Nie Zhenbang had already booked a private room in Li County Hotel. As Nie Zhenbang entered the restaurant, he was surprised to see Zhao Xinglong had alsoe. It seemed not only the leech stone project was about to start, but they have also likely secured the oil exploration certificate in advance (To be continued. If you like this novel, pleasee to to vote and rmend us. Your support is our greatest motivation). Chapter 156: Nie Zhenbang’s Headache (15,000 words burst, asking for monthly tickets) _1 Chapter 156: Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Headache (15,000 words burst, asking for monthly tickets) _1 Trantor:549690339 The conference room in the Construction Bureau was a long, rectangr space akin to a ssroom. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang was seated in the central position of authority, nked by Yi Jun and Li Lin. By now, Jiang Chongui had collected himself. He resented Yi Jun somewhat, but could do nothing about it. The man was like the sun at noon, favored and close to the county head. At this moment, all Jiang Chongui could do was swallow his pride. ¡°Director Xiong, why don¡¯t you represent us and report on the basic status of the Construction Bureau?¡± After some thought, Nie Zhenbang addressed Xiong Jianming. Xiong Jianming had left a favourable impression on him. He wasn¡¯t the type to kick someone when they¡¯re down; that alone spoke of a decent character. Earlier, when Nie Zhenbang had criticised Jiang Chongui in front of everyone from the Construction Bureau, Xiong Jianming hadn¡¯t reveled in his misfortune but had instead spoken up in his defense. This established that Xiong Jianming had a good heart. In such a situation, Xiong Jianming could have easily stood aside in silence like Jia Zhenghe ¨C no need to risk angering Nie Zhenbang by speaking up. So naturally, Nie Zhenbang now appreciated Xiong Jianming more. Hearing his name, Xiong Jianming nodded and said, ¡°Director, until thest month of this year, our Construction Bureau haspleted a total of municipal public facilities and garden greening construction, securing three million yuan in funding from the higher authorities and over four hundred thousand yuan by ourselves. We havepleted basic renovation of street lights in Li County urban area, and the greening project of Li County Park¡­ Moreover, in terms of public utilities, the county-owned Water Company is now prepared to establish a new water intake and branch factory in the upper reaches of Tahe River, on the existing foundation of County Water nt. This is to ensure the drinking water supply for the people of the county.¡± Xiong Jianming paused here. After observing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression, he continued. ¡°However, we are facing significant financial difficulties in constructing the new nt. We expect an investment of six million yuan, of which we can finance almost four million yuan. We can secure about one and a half million yuan as special funds from autonomous regional government. However, there still remains a gap of nearly seven hundred thousand yuan, and we hope the countymittee and government can help us think of a solution.¡± A new water nt? Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment. Issues rted to drinking water, electricity, and vegetable basket projects, which affected people¡¯s livelihood, had to be prioritized. The Northwestern region was arid and had scanty water resources. However, Li County was fairly good since it was near Tahe River, so drinking water wasn¡¯t an issue. However, with the economic development, the current water nt of Li County, which was built in the 50s and 60s, could no longer keep up. Construction of a new water nt was necessary. But the seven hundred thousand yuan made Nie Zhenbang uneasy. Current financial condition of Li County was no secret. It would be difficult to even procure seventy thousand yuan, let alone seven hundred thousand. Nie Zhenbang could easily put forward his own funds. However, using personal funds to subsidize government projects was unprecedented in Huaxia. Plus, the source of this money could cause suspicion. If word got out that the county head was using his own money for subsidies, it wouldn¡¯t gain him any praise. On the contrary, it might give the impression of buying his position with money, which might raise suspicions from higher authorities. This option clearly wouldn¡¯t work. Yet, this was an important project that could boost development in Li County. So, after some thought, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Hmm, seven hundred thousand. It¡¯s not too much. Leave that to me. You can start with the early stage construction, and the County will help with the follow-up funds.¡± After finishing, Nie Zhenbang checked his watch. It was almost half past eleven. So, he stood and said, ¡°Right, overall, I am quite satisfied with the work of the Construction Bureau. Although the Bureau is currentlycking a head, I hope the standingmittee members present here will bear the responsibility and not halt their work because the position is vacant. I have to go visit another ce, so I can¡¯t stay any longer.¡± On hearing this, Xiong Jianming and the others were taken aback. ncing at one another, Xiong Jianming stood and said, ¡°Director, it¡¯s almost lunchtime. Why don¡¯t you eat with us before you leave?¡± Nie Zhenbang waved him off. In the bureaucracy, it seemed customary for leaders to expect their subordinates to entertain them during visits. If not entertained, they would take it as a sign of dissatisfaction. This was an unhealthy practice, and Nie Zhenbang was determined to reform it. Although he did not have bureaucratic experience in his past life, he was acquainted with significant societal issues from then. One of the things etched deeply in his memory was public spending. At this moment, he decided to start eliminating this practice with himself. Seeing the expressions of Xiong Jianming and the others, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s just a meal. It doesn¡¯t matter where I eat. The biggest respect you can show me is to do your jobs well. Respect isn¡¯t shown in the dining hall, but in your work.¡± Subsequently, after having lunch at the county government cafeteria, Nie Zhenbang proceeded to the Transportation Bureau in the afternoon. Perhaps the news from the Construction Bureau had tipped them off. The yard of the Transportation Bureau was calm, with only the middle-level leaders and a few deputy directors present, without any fanfare. The issues faced by the Transportation Bureau were giving Nie Zhenbang a headache. The funds required for transportation construction were immense. Although there was financial allocation from higher authorities, the local government sometimes needed to raise funds on their own. Other than revenue from state highway toll stations and road maintenance fees, the Transportation Bureau had limited ie sources. Besides, Li County had a small poption but arge area, so the cost of road maintenance was significantly high. As a result, the Transportation Bureau was also facing financial difficulties. It seemed to boil down to needing more money. However, Wei Chenglin, the union chairman and partymittee member of the Transportation Bureau, had given Nie Zhenbang a good impression. The entire bureau¡¯s work report and some professional data interpretation were essentially answered by Wei Chenglin. The other vice-bureau chiefs seemed to have be decorations. Wei Chenglin was a typical schr-type officer who could talk confidently about professional matters, but when it came to other things, he was rather reticent. Such a person being sidelined to the position of trade union chairman was as natural as it got. After a few days, having visited every important agency, Director Nie¡¯s practice of refusing hospitality from subordinates had spread throughout Lixian. As for the selection of the bureau chief, Nie Zhenbang had only a rough idea in his mind. However, in these few days, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s head had grown big. The reason was simply the documents on the table. The Construction Bureau needed seven hundred thousand in funds, and the Transportation Bureau needed even more, about one and a half million. The Health Bureau also needed money for improvements to the conditions of the Li County People¡¯s Hospital and rural health clinics, and the preservation and promotion of traditional ethnic medical practices. The Financial Bureau, even though it was in charge of finances, also needed money. In short, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind was filled with one word: money. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang truly felt the challenges of being a county head. Lying back in his chair, Nie Zhenbang vigorously rubbed his face, mumbled to himself, ¡°Money, money. Where am I going to get the money?¡± ¡°Hehe, what¡¯s the mayor busy with?¡± Suddenly, a voice came from the doorway. This caused Nie Zhenbang to jump up. Looking at the person before him, he also smiled. Deputy Mayor Bekri hade in, and he motioned him to the sofa, saying, ¡°Mayor Bai has arrived, please have a seat.¡± Ever since he became acting county head, Bekri had visited his office more frequently. Unlike Bayaer¡¯s mentality, Bekri kept his emotions in check. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s promotion was inevitable, so it was better to build good rtions with him, at least, there was still the position of executive deputy head. Bekri sat down naturally, took the tea cup handed over by Yi Jun, and said with a smile, ¡°You must be worried about financial matters. The Northwest Region is poor, and this poverty lies in finances. Local governments have no money, so they can¡¯t carry out various investment ns, and naturally, they can¡¯t develop.¡± ¡°Old White, how did Mayor Wu solve this problem when he was in office?¡± Nie Zhenbang also asked at this moment. He knew what he knew and what he didn¡¯t. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t feel asking Bekri would tarnish his reputation much. Bekri was startled for a moment. He hadn¡¯t expected Nie Zhenbang to ask such a question. He admired Nie Zhenbang¡¯s realistic attitude; it wasn¡¯t feigned or exaggerated, it was truly embodied. If he were in this position, Bekri admitted he would not be so cool. Even if he wanted to ask, it would only be indirect inquiries, not so straightforward. After a moment of contemtion, Bekri said, ¡°When Mayor Wu was in office, he also raised funds from here and there, asked for some from the city¡¯s finances and put off paying some debts. He also asked for a bit from some profitable units in the city, dragging year after year. As for construction, he didn¡¯t dare to implement it. He didn¡¯t even think about it.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt like a good chef short of rice. This time, Nie Zhenbang had deep experience. Development doesn¡¯t just happen with a n. It really needs economic and financial cooperation. Then, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Old White, thank you. In the future, I will need you to continue to support the work of the county government.¡± Upon hearing these words, Bekri was somewhat excited. What Nie Zhenbang said was quite clear. Even though the position of executive deputy county head was not something that Nie Zhenbang could decide, with his approval, Bekri¡¯s chances of promotion would be much greater. Immediately, Bekri alsoughed, saying, ¡°County head, you are too polite. Assisting the county head in government work is my duty. It¡¯s what I should do. You carry on with your work, I won¡¯t disturb you.¡± After sending Bekri off, Nie Zhenbang started to get busy. By now, the countymittee¡¯s leadership had basically stabilized, so it was time to finalize the members of each bureau at this regr standingmittee meeting. Chapter 157: Press The Palace_1 Chapter 157: Press The Pce_1 Trantor:549690339 Li County Party Committee Office Building The small meeting room next to the County Party Secretary¡¯s office on the third floor is where the Standing Committee meetings take ce. Originally, this was just a routine Standing Committee meeting that took ce every half a month. However, due to the major reshuffling of the standingmittee of the Li County Party Committee, this meeting also represents the first Standing Committee meeting of the new leadership team of Li County. The significance was extraordinary and naturally drew many watchful eyes. More importantly, the unresolved positions of several directors of county-level agencies were likely to be resolved at this Standing Committee meeting. Matters that directly affected their personal interests were the real focus of Li County officials. At this moment, even though it was just past eight o¡¯clock, Nie Zhenbang was already sitting in Zhang Chubin¡¯s office, which used to be Mo Zhihai¡¯s. However, after Zhang Chubin moved in, he had made slight adjustments to the room¡¯s decorations and set-up, which Nie Zhenbang noticed. Not many changes had been made; the main design of the room remained the same, with some minor adjustments, a norm in the bureaucratic field. From this, Nie Zhenbang deduced that Zhang Chubin was a pragmatic person. Standing in this office again, Nie Zhenbang felt some nostalgia and seemed again to visualize the scenes where he had had disagreements with Mo Zhihai. ¡°What, does Zhenbang feel a sense of familiarity? Back then, I heard everything when you were arguing with Mo Zhihai. Hehe, you must be feeling emotional now.¡± Zhang Chubin poured Nie Zhenbang a cup of green tea and began to converse with augh. Nie Zhenbang froze for a moment before understanding. Back then, Zhang Chubin¡¯s office was right across from Mo Zhihai¡¯s. Given the close proximity and his not-so-low voice at the time, it was normal for him to hear everything. Now that Zhang Chubin mentioned it, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat embarrassed. Heughed and said, ¡°Secretary, let¡¯s not bring up the past issues. Secretary Zhang, this time I came mainly tomunicate with you about a few issues in advance. This is the nominee list for the heads of county-level agencies. I want to know your opinion.¡± While he was talking, Nie Zhenbang handed the document he was holding to Zhang Chubin. Receiving the document, Zhang Chubin only took a brief look and then put it down, saying, ¡°Zhenbang, you can decide on this matter. I have no opinions. Other than this, are there any other issues?¡± The issue of the head of the county-level agency was something that Zhang Chubin had earlier agreed to. He would leave everything entirely up to Nie Zhenbang. At this point, Zhang Chubin certainly would not go against this arrangement. Even if Zhang Chubin had other ns in the future, it would be a matter for the future. At least, he will not do so now. As for the candidate for the position of the head of the county-level agencies, Nie Zhenbang was not surprised. After collecting his thoughts, he set the document aside and said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, regarding the matter of the Public Security Bureau, I have some differing opinions that I would like to discuss with you.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang, Zhang Chubin¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This Nie Zhenbang was no simple character; he was ready to move against Zhao Kunlun so quickly. Zhang Chubin had heard about the incident where Zhao Kunlun, along with Mo Zhihai, had attempted to overthrow Nie Zhenbang and Chen Le. Zhao Kunlun was quite arrogant. As the Party Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, concurrently serving as the Chief of Public Security and holding real power, he enjoyed treatment at the level of a division head. All these made Zhao Kunlun rather conceited and not considerate of other officials. Zhang Chubin had anticipated that Nie Zhenbang would make a move against Zhao Kunlun. After all, as the greatest contributor to the recent achievement, there must be some response regarding Chen Le. The most direct and best way would be to let Chen Le seed as the Chief of Public Security. However, Zhang Chubin didn¡¯t expect that Nie Zhenbang would act so quickly, nning to propose it during the first Standing Committee meeting. Neither of them were neers to the officialdom. Nie Zhenbang had chosen tomunicate with him before the Standing Committee meeting, and Zhang Chubin would certainly not consider this just a casual chat. Zhang Chubin paused for a moment before slowly saying, ¡°What is it, Zhenbang? Do tell if you have any ideas. You don¡¯t have anything to fear here. It¡¯s a ce for openly speaking out.¡± Nie Zhenbang immediately nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, although there are instances where the Party Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee concurrently serves as the Chief of Public Security in other ces, I think Comrade Zhao Kunlun is somewhatcking in energy. The recentbor dispute at the construction site is a prime example. Furthermore, Comrade Zhao Kunlun, after all, is the Party Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, the third top-ranking leader in our Li County Party Committee. As a veteran, he is still at the frontline of public security work. I just think it isn¡¯t quite suitable. Comrade Chen Le, being young and vigorous and professionally trained, is undoubtedly the most suitable candidate for the Public Security Chief post. What are your thoughts, Secretary Zhang?¡± Zhang Chubin was at this moment also deep in thought. Chen Le was one of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s people, a conclusion that was already established. To make Zhao Kunlun give up his position as head of the Public Security Bureau, given time, as long as Chen Le secures his foothold, it would be equivalent to clipping Zhao Kun¡¯s wings. This was not necessarily a bad thing for Lixian. But Zhang Chubin was reluctant to give Nie Zhenbang this advantage. At present, Zhang Chubin was also short of suitable candidates from his side in the Public Security Bureau. After a while, Zhang Chubin nodded and said, ¡°I think it¡¯s feasible, Zhenbang, you could bring up this issue at the Party Standing Committee meeting for everyone¡¯s discussion.¡± At this moment, Zhang Chubin had made up his mind. First, he would clip Zhao Kunlun¡¯s wings, and he believed that when the time came, Nie Zhenbang would not begrudge him a position as deputy director. With the passage of time, the newly-appointed members of the Standing Committee had all taken their seats in the meeting room. As nine o¡¯clock approached, Nie Zhenbang walked into the room with a smile, closely followed, less than a meter behind, by Zhang Chubin who also wore a smile. Sitting to the left of Zhang Chubin for the first time, at the head of this oval conference table, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat momentous. In contrast to the habits of citymittee leaders, Zhang Chubin didn¡¯t cough or tap the table when he spoke. However, he liked to rest his hands on the table, with his hands cupped together as if raising his arms, when he was speaking, or preparing to speak. After a quick nce at everyone, Zhang Chubin spoke in a low and gentle tone, ¡°Comrades, this time, many things have happened in Lixian, resulting in major adjustments within the countymittee leadership team including the addition of many new faces. The new countymittee must bring forth a new atmosphere. I hope that a good beginning can start from this standingmittee meeting.¡± Zhang Chubin had such distinctive speaking style. His manner and tone were very soothing, and his voice was not very loud, yet it gave people a sense of refreshingfort. A pause, then Zhang Chubin continued, ¡°Our first item of business is the appointment of leaders in the county¡¯s departments and agencies. Let¡¯s invite Director Nie to make a nomination first.¡± In Huaxia¡¯s officialdom, it isn¡¯t umon for the mayor of the county government to nominate the heads of various county departments and agencies. Zhang Chubin¡¯s suggestion was, therefore, not unreasonable. However, it is usually the case that the organization department conducts an assessment before finalizing the candidates. The sudden change of rules left some standingmittee members feeling a bit unustomed. Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Over the past few days, I have visited several of the county¡¯s departments and agencies, and have a rough idea of the situation. Since Secretary Zhang suggested it, I will throw out some names and then ask Minister Xie from the Organization Department to carry out an assessment. For the Construction Department, I rmendrade Xiong Jianming. Taking all aspects into consideration, Comrade Xiong Jianming is quite well-suited¡­ Finally, for the position of the director of the Health Department, I suggestrade Huang Chengbiao. Comrade Huang Chengbiao is currently the head of Li County People¡¯s Hospital and is also a member of the party group of the deputy director of the Health Department. He is a well-known doctor in the area- such a specialized cadres are rare in the history of Lixian. I believe that under the leadership ofrade Huang Chengbiao, the Health Department will do well.¡± In one fell swoop, Nie Zhenbang named four candidates, which shocked everyone. However, many people saw through it, this must have been something Secretary Zhang and Director Nie had already agreed upon. Otherwise, Zhang Chubin wouldn¡¯t have allowed Nie Zhenbang to be so brazen. At this moment, after taking a sip of tea, Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°Additionally, I have a suggestion regarding Secretary Zhao Kunlun. Comrade Chen Le of the county Public Security Bureau is a bachelor¡¯s degree graduate of Police University who has also worked at the grassroots level for many years gaining substantial experience. I believe we should use him more effectively. I suggest considering appointing Chen Le as the director of the county¡¯s Public Security Bureau.¡± After a pause, no matter how dark Zhao Kunlun¡¯s face was, Nie Zhenbang continued on the topic, ¡°Secretary Zhao has reached the age of fifty this year, and still holds steadfastly to his front-line position. Such spirit indeed deserves our admiration. However, as the younger generation is also rising, I think Secretary Zhao can let go of some burdens and give youngerrades more opportunities. Of course, to avoid mistakes by youngrades, isn¡¯t Secretary Zhao still watching their backs? Secretary Zhao, what do you think?¡± As soon as these words were out, everyone was stunned again. You see, the Public Security Bureau did not appoint Zhao Kunlun as acting head because there was no suitable person. If it was under such circumstances, it would have been eptable. But in the case of Lixian, Zhao Kunlun has always been holding the position of the head of the Public Security Bureau. In fact, Zhao Kunlun was first appointed as the head, and then promoted as the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were equivalent to outrightly attempting to snatch the position of the Bureau Chief from Zhao Kunlun. To put it bluntly, this was a pce coup. PS: Off-topic, but I assure you this won¡¯t count to word count. Yesterday, a female high school student Xiao Fan, who is one of my readers, ranked first in her mathematics exam. It seems she might also top in overall grades. I mustmend her for this. Her performance has relieved my worries about my books negatively influencing children. I can now rest easy. To be continued. If you like this piece, please support it on . Your support is my greatest motivation. Chapter 158 - 158 Gathering of Small Circle (Second Call for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 158: Gathering of Small Circle (Second Call for Monthly Tickets)_1 Trantor:549690339 Generally speaking, even if it is necessary for Zhao Kunlun to relinquish his position as the head of the Public Security Bureau, the norm would be tomunicate this matter privately with Zhao Kunlun and let him make the proposal himself. This way, it would be seen as a gesture of modesty and a pragmatic approach. It shows broad-mindedness and willingness to give opportunities to younger people, creating a path for them. However, Nie Zhenbang did it differently. Without having any discussion with Zhao Kunlun, he brought up the matter directly during the standingmittee meeting. This left Zhao Kunlun not only shocked but also irate. Doing this was undoubtedly a p in Zhao¡¯s own face and made people assume Zhao has an excessive hunger for power and has been longing to monopolize this position. At this moment, the entire conference room was silent, all themittee members¡¯ eyes were focused on Zhao Kunlun, waiting for his response. Zhao¡¯s face darkened, he knew that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s move was indeed a severe affront to him. ¡°Comrade Chen Le is capable. During his tenure as the head of Chengguan Town police station, the public security in Chengguan Town was very excellent. Overall, he is a goodrade. However, when he was in Chengguan Town, some peopleined that he was brutal in his work and did not pay attention to the method. There was quite some resentment from the public.¡± Zhao Kunlun also adopted a praise-first-and-then-criticize approach in his speech. Looking at everyone, Zhao Kunlun continued, ¡°In these years, I have indeed felt my energy fading. I have been considering this thought for a while and was examining potential sessors. Since Director Nie brought up this matter, I¡¯ll add here that I think our current Deputy Director Ma Laixi is quite good. He is a seasoned police officer and has always been dedicated to the police force. In our day-to-day work, he is an indispensable assistant of mine. I think it will be quite suitable for Ma Laixi to seed me as the director.¡± At this moment, Zhang Chubin admired Zhao Kunlun¡¯s quick response. Facing the ambush, Zhao Kunlun was able to swallow his pride which showed Zhao¡¯s great patience. Moreover, he quickly figured out a countermeasure. Zhao Kunlun was not to be underestimated. Looking at Xie Yi on the side, Zhang Chubin couldn¡¯t grasp the intentions of this always low-key deputy secretary of the countymittee. Clearly from a faction, Xie Yi had learned well from Cheng Xinhua¡¯s discreet approach. Suddenly, Zhang Chubin interjected unexpectedly, ¡°Does Secretary Xie have any thoughts on this?¡± Xie Yi paused. He hadn¡¯t nned on speaking during this standingmittee meeting. Yet, Zhang Chubin unexpectedly singled him out. After pondering over, Xie Yi replied with a smile, ¡°Secretary Zhang, I¡¯ve just assumed office and I¡¯m not quite familiar with Li County. I shouldn¡¯t have any strong opinions. However, I did hear that Comrade Chen Le was named an outstanding police officer by the autonomous regional Public Security Bureaust year. I believe that arade recognized by the leaders of the autonomous region shouldn¡¯t be mistaken.¡± Originally, Xie Yi nned to merely show support for Nie Zhenbang when it came time to raise his hand and vote, instead of making any public statements. But since he had already spoken up now, Xie Yi decided to be firm in his stance. After all, it would only offend Zhao Kunlun regardless, so he might as well make a fewments. This would at least hold more weight. Themittee members were stunned to see the county secretary, mayor, and even the newly appointed Deputy Secretary of the partymittee sharing the same opinion. When did the team of the County Party Committee be so harmonious? Zhang Chubin thenughed, his objective was achieved. His previous probing was merely a test to uncover Xie Yi¡¯s position. Now that it was clear, there was no need for Zhang Chubin to press anymore. He thenughed and said, ¡°Well, in that case, let¡¯s move on to the next step, voting by a show of hands.¡± During the first vote on the issue of the head of the county agencies, all standingmittee members, except Zhao Kunlun, showed their approval. The situation was clear now. This matter had been discussed by the top two leaders and there was no suspense. Rather than offending Nie Zhenbang over this, it was better to support him. Xiong Jianming, Wei Chenglin, Huang Chengbiao, and Lin Weimin smoothly became heads of several county agencies such as the Construction Bureau. Following that, in voting for the head of the Public Security Bureau, Chen Le defeated the current deputy director Ma Laixi by ten votes to one, and formally became the party secretary and director of the Li County Public Security Bureau. Of course, Chen Le still had to wait until the announcement from the County Party Committee Standing Committee before he could officially take office. However, there was almost no suspense at this point. As for how Zhao Kunlun would n before his resignation, that was Zhao¡¯s matter. If Chen Le can¡¯t even handle this, he doesn¡¯t deserve to be director. If he manages to bring the whole public security bureau under his control, it will be a test for Chen Le. If he passes, he will be a significant figure in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s system. But if Chen Le fails, Nie Zhenbang would certainly not lend a helping hand. This also goes for Nie Zhenbang himself. In Li County, this was a test for him from his family. If he seeds, Nie Zhenbang will naturally rise through the ranks, and his status within the family will also soar. But if he fails¡­ The resolution from the Standing Committee quickly spread throughout Lixian. News of Nie Zhenbang nominating four department directors and all nominations getting approved spread as well. Now, officials in Lixian understood that this young county magistrate was not to be underestimated. Many regretted not following Nie Zhenbang earlier, like Lin Weimin and others. Maybe, they could have been the directors now. Several days had passed since the Standing Committee meeting, and Nie Zhenbang had rare leisure moments. Yi Jun was dispatched by Nie Zhenbang, and the site selection work by Zhao Xinglong and Li Hua was nearing its end. Once the project was set and the contract signed, the paid nationalnd resource fees and mining fees would amount to tens of millions at least. This would significantly relieve the financial pressure on Lixian. ¡°Zhenbang, now that you are the county magistrate of Lixian, I¡¯m afraid your time in Lixian will increase,¡± Dong Wan said during the weekly call, a routine of Nie Zhenbang. The surprise promotion of Nie Zhenbang to county magistrate could not be hidden from Dong Wan and others. With her political acumen, Dong Wan knew that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s return would be dyed significantly. When he was the deputy county chief, he was credited as soon as a project began. But now, as the county chief, Lixian¡¯s development was inextricably linked to Nie Zhenbang. He needed to spend two years at least, waiting for the Farmer Welfare Company to achieve results and benefits before leaving. Listening to Dong Wan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang felt a little embarrassed and chuckled, ¡°Wan, you¡¯re really too smart.¡± ¡°Stop it, don¡¯t try to change the topic with your smooth talk. We, Li Xue and I, initially thought you¡¯d be returning quickly. But now? If you¡¯re noting back, we¡¯re nning to go there,¡± Dong Wan scolded andughed upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s yful words. She knew that he wanted to divert the conversation. ¡°Coming?¡± Nie Zhenbang was stunned, then asked, ¡°Wan, are you sure you¡¯re not joking? Can you and Li Xue stand the harsh conditions here in the Northwest? Plus, there¡¯s nothing for you guys to do here.¡± Actually, Nie Zhenbang himself did not know that he was evading his own feelings. On one hand, Dong Wan¡¯s background was a concern. On the other hand, Yang Anna had been clinging to him, insisting on not letting go. Even though the three women had no issues with each other, it was hard to say whether their families would agree to such an arrangement. More bluntly, it simply wasn¡¯t feasible. Neither the Dong nor the Yang family would want to see such a situation. This was the real reason why Nie Zhenbang was subconsciously avoiding the issue. Dong Wanughed, ¡°Stop joking around, do you think we¡¯reing to see you? We¡¯re nning to invest and set up a Wal-Mart supermarket in Lixian, injecting some life into the local business scene.¡± After talking with Dong Wan, Nie Zhenbang spent a great deal of time talking with Li Li Xue, before hanging up the phone. Looking at the clock, it was already past nine. The sky had just darkened as days were long and nights were short in the northwest region. At this moment, there was a knock on the door. When he opened the door, he found Lin Weimin standing at the entrance. Facing Nie Zhenbang, Lin Weimin said with a smile, ¡°County Chief, you haven¡¯t had your dinner, have you?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. He was very satisfied with Lin Weimin¡¯s performance and invited him in saying, ¡°Old Lin,e in. Have you had dinner? If not, you can have something here.¡± At this moment, Lin Weimin said with augh, ¡°County Chief, I am here to purposely invite you. This time, Old Xiong, Old Wei, and I have decided to treat you to dinner to express our gratitude. We hope you will honor us with your presence.¡± Remembering that Nie Zhenbang never ate outside, Lin Weimin hastened to add, ¡°County Chief, rest assured, we¡¯re paying for this dinner ourselves, not spending public money.¡± Nie Zhenbang was stunned for a moment. Lin Weimin and Xiong Jianming havee together? Within Lixian, who belonged to whom was pretty clear. Now, people like Lin Weimin and Chen Le were considered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s people. So, their contact with each other was normal. After a brief pause, Nie Zhenbang nodded in agreement, ¡°Alright then. It can be a small gathering. Invite Chen Le from the Public Security Bureau and Huang Chengbiao from the Health Bureau. Let¡¯s get together.¡± PS: The subscription rate fell recently. Old Cai believes that our brothers and sisters are fattening up for something big. Please continue to support us with your rmendations and membership views. As of now, we¡¯re temporarily in second ce for the monthly vote, but our advantage isn¡¯t great. Brothers and sisters, we need to keep pushing. If we can maintain our position today, there will be at least 15,000 words tomorrow, or even 18,000 words explosion isn¡¯t impossible. It all depends on the actions of our brothers and sisters¡¯ monthly votes. Chapter 159: Project Signing (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 159: Project Signing (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Trantor: 549690339 The office of Nie Zhenbang in the county government building. The gathering yesterday didn¡¯t affect Nie Zhenbang¡¯s work today. After sipping some tea, Nie Zhenbang began reading the news in the party paper of the autonomous region. Secretary Jiang Zhenquan had recently emphasized during an autonomous region party meeting the importance of meticulously conducting the handover elections among current partymittee governments. He pressed on maintaining the stability and unity of the Xibei Autonomous Region. Upon reading this news, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. This year was one of frequent turnover at the local level, especially at the level of Dizhou City, with over sixty percent of the top two leaders in the Xibei Autonomous Region¡¯s district-level cities potentially being reced. Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s speech served as a warning to the party¡¯s cadres across the entire region. At this moment, Yi Jun walked in from outside, cing a stack of documents on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk and saying, ¡°Director Nie, ording to the originally nned schedule, the n for this afternoon was to hold a field office meeting at the Education Department to discuss the issue ofpulsory education in our county. However, yesterday Mr. Zhao chose a mining site, and he wants to set some time aside today to negotiate in detail and sign a cooperation agreement.¡± ¡°Hmm,pulsory education.¡± Nie Zhenbang repeated this before saying, ¡°In Xibei, the issue of school dropout rates is quite serious, especially in Lixian. The scattered poption distribution is challenging, with some herders leading a nomadic life, making supervision difficult. As a result, Lixian¡¯s literacy rate andpulsory educationpliance rate rank low in the entire city. Originally, Nie Zhenbang nned to organize an on-site office meeting at the Education Bureau today. But now, Zhao Xinglong and Li Hua had chosen a site.¡± After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang finally agreed, ¡°Hmm, alright. In that case, call the director of the Education Bureau and postpone the meeting to tomorrow morning. The negotiation with Zhao Xinglong and others will be arranged for the afternoon.¡± It didn¡¯t take Nie Zhenbang long to figure out the rtive importance of these two issues. Although the Education Bureau also had its own problems, education issues were troublesome and costly. Maintaining school buildings, paying teachers¡¯ sries, and the provision of teaching equipment all require funding. Instead of going today with insufficient funds, it¡¯s better to negotiate with Zhao Xinglong and others in the afternoon. After that, with money on hand, Nie Zhenbang would be much more confident. 2 p.m. In the small meeting room of the county government, Zhao Xinglong and Li Hua represented the newly registered Longhua Mineral Energy Company. On Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side, led by Nie Zhenbang himself and including the other two vice county chiefs and Li Lin, director of the County Party Committee Office, a team of four formed the negotiation team, with Yi Jun serving as the meeting assistant for note-taking. Surveying the array on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side, Zhao Xinglong smiled and said formally, ¡°Nie County Chief, first of all, on behalf of all shareholders of Longhua Mining, I would like to express my gratitude for the warm hospitality of the Li County Party Committee, the generosity of the County Government, and their support for our work. Nie County Chief, shall we begin the negotiation now?¡± A formal asion required an equally formal attitude. Zhao Xinglong knew very well that it wasn¡¯t the right time to be excessively friendly. Otherwise, regardless of the result of the negotiation, it might give the impression that Nie Zhenbang had assisted them. Nie Zhenbang exchanged nces with his vice county chiefs before replying, ¡°We can start now, Director Zhao, please.¡± Unlike his normal gentlemanly and approachable style, when it came to significant matters, Zhao Xinglong became apletely different person. He was highly serious, gestured to his associate Li Hua to hand out a set of documents to Nie Zhenbang and the rest, and then said, ¡°Nie County Chief, leaders, over this period, ourpany¡¯s mining experts have conducted a detailed, in-depth study on the vermiculite mineral resources in Li County. Overall, we are pleased with the amount and reserves of the vermiculite resources. Hence, we initially n to locate our facility in Yuanche Township in Li County. The first phase will cover an area of one-and-a-half thousand acres, with an estimated investment of 30 million yuan to build a deep processing nt for vermiculite and rtedpanies like a vermiculitepound fertilizer factory. Once the construction ispleted, it will provide at least three thousand jobs for Li County.¡± Hearing Zhao Xinglong¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang frowned slightly. He was ruthless in business by emphasizing job opportunities for the people of Li County. It was almost like him saying that the mining operation in the county would provide a significant boost to the local economy. Without any dy, Zhao Xinglong continued, ¡°For some follow-up procedures in Li County, we will need the help of the County Government for coordination.¡± Nie Zhenbang pondered that the situation of Longhua Company was different from that of the Farmer Welfare Company. Thetter involved much moreprehensive factors, especiallynd. Not only may Liu Kun not afford such arge area ofnd, but the government wouldn¡¯t permit such extensivend transaction in one location. Due to this, coborating with the government was the best choice for the Farmer Welfare Company. Conversely, for Longhua Company, it would be inappropriate for the Lixian Government to hold shares. Following this line of thought, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Of course, we wee the investment from Longhua Company in Li County. The county government will coordinate the work of themercial, tax,nd and resources, safety and environmental protection, and public security departments. However, we hope that Longhua Company will arrange for the resettlement andpensation of the local vigers before requisitioning thend for lease. At the same time, the intention of our County Party Committee and County Government is to sell the 30-yearnd contract rights to Longhua Company at a price of 24 million yuan.¡± Originally, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s idea was to jack up the price; however, what Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t anticipate was Zhao Xinglong, after a moment of consideration, said quite decisively, ¡°Alright, a total of 1,500 acres ofnd, a thirty-year lease, if it¡¯s twenty-four million then it¡¯s twenty-four million, let¡¯s just consider it as establishing friendship with Director Nie.¡± Off to the side, hearing Zhao Xinglong¡¯s words, joy shed across the faces of Bekri and Bayaer. As locals of Li County, they were well aware of the County Government¡¯s situation. They had been getting by year after year; both the County Party Committee and the County Government were housed in old buildings. They always wanted to reconstruct but never dared to do so due tock of funds. The county treasury probably never had more than ten million in it, and now with this money, the days for Li County Government will be much morefortable. Li Lin took a meaningful look at Nie Zhenbang. As for Nie Zhenbang, Li Lin has always found it hard to see through him. He was too mysterious. His background was profound, many big shots in the city were looking after him, he had extensive connections. Investors usually had an excellent rapport with him. This time, whatever price Nie Zhenbang said, that¡¯s the price they epted. They didn¡¯t even think about bargaining, which is highly unusual. It was apparent that they were giving money to Li County. Nie Zhenbang, however, could somewhat grasp Zhao Xinglong¡¯s intention. The lepidolite mining, for Zhao Xinglong, was only a start. Zhao Xinglong¡¯s aim was not here but the future petroleum extraction. Nie Zhenbang had little contact with him. This was probably a courtesy gift from Zhao Xinglong as a preparation for the future. After all, even if petroleum in Li County wasn¡¯t under Li County¡¯s jurisdiction, if they maintained good rtions with the local government, they would have an advantage over others. With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang immediately said, ¡°Director Zhao, since you are so straightforward, let¡¯s proceed to the formal contract signing. I hope we¡¯ll have a great cooperation in the future.¡± The next day Reporters from Li County TV Station, Li County Daily, Bazhou City TV Station, and Bazhou Daily all gathered at Li County Hotel. There, in a decorated hall, Nie Zhenbang and Zhao Xinglong, each representing Li County Government and Longhua Company, signed the cooperation agreement. ¡°Director Zhao, here¡¯s to a sessful future cooperation.¡± The moment the contract was exchanged, Nie Zhenbang and Zhao Xinglong shook hands. Below the stage, numerous cameras shed. Interviewers from Bazhou TV Station also came. A young reporter, about 21 years old, could already independently cover news at such a young age. Especially such a formal event as the signing ceremony of the Li County Government, surprised Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Director Nie, my name is He Xinyan, a reporter from Bazhou News of Bazhou TV Station. Director Nie, may I ask, the investment from Longhua Company in Li County is your second grand move since you took office. Does this signify a significant economic development in Li County?¡± It was a standard question; Nie Zhenbang thought for a while and replied with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s not quite a significant development yet. Right now, Li County is merely trying to take its first steps in economic progress by leveraging its own advantages. Currently, either it¡¯s the environment or specialist personnel, there¡¯s ack in thetter. People cannot be retained, and this is amon problem in our Northwest Region. An investment in agricultural and pastoral development, mining development, these are all attempts. A trial carried out for Li County¡¯s future growth. We will have to wait a few more years to see the results.¡± The same was with the news media. Those ranked upfront were naturally TV media. Bazhou Daily and local media outlets in Li County naturally fall behind. The next day, Li County Government and Longhua Company signed an agreement. The news about Longhua Company making a two hundred million investment to solely develop lepidolite reserves in Li County was published on the front page of Bazhou Daily. The news of the county treasury receiving twenty-four million also began circting. All this money ¨C for a moment, the gate of the Finance Bureau was packed with people asking for money. Almost all the officials and the second inmand from the various townships had managed to nearly ruin Lin Weimin¡¯s office. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang decided to stay away in his office; this situation was something he absolutely could not get drawn into. If he did, the twenty-four million would probably be distributed within a month. Then, the phone on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk rang. The red internal line ¨C this phone was only installed between several standingmittee members of the county partymittee. As soon as he picked up the phone, the voice of Zhang Chubin came across, ¡°Director Nie, this is Chu Bin. There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you. Do you have time now?¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, our ce in the monthly ranking is under threat again. Does Elder Nie really only have the fate of being third? Those who have already given out the second monthly ticket, please vote for Old Cai. Thank you. Chapter 160: Secretary Zhang’s Ambition (Fourth update explosion) _1 Chapter 160: Secretary Zhang¡¯s Ambition (Fourth update explosion) _1 Trantor: 549690339 Zhang Chubin had deliberately called to discuss something with him? Nie Zhenbang was taken aback in his heart and fell into deep thought. Currently, almost the entire cadre of Lixian was eyeing this money. ording to Lixian¡¯s fiscal budget, about 20 million a year would be enough. By this calction, there would be nearly an extra 10 million in funds. Naturally, a lot of leaders and cadre were having new thoughts, all wanting to bite off a piece from the government¡¯s big cake. Was Zhang Chubin seeking him out for the same reason? Nie Zhenbang had to stay on guard. However, with a smile on his face, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Secretary Zhang is looking for me, even if there¡¯s something, it has to be postponed, right?¡± Zhang Chubin alsoughed heartily on the other end. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s low profile pleased Zhang Chubin. Conflicts between the secretary and the county head often arise over such minor details. Both are at the same level, one is the head of the Partymittee, the other is the head of the government. Naturally, the secretary would not back down. At such moments, if a county head also refuses to back down, resentment could imperceptibly develop. Additionally, the secretary generally interferes with the county¡¯s economic development and various matters. Such interference would magnify the conflict. ¡°Ha ha, alright then. I¡¯ll wait here in the office of the countymittee to wee Director Nie.¡± On the other end of the phone, Zhang Chubin also said with augh. From the government to the countymittee, the distance is merely one street, less than a five-minute walk. Nie Zhenbang soon entered Zhang Chubin¡¯s office. By now, Zhang Chubin had already stood up and greeted Nie Zhenbang into his office with a smile. After personally making a cup of tea for Nie Zhenbang, Zhang Chubin sat down on the sofa and said with a smile, ¡°Director Nie, try it and see how it tastes. A Southern friend brought it for me from Chunan Province. It¡¯s called Yunmeng Maojian, a famous tea from Chunan.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed at this moment. In response to the goodwill conveyed by Zhang Chubin, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ve also been ground down by theserades over the small amount of money in the county¡¯s fiscal ount these days. Fortunately, I can take a little break here with you, Secretary.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were loaded. Currently, he wasn¡¯t sure of Zhang Chubin¡¯s real intent in finding him. However, to prevent Zhang Chubin from aiming at this money, Nie Zhenbang deliberately said so. This way, if Zhang Chubin were indeed thinking about this money, he¡¯d naturally hesitate to bring it up. ¡°Director Nie, this time, I have an idea. During the Lunar New Year, one of my ssmates from the Party school in the autonomous region was transferred to the coastal area of Jiangbei Province, where he is now acting as the vice county head in Yangwu County under the jurisdiction of Jinhua City. He invited me to visit. He sounds very dissatisfied with our economic development in the Xibei. He has been encouraging me to visit. I¡¯m wondering if the coastal area is as good as he says. I¡¯m thinking, maybe we could organize a delegation to exchange and learn their experiences soon?¡± Speaking of the delegation, it was a popr time for such delegations. The leaders of counties and cities in the ind and impoverished areas of the West had begun a wide range of inspection activities. On the surface, they were meant to learn the sessful reform and development experiences of the coastal area. However, it was unclear how much they were actually learning. That said, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t very opposed to the idea. At present, in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, the vision of the leadership in Lixian wascking. A tour would have an important role in promoting the future development of Lixian. After contemting for a moment, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°I agree with Secretary Zhang¡¯s idea. Going to see, walking around, looking at how they are developing, and learning how they use local features and advantages is also beneficial to Lixian¡¯s development. However, there should be a standard for theposition of the delegation members. Also, I suggest not bringing any spouses.¡± Zhang Chubin was taken aback. He respected Nie Zhenbang¡¯s practical attitude. Zhang Chubin, himself a practical man, knew what Nie Zhenbang was implying. If apanying spouses were allowed, the nature of the delegation would change, bing more like a tourist group. Immediately, Zhang Chubin nodded in agreement, ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about that. I think we should announce it in advance. This way, we can prevent a lot problems. Director Nie. In recent days, I¡¯ve been contemting about Lixian¡¯s development. I¡¯ve drawn up a preliminary n. Since you¡¯re an expert in this area, why don¡¯t you take a look?¡± As he spoke, Zhang Chubin pulled out a document from beneath the tea table and handed it to Nie Zhenbang. Seeing the document, Nie Zhenbang was stunned by the first line. It was about establishing an economic development zone. Looking at Zhang Chubin next to him, Nie Zhenbang for the first time felt Zhang Chubin¡¯s ambition ¨C indeed no small ambition. At this time, the economic development zone, even in many provinces in the ind, was only just starting to take shape, with no mature development model yet formed. But Zhang Chubin was nning on establishing one here in Lixian. Continuing to read, the entire economic development zone, ording to Zhang Chubin¡¯s n, was to extend northwards from Chengguan town in Lixian. Under Zhang Chubin¡¯s n, the old town was to remain unchanged, and the government institutions within the town were to be relocated as a whole to facilitate the development of the new zone. However, the n was vast and required a substantial amount of funding. This was a hurdle which Lixian¡¯s current economy could not ovee. Although Zhang Chubin had ties with Liu Wenqing and could get a little funding from the city, the amount was insignificant to finance such a n. Moreover, Zhang Chubin¡¯s consideration for the development zone was overly simplistic, merelybeling it as a ¡®development zone¡¯ without specifying its particr focus ¨C whether it¡¯s hi-tech or something else. There was no clearly defined feature. Nie Zhenbang pondered as well. If this n had been proposed by a deputy county chief under him, Nie Zhenbang would bluntly point out its inadequacies. However, Zhang Chubin was, after all, the Secretary of the countymittee. To a certain extent, he had to save face for Zhang Chubin. ¡°Well, this n is not bad, today, economic development zones are very popr nationwide. Aside from the tax benefits of the policy, various other aspects of the soft environment are also better. Such economic development zones, if they can strive to be provincial or national-level economic development zones, have even greater potential.¡± Nie Zhenbang started by affirming Zhang Chubin¡¯s n. Then, Nie Zhenbang changed the subject and said, ¡°However, I noticed that these economic development zones, all have some clearly defined features. Some prioritize manufacturing, some prioritize the electronics industry, and some focus on pharmaceuticals. Others belong to the high-tech industry.¡± Zhang Chubin took the hint when Nie Zhenbang said this and immediatelyughed, ¡°Yes, Director Nie¡¯s opinion is very good. I also agree, but for now, I still don¡¯t have a specific n when ites to defining the features. I think we can wait until after the inspection team haspleted its work to make a decision.¡± Having that intention was enough. Nie Zhenbang understood that Zhang Chubin had not thought through the issue at this point. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t expose it. He had some ideas of his own regarding this development zone ¨C even a grander n. However, with the development zone just being in the early stages of nning, Nie Zhenbang naturally wouldn¡¯t reveal it. Nie Zhenbang then nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, in that case, please put more effort into arranging the inspection team. I will take my leave first.¡± Zhang Chubin acted quickly. The next day, after contacting his ssmate from the party school, the other party responded swiftly with a phone call, and the Yangwu County Committee and County Government even sent an invitation to Li County. Meanwhile, work started at the countymittee office and the government office. The inspection team totaled twelve people. Apart from Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang, Xie Yi, the full-time deputy secretary, voluntarily chose to stay in Lixian County. The head of Politics and Law Committee, Zhao Kunlun, also gave up on the inspection. Together with the other seven members and Li Lin from the government office and two deputy county chiefs, a grand total of twelve people set off for Jiangbei in high spirits. The group arrived in Bazhou City that evening. Inside one of the private rooms at the Bazhou City Committee¡¯s first guest house, which was also the Bazhou Hotel, the twelve of them gathered. While the dishes were being served, Xue Daming, the CCP Propaganda Department Chief, started joking: ¡°While we wait for the dishes, let me tell you a joke.¡± Upon hearing Xue Daming say this, all themittee membersughed. Now, dirty jokes started to be fashionable at dinner tables. With the deepening of the reforms, the boundaries between sexes have also loosened. Coastal areas have even seen cases of prostitution. Xue Daming seemingly prepared the joke before he said, ¡°A man went to the hospital for a checkup. When he had a blood test, the nurse suddenly found out that she was out of cotton. In a rush, she put the man¡¯s finger in her mouth. At this moment, the man looks intoxicated and says to the nurse, ¡®Can I also take a urine test?¡¯¡± As the words fell, everyone burst intoughter. Xue Daming¡¯s joke was indeed too explicit. The men were fine with it, but Li Lin spewed out, ¡°Just as I thought, not a single one of you men is decent.¡± ¡°Director Li, how do you know that there is no good man? Have you tried?¡± Qu Feng, director of the countymittee office, also joked. Just then, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside. Following that, the door to the room was opened ¨C to the surprise of these officials from Li county, the City Committee Secretary, Liu Wenqing, had unexpectedly shown up in person. Chapter 161: Yangwu County is very enthusiastic (First update, asking for monthly ticket)_1 Chapter 161: Yangwu County is very enthusiastic (First update, asking for monthly ticket)_1 Trantor:549690339 Seeing Liu Wenqing appear, everyone stood up. After all, with the city party secretary himselfing over, the leaders of Li County were given a momentous honor. Even if Liu Wenqing knew they were here and chose not to visit, his presence revealed his special regard for Li County. After all, both the party secretary and county governor of Li County were appointed by Liu Wenqing himself. Therefore, the leadership of the city partymittee is keeping a close eye on Li County, eager to see how it will develop. Zhang Chubin was also surprised at this moment, but soon realized why. The entire leadership of Li County hade to Bazhou City and checked in at the Bazhou Hotel. Liu Wenqing must have been informed as soon as he arrived at the hotel. ¡°Oh, nearly the entiremittee of Li County is here. Are you in Bazhou to get your hands on some money?¡± Liu Wenqing joked, not even waiting for the folks from Li County to respond. His mention of stealing money isn¡¯t meant literally but rather points to the financial strugglesmon in Bazhou, one of the less affluent cities in the Northwest Region. Not just Li County, but many counties and cities under Bazhou fight money issues. The treasury usually runs dry before the end of the year. Some, like Li County, even run out of money halfway through the year. This then bes a time for the counties to showcase their abilities to raise funds through loans from banks and assistance from higher authorities. Liu Wenqing was alluding to such situations. Once, the entire leadership of Ta County went forth, each leader seeking assistance from their superiors. This is a unique practice of Bazhou¡¯s money-raising, which Liu Wenqing referred to as ¡°stealing money.¡± ¡°Secretary Liu, I should have reported our activities to you. Recently, there was an exchange of cadres from our Xibei Autonomous Region to the eastern coastal region, right? A ssmate of mine at the party school was assigned to work in Yangwu County, which issued an invitation for us. Director Nie and I decided to organize a delegation to head over there for a study tour to learn from their experiences,¡± Zhang Chubin had no choice but to step out, despite his unease. At this moment, Zhang Chubin regretted not informing Liu Wenqing about their stop here ahead of time. Liu Wenqing was now aware of their actions, and it was a bitte to report, making it seem as if he were a bit negligent. Upon hearing Zhang Chubin¡¯s exnation, Liu Wenqing seemed slightly surprised but quickly adjusted. Laughing, hemented, ¡°Oh? Visiting Yangwu County, that¡¯s a good idea. With the rapid advancements in our country, it¡¯s important as an ind western province for us to broaden our horizons. It¡¯s a great thought. You should observe closely and learn from them. Not just their surface aplishments ¨C try to grasp the inner depths of their work. Only in this way can Li County develop better.¡± Being the city party secretary, Liu Wenqing¡¯s skills and responsiveness were top-notch. This unexpected event was a testament to his discerning faculties. A testament to his difference from the others. Now Liu Wenqing turned to Nie Zhenbang, smiling and stretching out his hand to praise him, ¡°Nie, you¡¯re doing well. I¡¯ve seen the news, and in such a short time you have attracted so many investments. Moreover, you¡¯ve fully tapped into the local resources and advantages of Li County. These are not superficial projects but ones with substance. Right now, Bazhou really needs capable officials like you.¡± Whether intentionally ignoring Zhang Chubin because of just moments before or not, Liu Wenqing inadvertently focused his high praise on Nie Zhenbang, causing everyone¡¯s attitude to shift. Nie Zhenbang found himself in a bind. It was exactly what he had been worried about. Currently, the Li County Party Committee was united, but Liu Wenqing¡¯sments might stir things up. Although he wasn¡¯t too concerned as Zhang Chubin was Liu Wenqing¡¯s man, as long as Liu Wenqing didn¡¯t instruct otherwise, even if Zhang Chubin had opinions, he¡¯d likely keep them to himself. If Zhang Chubin didn¡¯t heed this, his position as secretary could very welle to an end. Quickly, Nie Zhenbang replied smilingly, ¡°Secretary Liu, you tter me. It is not only my hard work but that of the whole Li County Party Committee. You can¡¯t just ignore their contributions.¡± On hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Wenqingughed heartily, gave Nie Zhenbang a rewarding pat on the shoulder and said, ¡°Nie, your humility is something I admire. Very good, you have the demeanor of a county head. I have some matters to attend to. You all should continue. If I stay, you won¡¯t be able to enjoy your meals properly.¡± With that, Liu Wenqing left,ughing. From Urumqi, they took a direct flight to Jiangbei, reaching the Jiangbei airport at around four-thirty in the afternoon. At this time, officials from Yangwu County were already waiting for them at the exit. Upon seeing Zhang Chubin and others, a man around forty years old was already walking up to them smiling, ¡°Old Zhang, finally, you¡¯re here. Not bad. You¡¯ve made another step forward. You¡¯re already in charge. You¡¯re doing so much better than me. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have transferred here.¡± Though he said this, there was no dissatisfaction on the man¡¯s face. As a deputy bureau-level cadre around forty, he was considered a bit older, but in this era, this wasn¡¯t very noticeable. Once the three-year exchange term was over, upon returning to Northwest, his future prospects would surely exceed Zhang Chubin¡¯s. At the very least, he would be a deputy mayor of a prefecture-level city. As for Zhang Chubin, it was uncertain whether he could step up from a bureau-level position to a department-level one. At this point, Zhang Chubin has also adjusted his state of mind. After they left the Northwest Region, all the cadres from Li County seemed to rx. Looking at the man, Zhang Chubin also smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯re still as modest as ever, I remember, when we were in the party school, Secretary Yifeng had openly criticized you. I thought you had changed, but I didn¡¯t expect that you would still be the same after being transferred to Jiangbei Province. Old Li, let me introduce you to the team members in our Li County.¡± As he spoke, Zhang Chubin pointed out to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°This is Comrade Nie Zhenbang, 23 years old, a top graduate from Jingcheng University, deputy secretary of our Li County Party Committee, and the acting county chief. Director Nie, here is my old ssmate, Comrade Li Zhongjiang, who¡¯s currently serving as the deputy secretary of the Yangwu County Committee and deputy director of the county people¡¯s government.¡± Once he heard Zhang Chubin¡¯s introduction, Li Zhongjiang immediately straightened his gaze. Initially, he had assumed that Nie Zhenbang was a secretary to someone; he had no idea that Nie was actually the acting county chief. As an insider, Li Zhongjiang clearly understood that as long as the upper-level leaders approved of a person, as long as they were not outrageously ipetent or annoyed public opinion, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to get elected in the People¡¯s Congress. A 23-year-old director¡¯s post; this might be a first in the whole country. Immediately, Li Zhongjiang also extended his hands enthusiastically, with a smile on his face, he said: ¡°Director Nie, wee, wee.¡± Next, after Zhang Chubin finished introducing everyone one by one, under Li Zhongjiang¡¯s lead, they got on the minibus of the Yangwu County Government. The gold-painted Coaster business vehicle was a new model that came out in January of this year. It was less than two months since its release, yet the Yangwu County Gov provided one. It indeed was a prosperous coastal area. A county government was able to afford a business car that cost near one million; this was utterly beyond what Li County could havepared with. Sitting in the business car, Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin were okay, but the others were not so natural and taken aback by the luxurious interior. Only the Mercedes-Benz cars of the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government couldpare with them. Yangwu County was a well-knownmercial wholesale city in the country. Merchants from all directionse here to buy goods in the hope of making a fortune. Looking at the scenery outside the car window, the county showcased a strong South of the Yangtze River character, with broad streets, cement-hardened road surfaces, and a steady flow of vehicles and pedestrians. The entire city gave people a vibrant and thriving feeling. The car directly reached the Jinding Hotel in Yangwu County. The luxury and magnificence of the entire hotel were entirely differentpared to the run-down buildings of the Li County Hotel. At this time, a group of people was already waiting at the hotel entrance. Nie Zhenbang was stunned to look at the showy scene, with about a dozen leaders standing there. The whole leadership of the Yangwu County Committee and County Government seemed to have arrived. Indeed, as Li Zhongjiang got off the car, a man and a woman from the front row of the queue immediately went to greet them. Before Li Zhongjiang had a chance to say anything, the middle-aged man cheerfully remarked, ¡°Secretary Li, these must be our guests from the West, a warm wee.¡± Li Zhongjiang promptly nodded with a smile and said, ¡°Old Zhang, Director Nie, allow me to introduce you. This is our Yangwu County Party Committee Secretary, Comrade Wu Tianbao, and this is our Deputy Secretary of the Yangwu County Committee and County Chief, Comrade Ying Taoxiu.¡± Wu Tianbao was about fifty years old and dressed in a Western-style suit, giving off a youthful appearance. He did not possess the typical air of an official but instead had an air of being a businessman. Certainly, the ce of one¡¯s birth influences one¡¯s nature. Nie Zhenbang was slightly startled to know that the county chief of Yangwu County was a woman. Although there were quite a few female cadres in this era, not many could fill regr positions. Ying Taoxiu¡¯s ability to establish herself in an economically developed county like Yangwu was proof in itself of her capabilities. At this time, Wu Tianbao was very affable with a smile over his face, and beckoning his hand, he said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, Director Nie, we warmly wee the Li County delegation to inspect our Yangwu County. On behalf of the Yangwu County Party Committee and County Government, we express our warm wee to everyone. There¡¯s a simple reception prepared inside for you to dust off the cares of the road.¡± Zhang Chubin, having shown the qualities befitting a leader, followed Wu Tianbao into the hotel. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang, apanied by Ying Taoxiu, also walked in. In the crowd, a person Nie Zhenbang was extremely familiar with, was smiling and nodding at him, which left Nie Zhenbang in shock. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are wee to vote and rmend it on Qidian, Your support is my greatest motivation). Chapter 162: Excited after the Investigation (Second Update)_1 Chapter 162: Excited after the Investigation (Second Update)_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°Old Three, I didn¡¯t expect to meet under such circumstances.¡± In the guest room of the JinDing Hotel, Li Yu was nowpletely different from the calm andposed man he was during dinner. Instead, he appeared somewhat casual andid-back, resting his feet on the coffee table, and speaking very naturally. Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised at this moment. It turned out that Li Yu had alsoe down from the ministry. To be ced in Jiangbei by the Li family, the ability of Li Yu himself was also worth affirming. Generally speaking, without outstanding performance, one wouldn¡¯t be delegated to lower-level positions. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughts went a step further. In the view of Jingcheng¡¯s young masters, being sent to the grassroots level was equivalent to being demoted. How could thefort at the grassroots level match that of a ministry? At the ministry, you¡¯re under the eyes of the old guys, and even the old man himself. Although you can¡¯t go too far, equally, the leaders above tend to turn a blind eye to these untouchable masters. Skipping a few days off or taking asional breaks wouldn¡¯t be a problem. More importantly, hanging around in the ministry is much simpler than dealing with theplex politics at the lower levels. You pretty much count the days and wait for promotion. Once you arrive at the grassroots level, you can¡¯t really expose your background. Other than a few direct rtives who clearly understand this. For instance, Nie Zhenbang, throughout Xibei, probably only Jiang Zhenquan and Li Yifeng understood his background. There¡¯s a good chance that the situation on Li Yu¡¯s side was much the same. Thus, local political struggles are a double-edged sword. If handled well, one can have strong momentum and qualifications for promotion. If not managed well, there¡¯s a risk of killing one¡¯s career. Therefore, few children in Jingcheng are willing to go to the grassroots. Remain steady in the ministry until a certain rank, and then go down to one¡¯s own city, serving as the first or second leading position for a term. Bring down both policies and cash. Once these are in ce, political achievements naturally emerge. Going back to Jingcheng, naturally, the rank is elevated. This mode of promotion has almost be a temte for the children of Jingcheng. Those like Zhou Chen who were sent down to the countryside at the grassroots level while only being at the level of Section Chief, did so out of necessity. As a result, Zhou Chen hid for a while, and returned to Jingcheng in less than a year. However, clearly Li Yu¡¯s situation was different; he hade down voluntarily. Nie Zhenbang and Li Yu weren¡¯t very close. Back when they were in Jingcheng, they had only met twice at Yu Ying School. On the other hand, Li Zhen, Li Yu¡¯s elder brother, was quite a character in Jingcheng. However, as fellow travelers, meeting here was also a kind of fate. Naturally, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t act too indifferent. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Li, I didn¡¯t expect you toe down as well. Yangwu County is a great ce, easy to make political achievements.¡± Generally speaking, Jingcheng¡¯s sons, if they are familiar with each other, would affectionately call out nicknames or add the word ¡®brother¡¯ ording to their respective rankings in the family. For instance, Nie Zhenbang, being the third in line, was called ¡®Third Brother¡¯ by the likes of Liu Kun, not because Nie Zhenbang was older, but as a form of intimacy. Those who are not so familiar, usually call him Threes. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang addressed him by his official position, adhering to formal social etiquette. From the very beginning, a boundary was set between the two. At this moment, Li Yu also started tough. He took out an ordinary Zhonghua cigarette and tossed it over, lighting one for himself, and said, ¡°Old Three, don¡¯t be so formal. Although we haven¡¯t interacted much, I admire you. You singlehandedly went into the Soviet Union, and just those military technologies and scientific strengths alone¡­Old Three, as long as you don¡¯tmit serious crimes like murdering or arson, you¡¯re going to be just fine. The credit is right there.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ventures into the Soviet Union weren¡¯t any secret among the different families in Jingcheng. The country¡¯s military technology has advanced rapidly, and everyone could guess. Just before the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the China-Soviet border was exceptionally bustling. Anyone with intentions could find out what was happening just by looking. After a pause, Li Yu continued, ¡°At that time, I wanted to make friends with you. But even before I could find you, you vanished. That¡¯s how it got dyed. If you think highly of me, Li Yu, you can call me Yu or Second Brother.¡± Li Yu¡¯s attitude made Nie Zhenbang a bit perplexed. Judging from Li Yu¡¯s conversation and behavior, Li Yu was absolutely extraordinary. Even though he was just the full-time deputy secretary of Yangwu County, all signs indicated a high standing for Li Yu in Yangwu County. This proved that Li Yu¡¯s ability was exceptionally strong. Such a person might be a formidable rival on his path to office in the future, even if they are now in different ces. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Since Second Brother has said so, it would seem unappreciative of me to be formal. The rapid development of Yangwu County is notable. On my way, I heard from Deputy County Magistrate Li about the Economic and Technological Development Zone in Yangwu County. Now, with Second Brother also serving as the director of the development zone, given time, Second Brother is likely to be promoted again.¡± The dialogue among Jingcheng¡¯s young masters made Nie Zhenbang feel odd. If one didn¡¯t belong to the same circle, conversations and exchanges would always require careful thinking. This feeling made Nie Zhenbang ufortable. He found it more natural to converse with ordinary people. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words weren¡¯t entirely polite. Yangwu County Economic Development Zone is now a provincial-level economic development zone in Jiangbei Province. On the way here in the afternoon, the continuous new factories and facilities in the development zone proved its vibrancy. Li Yu serving as the director of the development zone, equivalent to being the top leader of the development zone, had undisputedly upied the leading position in terms of political achievements in the zone. At this moment, Li Yu alsoughed. He was already 26 years old. Compared to Nie Zhenbang, one as a deputy director, the other as a director, he was undoubtedly a step behind. The Nie family¡¯s nning was ruthless. At least, his own grandfather could not make such a decision. Only Elder Nie dared to go to remote areas like Xibei. As the saying goes, ¡®badnd breeds bad people¡¯. This phrase is derogatory. Behind this, there is another phrase that means ¡®the mountains are high and the emperor is far away.¡¯ In such ces, the locals are often tough. In such a ce, Li Yu admitted that he dared not go. However, not only did Nie Zhenbang go, but he also did so well there. This was also the reason why Li Yu was so enthusiastic at this moment. The two were indeedpetitors, but the rivalry was not solid and unchanging. Sometimes,petitors can also be partners. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯re joking with me. Compared to you, I¡¯m nothing. You are the director with boundless prospects at such a young age, and you are located in the frontier area. This is a lot of bonus points on your resume. We can keep in touch more often in the future.¡± Li Yu said his ultimate goal with a smile. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Second Brother, you have won my heart. See, I have speciallye over to learn from you.¡± After chatting for a while, Li Yu also excused himself and left. ¡°Secretary Zhang, this area is our Yangwu County¡¯s smallmodity production industrial park. Don¡¯t underestimate these products, like daily necessities, small essories, and toys. Through our wholesalework, these products are sold domestically and abroad. Many of them are exported to developed countries in Europe and America. This single industrial park has an annual total output value of over 100 million.¡± At this moment, Li Zhongjiang also introduced with a touch of pride. After the reception in Yangwu County, Li Zhongjiang, as the representative of Yangwu County, hosted Zhang Chubin and others. At this moment, looking at the development zone of Yangwu County, Zhang Chubin seemed very pleased. It appeared his idea was correct. The thriving pace of the development zone seemed to have infected Zhang Chubin. Not only him, but other officials from Lixian were also invigorated. Zhang Chubin even improvised a speech on the spot, ¡°Comrades, indeed, reading ten thousand books is not as useful as traveling ten thousand miles. We have always heard that the economic development of the eastern coastal areas is good. But what¡¯s good about them? We have a vague concept. Frankly speaking, we are a little self-satisfied, thinking that the development zone is merely so-so. But now, having seen it for ourselves, we realize that our gap is quite wide.¡± ¡°Secretary Zhang¡¯s words went straight to my heart. I think our Lixian should also set up a development zone project, and we should strive to do it as soon as possible.¡± Xue Daming immediately echoed. As a loyal follower of Zhang Chubin, Xue Daming had sumbed to Zhang Chubin before holding a regr position. Now, Zhang Chubin had smoothly taken the position of county party secretary, and Xue Daming had also gained from the rising waterline. He was able to understand the mentality of the leaders. At this time, Zhang Chubin¡¯s attitude was clear. Naturally, he needed to show clear support. At this moment, Bekri also fell into thought. The development zone was no small matter. After seeing the development zone of Yangwu County, Bekri had made some calctions. Just the basic construction of the development zone, transportation, water, electricity, andmunication would be a massive expenditure. This was not something that one could decide impulsively. Soon after, Bekri asked, ¡°Mayor Li, does this development zone have any advantagespared to other ces? Are there any preferential policies in terms of taxation?¡± At this moment, Li Zhongjiang alsoughed. Finally, an astute man had arrived. Looking at the old ssmate¡¯s expressions just now, Li Zhongjiang had found it amusing, but such things could not be said. Even if the two were former ssmates, sshing cold water at this time would probably bring resentment. Li Zhongjiang was not going to make such a mistake. Heughed and said, ¡°Of course there are policies. At the very least, two exemptions and three reductions, as well as smooth passage through the green channel, are no problems at all.¡± The so-called green channel refers to the process where all the formalities required for enterprise investment are coordinated and supervised by the local government. This removes theplex procedures for enterprise investment. ¡®Two exemptions and three reductions¡¯ was initially targeted at foreign enterprises. In the first two years, taxes were exempted. In the next three years, they were reduced by half. The policy was mainly to attract investors. At this moment, Zhang Chubin suddenly said, ¡°This policy is very attractive. I think we in Lixian can also consider setting up a development zone. If three exemptions and two reductions can¡¯t be done, we will do five exemptions and five reductions. I don¡¯t believe it. If we nt the Phoenix tree, it won¡¯t attract the Golden Phoenix.¡± PS: Err, it seems that the climax today happened at the wrong time. It¡¯s Valentine¡¯s Day. Brothers and sisters, don¡¯t forget to cast a monthly vote for me after Valentine¡¯s Day. Chapter 163: Officially Elected_1 Chapter 163: Officially Elected_1 Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as well. The geographical location of the Northwest Region, under these circumstances, it makes sense to introduce some businesses. But, such generous incentives seem somewhat inappropriate. It would merely be a surface project. The two years of tax exemption and three years of tax reduction was already a very generous incentive policy. Furthermore, even if enterprises do enter, they are usually those that produce everyday consumer goods or food. Thosepanies which shoulde wille regardless of the incentive, and those that should not, even with more incentives, will note. What seems like Zhang Chubin¡¯s bold and hearty pledges, in reality, reveal a boldness born out of ignorance. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang agrees with developing the Development Zone, and now he has an initial n in mind. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang does not refute Zhang Chubin¡¯s words, after all, in public, it¡¯s important to maintain the image and credibility of the County Party Secretary. Over the span of three days, under the arrangements made by Yangwu County, the entire leadership of Li County Party Committee seemed to have broadened their perspectives significantly. During these few days, the discussion centered around the Development Zone and the economy. ¡°Comrades, after these past few days. Our horizons have widened, our thinking has expanded, and we have learned a lot. Overall, it was a productive journey.¡± In a room at JinDing Hotel, Li County¡¯s officials were all gathered in Zhang Chubin¡¯s room as he spoke at length. Pausing for a moment, Zhang Chubin continued, ¡°For example, the Economic and Technological Development Zone in Yangwu County, that¡¯s a great model. I think we can learn and replicate the sessful experience of coastal developed regions in Li County. We could consider setting aside an area north of Li County City to build our new city of Li County. The County Party Committee, the People¡¯s Government, as well as bureaus directly under the county could relocate to the new area, which will drive its development.¡± At this moment, this could be considered somewhat an informal meeting of the Li County Party Committee. As Zhang Chubin¡¯s words fell, Xue Daming, the head of the Propaganda Department at his side, also nodded in agreement, saying, ¡°Yes, the Secretary¡¯s thoughts concur with mine.¡± Xue Daming¡¯s ass-kissing annoyed some people. At least, Sun Kewen, the head of the Discipline Inspection Department looked disdainful. After contemting for a moment, Sun Kewen also spoke up, ¡°The field trip has indeed opened our eyes. However, I believe we should be cautious. The development of Yangwu County is intrinsically linked with its regional advantages and its surrounding environment. When we implement it in Li County, I propose that we ask the upper organization to seriously consider Li County¡¯s situation. Being located in a border area and economically weak, if we fail to attract investment, the huge funding gap for infrastructure construction will pose a great pressure.¡± As soon as his words fell, Zhang Chubin¡¯s face cooled down. The n for the Development Zone was not conceived after the field trip to Yangwu County. When they were still in Li County, Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang had already discussed it once. This time, Zhang Chubin¡¯s objective was obvious ¨C to learn from the experiences here, which excited him greatly. The rapid development of the Development Zone, even in Yangwu County, the differences inside and outside the zone were significant. Under such circumstances, Zhang Chubin¡¯s ambition was further provoked. Now, Sun Kewen was pouring cold water on him, wasn¡¯t this indirectly opposing his view? If this had been when Zhang Chubin was just the deputy secretary, he would have said nothing. But now, Zhang Chubin was fully in charge. In other words, he was no longer a subordinate. Zhang Chubin then said with a smile, ¡°Well, let¡¯s stop the discussion here for today. We have to catch an early flight tomorrow. Everyone should rest early. As for the Development Zone project, after we return, we can thoroughly examine it again based on our own situation. The Western Region also has its characteristics and advantages.¡± After almost a week of travel, as soon as Zhang Chubin returned to Li County, he immediately started working diligently. The project of the Development Zone and its promising prospects now solidified Zhang Chubin¡¯s determination. Earlier, during therge-scale reshuffle of officials in Li County, Zhang Chubin had topromise with Nie Zhenbang for several seats on the Standing Committee, and he had to give up several positions from bureaus directly under the county. He didn¡¯t care at first, but afterwards, Zhang Chubin found that apart from the routine work of the County Party Committee, there seemed nowhere else for him to make a difference. This was the initial reason why Zhang Chubin wanted to develop the economic zone. This was also where Zhang Chubin could demonstrate his abilities and value. Naturally, he paid utmost attention to it. The nning and Construction Bureau of Li County also allocated a significant number of people to conduct a detailed survey of the northern area of Li County City and to draw up preliminary ns for the Development Zone. As time went on, the atmosphere in Li County became increasingly strange. At this point, Nie Zhenbang was also extremely busy. With the People¡¯s Congress on the horizon, this was critical for Nie Zhenbang. Because at this People¡¯s Congress, Nie Zhenbang, as the candidate for the county head, would be officially elected as the county head by the delegates of the People¡¯s Congress. Only after this step ispleted will Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position as the county head officially be confirmed. This was why Nie Zhenbang took it so seriously. From outside, Yi Jun also came in and said to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Director, please review today¡¯s proceedings. Following yesterday¡¯s visit to the County Veterans Bureau and the County People¡¯s Congress, today¡¯s schedule entails field research in Tahe Township and Mushan Township.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. Before the People¡¯s Congress, it was a step that he had to take. Otherwise, why would the representatives of the County People¡¯s Congress elect him, Nie Zhenbang, as County Director. There have been cases within the country where a deputy county director loses at the People¡¯s Congress. Although local leaders were punished afterward, what¡¯s the use when the reputation was tarnished, a stain on any official¡¯s career record. The day before the People¡¯s Congress, Cheng Xinhua, a standingmittee member of the Bazhou City Committee and the deputy secretary of the Citymittee, rushed to Li County specifically. Sitting in the middle main seat in the small meeting room of the Li County Party Committee, Cheng Xinhua looked around with a stern and solemn gaze. As the Li County People¡¯s Congress is about to convene, there have been more rumors than usual in Li County. Unlike previous years, the case of Nie Zhenbang, who had been decided upon by Bazhou City Committee. If he were to be defeated unexpectedly, it would undoubtedly be a p in the face of the Bazhou City Committee. After brewing for a while, Cheng Xinhua finally spoke: ¡°Comrades, entrusted by the City Committee, and Secretary Liu, I personally came to Li County. On one hand, I am here to congratte the sessful convening of the 14th Li County People¡¯s Congress. On the other hand, it is essential to emphasize that I am satisfied with the leadership team of Li County, and I hope that representatives at all levels in Li County will abide by discipline, adhere to principles, and consider the overall situation. Don¡¯t indulge in individualism.¡± This was also a warning from Cheng Xinhua. At this moment, the expression on Zhao Kunlun¡¯s face was somewhatplex. Originally, Zhao Kunlun had this intention, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strong ascent to power was understandable, but then it turned against him, causing him to lose face in Li County, turning them into archenemies. But now, seeing Cheng Xinhua personally overseeing things here, Zhao Kunlun realized that it probably wouldn¡¯t work this time unless he also threw caution to the wind, even if it meant forfeiting his position. After Cheng Xinhua took charge, the People¡¯s Congress of Li County was sessfully held. At the meeting, Nie Zhenbang was unanimously elected as the Director of the People¡¯s Government of Li County. At this moment, after the election results were announced, the entire conference hall erupted in thunderous apuse. Zhang Chubin got up from his seat with a smile, ¡°First of all, congrattions torade Nie Zhenbang for being unanimously elected as the Director of the People¡¯s Government of Li County. Now, please Director Nie make a speech.¡± At this time, the protagonist of the meeting was naturally Nie Zhenbang. After Zhang Chubin¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang stood up, smiling, bowed to the audience, and then said, ¡°I appreciate the cadres and masses of Li County and the parents of my sixteen thousand fellow countrymen. I¡¯m honored to have your favor and trust. Thank you for believing in a youngster like me. Being elected as the county director, while I am happy, I also feel the huge responsibility thates with it. Here, my attitude is zealotry. I vow to do my utmost for my people, for the welfare of the people, for this trust and support. ¡± As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words faded away, the auditorium erupted in apuse. Unlike other cadres who have long-winded speeches filled with clich¨¦s, Nie Zhen¡¯s words were straightforward and sincere, winning many rounds of apuse. The ability of Director Nie, the people of Li County had already seen it. The operation of the Farmer Welfare Company and the opening of the Longhua Leech Stone Mine are all concrete achievements, not empty boasting. In the small auditorium of the county partymittee, at this moment, all the leaders of the countymittee were tightly gathered around Cheng Xinhua. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s smooth election, Cheng Xinhua¡¯s mood seemed very good. Seeing Nie Zhenbange in, Cheng Xinhua also walked up smiling, extended his hand, and said: ¡°Director Nie, on behalf of the City Committee and the Municipal Government, I congratte you on your election. I also hope that under your leadership, Li County as a whole can achieve even more eye-catching results.¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said: ¡°Secretary Cheng, thank you. I want to thank Secretary Cheng and the organization for giving me this opportunity. I am grateful for the trust and support the organization has given me. Here, in front of all the county cadres, I also want to express a position to you and the organization that I will not fail the organization¡¯s trust. I will go all out to build and develop Li County.¡± On the side, Zhang Chubin also came forward with a smile and said to Cheng Xinhua: ¡°Secretary Cheng, speaking of which, we do have some things we want to report to you.¡± Chapter 164: Stealing Credit_1 Chapter 164: Stealing Credit_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the small conference room of the countymittee. On the table, arge nning blueprint was also spread out. At this moment, Zhang Chubin seemed a bit exuberant, pointing to the blueprint, and said to Cheng Xinhua next to him: ¡°Secretary Cheng, look, this is a n we recently came up with. We initially thought about designating a 20 square kilometer area to the north of Li County City, near Ku City, as the Economic and Technological Development Zone of Li County, the location of our new town in Li County.¡± 20 square kilometers? Upon hearing Zhang Chubin¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrowed. It seemed that since the preparation of the development zone project, the difference between the two had gradually increased. 20 square kilometers ¨C this area wasrger than the entire Li County City at present. The construction of the infrastructure alone would be a massive burden. To be blunt, this was not something the Lixian Government could afford. Cheng Xinhua was startled, but he understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughts quite well. If it was an economic development project proposed by Bazhou City, although a bitrge, it would not be uneptable. After all, leveraging the entire city¡¯s strength and taking the advantage of a prefecture-level city, once started, at least it should be a city-level economic and technological development zone, and bing a provincial-level is not a problem. Moreover, they have full assurance in terms of funding from all aspects. However, if it¡¯s Li County, it seems a bit overambitious. At this moment, the proposal of Li County seems extravagant like the Great Leap Forward Period. If no one was present, Cheng Xinhua might have critiqued it outright. However, at this moment, he had to save some face for Zhang Chubin and all the standingmittee members of Li County present. Importantly, Cheng Xinhua was considering Liu Wenqing¡¯s feelings since any critique of Zhang Chubin in front of the officials of Li County might upset Secretary Liu if he heard about it. On the other hand, letting Zhang Chubin boast unchecked was tormenting himself. But Cheng Xinhua didn¡¯t have to do this. Hence, Cheng Xinhua smiled and said: ¡°It¡¯s nice that therades of Li County have this idea. However, some things need to be researched further, considered more. The idea of the development zone project is good. However, in terms of attracting investors, setting policies, and other supporting measures, we need to strengthen them. We need to ensure that once it is set up, it can attract investments, yield effective benefits, and achieve results. Only then can it be considered a qualified development zone.¡± Li County partymittee At this moment, in Zhang Chubin¡¯s office, he was reviewing the development n report written by Nie Zhenbang. After reading the entire report, Zhang Chubin¡¯s brows were also furrowed. Compared with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s report, his idea seemed wasteful. Nie Zhenbang adjusted the area to six square kilometers. This area, neither big nor small, was just right considering the current situation of Li County. Also, the points raised by Nie Zhenbang in the report made Zhang Chubin feel refreshed. Firstly, the environmental protection issue was stressed from the beginning, unlike other development zones that only pursue political achievements. ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n, prospective investors must pass environmental evaluation. If they fail to pass this test by the environmental department, all deals are off. This made Zhang Chubin frown. It was already a good thing to have investorsing to a ce like Li County. With so many barriers, how could they attract investment? Secondly, Zhang Chubin strongly agreed with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s idea of ¡®Three Opens and Two Nos¡¯: open-mindedness of Li County officials, open services, an open environment, no thresholds for investment, and no barriers from departments. This had the same meaning as the ¡®green channel¡¯ in Yangwu County. Thirdly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposal was to capitalize on local resources, focusing on agriculture and livestock farming and vermiculite mining. It proposed to introduce a batch of meat product processing enterprises, woolen mills, and leather manufacturing industries, relying on Li County¡¯s livestock farming resources. By relying on the Farmer Welfare Company, aplete development model could be formed, from livestock farming, to ughtering, to deep processing of meat products, and processing of subsidiary industries. This model would create scale and effect, aiming to make Li County the fur center and leather base in the Western Region. Based on this, leather products producers can be introduced. This would greatly reduce production costs and minimize the cirction link of goods. It took Zhang Chubin nearly half an hour to read through the more than ten pages of the development n. At this moment, putting down the material, Zhang Chubin felt somewhat touched. He said to Xue Daming, the Minister of Propaganda sitting on the sofa: ¡°Old Xue, you should take a look at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n. It¡¯s visionary, thoughtful, Nie Zhenbang is really a talent in economics, having studied it at the graduate level.¡± Xue Daming took the material but did not read it. From his view, Zhang Chubin¡¯s action seemed a bit too much. As the County Party Secretary, everything was given to the county governor and if this continued, the entire county officials would only know Nie Zhenbang and forget about Secretary Zhang. Moreover, Xue Daming was also considering for himself. Being part of Zhang Chubin¡¯s faction, the stronger Zhang Chubin was, the more secured his position in Li County would be. Immediately, Xue Daming alsoughed and said: ¡°Secretary, there are some things I don¡¯t know whether to say or not.¡± As his close confidant, Zhang Chubin naturally trusted Xue Daming. He immediatelyughed and said, ¡°Old Xue, I see you¡¯ve be polite around me. Since when did we start considering what should be said and what shouldn¡¯t be among us? Just speak out. We can treat it like an ordinary chit-chat.¡± Xue Daming nodded and smiled. He was pleased with Zhang Chubin¡¯s attitude. It showed how highly Zhang Chubin thought of him. After pondering for a moment, Xue Daming began, ¡°Mr. Secretary, this n is good. But I think itcks something. The focus is too much on agri-business and the local farming, husbandry and vermiculite mining. Isn¡¯t this different from the original intention of the Development Zone? In my opinion, we should focus on the high and new technology industry and establish high-tech enterprises. That would match the Development Zone¡¯s initial purpose. Plus, Mr. Secretary, you should carefully consider who will be in charge of the Development Zone. I suggest that you should personally assume the position of Secretary of the Working Committee of the Development Zone, simr to how it is in Yangwu County.¡± ¡°Oh, I should personally serve as the Secretary of the Working Committee?¡± Zhang Chubin was taken aback. He hadn¡¯t considered this issue before. At that moment, Xue Daming nodded and said, ¡°Mr Secretary, think about it. Our Development Zone might be the first one in the Xibei Autonomous Region, except for the Wu City Economic and Technological Development Zone. Once it starts, it will shake up the whole region. It¡¯s going to be a tremendous political achievement. Plus, I hear some murmurs among the officials in Li County. ¡± Zhang Chubin understood Xue Daming¡¯s meaning. He knew Xue Daming didn¡¯t have great capabilities. But, his most significant trait was his loyalty, a crucial asset. If the Development Zone were awarded under Nie Zhenbang, Zhang Chubin would indeed get a piece of the figured cake. But, thergest portion would still be beyond his reach. Zhang Chubin was somewhat moved by this proposal. He soonughed, ¡°What are you saying, Daming? I find you hesitating today. Why not go ahead and tell me about the rumor? ¡± Knowing Zhang Chubin¡¯s mood, Xue Daming nodded, ¡°Mr Secretary, don¡¯t be mad about what I¡¯m going to say. After Director Nie sessfully nominated four bureau chiefs, a rumor started spreading in the county that Director Nie¡¯s ideas were more respected and that you were just a figurehead.¡± Upon hearing that, Zhang Chubin¡¯s face fell. Waving his hand, he said in a solemn voice, ¡°Comrade Daming, avoid such rumors in the future. Director Nie respects me. Don¡¯t engage in gossip that can destroy the party¡¯s unity.¡± Although he said so, Zhang Chubin¡¯s mood was indeed affected. Recently, a stream of people were reporting to Nie Zhenbang, while only a few visited him. It was ruining his peace. At this moment, Xue Daming stood up. His mission was aplished. He believed that this conversation would stir Zhang Chubin¡¯s ambition and make the following tasks easier. Then, he left with a smile, ¡°Mr. Secretary, I¡¯ll let you get back to your work. I should get going.¡± After Xue Daming left, Zhang Chubin¡¯s face darkened. Xue Daming¡¯s words had indeed shocked him. At first, Zhang Chubin appreciated Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n, but now, with a changed perspective, he found something unsatisfying about it. Immediately, Zhang Chubin stood up and called out to his assistant, ¡°Liu, prepare for a trip. Notify Horse to arrange the car. We are going to the city.¡± The distance from Li County to Bazhou City was nearly fifty kilometres. They finally arrived when it was dark. Looking at the streetmps outside the window, Zhang Chubin ordered, ¡°Horse, go directly to the Municipal Committee¡¯s residential area. You and Liu should go rest at the Bazhou Hotel, pick me up after ten.¡± He had already contacted Liu Wenqing. When he walked into the living room, Liu Wenqing asked with a smile, ¡°What brings you here in such a hurry, Xiao Zhang?¡± As Zhang Chubin settled on the sofa, he ced the development zone n he had written on the table and began, ¡°Secretary Liu, sorry to bother you. I came to report Li County¡¯stest n.¡± PS: Sorry, brothers and sisters. I didn¡¯t intend to ask for leave. The new book ranking is very important for Old Cai. However, I really cannot keep going. Only under this reluctant circumstance did I take a break. I will try to guarantee three updates a day during these days. The missed explosive chapters will catch up. I hope you can understand. Chapter 165: Competing for Funds_1 Chapter 165: Competing for Funds_1 Trantor: 549690339 Liu Wenqing seemed very happy at this moment. Lixian¡¯s development momentum is good now, Farmer Welfare Company, an enterprise that even Jiang Zhenquan pays attention to, with its brand-new model, has now be a demonstration enterprise across the region. With the recement of new breeds of grass and the introduction of arge number of excellent varieties, within a few months at most, Farmer Welfare Company could generate significant economic benefits. At the same time, social and brand effects will follow. Moreover, Longhua Mining, which is now entering a period of rapid production growth. These two enterprises have already achieved results, and now, Lixian has made a new move. As the nominator of Lixian¡¯s top two leaders, he gains face and can earn a reputation for good personnel utilization. Immediately, Liu Wenqing alsoughed, ¡°Secretary Chu Bin arrives, please take a seat. Nowadays, I can¡¯t understand the leaders of Lixian, the speed of development is faster each time, and the economic n is quicker each time. What were your impressions about the advanced coastal areas in the east during your visit?¡± After all, Zhang Chubin is a direct subordinate of his. Although Zhang Chubin did not report on hisst inspection in advance, Liu Wenqing was somewhat dissatisfied. However, during this period, Liu Wenqing has cooled down. Listening to Liu Wenqing¡¯s words, a hint of joy shed across Zhang Chubin¡¯s face. Zhang Chubin is very familiar with Liu Wenqing. He may not be magnanimous, but he is not petty. He does have such a level of tolerance. As expected, Zhang Chubin nodded, ¡°Secretary, this is a development zone n I have drawn up, please take a look.¡± Liu Wenqing took the n handed over by Zhang Chubin and smiled, ¡°Development Zone? It seems you have put in a lot of hard work. This is a novel thing. Currently, in the Northwest, only Urumqi has initiated a development zone. Other cities are observing the results. Unbelievably, you guys have gotten ahead.¡± Upon opening the n, Liu Wenqing read carefully. An almost 30-page n, but Liu Wenqing read it very carefully. After about half an hour, Liu Wenqing looked up, somewhat surprised. He is well aware of Zhang Chubin¡¯s ability, which is just average among officials. In terms of politics and obedience, Zhang Chubin ranks pretty high. He performs very well in tasks assigned by superiors. However, in terms of creativity and courage, Zhang Chubincks a bit. Yet, this npletely breaks Liu Wenqing¡¯s preconception. Looking at Zhang Chubin beside him, Liu Wenqing rarely said, ¡°Chu Bin, I¡¯ve read your Development Zone n, it¡¯s quite good and creative. As the saying goes, ¡®One who stays near vermillion gets stained red, one who stays near ink gets stained ck.¡¯ Ever since you and Nie formed the team, your capabilities have improved.¡± Pointing at the nning proposal on the tea table, he continued, ¡°The proposal for your development zone is basically very good, especially the conception of ¡®triple supply & double absence.¡¯ Very insightful. At present, local leaders and cadres need to have such a mentality, to change their way of thinking, and take economic construction as the center. The old way of thinking needs to be gradually abandoned. The government functional departments should be positioned as servants, not aloof officials.¡± At the beginning of Liu Wenqing¡¯s remarks, Zhang Chubin was somewhat pleased. However, the things Liu Wenqing praised by name were all giarized from Nie Zhenbang. This only further confirmed Zhang Chubin¡¯s idea. Ever since Xue Daming nted a seed in Zhang¡¯s mind, his desire to snatch credit and fight for power and profit could not be suppressed. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ability, Zhang Chubin believed that the Development Zone under Nie Zhenbang would definitely be carried forward, and even achieve tremendous development. Lixian will leap to be a strong economic county in Bazhou City, or even the entire autonomous region. More boldly, it is not impossible for Lixian to be a national miracle. But if that¡¯s the case, Nie Zhenbang, as the county governor and concurrently the secretary of the Development Zone workmittee, would get the lion¡¯s share of the credit. He would just be someone hiding behind and drinking soup. When talking about Lixian, people would say how Nie Zhenbang is doing, not Zhang Chubin. Moreover, in terms of development, Zhang Chubin, after visiting Yangwu County, confidently believes that this Development Zone is just like that. With preferential policies such as ¡®Three Exemptions, Two Reductions,¡¯ investment policies onnd requisition and construction fees, coupled with the green channel, Zhang Chubin is very confident that he can do as well as Nie Zhenbang. This idea, after Xue Daming mentioned it, gradually became irresistible for Zhang Chubin. Just now, Liu Wenqing¡¯s words reinforced Zhang Chubin¡¯s intention to be the secretary of the workmittee. After pondering for a moment, Zhang Chubin tentatively said, ¡°Secretary, although the development zone project is still in the nning stage, I would like to discuss with you in advance about personnel issues in the development zone.¡± At this moment, Liu Wenqing was also taken aback. After all, the matter of the development zone was only a rough idea at best. In the aspect of establishing a development zone, Liu Wenqing had specifically researched it. It¡¯s not something that local governments can establish at will. City-level development zones require project establishment by the citymittee and city government. If it is at the provincial level, it needs to be filed and established with the provincial nningmission, and get approved upon passing a review. After thorough examination and evaluation, meeting the requirements of a provincial development zone, only then can it be established. At this moment, to determine the personnel issues of the development zone does seem a bit hasty. However, since it has been brought up, Liu Wenqing also wanted to hear Zhang Chubin¡¯s opinion. Immediately, he smiled and said, ¡°It seems that all of you officials in Lixian do not act without preparation. This n has just started, and yet you already have considerations for personnel. Although it may be a bit hasty, this kind of attitude of preparing for a rainy day ismendable.¡± Zhang Chubin also nodded and said, ¡°Secretary, as for the level of the development zone, I suggest it¡¯s temporarily set as a deputy departmental unit. Regarding the choice of secretary of the Development Zone Work Committee, I would like to rmend myself. I will personally serve as the secretary of the Development Zone Work Committee. On the matter of the candidate for the director of the Development Zone Management Committee, my initial consideration is to let the current countymittee propaganda minister, Xue Daming fill the spot. In this way, the development of the development zone can be ensured. The issue of coordination among various administrative departments would also be better with my personal presence.¡± This statement, however, made Liu Wenqing think deeply. He nced meaningfully at Zhang Chubin. Originally, Liu Wenqing thought that Nie Zhenbang would be the dual-duty director of the Management Committee. But unexpectedly, Zhang Chubin proposed such a surprising personnel arrangement. Could it be that there is a conflict between Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang? Zhang Chubin¡¯s attitude and thoughts made Liu Wenqing involuntarily wonder about this. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ability to develop the economy has been fully affirmed. Even Liu Wenqing, in private, thinks that Nie Zhenbang is the most suitable to serve as the workmittee secretary. However, at this time, Liu Wenqing felt a bit difficult. On one hand, considering the development from the development zone to Lixian and even the development of Bazhou City, there is no doubt that Nie Zhenbang, who has a background, ability, and can bring inrge investments, is the most suitable. On the other hand, Zhang Chubin is after all a trusted subordinate of his. If he supports Nie Zhenbang, Liu Wenqing is not sure what Zhang Chubin and the other subordinates would think, and if the morale within the circle is scattered, his prestige will be gone. After pondering for a while, Liu Wenqing decided to support Zhang Chubin, although Nie Zhenbang might do better for the development zone. But after looking at this n, Liu Wenqing also felt that Zhang Chubin gave the impression of drastically changing after a short period of time. Even though he might not be as good as Nie Zhenbang, he believes that there should be no problem with the development of the Li County Development Zone, considering that Zhang Chubin cane up with such a nning scheme. Just as Zhang Chubin just set foot in Bazhou, the next morning, Nie Zhenbang also arrived in Bazhou City from Lixian. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was sitting in Ding Aiguo¡¯s office in the municipal government office building. Seeing Ding Aiguo¡¯s knitted eyebrows, Nie Zhenbang knew what Ding Aiguo was worried about. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Mayor, are you worried about the funding issue?¡± Ding Aiguo nodded, then put down the materials, looked up and said, ¡°Zhenbang, it¡¯s a good n, and it¡¯s good for the early nning. The goal is also very clear. Moreover, you can fully consider Bazhou City¡¯s and Lixian¡¯s local characteristics. Only such a development n is realistic. However, even a six-square-kilometer area, if it¡¯s like what you said; road hardening,ndscaping in the park, and the construction of associated infrastructure such as water, electricity, andmunications, will cost a lot of money. The city can only provide limited support. I¡¯m afraid the majority of the funds will still need toe from you.¡± Nie Zhenbang was also very clear that Ding Aiguo¡¯s words were certainly not polite, nor were they about crying poor. Bazhou City was not wealthy either. ording to this n, the funds for building roads alone would be a big burden. Moreover, the Northwest Region is not like the Ind. In the Ind, a lot of funds can be introduced for infrastructure construction, and then repaid in the form ofndpensation. In Lixian, the real estate sector isn¡¯t a viable resource. This way ispletely blocked. ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s initial estimate, for the early stage, to start up, at least, at the very least, 150 million in funds are needed. Ding Aiguo might be able to provide 10 million at most. If the Lixian Government applies for bank loans, the maximum limit is about 100 million. Then there would be a gap of 40 million. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°Mayor, how about I go to the district and see if I can gather some funds from the various departments.¡± PS: Generally speaking, Old Cai would really feel embarrassed asking for monthly tickets. However, Old Cai never thought that he would get sick at a critical time like the new book¡¯s monthly ticket campaign. Seeing the brothers behind getting closer, and the gods ahead getting further away, Old Cai shamelessly asks for a monthly ticket, asking for somefort. Chapter 166 - 166 City Trip_1 Chapter 166: City Trip_1 Trantor: 549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pragmatic attitude greatly pleased Ding Aiguo. Whether it¡¯s the Farmer Welfare Company or Longhua Mining, Aiguo appreciated Zhenbang¡¯s approach of waiting for steady conditions before taking action. He was not like the typical cadres who ran off at the mouth, but once they needed to take action, they werepletely clueless. But Nie Zhenbang was different. He had strong nning and organization skills for whatever he had to do at any given time. For instance, the nning of the development zone was still under evaluation. Even the city hadn¡¯t unified its opinion yet, but Zhenbang was already thinking about how to raise funds. To Ding Aiguo, this was the true attitude of getting things done. It was the basic quality a party member should possess. Straight away, Ding Aiguo paused for thought, then nodded, ¡°It would be good to try. I believe including Secretary Liu, there¡¯s support for the economic development of Lixian. Furthermore, your n to extend the future Bazhou City development area to Lixian is excellent. Gradually narrowing the distance between the two ces could form a city group. That¡¯s a good strategy to enhance Bazhou¡¯spetitiveness.¡± After leaving Ding Aiguo, Nie Zhenbang immediately dialed Liu Kun¡¯s number. Just after the call connected, he heard a yawn from the other end. It waste and Liu Kun was still loafing around. He probably hadn¡¯t even gotten out of bed yet. A momentter, Liu Kun¡¯s voice came over, ¡°Haha, brother, you¡¯re up early. Any instructions?¡± ¡°Kun, what the hell are you doing? Is it that early? Where are you causing trouble? Keep your phone a bit further away; I can¡¯t stand that voice, it gives me the creeps,¡± Nie Zhenbang said,ughing. Liu Kun was good at everything but a bit loose with his lifestyle. It might be a bit of a stretch to describe Liu Kun as a partying all-nighter, but it was entirely urate to call him a yboy. Now when the formal entertainment industry was booming, he frequented and mingled with many celebrities. Shortly afterward, Liu Kun¡¯s voice came over again, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m in Jingcheng, do you have any issues over there? Did something happen to the Farmer Welfare Company?¡± Liu Kun had already hired professionals to manage the Farmer Welfare Company while he himself, sick and tired of the hardship, had returned to Jingcheng. At this moment, when Nie Zhenbang called him, Liu Kun thought something had gone wrong with the Farmer Welfare Company. Nie Zhenbang began tough, ¡°What could possibly go wrong with the Farmer Welfare Company? Do you think your general manager who earns 200,000 a year is just sitting around eating? Is Cash-obsessed in Jingcheng or Xibei? I have something to discuss with him.¡± Nie Zhenbang was not one of those old fossils. This time he was going to the provincial capital to raise funds. As a county official, even keeping an appointment with those top brass in the provincial city was uncertain, let alone asking for money. He believed in leveraging his strengths, a principle he had always followed. Rather than aimlessly scrambling around like a headless fly, he would rather contact a familiar person directly. Along with Qian Jin and Li Yunfan, he was confident about his trip to the provincial city. Liu Kun was stunned for a moment, then said, ¡°Cash-obsessed happens to be in Urumqi. I¡¯ll tell him to call you.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car had just entered Urumqi when he received another call from Qian Jin. As soon as he answered, Qian Jin said, ¡°Brother, have you arrived? I have already prepared the banquet for you. I will also introduce you to some friends. Brother, I hope you don¡¯t mind, these guys will be truly indispensable for this task.¡± Qian Jin was aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background. He said this because he was worried that Nie Zhenbang might object. At this point, Nie Zhenbang also chuckled, ¡°Cash-obsessed, just arrange everything as you see fit. As for my identity, just pretend you don¡¯t know anything about it¡ªjust say I¡¯m a friend you know from Lixian.¡± The Golden Sand Hotel in Urumqi was a newly opened establishment and the first starred hotel in the city¡¯s history. At the 8th Private Room of the hotel, a couple of young men looked irritated while staring at Qian Jin. One of them said somewhat indignantly, ¡°I say, Cash-obsessed, what exactly are you up to today? You called us all together so early just to wait for a county official. Isn¡¯t that an insult?¡± The young man¡¯s words made Qian Jin¡¯s face flush. That man was Cao Zhuangzhi, the son of Cao Yangming, the standing vice-chairman of the autonomous region. Although Cao Yangming would never get promoted to regional chairman in his lifetime¡ªhe was a Han Chinese who, due to the Regional Ethnic Autonomy Law, either has to switch to the partymittee or get transferred to another province¡ªhe could never hold the core position within the Xibei Autonomous Region. Nevertheless, his name carried a certain weight in Xibei province. Even though it was clear that Qian Jin¡¯s father was vying for Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s position. However, it was far from a done deal and Cao Zhuangzhi didn¡¯t particrly respect Qian Jin. Just as Qian Jin was about to lose his temper, the door to the private room was pushed open. Nie Zhenbang strolled in, brightly smiling, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for keeping you all waiting. I was dyed on the way.¡± At this moment, Cao Zhuangzhi, who had been on the verge of exploding, hesitated and held himself back; after all, Qian Jin was a prominent figure within Xibei¡¯s bureaucratic circle. More importantly, Qian Jin¡¯s reputation in Jingcheng vastly outstripped everyone present, and this was what they were really uneasy about. Qian Jin also broke out inughter at this point, and stood up to say, ¡°My elder brother is here. Let me introduce you to him. This is Cao Zhuangzhi, the son of Cao Yangming, the Executive Deputy Chairman of the Autonomous Region. The schrly-looking young guy next to him, wearing sses, is the son of Luo Yimin, the Director of the Department of Transport, Luo Hao. This one is Guo Chang, the son of Guo Chunhai, the Executive Deputy Director of the Financial Department.¡± After introducing these people, Qian Jin became very solemn and formal and then introduced: ¡°Let me formally introduce you, this is Nie Zhenbang, the Director of Lixian, Bazhou City, and my sworn brother. He is the third child in his family, so I call him ¡®Third Brother.¡¯ He¡¯se to the provincial capital to fundraise for our rural areas. You guys always keep your word, so please give as much assistance as you can.¡± Qian Jin¡¯s words were very tactful. He exined their rtionship, yet withheld too much information about Nie Zhenbang. Although everyone was questioning why Qian Jin would humble himself to befriend amon county level official like Nie Zhenbang. Firstly, Guo Chang stood up, as his name implied. Guo Chang who seemed to be in his twenties, but had an elegant demeanor, extended his hand, ¡°Third Brother, since you are Jin¡¯s elder brother, you are my elder brother too. Please sit and feel free to tell us what¡¯s the matter. If there¡¯s anything we can do to help, we will not hesitate.¡± Guo Chang was indeed a people person, but Nie Zhenbang¡¯s manner and aura were clearly not possessed by the average county-level cadre. Seeing all these people and maintaining his cool, he was surely not a typical county-level cadre, who would usually be eager toe and ingratiate themselves. Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°Brothers, thank you. I certainly need your help this time. I¡¯m really here to fundraise for our Lixian. We are not well off in our small ce, we have no rice to cook.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Cao Zhuangzhi sneered, ¡°So it¡¯s none other than the famous Director Nie. Isn¡¯t Lixian flourishing now? Isn¡¯t it a model county in our Xibei Autonomous Region? Howe, Director Nie is alsoing to the provincial capital to seek assistance?¡± Cao Zhuangzhi was familiar with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reputation. His father disapproved of Nie Zhenbang, seeing him as someone who merely existed because of connections. Furthermore, on the matter of reform and opening up, Cao Yangming¡¯s attitude has always been conservative. Consequently, Cao Zhuangzhi¡¯s attitude towards Nie Zhenbang was far from positive. At the sound of Cao Zhuangzhi¡¯s words, Qian Jin¡¯s face changed, and he rose to his feet. To insult Nie Zhenbang in his face was a tant disregard for his standing. Knowing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background and status, Qian Jin would have been displeased even had it been an ordinary person, let alone Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Cao Zhuangzhi, what the fuck are you implying? If you have any issues, voice it out directly. Don¡¯t beat around the bush. If you have a problem with me, then say it.¡± With Liu Kun¡¯s background andpared to Nie Zhenbang, Cao Zhuangzhi was nothing. Of course, Qian Jin knew whom to prioritize. If Nie Zhenbang was insulted, he would lose face too. Having heard Qian Jin¡¯s words, Cao Zhuangzhi¡¯s face immediately darkened, he promptly stood up and said, ¡°Qian Jin, you got balls. Well, I don¡¯t want to stick around anymore. I want to see what you¡¯ll do to me.¡± Speaking, Cao Zhuangzhi snorted coldly and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re quite good. Now I know who you are. You¡¯vee to the provincial capital for sponsorship, right? I¡¯m curious to see how much sponsorship you, Nie Zhenbang, can get. Remember my words, if you can take even a penny of capital from the provincial capital, then it means that I, Cao Zhuangzhi, am worthless. Let¡¯s see what happens in the end.¡± Nie Zhenbang was also furious at this moment. Looking at Cao Zhuangzhi, Nie Zhenbang sneered, ¡°So you¡¯re Cao Zhuangzhi. I¡¯m surprised, you¡¯re neither a party-government official, nor the secretary of the regional partymittee. What do you count for? Whether I seed in securing funding or not is my business. You¡¯re wee to try and stop me. I don¡¯t believe for a second that Xibei is your personal fiefdom.¡± PS: The third update iste. I¡¯m not feeling well, it¡¯s hard to write. Please vote, I need the encouragement (to be continued). If you like this work, please cast your rmendation vote or monthly ticket on . Your support is the best encouragement for me. Chapter 167 - 167 Really Stuck_1 Chapter 167: Really Stuck_1 Trantor:549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personality,paring this life to thest, has undergone a qualitative transformation. In his past life, Nie Zhenbang was bullied by others and too timid to fight back. But in this life? Nie Zhenbang¡¯s philosophy was: I won¡¯t provoke anyone unless I am provoked first, and if someone provokes me, I will retaliate. Right now, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care if you were some official¡¯s son. As soon as Nie Zhenbang said those words, Guo Chang and Luo Hao were gobsmacked. The children of Secretary Jiang didn¡¯t hold power in Xibei. It would be inappropriate to make judgements. However, in the Xibei Autonomous Region¡¯s various leadership circles, even the son of the Autonomous Region Chairman wasn¡¯t as powerful as Cao Zhuangzhi. It could be said that Cao Zhuangzhi was number one within the bureaucratic circles of the Autonomous Region. Even Qian Jin, before his father held the position of Party Secretary in the Autonomous Region, was no match for Cao Zhuangzhi. And yet, now, Cao Zhuangzhi had been cut down a notch by Nie Zhenbang. This caused everyone¡¯s astonishment. Cao Zhuangzhi was stunned as well. After a while, heughed out of sheer anger, looking at Nie Zhenbang, he said: ¡°Good, good. Very good. Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯ve be quite a character in Xibei. I am nothing. I can¡¯t stop any government actions. Although, some things¡­ we understand them perfectly. You can go ahead and try. We will still have plenty of opportunities to cooperate. Let¡¯s see if you¡¯re not going to leave Xibei any time soon. We can contact andmunicate then.¡± Watching Cao Zhuangzhi leave, Qian Jin did not attempt to stop him. Instead, he turned to Nie Zhenbang and said: ¡°Third Brother, I apologize. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen given my good intentions. Let¡¯s forget about him for now. Let¡¯s have dinner first. We can discuss everything elseter.¡± Unlike Guo Chang¡¯s smooth demeanour, Luo Hao was reserved. Just like before, Guo Chang had warmly shaken hands and made conversations, following the norms, but Cao Zhuangzhi may hold a grudge. Luo Hao chose to stay silent. This was characteristic of Luo Hao; to n first, then act. Now, upon seeing Qian Jin¡¯s condition, Luo Hao was confused. Given Qian Jin¡¯s position, even an ordinary leader of Bazhou City would have to give him a courteous reception. Qian Jin introduced him as his adopted third brother. But without interests involved, there was nothing to be afraid of. Even if Qian Jin led apany on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s turf, receiving legitimate management, there would be no cause for concern. Besides, Qian Jin¡¯s business partner, Liu Kun, was a big-shot from Jingcheng. On second thought, Luo Hao sensed a possibility¨C maybe Nie Zhenbang was also from Jingcheng. This conclusion startled Luo Hao. He wondered when these bigwigs from Jingcheng had started to take interest in the poverty-stricken west. However, Luo Hao was undeterred, he also stood up and said: ¡°Third Brother, let¡¯s go with the flow. Are there any insurmountable obstacles? Let¡¯s have a meal first. Regarding the funds, we will find a way together. My father mentioned this, this year the National Department of Transport is supposed to distribute funds. I¡¯ll ask my father about it when I go back. I can¡¯t promise much, but I will try to help you secure a few million.¡± A few million was a small sum for the Department of Transport, Luo Hao wanted to harvest benefits from both sides. On one hand, promising a few million to Nie Zhenbang could win his favour. On the other hand, a few million could be justified to Cao Zhuangzhi, especially considering Qian Jin¡¯s reputation. Meanwhile, Guo Chang pondered for a while and then said: ¡°Third Brother, since Haozi has pledged his support. I, too, would like to assure you of my support from the Department of Finance. However, as you know, my father is not the top official. There¡¯s limited help I can provide. But I will do my best to help you secure a couple hundred thousand.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed at this moment, bowing and saying: ¡°Thank you, my brothers. Let¡¯s forget about these troublesome matters for now. Let¡¯s eat, drink and enjoy. Everything else is unimportant.¡± The next morning, as work began, Qian Jin had already rushed to the hotel where Nie Zhenbang was staying. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Qian Jinughed and said: ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯ve already set up an appointment for you. A vice director from the Autonomous Region¡¯s nning Committee. Let¡¯s go quickly. Do you have all the necessary paperwork?¡± At this point, Qian Jin was already in a bind. Cao Zhuangzhi had dered war. Qian Jin had no choice but to fight for his honour. Given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background, Qian Jin naturally devoted his full attention. The office building of the Xibei Autonomous Region nning Committee. At this moment, Qian Jin led Nie Zhenbang into Vice Director Zheng¡¯s office. As the person in the nning Committee overseeing major projects around the entire region, Vice Director Zheng held significant power. As soon as he saw Qian Jin, Deputy Director Zheng also stood up and said with a smile, ¡°Little Jin is here. What¡¯s so urgent? As for your Farmer Welfare Company, do I still need to handle it? It¡¯s already a model base in the entire region.¡± At this moment, Qian Jin also said with a smile, ¡°Uncle Zheng, this time I¡¯m not here for my own business. You know the kind of person my father is. If he knew I was asking for funds in his name, he would exile me. This time, I¡¯m here to obtain funds for Li County.¡± With that, Qian Jin introduced to Deputy Director Zheng, ¡°Uncle Zheng, let me introduce to you, this is Nie Zhenbang, the Deputy Secretary of Li County Party Committee, and my third brother. This time, Li County is preparing to set up a development zone. Uncle Zheng, you should provide some support.¡± When he heard what Qian Jin said, Deputy Director Zheng, who had been quite rxed up until now, suddenly froze. After a moment of deep thought, he responded with a gentle smile, ¡°Director Nie, I¡¯ve heard about you. You¡¯re the youngrade that Secretary Jiang always praises. Not bad, not bad. Did you bring the nning proposal? Can I take a look?¡± At this time, with Deputy Director Zheng saying this, it was inappropriate for Qian Jin to keep staying in the office. He caught Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eye and left. Afterwards, Nie Zhenbang immediately took out the Li County Development Zone¡¯s nning proposal from his bag, respectfully gave it to him and exined, ¡°Director Zheng, this is the Li County¡¯s economic development zone nning proposal prepared by The Li County Committee and County Government. Please review it.¡± Truth be told, this n of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s could only be considered a personal n of his, since it hadn¡¯t been discussed by the Standing Committee of the Li County Party Committee yet. So, without their collective resolution, it couldn¡¯t be considered as Li County¡¯s n. But for the sake of the funds, Nie Zhenbang used it. He hadn¡¯t considered how Zhang Chubin¡¯s ideas might differ from his own when it came to the development zone n. Given their increasingly close cooperative rtionship, Nie Zhenbang never thought Zhang Chubin would flip flop. Deputy Director Zheng carefully looked through the nning proposal. Once he finished reviewing it, he expressed his admiration for Nie Zhenbang. It¡¯s no wonder that he had won the recognition of Jiang Zhenquan. Director Nie¡¯s abilities were indeed beyond doubt. The handwritten nning proposal was backed by data, with practical operational ns and measures as the backbone of the development zone, plus the predictions for the economic situation. It could be said that this n is a model for development zone nning. However, recalling the call he received from the director of the nning Committeest night, Deputy Director Zheng was somewhat troubled. After some thought, he returned the nning proposal to Nie Zhenbang and smiled, ¡°Director Nie, the nning proposal is very good indeed. But viewing it from the region¡¯s perspective, we should not rush to stimte the county-level economy. Ah, as a young man, you must be modest and cautious. Excessive firmness can easily lead to breakage.¡± Between the executive vice-chairman and the secretary of the Urumqi Party Committee, Deputy Director Zheng wisely chose the former. The contempt that Cao Yangming had for Nie Zhenbang, the younger county-grade official in Xibei, was well-known among the top Xibei politicians. But ensuing difficulty with a junior like this, Deputy Director Zheng felt it was a bit much. However, the situation was what it was, and all he could do was to apologize. Listening to Deputy Director Zheng¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang instantly understood. It seemed that Cao Zhuangzhi had already taken action. He didn¡¯t expect him to have already settled things with the nning Committee. As soon as he stepped out of the office, Qian Jin came up to him, ¡°Third Brother, how did it go? How much funding did they approve for you?¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Money lover, it seems that the little devil Cao Zhuangzhi was up and aboutst night. I reckon, we might really get stuck this time.¡± Just then, Qian Jin¡¯s phone rang. As soon as he answered it, Guo Chang¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Brother Jin, I¡¯m sorry. This morning I mentioned Third Brother¡¯s matter to my father. As soon as I uttered ¡°Li County¡±, he blew his top. It seems that Cao Zhuangzhi had his father making the inquiries yesterday. What should we do about this¡­?¡± Guo Chang felt a little embarrassed at this moment, but Qian Jin was not in the mood to worry about Guo Chang¡¯s state of mind. He hung up the call, and looking at Nie Zhenbang beside him, Qian Jin also apologetically said, ¡°Third Brother, it seems you were right. We¡¯ve really been blocked by Cao Zhuangzhi this time. Or, Third Brother, I could go to my father and get him to allocate some funds from Urumqi to you.¡± Nie Zhenbang sneered, waved his hand, and promptly rejected Qian Jin¡¯s gracious offer. Shifting funds from Urumqi definitely wouldn¡¯t work. If Li County were under the jurisdiction of Urumqi, it might be possible. But, Li County was not. What kind of maneuver would that be? Instead, Nie Zhenbang softlyughed, ¡°No need. Transferring funds from Urumqi is not quite right, and it would only bring more trouble for your father. You don¡¯t need to bother with this. I will think of a solution myself.¡± PS: After a whole day, ten monthly votes. The gap has quickly narrowed and the two geniuses behind are only a few dozen votes behind. During this time, with three more chapters, Old Cai couldn¡¯t bring myself to ask for more monthly votes. However, writing these three chapters is even more exhausting than writing four or five chapters in a day, it makes my brain feel heavy and my typing speed can¡¯t keep up. I hope my brothers and sisters can cast a monthly vote. It can also give us hope. Even if we fall out of the top three in a few days, it¡¯s okay. ( Chapter 168 - 168 Brother San’s Prestige_1 Chapter 168: Brother San¡¯s Prestige_1 Trantor:549690339 Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Qian Jin also felt somewhat embarrassed. Initially, he had called Cao Zhuangzhi over with good intentions, hoping that through the influence of Cao Yangming, and with Cao Zhuangzhi¡¯s intervention, the leaders of each department in the Autonomous Region would give them some face. However, Qian Jin had not anticipated that the father and son of the Cao family were in cahoots. Cao Yangming looked down on Nie Zhenbang and consequently, so did the young Cao Zhuangzhi. They didn¡¯t help at all but instead caused more harm. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Qian Jin lowered his head and said, ¡°Brother¡­¡± Before Qian Jin could continue speaking, Nie Zhenbang again waved his hand, smiling, ¡°Money-lover, when did you be so long-winded. This clearly isn¡¯t targeted at you. You just happened to be in the crossfire. That¡¯s enough. Don¡¯t concern yourself with this matter anymore. I¡¯ll take care of it myself.¡± After leaving the nning Commission of the Autonomous Region, Nie Zhenbang had no further ns to hustle. If things were this way with the nning Commission, and at the Finance Department, Guo Chang had a simr situation. If his estimations were correct, Luo Hao¡¯s calctions were also likely to fall through. Indeed, in less than half an hour, Qian Jin¡¯s phone rang again. As soon as he answered, Luo Hao¡¯s voice came over: ¡°Brother Jin, I have something urgent to tell you.¡± At this point, Qian Jin wasn¡¯t shocked anymore. He shared a nce with Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°It¡¯s about the funding, isn¡¯t it? Forget it, Rat, since they¡¯ve already got me involved, what more can we say? Should we get our fathers involved too? If that happens, wouldn¡¯t Xibei turn into a mess?¡± On this end, Nie Zhenbang gave it some thought, then said to Qian Jin, ¡°Alright, Money-lover, you can go home. I¡¯ll find other leaders and think of a solution. A living person can¡¯t die from holding their urine, right? If all else fails, I¡¯ll go find Secretary Jiang. He should give me some face.¡± Nie Zhenbang spoke casually, but Qian Jin frowned upon hearing this. This time, Cao Zhuangzhi had seriously offended Nie Zhenbang and himself. But given what Nie Zhenbang was saying, Qian Jin could only nod and said, ¡°Brother, be careful. Call me if there¡¯s anything.¡± After Qian Jin left, Nie Zhenbang checked into a hotel. At this moment, seeking help from Li Yifeng would be useless. Since the rumors were started by Cao Yangming, if Li Yifeng got involved now, it would make him seem petty, making a joke of himself in front of others. Moreover, it would disrupt the unity of the Xibei team. Fearful of Elder Nie¡¯s disapproval, he hypothesized that if Elder Nie knew, he would scold Li Yifeng after the act, as Elder Nie¡¯s initial instructions were very clear: to not interfere unless it was a matter of life and death. Apparently, the current situation was not life-threatening, so Li Yifeng would not interfere. Seeking help from Jiang Zhenquan, given his understanding and appreciation of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background, might just work. But then, Nie Zhenbang would lose face. Although it would be just once, from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s perspective, it was a show of support. But for Elder Nie, it would be a favor owed. Nie Zhenbang carefully considered all the possible routes he could take in Xibei. But as it stands, the path in Xibei seems increasingly difficult to tread, and now he could only go through his connections in Jingcheng. However, it was very unfortunate today, as he could not get through to Liu Kun and Li Wen¡¯s* phone calls. This made Nie Zhenbang quite frustrated. Was today his unlucky day? Why did every problem seem to befall on him? Nie Zhenbang then called Li Lixue. As soon as the call connected, Li Lixue¡¯s excited voice came through, ¡°Zhenbang, howe you have time to call today? Are youing back to Jingcheng?¡± From the side, Dong Wan¡¯s voice also came, ¡°Zhenbang, we, here, have arranged everything with Lixue. Dynasty*s side has also arranged reliable people to look after it. Lixue and I are probably going to go to Lixian in these few days. You just wait.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°It seems like you guys are ready to bring An Bang¡¯s supermarket over. In that case, you guys go to Urumqi first; I¡¯ll wait for you there since I¡¯m currently in Urumqi for some work. By the way, Wan, Did Liu Kun and Li Wen* stop by Dynasty today? I can¡¯t reach both of them.¡± In less than half an hour, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone rang again. As soon as he answered, Li Wen¡¯s* voice came through, ¡°Brother, do you need anything in particr, calling us so urgently?¡± Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t babble at this moment and directly got to the point, ¡°Wen*ge, my brother, today, I¡¯ve had my face shamed. Now, I can only rely on our brothers.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Wen* was taken aback. He then furiously eximed, ¡°Brother, who¡¯s this prick who dares to bully you? Just say the word, and we brothers will take care of it.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed at that moment and said, ¡°No need for that much trouble. Just get in touch with Kun and see which one of our brothers in our circle holds an important post in agencies like the National nning Commission, Finance Department, Transportation Department, Agriculture Department, or any other ministries. I need someone who can make decisions. This time, I came to the Xibei Autonomous Region for some funds but to my surprise, I was yed by a Vice-Chair¡¯s son. Now, every department in the entire Autonomous Region sees me as a pestilence, keeping my funds held up. Brother, I¡¯m leaving this matter to you.¡± After hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Wen*ge also began tough, and then said, ¡°Third Brother, is it just about this? Honestly, your old man behaves too low-profile. Look, now even the nobodies are stepping on your head, it¡¯s only because of your patience that you didn¡¯t explode. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll take care of this for you.¡± After hanging up the phone, Li Wen*ge purposely put on a gloomy face. Liu Kun and many others in Jingcheng¡¯s circles were stunned. Liu Kun chuckled, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? One phone call with Third Brother and you¡¯re like this. What happened?¡± Li Wen*ge spoke in a grave tone, ¡°s, we brothers are impotent. Third brother went to the province of Xibei for funding, unexpectedly he was snubbed by the son of a Deputy Chairman there. If word got out, our face in Jingcheng¡¯s circles would be gone. Guys, give me leave. I¡¯m off to my aunt¡¯s ce to try and get some funds from the Ministry of Construction. Let¡¯s allocate this funding specifically for Li County Government.¡± After Li Wen*ge¡¯s words, those who gathered under his banner were all close folks to Nie Zhenbang. They all sprang into action. In no time, leaders from various departments in Jingcheng, even some very high-ranking officials, received calls for help from their own sons or nephews, all with the same aim of helping Li County in Bazhou City, Xibei Autonomous Region to secure funding. The leaders were all wondering how everyone had suddenly built connections with the remote region of Xibei. A random check rified it all. Elder Nie¡¯s grandson was there. In an instant, various departments in Jingcheng transferred funds directly to the ounts of various bureaus in Xibei Autonomous Region. At this moment, in the residential area of the Xibei Autonomous Region¡¯s Transportation Bureau. The bureau-level building. This is the only high-end suite in the residentialpound of the Transportation Bureau. There are three bureau-level buildings in total, with four units each. As the head of the Transportation Bureau, Luo Yimin naturally lived in the bureau-level building. The moment he got home after work, he happened to see his son Luo Hao. Considering the peculiar events, Luo Yimin also asked: ¡°Hao Hao,e here. I have something to ask you.¡± Luo Hao was stunned. His father usually never interfered with his affairs. Today, what was going on? Luo Hao sat down, slightly bewildered, he asked: ¡°Dad, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Luo Yimin hesitated for a moment, then said, ¡°Do you know who this Nie Zhenbang from Li County really is?¡± Luo Hao was even more puzzled, ¡°Nie Zhenbang? I¡¯m not sure. Only heard Qian Jin mention him once. This man was acquainted with Qian Jin in Li County, and Qian Jin seems to respect Nie Zhenbang a lot, referring to him as ¡®Third Brother¡¯. Also, it appears that Secretary Jiang highly values Nie Zhenbang.¡± On hearing Luo Hao¡¯s response, Luo Yimin regretted a little, he immediately said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention such important matter earlier? Now it seems we can only make up for our oversight.¡± ¡°Dad, what exactly happened? What do you mean by making up for an oversight?¡± Luo Hao was even more confused now. At this moment, Luo Yimin spoke gravely, ¡°News hasn¡¯te down yet, it¡¯s just a recent message. Suddenly, within a day, several ministries including the National Development and Reform Commission, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transportation, and Ministry of Agriculture have transferred a sum of funds to us here. Our Transportation Bureau has received thirty million. But the use of this money is specified, it must be used for the infrastructure construction of Li County, as a special fund for special purposes. Moreover, I called Old Guo in the Finance Bureau, their situation is the same, although under different names. But all the funds, nearly one hundred and twenty million in total, are for special purposes. It¡¯s specified to be allocated to Li County. Our district and various cities are not allowed to withhold the funds under any excuse.¡± After speaking, Luo Yimin couldn¡¯t help but sigh, ¡°It looks like this time, Cao Yangming has hit a wall.¡± PS: Thanks to all brothers and sisters for every monthly vote of constion. It¡¯s a great medicine to Old Cai at the moment. Please rest assured, the owed chapters will definitely be made up. No backpedaling. Please continue to vote for us. The spiritual support andfort are very effective. Chapter 169 - 169 Secretary Jiang Summoned_1 Chapter 169: Secretary Jiang Summoned_1 Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, Luo Hao was filled with regret. Seeing the mncholic look on his father, Luo Hao decided to rify things, perhaps his father could still find a way to make up for it. After all, Luo Hao had begun to recognize the influence of Nie Zhenbang. At the same time, he started to resent Qian Jin, if Qian Jin had revealed earlier the deep background of Nie Zhenbang, would he still need to be concerned about Cao Zhuangzhi and Cao Yangming? Immediately, he looked at Luo Yimin and said, ¡°Dad, there¡¯s something I think I should tell you. A few days ago, Qian Jin and I had a meal with Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang also mentioned that he needed funding. I was nning to tell you initially, but then I heard from Guo Chang that Cao Yangming had sent out word so I didn¡¯t tell you.¡± Luo Yimin was taken aback and said, ¡°Hao, have you lost your mind? What kind of person do you think Qian Jin is? Do you think he can just casually call a county-level guy his third brother? If you had told me about this earlier, so what if we offend Cao Yangming? Even though he is the Executive Deputy Chair, he would still need an excuse to trouble me.¡± Having said that, all Luo Yimin could do was shrug and say, ¡°Well, since everything hase to this, there¡¯s no point discussing it further. In doing things in the future, keep an eye out more. You can slowly mend things with Qian Jin and Nie Zhenbang, don¡¯t rush now. This time is too sensitive and might give off an impression of opportunism.¡± For the sake of his son, Luo Yimin imparted this advice. In one day, more than ten ministries in the central government had poured funds into Lixian. This unusual situation quickly spread throughout the Xibei Autonomous Region. At this moment, Li Yifeng was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected Cao Yangming to have crossed paths with Nie Zhenbang, and even forced Nie Zhenbang to resort to seeking help from the ministries. It seemed that they were now enemies. Just as Li Yifeng was puzzled, Jiang Zhenquan was making a call to Cao Yangming from his office. Immediately after hearing about the ministries¡¯ involvement, Jiang Zhenquan also called Jingcheng. As a central alternate member, Jiang Zhenquan had a fairly strongwork within the central government. This kind of matter was no secret and would be clear upon investigation. However, the information returned from the ministries somewhat infuriated Jiang Zhenquan. He never expected that Nie Zhenbang, after being blocked by Cao Yangming, would turn to the ministries for funding. Not only did he receive the funds, but he also had the ministries stipte that the funding must be used exclusively for Lixian. In the aftermath, every ministry would have to verify this. Consequently, both the autonomous region and Bazhou below it were hesitant to use this funding. Cao Yangming¡¯s actions had effectively put Jiang Zhenquan at a disadvantage. Subsequently, Jiang Zhenquan picked up the phone and dialed a number. Once connected, Jiang Zhenquan started, ¡°Comrade Yangming, are you still busy? If you have time, could youe to my office? I¡¯d like to discuss some matters with you.¡± Cao Yangming was also upset at this moment. He had always had contempt for Nie Zhenbang. Ever since Nie Zhenbang had firste into the region¡¯s leadership¡¯s sight, and since the foundation of the Farmer Welfare Company, Cao Yangming thought Nie Zhenbang was just a show-off relying on small tricks. This was why Cao Yangming had decided to make things difficult for Nie Zhenbang. The Autonomous Region Government Office Building was only about fifty meters away from the Autonomous Region Party Committee Office Building. Soon, Cao Yangming showed up at Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s office. Jiang Zhenquan appeared weing. He personally got up to greet Cao Yangming into his office and gestured for him to sit on the sofa. Jiang Zhenquan then went to the thermos and asked, ¡°Old Cao, you¡¯re a rare visitor. Would you like tea or boiled water? I remember you¡¯ve always preferred to drink boiled water.¡± At this moment, Cao Yangming seemed a bit triumphant. The fact that the secretary of the Autonomous Region¡¯s Party Committee could remember such a small detail portrayed his stature. He didn¡¯t care about the uproar of ministry fund issue today. ording to Cao Yangming, he had acted righteously and properly and wasn¡¯t afraid of such things. Jiang Zhenquan started to reflect at this time. Cao Yangming was a bit stubborn and unyielding. Once he made up his mind about something, it would be hard to convince him otherwise. Moreover, he was protective of his own interests. Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t make sense why Cao Zhuangzhi was acting so recklessly in Xibei. Being a standingmittee member of the district also required some diplomacy in speaking. After handing the boiled water to Cao Yangming, Jiang Zhenquan sat down and said, ¡°Comrade Yangming, today, I received many calls from the leaders of several ministries. I feel enormous pressure. The state is strongly promoting economic development and reform. I think, it¡¯s time to change your outdated thinking.¡± Listening to Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s words, Cao Yangming was taken aback. He understood the implication. It was nothing more than taking the side of Nie Zhenbang. This filled him with more confusion. Could it be that Nie Zhenbang had some extraordinary background? However, at this point, having him ¨C a formidable Executive Deputy Chairman ¨C apologize to a junior was out of the question. Consequently, Cao Yangming stiffened his neck and said, ¡°Secretary Jiang, I know what you mean. However, I believe I haven¡¯t made a mistake. The whole region is short on funds, it¡¯s not fair if Lixian gets all the good things. If Nie Zhenbang has the ability and friends who can help him get funding from the ministries, that¡¯s his matter. I don¡¯t have money to give him. I myself am short on spare money.¡± Watching Cao Yangming¡¯s retreating figure, Jiang Zhenquan also let out a bitter smile. His words had fallen on deaf ears, yet he could not outright reveal Nie Zhenbang¡¯s real background. This was Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s dilemma. Given that Elder Nie chose to maintain a low profile, if he were to reveal Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background, he would be taking on a significant risk. Although Elder Nie had withdrawn from the scene, Jiang Zhenquan knew well that dealing with him would still be effortless. As for Cao Yangming, Jiang Zhenquan couldn¡¯t worry about him anymore. He had said everything he could. The rest was up to Cao Yangming¡¯s own fate. Immediately, Jiang Zhenquan picked up the phone again and dialed the number of Qian Yufeng, Secretary of the Urumqi Municipal Party Committee, ¡°Secretary Yufeng. Are you still busy? It¡¯s Jiang Zhenquan here.¡± Qian Yufeng was puzzled at that moment, wondering why he was receiving a call from Jiang Zhenquan. Was there a significant issue in the region? Right away, Qian Yufeng replied without hesitation, ¡°Secretary Jiang, hello. Do you have any instructions?¡± Jiang Zhenquan let out augh and said, ¡°Our Secretary Yufeng, you are way too cautious. I don¡¯t have any instructions per se. I just wanted to get in touch with a man, Comrade Nie Zhenbang of Lixian, who has good rtions with your son. Kindly pass on a message for me. I am in my office and I would like Nie Zhenbang toe see me.¡± Jiang Zhenquan calcted well that contacting Qian Yufeng to find Nie Zhenbang was the most sensible choice given he didn¡¯t have Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone number or whereabouts. Less than half an hour after Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s call, Nie Zhenbang had already rushed to the office building of the Regional Party Committee. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also taken aback, not expecting that this matter would stir up Jiang Zhenquan. Initially, Nie Zhenbang only wanted to prove a point. Specifically, since Cao Zhuangzhi asserted he couldn¡¯t raise a penny, he would make Cao see how he could raise money. Unexpectedly, such an act had led Jiang Zhenquan to personally summon him. Standing at the door of Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang took a deep breath. Then, he knocked on the door, using the pattern of one long and two short knocks¡ªa knocking etiquette that was considered the most polite. The door opened and Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s secretary, upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, also broke into a smile. It was their second meeting. Secretary Tang was deeply impressed by Nie Zhenbang, a young county-level official. After all, being summoned twice by the Provincial Party Secretary was no ordinary urrence. The secretary weed Nie Zhenbang into the room, saying, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re here, pleasee in. Secretary Jiang is waiting for you inside.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and took out a pack of special Panda cigarettes from his pocket and casually stuffed it into Secretary Tang¡¯s pocket, saying with a smile, ¡°Director Tang, thank you. I¡¯ll go in first.¡± As he entered Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s office, Jiang Zhenquan was sitting at his desk, engrossed in the documents on his table, seemingly unaware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival. At this moment, Jiang Zhenquan was doing this deliberately. Since Nie Zhenbang hade to Xibei, and Elder Nie had deliberately chosen to keep a low profile, why stir such a big fuss now? Wasn¡¯t he, Nie Zhenbang, disregarding the leaders of the Xibei Autonomous Region? By giving Nie Zhenbang a taste of cold-shoulder behavior, Jiang Zhenquan was tacitly issuing a warning. After all, Nie Zhenbang was just a county-level official, if he started disregarding leaders of provincial and ministerial levels, wouldn¡¯t he be turning the world upside down? At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also kind of understood Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s intention. Standing still, Nie Zhenbang had no problem at all. During his military service, standing for a few hours was amon urrence. Especially at this time, Jiang Zhenquan would not make him stand for so long. He stood straight, without any signs of dissatisfaction. About half an hourter, Jiang Zhenquan couldn¡¯t help but admire Nie Zhenbang¡¯s extraordinary temperament and demeanor, befitting a person from an eminent family. Jiang Zhenquan then set aside his work, smiling, he said, ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, here we meet again. This time, Nie, you have really made quite a stir.¡± Chapter 170: Return to Lixian (Urgently asking for monthly tickets)_1 Chapter 170: Return to Lixian (Urgently asking for monthly tickets)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang a bit hesitant. Having been made to wait for half an hour in Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang understood the implications. After all, for a county-level official to go against a deputy ministerial leader, it was quite insubordinate. When funding was not approved, he managed to secure arge sum from the central ministries, with many of the ministry leaders personally calling to inquire and specify that the money must be used exclusively for Li County¡¯s economic construction and development. Although there was no direct confrontation between Nie Zhenbang and Cao Yangming, everyone understood the implications. Minimalistically, it could be said Nie Zhenbang had no regard for leadership; more seriously, his actions were undisciplined, and he used his connections to exert pressure. As far as Jiang Zhenquan was concerned, no matter how impressive Nie Zhenbang was or how deep his connections, he was still a county official. If he continued to act independently, then how could the work of the Xibei Autonomous Region proceed smoothly? Might not Nie Zhenbang encroach upon the Party Committee with time? Thus, Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s actions carried a hint of warning. ¡°Secretary Jiang, you are misunderstanding me. This time, I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out this way. I was wrong, I ask for Secretary Jiang to criticize me. I made an error in judgment. I put the organization in a passive position. Please punish me,¡± Nie Zhenbang lowered his attitude and admitted his mistakes immediately. His words brought a smile to Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s face. Nie Zhenbang was indeed a slick one. He instantly portrayed himself as a sacrificialmb, apologizing and asking for punishment. At this moment, it was difficult for Jiang Zhenquan to continue his reproach. After all, the backing behind Nie Zhenbang was conspicuous, and it was hard to determine Elder Nie¡¯s attitude. And since Elder Nie had willingly sent Nie Zhenbang to the Xibei, Jiang Zhenquan believed that there would be someone to look after him. In the Autonomous Region, after much consideration, Li Yifeng seemed the most usible, considering Li Yifeng¡¯s past student-teacher rtionship with Elder Nie. With this in mind, Jiang Zhenquanughed and said, ¡°Alright, Comrade Nie, stop ying the victim in front of me. If I truly wanted to punish you, I wouldn¡¯t have summoned you. However, there are matters that you could easily solve through me or Comrade Yifeng. Don¡¯t keep escting things to the higher-ups. After all, you are part of the Xibei cadre now. You must consider the face of Xibei.¡± After a pause, Jiang Zhenquan continued, ¡°The rumour is, you needed funds for the development n of the zone. So, are you not nning on showing it to me?¡± Nie Zhenbang was already prepared for this and brought out the development n from his bag and presented it to Jiang Zhenquan, saying with augh, ¡°Secretary Jiang, weren¡¯t you just angry? I was scared and forgot about it.¡± Jiang Zhenquan felt like he was dealing with a younger generation when dealing with Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhen had a unique knack for dealing with people in the right manner. He never showed fear or nervousness in his presence and asionally dared to act rogue. This fact pleased Jiang Zhenquan as it was rare, even among the high-level bureaus of Xibei. It was difficult for him to be angry anymore, or perhaps he found himself enjoying the interaction. After getting hold of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n and giving it a cursory nce, Jiang Zhenquan nodded satisfied, ¡°Well written. Seems like you put in a lot of effort.¡± Around half an hourter, having read the n meticulously, Jiang Zhenquan felt a sense of admiration within. From an impartial perspective, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n was nearly wless. The novel ideas proposed by Nie Zhenbang reflected the spirit of the central government¡¯s push for sustainable development. In terms of the development zone and the attraction of investment, the n thoroughly considered the local resources and characteristics of Li County, without blindly pursuing high-tech industries or the effect of top-notchpanies. Today, since Urumqi established the first development zone in Xibei, many cities in the district proposed their development ns as well. However, those ns were all unrealistic, they all mentioned attracting high-techpanies or renowned firms. Given Xibei¡¯s transportation, investment, and industrial environment, expecting anypany to set up there was a joke. Conversely, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n to rely on Li County¡¯s agricultural resources, to introduce meat processing firms, leather producers, woolen mills, and eventually utilizing the local resources to introduce downstream manufacturers of leather goods and woolen products was much more pragmatic. Jiang Zhenquan nodded in satisfaction, putting down the documents and looking at Nie Zhenbang as he took off his sses to wipe them, saying, ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, your n is really good and pragmatic. You have taken into ount the capacity of Li County in the zone¡¯s total area. It is not mboyant, and there is no emphasis on face-saving. I approve of this. Why is it handwritten? Haven¡¯t you printed a formal document yet?¡± Upon hearing Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s inquiry, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat embarrassed and chuckled sheepishly, ¡°Secretary Jiang, this n hasn¡¯t been formally discussed by the Li County Party Committee. I hastily reported to Mayor Ding about the funding gap, and upon feeling the urgency, immediately came to the provincial capital.¡± Jiang Zhenquan alsoughed. He admired Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pressing desire to work for the people. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t discuss personal gain or power in the n, which satisfied Jiang Zhenquan. Nowadays, many local governments who establish development zones constantly seek favorable policies and power. But Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t. That¡¯s what it looks like to get down to business. Smiling, Jiang Zhenquan said, ¡°You can go back first. I¡¯ll call Secretary Liu Wenqing about the funding. I assure you that no one in the entire Xibei Autonomous Region can touch your funds. However, I must tell you in advance. I¡¯ll be closely watching the Li County Development Zone. If you do well in two years, I will personally inaugurate it and congratte you. If not, just pack up and go home. You should carry out the task well with so much support and advantages.¡± At this moment, Jiang Zhenquan realised that people like Nie Zhenbang needed some pressure. Giving benefits and applying pressure at the same time would create a miracle. Watching Nie Zhenbang leave, Jiang Zhenquan once again looked at the documents on his desk. He truly admired Nie Zhenbang¡¯s abilities. Such a person needed to be maximized. Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t stay in Xibei forever. Taking advantage while he was still there, squeezing more out of him would contribute more to Xibei. Then, Jiang Zhenquan dialed Liu Wenqing¡¯s number. At this moment, Liu Wenqing was in his office. In the morning, he had received a report from the city¡¯s Finance Bureau that a total of 120 million had been transferred into the ounts of Bazhou City Finance within a day. Attached was a note indicating its special purpose. This left Liu Wenqing perplexed. Could it be funds specifically for the Li County Development Zone? But wasn¡¯t the Li County Development Zone still only in the nning stage? Even the Li County Party Committee hadn¡¯t discussed it yet. Wasn¡¯t this too quick? Just then, the red telephone on his desk rang, bringing the stunned Liu Wenqing back to reality. There were three phones on Liu Wenqing¡¯s desk, red, white, and brown. The red one was the most important. Its number was usually used for upper-level contact. Seeing the red phone ring, Liu Wenqing immediately straightened up and answered, ¡°Hello, this is Liu Wenqing.¡± On the other end, Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s voice came: ¡°Comrade Wenqing, it¡¯s Jiang Zhenquan. Did I disturb you at this hour?¡± This sentence stunned Liu Wenqing. A call from the Party Secretary of the Autonomous Region, Jiang Zhenquan, even if he was busy, he would say he was free. Laughing, Liu Wenqing responded: ¡°Hello, Secretary Jiang. I was just wondering about a significant amount of funds received by Bazhou City Finance today, specially earmarked for Li County. This¡­ could it be a mistake?¡± Jiang Zhenquan erupted intoughter and answered, ¡°I knew you would be puzzled. It¡¯s not a mistake. The funds were directly transferred from the ministry. We didn¡¯t hold anything back at the district level. I am telling you this to ensure that you don¡¯t have thoughts of withholding. Send all the funds to Li County. After all, it¡¯s the money that Comrade Nie Zhenbang personally worked to secure for the development of the Li County Development Zone. Nie¡¯s nning proposal is very good. Focusing on Li County¡¯s local resources for sustainability ismendable and rare. Bazhou City should offer as much support and help as possible. If Li County does well, it will be a credit to Bazhou.¡± As Jiang Zhenquan and Liu Wenqing were talking, Nie Zhenbang, who had just stepped out of the gates of the Autonomous Region Party Committeepound, received calls from Li Lixue and Dong Wan. The two women had just arrived in Urumqi. PS: Brothers and sisters, it seems we can¡¯t hold the second position and the third is also at risk. Urgently need monthly tickets. Chapter 171 - 171 Night Tour of Lixian (Second Update) _1 Chapter 171: Night Tour of Lixian (Second Update) _1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Zhenbang, did you finish your business in Urumqi? What is this secret job you have, you won¡¯t tell us? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to say ¡®brothers are like hands and feet, women are like clothes¡¯, are you?¡± Dong Wan said with a stern face as soon as they met. It was only after they really got together that Nie Zhenbang discovered that Dong Wan was not as cold as she appeared on the surface. In fact, she was quite fiery. Li Lixue, who was standing next to her, cast him a slightly ming nce, saying, ¡°Third Brother, if you need money, do you really need to humbly beg others for it? This time, Wan and I have decided to stay permanently in Lixian. When the timees, I will fully fund the infrastructure construction needed by Lixian. All you need to do is divide a piece ofnd topensate me.¡± Listening to this, Nie Zhenbang felt even more of a headache. After just half a year apart, even Li Lixue had be so fierce. Li Lixue was rich, a true nation¡¯s rival in wealth. This, Nie Zhenbang knew. Just the money she earned from the Soviet Union was enough to make her stand atop the world. However, the distinction between public and private needed to be clear. Shortly thereafter, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Lixue, howe you¡¯ve also adopted Wan¡¯s personality? Can private and public matters be mixed? Besides, do you have any use for thisnd? Lixian doesn¡¯t need to develop real estate properties, right?¡± Li Lixueughed and said, ¡°Third Brother, it seems like you¡¯ve lost confidence in yourself. If you¡¯re going to develop an industrial park, it means you¡¯re confident in your ability to attract investment. If we have factories, we won¡¯tck personnel, and if we have people, I¡¯m not afraid of not being able to sell houses. I¡¯m serious about this, let¡¯s officially negotiate about it once the situation in Lixian is settled. You should know, I never make a loss in business.¡± Over here, the staff from the Xibei branch of Walmart had alreadye over with a sign. Seeing Li Lixue and Dong Wan, the man showed great respect and courtesy, saying, ¡°Excuse me, are you Miss Dong Wan and Miss Li Lixue from the headquarters in Jingcheng? I¡¯m the manager of the Xibei branch of Walmart. As per Mr. Yang¡¯s instructions, the car you require has already been prepared. It¡¯s just outside in parking area A. This is my phone number, please don¡¯t hesitate to reach out if you need anything. I¡¯ll excuse myself.¡± Seeing Li Lixue ept the key, Nie Zhenbang was startled. It seemed like these two were really here to open supermarkets, they¡¯d even made contact with Yang Anbang. The car was a brand new Land Rover Discovery, a model that was onlyunched in 1989 and still rtively rare in China. It was certainly suitable for use in Xibei. Led by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car, they didn¡¯t even stop in Urumqi, heading directly for Lixian. Finally, after 8 PM, they arrived in Lixian City. Compared to a few months ago, the nightlife in Lixian had gradually livened up. Under Chen Le¡¯s leadership, there had been a significant improvement in the overall public order of Lixian. Furthermore, the Farmer Welfare Company and Longhua Mining had started operations, adding richness to Lixian¡¯s nightlife. The car went directly to the Li County Hotel. After they booked two rooms, Dong Wan suddenly said, ¡°Zhenbang, let¡¯s go out and have a walk. Thest time we came, you went off to that nonsense foundationying ceremony for Liu Kun. You left usdies out in the cold with all those people. This time, apany Lixue and me. Let¡¯s take a good look at Lixian, let us see the city that our Zhenbang governs.¡± Compared to before, Li Lixue had changed a lot. Her burdens had lifted. Now that her younger brother was cared for back at home, Li Lixue had be much more cheerful. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s furrowed brow, she alsoughed and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, it is said that a government official who doesn¡¯t act for the people might as well go home and sell sweet potatoes. Wan, look, I have more experience than you. All of you pampered princes and princesses only look at the surface. We, themon people, look at the faces of the residents here, and we know what¡¯s what.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, feeling as though his status was increasingly diminishing. However, since he loved them both, he was willing to be amodating. ¡°So be it then, leaders. Please, lead the way,¡± he said in jest. Although there were more businesses that stayed opente at night on the streets of Lixian, it was still somewhat empty overall. Besides a few dance halls, most ces on the main street were rather quiet. Moreover, the county town was not that big. Half an hour was enough to walk a full circle around Lixian. Looking at a small stand nearby, it was something that had only appeared recently, a makeshift tent. They sold some characteristic grilled mutton from the northwest region. Seeing new customers approaching, the owner courteously weed them, ¡°Sir, are youing for ate-night snack? Please, take a seat.¡± The simplistic food stall was gaining poprity in the coastal areas of eastern China, but in Xibei, in Lixian, it was something new. The stand¡¯s business was doing quite well. Although Nie Zhenbang had appeared frequently on Lixian television and in newspapers, it was nighttime, and under the dim light, no one noticed him. The stall was doing fairly well, marked by simple tables that, although somewhat greasy, were neat. It was Dong Wan¡¯s first time dining at such a simple set up and she was somewhat excited. After sitting down, Dong Wan, took the lead and said, ¡°Boss, what are some of your featured dishes here?¡± Nowadays, with the development of Li County, there were more and more outsiders here. The owner didn¡¯t mind Dong Wan¡¯s Mandarin and immediately replied with a smile: ¡°Our special dishes include roastedmb, pf, and big-te chicken ¨C feel like having a bit of everything? Enjoymb soup?¡± The owner seemed to be very good at doing business ¨C from Nie Zhenbang and hispanions¡¯ attire, it wasn¡¯t hard to tell they weren¡¯tmon folk. The owner, chuckling, said: ¡°Ourmb soup has Angelica and Lycium added. It is a nourishing delicacy that can promote blood cirction ¨C perfect fordies.¡± Li Lixueughed at this point and waved her hand, ¡°Boss, stop blowing your trumpet. Let¡¯s have a little of everything as you suggested.¡± With Li Lixue¡¯s outstanding features and exquisite beauty, her typical Russian face would attract attention anywhere, andplemented with Dong Wan, an equally stunning woman who was sitting next to her, they became the center of attention. Inside the stall, a voice rang out, ¡°Boss, bill please. Don¡¯t lose your focus because of these beauties. Are these types of beauties really going to drink your nourishingmb soup?¡± Dong Wan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed at this, while Li Lixue justughed, ¡°Don¡¯t frown, sister Wan. Ignore these people and just enjoy your meal.¡± Having traveled all over the ce for so many years, Li Lixue was used to suchments. No matter where, some people seemed to feel ufortable without uttering a few yful words when they saw pretty women ¨C to the point of tant disregard. The angrier you are, the more gratified they are ¨C there is no winning. Dong Wan understood what Li Lixue meant and sat back down huffily, muttering under her breath: ¡°Hmph, Lixue, you¡¯re too tolerant! I would¡¯ve pped him if it were me.¡± At this time, the owner approached the men, reminding them the important principle of business: harmony brings wealth. Even if they were to tease him, the owner would just take it in stride because if he was petnt, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to do business. With a look at the things on the table, the owner immediately said: ¡°Big Brother Yang, it¡¯s forty-eight yuan and fifty cents in total. I¡¯ll give you a discount and make it forty-five yuan.¡± As soon as his words fell, the leading man referred to as Yang Ge said: ¡°Forty-five yuan, um, just add it to my tab, and I¡¯ll clear it with you at the end of the month.¡± The owner was taken aback at this moment. The two hundred and over fromst month was still unsettled, and this month, this was already the second time. In total, not counting the waived fees, it would have reached three to four hundred. As a small business owner, three to four hundred was not a small piece of change. Before the owner could say anything, his wife, not willing to tolerate the situation, stepped up and said with a smile: ¡°Big Brother Yang, look, you still owe over two hundred sixty fromst month, and another a hundred thirty this month, making it a total of four hundred. How about you settle today¡¯s bill, and we will clear the rest by the end of the month? We run a small business, the money we¡¯re using is borrowed from my mother¡¯s house. We really can¡¯t afford this.¡± As soon as her words fell, Yang Ge¡¯s face darkened, and another man beside him scolded: ¡°The fuck? What¡¯s your wife trying to say, Xiao Sheng? We can¡¯t afford to pay you back? Do you know what Yang Ge does for a living? Do you think the staff from the West City Police Station can¡¯t afford to pay you? You don¡¯t want to run your stall anymore, do you?¡± Nie Zhenbang and Dong Wan, who heard this, frowned. Nie Zhenbang was familiar with the West City Police Station. When Chen Le took office, she divided the original Chengguan Town Police Station into two: the Old Chengguan Town Police Station and the West City Police Station. This division was Chen Le¡¯s way of gradually gaining control of the power from the public security brigade. Who knew that the West City Police Station would stoop to this level? At this moment, Dong Wan couldn¡¯t suppress her anger anymore and coldly said: ¡°What police station or not, you guys are practically announcing that you dine and dash, isn¡¯t it just face-losing? You¡¯re even losing face for the Li County Party Committee.¡± PS: So touched, 154 votes for a single chapter. This is the powerful strength of you, my brothers and sisters. It seems that all Old Cai can do is keep typing. Update, typing again! That¡¯s it for this second update, and the third update ising up. Chapter 172: Chen Le’s Opportunity (Third Update)_1 Chapter 172: Chen Le¡¯s Opportunity (Third Update)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Dong Wan¡¯s words left Nie Zhenbang somewhat embarrassed. At that moment, the man who everyone respectfully called Brother Yang was looking straight at them, challenging. He then said with augh, ¡°Wow, Little Sheng, I didn¡¯t expect to find a romantic encounter at your dinner party. Such an exquisitedy. Hard toe by. She looks pleasing, but I wonder what her real intentions are.¡± The people nearby joined in with a mischievousugh, ¡°Brother Yang, you won¡¯t know what she truly is like until you get close to her. Bras these days are deceptive. So much padding, all creating an illusion.¡± This vulgarment enraged Dong Wan. She flung her chopsticks on the table with a bang, ring at Brother Yang and his cronies. ¡°You¡­ you¡­ You are such a bunch of thugs! You refuse to pay for your meals and have the audacity to spout such shameless and vulgar remarks. I don¡¯t know how people like you manage to get into the public security forces. I think it¡¯s necessary to suggest to Director Nie that there should be a thorough clean-up among the county officials.¡± Dong Wan¡¯s demeanor matched with her tone and voice at this moment represented a type of grace that couldn¡¯t be feigned. Brother Yang, although shrewd, was stunned. The two hooligans standing nearby, however, were irritated. Seeing Brother Yang¡¯s silence, they murmured to him, ¡°Brother Yang, you¡¯re not scared, are you? This woman, if she knows Director Nie, why is she still here? With the rapid development of Lixian, there are more outsiders now. This woman is probably just bluffing to keep us away.¡± Brother Yang hesitated for a moment, he found the hoodlums¡¯ reasoning usible. Brother Yang knew his circumstances well¡ªin reality, he wasn¡¯t an official police officer, merely a voluntary police assistant. Donning his uniform served mostly to intimidate the local residents and help him mooch off others. With this uniform, he had gained some face within Lixian. But in front of Director Nie or Director Chen, he would be only too grateful if they even remembered his face. There¡¯s no easy way to know either the director or Director Chen that well. And so Brother Yang responded with a smile, ¡°Little girl, you¡¯re just trying to cause a scene, aren¡¯t you? Announcing it to Director Nie. Our director is a busy man, no one of your caliber can reach him. Or are you trying to use your beauty to seduce our director? Oh, I did hear that our director is single. However, with your looks, you¡¯re stillcking.¡± Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t stand to listen any longer. The situation was escting and would only get worse if the conversation continued. Dong Wan was usually amiable but once offended, she could be tenacious. Given that the situation involved the Public Security Bureau, Chen Le could face serious consequences. Nie Zhenbang immediately stood up, his expression stern as he looked at the men, and said in a low voice, ¡°Which department are you from? West City Police Station? Didn¡¯t your Director Chen clearly state ten prohibitions for the officers of Lixian Public Security Bureau at the beginning of this month? Aren¡¯t you exploiting your office for personal gain? What kind of behavior is this? I think it¡¯s necessary to have a good talk with Director Chen.¡± The ten prohibitions of Lixian Public Security Bureau were setup by Chen Le ording to some suggestions from Nie Zhenbang. At that time, it was still ten years before the five prohibitions issued by the Ministry of Public Security. After Chen Le initially took control of Lixian Public Security Bureau, he was proven to be very capable and was highly regarded by Nie Zhenbang. Nie saw the potential in Chen¡¯spetence coupled with his age advantage, and nned to groom him as his own protege. If Chen Le could implement something simr to the five prohibitions issued by the Ministry of Public Security ahead of time in Lixian, it would greatly promote his official career. The ten prohibitions of Lixian, essentially, were derived from the five prohibitions of the Ministry of Public Security. The five prohibitions included: a strict ban on viting gun control regtions; carrying firearms while drinking; driving motor vehicles after drinking; drinking alcohol during work hours; and participation in gambling. Breaking any of these prohibitions would result in dismissal or expulsion. In addition to the above five prohibitions, Chen Le had added another five based on the practical situation in Lixian. The sixth was a ban on using positions for personal gain; the seventh was a ban on brutalw enforcement and misuse of private punishment during work; the eighth was a ban on extracting confessions by torture during trials; the ninth was a ban on using public vehicles for entertainment outside of work hours; and the tenth strictly implemented a recusal system in public affairs to prevent corruption. When these ten prohibitions came into effect, the officers of Lixian Public Security Bureau felt great pressure. However, they were smoothly implemented due to Chen Le¡¯s stern enforcement. The overall morale of the Public Security System in Lixian improved significantly due to them. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words stunned Brother Yang for a moment, the man in front of him gave off a very serious impression and had an air of natural authority. A person would not know about these ten prohibitions unless they were very familiar with Lixian. But at that moment, Brother Yang yed cooly and looking at Nie Zhenbang, he stepped forward and said, ¡°Who are you? Now, please, show your ID. I suspect that you are rted to the recent case of prostitution in Lixian.¡± Prostitution? On hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang was dumbfounded. Brother Yang was undeniably daring. Next to him, the usually good-tempered Li Lixue¡¯s face had fallen, and Dong Wan was as cold as frost, standing up to face Brother Yang, ¡°Good, good, very good. Never have I been so insulted in my life. You¡¯re the first. I¡¯ll see who dares to frame and nder me.¡± Then, Dong Wan turned and said, ¡°If I¡¯m not carrying my ID and you want to arrest me, then grab me. I want to see, with no evidence or grounds, under whichw you will arrest me.¡± Looking at the Brother Yang in the front, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Obviously, Chen Le¡¯s work was not aplished perfectly yet. After all, Zhao Kunlun had been operating in the political and legal field for decades, and more than fifty percent of the officials in the Lixian Public Security Bureau were probably promoted by Zhao Kunlun. Now, Zhao Kunlun was still the Secretary of Politics and Law Committee, which was a huge stone hanging over the head of Chen Le. As for Chen Le, it was a bit difficult for him to carry out his work freely. Chen Le¡¯s current performance could be considered quitepetent. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had an idea: to escte the situation using this opportunity and Brother Yang to provide Chen Le with an opportunity to reshuffle the Lixian Public Security Bureau. Then, Nie Zhenbang also stood up and said sternly, ¡°We will not go to the public security bureau. We have notmitted any crime. Your usation is entirely baseless nder. We absolutely refuse to ept it. Wan, Li Xue, let¡¯s go.¡± As Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, a thought shed across Brother Yang¡¯s mind. Even if they were friends, it was improbable to be intimate with two drastically different beauties at the same time. This man was fishy. Maybe he had struck gold unintentionally. His guess might be right. At this thought, Brother Yang saw the brilliant prospects of his future. By coincidence, he cracked a significant case and earned Chen Le¡¯s recognition. Consequently, he officially became a full-time police officer. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang and the others were checking out and preparing to leave, Brother Yang immediately stepped forward, put his hand on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder, and said sternly, ¡°Wait, you want to run before the investigation isplete?¡± Then, Brother Yang shouted at the people next to him, ¡°You guys, surround this guy. Take him all back to the station.¡± As for Brother Yang, Nie Zhenbang did consider him a bit. After all, it wouldn¡¯t look good if the news got out that a county chief had hit an auxiliary police officer, regardless of right or wrong. However, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t so polite to these thugs, who had now enforcement authority. Even included the auxiliary police officer. When the thugs approached, Nie Zhenbang rushed forward, his shoulder shook, a force surged, and simultaneously, his elbow hit one thug¡¯s waist. Instantly, he knocked the thug to the ground. Seeing this, Brother Yang was extremely delighted. Now, he was hoping Nie Zhenbang would hit someone so that he could make a move. He promptly asked, ¡°You, run to the West City Station and inform Director Zhao. Tell him that there¡¯s a police assault here, and ask for immediate backup.¡± Since Chen Le became the chief of the bureau, aside from the prohibition orders, he started a project of ¡°ten-minute police dispatch time¡± in Lixian. After that, the speed of police dispatch in Lixian improved significantly. Less than two minutester, police siren red outside the door, and several police officers in brand-new uniforms walked in solemnly. Their eyes scanned the room, and one of them asked Brother Yang, ¡°Yang Zehao, what is the situation?¡± Hearing the officer¡¯s words, Brother Yang quickly changed his arrogant attitude and bowed humbly, nodding and greeting the officers as he walked up and pointed at Nie Zhenbang and the others, ¡°Director Zhao, these two women and one man were behaving suspiciously while eating. I suspect they¡¯re up to something. So, I asked to check their ID, but they attempted to leave. I am convinced they¡¯re not good people.¡± Following the sound, Director Zhao looked at Nie Zhenbang and immediately stood up straight. Isn¡¯t this Director Nie? PS: Typing with full effort, updating with full force! The monthly ticket ount is still owed, and the SaoZhu Alliance is turning red again. My brothers and sisters, have nothing more to say. Just keep typing. Hold on until Old Cai can no longer endure. Please, my brothers and sisters with monthly tickets, vote for Old Cai. Old Cai¡¯s promise is to strive with all his might. Chapter 173: Helping Chen Le Dominate the Scene (Fourth Update)_1 Chapter 173: Helping Chen Le Dominate the Scene (Fourth Update)_1 Trantor:549690339 Director Zhao is also one of Chen Le¡¯s men, though he has recently allied with him. Right now, Chen Le is short of capable men and Director Zhao, being a personable man of adequate talent, he is quite suited for the role of department head even though his abilities aren¡¯t outstanding. Having met who he knew to be Chen Le¡¯s boss, Nie Zhenbang, Director Zhao was now breaking into a sweat. This Yang Zehao sure chose the wrong person to provoke, he had to pick Nie Zhenbang of all people. Thus, Director Zhao promptly went forth, joining his feet together and saluting him with a formal police salute. He said loudly: ¡°Greetings, Director Nie. Zhao Li from West City Police Station reporting! Awaiting your orders.¡± Upon hearing Director Zhao, the man next to him, Brother Yang, nched instantly then stuttered: ¡°Zha¡­ Zhao¡­ Director, this¡­ this man is the director?¡± Zhao Li now understood the situation, this Yang Zehao, despite his fondness for seeking petty advantages, and relying on his status, had certainly racked up some debts from many stalls around West City Police Station. Zhao Li had turned a blind eye to it, based on the principle that the problems weren¡¯t major. He had not expected that this would lead to offending Nie Zhenbang. Zhao Li had heard of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strong character. As the top boss of the political and legal circles, even the robust Secretary Zhao Kunlun, had ultimately made way and given up his director position. It was only because he joined under Director Nie that Director Chen is in his current position. If Director Chen were to find out about this, wouldn¡¯t he skin him alive? Nie Zhenbang had a gloomy expression. He said: ¡°Director Zhao, is this person from your station? Howe people areining about him owing debts everywhere? He doesn¡¯t even pay attention to the ten taboos of the County Public Security Bureau and so tantly epts bribes; people like him, I will suggest to Chen Le to take it seriously.¡± At the moment, Director Zhao nodded again and again, and then said: ¡°Yes, I will definitely follow the director¡¯s instructions, deal with it seriously, strictly follow the ten-taboo regtions of the Public Security Bureau, and deepen the political learning of all station police. For Yang Zehao who has openly vited the ten taboos, I will make it clear to you that we will definitely dismiss him.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. At this moment, he could not say much. Dismissal was already the greatest punishment. To continue looking into this would be to belittle Director Nie. Then, Nie Zhenbang said solemnly: ¡°Director Zhao, being dismissed isn¡¯t a solution, the lesson this time should remind your station to pay attention to the quality of the associated police officers and correctional staff. Don¡¯t wait for problems to ur before trying to fix them, this is irresponsible towards the people. Let¡¯s leave it at that for today.¡± After leaving the evening snack stall, Dong Wan and the others had lost their interest in continuing to stroll. After the three of them returned to the hotel, the atmosphere seemed a bit awkward. Without waiting for Nie Zhenbang to speak, Li Lixue smiled and said: ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯ll sleep over here tonight. You and Wan should enjoy your time together.¡± At this moment, Dong Wan¡¯s face turned a bit red. She lowered her head and nced at the flirtatious look on Li Lixue¡¯s face next to her, then turned her head and said: ¡°Humph, I don¡¯t want to spend time with him. If someone has to go, you go, Li Xue.¡± The rooms in the Lixian Hotel are somewhat simple inparison. There is no luxurious decor, and even the television is an old-fashioned color TV. The bathroom is also not as modern as those inter hotels. The kind of couple¡¯s room in ater hotel with an obscure transparent bathroom simply doesn¡¯t exist in this era. As soon as they entered the room, Li Lixue went into the bathroom. The sound of flowing water was enchanting to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s senses. After a while, Li Lixue came out in a very hazy semi-transparent nightdress. A pink gauze nightdress with a hollowed-out bra. ¡°Isn¡¯t it pretty? This is something that An Na sent us specially from Australia.¡± Li Lixue blushed a little. Her face was a bit rosy, and she whispered: ¡°Hmm, this dress, it¡¯s too embarrassing.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed: ¡°Such a beautiful dress, how could it be embarrassing? I think it¡¯s great.¡± They spent a passion-filled night together, which doesn¡¯t need mentioning. In the second half of the night, Nie Zhenbang secretly snuck out. Over to Dong Wan. Unlike Li Lixue, who was very outgoing, Dong Wan always maintained a certain restraint. However, in private, Dong Wan was just as wild. The next morning, Nie Zhenbang naturally opened his eyes ¨C this had be a routine for him. Looking at Dong Wan, curled up in his arm, he carefully withdrew his hand. He cautiously dressed himself. Seeing Dong Wan¡¯s smiling face, Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, impulsively kissed her before carefully opening the door and leaving the room. When he arrived at the office, Yi Jun was justing out from the inside. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yi Jun immediately said: ¡°Director, the police department just called. They told me to inform you that their work is not yet in ce.¡± Hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang suddenly said: ¡°Yi Jun, you go and arrange for Deputy Director Li to notify Chen Le. This morning, we will visit the police department and hold a onsite office meeting.¡± Nie Zhenbang had a sudden whim. With Chen Le¡¯s ability and methods, he would surely take advantage ofst night¡¯s incident. At this time, any action could bring more advantages than disadvantages for Chen Le. In the police department, after Zhao Kunlun¡¯s departure, he may still be the Party Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, but his superior has changed. This opening was Chen Le¡¯s opportunity. Half an hourter, the car was ready. It was an ordinary Santana. As soon as Nie Zhenbang came downstairs, Li Lin greeted him with a smile: ¡°Director, I think it¡¯s time for you to arrange a full-time driver. It will be more convenient for you.¡± Hearing Li Lin¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang nodded in agreement. When he first took over Lixian, his position was only deputy director and he had no constant entry, so he didn¡¯t choose a full-time driver. After that, Nie Zhenbang forgot this matter. At the moment, it seems necessary to arrange a full-time driver. Then, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said: ¡°Director Li, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll trouble you again to help me find a driver, just like you did with Yi Jun. He is doing a great job.¡± The car quickly entered the yard of the police department. At this moment, Chen Le and several deputy leaders of the police department had already waited there. Knowing that Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t like pomp, Chen Le didn¡¯t prepare a grand reception. As soon as Nie Zhenbang got out of the car, Chen Le walked up to him with an apologetic expression on his face. He sighed and said to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Director, I really feel sorry. The incidentst night was due to my negligence in work. Please criticize me.¡± ¡°Well, Director Chen, don¡¯t take everything on yourself. As the proverb goes, ¡®the dragon has nine offspring,¡¯ different people require different care. The police department has a big job, it¡¯s not possible for you to cover every part of it. That, I can understand.¡± Nie Zhenbang patted Chen Le¡¯s shoulder in a friendly manner. This time, Nie Zhenbang was here to back up Chen Le, so he had to show his attitude. Nie Zhenbang then nced at several other deputy directors. Among them, the newly-appointed deputy director Cai Weijun, who was promoted to deputy director by Chen Le once he took over. The director of the West City Police Station was Wei Qiang. The other few were all loyalists to Zhao Kunlun. Promptly, Nie Zhenbang changed his tone, saying: ¡°However, Director Chen, I think it is necessary to strengthen ideological and political work in the police department. If such an incident happens, it does have something to do with some in charge. The mindset of the police department needs to change. In this era of market economy, we value the survival of the fittest. Staying conservative is uneptable. Let¡¯s go to the meeting room.¡± As soon as they entered the meeting room, Chen Le immediately said: ¡°Director Nie, after the auxiliary police incident, our partymittee urgently convened a meeting. With the opinion proposed by Comrade Zhao Li, the partymittee of our bureau intended to decide to expel Comrade Yang Zehao. In addition, the director of West City Police Station, Comrade Zhao Li, and instructor Butler were given a warning within the party.¡± Chen Le paused for a moment as he nced at the other deputy leaders beside him, then continued: ¡°Moreover, the political and ideological work within the bureau is currently handled by Deputy Director Ma. My suggestion is to revoke the position of Deputy Director Ma as the acting deputy director, and to appoint Comrade Cai Weijun as the acting deputy director.¡± Chen Le and others had the authority to make these internal appointment adjustments of the police department. Moreover, with Nie Zhenbang present, this sent a clear signal. The other deputies also realized that Zhao Kunlun¡¯s era was over, and Chen Le¡¯s era had officially begun. Taking advantage of this opportunity, after Chen Le¡¯s adjustments, apart from Cai Weijun taking the position of acting deputy director in charge of public security and criminal investigation, the newly appointed Deputy Director Yao Di also made moderate adjustments in his division, taking traffic police and patrol police into his own hands. Chen Le himself was in charge of finance. All the key departments of the police department were in Chen Le¡¯s hands. At this time, even if Zhao Kunlun had any thoughts, he would be powerless. At this point, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, very satisfied: ¡°This on-site office meeting, I think, was very sessful. The partymittee of the police department is still quitebatant. Please take the lessons from this incident as a warning. I believe everyone has the ideological consciousness.¡± After leaving the police department and just returning to the county government office, the head of the countymittee office, Qu Feng, walked in with a smile on his face. He said to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Director Nie, Secretary Zhang specifically asked me to notify you. Tomorrow we¡¯re holding a Secretary Office Meeting to discuss the issue of the Development Zone.¡± PS: 194 votes. Brothers and sisters, you¡¯ve made a miracle, today is the highest increase in votes for Old Cai in a single day. Thank you, brothers and sisters, for such great encouragement and support while I¡¯m sick. Nothing to say. Writing, continue writing. The fourth update is on the way. Continue writing. (To be continued. If you like this work, wee to vote for it at . Your support is my greatest motivator.) Chapter 174 - 174 Nie Zhenbang is Very Dominant (First Update of the Month, Seeking Monthly Pass)_1 Chapter 174: Nie Zhenbang is Very Dominant (First Update of the Month, Seeking Monthly Pass)_1 Trantor:549690339 A Secretary¡¯s office meeting? Nie Zhenbang nodded, then also chuckled, ¡°Director Qu, you see, a phone call to inform would have sufficed. Making youe in person, I really feel apologetic.¡± Qu Feng is actually quite a good man. He had been the Deputy Director of the County Committee Office during Mo Zhihai¡¯s era. After Mo Zhihai¡¯s fall from power, through a fortunate turn of events, Qu had incidentally advanced one step. It¡¯s not like he is truly Zhang Chubin¡¯s confidant though. Qu Feng alsoughed at this moment, ¡°Director Nie, saying it this way feels like you¡¯re distancing yourself. As the Director of the County Committee, serving all the leaders is part of my duties. You carry on, I should get going, I have some matters to attend. Please do not forget, tomorrow morning at nine, in the small meeting room of the countymittee.¡± At this moment, Yi Jun had already taken out his notebook. He picked up his pen and swiftly wrote a line, tomorrow morning at nine, small meeting room of the countymittee, convene the Secretary¡¯s office meeting. There is a saying, the palest ink is better than the best memory. As a secretary, it is essential to remember everything. Leaders have their own matters. It¡¯s not possible for them to worry about these things. Otherwise, there would be no use for a secretary. Right now, after Qu Feng left, Nie Zhenbang fell into deep thought. It seems, the Secretary¡¯s office meeting is the precursor to the Standing Committee meeting. This time, the Secretary¡¯s office meeting is the precursor to the County Committee leadership¡¯s unified mindset. Such a significant matter as the Development Zone must first be discussed in the Secretary¡¯s office meeting before it can be presented to the Standing Committee meeting for discussion. This is a routine procedural requirement. Otherwise, if the Development Zone matter fails to pass in the Standing Committee meeting, it would be a loss of face for both Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang. The next morning as soon as work started, Yi Jun brought a cup of tea into the office. He first ced the cup on the desk, then reminded Nie, ¡°Director, today at nine, in the small meeting room of the countymittee, we are convening the Secretary¡¯s office meeting, what do you think?¡± Nie Zhenbang also nodded at this moment. Immediately, he stood up and said, ¡°Oh, I totally forgot. Last night, I adjusted and improved the n for the Development Zone once again. It¡¯s almost done now, let¡¯s head over.¡± Nie Zhenbang walked into the small meeting room with his cup of tea. At this moment, full-time deputy secretary of the countymittee, Xie Yi, Discipline Committee Secretary Sun Kewen, and Political and Legal Committee Secretary Zhao Kunlun were all already seated. They were softly discussing something. Seeing Nie Zhenbanging over, both Xie Yi and Sun Kewen had already stood up. Xie Yi was nodding and smiling, ¡°Director Nie has arrived. Please, go ahead and sit.¡± At this moment, Zhao Kunlun¡¯splexion changed, his originally smiling face, immediately turned expressionless, he snorted coldly and turned away. Seeing Zhao Kunlun¡¯s current state, Nie Zhenbang startedughing. The behavior disyed by Zhao was really quite embarrassing. A high-ranking Political and Legal Committee Secretary behaving like a disgruntled child, such immature behavior. It looks like, he had overestimated him. Then, Nie Zhenbang chuckled, ¡°Secretary Zhao, who has upset you? You seem to be in low spirits.¡± Zhao Kunlun¡¯s expression was quite awkward. He twitched a little, then also sneered, ¡°What does Director Nie mean by this? I¡¯m not upset. Nowadays, the public security environment in Li County is excellent, and the various tasks of the Political and Legalmittee are doing exceptionally well. As the Political and Legal Committee Secretary, I¡¯m quite satisfied. Why wouldn¡¯t I be happy?¡± At that moment, Zhang Chubin walked in with a smile on his face. In his hand, he was carrying a bunch of documents. The session of good news recently made Zhang Chubin quite happy. The Development Zone n has been put on the agenda, where Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tremendous energy managed to secure a huge amount of funding from the upper levels. Now, many of his old friends were continuously giving him calls, these people, all seasoned veterans of the officialdom. At this moment, they all saw the potential for development in Li County. Having such achievements in hand, stepping from a regr title to a deputy division is no longer an issue for Zhang Chubin. After Zhang Chubin sat down, he looked at his watch, then chuckled, ¡°Everyone¡¯s here, so let¡¯s not worry about formalities, we don¡¯t have to wait until nine. Let¡¯s start now. The main topic for this Secretary¡¯s office meeting, there¡¯s only one, that is to discuss the establishment of the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone.¡± Having said this, Zhang Chubin immediately distributed the already printed documents to everyone, ¡°Colleagues, have a look. These are the application documents and initial nning I¡¯vepiled for the establishment of the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone. Please share any opinions or ideas you may have. Prioritizing democracy is after all the tradition of our party.¡± Zhang Chubin appeared rxed, his face carrying a kind of gentle and elegant smile. However, deep down, Zhang Chubin was a bit uneasy. The development zone¡¯s n to say is something that Nie Zhenbang took very seriously. The original n and nning proposal were also put forward by Nie Zhenbang. Now, he haspletely overturned it, which can be regarded as Zhang Chubin¡¯s form of testing. Since Xue Daming mentioned it to me, the idea in Zhang Chubin¡¯s heart had been unstoppable. In hismunication with Liu Wenqing, Secretary Liu did not show a hard stance. Therefore, Zhang Chubin wanted to take this opportunity to test Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude. If there is great opposition, Zhang Chubin naturally has to find a way out. Looking at the n on the table, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows had already been wrinkled. It seemed that Zhang Chubin¡¯s mentality had also changed. In truth, Nie Zhenbang really hadn¡¯t thought about these power struggles and profit-seeking games. From Nie Zhenbang¡¯s perspective, there isn¡¯t much room topete at the county level. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s idea was simple. Just do the job well, let themon people in Li County benefit, and that¡¯s enough. As for the political achievements, maybe Zhang Chubin and others need it, Xie Yi, and others need it, but do I need it? Certainly not. For Nie Zhenbang, there were higher-level people watching him from above, like Elder Yang, and the old man. Whether he did well or not, the old man knew. That¡¯s enough. This is the basis for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s promotion. However, at this moment, Zhang Chubin¡¯s approach left Nie Zhenbang somewhat dissatisfied. If you want it, you can tell me frankly, but why are you ying this shady game? Isn¡¯t this openly taking advantage of me? Immediately, he opened the file. From the first sentence, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed. It seemed like an unnned person wouldn¡¯t know how expensive firewood and rice are. Li County¡¯snd is not Hucheng City¡¯s, it¡¯s not worth a pound of gold. When did we start running out ofnd and scoop out arge piece? Now, with the shortage of funds, and the work of attracting investment has not beenid out, can you be so ambitious about this? Looking further down, Zhang Chubin even listed a string of detailed data, and even shamelessly vowed to introduce no less than twenty high-tech enterprises within two years. This sentence left Nie Zhenbang utterly speechless. Continuing to read, the entire text was basically some vague and empty data, almost all inferred. The only valuable part was the policy on attracting investment in the development zone, three exemptions and two halves, which waspletely copied from his own thoughts. Nie Zhenbang really didn¡¯t know how toment. At that moment, Zhang Chubin was also observing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t change much and his face was very calm, Zhang Chubin also gave a slight smile. At that moment, Zhang Chubin was very satisfied with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance, realizing advance and retreat is good, isn¡¯t it? Immediately, Zhang Chubin alsoughed and said, ¡°Comrades, anyments? This n of the development zone, I have also specifically requested and reported to Secretary Liu of the Municipal Party Committee. Now, in the county¡¯s finance, we have also received the support of the province, I see. We can set a tone in advance at our Secretary¡¯s office meeting, and first unite the thoughts of our Li County team.¡± As soon as his voice fell, Zhao Kunlun said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, this n is very good. This time, although I didn¡¯t go to Yangwu County, I have heard about what you guys have investigated. Since others are so enthusiastic about it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible for us here. I have no objection, Ipletely agree. Here, I also speak on behalf of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the entire county¡¯s public security political and legal front-line will definitely fully support Li County¡¯s economic construction and development.¡± Zhao Kunlun is now determined. Since he and Nie Zhenbang are now on opposing sides, then Zhao Kunlun must keep up with Zhang Chubin, otherwise, his own position might be in jeopardy. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang picked up his teacup. After taking a sip, Nie Zhenbang deliberately said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, I happen to have a differing opinion.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words made Zhang Chubin startled. However, Nie Zhenbang did not care about these, he solemnly said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, a few questions. One, is the area of the development zone toorge? With just six square kilometers, the cost of dismantling and relocating and constructing basic facilities, I initially estimated, would cost at least several billions. In terms of phased investment, it would take at least a few years toplete initially. Can our economy sustain such arge area? Second, in terms of attracting investment, I feel that the concept of sustainable development must be seen. The environment of Xibei is already harsh, now introducing high-polluting enterprises is irresponsible to future generations. Third, in terms of enterprise choice, high-tech enterprises do not have an advantage in Xibei. I feel that this is worth considering. Only by relying on the resource advantages of Li County itself can the introduction proceed smoothly. I have a different opinion on this proposal. Comrades, I also have a proposal here. Mayor Aiguo from the city and Secretary Jiang from the district partymittee have also taken a look, they feel it¡¯s quite good. Please take a look.¡± Nie Zhenbang then brought out his own development zone proposal and distributed it to Xie Yi and others, then he sat back down again. At this time, Zhang Chubin¡¯s face also became a bit ugly. Nie Zhenbang this time, was just too overbearing, not giving him any face at all. PS: Getting up at half past eight, washing up, immediately opening theputer to write. First, post most of what was written yesterday. Today, get back to writing with full effort. Asking my brothers and sisters for a monthly pass to support. Chapter 175 - 175 Money is Frozen (Second Request for Monthly Pass)_1 Chapter 175: Money is Frozen (Second Request for Monthly Pass)_1 Trantor:549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone was quite moderate, neither rushed nor slow, and his voice was not loud. However, his words gave the impression of earth-shaking. Director Nie really did not give face to the County Party Secretary Zhang Chu Bin. The development zone nning proposal. The two main aspects, the development zone¡¯s area and the future investment attraction strategy ¨C Nie Zhenbang thoroughly criticized both, finding no merit in them. However, harsh as his words were, they were indeed reasonable. Even Zhao Kunlun, who didn¡¯t have a good impression of Nie Zhenbang, had to admit that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nning proposal was indeed much more reasonable. Zhang Chu Bin¡¯s n indeed seemed somewhat overly ambitious and had not taken into consideration Lixian¡¯s economic bearing capacity. As for high-tech enterprises, Zhao Kunlun may not understand, but he did know that he couldn¡¯t find any reasons for high-tech enterprises to settle in Lixian. That being said, it would take the sun rising from the west for Zhao Kunlun to support Nie Zhenbang. Zhao Kunlun then began to ponder and spoke up, ¡°I find Director Nie¡¯s argument somewhat inappropriate. The Development Zone is the first Economic and Technological Development Zone at the county level in Xibei, excluding Urumqi. Arger area seems like a full consideration of Secretary Zhang for future needs. The initialnd acquisition and demolition costs won¡¯t be much higher than those for six square kilometers. However, if the area is expanded over time, the cost of the surroundingnd will inevitably rise, possibly making the total cost muchrger. It¡¯s better to n it all at once.¡± Zhao Kunlun¡¯s words were very pleasing to Zhang Chu Bin. Shortly thereafter, Zhao Kunlun continued to speak, ¡°Additionally, we can also consider investing in basic infrastructure in batches and developing it in stages. Wouldn¡¯t this solve the problem? As for high-tech enterprises, I think it¡¯s not impossible. Since it¡¯s a designated Economic and Technological Development Zone, we must maintain its image. If itcks even some high-tech enterprises, wouldn¡¯t it be ¡®all show and no substance?¡¯ As for environmental protection, I disagree, The state is currently emphasizing that everything should center around economic construction, and everything should make way for development, for economic progress. There are lots of highly polluting enterprises, like mining and papermaking. There are still so many such enterprises across the whole country, why can¡¯t we have them in Lixian? With such picky choices, how could we develop the economy? Why bother with the Development Zone?¡± Nie Zhenbang, for the time being, could only express his opinions and hope that the central leaders in Jingcheng during the New Year would pay attention to his speech. For himself, Nie Zhenbang will definitely strictly implement it. At this moment, Sun Kewen also nodded. He approved of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n with its detailed and data-driven development blueprint that was highly feasible. However, it seemed somewhat narrow-minded, rtively speaking. Sun Kewen also found Zhang Chubin¡¯s n, although a bit nebulous, to be in line with Lixian¡¯s development trends. If they¡¯re going to develop it, then they should go big and make a ssh. Then, Sun Kewen thought for a moment and said: ¡°I believe both ns have their merits. I think we could consider apromise where the proposed area of the development zone is set at twenty square kilometers with an initial development area of six square kilometers. As for inviting corporations, we could each try our best. The practice in Yangwu County is good. Each county official has their own quota, with the effort to invite investment being included in performance assessments. In this way, while putting pressure on all county officials, it would also better promote the development of Lixian.¡± Zhang Chu Bin was pleased that two attendees of the secretary¡¯s office meeting had already agreed with him, ensuring his sess. As for Nie Zhenbang and Xie Yi, it did not matter whether they agreed or not. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang firmly said, ¡°Regarding this suggestion, I still stick to my own view and reserve my opinion on Secretary Zhang¡¯s n.¡± Xie Yi and Nie Zhenbang exchanged nces at this point. Regardless of whether Xie Yi agreed or disagreed, it did not seem to matter much anymore. Xie Yi then said with a smile, ¡°The old man has his reasons, as does the old woman. I think both ns are very good. Since I¡¯ve just been appointed to Lixian and am still familiarizing myself with the situation, I will not participate in this discussion. My responsibility revolves around party group awareness and organizational work. As for economic construction, I¡¯m not participating. I abstain.¡± Hearing Xie Yi say this, Zhang Chu Bin also started tough, and then said casually, ¡°In that case, I think we should get to voting.¡± The result of the voting was very clear: three to one, Nie Zhenbang lost decisively. Zhang Chu Bin¡¯s n was approved at the secretary¡¯s office meeting. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n was also incorporated into the new n. Once the new n is officially adopted and approved at the Standing Committee meeting in a few days, it will be reported to the Bazhou Municipal Committee. Three dayster, the Lixian Standing Committee held a regr meeting. At the meeting, Zhang Chu Bin was very active. As soon as the Development Zone n was proposed, it was immediately passed unanimously. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t do anything about it. This was apromise born out of helplessness. His n had been thoroughly altered. And with matters already decided in the secretary¡¯s office, if he continued to oppose them, it would be equivalent to opposing the Development Zone n, contradicting his very own philosophy. Opposing the Development Zone n would make him look like someone driven by personal gain. Seeing that the n had passed unanimously, Zhang Chubin appeared very pleased right now. Immediately after, he smiled and said, ¡°It seems that developing the Economic and Technological Development Zone is what the people want. Since we¡¯ve decided on it, everyone needs to take action. The propaganda department should do good ideological work, and thend and nning and construction departments should also start preparing steering groups. ording to the development n for the Development Zone, they should start preliminary demarcation and nning preparations. The Land Department needs to take action, work with the relevant towns and viges, and start researching and nning on issues such as the demolition andpensation of vigers¡¯ homes, whether to resettle people locally or elsewhere. We also need a detailed charter. The demolition of residences in an area of twenty square kilometers is a big project, and also aplex issue. For this work, I would like Director Nie and the various departments in the county to implement it together. The Politics and Law, Discipline Inspection, and Fire Department must all do their coordinated security work well. The development zone is the most important issue for Lixian. We must ensure it proceeds smoothly from start to finish.¡± At this moment, on the side of the county government office building, Nie Zhenbang appeared somewhat gloomy. Zhang Chubin¡¯s n was simply too crazy. A total area of twenty square kilometers for the Development Zone, for a county-level Development Zone, could be eptable. But to expropriate and demolish everything all at once ¨C no one has ever done that. Initially, six square kilometers, in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, was a good decision. If half thend area could be developed within five years, Nie Zhenbang would be quite satisfied. The Development Zone can¡¯t exist just for existence¡¯s sake. The project of attracting investment is a long process. Even if contracts are signed, there¡¯s a difference between the contracted investment capital and the actual investment capital, right? Now, Zhang Chubin and his people are mesmerized by the thriving momentum of Yangwu County. Can Xibeipare with such a developed province as Jiangbei Province? It¡¯s not the same concept at all. At this moment, in the county government conference room, Nie Zhenbang sat in the main seat in the middle, beside him were the executive deputy county magistrate Bekri and deputy county magistrate Bayaer, Deputy County Magistrate and Director of the Government Office Li Lin, as well as the heads of various departments such as the Finance Bureau¡¯s Lin Weimin, Public Security Bureau¡¯s Chen Le, Construction Bureau¡¯s Xiong Jianming, Transportation Bureau¡¯s Wei Chenglin, and Industrial and Commercial, Taxation, nning, Environmental Protection, etc. After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang gently said, ¡°Regarding the Development Zone, my overall attitude is supportive. However, I feel that we shouldn¡¯t be too hasty about expropriatingnds all at once. We should develop and expropriate simultaneously, which is the routine practice nationwide. This would manage the use of funds reasonably and ensure the sustainable development of the Development Zone without the risk of running out of funds halfway through. Director Wei, the Transportation Bureau could consider extending a new avenue from the main trunk road of Lixian, expanding and hardening the existing Kulixian National Road. Also, the Finance Bureau must strictly monitor the use of funds, no one can touch these funds without my approval.¡± Right now, Zhang Chubin is ambitious. Nie Zhenbang understands that under this situation, the only thing to do is to control the funds, to keep the funds in his own hands, not to spend them recklessly. This is what Nie Zhenbang is considering at the moment. If the funds are avable, the entire scheme still has potential for development, regardless of its area. As for what enterprises to introduce, that¡¯s no longer Zhang Chubin¡¯s decision to make. Lin Weimin nodded at this moment. In Lin Weimin¡¯s mind, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words aremands. When he says not to move, it means not to move. Not even Liu Wenqing could change that, let alone Zhang Chubin. On this side, as soon as the funding from the Finance department was tightened, Zhang Chubin felt it. Xue Daming even hurriedly ran to Zhang Chubin¡¯s office and urgently said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, something big has happened. Over at the county government, Nie Zhenbang has frozen the development funds. Without his approval, no one can get the funds. This Nie Zhenbang is too audacious.¡± As soon as he heard this, Zhang Chubin¡¯s face darkened and he immediately stood up, ¡°Daming, make arrangements, prepare the car, I need to go to the city.¡± PS: Damn, I¡¯m incredibly annoyed. Yesterday there was such an explosive growth in monthly votes, and today someone has jumped out using me of vote-rigging. Damn it, I¡¯ve been minding my own business and they treat me like a pushover. I swear, from the moment this book was listed to when it ends, other than my own ount voting thrice, if I rigged any monthly votes, I¡¯d rather die! Is it right to insult someone like this? Fellow brothers and sisters, I implore you, cast me a monthly vote. Boost the monthly votes, only a continuous explosion of monthly votes will be our strongest counterattack. ( Chapter 176: Stability of the Team is Important (Third update, seeking monthly ticket support)_1 Chapter 176: Stability of the Team is Important (Third update, seeking monthly ticket support)_1 Trantor:549690339 This is too presumptuous, too arrogant. It is downrightwless. His audacity is too much. These are all the descriptors that Zhang Chubin could think of at the moment. The county government¡¯s finance funds were frozen by Nie Zhenbang. Of course, this was only a privately acknowledged statement. Zhang Chubin believed that Nie Zhenbang would not be so stupid as to do such a thing. The freezing was likely metaphorical ¨C Nie Zhenbang undoubtedly had various measures to prevaricate and avoid responsibility. Even if there was a written instruction from Nie Zhenbang himself, if Nie Zhenbang did not wish to pay, the finance department would understand at a nce. There were too many usible reasons to avoid responsibility. Zhang Chubin was well aware of these possibilities. In fact, Zhang Chubin himself had done such a thing before. Causing a fuss on the matter would not only turn out to be meaningless, but also serve to damage his own authority. Zhang Chubin did not even consider discussing the issue with Nie Zhenbang and could now only directly go to the city and apply pressure on Nie Zhenbang through the city administration. This would force the establishment of special ounts for the development zone, allowing Zhang Chubin to have control over the funds. If sessful, Zhang Chubin would then have control over the appointment of the secretary of the development zone¡¯s workingmittee. Currently, the entire Li County was simr to arge construction project. Upon stepping outside the Li County urban area, the road leading to Bazhou city area, was undergoing expansions and improvements on one side. This area was meant to be the site of the new development zone in Li County. At the same time, all the government departments such as the Li County Party Committee would be choosing locations in the development area in order to stimte the development of the new district. It was around 3 PM when Zhang Chubin¡¯s car finally arrived at the Bazhou Municipal Committee. At this point, Zhang Chubin¡¯s mood had considerably stabilized after the bumpy journey. Formicallyining to Liu Wenqing that Nie Zhenbang had frozen the funding would not bode well. Regardless of whether Nie Zhenbang was being overbearing or not, at the very least, it would put Zhang Chubin in a weak position against Liu Wenqing. A dignified county party secretary unable to resolve issues in his jurisdiction and choosing toin to superiors? What kind of precedent would that set? If the leader was expected to resolve all issues, then the leader might as well take the position of the county party secretary himself, rendering the secretary redundancy. Mulling over the issue, Zhang Chubin then turned to his secretary, and said: ¡°Secretary Liu, we need to head back to Li County tonight. You and Horse take care of refueling the car and check it.¡± Zhang Chubin was rather discontent with the vehicles from the Li County Party Committee. Now, Li County did indeed have money. However, the funds were in the hands of Nie Zhenbang, which left Zhang Chubin feeling quite ufortable. Upon reaching the office of Liu Wenqing, Zhang Chubin knocked on the door and entered directly. As a close subordinate of Liu Wenqing, he had this privilege. Upon hearing the knocking sound, Liu Wenqing¡¯s secretary, Feng Dayong, immediately stood up and upon recognizing Zhang Chubin, greeted him, ¡°Secretary Zhang is here.¡± Zhang Chubin also responded with a pleasant smile, ¡°Secretary Feng, are you busy? Is the leader avable at the moment?¡± Upon hearing this, Feng Dayong broke into a smile. The two had a longstanding rtionship and there was no need for formalities. Feng Dayong then peeked through the slightly opened door and said: ¡°Secretary Zhang, please go in. The leader is in a good mood today, whatever it is will almost certainly be granted.¡± This was the advantage of maintaining a good rtionship with the secretary ¨C always being aware of the leader¡¯s mood swings. Whenever there is an issue, find the leader when he is in a good mood. When there is good news, it is even more vital to find them at the same time. In any case, avoiding the times when the leader¡¯s mood was soured. This made work much easier. Hearing Feng Dayong¡¯s words, Zhang Chubin let out augh and entered Liu Wenqing¡¯s office with a smile, ¡°Secretary Liu, I see you are busy.¡± At this moment, Liu Wenqing also nced up and seeing Zhang Chubin, a smile appeared on his face, confirming Feng Dayong¡¯s words of his good mood. Liu Wenqing then, put down his work, settled back in his chair and said, ¡°Chubin is here. Take a seat. This time, you¡¯re not here to ask the Municipal Committee for money, are you? Right now, your Li County is even richer than the Municipal Committee. If it weren¡¯t for the instructions for earmarked funds, I would want to divert some of it. Currently, the city finances are quite tight and the new Municipal Committee Government Building is still in the nning and preparation stages. I¡¯ll tell you now, Li County should not expect any more financial aid from the city.¡± After hearing Liu Wenqing¡¯s words, Zhang Chubin recognized an opportunity and responded with a smile: ¡°Supporting the Municipal Committee and the returning the favor to the Committee is exactly what we lower-level officials ought to do. Discussing Li County¡¯s finances, it wouldn¡¯t be a stretch to support the Municipal Committee with ten million yuan. However, Secretary Liu, the county¡¯s financial decisions are no longer up to me. Over a hundred million yuan, all in the hands of Director Nie. This has caused the demolition and requisition work in our development zone toe to a halt. Manyrades haveined to me saying that Director Nie is too domineering. He has severely imposed funding restrictions and our County Committee¡¯s development n for the development zone has been rendered moot.¡± Upon hearing Zhang Chubin speak in this manner, Liu Wenqing now understood, fearing that there was a conflict over the issue of developing the economic zone between Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang. The document on his table was given by Ding Aiguo. It was penned by Nie Zhenbang, and was also about the economic development zone of Lixian. However, it gave Liu Wenqing a starkly different feelingpared to Zhang Chubin¡¯s n. In contrast to Zhang Chubin¡¯s material, which was ostentatious and loaded with vanity, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n was much more practical, and feasibly much higher. Furthermore, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n can be summed up in a few words, which are pragmatic, starting small and growing big, prioritising the environment, and sustaining development. Liu Wenqing was wondering if Zhang Chubin had copied from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ¡®three exemptions and two halvings¡¯ n. Such a n is very suitable for Lixian, as it fully considers Lixian¡¯s economic carrying capacity. Taking steps firmly on the ground. Developing one step at a time. This is the true attitude towards work. ¡°Comrade Chubin, what is your current attitude?¡± Liu Wenqing pondered and decided to listen to the opinions of his trusted subordinate. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions epitomize his ability. However, from another perspective, this is also a manifestation of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s domineering behavior and disregard for team unity. If there¡¯s a problem with Nie Zhenbang, Liu Wenqing would surely step in. At this moment, Zhang Chubin was overjoyed. Liu Wenqing¡¯s attitude was very amiable, making Zhang Chubin excited. As long as Liu Wenqing agreed, would Nie Zhenbang dare to keep holding on? Unless Nie Zhenbang wanted to give up. Then, Zhang Chubin alsoughed and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, what I mean is, the entire development zone, with a total area of 20 square kilometers, includingnd acquisition, housing demolition, andpensation would bepleted in one go. Based on the current situation, this will require approximately 80 million. In this way, we won¡¯t have to worry about anything and can focus on development, and also minimize conflicts with local residents.¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Wenqing was a little amused. Zhang Chubin¡¯s n was really unique; others tended to develop and requisition a little at a time. But his idea was to requisition everything at once. Such a thing, not only Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t agree to this, but even himself had never heard of anyone doing so as well. In Liu Wenqing¡¯s view, this development zone is like doing business. The storefront equates to the development zone, and thepanies are the buyers. Once the storefront¡¯s been set up well and the pricing figured out, then you¡¯re ready to do business. If there¡¯s interest here, and the deposit has been paid, we can customise it for you. With this, you¡¯ve solved your financial problems. As for future cost increases, there¡¯s no need to worry about this at all; the natural increase in costs will be borne byter enterprises. There really is nothing to worry about. If that¡¯s the case, then Nie Zhenbang hasn¡¯t done anything wrong at this moment. Upon thinking about this, Liu Wenqing also started reflecting. He is aware that the funding doesn¡¯te from the district it was initially nned for, he had early received news of what happened in Urumqi, and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions in the district weren¡¯t secretive, and of course, someone had passed this information to Liu Wenqing. 1.2 billion funding, all designated for Lixian¡¯s sole use by the Ministry, the meaning behind this is plentiful. Firstly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background is huge, at least up to the Ministry level. In addition, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s elder seems to be taking care of Nie Zhenbang, otherwise, he would not have made such a decision which pleased Jiang Zhenquan. Moreover, Liu Wenqing also heard some news: the standing deputy chairman of the autonomous region who shed with Nie Zhenbang, Cao Yangming, may be transferred to the position of vice-chairman of the autonomous region¡¯s partymittee after the two provincial meetings this time. Whether this is true or not, it shows how powerful Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background is. If it¡¯s true, his background is frightening. Despite being at his peak, Cao Yangming is considered young among those in the provincial department and should not retire so easily. Besides, this isn¡¯t baseless rumors, there must be some foundation for the news he heard. It seems that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background might be unimaginably powerful. Upon thinking about this, Liu Wenqing made a decision in his heart and looked at Zhang Chubin, his face growing serious: ¡°Comrade Zhang Chubin.¡± Upon hearing this title, Zhang Chubin was taken aback. What exactly did Secretary Liu mean by this, was he unhappy with him? After all, titles carry significant weight in officialdom. Familiar titles would be ¡®Comrade Chubin¡¯ or ¡®Secretary Chubin¡¯. But now, he had used his full name. Before Zhang Chubin could say anything, Liu Wenqing continued, ¡°The unity and stability of the team in Lixian is vitally important. As the county party secretary, you should set an example for the entire county. You should do well in team building.¡± PS. The third update is up, requesting support in the form of monthly votes. Chapter 177: The Stubborn and Stubborn Homeowner (Fourth Update, Seek Support) _1 Chapter 177: The Stubborn and Stubborn Homeowner (Fourth Update, Seek Support) _1 Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, Zhang Chubin was looking a bit helpless with a troubled expression on his face. He looked at Liu Wenqing and started to speak, ¡°Secretary Liu, I¡­ ¡± Liu Wenqing waved his hand and continued, ¡°Comrade Chubin, I have also reviewed Director Nie¡¯s nning proposal, and from the perspective of fairness and justice, Director Nie¡¯s considerations are indeed feasible. Furthermore, whether the team is stable and unitedrgely hinges on you. Party secretaries manage the party, and county heads manage affairs. The development of the economy and the people¡¯s livelihood is indeed Nie¡¯s responsibility. What you need to do is to ensure the stability and unity of the team and provide a protective umbre for the economic development of Li County. That is your job. Don¡¯t get things out of their proper order. If Li County has achieved good results, you as the county party secretary can¡¯t be left without credit.¡± Liu Wenqing subtly reminded Zhang Chubin not to interfere with Nie Zhenbang in economic development. All he needed to do was to do his own partymittee work properly. When the time came, when Li County made great progress, Nie Zhenbang would take the credit, wouldn¡¯t county party secretary Zhang Chubin also receive recognition? As for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background, Liu Wenqing would not mention it. On the one hand, Zhang Chubin¡¯s level is not suitable for knowing too much, otherwise, it would not be easy to arrange work in Li County. On the other hand, Liu Wenqing cared about face. If it got out, it would be unavoidable that some people would say that the dignified city party secretary was afraid of Nie Zhenbang or of who sat behind Nie as his support. Liu Wenqing would naturally not do this. He pretends not to know now and subtly hints to his subordinates as long as they don¡¯tpletely fall out with Nie Zhenbang. In Liu Wenqing¡¯s opinion, Nie Zhenbang doesn¡¯t care about being a county party secretary. Because at this moment, Liu Wenqing had already seen that the gold ting of Nie Zhenbang had an essential difference from the ordinary higher-ups¡¯ children. Nie Zhenbang is a truly capable andpetent person. Liu Wenqing can rest assured with Li County in his hands. Even, Liu Wenqing is certain that Li County may even be an important chip in his promotion. Seeing that Zhang Chubin still seemed a little confused, Liu Wenqing¡¯s face also darkened, he seriously said: ¡°Comrade Zhang Chubin, reform and opening up, not only in the economy but opening up in thinking is even more important. I very much admire Director Nie¡¯s ability. You don¡¯t need to have any psychological burdens. Do your countymittee work well. Fully support Director Nie¡¯s work. This is your current important task. Also, on the personnel issues in the Li County Development Zone, our municipal partymittee team discussed it. Preliminarily, we have selected Comrade Nie Zhenbang as the Secretary of the Development Zone Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee. The municipal partymittee¡¯s idea is to let Yan Yujiao, Vice Director of the City Economic Committee, take the post of Vice Director of Li County Government and concurrently serve as the director of the Management Committee of Li County¡¯s Economic Development Zone.¡± At this moment, Zhang Chubin was in absolute despair. Originally, he even thought that Secretary Liu could intervene directly to help him secure the financial power. But hearing these words, Zhang Chubin was left without a thought. Liu Wenqing¡¯s words couldn¡¯t have been clearer. His task was to support Nie Zhenbang. What would happen if he didn¡¯t? Liu Wenqing didn¡¯t say, but Zhang Chubin could tell. If he didn¡¯t support Nie, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t even be able to hold on to his own position. Furthermore, thest personnel arrangement made by Liu Wenqing was even more shocking to Zhang Chubin. Nie Zhenbang was serving concurrently as the Secretary of the Development Zone Working Committee. This meant that he was in control of the real power of the Development Zone. Moreover, Yan Fengjiao was transferred to Li County. Yan Fengjiao was also a legendary figure in Bazhou City. Though she was thest of the three deputy directors of the city¡¯s economicmittee at the age of thirty-six, regardless, she was still a vice-ministerial level official. This was unprecedented in the history of Bazhou, before the arrival of Nie Zhenbang. It was rumored that Yan Fengjiao had some rtionship with Liu Wenqing. Although there was no concrete evidence, there would never be unfounded rumors in officialdom. Now it seemed that Liu Wenqing was willing to put Yan Fengjiao in Li County, which clearly meant he meant to take credit for this. At this time, it was pointless for him to say anything more. Saying too much would only earn him a bad impression of neglecting the overall situation from Liu Wenqing. Hence, Zhang Chubin also stood up and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, I understand. I will surely follow the spirit of your and the municipal partymittee¡¯s instructions. Fully support Comrade Nie Zhenbang, ensure team unity and stability, and promote the economic development of Li County and the Development Zone.¡± While Zhang Chubin was in Bazhou city, at the moment, Nie Zhenbang was in his office reviewing the data submitted by the nning Bureau. The new development zone had just started, and many stalls were not fully equipped yet. For example, various departments of the development zone such as industry andmerce, taxation, public security, municipal administration, and sanitation were all preparing hurriedly. Before the municipal partymittee issued personnel appointments and dismissals for the development zone, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t decide to equip the institutions fully on his own. Hence, the tasks of the demolition office were temporarily hung up on the nning Bureau. Looking at the demolition data submitted by the nning Bureau, this time thend requisition in the development zone involved several viges of Shengli Township. A total of over 310 households were affected, involving nearly 2,000 people. At present, widespreadnd requisition had not yet begun. At present, the demolition being carried out was rted to the houses involved in the construction of several new roads. In addition to the expansion and hardening of the national highway, two more horizontal roads needed to be built. This demolition was mainly for road building and involved a total of 32 households. The form of demolition adopted was nearby demolition. After all, such a scheme is the easiest to ept for local residents. They would still be close to their circle of rtionships. On the one hand, this was one reason. On the other hand, Nie Zhenbang wanted these dozens of households to be a model for demolition, a real benchmark for demolition. In his previous life, Nie Zhenbang had also heard of many violent demolitions. The real concern began with the national ban on violent demolitions. If this kind of demolition model was established, future demolition works could follow this standard, being just and transparent. This could prevent any confrontation. At this time, the phone on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk rang. The urgent ringing of the phone indicated it was already off-work hours. There were very few people in the whole of Li County who knew he was still in the office. Picking up the phone, before Nie Zhenbang could say a word, the voice of Ma Danaiu, the head of the nning bureau, came from the other side: ¡°Director Nie, we¡¯ve run into trouble in the demolition zone. There¡¯s a household refusing to move, and the situation is at a standstill. Several of our staff members tried to persuade them, but they were sent away. Could you maybee over and take a look?¡± Nie Zhenbang knew Ma Dainiu; he was a Mongolian with a Han Chinese name. He was an able and devoted official in his forties who did his work properly. Nie Zhenbang had no worries about him; this was why he had entrusted the crucial task of demolition to Ma Dainiu. Upon hearing Ma Dainiu¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. If he said they were beaten, they must have indeed been beaten. Nie Zhenbang trusted Ma Dainiu¡¯s subordinates. Before the demolition work began, he had emphasized the principle of strictly prohibiting barbaric and forced evictions, not to mention violent ones. The government workers were there to talk and persuade. But how could there still be stubborn residents under these circumstances? Nie Zhenbang found it all head-spinning. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said into the phone: ¡°Director Ma, first inform the county hospital to urgently treat the injured. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± As he left the office, Yi Jun also stood up: ¡°Director, I¡¯ve already notified Xiao Wang. The car is downstairs.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, recognizing that Yi Jun¡¯s responsiveness was improving. It was essential for a secretary to be quick on his feet in such situations and not wait for orders all the time. Sometimes, he should be able to foresee issues and handle them beforehand. As the two of them walked out, Nie Zhenbang instructed: ¡°Xiaoyi, call Director Chen from the public security bureau. Ask him to send some people to apany me to Shengli Township.¡± The car had just left the urban area of the county when several police cars rolled up behind it. One moved to the front of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car, turning on its siren to clear the way. At this moment, a call came through from Chen Le. ¡°Director Nie, what¡¯s the problem? Surely the demolition household isn¡¯t revolting, is it?¡± As soon as he got the call, Chen Le rushed over. The development of Li County was a top priority. Chen Le dared not take it lightly. Nie Zhenbang waved his hand,ughing lightly: ¡°It¡¯s not that serious. I believe the people of Li County have at least that much awareness. As for the specifics of the situation, I can¡¯t say right now, let¡¯s get to the scene first.¡± After driving two kilometers on the main road, the car turned left onto a newly constructed road. About five hundred meters ahead, arge crowd had already gathered. At this moment, all the other houses along the highway had been dismantled for reconstruction, except for this one, which stood tall. The whole house was intersecting with the road. If a detour was to be made, it would disrupt the overall impression of the development zone. In front of the house, a sixty-year-old man was ranting: ¡°My nephew is my nephew, I am me. He is the township head of Shengli Township. I farm mynd. We have nothing to do with each other. This house, I won¡¯t tear it down. Generations of my family have lived here. If you tear it down, where am I supposed to live?¡± At this moment, Ma Danaiu also went up to him, smiling: ¡°Old Man Zeng, the government is paving this road. Look around. There wasn¡¯t a road here before. The government is building it for the convenience of the locals. With thepensation money, you can build a new house in the resettlement zone.¡± No sooner had the words left his mouth than Old Man Zeng snorted: ¡°Humph, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know. How is that little bit of money enough? One hundred thousand. Give me the money, and I¡¯ll tear down the house and leave right away.¡± Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened as well. Chapter 178: Slaying a Village Chief (Fifth Update)_1 Chapter 178: ying a Vige Chief (Fifth Update)_1 Trantor: 549690339 The baseline for relocationpensation was set by Nie Zhenbang himself, a time when the real estate industry was not particrly booming in China. Some privately owned real estate businesses existed in the coastal areas of the east, and in the west, like in Urumqi, the first real estatepany was just emerging. As for Bazhou and Lixian, at this time, houses were mainly financed by units or distributed among them. Even though the housing reform policy had been in effect for quite a few years, in many ces, houses were subsidized by units and sold at low prices. In Lixian, for example, almost all formal employees of the government and enterprise institutions enjoyed the uniform house distribution of their units. There were no privately-owned real estate enterprises in Lixian. This led to the issue of not having any definitive and effective reference data during the demolition process. Nie Zhenbang made an executive decision and set apromise. Based on the housing prices in the northwest region and Li County City today, a starting price was set at one hundred yuan per square meter, with the highest not exceeding one hundred and fifty yuan as the standard for relocationpensation. In Lixian, the overall value, including the subsidy for green seedlings, of an average farmhouse¡¯s architectural and actual usage area can bepensated up to sixty or seventy thousand yuan after demolition. Nie Zhenbang made a rough calction of the house in front of him, considering all aspects, it was about six hundred square meters in total. ording to the published price, apensation of up to seventy thousand yuan would be considered good. Don¡¯t underestimate this seventy thousand yuan, at this time, households with ten thousand yuan were still exceedingly rare. Seventy thousand yuan could do a lot. To give you an idea, it was enough to rebuild a house like the one here, without ever needing to spend any additional money on the foundation, and still leave around fifty thousand yuan in savings. This is why the thirty or so households that are being relocated were so readily agreed to the demolition. However, now this Old Zeng had boldly proposed a price of one hundred thousand yuan, which was basically the upper limit set by Nie Zhenbang. With a change in expression, Nie Zhenbang knew that this bottom line was likely instigated by someone, and the person with the greatest suspicion was Old Zeng¡¯s nephew, Zeng Taiping, the vige head of Shengli Township. ¡°Old man, you see, your neighbors have already relocated. If you don¡¯t, it won¡¯t be lively in the future. Besides, think about it, everyone has the same price. The government did not make two different prices. If we raise your price, others will have opinions. Then, Zhangsan will want to increase the price. Lisi will think, since you all raised the price, I also want to raise the price, right? This is our country¡¯s construction. You are a person with awareness. You followed the great man, the party. Won¡¯t you support the national construction?¡±, Nie Zhenbang also walked into the crowd at this moment. As soon as they saw Nie Zhenbang, people like Ma Danaiu headed towards him. At this moment, the police standing behind Nie Zhenbang further incited Old Zeng¡¯s dissatisfaction. ¡°Thisrade, are you trying to entrap me with your words? I don¡¯t care about any construction, all I know is, no money, no demolition. If you have the guts,e and bulldoze me and this house together. Bury me too.¡± ¡°Old Zeng, you are being presumptuous. Do you know who this is? This is our Director Nie. The policies of the development zone were set by Director Nie himself. From now on, once the development zone ispleted, the people of Shengli Township will be workers just like those of the Farmer Welfare Company in Muli Township. Isn¡¯t it better to receive a monthly sry than working in the field?¡± Beside him, Ma Danaiu also stepped forward and spoke. A trace of fear shed across Old Zeng¡¯s face. Director, in ancient times, was a high-ranking official. This was a person that mattered. Moreover, there were so many police officers standing behind him. After hesitating for a moment, Old Zeng stubbornly said, ¡°What Director, what not Director. I don¡¯t care about these things, all I know is, if you want to demolish the house, you have to do it as I say. Otherwise, we won¡¯t talk about anything.¡± Dealing with such a person is the most troublesome. To beat him? Nie Zhenbang disdains doing so. Furthermore, Nie Zhenbang has an idealistic mentality in his official career. He hopes to avoid many of the malpractices in the officialdom of his previous life. Although he can not affect too many people, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s idea is simple. At least, such situations should not ur in his own jurisdiction. Making sense? The problem is, the other party simply does not believe in his theory. Keeping an obstinate and argumentative attitude, they insist on one ultimate truth ¨C give money, demolish house! If this was a private matter, Nie Zhenbang might have agreed. However, under the watchful eyes of so many people, once this precedent is set, the remaining households to be demolished, might be tempted by the sight of money, and might change their minds any time. Moreover, this sets a bad precedent for future expropriation issues. It would be tough. This problem must be solved, and it must be solved without increasing the price. This can also be seen as making an example of one to warn others. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang turned his head and said to Xiaoyi beside him, ¡°Xiaoyi, make a call to Zeng Taiping of Shengli Township right now. What is he doing? At the demolition mobilization meeting, he patted his chest and guaranteed that he would do a good job in the ideological work of those being relocated. This is good, all other people¡¯s work is done, but he can¡¯t persuade his own uncle. Such a big incident happened, but we don¡¯t see any cadres from Shengli Vige here. Make a call right now, ask all the people from Shengli Township Party Committee toe here.¡± Now, Zeng Taiping was very pleased, the development zone was eventually set in Shengli Township, which was in fact, inevitable. Shengli Township, as the suburban vige of Lixian, would naturally be the first to develop. With the Deputy Secretary of Chengguan Town Huang Shuyong now on the county standingmittee, Zeng Taiping was clear that his opportunity had arrived. The area of twenty square kilometers practically included all of Shengli Township. By then, being a member of the development zone team would be much better than the current vige head. At this moment, Zeng Taiping was at his home, with a pot of small wine, a te of peanuts, and a te of braisedmb on the table. ¡°Taiping, I feel the thing you told our uncle seems a bit unreliable. Isn¡¯t this inciting our uncle? If Director Nie finds out, won¡¯t he skin you?¡±, Next to him, Zeng Taiping¡¯s wife, who was carrying a te of braised pork ribs from the kitchen, walked out. Old Zeng Taiping originally hailed from Chunan Province. In the ¡¯60s, he moved with his entire family to the northwest. While they¡¯re now considered natives of the region, they still retain distinct customs of Chunan Province. Listening to his wife¡¯s words, Zeng Taiping disdainfully responded, ¡°What does an old woman like you know? This money doesn¡¯t belong to private individuals; it¡¯s the state¡¯s money. Not taking it is a waste. The price quoted by my uncle is still within the limit. I didn¡¯t have him quote an outrageous figure. This stalemate is merely over a few tens of thousands. Where else can such a good fortune be found? Besides, Director Nie clearly stated at the mobilization meeting that there would be no violent or forced demolitions. Everything will proceed in an orderly manner, winning over people with virtue. Don¡¯t worry. My uncle won¡¯t be taken away by the Public Security Bureau.¡± The telephone atop the high-low cab began to ring at that moment. Just as Zeng Taiping¡¯s wife picked up the call before she could even say a word, she brought down the receiver and looked at Zeng Taiping, saying, ¡°Old Zeng, it¡¯s for you. The caller said his name is Yi Jun.¡± The moment he heard this name, Zeng Taiping, who had been leisurely sipping on his drink, immediately stood up. Taking three steps as two, he took the phone, his face was all smiles as he enthused, ¡°Brother Yi, do you have any instructions?¡± At this moment, Yi Jun was in no mood for jokes. He said in a serious tone, ¡°Director Zeng, I won¡¯t mince words with you. You need to rush to your uncle¡¯s ce right now. Director Nie is there. During thest mobilization meeting, your team at Shengli Township pledged to fulfill ideological work among the masses. But now, you haven¡¯t even persuaded your own uncle. Director Nie is quite vexed. You better hurry before the Director is kept waiting too long.¡± After hanging up the phone, Zeng Taiping broke into a smile, far from being nervous. Yi Jun¡¯s call confirmed his spection. Indeed, Director Nie walked the talk and refrained from imposing high, forced demolitions. Now, it was his time to demonstrate his abilities. If he could make an impression in front of Director Nie, his future would be limitless. As Zeng Taiping made his way to the demolition site, it was the evening and the sky had darkened slightly. Workers at the construction site had already extended the electrical wires, brightening the surroundings of Old Zeng¡¯s house. The Shengli Township Party Secretary, Leng Guohua, had already arrived at the site. However, Old Zeng, who seemed determined at this point, paid no heed to him. Putting on an out-of-breath facade, Zeng Taiping dashed forward. Seeing Director Nie¡¯s stern face, he began, ¡°Director Nie, I sincerely apologise. I had no idea my uncle would act this way. This is a mistake in my work and I wee your critique.¡± Director Nie, with a stern expression, nced at his watch and replied in a deep voice, ¡°Comrade Zeng Taiping, half an hour has passed since I contacted you. Secretary Leng, who lives farther away than you, has already arrived. It seems that you, Director Zeng, are pretty busy. Ha, you¡¯ve even had some drinks, seems like you are having a good time.¡± Zeng Taiping let out an awkwardugh, as he had indeed been toocent andpletely forgotten about this matter. The current Director Nie was not a person he could easily interact with. Mo Zhihai had already been brought down, and now, the new secretary could not even manage the county finances. This was not a person one could take lightly. Zeng Taiping then stood up straight and said, ¡°Rest assured, I will certainly persuade my uncle.¡± Just as he reached his uncle¡¯s side and spoke for barely two minutes, suddenly, Old Zeng raised his voice, ¡°Taiping, how could you do this? We¡¯d agreed that no one else¡¯s intervention would make a difference. Now, for the sake of your own future, you¡¯ve sold me out. Do you still consider yourself part of the Zeng family? Had I known earlier, I would¡¯ve simply epted the money for the demolition, rather than waiting for this ruckus to ur.¡± As his words fell, the entire ce went quiet, then the onlooking crowd burst out intoughter. This time, Zeng Taiping was done for. With his uncle¡¯s words, an instigation charge was inevitable. Director Nie then stood up, his face sullen as he thundered, ¡°Despicable! Zeng Taiping, from tomorrow onwards, do note to work. You are suspended pending organizational review!¡± PS: Congrattions to Lindi for bing the newest leader of this book. This is the fifth update, my brothers and sisters, today¡¯s monthly ticket is not doing so well, the top authors are already closing the gap, and the front runners are rapidly advancing. At this moment, I, Old Cai cannot help but express, our brothers and sisters reading official literature, you are way too rationale. Fellow brothers and sisters, why not indulge in a bit of madness? Those with monthly tickets, please cast them towards me. Comrade Nie Zhenbang might soon be showing his prowess. Monthly tickets, please support. Chapter 179: Kill the Chicken to Scare the Monkey_1 Chapter 179: Kill the Chicken to Scare the Monkey_1 Trantor: 549690339 Publicly instigating his own rtives to thwart the demolition, leaking the demolitionpensation price, and so on, this series of mistakes infuriated Nie Zhenbang. He turned to Leng Guohua, the secretary of the Shengli Township Party Committee, and said, ¡°Secretary Leng, I¡¯ll leave the work of Shengli Township in your capable hands for now.¡± With the departure of Nie Zhenbang, the other spectators also gradually dispersed. By now, Ma Danaiu had signed the demolitionpensation agreement with Old Zeng. By tomorrow morning, the demolition of Old Zeng¡¯s house would begin. At this moment, Zeng Taiping and Old Zeng were left standing in the dark. Seeing Old Zeng¡¯s displeased expression, Taiping felt like crying but had no tears. His good intentions had ended with the loss of his official position, ¡°Uncle, can¡¯t you keep your mouth a little tighter? Revealing such things in public, is like undermining me. Now it¡¯se to this, I¡¯ve lost my job because of it.¡± The next day, Nie Zhenbang was preparing to talk to Zhang Chubin. After all, no matter how you look at it, Zeng Taiping was a civil servant. Whether it was firing or any other punishment, it wasn¡¯t something that could be decided by Nie Zhenbang alone. Yesterday¡¯s words were a formality, today, Zhenbang had to finalize the regr procedures. It would be necessary to discuss this with Zhang Chubin, who was the county party secretary after all. However, at that moment Zhang Chubin appeared at the doorway of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office with a bright smile on his face. Yi Jun was stunned and unable to speak for a moment, he couldn¡¯t remember thest time Zhang Chubin had voluntarily visited. It must have been a few months ago. But for Zhang Chubin, since returning from the city yesterday, he had gradually adjusted his mindset. After calming down and thinking it through, he realized that the hints in Liu Wenqing¡¯s words were quite obvious. For Zhang Chubin, the name Nie Zhenbang was like a minefield he couldn¡¯t touch. Zhang Chubin wanted to maintain his strong start, but Nie Zhenbang¡¯s counterattack was severe. He held finance in his hand, Zhang Chubin was nowhere to be found elsewhere. Even the position of Secretary of the Work Committee was already set for Nie Zhenbang. If Zhang Chubin didn¡¯t know when to push and when to retreat, then he had wasted his time. In the end, Zhang Chubin was a man who knew when to advance and when to retreat. This was his means of survival. He looked at the stunned Yi Jun without any awkwardness and chuckled, ¡°Secretary Xiaoyi, is Director Nie in his office now?¡± Snapped back to reality by Zhang Chubin¡¯s words, Yi Jun also chuckled and said, ¡°Secretary Zhang,e in. The Director has already instructed that when you arrive, you should enter directly. Pleasee in.¡± Yi Jun then opened the door and said, ¡°Director, Secretary Zhang is here.¡± This is a detail that secretaries must pay attention to in their daily work. Although the leader has instructed that certain people cane in directly without notification, the meaning is simply not to say who ising and whether to see them or not. It doesn¡¯t mean that nothing is said and other leaders are allowed in directly. What if Nie Zhenbang has something to do inside? In this way, giving a heads-up in advance gives the leader an opportunity to prepare. Nie Zhenbang also stood up at this moment. He was somewhat surprised by Zhang Chubin¡¯s visit. Originally, after withholding finance, Nie Zhenbang had been waiting for Zhang Chubin¡¯s next move. Nie Zhenbang was considering how to bring up yesterday¡¯s incident involving Zeng Taiping. Unexpectedly, Zhang Chubin took the initiative to visit. Was heing to plead for Zeng Taiping? But, as far as his memory goes, Zeng Taiping was not Zhang Chubin¡¯s man. ¡°Hehe, is Director Nie too busy? I¡¯m just passing by, so I thought I¡¯d drop in for a visit. Nowadays, there is so much going on in the Economic and Technological Development Zone. Director Nie is so hands-on, don¡¯t wear yourself out. You should rest when you need to, and don¡¯t worry, the countymittee will definitely support you.¡± Zhang Chubin said, sitting on the sofa with a smile. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also deep in thought. Zhang Chubin¡¯s words were too apparent, the goodwill he was conveying was clear to Nie Zhenbang. However, this simply made Nie Zhenbang even more uncertain about Zhang Chubin¡¯s real intentions. Was this apromise? This shouldn¡¯t be, considering Zhang Chubin¡¯s strong stance at the Secretary¡¯s Office Meeting and his public withholding of financial funds. Even though it wasn¡¯t explicitly stated, they could be viewed as adversaries now. Zhang Chubin seemed to understand Nie Zhenbang¡¯s doubts and continued, ¡°Director Nie, don¡¯t overthink it. I didn¡¯te here with any other intentions. I just returned from the city, where Secretary Liu sternly criticized me. He said that I didn¡¯tmunicate in time regarding the work in the Development Zone, which caused some unnecessary misunderstandings.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang understood Zhang Chubin¡¯s intentions. It seemed that Zhang Chubin had specifically gone to the Municipal Committee to discuss the financial freeze with Liu Wenqing and was likely criticized there. As a party secretary, it was enough to lower himself to this extent. Nie Zhenbang was not the type to relentlessly assert dominance after gaining the upper hand. He still had to work in Li County, and it would be troublesome if he worsened the rtionship with Zhang Chubin to the point where Zhang Chubin was determined to go against him. Nie Zhenbang was quick to speak, ¡°Secretary Zhang, it should have been me who activelymunicated with you about this matter first. I am responsible for maintaining unity among the team. ¡± Looking at Nie Zhenbang at this moment, Zhang Chubin also sighed. It seemed that the affable, low-profile Nie Zhenbang was back. However, after this incident, Zhang Chubin would never underestimate Nie Zhenbang again. Despite his young age, if you offend him, the repercussions could be severe! ¡°Secretary Zhang, since you¡¯re here, there¡¯s something I would like to discuss with you.¡± Nie Zhenbang said with a smile. Meanwhile, Yi Jun brought in a cup of tea. This was a skill every secretary must master. Not just anyone could have a cup of this tea; it depended on the circumstances. Looking at Zhang Chubin, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Secretary Zhang,st night, a removal household on the construction site of Yingbin Road in the Development Zone refused to be relocated. After an investigation, it was found out that the removal household was a rtive of Comrade Zeng Taiping, the deputy secretary of Shengli Township Party Committee. The investigation confirmed that Old Zeng had driven up the price of his property and refused to relocate due to the instigation of his nephew Zeng Taiping. This is a severe vition. Zeng Taiping, as a state official and the prominent member of the Development Zone demolition team, openly vited the county¡¯s decision and prohibition, causing a harmful social impact. I suggest that the County Party Committee Organization Department and the County Discipline Inspection Commission take immediate measures against Comrade Zeng Taiping. He must be severely punished.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhang Chubin was taken aback. From his perspective, Zeng Taiping¡¯s behaviour, which Nie Zhenbang disapproved of, was uneptable to him as well. It was typical disobedience, ndestine manoeuvring. Now, Zhang Chubin¡¯s expression was solemn. After contemting for a moment, he nodded, ¡°I agree with Director Nie¡¯s suggestion. Such cadres with no organizational discipline and disregard for party rules need to be thoroughly investigated.¡± At this point, Zhang Chubin disyed the authority and demeanor of a county party secretary, continuing, ¡°Such people should be severely dealt with. The Development Zone has just begun, and there are already cadres getting involved! This is absolutely uneptable, and we must strictly curb it. Otherwise, it will be difficult to carry out the work in the Development Zone.¡± Zhang Chubin¡¯s message was clear, and his attitude was the same as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. This was the first demolition in the Development Zone and needed to be handled appropriately, both as an example and for long-term purposes. Zeng Taiping¡¯s case had to be dealt with, and it had to be dealt with quickly and stringently. If nothing else was wrong with Zeng Taiping, Nie Zhenbang would not go to extremes, at most he would demote him. However, if other issues were detected, things would look grim for Zeng Taiping. After a consultation between Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin, the County Discipline Inspection Commission Investigation Team and the organization department immediately summoned Zeng Taiping. While the organization department gave Zeng Taiping a stern talk, he earnestly admitted his instruction to his uncle to demand a higherpensation. However, with the involvement of the County Discipline Inspection Commission, Zeng Taiping¡¯s psychological defence was quickly broken. In Li County, there was a saying ¨C thugs feared the police, the police feared leaders, and leaders ran away when they saw the Discipline Inspection Commission. It showed the deterrent effect of the Discipline Inspection Commission among the cadres in Li County. After an investigation, it turned out that although Zeng Taiping had no major issues but his lifestyle during his tenure as the township head was problematic, coupled with some degeneration. Aside from the rumours circting between him and several femalerades of the Township Government. During Zeng Taiping¡¯s tenure as a township head, public hospitality expenditures in Shengli Township alone amounted to 180,000 yuan, which was about one-fifth of the township¡¯s annual expenses. The County Party Committee and the Discipline Inspection Commission quickly issued a notice, criticizing Zeng Taiping county-wide. Dismissing Zeng Taiping from his position as deputy secretary of the Shengli Township Party Committee, member of the partymittee, administering party disciplinary measures by keeping him on probation for a year. And the Peoples Congress Presidium of Shengli Township was asked to relieve Zeng Taiping of his duties as township head. The swift measures of the County Committee shocked all county officials. It now appeared that the Development Zone was the red line of the countymittee and the county government, an untouchable area. At this moment, as the road construction project of Yingbin Road was getting through and entering the phase of road surface hardening, the Li County Party Committee began preparations. The city partymittee and the city government leaders will arrive in Li County in three days, to officially inaugurate the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone. Chapter 180: The Listing Ceremony_1 Chapter 180: The Listing Ceremony_1 Trantor: 549690339 The Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone has already received approval from the Bazhou City nning Commission, but it has not yet undergone audit. This time, it serves as both the unveiling ceremony and an inspection by the citymittee and government. Concurrently, it also carries a sense of learning opportunity. Now, even though Liu Wenqing is admired by other cities, and his economic growth in the county below has earned praise from the district partymittee and the Northwest Daily, it is said that ¡°everyone knows their own bitterness,¡± as only insiders are aware of their own struggles. It may seem like Liu Wenqing¡¯s leadership is effective, however, with every county below starting their development zones, and the city itself not having a development zone, this dilemma makes the Bazhou City leaders feel embarrassed. This time, the inspection and unveiling carries a deeper significance, an investigatory visit by the citymittee. Bazhou City¡¯s decision to establish a development zone has pretty much been confirmed. Studying the experience of Li County will provide valuable references for Bazhou¡¯s development zone and help in avoiding detours. Li Cheng Avenue, the first road to start construction after themencement of the Li County Development Zone project, is an impressive one. Running straight through the main road of Li County City and along Shengli Township, with a length of ten kilometers and sixnes in both directions, it exudes grandeur. Being the first road in the city to be named an avenue, it speaks volumes about Li County¡¯s ambitions. At this moment, although notpleted, the wide-ranging view of the road surface and the bustling construction site have already disyed an aura of grandeur. On the side of Li Cheng Avenue, the leaders of the Li County Committee and County Government, along with the members of the People¡¯s Congress and the Political Consultative Conference, were already waiting. Around ten in the morning, the Bazhou City fleet appeared as expected, and the escort vehicle provided by Ku City Public Security Bureau turned around to leave, naturally followed by the Li County escort vehicle. Then, the first and second vehicles of the Bazhou City Committee stopped. The car door opened, and Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo got out of the car. The presence of both the secretary of the citymittee and the mayor was an honor, a pleasure, and at the same time a worry. After all, neglecting either wouldn¡¯t be good. At this moment, Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang hesitated for a moment, exchanged nces, and then when to wee the dignitaries. Zhang Chubin even took the initiative to extend both hands with a warm greeting, ¡°We wee both Secretary Liu and Mayor Ding to our county for inspection and supervision.¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, Mayor Ding, on behalf of Li County Government, I wee all leaders to Li County.¡± At this moment, Liu Wenqing also startedughing, pointing to the newly erected signboard, looking at the construction site next to it, and repeatedly nodding, ¡°Mayor Ding, looking at the bustling construction site in Li County and the archway of Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone that wees you, it seems that our trip here was not in vain.¡± Ding Aiguo also startedughing. In his view, Nie Zhenbang, Wu Zhixiong¡¯s close associate, was part of his own faction. Now, with Nie Zhenbang serving as the county head, and making such a remarkable progress in Li County, this is a testament in itself, generating pride and recognition for his side. ¡°Hehe, Secretary Liu, you¡¯re right. As the saying goes, ¡®men must be renewed every three days.¡¯ Now, this phrase fits Li County perfectly. In just a few months, Li County¡¯s economic development has been so rapid it¡¯s overwhelming. Ignorant people might even mistake us as being on the eastern coast.¡± Ding Aiguo¡¯s humorousment made Liu Wenqingugh-out-loud. Afterwards, looking at the construction site, Liu Wenqing said with augh, ¡°We¡¯re not in a hurry to go to the countymittee. Since we¡¯re already here, let¡¯s first take a real look to appreciate the achievements of Li County Comrades¡¯ hard work. This time, both Mayor Ding and I havee to learn.¡± Concerning the affairs of the development zone, Zhang Chubin has only a vague understanding, while Nie Zhenbang is an expert. At this moment, without any prompt from Zhang Chubin, Nie Zhenbang took on the role of a narrator. He led Liu Wenqing, Ding Aiguo, and their entourage, exining while walking, ¡°Secretary Liu, Mayor Ding, currently, this area here is the core area of the development zone. Today, noteworthy underway projects are Li Cheng Avenue and other roads, such as Yingbin Road, Minzu Road, Unity Avenue, and Wuyi Road. Of these, we have three north-south roads¡ªnamely Li Cheng Avenue, Unity Avenue, and Wuyi Road¡ªand two east-west roads, Yingbin Road and Minzu Road. The preliminary development area for our new district is temporarily set at six square kilometers. Once all five roads are constructed, the problem of road essibility in our trio of projects will be resolved. Next, the Li County Government is considering allowing the Housing Construction Bureau, Municipal Services Company, Water Supply Company, and the Power Bureau to simultaneously undertake water and electricity connection projects along the newly constructed roads, ensuring road essibility, water supply, power supply, and sanitation services are in ce. Plus, preliminary ground leveling. After that, when the development zone team is avable, I n to set up a new department, the ¡®Investment Promotion Bureau,¡¯ specifically responsible for attracting investment to the development zone and the entire Li County.¡± ¡°Investment Promotion Bureau? That¡¯s indeed a novel term. Director Nie, won¡¯t this be ovepping with the functions of the Economic and Trade Commission?¡± Hearing this term, Ding Aiguo immediately asked questions. Ding Aiguo¡¯s keen observation, stemming from his experience as a mayor, noticeably surpassed that of Liu Wenqing. The function of the Economic and Trade Commission, on a national level, generally involves making macroeconomic policies, which arergely of a guiding nature. However, at the level of cities and counties, it is primarily responsible for attracting investment. Hence, this prompted Ding Aiguo¡¯s question. Next to him, Liu Wenqing also nodded and said, ¡°Indeed, I wonder if we might be duplicating roles with the establishment of this investment promotion bureau.¡± Nie Zhenbang subsequentlyughed. The Investment Promotion Bureau, officially the Economic Investment Promotion Bureau, was established in various ces across the country after the turn of the new century specifically to attract investment. Equivalent in rank to other government bureaus, it is mainly responsible for investment promotion in the area under the jurisdiction of the local government. To put it simply, it¡¯s a department specifically dedicated to attracting investment. Nie Zhenbang then exined: ¡°Secretary Liu, Mayor Ding, the Investment Promotion Bureau is apletely new functional department. As economic development continues in the future, in order to maintain a link between enterprises, investors, and the government, it is necessary for such a department to assume this role. I believe that our government should also change its mindset; gradually shifting from being directive to bing a guiding, service-oriented government. The Investment Promotion Bureau is responsible for attracting investment, liaising between enterprises and the government, and coordinating the rtionship between the two. Moreover,pared to the Economic and Trade Commission, its functions are clearer, more targeted, and it can betterplete investment promotion and social development work.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Ding Aiguo instantly understood. The Economic and Trade Commission is responsible for this work, but for it, investment promotion is apletely new task and not the main task. There isn¡¯t a clear evaluation standard for doing well or poorly. Now, if such a new department were to emerge, specifically responsible for this. It is different, the Investment Promotion Bureau, you are responsible for the work of attracting investment, if you don¡¯t do well, this is your responsibility. Therefore, the people at work are motivated. Enterprises and investors can also feel a sense of passion and attention. After all, when you arrive, there is a specialized department to coordinate, with someone following up throughout the whole process. If something goes wrong, there is immediate coordination. This will open up the situation of attracting investment. ¡°Secretary Liu, I think Director Nie¡¯s initiative is very good, with a clear path, and the idea of a service-oriented government is also very innovative. I think the city can also consider establishing an Investment Promotion Bureau, specifically responsible for the investment promotion work of Bazhou City,¡± Ding Aiguo proposed to Liu Wenqing on the spot. At this moment, Liu Wenqing pondered for a bit and then also nodded and said, ¡°Hmm, I think it¡¯s possible, but let¡¯s first see the results in Li County. After all, we are using Li County as the testing ground for Bazhou City¡¯s reform and opening up policies.¡± Liu Wenqing¡¯s statement was humorous. In fact, it carried a cautious tone. If the experiment in Li County turned out well and yielded results, then it wouldn¡¯t be a problem for Bazhou City to follow their lead. Next, in the venue already set up on the site of the Shengli Township government, Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo, along with other city leaders, took their seats on the main podium. At the same time, Nie Zhenbang stood at the side and, after delivering a speech, Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo jointly unveiled the que for the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone. The sound of firecrackers filled the courtyard of the township government. Simultaneously, Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo each inscribed a phrase for the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone. The brand-new que, reading ¡°Bazhou City Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone¡±, signified that the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone had officially assumed the status of a municipal-level Economic and Technological Development Zone. The status of a deputy-level unit was officially established. The group returned to the auditorium of the Li County Party Committee. At this moment, Liu Wenqing gave a signal, thenughed and said, ¡°This time, due to going to Urumqi for a meeting, the Minister of the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department was absent from the meeting. I will take on his role and make an announcement. The Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee and the Organization Department of the Municipal Party Committee have appointed Comrade Yan Fengjiao, the Deputy Director of the Bazhou City Economic Commission, to be transferred to Li County to serve as a member of the County Party Committee, Deputy Director of the County People¡¯s Government, and concurrently as the Director of the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone Management Committee.¡± Pausing for a moment, Liu Wenqing continued, ¡°In addition, we appoint the Deputy Secretary of the Li County Party Committee and Director Nie Zhenbang to be the Secretary of the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone Work Committee, responsible for presiding over theprehensive work of the Li County Development Zone. I hope that under the leadership of Director Nie, the Li County Development Zone will achieve brilliant results.¡± As soon as Xue Daming heard Liu Wenqing¡¯s announcement, he, who had seemed very rxed, was stunned at this moment. To Xue Daming, the position of the Work Committee Secretary seemed to be destined for Chu Bin. What¡¯s more, Xue Daming believed that Liu Wenqing¡¯s visit this time was to aid Chu Bin. Why did it suddenly turn into supporting Nie Zhenbang? With the joint support of the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and the Mayor, doesn¡¯t Li County now belong to Nie Zhenbang? Chapter 181: Following the County Mayor_1 Chapter 181: Following the County Mayor_1 Trantor: 549690339 The formal establishment of the development zone is a significant event for the entirety of Li County. For the Li County Committee and County Government, a new deputy director-level unit has been added to their jurisdiction. Even though the positions eligible for deputy director-level status, such as themittee secretary and the director of the managementmittee, have already been filled. But it¡¯s clear to anyone with eyes that the dual roles of Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao are temporary. Under current circumstances, the development zone is a new concept, and its high importance to the County Committee, County Government, and even the City Party Committee and City Government means that it¡¯s inevitable for county leadership to temporarily helm the development zone. Once it stabilizes, these positions will open up. At this moment, forward-thinking officials in Li County are nning their next moves. Nie Zhenbang sits in his office, going over documents rted to the development zone, which can be said to be in its early stages. The framework has been established, but many departments still need to be set up. It would be easy to arrange for public security, industry, andmerce, tax, as Li County doesn¡¯t realistically have enough clout to establish separate bureaus for these departments just yet; a simple division will suffice for now. However, assigning roles within the Investment Promotion Bureau of the development zone is proving to be Nie Zhenbang¡¯s biggest headache. Nothing has been set in stone yet, but leaders from the city are already expressing interest. At this point, every leader across the city has noticed the development momentum in Li County. Given that, anyone who can secure a position in the Investment Promotion Bureau is guaranteed a bright future. Just then, a voice from outside calls out, ¡°Director Yi, hello. Does Director Nie have a moment?¡± Upon hearing this voice, Nie Zhenbang freezes. The voice is clear, graceful, and fresh. The speaker has a pure ent, devoid of any Xibei dialect, making it quite distinctive in Xibei. Tone gentle, it carries a soft charmmonly found in Wu dialects. This is the voice of Yan Fengjiao, the newly appointed deputy director who also serves as the director of the managementmittee. Yan Fengjiao herself is a phenomenon in Bazhou City. After graduating from university, she was assigned to Bazhou, and her rate of promotion had been extraordinarily rapid. At 32, she was already a deputy director, making her a household name in Bazhou. Yan Fengjiao stands roughly 1.65 meters tall with a slender and alluring physique. Combined with her delicate facial features, she¡¯s undoubtedly a beauty. Though she¡¯s now 36, she hasn¡¯t lost her youthful look, appearing more like a 27-or-28-year-old woman. Many rumors surround such a woman. Some say Yan Fengjiao has close ties with certain provincial party leaders; others im she was involved romantically with certain leaders of the city partymittee. The most widespread rumor is that Yan Fengjiao is Liu Wenqing¡¯s mistress. Whether these allegations are true or not isn¡¯t something Nie Zhenbang knows or is even interested in finding out. Nie only cares whether Yan Fengjiao will pull her weight in her job at the development zone. That alone is enough of a desired oue for Nie Zhenbang at present. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang stands up, just as the office door swings open and Yan Fengjiao enters with a beaming smile. She looks at Nie Zhenbang and courteously says, ¡°Director Nie, I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you.¡± This moment marks the first time Nie Zhenbang has really taken the time to observe Yan Fengjiao. Wearing a dark blue women¡¯s business suit and ck high heels, her hair up in a neat bun exploding elegance, and boasting fair skin, expressive eyes that point slightly upward, she can charm anyone with just a smile. Her curvy figures entuated her thin waist, her physique meshes perfectly with her graceful manner. Nie Zhenbang can¡¯t stop but silently admire what seems like an exceptionally rare beauty. With Yan Fengjiao¡¯s unprecedented presence in Xibei, her looks qualify her as a stunning beauty. He¡¯s already entangled with assertive women like Dong Wan and Li Lixue, otherwise, he might have been momentarily stunned by her. Despite staring directly at Yan Fengjiao, Nie Zhenbang remains collected and replies with a smile, ¡°County Mayor Yan, please take a seat. You are well-known to be highly capable by the City Party Committee and an outstanding individual of the City Economic Commission. Your assignment to our Li County leadership team and your appointment as the director of our Committee feels like a privilege and demonstrates the City Party Committee¡¯s care and high expectations for us. I am a workaholic who takes my job very seriously. If I upset you in the future, I hope you can forgive me.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yan Fengjiao freezes for a moment, looking somewhat astounded. Nie Zhenbang truly lives up to his reputation. Her initial surprise stems from his deftness during conversations. He understands how things work in official circles. By saying these things upfront, he¡¯s made his stance clear: he is focused on his job, not on the people. Despite his direct gaze, his eyes are clear. Unlike others who gaze at her, Nie doesn¡¯t have that hint of lust in his eyes. Yan Fengjiao finds this surprising. As for her appearance, she isn¡¯tcking in confidence. Even in her thirties, the mature allure she emits cannot bepared with the shy allure of a young woman. Nie Zhenbang¡¯sck of response causes her to feel slightly disappointed. Has her charm started to fade already? Yan Fengjiao rapidly adjusted her mindset, walked into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, surveyed her surroundings, and then said with a smile, ¡°Director Nie, who would have thought, as the nner of Lixian¡¯s economy and the head of the government, your office decor would be so simplistic. This pragmatic style of yours is worth studying.¡± ¡°Hehe, County Mayor Yan, you tter me. I¡¯m just an ordinary part of the worldly society. Nothing more, nothing less. I, too, experience joy and anger, sorrow and happiness. However, I¡¯ve always been one to distinguish between personal and official matters. The government¡¯s money is the peoples¡¯ money. Whether the decor is extravagant or simple, it¡¯s all for the purpose of working. County Mayor Yan, what brings you here?¡± Nie Zhenbang said, pouring a cup of Longjing tea for Yan Fengjiao, then promptly sat back down. At this moment, Yan Fengjiao looked at Nie Zhenbang and said with a smile, ¡°Director Nie, I don¡¯t really have any pressing matters. To be honest, taking up the role as director of the managementmittee is apletely new challenge and job for me. I¡¯ve never had any experience in this domain. Now that the development zone has been listed, I thought I¡¯d discuss future work in the development zone and personnel issues in the Bureau of Commerce and Investment with you.¡± Impressive. No one with a great reputation is subpar. Judging from the looks of it, Yan Fengjiao¡¯s abilities seemed to have been the primary factor. As for those sensational news, Nie Zhenbang never took them too seriously. If she were just a figurehead, Liu Wenqing wouldn¡¯t dare to ce Yan Fengjiao in the Lixian Development Zone. He wouldn¡¯t even know how bandly things might go wrong. The stance Yan Fengjiao took at this moment was extremely low-profile. However, there was a certain demeanor in her speech and manner. She imed that she had no experience, yet she immediately started discussing personnel issues in the development zone. She was definitely well-prepared. Nie Zhenbang thenughed and said, ¡°The Bureau¡¯s staff is indeed a bit of a thorny issue. I don¡¯t really have a detailed n or idea for that. Does County Mayor Yan have any candidates in mind?¡± After hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yan Fengjiao nodded and replied, ¡°Director, in theory, since I¡¯m new here and still not very familiar with the staff of Lixian, I shouldn¡¯t bementing. However, a leader from the city rmended someone to me yesterday. Currently, Comrade Xie Tao holds the position of Deputy Director of the Office of the Youth League Committee of Bazhou City. Comrade Xie Tao, a graduate from Yuzhou University with a bachelor¡¯s degree in finance and economics, has achieved quite good results in his work for the Youth League. Well, Xie Tao¡¯s father is Deputy Mayor Xie.¡± After a pause, Yan Fengjiao threw in with some embarrassment, ¡°Director Nie, you know, when a leader gives a rmendation, I have no choice. In terms of how to proceed, you¡¯ll have to make the decision. I am steadfastly following the County Mayor¡¯s lead.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Yan Fengjiao froze. Her face turned slightly red, as if her remark was a bit too suggestive. Following the County Mayor¡¯s lead. A male leader, a female subordinate, and furthermore, a charming female subordinate. Such a statement inevitably led to some spection. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also deep in thought. Deputy Mayor Xie, who Nie Zhenbang knew well, was not a standingmittee member of the municipal partymittee and was in charge of industrial affairs. Even though in Bazhou City, which has a weak industrial base, Deputy Mayor Xie was one of the lower-ranked deputy mayors. However, he was very important for the Lixian Development Zone, given that factories and enterprises would be introduced in the future, which could be considered part of light industry. Nie Zhenbang nced at Yan Fengjiao thoughtfully. This woman was not simple. She had such a good rtionship with Deputy Mayor Xie and was incredibly smart. Without any hesitation, she directly told him that this person was the son of Deputy Mayor Xie. As a result, the responsibility was shifted onto Nie Zhenbang. If Xie Tao were promoted, Yan Fengjiao would be credited for the rmendation. Deputy Mayor Xie would not owe Nie Zhenbang any favor. On the other hand, if Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t agree, it would be his fault. Yan Fengjiao clearly stated this. If Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t agree, it meant he didn¡¯t give face to Deputy Mayor Xie. This had little to do with her, Yan Fengjiao. Nie Zhenbang was also getting a headache at this point. As for the Bureau of Commerce and Investment, he had just talked to Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo about it yesterday, and by this morning, someone had already had their eye on the position. The addition of the Bureau meant that at least one primary and two auxiliary positions, or even three auxiliary positions, would be avable. These were official positions, both primary and auxiliary. Naturally, many people would be interested. Besides Deputy Mayor Xie rmended by Yan Fengjiao, Bai, the deputy director of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress, also personally rmended a candidate to Nie Zhenbang. In addition, several other leaders in the city had also given Nie Zhenbang a heads-up. Now, everyone had their eyes on the cake that was the Lixian Development Zone. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang was bound to have a bright future, they all wanted to follow Director Nie down the path of glory. After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang came up with an idea and said to Yan Fengjiao, ¡°County Mayor Yan, I do have a new idea about the personnel issue in the Bureau of Commerce and Investment.¡± Chapter 182: Nie Zhenbang’s Pioneering Achievement _1 Chapter 182: Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Pioneering Achievement _1 Trantor: 549690339 Yan Fengjiao had encountered situations like this before. Basically, it was impossible to please both sides. If you catered to one leader, you naturally offended another. Regardless, the Li County Development Zone held the advantage, being both the first development zone in Bazhou City and the first county-level economic development zone in Xibei Autonomous Region. Its reputation was established; achievable sess there would attract universal attention and smooth advancement. These opportunities were clear to all the leaders in Bazhou City, just low hanging fruit ripe for the picking. Were it not for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strong leadership, the position of Party Committee Secretary might not necessarily be his. The same could be said for her position as director of the Management Committee, which she might not have obtained had Liu Wenqing himself not given specific approval. Consequently, the Deputy Directors of the Management Committee, the Deputy Party Secretaries, and several positions in the Bureau of Commerce became a battlefield for factions to contend over. She and Nie Zhenbang now found themselves in the middle of this struggle, vulnerable like a loaf of bread, in constant danger of being ttened. Now, Nie Zhenbang mentioned having new ideas regarding the personnel appointment issues. Yan Fengjiao looked at Nie Zhenbang curiously, her expressive eyes hinting a mixture of spring warmth and flirtatious charm, ¡°Director Nie, do you have more new initiatives? I¡¯ve heard that Director Nie is an open-minded person who dares to think and act boldly. Witnessing it firsthand, the reputation proves to be well-deserved.¡± Nie Zhenbang also felt a little embarrassed at this moment. It was unusual to be called open-minded and daring by a female colleague, especially one who radiated mature charm, in the office. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°I think that with so many people vying for positions, we can learn from the developed regions in the east and carry out open selection under such circumstances.¡± Open selection? Yan Fengjiao was also dumbfounded. From a literal perspective, the meaning was easy to understand. It was likely akin to having a cadre election. Whoever won would assume leadership. But was this n a bit too bold? By this time, Nie Zhenbang had stood up, and he said, ¡°County Mayor Yan, I think we should decide on this matter. I believe open selection will be an important method of cadre selection in the future. As leaders of the new era, we should have this courage and boldness. The first person to eat the crab should always be daring.¡± Then, after tidying up his belongings, Nie Zhenbang turned to Yan Fengjiao and said, ¡°County Mayor Yan, I have to thank you for this idea. Shall we go to Secretary Liu together? I¡¯d like to report this matter to him.¡± But Nie Zhenbang¡¯s style of daring to think and act boldly seemed to have affected Yan Fengjiao invisibly. Notably, this was an urate representation of his reputation. Everyone said that Nie Zhenbang of Li County was very pragmatic. It now seemed this reputation was well-deserved. By the time their vehicle arrived at the citymittee, it was already two in the afternoon. The moment Liu Wenqing saw Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao walk in together, he was startled. Soon after, he broke into augh, ¡°Well, it seems you two have formed an excellent team in the development zone. With Director Nie overseeingprehensive work, and Comrade Feng Jiao filling in the gaps, I think it¡¯s working out well. Now, to what do I owe a visit from the two prominent leaders of the development zone? Are you here for funding? Let me rify first. The city is poorer than you. I don¡¯t have the money.¡± Everyone knew that this was just Liu Wenqing¡¯s way of joking. On the side, Yan Fengjiao alsoughed and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, what are you thinking? Do Director Nie and I appear to be begging?¡± Female officials sometimes had such advantages. In some situations where male officials would not dare to joke with their superiors, female officials could. As was the case here. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, County Mayor Yan and I came here mainly to report to you, and the organization, about the staffing framework of the Development Zone.¡± Upon hearing about the personnel issues in the development zone, Liu Wenqing¡¯s face turned serious. Currently, the Li County Development Zone was a coveted prize. Liu Wenqing knew well that the development zone was a ce where political achievements could easily be made; promotions were undeniable. It was like a cake that everyone wanted a piece of. Liu Wenqing hadn¡¯t nned to inquire into the staffing arrangements at the development zone. His silence could be seen as a test of Nie Zhenbang and his team¡¯s capabilities. Being an official required not only exceptional abilities but also unparalleled skill in interpersonalmunications. No matter how talented, an official who could not win over his staff would be surrounded by opposition and enemies everywhere. That wasn¡¯t the kind of official that Liu Wenqing held in high regard. Although Liu Wenqing knew of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s powerful background, and that the future path wouldn¡¯t require his conscious worrying, this did not mean that Liu Wenqing couldn¡¯t test Nie Zhenbang. However, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang took the initiative to approach, even bringing Yan Fengjiao with him, voluntarily bringing up the personnel issues of the Development Zone. Liu Wenqing found it hard to refuse at this moment. He watched Nie Zhenbang and habitually tapped on the table, saying, ¡°Oh? Regarding personnel arrangements in the Development Zone, have you alreadye up with some ideas so soon?¡± ¡°Secretary Liu, in terms of personnel issues in the Development Zone, my suggestion is to consider conducting a public selection of cadres within the entire city. At present, for several major positions, many city leaders have greeted both Director Yan and me. This puts us in a certain predicament. Adopting a public selection of cadres would result in fairness, openness, and justice. As the masses supervise and leaders assess, this will ensure the capable rise and the mediocre fall. Nobody would disagree with this approach, would they?¡± Fair, open, and just Liu Wenqing also repeated these words, thinking that this approach was insightful. It would be the first time for him to publicly select cadres, which was an innovative problem to tackle. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he asked, ¡°Public selection? This is indeed a new approach. But won¡¯t there be some problems with this method? Have you thought through everything? I know your character well; you never engage in battles without a certain win. It must be that you have a well-thought-out n before daring to say so.¡± True public selection of cadres should start in few years. There was no such concept at that moment, however, Nie Zhenbang believed that it should not be a big issue to implement it. Nie Zhenbang then responded with a smile, ¡°Secretary Liu, I wouldn¡¯t say I have apletely thorough n. Nheless, I have thought about some principles such as: The Party governs cadres principle; The principle of meritocracy,bining virtue, and talent; Recognized by the masses, emphasis on performance principle; Open, equal,petitive, and the best candidates principle; The principle of democratic centralism; Principle ofw-abiding. In addition, regarding the qualifications for application, I suggest that anyone wishing to apply for a leadership position should have at least five years of working experience and two years of leadership experience. As for colleagues from some departments who would want to apply for a primary level position, they should have at least two years of experience in a deputy primary position. At the moment, these are my thoughts. They might seem a bit bold and I would appreciate your guidance, Secretary Liu.¡± At this moment, Liu Wenqing couldn¡¯t help but admire Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance was surprising. Public selection was an innovative move. If it had a good effect, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s contributions would indeed be remarkable. After a moment of contemtion, Liu Wenqing responded with a smile, ¡°The n is well-constructed, and you¡¯ve considered all aspects. I don¡¯t really have additionalments. As for exam topics, you can jointly discuss it with the Ministry of Organization of the Municipal Party Committee. Minister Fang is experienced in organization matters and knowledgeable in personnel selection. I approve your n, which could also help you avoid a lot of trouble.¡± Time was of the essence. Such a matter was now the focus of the entire Bazhou City. The longer it dragged on, the greater the pressure on Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao. It was crucial to finalize the matter as soon as possible and shift all pressure onto the Municipal Party Committee, making it easier for Nie Zhenbang to carry out his work. The negotiation with Fang Gushan was very straightforward, likely because Liu Wenqing had alreadymunicated with Fang Gushan earlier. After discussing with Nie Zhenbang, the main assessment for the Development Zone revolved around economic construction and attracting investment. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, the leaders whoe to the Development Zone must be capable and experienced in investment promotion. Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao rushed back to Lixian that afternoon. The following morning, the Bazhou Daily published a piece of news on the front page, attracting immediate attention from all Bazhou¡¯s officials. ¡°Notice on Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone Publicly Selecting a Batch of Cadres within the Entire City.¡± The entire notice was written in great detail, covering the principle of employment, examination conditions, and detailed procedures. At that moment, in the office of the Xibei Autonomous Region, Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s secretary Tang Qingming brought in a newspaper saying, ¡°Secretary, the front-page news of today¡¯s Bazhou Daily is quite interesting.¡± To Tang Qingming¡¯s surprise, Jiang Zhenquan lifted his newspaper and responded with a smile, ¡°Xiao Tang, you¡¯re referring to Lixian¡¯s public cadre selection, aren¡¯t you? Nie Zhenbang is indeed bold. However, this n is intriguing. It¡¯s a rare initiative. If implemented well, it could gradually be promoted nationwide. This time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s aplishment list is surely going to have another notable addition.¡± Hearing Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s words, Tang Qingming was stunned. At Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s level, he could grasp some insights on the thoughts of the central senior officials. At this moment, the fact that Jiang Zhenquan didn¡¯t show any anger about the public selection of cadres, but appeared quite pleased instead, suggested that the central government had likely already begun exploring this selection method. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had no idea that his actions had once again caught Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s attention. All he knew was that he had a headache as he sat in his office. Because, the very moment he arrived at work, Dong Wan and Li Lixue officially visited under the name of Wal-Mart Group. (.) Chapter 183: Starting Off on A Good Note_1 Chapter 183: Starting Off on A Good Note_1 Trantor: 549690339 Seeing Li Lixue and Dong Wan acting so serious, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but find it somewhat amusing. What was this all about? His own family has so much money they¡¯re practically burning it. Then they believe he¡¯s spent too much time in Xibei and want to stack up his achievements with their money, and then, get him promoted directly? If it weren¡¯t for Yan Fengjiao being at his side, Nie Zhenbang might have taken these two naughty girls over his knee right now. Since there were others present, Nie Zhenbang held back somewhat, and said with a smile, ¡°Li Xue, we are familiar with each other, true, but you shouldn¡¯t blindly invest, right? Developing infrastructure for the Li County Development Zone isn¡¯t a small investment. Also, I won¡¯t approve ofpensating construction costs withrge amounts ofnd.¡± At his side, Yan Fengjiao was a shrewd woman. A fellow female, Yan Fengjiao quickly realized that these two youngdies likely had a deep rtionship with Director Nie. While admiring Nie Zhenbang¡¯s luck in simultaneously receiving the favor of two such outstanding beauties, she also felt slightly upset. No wonder Nie Zhenbangpletely disregarded her. With such extraordinary female confidantes, she, an old maid, really couldn¡¯tpare. ¡°Boss Li, Director Nie is right. We wee investments in supermarkets. I have been to Wal-Mart Supermarket and GOME Electrical Appliance Wushi Store, and they are indeed excellent. If they could be set up in Li County, we¡¯d be more than weing. However, investing in infrastructure construction is indeed a bit risky.¡± Yan Fengjiao kindly reminded. Dong Wan usually appeared calm and elegant. If there were no outsiders, Dong Wan wouldn¡¯t act such way, but when there are others, her expression is always quite cold. Meanwhile, Li Lixue was different. Many years as a broker was not wasted. In the Soviet Union, she became a significant figure. ncing at Yan Fengjiao, Li Lixue immediately became unsatisfied with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s deputy. Soon, she coldly said, ¡°Thanks for the goodwill from both of you. However, our Wal-Mart Group intends to not only open supermarkets in Li County but we¡¯re also interested in the area¡¯s rich Loupma and livestock resources. Apart from investing in a supermarket, we n to invest in a textile factory and Loupma tea factory that use Loupma as raw material as well as aplete meat processing factory. After careful consideration, we feel thatpared to direct investment, investing in infrastructure development has more preferential policies and measures. What are your opinions?¡± At the side, Dong Wan nodded her head and sparingly echoed, ¡°Yes, money is not the problem. Our requirement is bundled investment. If you agree now, we can discuss everything. If you disagree, then we¡¯ll not discuss our investment.¡± What Dong Wan said was very clear. Let me invest in infrastructure construction and everything is negotiable. As for how much to invest and how to invest, there is no problem because they have already boldly stated that money is not the problem. This bold attitude surprised Yan Fengjiao. Who are these two beautiful women, really? In this era, a ten-thousand-dor person is a rare figure. People with one hundred thousand dors are already deemed to be the deputies of the People¡¯s Congress or members of the Chinese People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference. Millionaires are probably rare throughout all of Bazhou. Infrastructure construction is not small and not a minute investment, it involves tens of millions or even hundreds of millions. Seeing Dong Wan¡¯s serious face, Nie Zhenbang also felt a headache. It seemed that Dong Wan and Li Lixue were determined to pile up political achievements with their cash. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°Director Yan, since Boss Li and Boss Dong are insistent on this, we in Li County naturally wee it. So, Director Yan, you will represent me and our development zone in a detailed discussion with Boss Li and others.¡± Nie Zhenbang sidestepped the issue at hand, which was the most appropriate course of action considering his rtionship with the two women. Even though people below him were unaware and would never know about the rtionship between the three of them, it was not guaranteed that the information would remain hidden from hostile members of his family. If they became aware, this could be used against him. Being used of corrupt practices, even if Li County would benefit, might increaseplications. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Lixue was momentarily stunned, but almost immediately understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intentions. On the other side, Dong Wan retained her calm demeanor and asked Yan Fengjiao, ¡°Director Yan, do you think we should discuss it here or¡­?¡± Yan Fengjiao immediately stood up, smiling, ¡°Both you bosses are youngdies, young and beautiful, and have made many achievements. I will take the liberty of calling you younger sisters. Let¡¯s move to my ce, we have the entire zoning map of the development zone there. We can discuss how to invest while looking at the map.¡± Yan Fengjiao¡¯s office, like others, was simply furnished. Since Nie Zhenbang set this example, all the leaders¡¯ offices in the Li County Government had taken to being more minimalist. After all, in a political environment, reputation matters. Everyone can tolerate luxury if it¡¯s just one person, but when everyone is austere and only one person maintains a luxurious office, it draws unnecessary attention. ¡°Unity is strength¡± ¨C this adage is not only applicable in the military, but equally so in the officialdom. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pragmatic style has also influenced the officials of the Li County Government to adopt a simr approach. ¡°County Mayor Yan, your office decoration is rather simple. No wonder Li County has developed so well. Your pragmatic spirit and attitude are truly admirable,¡± Li Lixue said with a smile as soon as she walked in. At those words, Yan Fengjiao shed a winsome smile, giving off an intensely charming aura. She took a moment to realign her hair before saying: ¡°Ladies, we¡¯re all women here. If you don¡¯t think it¡¯s presumptuous, you may just call me Sister Yan. We women naturallyck certain advantages, and how both of you have managed to build suchrge businesses is truly the object of my admiration.¡± Yan Fengjiao¡¯s interpersonal skills were indeed exceptional. Within a few sentences, she had significantly reduced the gap between them. Subsequently, she pulled out a big chart from the cupboard andid it on the coffee table, saying, ¡°Sisters,e and see. The preliminary nning area of our Li County Development Zone is about twenty square kilometers. The core area is six square kilometers, and currently, we are developing an area of three square kilometers. The infrastructural construction underway includes the Li City Boulevard, Unity Avenue and May First Road as the vertical arteries and Yingbin Road and Nationality Road as the horizontal arteries. As per our current n, we aim to further build three horizontal and two vertical arterial roads within the core development zone, which follows the current grid. This wouldplete the roadwork of the entire core development zone. The preliminary estimate for the investment required is approximately 1.5 million for every kilometer, including road hardening, house demolition, road greening,ying water pipes and public lighting facilities. The total investment would be around 45 million.¡± Pausing for a moment, Yan Fengjiao added with a smile, ¡°Sisters, such arge investment is beyond what our county can afford at present.¡± At this point, Yan Fengjiao did some quick calctions. Currently, the county¡¯s financial ount had a total of about 140 million. Nearly 30 million had already been invested in infrastructure. The offices of the county government and bureaus were to be relocated, which would eat a substantial chunk of the budget ¨C at least 70 million, being conservative. And this figure didn¡¯t even include the cost ofnd. She estimated it would be necessary to seek additional funds and financing from the higher-ups at the right time. At most, the county could afford to allocate a maximum of 10 million. It was clear to Yan Fengjiao that Li Lixue and Dong Wan had the means, and that¡¯s why she could make such bold statements with a clear conscience. Seeing that the two showed no noticeable reaction upon hearing about theck of funds, unfazed andposed as if they were talking about 4,500 dors instead of 45 million, Yan Fengjiao continued: ¡°Sisters Li Xue and Wan, how about this? Initially, the Li County Government will pay you 10 million. In addition, we willpensate you with 500 acres ofnd in the Li County Development Zone. Calcted at 60,000 per acre, this would count as apensation of 30 million, and the remaining 5 million will be paid off in three years. What do you think?¡± This seemed like a lion opening its mouth wide. During this era, even South China Sea Special Zone would havend prices around this level, maybe a bit higher at best. But in a frontier ce like Xibei Autonomous Region, especially the small city of Li County with a poption of less than 200,000, and price of 60,000 per acre was undoubtedly a ¡°sky-high¡± price. Li Lixue was somewhat surprised at this moment. Yan Fengjiao was shrewd, she had urately priced thend understanding the rtionship she and others harbored with Nie Zhenbang. It was clear that they hade to fund the project. Even if it was essentially charity, they would do it, especially now that it included somepensation. This woman had the ability to upy her current seat. Li Lixue then nodded and said, ¡°Since Sister Yan has said so, we have no issues at all. When can we arrange to sign a contract between us? After that, we will send our professionals for the follow-up work. What do you think?¡± Meanwhile, Dong Wan also spoke, ¡°In addition to this, we need to acquire approximately ten acres ofnd in the bustlingmercial area of Li County City to construct a 20-story building to establish a star-rated hotel, which will be a hub for a hotel, shopping mall, supermarket, food, and entertainment. It would be best if we sign the contract for it all at once.¡± Hearing Dong Wan¡¯s statement, Yan Fengjiao was taken aback momentarily. This time, the development zone of Li County was off to a great start. ( Chapter 184: Dramatic Assessment _1 Chapter 184: Dramatic Assessment _1 Trantor: 549690339 Dong Wan was growing unsatisfied with the environment of the Li County Hotel. Compared to the luxurious andvishyout of the Dynasty Club, the Li County Hotel felt no different from a shack. The Li County Hotel was built in the 1960s. It was nothing but small bungalows, and the banquet halls were separately set up, much like a factory. Other than a few courtyards that had been refurbished to wee superior leaders, the rest of the guest rooms were more rudimentary than those in a hostel. Yan Fengjiao acted swiftly. Nie Zhenbang had asked her to take the lead, partly to avoid suspicion. The other part expressed his intention to give her credit for the aplishment. Naturally, Feng Jiao epted it all with a smile. In the banquet hall of the Li County Hotel, the venue had been redecorated. The entire ce was carpeted in bright red. At the front, a row of tables was concealed by red wool cloth. At both ends, beautiful bouquets of flowers were ced. The backdrop was a massive map of the Li County Development Zone¡¯s n. Above the map hung a banner; Wee Jingcheng Wal-Mart Group to the signing ceremony of the Economic and Technological Development Zone in our county. Below the stage, numerous chairs were arranged to mimic Jingcheng and South China Sea¡¯syout. At the moment, the venue was filled with camera-equipped journalists. Reporters from the Northwest TV Station, representatives from provincial media outlets such as the Northwest Daily, journalists from the Bazhou City TV Station and the Bazhou Daily, along with local media from Li County, nearly ten media outlets were present and seated. As nine o¡¯clock approached, Yan Fengjiao and Li Lixue represented the Li County Development Zone and the Wal-Mart Group, respectively, stepping onto the rostrum and signing the investment intention agreement. ¡°May I ask, Boss Li, what motivated yourpany to invest so heavily in the infrastructure construction of Li County? Can you share some specific details?¡± He Xinyan, a reporter from the Bazhou TV station, started conducting an interview. Despite looking older, her words were as sharp as ever. The details of the agreement were not entirely disclosed, only the results were announced. After all, the contents of the agreement were sensitive. Neither Li County nor Li Lixue could possibly disclose any information to the public. Li Lixue responded with a smile, ¡°The reporter¡¯s question is quite sharp, but I¡¯m sorry, this is amercial secret of the Wal-Mart Group. We are filled with confidence in our investment in Li County. Li County¡¯s abundant agricultural and pastoral resources, as well as x resources, are all excellent product bases for the Wal-Mart Group. This was our original intention for investing in Li County. Thank you all, friends from the news media.¡± The next day, the Northwest TV Station reported on the Li County Development Zone and the Wal-Mart Group¡¯s investment agreement. The Li County Development Zone suddenly appeared in the sight of the northwest officialdom. Following that, other locations began to show interest. Meanwhile, the public selection of officials in the history of the northwest, organized by the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Organization Department, has reached the most critical moment. An undersecretary of the Working Committee has been confirmed. The current deputy director of the Sanitation Bureau of Ku City, Yang Zhengping, was selected. Two deputy directors for the Administrative Committee have also been confirmed: one is Gao Yuanshan, the director of the Party and Government Office of Unity Town, Ta County; the other one is the former party secretary of Shengli Township, Leng Guohua of Li County. For Guohua, it is a dual appointment; while dealing with affairs of the development zone, Guohua remains the party secretary of Shengli Township. Inparison to these smooth appointments, thepetition for positions in the Investment Promotion Bureau is particrly fierce. Over a hundred people from all over Bazhou city have signed up for the position of bureau chief alone. After the preliminary selection, more than half were eliminated. After a re-assessment, only six candidates remained, with the final assessment to be conducted by the Minister of the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s Organizational Department, Fang Gushan, at nine o¡¯clock in the morning at the Li County Party Committee. At this moment, all the candidates had arrived, seeing the empty courtyard of the Li County Party Committee; they were somewhat puzzled. Xie Tao, the deputy director of the Tuanshi Children¡¯s Brigade Office, frowned, ¡°What¡¯s going on? The staff of the Li County Party Committee are too careless. They should have provided a sign indicating which meeting room to go to for the assessment. We are not officials from Li County, aren¡¯t we leftpletely in the dark here?¡± Another candidate standing next to him nodded in agreement, ¡°Exactly. It¡¯s almost nine o¡¯clock, and there¡¯s still no one here. If the assessment is not being held, we should be informed in advance. The other positions were better. Not many people applied, and the results came out quickly. I was worried that thepetition for other positions would be more intense. I wanted to choose an inferior position. Unexpectedly, after all that choosing, I ended up picking the mostpetitive one.¡± Just then, an old man walked out of the county partymittee building and looked at the group of people gathered at the entrance. He said, ¡°You guys are here for the selection of the Investment Promotion Bureau Chief, right? The location has been changed at thest minute. It was originally decided to be here at the county partymittee, but it has been switched to the county government. It¡¯s happening on the third floor of the county government building. The leaders are probably waiting for you there.¡± Upon hearing this, Xie Tao immediately lifted his wrist, eximing, ¡°Oh no, it¡¯s already 8:56. We only have four minutes left.¡± After speaking, Xie Tao hurriedly ran out. Simultaneously, the others anxiously followed him, heading towards the county government offices across the street. In the bureaucracy, time is crucial. Usually, being a littlete is not a big deal. However, there are certain situations in which you can¡¯t afford to bete. One such situation is attending meetings. If you arete to a meeting, whether you are a leader or a subordinate, it gives the other attendees a bad impression. Another such event is inspections, like the one urring now. One should never be early orte for these; it can significantly reduce people¡¯s impression of you. At that moment, a ck Santana drove in through the entrance of the County Party Committee¡¯splex. A man wearing sunsses and a leather jacket exited the vehicle and, in Hong Kong-style Mandarin, said, ¡°The pace of our hometown¡¯s development is quite impressive. I¡¯vee back this time, thinking of investing some money here. Excuse me, sir, who should I talk to about establishing an enterprise in the development district?¡± At a time of urgent matters, Xie Tao couldn¡¯t be bothered with him. He quickly jogged across the Kuli Street to the county government side. As soon as he arrived at the conference room on the third floor of the county government building, seeing two people were already missing from their previous group, the four left were slightly delighted. Minister Fang was notorious throughout the city for detestingters ¨C so the chances of those who camest were certainly doomed. At that very moment, the conference room door opened. Leading the way was Fang Gushan with a stern expression on his face, followed by Li County Party Secretary Zhang Chubin, Deputy Secretary Xie Yi and County Magistrate Nie Zhenbang. After looking at them, Fang Gushan immediately said, ¡°The assessment has ended. The candidates are already selected. Li County¡¯s Investment Promotion Bureau will be led by Fan Zhenming, the former Deputy Director of the Education Department at Baizhou City¡¯s College of Industry and Trade. The Deputy director is Li Yan from the Finance Section at Baizhou¡¯s Agricultural School. We¡¯ll let the Li County Party Committee decide on the another deputy director.¡± Upon hearing Fang Gushan¡¯s words, Xie Tao and the others were dumbfounded. What was going on? Wasn¡¯t the assessment supposed to take ce soon? Had they already given positions to certain people internally? Thinking of this, Xie Tao immediately asked Fang Gushan, ¡°Minister Fang, I object. How has the assessment ended when it hasn¡¯t even started?¡± Xie Tao was the son of Deputy Mayor Xie. Even though his father and Fang Gushan were of the same ranking and his father was not an executive member, it wasn¡¯t unprecedented for Xie Tao to lean on his father¡¯s position. He couldn¡¯t ept losing the position in such an unclear manner. Regardless, he immediately started questioning the process. Fang Gushan, however, wore a slight smile on his face. Even if Xie Tao hadn¡¯t asked, Fang Gushan would have exined the situation. This was his personality and methodology at work. As an organizer, the thing he disliked the most was unfairness. If the assessment was deemed so, he would lose credibility and control of the situation. Then Fang Gushan turned around and said, ¡°You all,e over to the window with me.¡± Entering the conference room, therge windows directly faced the County Party Committee office building across the courtyard, offering a clear view of the entire yard without any trees or buildings obstructing it. At that moment, Fan Zhenming and Li Yan were still conversing with the man in sunsses they¡¯d met earlier. Fang Gushan then solemnly remarked, ¡°Comrades, it¡¯s the small details that can change your fate. Didn¡¯t it seem strange to you when you arrived at the County Party Committee¡¯s office? It was eerily quiet like it was a public holiday or a special event, and there was no sign to guide you or any person to receive you. This suggests that you were already too focused on the official positions, so you didn¡¯t notice such details. Instead, when someone came asking about an investment opportunity, you simply overlooked it in pursuit of a position. Comrades, you are going to be directors of the Investment Promotion Bureau; is this the level of enthusiasm you show towards attracting investment?¡± Noticing Xie Tao¡¯s dissatisfaction, Fang Gushan waved his hand to interrupt him and continued, ¡°Yes, yes, I know. You would argue that since you hadn¡¯t assumed office yet, you couldn¡¯t address his queries. While this is a valid argument, take a look at how the others handled the situation.¡± His statement left the four of them speechless. Nie Zhenbang then stepped forward and added, ¡°The person below, whom you may believe was purposely chosen to test you, is named Zhu Lufeng. He used to be a well-known troublemaker in our local area. After the implementation of the reform and opening-up policy, he went to the Special Economic Zones as a businessman, and now, he¡¯s worth millions and really ns to invest in his hometown. I personally received him yesterday. When Minister Fang mentioned an assessment, I thought of having Mr. Zhu help test all of you.¡± At that moment, Zhang Chubin alsoughed and said, ¡°Different priorities,rades. It¡¯s admirable that you were eager to advance yourselves, and even though you weren¡¯t selected this time, there will always be other opportunities in the future. To show our sincerity on behalf of the County Party Committee and County Government of Li County, I hope you will all stay for a casual meal together.¡± (.) Chapter 185 - 185 Public Funds Consumption_1 Chapter 185: Public Funds Consumption_1 Trantor:549690339 Ever since Zhang Chubin had returned from Liu Wenqing¡¯s cest time, he had gradually adjusted his mindset. His ideas were already reflected in the development zone, which was enough for him. After getting his state of mind right, Zhang Chubin now understood that the greatest political achievement in Li County was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s and nobody could take it away. It was useless for anyone to want to contend for it. With Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo watching over the situation, no one in Bazhou dared to steal the limelight. Therefore, Zhang Chubin was now quite rxed. Regarding the infrastructure construction in Li County, the Wal-Mart Group took on such a big project. Furthermore, Yan Fengjiao and Nie Zhenbang did not keep the contents of the agreement a secret from him. Seeing this, Zhang Chubin had even more admiration. He admitted that he did not have enough capability to have a nationally renowned private enterprise like the Wal-Mart Group pay for the development. Therefore, Zhang Chubin had given up the idea of getting involved in the development zone. At this moment, Fang Gushan was smiling, saying: ¡°Secretary Chu Bin, Director Zhenbang, thank you for the gracious invitation from the Li County Party Committee and County Government. But I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t make it today. The remaining cadres can stay here directly. I¡¯ll handle the others, there are many things to do in the city, like the official election, that¡¯s a big deal in Bazhou. Also, I need to issue a summary report to the District Party Committee. Let¡¯s skip the meal today. When the new town of Li County ispleted, I¡¯lle to your celebration party.¡± After sending off Fang Gushan, the director of the County Party Committee Office, Qu Feng, stood before Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Secretary Zhang, Director Nie, the banquet has been arranged. Eight tables have been set up at the VIP building of the County Party Committee guesthouse. The deputy leaders of the County Party Committee and government, as well as the heads of various bureaus in the county, and some retired cadres. Do you think we need to add more tables?¡± Qu Feng also noticed that it was not enough to just please the secretary in Li County, both the secretary and director had to be satisfied. ¡°Hmm, let¡¯s arrange it like that. It will be a small wee banquet. After the official appointment from the organization department and the team of the development zone Working Committee and Management Committee has arrived, we can hold a more grand event. Director Nie, how do you see it?¡± At this moment, Zhang Chubin demonstrated the demeanor of a county party secretary. As for this, Nie Zhenbang did not have any objections. Public expenditure, public reception, it had been amon practice in Huaxia¡¯s officialdom since ancient times. This had be a tradition. However, Nie Zhenbang was opposed tovish public expenditure. As a state government department, impoliteness among superiors and subordinates, and between brother units, could not be avoided, but ifvish public expenditure was taken for granted, with extravagant and luxuries, it would be wrong. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang believes it is a crime. Nie Zhenbang also pondered for a while, then said, ¡°Hmm, I agree with Secretary Zhang¡¯s opinion. Let¡¯s do it this way. Also, don¡¯t exceed the standard in terms of reception. Let¡¯s stick to the usual practice. Li County is short of money everywhere. When we be affluent, we can hold a high-standard celebration.¡± A crowd of people, Entered the Li County Hotel, a.k.a the County Party Committee Guesthouse. Naturally, Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin were seated at the main table, surrounded by deputy leaders of the County Party Committee and government ording to their ranking. At this moment, a voice came from outside: ¡°General Liu, where¡¯s your General Liu? Let hime out and see me right now. What the hell is this shitty dish he served me? Is Xing Wenbiao out of money or what? Change it, change it! Bring the finest dishes and wine, now!¡± At this time, another voice rang out: ¡°Haha, Fat Liu, did you hear our boss¡¯s words? Money isn¡¯t an issue. Even ady is fine.¡± Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang stood up abruptly. He was familiar with the name Xing Wenbiao. The head of the Li County Tax Bureau and the secretary of the bureau party group, undoubtedly the top official in Li County Tax Bureau. But such arrogance, extravagance, and wastefulness, clearly, this was not the first time. What was more serious was the words of the voice next to him, which annoyed Nie Zhenbang further. He¡¯s a civil servant, calling someone ¡°boss¡±, not to mention asking for a three-apaniment. Almost everyone in the room heard this. Isn¡¯t this tarnishing the reputation of the Li County Party Committee? Next to him, Zhang Chubin gently tugged Nie Zhenbang and whispered: ¡°Chill Zhenbang, sit down. I know about Xing Wenbiao. He¡¯s quite young and was parachuted down here. The Tax Bureau, which is a vertically managed organization, has its staffing, personnel sries, and organizational rtions all handled by the superior charge department. One could say that our county Party Committee and county government only have nominal leadership. We really can¡¯t manage it. I heard that Wenbiao¡¯s uncle is the secretary and director of the District Tax Bureau party group. He¡¯s quite infamous in Li County for his high-handedness. You¡¯d better not deal with it.¡± Zhang Chubin¡¯s good intentions were clear. In typical departments like the Tax Bureau, vertical management is the norm and the Li County Party Committee and County Government had no authority to interfere. To put it bluntly, you are the county party secretary, the county director, but if you are not given respect, in front of Xing Wenbiao, you are nothing. You cannot do anything about his position or sry unless hemits a fundamental mistake. These two crucial things are beyond your control. Whether or not they listen to you depends on their mood. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stubborn temperament red up. He stiffened his neck and said in a deep voice, ¡°I must meet this Xing Wenbiao. He is just a section-level cadre. What makes him live such a luxurious and unabashedly extravagant life?¡± Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang leave, Zhang Chubin also stood up, and then said, ¡°Alright, everyone sit down and continue eating. Director Qu, you and Director Chen should go with him and check on the situation. Given Xing Wenbiao¡¯s character, I¡¯m afraid he might confront Director Nie.¡± With only a wooden partition separating the banquet hall from the private rooms of the VIP building, Nie Zhenbang quickly found VIP room 888. Upon entering, he saw seven or eight men at a round table, their faces flushed with alcohol. They were surrounded by several bottles of Maotai liquor, and several newly opened bottles of foreign spirits, with the capital letters ¡°XO¡± noticeably pinned on the table. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Xing Wenbiao was startled for a moment, and then stood up with a beaming smile on his face, swaying a bit as he moved towards Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Director Nie, what a surprise to see you here. It¡¯s a coincidence that you¡¯re also dining here today. Would you like to join us?¡± Nie Zhenbang was someone that Xing Wenbiao recognized. Disregarding everything else, when Mo Zhihai fell from power, Nie Zhenbang was the key figure. Subsequently, when Wu Zhixiong was transferred away from Li County, Nie Zhenbang rose to prominence, followed by the development zone, and the huge amount of money involved. Xing Wenbiao, being here in Li County, couldn¡¯t help but know who Nie Zhenbang was. Though he didn¡¯t answer directly to Nie Zhenbang, it was necessary to maintain a good rtionship with him. Looking at Xing Wenbiao¡¯s overly familiar gestures, Nie Zhenbang frowned slightly and stepped back. He said solemnly, ¡°Director Xing, please remember your status. You¡¯ve been drinking quite a lot during your working hours. Aren¡¯t you going to work in the afternoon? I see the dishes on your table are all signature dishes of the Li County Hotel. They are quite expensive. Do these things matter to you, Director Xing?¡± Xing Wenbiao waspletely drunk by now. He thought that Nie Zhenbang was praising him andughed loudly, ¡°What¡¯s so expensive about these things? They¡¯re not even the best. The best dishes are the delicacies from the mountains and the sea. As for the red wine, it¡¯s Lafite from ¡¯82. Director Nie, have you ever had it? That¡¯s the real deal. What¡¯s thispared to it? Here in Lixian, it¡¯s fine, but in Urumqi, this would be considered fit only for a beggar.¡± One of the staff members, who was still rtively sober, immediately stood up and said a bit apologetically, ¡°Director Nie, please don¡¯t take it to heart. Our Director Xing has a bad habit of bragging whenever he gets drunk.¡± ¡°Bragging? I don¡¯t think so. Director Xing seems quite practiced at it, and I don¡¯t think he¡¯s just making it all up. You guys seem to have no regard for discipline. Is this how you spend public funds? I think I need to convey my views to your senior management departments.¡± Nie Zhenbang said seriously once more. At this moment, Xing Wenbiao finally understood the situation. He straightened up forcibly. This time, however, he didn¡¯t stand up. Instead, with a look of contempt in his eyes, he stared at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Director Nie, what do you mean by this? Do you want to report me?¡± Xing Wenbiao¡¯s face turned and he casually picked up the bottle of XO, casually filled a cup for himself, and drank it in one gulp. Then he said, ¡°Director Nie, this is no way to live in Li County. I truly don¡¯t want to stay. I would prefer it if you reported me. It would be best if you could get me transferred. That would be a relief. Go ahead. Oh, do you need the phone number of Director Huang at the Bazhou City Tax Bureau? I have it, it could save you the trouble of looking for it.¡± This was an outright show of contempt. With a sneer at the corner of his mouth, Xing Wenbiao said sternly, ¡°You think very highly of yourself, Nie Zhenbang. Others might fear you, but I, Xing Wenbiao, do not. Please feel free to report me. I would like to see what you can do. Have I vited party discipline or thews of the country?¡± ¡°Xing Wenbiao, shut your mouth! Look at yourself, there¡¯s not a trace of professional conduct left in you. If you think you can use public funds at will, you¡¯re mistaken. I, Nie Zhenbang, despise people like you who take advantage of their positions, neglect their duties, and waste the hard-earned money of the public like it¡¯s nothing. Today, I¡¯m putting my words out here. I don¡¯t care who you have backing you. Here in Li County, I assure you, you won¡¯t be able to continue as director.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also furious. This was the first time he has spoken so assertively in public, which showed how genuinely angry he was. Chapter 186 - 186 Astronomical Fine (Request for Monthly Ticket Support) _1 Chapter 186: Astronomical Fine (Request for Monthly Ticket Support) _1 Trantor:549690339 Xing Wenbiao sneered and then stood up. He waved to his subordinates and said: ¡°Brothers, let¡¯s leave, let¡¯s leave. Some people are displeased. It seems that we ought to spend less time in Li County. In the future, let¡¯s head to the city, where the newly opened Millionaire Hotel is really good. I heard it¡¯s run by Zhu Lufeng, all in the Cantonese style. It offers a variety of beauties from all around the country. You can have food and fun there. From now on, we will switch to that ce.¡± Watching Xing Wenbiao and his gang leave arrogantly, Nie Zhenbang really didn¡¯t have many options at this moment. The Tax Bureau, a vertical management unit, is out of his control unless he could capture substantial evidence of vition of discipline. Moreover, even to mobilize the disciplinarymittee, it¡¯s necessary to inform the higher level of the Tax Bureau first, which is the main reason why vertical management units generally don¡¯t pay much heed to local governments. Because authority over personnel arrangement and sry are not in your hands, you have nothing to suppress them. If they can respect you superficially, that¡¯s already very polite. From the side, Qu Feng stepped over and said: ¡°Director Nie, don¡¯t be angry, this is just Xing Wenbiao¡¯s character. Even back when Mayor Wu was in office, this guy had defied him. However, this guy has solid backing, slippery as an eel, and doesn¡¯t give us any handle to catch him. It¡¯s really hard to deal with such a person¡±. Chen Le nodded too, saying, ¡°Director Nie, calm down. We will have our chance to settle ounts with him.¡± Due to the presence of Qu Feng, the head of the countymittee office, Chen Le didn¡¯t spell it out directly. However, the implications were understood by Nie Zhenbang. After such an incident, everyone lost their appetite. At this moment, Zhang Chubin also felt somewhat triumphant. Although he had given up onpeting with Nie Zhenbang for achievements, he still enjoyed seeing Nie Zhenbang falter, especially in front of the principal leaders of the county. Zhang Chubin was pleased with this. In the office of Nie Zhenbang, Li County Government. At this moment, the director of the Construction Bureau and the head of the nning and design department of Li County Construction Bureau were both seated on the sofa while a set of blueprints was in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hands. This was the architecture sketch and preliminary design nning for the new government building of the Li County Committee and County Government. Of course, Li County Construction Bureau couldn¡¯te up with such a design. Next to him, although Xiong Jianming was one of the few officials with a professional background, he didn¡¯t specialize in architectural design. As Nie Zhenbang finished reading, Xiong Jianming said: ¡°Director Nie, this design was personally led by Engineer Liang from Bazhou Architecture Design Institute. The entire building uses the current most popr architectural style. Its venttion and lighting features are very good. Our construction bureau invited professionals to review it, and they all think it¡¯s very good.¡± Currently, the entire Li County government and county-level departments are moving. Each unit¡¯s office building needs to be nned and designed, which is a massive amount of work. While Internal Affairs Bureau and Transport Bureau have their own connections tomission design institutes in the provincial city, most units are nned and designed by the Li County Construction Bureau. This makes the construction bureau the busiest department. Nie Zhenbang looked at the proposal. It was the currently popr European Baroque style, which indeed was very trendy at this time. However, Nie Zhenbang knew that in a few years, as society further develops, government buildings will still need to reflect a serious and dignified image. A bnced and stable architectural style will still dominate in government buildings. Immediately afterwards, Nie Zhenbang looked up and asked: ¡°Old Xiong, has Secretary Zhang seen this proposal? What does he think?¡± Xiong Jianming immediately replied, ¡°Secretary Zhang suggests that, for the assignment of the County Committee and County Government, best to have a distinction or make it a double-tower pattern with a passageway bridge connecting them.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrowed. Was this an attempt to create division between the Party Committee and the government? If so, it would be better to build separately. A moment of contemtion and Nie Zhenbang also spoke: ¡°Old Xiong, I think there are still some issues with this n. Baroque style, arched domes, such style can also be used in the construction of Lixian, but the Party Committee Government Office, this is ultimately the image of Lixian, with this construction, it seems a bit conspicuous, a bitcking in solemnity. As for our countrymen, their aesthetic habits and image should always be the priority. I think we can take some inspiration from the design of the Great Hall, steady and reliable. Look, the Great Hall has been around for so many years, but this architectural style still gives a very steady impression, it never feels outdated.¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, before Xiong Jianming could say anything, the department head of the nning and design department said: ¡°Director Nie, your words have provided me with newfound rity. In this way, the allocation of the county partymittee and the government will be well coordinated, adopting a rectangr building n, with nine marble pirs at the front. The partymittee and the government on both sides, this way, will be well coordinated.¡± Nie Zhenbang also nodded. Inter times, many such office buildings were configured in this way: in the middle, the big red national emblem hung high to embody the majesty and demeanor of the partymittee and government. On both sides, cards of the partymittee and government hung respectively, with offices on both sides and the middle part housing various functional halls and meeting rooms. This way, it could well ensure privacy issues. Just then, the door was suddenly knocked and Yi Jun also walked in from outside. Looking at Xiong Jianming on the side and giving a nod with a smile, he walked up to Nie Zhenbang and whispered: ¡°Director Nie, Manager Zhang from Lixian Construction Engineering Company and Director Wang from Lixian Tantalum Mine have arrived. By the looks of it, the situation seems quite urgent, what do you think?¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. The constructionpany and the tantalum mine were Lixian¡¯s leading enterprises and significant taxpayers before the inauguration of Farmer Welfare Company and Longhua Mining. It could be said that the secondary industry in Lixian was supported by these twopanies. I specifically visited them when I came to Lixian, why did they suddenly show up? Then, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and looked at Xiong Jianming and said: ¡°Old Xiong, in terms of the n, I generally think this is it. You can organize a team to study it in depth. If it¡¯s really not feasible, you can also look for it in Urumqi at Xibei University architectural design institute. The office building of the partymittee and government in Lixian represents the image of Lixian, we cannot take it lightly.¡± After Xiong Jianming left, Yi Jun also brought in Manager Zhang and Director Wang. Looking at the two people with distressed faces, Nie Zhenbang also chuckled, saying: ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Our two wealthiest gods of Lixian, what happened today? Have any problems arisen?¡± As soon as his words fell, Manager Zhang of the constructionpany stood up and said: ¡°Director Nie, there is a problem, a big problem. This morning, a group from the national tax bureau, led by a deputy director, rushed to ourpany. After showing their credentials, they demanded to inspect our ounts.¡± Upon hearing the three words ¡®national tax bureau¡¯, a frown creased the brow of Nie Zhenbang. Units like a constructionpany are affiliated to Lixian¡¯s state-owned enterprises. They are well acquainted with one another. The tax is naturally not going to be paid in full. Sometimes when dragging or fiddling the taxes, to put it harshly, there is a bit of tax evasion. These are all verymon things. Therefore, these ounts are naturally unchecked. Manager Zhang, with a mournful face, took out a punishment decision letter from his bag and handed it to Nie Zhenbang, saying: ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re aware, this kind of thing, not just us, but it¡¯s also the case everywhere in the country. Everyone is living in peace. However, this time, following the tax inspection, the tax bureau issued a 1 million fine to us. Our entirepany doesn¡¯t have that much money, how are we supposed to survive? If that¡¯s the case, we might as well give thepany to them.¡± On the side, Director Wang from Lixian Tantalum Mine also wore the same look. Before Director Wang could speak, Nie Zhenbang said: ¡°Director Wang, how much was the fine from your side?¡± Both of them arrived simultaneously. Since the Tax Bureau¡¯s Xing Wenbiao used this method to force him to admit defeat, he certainly wouldn¡¯t just check one house. Farmer Welfare Company and Longhua Mining, these are not entities Xing Wenbiao could offend. Moreover, under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strict regtions and requirements, Liu Kun and Zhao Xinglong did not deign to y this game. Mention of taxes to these people were just petty cash, there was no need to lose face. Naturally, without faults, the tax bureau couldn¡¯t meddle. Director Wang also wore a bitter smile and said: ¡°Our tantalum mine, over the yearsck of value-added tax due to the minerals, has owed as much as three hundred thousand. In addition, sometimes we evade a little bit, this time, after the inspection, the national tax bureau issued a 1.5 million fine..¡± Upon hearing this number, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. This Xing Wenbiao, really thought of him as a fool. Twopanies, with fines not too much and not too little, totaled 2.5 million. The implication here, Nie Zhenbang did not believe that Xing Wenbiao hadn¡¯t thought about it. The matter was clear, this was a show of force against him, Nie as the director, aren¡¯t you conceited? Aren¡¯t you going to report me to higher authorities? Well then! I¡¯m Xing Wenbiao, I am still the director of Lixian Tax Bureau, I will fine you 2.5 million. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrowed. This issue may not be easy to resolve,promise? Especiallypromising with a person like Xing Wenbiao, this is impossible unless, he is willing to lose face. But then, how can he continue to work in Lixian, the established prestige would be swept away, the impact would be massive. Which was lighter and which was heavier, Nie Zhenbang knew. However, withoutpromise, currently, Xing Wenbiao has seized the position. Although the fine is a bit high, it is not baseless. ording to taxw, this top limit fine is also permissible. If it is really not paid, then Nie Zhenbang will also be in error. Upon considering this, Nie Zhenbang immediately looked at the two men and said: ¡°Pay! After paying the fine, clean up your bad debts. Don¡¯t give the tax bureau any opportunities. If there are any more problems, you two can roll your bedding and go home.¡± Chapter 187: Regaining Control (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Ticket Support)_1 Chapter 187: Regaining Control (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Ticket Support)_1 Trantor:549690339 Seeing the two of them taken aback, Nie Zhenbang spoke again, ¡°The fine will be transferred by the county Treasury Department to your ounts immediately. This afternoon, the two of you should respectfully go and settle the ount.¡± After seeing off both Manager Zhang and Director Wang, Nie Zhenbang immediately called Lin Weimin of the County Treasury Department. In the phone call, Nie Zhenbang first mentioned about the allocation of funds and immediately switched the topic, saying,¡±Weimin, this period, the Treasury Department here, immediately recruit professionals, and thoroughly audit all enterprises and institutions in the entire county. Any units that need to pay taxes should all be audited, and all overdue taxes should all be paid. Stop causing me trouble, one million today, one million tomorrow, the county¡¯s finance just can¡¯t handle the fines.¡± After hanging up, Nie Zhenbang took out the contact directory for leaders in Bazhou City and found the phone number of Song Chaohui, the director and party secretary of the Bazhou City Tax Bureau. Song Chaohui was a low-profile person in Bazhou City, who hade directly from the Autonomous Region Tax Bureau before taking up his post as director of the Bazhou City Tax Bureau. Nie Zhenbang and Song Chaohui had little interaction on a daily basis. As soon as the call was answered, Song Chaohui¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Director Nie, hello, hello. What brings you to call me today?¡± Underneath the warm tone, there was a hint of reluctance, typical of Tax Bureau employees. Even a sectional-level cadre like Xing Wenbiao dared to oppose Nie Zhenbang, let alone Song Chaohui, who was on an equal footing with Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang was rather forthright at this moment,ughing as he said, ¡°Director Song, you¡¯re being too polite. I also believe in ¡®no courtesy visits without a cause¡¯. On this asion, I should thank Comrade Xing Wenbiao of the Li County Tax Bureau for his support of our Li County economic development work.¡± Nie Zhenbang also had a hidden message in his words. He fully understood Song Chaohui¡¯s intent. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t believe that Song Chaohui wouldn¡¯t know about the hefty fine set by Xing Wenbiao. As such, there was no need to say anything else. It was enough to make a point here. If Song Chaohui was smart, he would change his mind. However, if he didn¡¯t take any action, then he couldn¡¯t me Nie for being rude. However, Song Chaohui did not react as Nie Zhenbang had expected, instead, heughed and said, ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re too polite. Supporting local work is just our duty in the Tax Department. After all, Li County can still get a 25% cut from the tax collected. In the future, please give more support to the work of Li County Tax Department, Director Nie.¡± After hanging up the phone, Song Chaohui¡¯s face also darkened, thinking Nie Zhenbang really considered himself to be someone important. In local government, he could show off his power, but he couldn¡¯t touch the tax authority, especially since Xing Wenbiao was the nephew of his wife¡¯s old boss. This was someone who had to be taken care of no matter what. If he couldn¡¯t even handle that, then he would be failing the trust of his leader. Over at the Li County Tax Bureau, Xing Wenbiao¡¯s office, Deputy Director Ma Zhixian was standing by, watching Xing Wenbiao, who was sitting in a chair with his feet on the table. Honestly, Xing, as the Bureau Director, was not very distinguished when it came to personal demeanor. What kind of bureau director was he supposed to be? But there was no choice, he was the director after all, and he had influential people backing him. Ma Zhixian had to follow along. ¡°Director, there is one thing I need to report to you. Today, Lin Weimin of the County Treasury Department brought Old Wang and Old Zhang from the constructionpany to pay the fines,¡± Ma Zhixian said in a verypliant tone, always giving Xing Wen biao a sense of being highly respected. On hearing this, Xing Wenbiao immediately put down his feet, sat up straight, acknowledged with a sound, then nonchntly said, ¡°Well, they paid, which is good. We can take this opportunity to achieve some des within the tax service.¡± Ma Zhixian¡¯s face twitched. Xing Wenbiao was really bold. Doing this in Li County was clearly handling affairs in a principled way. Nie Zhenbang was definitely going to have a backup n. Yet Xing Wenbiao still seemed so rxed; he really didn¡¯t know how Xing Wenbiao became the director. Then, Ma Zhixian continued, ¡°Director, there¡¯s one more thing to report to you. Although Lin Weimin paid the fine, he¡­ he¡­¡± Seeing Ma Zhixian stuttering, Xing Wenbiao was a bit annoyed and said, ¡°What¡¯s the ¡®but¡¯? I say, Old Ma. Why are you so twitchy? That¡¯s not like a man. Just say it. I want to see what Nie Zhenbang can do. With this fine, can he make a flower out of it?¡± Chided by Xing Wenbiao, Ma had no choice but to reveal, ¡°Director, Lin Weimin did pay the fine promptly, but he deducted the 25% that belonged to Li County Treasury, saying that it was supposed to be given at the end of the year. So he thought he might as well deduct it now, and so he only paid 75%.¡± It¡¯s an established rule that the county finance gets 25% and the rest of 75% is remitted to the central government. But usually, it¡¯s settled annually, unlike this time where it was deducted directly. Xing Wenbiao was a bit furious. He stood up and said, ¡°Fine, since he wants to bear with me, let¡¯s see. It¡¯s high time that the tax bureau system adheres to the superior¡¯s directive to conduct arge-scale investigation of the enterprises in the county to resolutely prevent tax evasion. Old Ma, you organize this personally. Dispatch several investigation teams to strictly scrutinize all the enterprises and institutions involved in national taxes throughout the county. Li County Treasury can still afford this 25%. I¡¯d like to see how much money they can still be fined.¡± Just as the words left his mouth, suddenly, all the lights in the entire building went out. At this moment, Xing Wenbiao also stood up, his countenance somewhat angry. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why has the power cut out?¡± As a governmental institution in Li County, ensuring power supply was a top priority. It was an unspoken rule. Suddenly losing power, without any prior notice or warning, was highly abnormal. Stepping out of the office building, many employees had already gathered in the yard of the tax bureau, discussing amongst themselves. Upon seeing Xing Wenbiaoe out, everyone immediately straightened their postures. Xing Wenbiao¡¯s face darkened as he barked, ¡°What the hell is going on? Are you not going to work? During work hours, and you¡¯re out here. Is this appropriate? Everyone, go back calmly to your work.¡± ¡°Director, our office building is an old one. The side facing away from the light, if the power cuts off, the lighting will be dim. It really is not conducive for working. What do you think?¡± At this time, the Director of the Bureau Office, Wang Lili, also came over to exin. At the same time, a few people wearing red safety helmets also walked in from outside. On seeing them, Xing Wenbiao immediately stepped forward with a smile, ¡°Director Zheng, what¡¯s going on? Checking for power malfunctions? You should have given us a heads up. This time, you haven¡¯t yed fairly. Next time, let¡¯s have a dinner at Millionaire Hotel in the city, I¡¯ll be the host.¡± Director Zheng, was in charge of Li County Power Bureau. There¡¯s a saying, his name sounds like he¡¯s in control, a chief on his own. If it had been any other time, Director Zheng would surely have epted the invitation readily. Xing Wenbiao, although somewhat overbearing, was quite generous when it came to spending money. But, having offended Director Nie, Director Zheng wasn¡¯t going to show the same courtesy. With a smile, he said, ¡°Chief Xing, I¡¯m really sorry. The line suddenly malfunctioned, it¡¯s part of an emergency maintenance. Li County is under heavy development, the whole county¡¯s power supply is strained, and the lines are aging severely. The county government has reiterated many times to improve the power supply. This time, the need for maintenance came suddenly. The Tax Bureau and the surrounding areas require extensive repair. The power will probably not be restored anytime soon. As I see it, the Tax Bureau should arrange for a few diesel generators to conduct uninterrupted supply. Here, we can send a few people over to assist in instation. I have a lot of things to do, won¡¯t be able to stay any longer. The dinner, we can discuss itter. Whenever you¡¯ve bought the generators, just give me a call, we¡¯ll be there as soon as you call us.¡± Soon after, the Power Bureau¡¯s people quickly departed. Wang Lili stepped up, in Li County¡¯s Tax Bureau, she was quite the standout. At the age of thirty, she¡¯d be a member of the bureau¡¯s party group and the director of the office. She had a full figure,rge breasts, and when she spoke, with a soft coquettish tone. She was very charming. ¡°Chief, it doesn¡¯t seem right. The residential area and other offices still have power, only our Tax Bureau¡¯s supply has been cut. I¡¯m afraid this doesn¡¯t bode well,¡± Wang Lili whispered. Her sweet breath, a tacky perfume scent. However, Xing Wenbiao loved it. It made him feel good. Even from a distance, you could catch a whiff of the fragrance, coupled with the exceptionally vibrant lipstick. It was exciting. Xing Wenbiao looked at her, feeling his temperature rise. This temptress was too alluring, he devoutly wished he could take her then and there. However, hearing her words, Xing Wenbiao understood, this was probably Li County¡¯s response. You want the Tax Bureau to impose fines? We¡¯ll just cut off your power. Let¡¯s see who can hold on longer. It wasn¡¯t just the office building at the Tax Bureau, there were family quarters in the back. With the power outage, won¡¯t it be chaotic? A generator wouldn¡¯t be able to cover everything. However, Xing Wenbiao was also livid now. He immediately ordered, ¡°Director Wang, get someone to go to the city immediately to the electrical machinerypany. Buy back all the generators they have. We¡¯ll produce our own power.¡± Just as these words fell, suddenly, a member of the Tax Bureau party group and Chairman of the union, Liu, also came out of the office building cursing, ¡°Damn it, why is the power off, even the water¡¯s cut off.¡± Upon hearing these words, Xing Wenbiao¡¯s rage reached a new peak. An issue with the power had not been resolved, now the water supply was cut off too. Dig a well? That couldn¡¯t be resolved in one or two days. Just at this moment, outside, arge group of people began to move around. The noise from reversing vehicles and directingmands filled the air. Xing Wenbiao, like a frightened bird, ran out immediately. Seeing the vehicles, Xing Wenbiao roared out in fury, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you bastard, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± PS: First of all, I would like to sincerely thank each and every one of you for your support. At this time, we are bravely holding the second spot, no easy feat. Next, I would like to once again ask for your support by voting for us this month. This month, I¡¯m grateful only has 29 days, and it¡¯s already the 21st. There¡¯s only eight days left. I would be grateful for a vote of support. It is important to hold on to our position and to preserve our umted honor. Thank you. (.) Chapter 188 - 188 Nie Zhenbang’s Ruthlessness_1 Chapter 188: Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Ruthlessness_1 Trantor:549690339 Next to the entrance gate of the State Taxation Bureau, there was a vacant plot ofnd. It was originally reserved for the Taxation Bureau. However, after Xing Wenbiao took office, he had no desire to extend the Bureau¡¯s premises and thend was left unused. At the moment, a group from the Li County Sanitation Bureau stood on the edge of the plot, arge garbage truck from the same Bureau dumping its full load of rubbish there, disseminating wafts of putrid odor. The stench of the dumped urban waste became more potent as the day grew hotter. The climate in Xibei was such that the days were warm and the nights were cool. However, the foul smell was certainly intolerable. The Sanitation Bureau workers, dressed in masks, could just about bear the stench. The Tax Office staff, on the other hand, rushed to cover their noses. In an infuriated tone, Xing Wenbiao shouted, ¡°What on earth are you doing here? Why is the garbage dumped here when we have a designatedndfill?¡±. Tang Jianhua, the Director of the Sanitation Bureau, regretfully exined, ¡°Director Xing, I¡¯m really sorry. Thendfill is full, unheard and at this time, we can only use this spot temporarily. You know, if we throw the garbage in the countryside it will create significant problems. The vigers would be extremely agitated. We have no other choice, this plot ofnd is conveniently vacant. After consulting with the county partymittee and county government, we decided to use it temporarily. Once the waste station is built on this plot, it won¡¯t smell as bad.¡± Hearing this, Xing Wenbiao¡¯s anger escted. Were they nning to build a garbage station next to his tax bureau that would turn the workce into a dump? In response, Xing Wenbiao hastily objected, ¡°Wasn¡¯t thisnd to be sold to our State Taxation Bureau? Now, I demand that you stop immediately. We have bought thisnd to use. Dispose of your garbage anywhere else you please. You! All of you, go and stop them. What¡¯s to happen if they build a garbage station here?¡± A few male employees of the State Tax Bureau who heard Xing Wenbiao¡¯smand, rushed forward to stop the sanitation workers. But, this led to the sanitation crew bing agitated. A heated argument ensued immediately followed by a physical altercation. The office workers were no match for the sanitation crew, who were fully equipped with shovels and broomsticks. Within moments, the tax officers were overpowered. Now, even Tang Jianhua, with a grave look on his face, objected, ¡°Director Xing, what is to happen here? We have all the necessary procedures from the county government to carry out this task. Isn¡¯t it a bit highhanded of you to oppose this? This garbage will be dumped for sure. Bring in the rest of the garbage trucks, brothers, we need to speed up our work.¡± Meanwhile, Deputy Director Ma Zhixian had already dialed the police. With their bureau staff overthrown, if not now, when would they call for help? Within five minutes, a police car from Chengguan station had already arrived at the scene. Station Chief Wei Qiang stepped out of the car with a stern expression. After observing the hostile groups, he asked, ¡°Who called us?¡± At this point, Xing Wenbiao walked over with a smile. Even though his rank was equal to that of Wei Qiang, the station chief, he believed in maintaining cordiality as they belonged to different departments. After listening to both parties, Wei Qiang sternly said, ¡°Director Xing, I¡¯m really sorry but this is an overstep on your part. The Sanitation Bureau has a permit from the county. That makes them legal. Moreover, the plot ofnd doesn¡¯t belong to your Tax Bureau. The county has the right to dispose of it. We¡¯re just dealing with minor injuries here. So, let¡¯s move on from this and return to our tasks. I won¡¯t tolerate any more fighting. Chengguan station has been a model of public security for years. I¡¯m not nning to risk this under my watch.¡± Wei Qiang¡¯s words were clear. If anyone was to pick a fight, he would take action against them. It wasmon knowledge that the Sanitation Bureau would never incite anything. This was obviously biased, but Xing Wenbiao was helpless to do anything. First, their office was cut off from electricity and water and now garbage was littered there. The station was under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Public Security, these were the same people causing their problems. The Lixian Government wasn¡¯t under their jurisdiction; wherever the bureaucrats got the idea of dumping garbage here, they had seeded. ¡°Old Ma, take care of this situation, try to purchase thend as soon as possible. Furthermore, the investigation team will be dispatched this afternoon. I will see who trumps whom. Director Wang,e with me to the city bureau.¡± Xing Wenbiao gave orders rapidly, his special Mercedes Benz quickly drove up and the two got into the car and left. As they watched the tail lights of the car vanish into the distance, the middle-level officials cursed, ¡°Damn, he only worries about his ownfort while we are left in this garbage dump without water or electricity. We¡¯ll spend the night at our parents-inw¡¯s house.¡± Ma Zhixian maintained a stoic demeanor. Though he was also slightly dissatisfied with Xing Wenbiao¡¯s handling of the situation, he instructed sternly, ¡°What are you all chattering about? Everyone get back to your work and be prepared. The investigation groups will be dispatched to their respective institutions for audits today.¡± Meanwhile, Ma Zhixian had returned to his office and dialed the phone number of Huang Shuyong, a standingmittee member of the county party and secretary of the Chengguan Town Party. As soon as Huang answered, Ma immediately cheerfully said, ¡°Secretary Huang, busy as ever, I see. This is Ma Zhixian from the State Taxation Bureau, haha. I wanted to discuss something with you. What do you think about selling us thend in front of our Taxation Bureau?¡± Huang Shuyong couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at this moment. The entire county¡¯s officials had already learned about the issues between Nie Zhenbang and Xing Wenbiao. Moreover, Xing Wenbiao had garnered quite a bit of public outrage. As you, Wenbiao, are not under the jurisdiction of Director Nie, we are. You¡¯ve pped Director Nie in the face, and although many officials are pleased about it, currently, more than half of the bureau chiefs in the county are directly subordinate to Director Nie. They say when the lord is humiliated, his subjects suffer. Now that the lord has been disgraced, aren¡¯t his subjects bound to follow? You won¡¯t be able to avoid it. Nie Zhenbang had been prepared for this piece ofnd a long time ago. He had already anticipated that once the garbage was dumped, the Tax Bureau would be unable to stand still. Subsequently, Huang Shuyong alsoughed and said, ¡°About thend¡­ Director Ma, you may not be aware of this. Now, allnd within the city and development zone is not within our purview. All of it is handled by the County Construction Bureau and the Urban Construction Investment Company. This is a newly established department responsible for all urban construction in the county. However, the price of this plot ofnd, as far as I know, is not cheap.¡± Ma Zhixian paused for a moment. He usually didn¡¯t pay much attention to matters in Lixian, and hadn¡¯t expected there to be some Urban Construction Investment Company. However, Huang Shuyong¡¯s words filled him with optimism. Not cheap ¨C this implied that Huang Shuyong must know something, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t say that. Ma thenughed and said, ¡°Secretary Huang, could you give me a ballpark number for this plot ofnd? So I can prepare myself ordingly.¡± Huang Shuyong chuckled, not holding anything back, and directly confirmed, ¡°The price set by the Urban Construction Investment for this plot is Two and a half million. Not a penny less. For such a small plot ofnd, it¡¯s not worth it for your office.¡± Upon hearing Huang Shuyong¡¯s words, Ma Zhixianpletely understood. This was explicitly targeted at the Tax Bureau. Didn¡¯t you just impose a fine of two and a half million? Here, we¡¯re giving you another two and a half million. However, when the fine was imposed, 625,000 was deducted. There are no discounts on buyingnd. Adding and subtracting, the Tax Bureau would have to pay an extra 625,000, making the Tax Bureau the real fool. Seemingly remembering that he was on the phone, Ma Zhixian immediatelyughed, ¡°Secretary Huang, thank you. I¡¯ll invite you for a meal when I get the chance. I have something to attend to now, I¡¯ll hang up first.¡± After hanging up, Ma Zhixian was deep in thought. This time, the Li County Government quickly paid the penalty. This money will certainly have to be spit out. This time, apromise may not suffice. In fact, Ma Zhixian did try to dissuade Xing Wenbiao from his actions. However, Wen Biao was firmly convinced that, considering Lixian¡¯s financial difficulties, two and half million would be enough to make them back down. Now, it all depends on the investigation team. But at this time, Ma Zhixian was losing hope. Even if they discovered more problems, the Lixian government swiftly paid the fine and, by then, the Tax Bureau would have to cough up both the capital and interest. Nie Zhenbang ys hardball. However, the head of the Tax Bureau is not himself but Xing Wenbiao. It would require Xing Wenbiao¡¯s decision if they were topromise. Knowing Xing Wenbiao¡¯s nature, reaching apromise on this issue would be difficult. Outside, the office door suddenly opened. The other Deputy Director of the Tax Bureau, He Dashan, walked in angrily, flinging his briefcase onto the sofa. He poured himself a cup of tea, gulped it down, then vented, ¡°Old Ma, I¡¯m livid! This is sheer bullying!¡± Ma Zhixian paused and thought to himself that He Dashan was usually very even-tempered. Why was he suddenly so angry today? He thenughed and asked, ¡°Old He, didn¡¯t you go to the development zone to look at thend? Why are you so angry?¡± He Dashan had calmed down now and said to Ma Zhixian, ¡°Old Ma, it¡¯s exactly because of thatnd visit that I¡¯m so angry. I think we, at the Tax Bureau, can forget about relocating. After all this, we might as well not move.¡± Upon hearing this, Ma Zhixian immediately felt a sense of foreboding. He then asked, ¡°Did something happen with thend?¡± He Dashan nodded his head and said, ¡°Who knows what¡¯s going on in that woman Yan Fengjiao¡¯s head, she¡¯s the director of the development zone. It was all going so well ¨C the Tax Bureau had acquired fifty mu ofnd for this relocation, after the construction of the office building, the rest of thend would be used to build a residential area. We had agreed on thend price and were waiting to sign the contract. But then this woman changed her mind. Thend that was originally near the county town was relocated to the very outskirts, not to mention the price changed as well. Initially, it was based on the internal administrative allocation ofnd prices, 10,000 per mu. Now, it has increased to 100,000 per mu. Take it or leave it. Fifty mu ofnd amounts to five million. Not just us, even the city bureau might not be able to afford that.¡± Hearing this, Ma Zhixian was stunned. Thinking over it from every angle, Ma Zhixian finally understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s severity ¨C the true hardness was here. Chapter 189: Be Ruthless in Killing _1 Chapter 189: Be Ruthless in Killing _1 Trantor:549690339 As the afternoon was drawing to a close, the three investigation groups that had been dispatched were gradually returning, puzzling Ma Zhixian. Usually, during inspections, each department would entertain the delegation with fine wines and cigarettes, treating them like celebrities, fearing that any signs of dissatisfaction could lead to penalties. These investigations were usually cushy assignments within the tax bureau. However, today was different. They all came back, looking displeased. Just as Ma Zhixian was about to speak, the three group leaders began to express their grievances, ¡°Director Ma. The investigation was utterly frustrating. They have prepared their ounts very well. They haven¡¯t left any loopholes, and all required payments have been met. We found no way to impose penalties. We were ignored when we visited their offices, nobody cared to ask us if we needed anything, they didn¡¯t even serve us tea.¡± ¡°Indeed, my experience was even worse. At closing time, the janitor directly came in to expel us.¡± Ma Zhixian understood that not only the National Revenue was proficient in auditing but the local revenue and finance departments were also quite adept. With expert guidance, it was inevitable to find no mistakes. This matter was already beyond their abilities to intervene, let alone his own. Ma Zhixian waved his hand and said, ¡°Alright, everyone can leave. That¡¯s all there is to the matter. Go home and see to it, as it seems the water and electricity might not return for a while. Those of you with rtives, you should stay with them for a few days.¡± At this point, Ma Zhixian realized, unless Xing Wenbiao voluntarilypromises, the electricity and water would continue to be suspended. Being government personnel, they understood this. Trying to argue their way through was foolhardy. After seeing off these middle-level cadres, Ma Zhixian turned to He Dashan and said with a bitter smile, ¡°Old He, not only you, but our office was also under fire today.¡± ¡°Was the water and electricity cut off? What happened? I see that the buildings next door and opposite still have power, why is ours the only one that¡¯s cut off?¡± He Dashan looked puzzled. Ma Zhixian continued, ¡°That¡¯s not all, right in front of our main entrance, at least three trucks worth of garbage have been dumped. I predict the garbage there will pile up like a mountain in a few days. Moreover, the price for thend hase out. If we want to buy, it¡¯s 2.5 million without bargaining. If we don¡¯t buy, the Sanitation Department will set up a garbage station there. They have already obtained approvals from the county government and the environmental protection department. With all proceduresplete and no public opposition, the matter is set.¡± Upon hearing this, even the confused He Dashan understood, ¡°Old Ma, this is Director Nie expressing his stance towards us. Didn¡¯t we penalize two of their departments? It seems this is their retaliatory move. You should call Director Wen Biao; only he can make the final decision.¡± Ma Zhixian nodded in agreement, being a subordinate was challenging. If the situation goes well, the credit goes to the superiors. If it doesn¡¯t, the me falls on the subordinate. It was as if he was nothing more than a daughter-inw for the superiors. As the first ranking deputy director, he was merely a top-ranked daughter-inw at best. For example, during this incident, he had also opposed. However, Wen Biao, with his solid background, insisted on a power struggle. As a result, everything ended up in a mess. Wen Biao joyfully went to the city with his office director, leaving all the trouble to him. In case things go south, Wen Biao only needs to dust off his pants, change locations, and continue to be a director. However, his (Ma Zhixian) career would be over. With these thoughts, Ma Zhixian picked up the phone and dialed Wen Biao¡¯s number. On the other end, Wen Biao seemed quite annoyed, ¡°Old Ma, why are you calling at this hour? It¡¯s already off duty. Have you solved the garbage issue?¡± ¡°Director, the matter is quite challenging. That piece ofnd no longer belongs to Chengguan Town. It has been transferred under the name of Lixian City Construction Investment Company. I inquired a bit and the price is 2.5 million. This is clearly aimed at us.¡± Ma Zhixian quickly reported with caution. Upon hearing this, Wen Biao roared from the other end of the call, ¡°Old Ma, what the hell are you doing? You can¡¯t even handle this! Leave that piece ofnd as it is for now. Once the investigation team returns, we will study the uses in detail and see if we can send a few people to jail. I don¡¯t believe Nie Zhenbang will dare to risk world ridicule and just let his subordinates go to jail.¡± Hearing this, Ma Zhixian could only force a bitter smile, ¡°Director, the investigation team has returned. Nie Zhenbang was very swift. All the ounts have been settled. Anything to be paid has been paid. We, at present, have no way to proceed. However, with the cut water and electricity, and the addition of the garbage dump, I am afraid there will be rumblings in the family quarters. Some retired old leaders live there.¡± Upon hearing Ma Zhixian¡¯s words, Wen Biao grew impatient and said in a deep voice, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough for today. I¡¯ll coordinate with the city bureau leaders. As for today, that¡¯s all we can do. We will discuss everything when I return tomorrow.¡± At that moment, in Director Nie¡¯s office, Chen Le was sitting across from him, ¡°Director, about Wen Biao¡¯s matter, I sent someone for a preliminary investigation and surprisingly, we found some stuff.¡± Hearing these words from Chen Le, Nie Zhenbang was quite taken aback. Chen Le had shown an ability to empathize. However, he also demonstrated extreme audacity byunching an investigation on a section-level vertical management official without any prior reporting or obtaining permission. If discovered, this could result in a scandal, putting Chen Le in a difficult predicament. This was a matter of principle. ¡°Chen Le, you are quite bold. Do you understand the enormous risks you took and responsibilities you assumed when you decided to investigate a national official on your own ord?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t praise Chen Le for his courage; instead, he gave him a stern reprimand. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want Chen Le, someone he respected, to behave recklessly; anything could happen in the world of politics before the final oue was decided. Chen Le took a risk this time, and he may do so again in the future. However, luck might not always be on his side. Precautions must be taken. Right then, Chen Le also discarded his yful smug expression and became serious. Standing up, he began, ¡°Director Nie, I¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang gestured to stop him. He didn¡¯t feel right making a senior official like Chen apologize to him, but it was crucial that Chen understood his point. So Nie Zhenbang spoke, ¡°Chen Le, I know what you want to say. Let¡¯s not fuss over it. Just make sure you understand. Don¡¯t take the initiative in such matters ever again, there must not be a next time, understood?¡± Once he finished speaking, a smile returned to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. Looking at Chen Le, he added, ¡°Seeing you looking so pleased, you must have discovered something substantial. Tell me, what kind of wrongdoings have you uncovered about Xing Wenbiao? If it¡¯s just minor stuff, don¡¯t bother mentioning it.¡± Chen Le began grinning again. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he said, ¡°Director Nie, don¡¯t you know me well? Am I the kind to make a mountain out of a molehill? What I¡¯ve found is indeed surprising. I specifically reassigned two trustworthy men from Guangming Township to assist. On probing, they unearthed quite a bit of gossip surrounding Xing Wenbiao. On one hand, Xing Wenbiao and Wang Lili, the Director of the State Tax Bureau¡¯s office, seem to have some sort of rtionship. On the other hand, Xing Wenbiao is rumored to have a significant gambling problem. He routinely gambles at a ce run by a thug named Heihu in Bazhou City. If we can trace this thread¡­¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang became contemtive. If there were truth in the rumors about Xing Wenbiao¡¯s rtionship with Wang Lili, it could be considered moral corruption and poor conduct which would amount to a moral scandal. However, these ims were not substantial enough. However, if coupled with his gambling problem and if they can confirm the amounts Xing Wenbiao wagered, they could make a strong case against him. The annual sry of a civil servant like Xing Wenbiao is known, and his family is not particrly wealthy. So, it would be tough for him to exin the origin of suchrge sums of money. A thorough investigation could lead to Xing Wenbiao¡¯s copse and inevitable imprisonment. This exemplified Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approach: patiently hold off until the timing was right and then strike decisively. His strategy while dealing with Mo Zhihai was exactly the same. However, there was a catch: you can¡¯t have your cake and eat it too. If they were to pursue the private rtionship, they would be unable to gather evidence on his illegal gambling. They had to choose one, and if they chose thetter, they faced another problem: the location where the arrest would need to be made wasn¡¯t in Lixian. This introduced jurisdictionalplications. Pondering this, Nie Zhenbang turned to Chen Le and asked, ¡°Old Chen, be honest with me. How¡¯s your rtionship with the city bureau?¡± Understanding the implication behind Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Chen Le nodded. As one of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s most trusted subordinates, Chen Le held high status in Lixian, second only to Lin Weimin and slightly behind Yi Jun. He was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character. Despite Director Nie¡¯s youthful appearance, he was meticulous and tenacious, leaving no loopholes for his opponents to exploit. Reporting the gambling offense was indeed the best choice. Catching this would naturally lead to the exposure of other issues. Moreover, they could bring Wang Lili in for questioning under the guise of assisting the investigation. They probably wouldn¡¯t even need to exert much pressure to get her toe clean. After deliberating for a moment, Chen Le said, ¡°I have a good rtionship with Deputy Director Li Wei Hong from the city bureau, who also graduated from the Police University. He was my senior there. When I was first assigned to Lixian, he was a great help. I trust that if we ask him for a favor this time, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems. Director Nie, I¡¯m confident that I can aplish this task.¡± The words ¡®should¡¯ and ¡®probably¡¯ are often considered an ambiguous way of speaking in the political arena. These words, especially in front of superior leadership or in specific situations, are not appropriate. Chen Le was well aware of this, so he ended his statement expressingplete confidence. Such confidence is not expressed lightly. By saying these words, it revealed that Chen Le was at least 80% sure of sess. Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang made up his mind. A decisive action needed ruthlessness. If not ruthless, what would be the point of taking decisive action? Apart from Xing Wenbiao¡¯s offenses towards him personally, his embezzlement of public funds and extravagant spending were enough reason for Nie Zhenbang to take him down. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s principle. If he hadn¡¯t noticed it would be one thing, and if it¡¯s something he couldn¡¯t manage, he would let it be. But now that he had noticed and could do something about it, remaining inactive would be his failure. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said to Chen Le, ¡°Alright, Old Chen, I¡¯ll be waiting for your good news.¡± PS: I¡¯m back. I¡¯m thrilled that we have maintained our second position. The gap has widened a bit, thanks to the support you all have shown with your monthly tickets. I¡¯m updating first, then getting back to writing. Chapter 190: Resolutely Defeat _1 Chapter 190: Resolutely Defeat _1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°Bazhou City City Public Security Bureau office building At this moment, Deputy Director Liu half-reclined in his chair, looking at the younger colleague before him. Liu Jiefei felt a pang of nostalgia for his past youth. ¡°Le, you¡¯re both my subordinate and myrade. Over the years, from the moment you were assigned to Lixian, from a police officer, to deputy director, then to director, and now the Chief. I¡¯ve seen your rise to prominence right before my eyes, especially your closeness with Director Nie Zhenbang. Nie, young and promising with a solid background, is indeed a leader worth following. If it were twenty years ago and I were your age, I might also take a gamble. However, this time, Le, think carefully. This opponent is not ordinary.¡± Liu Jiefei said, counseling him after understanding Chen Le¡¯s intentions. Liu Jiefei knows who Xing Wenbiao is. He is a man of solid background; the nephew by marriage to the director and party group secretary of the autonomous region¡¯s Tax Bureau, Cui Jinsheng. Cui Jinsheng is a local cadre born and raised in the autonomous region. Although he has always been in the tax system, he is very familiar with many leaders of the Party Committee of the region and the high ranking officials of several local cities, even having a good rtionship with them. It¡¯s a significantwork. Now, Zhenbang¡¯s action against Cui¡¯s nephew, one must consider how Cui would react. At the moment, Chen Le was touched. His olderrade, Liu, still had a soft spot for him. The precious bond they shared meant much to him. He clearly knows what Liu means. Cui Jinsheng¡¯swork is strong. Nie Zhenbang may have a background, but it¡¯s not certain if he canpete with Cui Jinsheng. After all, this is not about power, it¡¯s about survival and on top of that, this is risky. If he couldn¡¯t win, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s future would be in peril. When that happens, even if Nie Zhenbang can walk away unscathed due to his connections, what can he do? Being the lead hitman, if Chen Le is implicated, it¡¯s normal that he could lose his job. Of course, this does not mean Nie Zhenbang is a fickle person. It¡¯s just that when it reaches such extremes, and Nie Zhenbang himself is barely hanging onto his position, whether or not the people behind him would be there to help Chen Le is unknown. After thinking about it, Chen Le nodded determinately: ¡°Sir, this time, we have a great chance of winning. I want to take the risk. There¡¯s no such thing as wealth without danger, and this is a hurdle I must ovee. There¡¯s no turning back now.¡± Hearing this, Director Liu also nodded, picked up the phone, and dialed: ¡°Little Wu, it¡¯s Liu Jiefei. Come to my office immediately.¡± Less than ten minutester, a young man approximately thirty years old walked in. Seeing Chen Le, both of them broke into smiles. They were familiar to one other. Little Wu, whose actual name was Wu Jiang, was the deputy squadron leader of the Public Security Bureau¡¯s Squad for Public Order. It was fitting for him to handle a gambling case. Then, Liu Jiefei stood up and said, ¡°Both of you are well acquainted. I won¡¯t say much. This time, Le is targeting someone. ording to Chen Le¡¯s investigation, this person is likely to appear at Heihu¡¯s ce tonight. Little Wu, your Squad for Public Order is best suited for this mission. Take your men and raid Heihu¡¯s ce tonight. Chen Le,ter you will give Little Wu a picture of the target. Remember, keep this confidential. Heihu has informants around, we wouldn¡¯t want to let the wind out. This is rted to Le¡¯s future. As for me, I¡¯m old. You two will have plenty of opportunities to cooperate in the future.¡± Hearing Liu Jiefei¡¯s words, Chen Le once again felt touched. His young appointment as a deputy director was thanks to Liu Jiefei¡¯s promotion, and he didn¡¯t expect that Liu still cares for him to this day. Then, Chen Le stood up: ¡°Brother, I¡­¡± Liu Jiefei waved his hand, revealing the dignified aura of a deputy director of the municipal Public Security Bureau. In a stern voice, he said: ¡°Le, no need to say anymore. It¡¯s most appropriate for Little Wu to handle this matter.¡± Wu Jiang broke into a smile at that point, patting Chen Le on the shoulder: ¡°Brother, aren¡¯t you confident in my ability? Just sit tight here with Director Liu and wait for my good news. I¡¯ll take my leave now to arrange everything.¡± Even in Liu Jiefei¡¯s office, Chen Le felt anxious. Waiting was always hard; this was more difficult than being on the frontline himself. At eleven o¡¯clock at night, the phone rang. Liu Jiefei answered it, hummed a few times, and hung up. Looking at Chen Le, who had a worried look on his face, Liu Jiefei showed a smile: ¡°Le, we seeded. Xing Wenbiao and his mistress Wang Lili were caught on the spot. Sixty thousand in cash was found in Wenbiao¡¯s bag, and Heihu provided written proof that he had lost more than eighty thousand tonight.¡± Chen Le also got up at this moment, ¡°Good! Thanks for your help, brother. I will immediately arrest the suspect and return to Li County overnight to conduct an urgent interrogation. This time, the case is irond. I¡¯d like to see how Cui Jinsheng can interfere now.¡± It might look like Xing Wenbiao is all swagger on the outside, but he¡¯s nothing more than a flower embroidered pillow. As soon as he was brought back to the Li County Public Security Bureau, faced with the embezzled money and evidence, Xing Wenbiao confessed to all his gambling with public money. What surprised Chen Le even more was that within one year, Xing Wenbiao had lost nearly 150,000 RMB. He had covered all these losses with various ims of entertaining expenses, office expenditures, travel expenses, and so on. On the other side, Wang Lili also confessedpletely about her illicit rtionship with Xing Wenbiao. Upon hearing Chen Le¡¯s report and looking at the confessions at hand, Nie Zhenbang thought of the sharp female reporter from the Bazhou City TV Station. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Old Chen, arrange right away to get in touch with the reporter He Xinyan from the Bazhou City TV Station. We need to expose this matter as soon as possible.¡± Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t sure of Chen Le¡¯s specific conversation with He Xinyan, but the next day, the Bazhou Daily and Bazhou City TV Station reported the news. The director of Li County Tax Bureau was arrested on charges of organized gambling in Bazhou, with his mistress involved, and the amount involved exceeded 100,000 yuan. Looking at the news on Bazhou Daily, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. He looked at Chen Le, who was sitting on the sofa, and said, ¡°Old Chen, it seems that this He Xinyan has some powerful connections. This news had to be approved by the City Committee Department of Publicity before it could be released. I didn¡¯t expect this little girl could get it done quickly.¡± Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang contacted Sun Kewen, the secretary of the county disciplinarymittee. When Chen Le left, Nie Zhenbang personally stood up to pour a cup of hot tea for Sun Kewen and immediately presented the confessions of Xing Wenbiao and Wang Lili, saying seriously, ¡°Secretary Sun, take a look at this. It¡¯s shocking. Even though the Tax Bureau is a vertically managed institution, the Li County Committee and County Government are also responsible for oversight. I think we should immediately report this matter to Secretary Bai from the city disciplinarymittee and wait for the next instructions.¡± When the news reached Bai Weimin, the secretary of Bazhou City Disciplinary Committee, Song Chaohui, the director of Bazhou City Tax Bureau, was also invited to his office. Seeing the expression on Bai Weimin¡¯s face, Song Chaohui was a bit scared. Although he was from a vertically managed institution, disciplinary work was always supervised by local authorities. Bai Weimin was a notoriously tough official in Bazhou City, so one didn¡¯t have the luxury of getting any good news usually. ¡°Director Song, take a look. The situation in Li County has gone bad from the root. In my opinion, the city disciplinarymittee should lead the investigation. The tax department and the secretary for discipline inspection should cooperate together to rush to Li County for investigation and interrogation,¡± Bai Weimin handed over the materials to Director Song and immediately expressed his opinion. After reading the documents,rge beads of sweat started to appear on Director Song¡¯s forehead. This was indeed the wife of the old leader¡¯s nephew. But when he opened his mouth, Song Chaohui agreed with his decision. ¡°Secretary Bai, I agree with your n. You can rest assured that as soon as I return, I will instruct the Secretary of Discipline Inspection to prepare immediately.¡± As soon as he returned to the Tax Bureau office, Song Chaohui immediately picked up the phone. As soon as the other end was connected, he said, ¡°I have disappointed your trust, sir. Wen Biao has made a big mistake.¡± Cui Jinsheng was stunned at the moment. Wen Biao had an issue? Upon hearing this news, he immediately stood up, as if he had detected something in his own office. He then sat down again and seriously said, ¡°Comrade Chaohui, don¡¯t panic and exaggerate things. What exactly happened? Exin it slowly.¡± Hearing that Xing Wenbiao was arrested for gambling, and several tens of thousands of cash was confiscated at the scene, that he admitted to embezzling public funds for gambling, and that he had several improper rtionships, Cui Jinsheng knew things were probably serious. After hanging up the phone, Cui Jinsheng started pondering. Wen Biao is the nephew of his wife¡¯s sister, the only child among the six sisters of the Xing family. Wen Biao can be said to be the only descendant of three generations of the Xing family. He was overly pampered since childhood, and Cui Jinsheng was well aware of his character. His lust and love for gambling were unlike a state servant, more of a social gangster. He knew early on he should have focused on business and stayed stable. Now Cui Jinsheng¡¯s brain is also spinning fast ¨C definitely he has to rescue him. He absolutely can¡¯t let him go to prison. If the only descendant of the Xing family went to jail, he¡¯s afraid, his 80-year-old mother-inw would run to his door and hang herself. Not to mention his tiger-like wife, he can¡¯t provoke her. Thinking of this, Cui Jinsheng immediately picked up the phone, dialed a number, and as soon as the call was connected, he said with a smile, ¡°Secretary Zhao, are you busy? It¡¯s Old Cui from the district tax bureau.¡± Zhao Weihong, the deputy secretary of Bazhou City, was also taken aback at the moment. He was familiar with Cui Jinsheng, but their rtionship was just ordinary. However, since they are both on the official path, they could be considered friends. Zhao Weihong alsoughed and said, ¡°Director Cui, it¡¯s been a long time. Why the sudden phone call? You need something?¡± Cui Jinsheng did not hesitate at this moment and directly got to point, ¡°Secretary Zhao, I havee to ask for a big favor from the Secretary. My worthless nephew, isn¡¯t he the director of the tax bureau in Li County? He got into trouble.¡± PS: It seems I always beg for monthly tickets, and that¡¯s not good. Time to say thank you. Thank you to every brother and sister who supported me with their monthly voting. What about we press ahead? Chapter 191 - 191 Knocking Off Together_1 Chapter 191: Knocking Off Together_1 Trantor: 549690339 Upon hearing Cui Jinsheng, Zhao Weihong was also a bit troubled. This matter had already caused a greatmotion in Bazhou. It was front-page news on the Bazhou Daily. It was evident that someone was fueling the mes. Not to mention the rtionship of that girl He Xinyan, who after all is from the United Front Work Department and the daughter of Bu Yuzhen. But Zhao Weihong absolutely did not believe that Nie Zhenbang did not take advantage of the situation. Regardless, this matter was indeed difficult for Zhao Weihong. Last year, when Nie Zhenbang made a high-profile move and overthrew Mo Zhihai, he didn¡¯t give Zhao Weihong any face. Now, this is a clear-cut case. Making Zhenbang step back would prove difficult. After a moment of silence, Zhao Weihong eventually said: ¡°Old Cui, we were ssmates back in the party school for the department-leveled courses. I will not talk in circles. Your nephew can¡¯t get along with people. Of all people to offend, he has offended Zhenbang. Perhaps you don¡¯t know yet, at the end of the year, Mo Zhihai, the secretary of Li County, under my supervision, was sent to prison by him. My words might not have any effect. I think, you still need to find connections. If you can persuade Liu Wenqing or Ding Aiguo to intervene, that would be better. Moreover, the background of this young county head Zhenbang, is enormous. I heard his rtionship with Secretary Qian¡¯s son Qian Jin is not bad. You can also find some ways to reach Secretary Qian.¡± After hanging up the phone, Cui Jinsheng calmed down. The information revealed by Zhao Weihong on this end was already plentiful, and quite reliable. Cui Jinsheng kept this in mind. But Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo do not take the same path as he does. It seems that now, he can only find other connections, to see if there is someone familiar with Liu Wenqing. At the same time, Cui Jinsheng ordered someone outside: ¡°Little Zhu,e in. Let Director Yao from the inspection departmente over.¡± Within five minutes, Yao Saifu, the director of the inspection department of the Autonomous Region¡¯s Tax Bureau, came in from outside and respectfully said, ¡°Director, did you call for me?¡± Cui Jinsheng nodded, signaled Yao Saifu to sit down, and then continued: ¡°Saifu, this time, I have a task for you. I am nning to let you lead an inspection team to Li County in Bazhou City, and conduct aprehensive examination of all the businesses and units in Li County. If problems are found, that is not a problem. The main goal is to strictly implement the national tax policy and defend the national tax payment system.¡± Cui Jinsheng was indirectly exerting pressure on Nie Zhenbang, suggestingpromise and release, everything else was negotiable. Now, Cui Jinsheng¡¯s stance was quite simple. Without his position, that could be put aside, the most important thing was that thest scion of the Xing family cannot go to jail. This was Cui Jinsheng¡¯s bottom line. Now, he was very aware of the chaotic affairs taking ce in the subordinates¡¯ units, and he chose to turn a blind eye. Yet, if a genuine investigation were to be triggered, none would dare to withstand it. Now was the time to face a desperate situation and make a do-or-die attempt. He must make Nie Zhenbang, a small county official, witness the resolve of his honorable department-level official. This was the best approach Cui Jinsheng coulde up with in response to the situation. At the Bazhou City Party Committee Office Building, inside Liu Wenqing¡¯s office. At this moment, Liu Wenqing was reviewing building blueprints sent over from Bazhou City nning Bureau. Li county was nning to move its government offices. The design of the new county partymittee government building had already been ced on Li Wenqing¡¯s desk. As a prefectural-level city, the office of Bazhou City had been in use for almost twenty years and it was time to consider relocating it. Moreover, Liu Wenqing also had the idea of developing a district. The new office building of the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government, including its relocation spot, had already been chosen. Heading south, closer to Li county, the development zone of Bazhou city would also move in this direction, trying to reduce the fifty kilometers distance in between as much as possible. Then, when conditions were ripe, Ku City, where the Bazhou Municipal Government is located, could be relocated to this end of the development zone. Thus, the distance between Li County and Bazhou City could potentially be shortened to about twenty-five kilometers. This project was an ambitious blueprint, but for Liu Wenqing it could potentially be the biggest highlight of his career in politics. Naturally, he was extremely focused on it. At this moment, the phone on his table rang. The secretary Feng answered it outside and after a short moment, Feng walked in, whispering: ¡°Secretary, it¡¯s a call from Xiang Yong, the Party Secretary of Ka State City.¡± Xiang Yong? Liu Wenqing was stunned for a moment. His rtionship with Xiang Yong traced back to when they were both county party secretaries. Back then, they were ssmates at the district party school. However, they hadn¡¯t had much contact over the years, and their rtionship wasn¡¯t particrly close, so why was he calling at this time? Had he heard that Xiang Yong and Cui Jinsheng had a good rtionship? Could it have been about the incident in Li County? Liu Wenqing was already aware of the incident in Li County. For this matter, Liu Wenqing had adopted an observant attitude, neither opposing nor supporting it. As for that Xing Wenbiao from the National Tax Bureau, Liu Wenqing was quite repulsed. Entities under vertical management should maintain a good rtionship with the local government. His disdain for people was evident and now that he was in this situation, he deserved it. Liu Wenqing then picked up the phone and signaled to Secretary Feng to close the door. He thenughed and said, ¡°Old Xiang, you¡¯re a rare guest. Why, do you have some free time to call me today?¡± Xiang Yong smiled at that moment, too: ¡°Wenqing, I have been watching and anxiously concerned about the development of Bazhou. When we are all still exploring, you have run ahead. Once things in Bazhou are well managed this time, I¡¯m afraid we will have to address you as the districtmittee leader, Wenqing.¡± After some pleasantries, Xiang Yong went directly to the point: ¡°Wenqing, this time, I really epted someone¡¯s request. You know Old Cui from the district tax bureau, right? He and I have a good rtionship. I heard that his nephew is the director of the tax bureau in Lixian under your jurisdiction, and he has made a mistake this time. Old Cui and I had a long talk, meaning that I still have to ask your brother to help brush some favors, it¡¯s enough to be appropriate. Old Cui has also made his stance clear. Dismissal and dismissal from public service are definite. He would never put you in a difficult position. Also, this year, the taxation system will give Bazhou special care and arrangement. What do you think? Since Cui and I have a good rtionship, I had no choice but to ask you for a favor.¡± After hanging up the phone, Liu Wenqing began to ponder. Xiang Yong is also a city party secretary. Compared to Bazhou, whether in terms of poption or basic facilities, Kazhou City is a major city in Xibei much stronger, second only to Urumqi in the whole region. Xiang Yong is quite arrogant. Today, he lowered his posture and even talked about asking for a favor. This shows that Xiang¡¯s rtionship with Cui Jinsheng isn¡¯t ordinary. This matter caused a dilemma for Liu Wenqing as well; whether to help or not was a big problem. After some deliberation, Liu Wenqing decided to make this call. After all, Cui Jinsheng had already made his position clear: dismissal and termination. Looking at it from another perspective, this was already apromise on Cui Jinsheng¡¯s part. However, he had no choice but topromise. Nie Zhenbang went hard, either not making a move, but when he does, it¡¯s airtight. The evidence was like a mountain, if he insisted on persevering, going to jail was certain. It was already past nine in the evening. Nie Zhenbang worked very efficiently in his office. Zhao Xinglong and Liu Kun, both of whom rushed overnight from Jingcheng, looked at Nie Zhenbang without a word. They received a call from this side in the morning and arrived at Urumqi in the afternoon. They only rushed to Lixian at this time. Liu Kun took out a packet of special panda cigarettes from his pocket, threw one to Zhao Xinglong at the side, and then said: ¡°Third Brother, will you deal with it or should we? What a shit Cui Jinsheng, he even investigated me. Once word gets out, I, Liu Kun, won¡¯t be able to mix around anymore. I¡¯ve lost all face.¡± Zhao Xinglong took the cigarette, then smiled and said: ¡°The special pandas have a nice vor, especially the ones thate in barrels. Kun, the next time I¡¯ll smuggle a few barrels from my old man for you. Nowadays, he¡¯s limited to three a day by his health doctor, so it¡¯s a waste to keep them at home. You¡¯d be the perfect recipient.¡± Zhao Xinglong didn¡¯t say anything, but it was clear what he meant. The two of them had paid their taxes properly under the advice of Nie Zhenbang, but now they had attracted tax auditors. The audit was a minor issue; the face was a big deal. What these people care about is their reputation. Liu Kun continued: ¡°I think we can consider making a move in the general administration of taxation. This Cui Jinsheng, so tantly defending his nephew, is no good bird himself. Let¡¯s take them down directly, uncle and nephew together. You don¡¯t have a good face, Third Brother, the big ones will be handled by us. The small ones, well, anyway, you¡¯ve already taken action.¡± Just as he said that, the red phone on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk rang, causing Nie Zhenbang to pause. Who would be calling from the citymittee at this hour? Could it be someone calling to plead for mercy? Nie Zhenbang then picked up the phone and said: ¡°Hello, how can I help you?¡± On the other side, Liu Wenqing¡¯s voice came through: ¡°Nie, this is Liu Wenqing. I knew you would be workingte. Even at this hour, you¡¯re still not off work. Health is the capital of revolution, you need to take care of yourself.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled and then said: ¡°Secretary Liu, I appreciate your concern and care. Is there an urgent matter you need at thiste hour?¡± Liu Wenqing wouldn¡¯t beat around the bush at this point. Nie Zhenbang was his subordinate, not a peer. Liu Wenqing had no need to be so indirect. Then Liu Wenqingughed and said: ¡°Well, there is actually something. You know Xing Wenbiao, whom you arrested in Lixian this time? His uncle is the director of the district tax bureau and has some connections in the autonomous region. This time, he reached out to a friend of mine, asking me to plead for him. Cui Jinsheng¡¯s intent is clear; Xing Wenbiao will be dismissed from his work. This is considered giving you an ount. Furthermore, thend outside thend bureau, along with thepulsorynd acquisition by thend bureau in the development zone, Cui Jinsheng agrees to handle it ording to Lixian Government¡¯s intent. What do you think?¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang sighed. To this phone, he said: ¡°Secretary Liu, I am willing, but I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s toote. Now, two major business owners from Min Nong Company and Longhua Mining are here, and they are determined to take down Cui Jinsheng. What do you think about this¡­?¡± Chapter 192: The Dust Settles_1 Chapter 192: The Dust Settles_1 Trantor: 549690339 The Farmer Welfare Company? Longhua Mining? Upon hearing these names, Liu Wenqing felt a jolt in his heart. He wasn¡¯t familiar with Longhua Mining, but the fact that the Farmer Welfare Company had managed to get Jiang Zhenquan and a deputy minister from the Ministry of Agriculture to attend their foundationying ceremony spoke volumes about the strength of their backing. His attention was also piqued by Li County¡¯s economic data for the quarter, which showed that the Farmer Welfare Company had invested a cumtive total of four hundred million. A four hundred million contribution was a sum far beyond what Bazhou city had attracted in investment over the entire previous year. This alone was enough to prove something was amiss. As for Longhua Mining, Liu Wenqing didn¡¯t know who was behind it, but it was clear that anypany introduced by Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t be trifled with. It likely had the backing of some substantially influential people. Besides, Nie Zhenbang had made it quite clear: it wasn¡¯t him who refused to let go, but rather, the bosses of these twopanies wanting to get rid of Cui Jinsheng. If this were the case, then Xing Wenbiao was indeed an expendable character. Without Cui Jinsheng, who else would care about an official of his rank. ¡°Zhenbang, what¡¯s going on? How did old Cui manage to offend the two gods of your Li County?¡± Liu Wenqing was somewhat puzzled. Could it be that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s backing was truly unshakeable? Nie Zhenbang could see that Liu Wenqing was faltering. If Liu Wenqing had persisted in trying to save Xing Wenbiao, it would have put him in a tough spot. It would have been disrespectful to go against his superiors. So, Liu Wenqing¡¯s wavering reaction brought relief to Nie Zhenbang. He chuckled, ¡°Secretary Liu, you might not know, but on the day of Xing Wenbiao¡¯s incident, the district tax bureau immediately dispatched a tax inspection team headed by Yao Saifu to carry out an audit on all businesses in our county. The Farmer Welfare Company and Longhua Mining were also within the scope of the inspection. These two businesses are model taxpayers in our Li County, exemry taxpayerpanies in Bazhou City. Of course, the bosses were unhappy about this sudden inspection¡­ This was undoubtedly a blunder. It¡¯s no wonder, considering Cui Jinsheng¡¯s position, was supposed to focus on issues at the national taxation level or matters directly rted to the leaders of the provincial partymittee. He likely wouldn¡¯t know much about smaller, local issues. However, this inspection of the twopanies was akin to a p in the face for them. Even if there were tax evasion or tax avoidance, they would fight back, but now that this inspection happened while they were running their businesses by the books, they were naturally unhappy. After a moment of silence, Liu Wenqing chuckled, ¡°Nie, given the circumstances, I will not say much more. However, in the future, you shouldmunicate with the citymittee beforehand. Otherwise, they might be caught off guard.¡± Liu Wenqing¡¯sst statement was a subtle warning. Nie Zhenbang either did nothing or made significant moves, such as removing the county party secretary and relegating a standing deputy chairman to the political consultative conference for retirement. While the former had nothing to do with him andtter was a high-level power game, the increasinglyplicated matters in Li county were starting to keep the Bazhou City Committee in the dark. This left Liu Wenqing in a difficult position. In response, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Yes, you¡¯re correct. In future, I¡¯ll report any issues to you as soon as they arise. This time, things happened so suddenly. Please overlook any shorings on my part.¡± After hanging up, Liu Wenqing immediately dialed Xiang Yong¡¯s number. Over the phone, Xiang Yong was greatly pleased. ¡°Haha, Wenqing, you¡¯re indeed Bazhou City¡¯s number one man. When you take action, it¡¯s different. Do you have good news already?¡± Liu Wenqing felt somewhat embarrassed and said, ¡°Old Xiang, I won¡¯t question the nature of your rtionship with Cui Jinsheng. Despite the circumstances, however, I don¡¯t think I can be of much assistance. The County Mayor and Secretary of Li County don¡¯t object, but Li County is a deep pool with unfathomable depths. Have you heard of the Farmer Welfare Company? Cui Jinsheng has taken a major misstep by sending an inspection team to audit the Farmer Welfare Company and Longhua Company. Now, the twopanies are dissatisfied, and Cui Jinsheng himself is likely in trouble.¡± As soon as Xiang Yong heard this, he was taken aback. He knew about the Farmer Welfare Company ¨C an investment of several hundred million, the attendance of Jiang Zhenquan and the deputy minister of the Ministry of Agriculture. Just the foundationying ceremony was already high profile. If the projects werepleted and put into operation, there would probably be an even grander celebration, and the magnitude of it was unthinkable. ¡°Old Xiang, you should contact Cui Jinsheng about looking after his own affairs. If he copses, his nephew will be meaningless anyway. As long as Cui Jinsheng can ensure he stays standing, we won¡¯t have any problems on this side,¡± promised Liu Wenqing. Xiang Yong nodded his head. What Liu Wenqing said was a fact. If Cui Jinsheng couldn¡¯t even maintain himself, there was no point in trying to save his wife¡¯s nephew. Now, people were taking action out of respect for Cui Jinsheng, and because of the high position he held. It might sound opportunistic, but it was the reality. Soon after, Xiang Yong also nodded and said, ¡°Wenqing, now I can empathize with your feelings. It¡¯s not easy being in a position like yours with that kind of county mayor underneath you. Thank you. If you ever have a chance toe over to our Ka city for an exchange visit, I will personally host a banquet for you.¡± After hanging up the phone, Xiang Yong immediately dialed Cui Jinsheng¡¯s number. At the time, Cui Jinsheng was at home. His wife, Xing Yue¡¯e, answered the phone, but when she heard it was Xiang Yong calling, she immediately called Cui Jinsheng over and sat down next to him. She was also deeply concerned about her nephew¡¯s affairs. ¡°Old Cui, there¡¯s something you need to mentally prepare yourself for. This time, when things got personal, you lost your head, and it¡¯s turned into a big problem. You sent someone to check your books. It was a stupid move. Now, someone¡¯s not happy. I¡¯m afraid your position may be in jeopardy.¡± Xiang Yong got straight to the point. After chatting for a while, Cui Jinsheng himself became somewhat disoriented. After hanging up the phone and thinking about the call he had earlier that day from the deputy director of the National Tax Bureau, Cui Jinsheng was only more certain that the trouble was real. Beside him, Xing Yue E appeared greatly worried and asked, ¡°Old Cui, what¡¯s happening? Has Wen Biao been released?¡± Upon hearing this, Cui Jinsheng also erupted and stood up abruptly, bellowing, ¡°Wen Biao, Wen Biao! All you know is your nephew. Now, I can¡¯t even protect myself anymore, let alone have the leisure to care about him. I¡¯m about to be dismissed from my position. Are the Xing family happy now?¡± Hearing this, Xing Yue E was also startled. In the past, if Cui Jinsheng dared to talk like this, Xing Yue E would likely have kicked up a fuss. But looking at Cui Jinsheng¡¯s solemn face, Xing Yue E was shocked and disbelievingly replied, ¡°Old Cui, don¡¯t scare me. Is it really so serious? Can a county mayor have you removed?¡± At this point, Cui Jinsheng no longer had the mood to exin and replied heavy-heartedly, ¡°There are many things you don¡¯t know about. As for this matter, it should end here. As for Wen Biao¡¯s situation, you¡¯d best stay out of it. If I really go down, it¡¯s the end for Wen Biao. Even if he¡¯s in jail now, if I¡¯m still here, I can make arrangements. He could be out in a year or two. Your nephew really needs to be taught a good lesson. I must hurry to Jingcheng tonight.¡± At this point, Cui Jinsheng had to maintain connections at the National Tax Bureau. For now, Xing Wen Biao¡¯s matter was no longer important. What was crucial was to keep his own position secure. Meanwhile, in Li County, Bai Weimin acted swiftly without any interference. The disciplinary investigation team he had sent out quickly obtained all the facts regarding Xing Wenbiao¡¯s illegal activities. While he had notmitted major crimes, dereliction of duty, misappropriation of public funds, and moral degradation were established. Swiftly, the disciplinarymittee transferred the case file to the Bazhou City Procuratorate. Xing Wen Biao was formally transferred from Li County Public Security Bureau to Bazhou City¡¯s First Detention Center. Following the suggestion of the Bazhou City Committee, the Bazhou City Tax Bureau also issued an appointment and removal notice. Xing Wen Biao was relieved of his position as Director. Wang Lili was also removed from her position as Office Director, and both were expelled from public service. Ma Zhixian faced a administrative demotion, and received severe disciplinary punishment within the party. The new Director of the Li County Tax Bureau would be He Dashan, the former Deputy Director. In Jingcheng, Cui Jinsheng found himself standing in front of his mentor, Deputy Director Ouyang of the National Tax Bureau, looking like a schoolboy despite being over fifty. Deputy Director Ouyang looked at Cui Jinsheng. Having nurtured him from the start, he still held affection for him. Breaking the silence, Deputy Director Ouyang said in a deep voice, ¡°Jingsheng, you¡¯ve been careless this time. I know your character well. Though you may not be the most capable, you¡¯re down-to-earth and free from corruption. Your downfall can be chalked up to your nephew. Now, many members of the partymittee in the bureau are against your promotion of rtives, and your unteral actions. Your position can¡¯t be saved. At this time, your only choice is to apply for retirement.¡± Deputy Director Ouyang held back further words. Being able to retire with dignity was already no small feat. This was a result that he had strenuously fought for. Stunned, Cui Jinsheng found himself at a loss. At only 57, he was neither old nor young among high-ranking officials. He was good to go on for several more years. But now, it seemed impossible. He knew his mentor¡¯s character well. His mentor was one to favor his apprentices, and this oue was already hard-won. He nodded after a silence, ¡°Old leader, it seems this is the only way. Looking back, my downfall was caused by this rotten nephew of mine. Sigh, it¡¯s fate. I suppose I can count myself fortunate that I didn¡¯tmit any illegal or rebellious acts in my life. In a way, this is a decent ending. If I were guilty of anything, I would probably be behind bars now.¡± Soon, the National Tax Bureau issued an announcement about appointments and dismissals. Comrade Cui Jinsheng, the Director of the Autonomous Region Tax Bureau, had voluntarily resigned from his position as Director of the Tax Bureau due to health reasons, and was now an Inspector of the Tax Bureau. He was formally moved to a non-executive position. The former Director of the Tax Department of the National Tax Bureau was called Chang Haitao. He was transferred to the Autonomous Region Tax Bureau to serve as a member of the bureau party group, secretary, and director of the tax bureau. PS: The first update is up. I¡¯d like to rmend a book titled ¡°Red Career Path¡±, a new work by Hongmeng Tree. Brothers and sisters, you can check it out (). Chapter 193: Investment Strategy_1 Chapter 193: Investment Strategy_1 Trantor: 549690339 Li County Development Zone With themencement of the relocation and construction of the Li County Party Committee and government agencies,bined with the groundbreaking of Li Lixue¡¯s infrastructure projects, Li County has now be the busiest ce in the entire Bazhou City. At least over five thousand workers have flocked into Li County for construction. Some even brought their families. Consequently, the poption of Li County has increased, as have the businesses and stores sales. The increase in poption naturally brings aboutmercial prosperity. This is an inevitable oue and a rule of the market economy. At this time, there are more privately owned shops and restaurants in Li County. There is a demand, so naturally, people will see this as an opportunity in the market. Li City Avenue This is a new city main road in Li County, widened and solidified from the national highway. The design of sixnes in both directions fully considers the future development needs of Li County. There is no need for eightnes in both directions. Even ten yearster, this road will not be outdated based on the poption of Li County. This is Nie Zhenbang¡¯s advanced nning. Inter generations, many local leaders only consider the present when nning and developing. As a result, new roads or other infrastructures often be outdated or obsolete in just a few years. This is a kind of redundant construction. Nie Zhenbang,ing from the future, naturally don¡¯t make the same low-level mistakes again. The foundation construction of county partymittee and county government office buildings has now begun along both sides of Li City Avenue, covering an area of ??a hundred acres. In front of the buildings, a massive fountain garden of 6000 square meters has been nned. Other county direct agencies are arranged on theteral Yingbin Road. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n, in the future, both sides of the avenue within a range of fifty meters will bemercial plots. This is a stiption that must be reserved. Otherwise, having a factory next to the county party and county government office buildings would ruin the overall nning and image. ¡°Director Nie, there are currently thirty-seven ongoing projects in the Development Zone. In addition to the self-construction projects of the government, the Wal-Mart Group¡¯s meat deep processing nt and Hemp Textile Factory are building as fast as possible, with an expectedpletion and production deadline in half a year. So far, the Development Zone has introduced contract investment funds of 130 million and an actual investment fund of 61 million.¡± Yan Fengjiao, the director of the Development Zone Management Committee, was currently reporting to Nie Zhenbang. Yan Fengjiao exuded a faint fragrance, sweet and delicate. This is a woman who knows how to fully leverage her feminine charms. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, women in official circles can be divided into three types. The first type, like Yan Fengjiao, are smart women who are appreciated by leaders. The future of these women is often the brightest and most glorious. The second type are diligent women. This forms the foundation of female officials. Many middle-level cadres in various units are such women. Of course, the prospects for this type of woman are limited. At most by their retirement, they might be deputy director-level officials. Thest type are like Wang Lili. These people may appear sessful on the surface, but they are usually the least liked. As a woman, she is very good at handling rtionships. After just over a month, she has formed a tight rtionship with Dong Wan and Li Lixue. This surprised Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang is very clear about Dong Wan¡¯s character. It is not a simple matter for Yan Fengjiao to win the approval of Dong Wan and Li Lixue. Listening to Li Lixue¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a while. Right now, the initial investment is mainly focused on the Wal-Mart Group. Out of the 61 million, probably over 85 percent is upied by the Wal-Mart Group. The investment recruitment is still not strong enough. With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang immediately said, ¡°The embryonic form of the Development Zone is already emerging. I think it¡¯s time for the county to seriously consider the grand configuration of investment promotion. This afternoon, the government side is convening an expanded meeting with government team members, along withrades from the Development Zone Committee and the Investment Recruitment Bureau, to hold a preliminary meeting and discuss what to do next in Li County and what path to follow. We must have a set of regtions.¡± Li Lin, who is still serving as Director of the Office of Government, is now promoted to the position of Deputy Director by Yi Jun. However, Nie Zhenbang has not proposed the election of the Office of Government Director. The leadership of the county government is clear that this position is probably still reserved for Secretary Yi. Li Lin is naturally very grateful. She is also dedicated to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s affairs. She immediately smiled and replied, ¡°Director Nie, in that case, we¡¯ll arrange it in the county government¡¯srge meeting room this afternoon.¡± Two o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Therge meeting room of the county government. Nie Zhenbang doesn¡¯t really recall this meeting room; in fact, he hadn¡¯t ever been in there before. The Directors¡¯ meeting is held in the small meeting room while Standing Committee meetings are held at the County Committee. Other cadre meetings are held in the County Committee Auditorium. This time, it is the first time Nie Zhenbang is using therge meeting room. At the top of the county government office building, a meeting room about the size of four rooms. The top of the room is not precast concrete. The office building was built in the 1960s. Now it looks a bit rundown. Next to it, on the wall of the meeting room, you can still see the trace of leakage. The meeting room is about a hundred square meters in size. The meeting table is made up of individual office desks instead of being oval. The tables are also very old. The office desks appear to have been discarded ones. Given Wu Zhixiong¡¯s way of doing things, he would not intentionally rece them with new ones. Maintaining operations became difficult under the previous financial situation, so where would Wu Zhixiong care about these? As long as they could be used, it would do, as thisrge meeting room is not used very often throughout the year. As for Nie Zhenbang, although we now have more financial resources, a new office building is already under construction. Naturally, there is no need to waste funds. However, the room looks very clean, suggesting that Li Lin arranged for someone to tidy up specially at noon today. ¡°Hehe, I haven¡¯t been to this meeting room for almost two years.¡± As soon as executive vice-county mayor Bekri entered the room, heughed and began to talk. Yan Fengjiao standing nearby also frowned, ¡°This desk really does have some age on it. It¡¯s split right here.¡± Deputy County Mayor Bayaerughed and responded, ¡°Director Yan, your split isn¡¯t even that big. Look at my desk, the split is bigger than yours.¡± Thisment was somewhat ambiguous, which wasmon in official circles, especially at county and township levels. Men and women often made such ambiguous dirty jokes to each other. This could be considered a characteristic of grassroots levels in Huaxia. Although Yan Fengjiao worked in the city, she understood this. She immediately said, ¡°County Mayor Ba, why don¡¯t I give you this piece of ss I use as a desk weight so you can seal your split.¡± Bayaer waved his hands andughed, ¡°Oh no can do, if I take it, your split would be even bigger. If anything falls in, that would be trouble.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang walked in from outside, and the entire county branch team ¨C including executive vice-county mayor Bekri, Vice Mayor Yan Fengjiao, Bayaer, Li Lin, as well as the Deputy Secretary of the Development Zone Work Committee Yang Zhengping, Vice Chairman of the Management Committee Gao Yuanshan, Leng Guohua, and Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau Fan Zhenming and Deputy Director Li Yan ¨C all stood up. The prestige of County Mayor Nie was clear to all Lixian cadres. Xing Wenbiao was still not promoted right? Even Xing Wenbiao¡¯s support fell, if you still can¡¯t understand this reality, then you are just wasting time in official circles. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed at this moment, raised his hand to motion everyone to sit down, and then said, ¡°The environment in thisrge meeting room is quite poor.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, everyone smiled knowingly. The attitude of the leader determined the nature of the meeting ¨C whether it would be rxed, serious or suppression. This was rted to the leader¡¯s opening remarks. ¡°Comrades, the conditions are a bit harsh. But it doesn¡¯t matter. It only emphasizes our determination to work under such conditions in the Lixian government leadership team. I think we need to preserve this set of tables and chairs in the future.¡± Nie Zhenbang made the opening remarks in a humorous and rxed manner. Although investment promotion work is top priority, being too serious is not good. What Nie Zhenbang needed was collective wisdom. He may direct the development of Lixian, but the collective wisdom must also keep pace. Depending on him alone, Lixian might be able to do it now, but he will not be able to work in Lixian forever. Even staying in Bazhou City might not be possible in the future. The economic development of Lixian would still depend on this group of people. Surveying everyone, Nie Zhenbang said again, ¡°Regarding investment promotion, does everyone have any ideas? Now that the Development Zone team isplete, you are all talented cadres from all over the city. If you have any ideas, feel free to propose them and speak up.¡± At this moment, the meeting room was silent. For those present, taking care of the Development Zone was a novel task. After truly entering the Zone, they found the limitations were too great. Many things couldn¡¯t be done. Polluting enterprises can¡¯t do it, and those irrelevant to Lixian can¡¯t do it. With these restraints, everyone¡¯s thinking became restricted. Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Since everyone is carrying forward the style, then I will point some out. Director Fan, you are the Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau, responsible for the overall investment promotion work in the county. The Development Zone is the most important part of your work. Director Fan, do you have any specific ideas?¡± Upon hearing this, Fan Zhenming did not evade any longer. The county mayor had named him, even if he had no idea, Fan Zhenming must bite the bullet. As the head of the bureau, he is responsible for the investment promotion work. This is a hurdle that cannot be bypassed. After stewing in silence for a while, Fan Zhenming slowly said, ¡°County Mayor, and all leaders present. Regarding investment promotion in our county, I suggest that we need to think outside the box, go out.¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, it seems that the situation is dire. The gods behind are catching up again, the gap is only fifty-seven votes. Asking for a monthly ticket to support. Let¡¯s secure our second ce. Chapter 194: Good Wine Too Is Lost in Deep Alleys_1 Chapter 194: Good Wine Too Is Lost in Deep Alleys_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Going out? How? Director Fan, we¡¯re a development zone, not a product. It¡¯spletely abstract. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s easy,¡± Bayaer voiced his disagreement at this point. Nie Zhenbang nodded in agreement. In the future, various trade promotion conferences, expos, etc., all teemed with the representatives of specific development zones. This is what promotion is. Today, it is no longer the age where good wine needs no bush. Fan Zhenming wasn¡¯t bothered and chuckled, ¡°Mayor Ba, I¡¯ve pondered over this problem and it bothered me too.¡± After a pause, Fan Zhenming, ncing at everyone, handed out his research materials and continued, ¡°Gentlemen, this is a small research I have done. Through data analysis, I found that the earliest domestic advertisement started in ¡¯84. Back then, the advertising budget for Yanwu Tape Recorders on national TV was just 400,000. However, by ¡¯87, the advertising budget had increased ten times to a staggering 4 million. Consequently, Yanwu¡¯s sales covered the whole country. This is a typical case. In addition, the Nestl¨¦ advertisement that was broadcasted nationwide with Hucheng City as a backdropst year made Nestl¨¦ coffee a fashionable drink for the Chinese. However, upon inquiry, we found that Nestl¨¦ coffee is, in fact, an internationally renowned brand, and the product mainly sold in our country is Nescaf¨¦, which is considered a middle and lower tier product abroad. This also shows the importance of advertising. What I mean is, can our development zone adopt this form of advertising, creating a promotional film and running it as an advertisement on television?¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. A city promotional film? This Fan Zhenming looked ordinary, but this was a too innovative idea. Not many people had such forward-thinking ideas in this era. Indeed, he was a rare talent. However, to Nie Zhenbang, creating a promotional film seemed too advanced and inappropriate for this time. Besides, using this idea for Li County felt somewhat inadequate. After all, it was a matter of the scope. If Li County were a prefecture-level city, a promotional film at this time would be absolutely shocking. However, for a county-level city, there weren¡¯t too many advantages. Without waiting for Nie Zhenbang to refute, Yang Zhengping, the Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party Committee, pondered for a moment then said softly, ¡°Director Fan, the promotional film seems rather bold. After all, we need to maintain the image of the government. Wouldn¡¯t this seem somewhatmercialized?¡± Fan Zhenming was well aware that his idea was bold, so he nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Yang, I have considered these issues. Indeed, there is a degree of this concern. However, considering the current national theme of economic development, I believe that it is an inevitable trend in the future.¡± After Fan Zhenming had finished speaking, the others also offered their opinions. Some suggested seeking support from the Bazhou City Government, and some suggested establishing offices directly in special economic zones to get in touch with businesses through South China Sea officials. In short, it felt as though everyone was showcasing their unique skills. These weremon tactics at this time. In future, many local governments established representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and other cities. Apart from the financial aspects, these offices mainly functioned to attract and encourage investment. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang turned to Yan Fengjiao and asked with a smile, ¡°Director Yan, you seem deep in thought. Do you have any brilliant ideas?¡± Surprised by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sudden question, Yan Fengjiao replied reluctantly. As her main responsibilities in the development zone involved current construction and coordination between the government and businesses, she had not really gone into the depths of attracting investment. Yan Fengjiao responded with a charming look and shrugged, ¡°Since Mayor Nie has invited me, I¡¯ll put forward a few points.¡± After a pause, Yan Fengjiao said, ¡°Actually, I think it would be a good idea to go to the Canton Fair. The spring session has passed. It is July now, and the autumn session ising soon. I think we canpletely promote ourselves there.¡± The Canton Fair, officially known as China Import and Export Fair, was the longest-running trade fair in China. It was held twice a year. The spring session was from April 15 to May 5 and the autumn session was from October 15 to November 4 each year. Given that it was already mid-July, they could only aim for the autumn session. Yan Fengjiao¡¯s remarks surprised everyone, intriging Nie Zhenbang. It seems that Yan Fengjiao was not just a pretty face. The current group of cadres in Li County, especially those elected from the development zone, were exceptional in Bazhou City in terms of their age and abilities. It could be said that it was a concentration of the elite young cadres in Bazhou City. Among this group, Deputy Secretary of the Work Committee, Yang Zhengping, is steady. Gao Yuanshan, the Deputy Director of the Management Committee, is bold and dares to fight. Leng Guohua possesses impressive coordination and organization skills. Yan Fengjiao is especially skilled in promotion andmunication. Fan Zhenming, the Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau, shown through the n he conceived earlier, is a cadre worth cultivating. Deputy Director Li Yan is low-key and not generally outspoken. At the moment, it is still uncertain what Nie Zhenbang will do. But if they¡¯ve made it through to the final evaluation, they can¡¯t be wrong. On the side, Bekri was initially not nning to voice his opinions. This matter of the development zone appears to be the County Government¡¯s business. But everyone knows that Nie Zhenbang also serves as the Secretary of the Development Zone Work Committee and Yan Fengjiao as the Director of the Management Committee. The truth is, it is the matters outside the county that are within the jurisdiction of the Executive Deputy County Mayor like himself. Yet Yan Fengjiao¡¯s idea made Bekri unable to hold back his retort: ¡°Director Yan, the Canton Fair is a trade fair. How can we possibly arrange for a presentation booth? Does the organizer even have such a custom? This seems rather uncertain. Moreover, what would we bring there?¡± As the words had just fallen, Nie Zhenbang then responded in a calm voice, ¡°Old White, in my opinion, I think this is a good idea.¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words fell, all the people in the conference room became silent. After all, this was the first time Nie Zhenbang indicated his stance since the meeting started. Quite evidently, the authority of the Big County Mayor Nie in the County Government is undeniable. Everyone knows their boundaries. Even Zhang Chubin, the County Secretary, has been tactful enough to keep his distance. I don¡¯t think anyone can surpass the County Secretary. Bekri felt a bit embarrassed and quickly covered it up with augh: ¡°Hehe. The County Mayor is right here. It seems like I still have a lot to learn. I¡¯m a bit behind the times.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed at this and calmly said, ¡°Old White, don¡¯t belittle yourself. The saying goes ¡®Live till old, learn till old¡¯, applies not just to you. We, everyone here, have to continue learning. It¡¯s inevitable. If not, we will be eliminated. Survival of the fittest, as Darwin¡¯s theory of evolution puts it quite thoroughly.¡± Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Also, Old White, you didn¡¯t say anything wrong. Sometimes, it is necessary to voice doubts. What one personcks, others have in abundance. As they say, even three cobblers can match the wisdom of Zhuge Liang.¡± Having said this, Nie Zhenbang steered the discussion back to the main topic: ¡°As County Mayor Bai mentioned, the Canton Fair does not have this tradition. However, the event is still some time away. If we consider it from a different perspective, although the participants are acutely focused on their products, these products must be produced by someone, right? These exhibitors, in fact, are manufacturers. This is an opportunity, a great opportunity to attract investment.¡± How to promote Li County, reaching out to each and every enterprise is not realistic. However, at suchrge-scale trade fairs, there lies the opportunity, the pathway. On the side, Fan Zhenming was deep in thought before nodding and saying, ¡°I understand your point, County Mayor. It¡¯s just like broadcasting an advertisement on television. That scale is a bit unrealistic from the current perspective. The trade fair, however, is a great opportunity. How could I not have thought of this?¡± Fan Zhenming¡¯s regretful tone brought a chuckle from everyone. At present, the atmosphere in Li County¡¯s Government is very positive. The group is united and the goals are clear: all considerations revolve around the economic development of Li County. With everyone¡¯s hearts united, the overall atmosphere is harmonious. On the side, Bekri too started tough, ¡°Director Fan, if you didn¡¯t think of it, but Director Yan did, then it¡¯s the same thing. We¡¯re all part of the revolutionary work. United in effort, like rowing a big boat.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded at this, ¡°County Mayor Bai is right. Only by uniting can great things be aplished. I think we can settle this now. This time, we will send a delegation from Li County to participate in the Canton Fair held in October. Starting now, we must prepare immediately. Three months may seem neither short nor long. But, since a preparation is needed, three months is just the right amount of time.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°I think the Investment Promotion Bureau can liaise with the Propaganda Department of the County Committee. Hmm, County Mayor Yan, I think it would be better if you handle it personally. Get the county¡¯s resources from the Propaganda Department. The beautiful scenery and real estate, local customs, and our county¡¯s abundant livestock and mineral resources. These are all the advantages of our county. It would be best to photograph these and make them into colorful promotional brochures. Also, make a detailed n for the projects we¡¯re nning to introduce. Preparedness ensures sess. Director Fan, you can also considermunicating with the organizers of the Canton Fair to see if they can arrange a booth for us at the exhibition. We must be professional about it.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s series of directions, everyone in the conference room began to take notes. Bekri was looking at Nie Zhenbang with deep admiration. The real substance of County Mayor Nie does not show. Also, Bekri was impressed by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s consideration; these are the manners of a leader. He does not take the credit, but instead gives others the opportunity. It seems he needs to adjust his mindset too. Maybe one day, when Nie County Mayor takes flight, he will not be able to take everyone with him. If he doesn¡¯t progress, this seat may not be his any longer. (To Be Continued. If you like this novel, please go to to vote, rmend, and support. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 195 - 195 Big Brother Visits_1 Chapter 195: Big Brother Visits_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°County Head, when this table was being cleaned yesterday, one of its legs became crippled. Should I rece it with a new one for you?¡± In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, Yi Jun felt somewhat embarrassed. No wonder, he kept feeling all day that this table was shaky, so it originally lost a chunk. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also felt somewhat awkward. The things bought by the government departments were really poor quality. Looking at the chunk missing from the table, it reminded Nie Zhenbang of his own limping from a previous life. If he were to y a cripple at this moment, there would be absolutely no need for any training. He would be a master of the craft. ¡°Ha ha, there¡¯s no need to rece it. Just ce something underneath the table. As long as it¡¯s stable, it¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯re going to relocate the office soon. Recing the table now would be a waste of money,¡± Nie Zhenbang responded with augh. At this moment, someone from outside opened the door and walked in. This scene took Yi Jun by surprise. Why did it keep happening today? First, the table was crippled, and now, someone barged in. He was just preparing to say something. Nie Zhenbang had already stood up and said to Yi Jun, ¡°Xiaoyi, you go out first, close the door behind you. Unless there¡¯s an emergency, I won¡¯t be receiving any visitors today.¡± Yi Jun was confused at this moment. He looked at the young man who had walked into the office. The man was wearing sses, and looked cultured. Standing there with a slight smile, he exuded a sense of confidence. Although confused, Yi Jun didn¡¯t dare ask anything, so he nodded and left. Once the door was closed, Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Brother, why did you suddenlye over without a heads-up?¡± Nie Jialei had arrived yesterday afternoon. The reason he didn¡¯t inform Nie Zhenbang was mainly because he wanted to see for himself how Nie Zhenbang was managing his area. At home, Nie Jialei constantly heard how well Nie Zhenbang was doing, and to be honest, Nie Jialei was somewhat skeptical. Among siblings, there are always some disagreements. In this respect, their family was rtively good. The discipline instilled by their grandfather had always been strict. Although they were not exactly harmonious, at least they didn¡¯t resort to fratricide; theirpetition was healthy. Nie Jialei himself had a decent status in Yanbei Province. After spending two years in a prestigious position, he was transferred back to a ministerial level department to serve as the office director in the State-Owned Enterprises Bureau, making him a rare character as a bureau-level official at only twenty-seven. Prompted by curiosity, he decided toe over. He casually chose a guesthouse in Lixian to stay and did not go to the Li County Hotel. After a night observing the development and economic growth of Lixian, he was inwardly impressed. Both he and Nie Zhenbang started their careers at the deputy department level, but he was only promoted after two years. Compared with Nie Zhenbang, he felt insignificant. ¡°Haha, I was transferred back to a ministerial agency and have a position in the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. In my free time, I suddenly decided toe and see you. Doesn¡¯t our brother Jiamin also live here? I thought I¡¯d also pay him a visit,¡± Nie Jialei said nonchntly, privately concealing his frustration. In Jingcheng, all families adhere to a principle, a rule. Families with little manpower do not exist; families with surplus manpower, like their grandfather, tend to ce one member in the military and one in politics. Even so, they must choose one main representative among them. This is a kind of political bnce technique. Every family has to follow this unspoken rule. To put it simply, it is the designation of the next Head of the Family. ¡°Zhenbang, you are doing very well. Yesterday, I specially toured Lixian, and I noticed that the roads in the development area are t and orderly. In my view, the future here is boundless. In a year or two, it could be another miracle in the whole country,¡± Nie Jialei casually said. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang walked over to the teapot and poured Nie Jialei a cup of cold tea. He thenughed, ¡°Brother, pay attention to your health. The weather here in Xibei is hot during the day and cool at night. Drinking hot water isn¡¯t suitable. Have some cold tea.¡± Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang sat on the sofa and chuckled, ¡°What miracle or not, to be honest, I just want to do something meaningful here, that¡¯s it. I haven¡¯t thought much beyond that.¡± Nie Jialei truly respected Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude. Perhaps it was this very attitude that made Nie Zhenbang so outstanding. ¡°Zhenbang, Jingcheng is much calmer now. After the Leader assumed office, everything has been stable. Last year, after the nationwide tour of the Leader, many people¡¯s confusion about the reform and opening up was cleared, and they gained more confidence. Now, everything is looking good. Haven¡¯t you ever considered going back to Jingcheng, to assume a position in the ministry?¡± Nie Jialei inquired once again. This model seemed to be a familiar pattern adopted by the offspring of nobility: Take up a job, serve a period of time in a ministry, raise up the ranks to deputy bureau level, then demote to the grassroots level to gain practical experience for one or two years. After that, they would be promoted, likely to the position of directorship. They would continue mixing in the ministry for a period of time, umte seniority, achieve the deputy or directorship department level, after which they¡¯d move downward. Upon returning, they would then serve in the ministry at the deputy ministerial level. This has practically be an established pattern, a fixed pattern. Nie Zhenbang was also deep in thought at the moment. Returning to Jingcheng was an idea, but the attitude of the elder did not suggest that he wanted him to return, and essentially, Nie Zhenbang did not want to leave just yet. ¡°He who stays near vermilion gets stained red, and he who stays near ink gets stained ck.¡± At least until the batch of cadres in Lixian has been thoroughly influenced and infected by him, Nie Zhenbang will not leave. He vividly remembered a quote from a great man ¡ª a single spark can start a wildfire. Now, he was that delicate spark. On the road to sustainable development, in environmentally friendly and resource-saving societies, Nie Zhenbang could rightfully im to be the pioneer of inheriting the achievements of his predecessors. But, if he leaves now, all his efforts will have been in vain. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang adamantly shook his head: ¡°Elder brother, to be honest, I don¡¯t want to leave Lixian yet. The fruits ofbor here in Lixian have just started to show. To benefit ourmunity takes time. I won¡¯t sugarcoat my words, I believe there needs to be some kind of legacy left behind in our lifetime.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words shocked Nie Jialei again, he had not anticipated this line of thought. In fact, his visit this time stemmed from a conversation he had overheard. Upon hearing their conversation between Old Huang and the elder of the Yang family, Nie Jialei had taken a trip to Lixian. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Nie Jialei admitted defeat for the first time. After a long silence, Nie Jialei was also torn. Conceding meant willingly withdrawing from thepetition for sessors within the Nie family. Henceforth, the Nie family would prioritize Nie Zhenbang, and all resources would lean towards Nie Zhenbang. Nie Jialei would then be Nie Zhenbang¡¯s future assistant. After hesitating for a while, Nie Jialei finally said: ¡°Little brother, until now, I must admit defeat. I am not as broad-minded as you. From now on, the Nie family will depend on you. The office that Grandfather once upied will be entrusted to you.¡± Nie Zhenbang was also startled for a moment, thenughed: ¡°Elder Brother, why say such things? There¡¯s no need for talk of depending on anyone. We all have to rely on each other, because together, we are the Nie family.¡± Nie Jialei replied: ¡°Little brother, do you know how our grandfather and the elder of the Yang family assess your work in Lixian?¡± Nie Zhenbang was a bit surprised. Was his work in Lixian being noticed by the seniors in Jingcheng? If so, he felt a bit overwhelmed. However, Nie Jialei didn¡¯t ask Nie Zhenbang¡¯s opinion and continued: ¡°I happened to overhear them discussing whether you should return to Jingcheng immediately or continue in Lixian, they had a dispute.¡± ¡°Do you know why I asked you whether you want to return to Jingcheng or not?¡± Nie Jialei gave a mysteriousugh, then continued: ¡°If you return to Jingcheng, given your achievements, a promotion is inevitable; bing a deputy at under 24 is absolutely unprecedented in Jingcheng. But afterwards, you¡¯ll probably have to stay in that position for at least five years. At age 30, being a standing deputy in the local area can be considered quite good. However, I¡¯m guessing our grandfather has different arrangements for you.¡± The grandfather¡¯s arrangement? Nie Zhenbang was also shocked, hadn¡¯t the old man simply asked him to train in the underdeveloped area? Could there be a deeper meaning to his arrangement? Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression, Nie Jialei burst intoughter ¨C he was d that his little brother wasn¡¯t as astoundingly talented as he thought. He then exined: ¡°ording to my grandfather¡¯s guess, Grandfather¡¯s intent may be for you to remain unobtrusive here for a time. The county and bureau level might seem unimportant, but it¡¯s actually a vital link between the departmental level and grassroots. If youy a solid foundation here, your future will be smooth sailing and invincible.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang felt cold sweats running down his back. Indeed, no child from a prestigious family is a pushover. If he really believed Nie Jialei and was tempted to return to Jingcheng, he feared his path would differ. The old man¡¯s appreciation and expectation, as well as other aspects, would gradually fade away. However, Nie Zhenbang was grateful at this moment that he genuinely wished to stay and get things done. Perhaps it was a fool¡¯s luck. Nie Zhenbang stood up andughed: ¡°Elder Brother, we¡¯ve been sitting for a while. Let¡¯s go to Li County Hotel. Conveniently, Dong Wan is also here. Liu Kun and Zhao Xinglong are here as well. We can call them over for a get-together.¡± Upon hearing the name Dong Wan, Nie Jialei¡¯s expression was a bitplicated, and he looked at Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Little brother, speaking of Dong Wan, I really have something to remind you of. I think Master Dong might already know about your rtionship. I guess your trouble ising. Neither the Yang family nor the Dong family is good to offend.¡± PS: It¡¯s Friday, my brothers and sisters. I¡¯m back. We¡¯ve both finished this week¡¯s shift. I¡¯m so grateful for your support, which still keeps us in second ce. Without further ado, let¡¯s explode with four more chapters tomorrow for a warm-up. The explosiveness will gradually increase, my brothers and sisters! Let¡¯s support with monthly tickets! (.) Chapter 196: Lixian Earthquake_1 Chapter 196: Lixian Earthquake_1 Trantor: 549690339 Nie Jialeiang looked at his wristwatch. It¡¯s a Vacheron Constantin watch for men made in Switzend. It had a very ssic design. This kind of watch is a favorite among the sons of the well-known families in Jingcheng. Luxurious, yet low-key. To ordinary people, it looks nothing special, but only those who really know watches could see its value. Then, Nie Jialeiangughed and said, ¡°Third Brother, you really enjoy your freedom as the county head. It¡¯s only half past ten and you¡¯re already off work. Aren¡¯t you afraid of people gossiping?¡± Nie Zhenbang knew Nie Jialeiang was just joking, so he alsoughed and said, ¡°Elder Brother, before you came, I was working day and night shifts. No oneined about me working too much at midnight. This time, my family came to visit, so I should have some time off, right?¡± The two walked out of the county governmentpound. Nie Zhenbang drove the car himself and headed towards the Li County Hotel. On the way, Nie Zhenbang contacted Liu Kun and Zhao Xinglong. Nie¡¯s elder brother was here, who was the ¡®Big Brother¡¯ among these rascals. When they were still wearing crotchless pants, they were running behind him. Even though Nie Jialeiang gradually distanced himself from this group after growing up, the prestige of Elder Nie still existed. Nie Zhenbang also called Dong Wan. At this moment, Dong Wan and Li Lixue had be very busy as the Wal-Mart Group¡¯s projects in Li County began. Nie Zhenbang had asked Yang Anbang to send someone over, but these two girls refused, saying they wanted to work with Nie Zhenbang to build Li County together, which would give them a sense of aplishment. ¡°Zhenbang, why are you calling me so early today? Li Xue and I won¡¯t be home for lunch today. We¡¯ve made an appointment with Sister Fengjiao to look at some parcels in the city. The project for the Li County Hotel is also set. We¡¯re just waiting fornd acquisition and demolition.¡± Dong Wan now had the demeanor of a strong woman. Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Wan, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have toe today. My elder brother is here, and I¡¯m on my way to Li County Hotel. Let¡¯s have a meal together. Let Li Xue and Yan Fengjiao handle thend acquisition.¡± Under these circumstances, it was not that Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want Li Lixue to appear. However, Li Lixue¡¯s identity was different now. Also, this was about the conflicts between the Dong and Yang families. It was better to keep Li Lixue away from this circle. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s way of protecting Li Lixue. If it was an ordinary gathering, Nie Zhenbang would definitely have Li Lixue attend. Hearing this, Dong Wan understood. As a child growing up in the Residence, she had some awareness. Soon, Dong Wan said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, all right then. You guys reserve a private room first, I will be there shortly.¡± When the car arrived at the hotel, Zhao Xinglong¡¯s Hummer H1 was parked nearby. Such a behemoth, with a Xibei Military Region license te, was intimidating just by looking at it. It¡¯s a product that Hummer only began to sell for civilian usest year. Zhao Xinglong directly shipped one from the United States. A supercharged diesel engine with a 6.0-liter discement gave it an imposing presence. As soon as they saw Nie Jialeiang get out of the car, Liu Kun and Zhao Xinglong went to greet him. Liu Kun even chortled and rushed over, ¡°Big Brother, you finally remember us, the kids who are left in the Northwest. It¡¯s not easy.¡± At this moment, Nie Jialeiang was less restrained and serious than he was in Jingcheng. In Jingcheng, he had to behave more maturely as the eldest son and firstborn grandson. Now that he was outside, Nie Jialeiang felt as if he had put down a huge burden, which made him much more cheerful. He shoved Liu Kun away andughed, ¡°Get lost, I know what sort of person you are. You¡¯re a well-known yboy in Jingcheng. Don¡¯t get me infected with your debauchery!¡± Zhao Xinglong also greeted him, ¡°Brother Jialeiang, do you still remember me?¡± Nie Jialeiang paused, then said, ¡°You are the one I don¡¯t remember. But I do have a deep memory of your brother Zhao Xinghu. Back in the day, when the kids from your militarypound fought with us, I was almost going under his hands. In the end, I was grounded at home for a month, while your brother was directly sent to the army.¡± Nie Jialeiang¡¯s knack in this area was truly brilliant. A few words brought them closer. At that moment, Dong Wan¡¯s Land Rover arrived. Seeing Dong Wan, Nie Jialeiang took the initiative and greeted her, ¡°Little Sister Six, you¡¯re finally here. Your matter has caused quite a stir in Jingcheng.¡± Dong Wan looked somewhat embarrassed. If she guessed correctly, the ones causing the stir were probably her grandfather and An Na¡¯s grandfather. They were both like mischievous children. When ites to politics, they were terrifying. However, they were no different from ordinary old men in other aspects. Nie Zhenbang also felt a little awkward andughed, ¡°Big Brother, let¡¯s go inside and talk. We can eat and chat. Today is kind of a wee dinner for you. You were not nice yesterday, sneaking around in disguise.¡± The 777 private room in the hotel was something that Nie Zhenbang had specially arranged. In this era, Chinese people all like the number 8, as it¡¯s considered lucky. However, Nie Zhenbang did not like it. Government officials are not businessmen, why would they want to ¡®get rich¡¯? ording to Nie Zhenbang, ¡®seven up, eight down¡¯ is more fitting. The number 888 is not lucky. What government officials fear the most is ¡®going down¡¯. Of course, this also has a hint of superstitious or prankster meaning. However, since Nie Zhenbang suggested it, Liu Zhifang naturallyplied. Director Nie¡¯s prestige was iparable. It was just a number, and since he liked it, Liu Zhifang naturally arranged for it. Just as everyone had sat down, Liu Zhifang ran in, a smile on her face. ¡°Director Nie, and all the bosses, what would you like to have for lunch? We invited a Guangdong cuisine chef especially for you. How about trying something new?¡± Nie Zhenbang had eaten plenty of Cantonese food. He was about to refuse when Nie Jialei smiled and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to find Cantonese cuisine in the Northwest. Let¡¯s have Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a famous Cantonese dish. We can use it to judge the chef¡¯s skills.¡± Barely had he finished speaking when the lights in the room began to flicker, and the crystal chandelier shook violently. Liu Kun and Zhao Xinglong were already on their feet, holding onto the table. Dong Wan, who grew up in Jingcheng, waspletely stunned by all this. Nie Zhenbang, however, was incredibly quick. He rushed over to Dong Wan and caught her. He was all too familiar with this sensation. It was a traumatic memory from his past that he could never quite shake off. More than a decade ago, he instantaneously went from being a child treasured by his grandparents and mother to an orphan. That was his harsh reality. ¡°Quickly, get up, Kun, Xinglong, Big Brother, let¡¯s evacuate to an open area. This is an earthquake.¡± Nie Zhenbang almost roared out his words as he simultaneously picked up Dong Wan and ran outside. This was just a pre-shock. Nobody knew how strong the actual earthquake would be, or if it would continue to shake. All they could do was wait and see. In this situation, erring on the side of caution is the best course. Nobody would dare to take responsibility for any mishap. Liu Zhifang also ran out after them. As soon as they had evacuated from the banquet hall, the ground started shaking again. This time, it was much stronger than before. The ground felt like it was swaying. Zhao Xinglong and Nie Jialei, who were both experienced and well-trained, immediately crouched to maintain bnce. It was too dangerous to stand in an open area at this time, and crouching was the only way to preserve bnce. The shaking had caused tiles from a number of buildings in Li County Hotel to fall. A lot of people had gathered in the open area as the earthquake had driven everyone outside. After a short respite, the shaking returned twice, each time as strong as the second. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face had already turned serious at that point. Liu Zhifang also quickly ran over to Nie Zhenbang, seeing this as an opportunity to disy her loyalty. ¡°Director Nie, are you alright? This earthquake doesn¡¯t seem small at all. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s around magnitude six.¡± Magnitude 6? Hearing Liu Zhifang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression turned even more solemn. ording to the earthquake scale, anything greater than magnitude 3 but less than 4.5 is considered a noticeable earthquake. Anything equal to or greater than 4.5 but less than 6 is considered a moderate quake. Anything equal to or above 6 but less than 7 is considered a strong quake. At this moment, the air-raid siren in Li County City had started to sound. At the same time, loudspeakers throughout the city had started to broadcast, ¡°Please follow earthquake safety procedures and stay away from buildings. Prioritize your personal safety.¡± ¡°Repeat once, repeat once¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang waited for a while until he was sure that there would be no further immediate danger. He then stood up and said to Dong Wan, ¡°Wan, ask Kun and Xinglong to apany you and find Li Xue immediately. I¡¯m predicting a lot of work on my end. Please take care of yourself.¡± He then turned his attention to Nie Jialei, preparing to talk, but Nie Jialei waved him off, saying: ¡°Zhenbang, you don¡¯t need to say anything. Do what you need to do. Please don¡¯t worry about me. I can handle this and protect myself.¡± Nie Zhenbang quickly arrived at his Santana, started the car and drove. The road was already crowded with people. The car soon arrived at Li County Party Committee. By then, Zhang Chubin, Xie Yi, Zhao Kunlun, Sun Kewen, Bekri, and other members of the county partymittee had already gathered. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang alighting from the car, Chubin and the others came over. Zhang Chubin looked somber. ¡°Director Nie, we just got word from the Li County Seismological Bureau. The earthquake was about a 6.3 magnitude. So far, no reports of casualties. We should probably start a meeting now.¡± No one was willing to have the meeting in the office building. Everyone feared aftershocks. Nie Zhenbang looked extremely serious. He knew all too well that many of the buildings in Li County were old constructions, with few new buildings. Plus, with the sudden earthquake affecting construction sites, they were likely going to have to deal with massive consequences. PS: Last five days, brothers and sisters, now, we have wolves in front and pursuers behind. We have no way to retreat. We are 240 votes away from first ce. And the third ce contender is only 55 votes away from us. Once again, I call upon the strength of our brothers and sisters for a monthly ticket of support. To secure our position. Thank you all. ( Chapter 197: At All Costs_1 Chapter 197: At All Costs_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Secretary Zhang, I propose that we immediately report to the municipal partymittee and the municipal government. At the same time, we should also mobilize here promptly. Leaders of the countymittee lead teams to instruct towns under the county to assess the disaster situation, calm down the public, and restore daily life and production.¡± Nie Zhenbang promptly put forward his own suggestions. Nie had experienced an earthquake personally. But that time, he was but a child, only witnessing numerous members of the People¡¯s Liberation Army tirelessly rescuing people from the ruins ¡ª a touching scene indeed. However, it was his first time facing such a scene as a leader. With no experience to rely upon, Nie Zhenbang could only draw upon his vague memories to formte a general n. Xibei has always been a disaster-prone area. Every year, there are at least hundreds of earthquakes, although most of them are not severe. An earthquake of magnitude six is considered quite big. However, the cadres in Xibei have considerable experience in handling earthquakes and reconstruction work post-disaster. Zhang Chubin also nodded at this moment. Nie Zhenbang was indeed capable. Despite being a young county head facing such a situation for the first time, he showed no panic. Instead, he was able to think clearly and suggest constructive ideas in an orderly manner, which earned him Zhang Chubin¡¯s deep admiration. Subsequently, Zhang Chubin nodded and said, ¡°Director Nie¡¯s suggestion is very insightful. It¡¯s excellent. Everyone, take action quickly. The person in charge of the Seismological Bureau, report to the superior department immediately. Request support from the seismic information center of the autonomous region¡¯s Seismological Bureau, and quickly gather urate earthquake data. How big is the magnitude? How strong is the intensity? What is the depth of the focus? And what are the follow-up situations? All these must be understood clearly, and promptly reported to the countymittee so that the county government can n for the next steps.¡± The Seismic Information Center is the predecessor of the national seismicwork. At this time, the national seismicwork has not been established, and the department responsible for national earthquake monitoring, forecasting, and research is the Seismic Information Center. Zhang Chubin then sweeps his gaze around, his tone stern, ¡°In the face of a major disaster, everyone must work together. I won¡¯t say much more. The municipal partymittee, the municipal government, even the district partymittee, and the autonomous regional government are all paying attention to Lixian. If someone makes a mistake, don¡¯t me me, Zhang Chubin, for being merciless. Secretary Zhao, you need to govern the Public Security Bureau personally. Allrades on the public security and firefighting frontlines should cancel their holidays. At this time, we need to maintain stability. It is crucial to ensure the stability of the county¡¯s public security and people¡¯s hearts.¡± Having said that, Zhang Chubin continued, ¡°Minister Wang, the county¡¯s armed forces department should take action immediately and initiate the county¡¯s emergency n. The militia must step forward. You, representing the county partymittee and the county government, should make contact with the local troops stationed here, requesting the military¡¯s participation in the rescue. We must guarantee the safety of people¡¯s lives and property, and the stability of their daily lives.¡± As the series ofmands were given, Zhang Chubin¡¯s authoritative manner as the county party secretary was on full disy. He then turned his gaze to Xie Yi on the side and said, ¡°Secretary Xie, you are a full-time deputy secretary in charge of Party mass ideology and organizational work. You are in charge of organizing the other cadres. You must exemplify the role of party members. True heroes show their colors during critical times. Everyone, get busy.¡± Upon seeing the others springing into action, Zhang Chubin strode over to Nie Zhenbang and murmured, ¡°Director Nie, you haven¡¯t experienced this before, I think you should handle the development zone and the county city. The conditions and building structures are slightly better in this area, so it¡¯s easier to manage. I¡¯ll go to Gemu Township. I¡¯m primarily worried about that ce.¡± Nie Zhenbang knew about Gemu Township. Upon hearing Zhang¡¯s words, his eyebrows furrowed. The township was located on the periphery of Lixian, a full 78 kilometers away from Li County City. Backing onto the mountains, the total poption of the township did not exceed three thousand, and they were scattered widely. Most of the houses were made of dirt. Moreover, the most dangerous thing about earthquakes was the possibility of causingndslides, which was the most perilous aspect. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang started to change his opinion of Zhang Chubin. Zhang was usually cunning and liked to take the credit for things. Since the time Nie cut off the finances, Zhang had been well-behaved. Nie hadn¡¯t expected Zhang to reveal such nobility in this situation. Nie Zhenbang stopped Zhang Chubin, who was about to move out, and said in a low voice, ¡°Secretary Zhang, let me go. I have a friend with an off-road vehicle, a product of the United States. The situation in Gemu Township is unclear, and the roads areplicated. It¡¯s better for me to go. In terms ofmanding the earthquake resistance and disaster relief efforts, you have more experience than I do. You should remain here andmand the overall situation.¡± When he saw that Zhang Chubin was about to argue over this, Nie Zhenbang interrupted him. ¡°Secretary Zhang, please don¡¯t say anything more. I¡¯m younger than you. I¡¯ll head to Gemu Township. The overall situation in the county can¡¯t be without you. A major incident happened this time. The regional and municipal leaders will certainlye down. It¡¯s also better for you to be in the county. I will take people over there.¡± After saying that, Nie Zhenbang turned to Chen Le without waiting for Zhang Chubin to respond, ¡°Director Chen, you should return to the Public Security Bureau immediately and organize the elite forces. Doesn¡¯t your bureau have a Mitsubishi off-road vehicle provided by the district public security department? It should be used. We have two off-road vehicles here, and can organize about fifteen people in total. Quickly get yourself prepared.¡± After he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang quickly got into the car, started the engine, and left the courtyard of the county partymittee. Watching Nie Zhenbang¡¯s departing figure, Zhang Chubin felt somewhat emotional. He didn¡¯t quite know how to assess Nie Zhenbang. He was young, with a deep background, as well as dominant and overbearing. But what he exhibited was a kind of selfless demeanor. As the saying goes, ¡°one bes an official for the fortune.¡± This might be an exaggeration, degrading officials. However, there were not many like Nie Zhenbang who are devoid of self-interest. Xue Daming walked up to him, and Zhang Chubin nced at him, sighing, ¡°I can¡¯t match the magnanimity of Director Nie.¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang spoke, Zhao Xinglong immediately handed over the vehicle without saying anything. The earthquake had a significant impact on Longhua Mining, and Zhao Xinglong was worried if there were any problems at the mine. But as soon as Nie Zhenbang spoke, Zhao Xinglong handed over the vehicle without anyints. Nie Zhenbang nodded his head. They both hailed from the same esteemed background ¨C at this moment, fumbling words of gratitude were meaningless. He tossed his car keys to Zhao Xinglong momentarily, then turned to Liu Kun and said, ¡°Kun, help me drive Wan¡¯s car to the County Public Security Bureau.¡± The two cars came to a halt within the courtyard of the Li County Public Security Bureau. The sight of these two imported luxury off-road vehicles bearing the license tes of the Xibei Military Region left Chen Le and the dozen or so police officers who were waiting beside speechless. The officers were acutely aware of what these license tes represented. The tes bore the mark of the Xibei Military Command, and even if these were beyond number 200, they were still not ordinary tes. Upon stepping out of the car, Chen Le immediately shouted, ¡°Everyone assemble! Attention, at ease. Count off!¡± After a standard round of procedure, Chen Le saluted Nie Zhenbang and reported, ¡°Director, the Gemu Township task force is ready for deployment. Fifteen officers are required and all fifteen are present. Awaiting orders.¡± Nie Zhenbang steeped forth, his solemn gaze scanning the squadron of officers. He spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Comrades, just now, our county experienced a magnitude 6.3 earthquake. This disaster is ourmand. The entire county has been mobilised. Gemu Township is one of our county¡¯s most remote and impoverished townships. Thendscape is intricate. Instances of geological disasters are frequent. This time, our task going there is imperative. Communications to Gemu Township have been severed. As such, the specifics of the situation remain unclear. We must all be mentally prepared. We must have the spirit to give everything. As police officers, as the protectors of our people, we must salvage the lives and property of our citizens at all costs. Now, Imand you. March!¡± The fleet was led by the Public Security Bureau¡¯s Mitsubishi off-road vehicle. Its sirens red, emergency lights shing. Following behind, Zhao Xinglong¡¯s hummer was also equipped with a siren system. The three cars sped off, sirens wailing. Seventy-eight kilometres ¨C this was an unusual feature of Xibei. In the ind, this distance was akin to that between two prefecture-level cities. However, in Li County, this was just the distance between a town and the county city. The earthquake struck at 11:17 in the morning. Nie Zhenbang and his men left around 11:50. By 1:00 pm, they were merely seven kilometres away from Gemu Township. In the hummer, Chen Le sat next to Nie Zhenbang. Pointing at the towering mountain range in the distance, Chen Le¡¯s expression grew sombre, ¡°Director, in less than eight kilometres, we will reach Gemu Township. Beyond that is the mountain road.¡± The mountain road to Gemu Township had been paved by military engineers who had sted through the mountain. The rugged terrain sat at the edge of a precipice. During normal times,ndslides, mountain copses, and rock falls were alreadymon urrences, let alone after a severe earthquake. ¡°Director, perhaps we should let the leading car to scout ahead first? Once we know the road conditions, then we can follow suit.¡± Chen Le hastily proposed his idea. To Chen Le, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s safety was of utmost importance. There was an ancient saying, ¡®the wise avoid danger¡¯ ¡ª if something were to truly ur, the losses would far outweigh the gains. Nie Zhenbang contemted for a moment then said in a deep voice, ¡°Let¡¯s all go together. Regardless of the situation, we need to get there as soon as possible. There¡¯s no time for hesitation.¡± The three vehicles advanced in a single file. After covering an additional two kilometres, they found that the road ahead had beenpletely obstructed. Nie Zhenbang stepped out of the car, his gaze rested upon the road before him, his brows furrowed. Much of the mountain had copsed,pletely obstructing the highway. Huge boulders mixed with mud strewn across the road, were scattered everywhere. With the main roads this way, it was easy to imagine the situation in Gemu Township. At this point, the ground began to ripple once more. Although the tremors weren¡¯t strong, they were enough to instigate anotherndslide, disgorging additional rocks and soil that were precariously hanging onto the mountainside. Chen Le shouted loudly at this moment, ¡°Director, be careful!¡± Nie Zhenbang swung away Chen Le¡¯s hand that was gripping his arm. Looking ahead at the cascading avnche, hisposed demeanour left the officers by his side in awe. Director Nie¡¯s courage was truly impressive, standing unfazed before danger, truly he was willing to pay any price. (.) Chapter 198 - 198 The Government is Still Here! (First update begging for monthly votes) _1 Chapter 198: The Government is Still Here! (First update begging for monthly votes) _1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°After the rocks ceased to fall, Nie Zhenbang turned around and said: ¡°Xiaoyi, you stay here and watch the car. The rest of us, shall hike into the mountain.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s decision was calcted. After all, Yi Jun is a man of letters. A few kilometers of hiking is not to be taken lightly, especially when there¡¯s a looming danger. He asked Yi Jun to stay behind due to safety reasons. Every member of the local police station had been handpicked by Chen Le. Not only they were capable but also they had undergone rigorous trainings. This distance wouldn¡¯t be a problem to them, and Nie Zhenbang, needless to say, was an experienced veteran from the Tiger Group of Xibei Military Region. This road, for him, is nothing more than a simple drill. But to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, Yi Jun now disagreed. He straightened his neck, looked at Nie Zhenbang. Yi Jun had been Nie Zhenbang¡¯s secretary for almost a year now and he had never resisted him before, but this time, he decided to stand up and object. Everyone was taken aback. The nearby officers refrained from speaking. Some lowered their heads, while others looked away. Chen Le also chimed in to mediate, ¡°Director Yi, someone has to stay here. I suppose it should be you.¡± At this moment, Yi Jun looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Director Nie, it seems like you¡¯re looking down on me. If everyone else can put their lives on the line, then why can¡¯t I? If you can face danger without fear, then as your secretary, I should too. I refuse to be a coward and stay here, I want to go with you. If I¡¯m afraid of death, then I¡¯m not worthy to be a member of the party.¡± Nie Zhenbang said irritably, looking at the determined expression on the young man Yi Jun¡¯s face, ¡°Xiaoyi, you¡¯re being foolish. Guarding the car is also a duty. In revolutionary work, there¡¯s no distinction between big or small tasks. So, you think that hiking is work, and staying here equals evasion? This perspective won¡¯t do. Now, it¡¯s my order for you to stay here and report to the district leaders if they arrive. If you¡¯re hungry, you can drive down to the town below, or ask someone from Luobu Township to bring you something.¡± Seeing that Yi Jun fell silent, Nie Zhenbang then tucked his trousers into his socks. With his serious expression, he said solemnly: ¡°Brothers, let¡¯s move. Off to Gemu Township.¡± As the saying goes, ¡®one measures a craftsman against his craft¡¯. As Nie Zhenbang moved with dexterity, admiration was evident on other people¡¯s faces. Director Nie was no ordinary man. Initially, they thought him to be schrly, but it turned out that Director Nie could well surpass everyone present. Nie Zhenbang seemed at ease covering the nearly five-kilometer cross-country journey without any weight on him. Everyone else was also holding their own, albeit panting a little, as they were all chosen by Chen Le for their abilities. Now, seeing the copsed houses ahead, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow furrowed and he said in a deep voice, ¡°It seems that the situation in the Gemu Township isn¡¯t good. Director Chen, immediately find a local resident and inquire about the location of the township party and government authorities. We must hurry there.¡± It wasn¡¯t the time to be formal. Nie Zhenbang certainly wouldn¡¯t call the Secretary of the Township Party Committee of Gemu Township over in such circumstances. Gemu Township, nestled within the mountains, is a long stretch of terrain housing 492 households, divided into four administrative viges, and five natural viges, the smallest having just four residents. The township government is based in Gemu Vige, which is thergest vige in the township with over 160 households. At this moment, amidst all the rubble andmotion, many were busy here and there. Chen Le soon returned and informed, ¡°Director Nie, I figured it out. Comrade Yao Lianghua, the Secretary of the Township Party Committee and the township Mayor, is currently at the township elementary school. When the earthquake stuck, schools were in session apparently. Rumor has it, the school building has copsed.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang felt his heart skip a beat. School? In-session? It seemed like the worst possible scenario had taken ce. Nie Zhenbang quickened his pace, and tersely instructed, ¡°Chen Le, lead the way immediately to the Gemu Township Elementary School.¡± About a dozen uniformed men, led by a government official, swiftly crossed the streets of Gemu Township. The township had only one small street, not more than sixty meters long. As Nie Zhenbang and the others arrived, many residents started following them, shouting, ¡°Police have arrived! The government is here! County officials are here! We are saved!¡± Walking into the Gemu Township Elementary School, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. What kind of an elementary school is this? Does this qualify as an elementary school of a township? The school consisted of old-fashioned mud houses that were gloomy and low, with a mud yground surrounded by weather-beaten walls. The building was long in length. However, the two ssrooms at the far right had already copsed. On the yground, a few dozen primary school children were gathered quietly under the teacher¡¯s instruction, no one was talking or crying, stark silence pervaded the surroundings. ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re here. The earthquake struck too suddenly. Our township government was entirely unprepared. At this moment, all the township officials are scattered, Deputy Director Wang has already gone to the most remote vige. Here, ording to the teachers¡¯ information, there are fifteen students buried underneath right now. We are organizing manpower for full-scale rescue efforts. Doctors from the township health clinic are also standing by. However, due to theck of mechanical tools, the progress is somewhat slow,¡± Gemu Township Party Secretary and Mayor Yao Lianghua greeted Nie Zhenbang immediately. Gemu Township is nationally recognized for its poverty, and is infamously impoverished. Years ago, cases were reported where an entire family shared a single pair of trousers, and during winter, most people huddled in their beds. The school managing to survive this situation is considered quite a feat. After hearing Yao Lianghua¡¯s report, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face softened somewhat. He was very pleased with the decision made by the officials of Gemu Township. Poverty was not the problem, in Nie¡¯s view; problems arose from the inactivity and corruption of officials. The party leadership of Gemu was able to react so swiftly, and the fact that Yao was covered in mud at this moment, was proof that the team took their jobs seriously. Nie Zhenbang then said gravely: ¡°We don¡¯t have any mechanical equipment and can¡¯t call any in now. The road to Gemu Township has been blocked by andslide. We had to trek here on foot. Now, we only have manpower avable. All efforts should be focused on the rescue mission. If we cannot dig with tools, we¡¯ll dig with our hands. Director Chen, lead the team to conduct the rescue immediately.¡± Facing the crowd gathered from Gemu Township, he spoke out: ¡°Fellow vigers, I am Nie Zhenbang from the county government. I apologize for our dyed arrival.¡± Among the crowd, several knowledgeable individuals quietlymented, ¡°My goodness, this is our county¡¯s young Director. So young. I thought others were lying.¡± Having the county director appear in person was a remarkable event for these in folks. The earthquake had just erupted two hours ago, and the director had already arrived; his speed and attention to the incident had deeply touched the vigers of Gemu. Nie Zhenbang elevated his voice once more: ¡°Fellow vigers, true characters emerge in difficult times. The county government ces significant importance on this matter. The People¡¯s Liberation Army is on their way. The city leaders will arrive soon as well. Now, we need to pull together and help each other¡ªrescue ourselves! We will rescue every single one of our fellow vigers¡ªyour family members. Party members and officials shall set the example.¡± Having said this, Nie turned around and walked towards the copse site. He grabbed a shovel from someone standing by, rolled up his sleeves, and began to dig. All the vigers were stunned by Nie¡¯s actions. Their normally dignified county director was hands-on with the rescue effort. In their memory, a director was a figure who would stand at the side, giving orders and supervising. ¡°Brother Zhu, let¡¯s get to work. Everybody, let¡¯s go. The government is helping us out, and our family members and children are buried under the rubble. Let¡¯s work together. Come with me.¡± A burly man, having witnessed the scene, clenched his neck, turned red in the face, and roared out loud. He felt ashamed of his previous inaction. Although the magnitude of the earthquake wasn¡¯trge, the houses in Gemu, after all, were old earthen houses which could not withstand such shaking. As a saving grace, these rural houses were easier to clear, excluding some bricks and debris. With hundreds of people joining the efforts, the copsed ssrooms were cleared quickly. The sight of their family members caused the buried students to break into uncontroble weeping. At this moment, Yao Lianghua came over with a middle-aged man: ¡°Director Nie, this is Mr. Zhu, a substitute teacher at the elementary school. If not for him shielding the children and immediately directing them to stack desks and chairs in a corner after the initial shock, the consequences would have been unimaginable.¡± Hearing Yao Lianghua¡¯s introduction. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression changes, such a teacher, faced with adversity, rather than fled, he made an appropriate arrangement promptly. Consequently, he was hit by a falling beam, someone like him deserved respect. Nie Zhenbang immediately stepped forward and shook Mr. Zhu¡¯s hand, his voice steady: ¡°Mr. Zhu, on behalf of the county government, I thank you for what you have done for the children. I appreciate your noble spirit.¡± Mr. Zhu appeared rather shy. He might have never met a ¡°high-ranking official¡± like Nie before. He chuckled modestly and said, ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re ttering me. This is what I should be doing. Director Nie, you are a high official. I implore you. The schools in Gemu Township are all in disrepair. Please get the Education Bureau to allocate some funds for us to repair a school.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded again: ¡°We will certainly repair it, I promise. We will build the best school for Gemu Township. Regardless of our poverty, we should never let education suffer. No matter how hard it is, we should never let our children suffer. This is not just an empty slogan. After this rescue operation, I will visit Gemu Township again.¡± PS: Sending the first update of the day, it¡¯s four updates today as a warm-up. Brothers and sisters, we have the final five-day sprint. If you have ess to a monthly pass, please show your support. Help me. ( Chapter 199 - 199 Liu Wenqing Arrives (Second Update Seeking Monthly Ticket)_1 Chapter 199: Liu Wenqing Arrives (Second Update Seeking Monthly Ticket)_1 Trantor:549690339 Looking at the children still covered in dirt, the earthquake had caused a substantial shock to their hearts. For a moment, it seemed impossible to restore their spirits. Having experienced an earthquake himself, Nie Zhenbang could understand the children¡¯s feelings. Nie Zhenbang was very careful at this moment, gently wiping mud off a child¡¯s face. In a subdued voice, Zhenbang asked, ¡°Are their parents here? Take the children home. There¡¯ll probably be aftershocks in the next few days. sses will be suspended for now as the school is unusable. Teacher Zhu, please take care of them. The children are quite shaken, they needforting.¡± Fortunately, the houses copsed in impoverished Gemu Township had not been too lethal. By this time, the copsed houses in the township had been cleared. All those who were injured had been rescued. Apart from two elderly people who were crushed to death, only two other deaths urred in the strong quake here, with over a dozen people injured. This could be considered fortunate amid the misfortune. At this moment, Zhenbang rxed somewhat and turned to Yao Lianghua, asking, ¡°Secretary Yao, have people been dispatched to the other viges already? If not, how about I apany Director Chen to the vige Deputy Chief Wang went to?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yao Lianghua stiffened. The vige that Deputy Chief Wang went to was the most remote in Gemu Township. More importantly, the vige was on a mountainside. If something were to ur to Director Nie¡­ Yao Lianghua then plucked up the courage to say, ¡°Sir, in our Gemu Township, there is one official monitoring each vige. After the earthquake happened, all our officials went down. By now, they should all be almost back. Why don¡¯t you wait for the news here at the township government?¡± Seeing Yao Lianghua¡¯s anxious expression, Nie Zhenbang pondered. It was now past two in the afternoon. Close to three hours had passed since the earthquake, and any trapped or injured people should have been rescued by now. Moreover, if he went there, it would take about an hour. Going there now held no significant meaning. Sometimes, as a leader, you have to show empathy for your subordinates. If you are not familiar with the situation in Gemu Township and the overall situation has stabilized, there is not much to worry about. Nie Zhenbang then nonchntly stood up and said, ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t go. I¡¯ll wait for the news here.¡± Then he turned to Chen Le and said, ¡°Director Chen, designate someone to return the way we came and head back to reunite with Secretary Yi. Then, immediately bring in mechanical engineering equipment from the county. Make sure to clear the road by midnight. Tell Wei Chenglin from the Department of Transportation that this is an absolute order.¡± While Nie Zhenbang was busy dealing with matters in Gemu Township, Bazhou City was also spurred into action. Zhang Chubin immediately drove to the development zone. Luckily, the construction here was not greatly affected. Most of the construction workers had already reached a safe area when the earthquake started. Aside from some impact on the recently poured concrete, everything else was normal. Earthquakes weremon in Bazhou and even the entire Northwest region. In other words, people in the Northwest had grown acquainted to earthquakes. A 6.0 magnitude was considered a major quake. After spending some time outside, many citizens had already returned home. The situation in Li County gradually calmed down. Around 4:30 in the afternoon, Zhang Chubin received a call from Li Qingde, a member of the standingmittee of the municipal partymittee and the municipal partymittee secretary. Liu Wenqing, the party secretary of the municipal partymittee, was about to arrive in Li County. Zhang Chubin didn¡¯t dare to dy. He immediately organized a team to wait by the side of Li County Avenue. Soon, the vehicle convoy from Bazhou city slowly arrived. In front of them, Liu Wenqing¡¯s car had already stopped. At this moment, Liu Wenqing also looked serious. Li County was not only famous in Bazhou city but also received considerable attention in the whole Northwest region. As soon as he heard about the 6.0 magnitude quake, Liu Wenqing rushed over immediately. ¡°Secretary Chu Bin, what¡¯s the situation? Are there any casualties? How are the people¡¯s emotions? What measures has the county taken?¡± A series of questions came out of Liu Wenqing¡¯s mouth. It was clear how earnestly he was taking the earthquake in Li County. Liu Wenqing had considered his focus on Li County carefully. On one hand, the current development trend of Li County was likely to be a top political achievement in the Xibei Autonomous Region. This would greatly benefit Liu Wenqing¡¯s promotion and for his personal interest, Liu Wenqing had to weigh this in. On the other hand, considering the astonishing background Nie Zhenbang had shown¡ªa director of the local taxation bureau, a department level official, copsed overnight. Although on the surface, Cui Jinsheng had voluntarily resigned from his work due to health reasons and took up the position of an inspector at the department level of the Autonomous Region Taxation Bureau. Yet, that was just child¡¯s y. At Liu Wenqing¡¯s level, it was clear what was going on. This was directly pressed from above. That Cui Jinsheng ended up the way he did, he probably owed it to his hard work at not messing up any cases. Despite Nie Zhenbang¡¯s exnation on Cui Jinsheng¡¯s annoyance to the two major investors in Lixian, Liu Wenqing, who had sat through a fair share of political courses, looked beyond the appearance. It urred to him that Zhenbang himself must be an influential figure to be even capable of bringing in such big investors to begin with. ¡°Secretary Liu, ording to the seismic data we¡¯ve obtained from the Li County Seismological Bureau, the epicentre of the earthquake was in the Gemu Township area with a focal depth of six kilometers. The magnitude is 6.3, ssifying it as a strong earthquake. However, the intensity of the shock was not great, causing minimal damage. At present, in Li County City and surrounding areas of the development zone, apart from some minor damage to civilian housing, there have been no casualties reported. We are still awaiting updates from some remote townships. Rest assured, we in the Li County Committee and County Government are confident we can calm the citizens and restore life to normal as quickly as possible.¡± Zhang Chubin responded to Liu Wenqing calmly. At present, Zhang Chubin was unphased. In the past, local officials had one of two mentalities ¨C hoping for their superiors to visit which often meant they had achieved something and wanted the superiors to witness their achievements or fearing a visit from their superiors. A visit often put everyone on edge, choosing inspection routes and arranging personnel wreaked havoc. That¡¯s because their results were disappointing, or there was public discontent. Any potential slip-ups could cause bacsh for the visiting superior and, consequently, wreck their career. However, under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s influence, the mentality of the entire Li County officials had undergone a shift. They had be grounded, pragmatic, and seemingly at ease with inspections from their higher-ups. There was no need for preparations or falsified data, and that had a calming effect on them. At this moment, Liu Wenqing also nodded his head and continued, ¡°Please get in the car, Comrade Chu Bin. Let¡¯s go take a look at your Li County Development Zone together. Nowadays, Li County is progressing faster than the municipal partymittee. Your achievements are highlymendable.¡± Upon their arrival at the Li County Development Zone, the construction workers of the zone, the local residents, and a group of officials from the zone, all organised by the head of the countymittee office, Qu Feng, were already waiting for them. At that moment, Liu Wenqing seemed to sense something was off. He turned and looked around, his brows furrowing in concern. ¡°Comrade Chu Bin, why don¡¯t I see Director Nie?¡± ¡°Secretary Liu, this is how it is. Director Nie is currently personally directing rescue operations in Gemu Township. You know about the situation in Gemu; it¡¯s notoriously known in our county, especially now being the earthquake¡¯s epicenter. Originally, I was thinking of joining Nie there, but he said hecked experience in this area, so he went alone.¡± Zhang Chubin began to worry about Liu Wenqing¡¯s unusual behavior. After hearing Zhang Chubin¡¯s words, Liu Wenqing¡¯s face darkened. The news came too suddenly ¨C Nie Zhenbang had gone to the epicenter, Gemu Township with mountains on all sides. Anything could happen there. Thinking of this, Liu Wenqing quickly asked, ¡°Has Director Nie sent any messages? Is the situation in Gemu severe?¡± At this moment, Wei Chenglin, the director of the Bureau of Transportation, rushed over. Seeing all the officials, especially Secretary Liu Wenqing, Wei Chenglin quickly greeted them and hurriedly said, ¡°Secretary Liu, Secretary Zhang, Director Nie has sent back a message. The situation in Gemu Township is now under control. The copsed school has been evacuated with all students ounted for. However, the road to Gemu Township has been blocked by andslide. Director Nie has requested heavy machinery from the county to unblock the road as soon as possible.¡± Without any hesitation, Liu Wenqing quicklymanded in a deep voice: ¡°Comrade Chu Bin, gather all the heavy machinery equipment from Li County and provide immediate support. Director Wei, if your Bureau of Transportation does not have enough equipment, you can request support from the municipal Bureau of Transportation. Tell them it¡¯s my order. The disaster situation is like a mandate. There¡¯s no time to waste, act immediately.¡± With Liu Wenqing¡¯s words, Li County sprang into action. Large machinery equipment was gathered. In the past, this was something Li County couldn¡¯t arrange. However, thanks to the vast development in recent times, Li County had procured ample equipment. Severalrge excavators were swiftly deployed, and bulldozers andrge trucks were also assembled. By six o¡¯clock in the afternoon, all the mechanical equipment had reached the scene. Large spotlights were erected, diesel generators were roaring, and the copsed earth began to be cleared. After more than three hours of furious work, a road was finally cleared. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang emerged from the site. Behind him, a long line of torchbearers left everyone in awe. PS: Today, I¡¯m warming you up with four updates. Guys, the climax is about to start, bring out your enthusiasm and momentum. Support us with monthly tickets. Do the final sprint. Congrattions to brother A1398796 on bing a Law Enforcer, brother Weiru! Chapter 200 - 200 Bold Ideas (Third Update Requesting Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 200: Bold Ideas (Third Update Requesting Monthly Tickets)_1 Trantor:549690339 Behind Nie Zhenbang, Chen Le and fifteen other police officers stood in unwavering formation. Even though their uniforms were now disheveled, their upright stance emanated an overwhelming sense of authority. The mud and stains on their bodies did not mar their image, but rather, made them seem even more imposing under these trying circumstances. Behind Chen Le and his officers, hundreds of residents from Gemu Township spontaneously held up torches, forming a long procession, their eyes full of gratitude and admiration. When the vigers found out that Nie Zhenbang was leaving, they gathered outside the township government office. Despite Nie Zhenbang¡¯s best persuasion, he couldn¡¯t dissuade these simple, honest vigers. Looking at the procession of torch-bearing vigers, Nie Zhenbang seemed to witness a scene reminiscent of the Red Army¡¯s departure years ago. Turning around to face the vigers who were waiting expectantly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes welled up. Raising his voice, he called out: ¡°My fellow vigers, please return home. The roads are treacherous in the dark, and what if there happens to be andslide. That would be catastrophic. I appreciate your kindness.¡± At this moment, Teacher Zhu, leaning on a crutch, stepped forward. He had been injured in the afternoon while protecting his students. He hadn¡¯t realized the severity of his injury initially, but now that he was rxed, he became aware of it. ¡°Director Nie, please let us send you off. You are a good official. You have rushed to Gemu Township without dy despite the difficult journey. You took the lead in rescuing the children. We genuinely appreciate it. You are someone who genuinely thinks about us ordinary folks. We would not feel at ease if we didn¡¯t send you off,¡± Teacher Zhu said, speaking on behalf of everyone. This is the simplicity, kindness, andpassion of the ordinary citizens of Huaxia. Such seemingly insignificant gestures, like personally taking part in the rescue operation were, in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, an essential part of being a party member. The role of a party member was not just talk, but to be a model leader, particrly during times of crisis. In times of adversity, one¡¯s true character is revealed. This is the responsibility and duty of a party member. Coming face-to-face with the party g is a moment for solemn oath and mental preparation. Looking at these vigers, Nie Zhenbang found himself contemting a bold idea. Once again he said, ¡°My fellow vigers, please go back. The economic backwardness of Gemu Township is the responsibility of our county partymittee and the county government. Here, in front of everyone, I make amitment. Upon my return, I will seriously consider ways to help and won¡¯t disappoint you all. Please trust me, we will all see better days and will have reasons to smile.¡± After painstakingly coaxing the vigers to leave, he watched the procession of torches vanish into the distance. Nie Zhenbang turned to Chen Le and the others and asked, ¡°I¡¯ve always heard of the close bond between the people and the army. I truly understood the sentiment today. Chen, do you think we have done enough for them?¡± The sight had also deeply moved Chen Le. It was an awakening from deep within his soul. It was a cleansing of his soul with the utmost purity. It was a feeling that cannot be ignored except perhaps by those who were heartless. ¡°Director Nie, today, I understood the saying ¡®serving a term in office brings prosperity to the local people¡¯. Looking at the vigers, I think not only me but also my colleagues have had a profound learning experience. Director Nie, when we return, I n to promote this kind of educational activity throughout the bureau,¡± Chen Le, having a sharp mind, quickly formed his ns. This character pleased Nie Zhenbang. He then nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to return to the County City.¡± At the side of the road, Xiaoyi had been waiting. Seeing Nie Zhenbang arrive, he immediately handed him a steamed bun and a thermos cup: ¡°Director Nie, please have something to eat. Given your habits, I fear you haven¡¯t eaten anything for lunch or dinner.¡± Nie Zhenbang had a well-known habit in Li County. Whenever he was inspecting work in towns or units near the County City, he never stayed for meals. Even for lunch or dinner, he just didn¡¯t eat. For towns far from the County City where he couldn¡¯t get back in time for lunch and it was unavoidable, Nie Zhenbang set a limit for everyone¡¯s meal to not exceed ten yuan. This was well-known in Li County. In a poor township like Gemu, it would be tough to persuade Nie Zhenbang to sit down for a meal even under normal circumstances, let alone now. Xiaoyi had anticipated this. Looking at Xiaoyi, Nie Zhenbang took the thermos and the steamed bun with augh: ¡°Xiaoyi, you better not have prepared this only for me. If so, then you¡¯ve not done well.¡± Yi Jun promptly opened the back door of the Hummer, distributing steamed buns and tea to each of the rescuing officers. The three vehicles turned around and dashed towards Lixian. Along the way, the officers who had finished their meals naturally took turns to rece the drivers. The vehicles didn¡¯t make it to Li County City until around 8 pm. At this time, under Zhang Chubin¡¯s ns, traffic police stationed on the roads into the city by Li County Public Security Bureau also immediately moved forward to meet the cars. Once the cars stopped, Officer Chen Le stepped out. A momentter, he returned to the car and told Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Director, I just received a message. Secretary Liu Wenqing from the City Committee has already arrived in Li County. Currently, he is at the Li County Party Committee office building. He stated that he will wait for your return tonight no matter what.¡± Upon hearing this news, Nie Zhenbang was quite surprised. Liu Wenqing had actuallye in person. And he had stayed in Li County for the day. During this time, Nie Zhenbang dared not ck off. Having background and support was indeed great. But in the end, the emperor is far away. Here, in this ce of Bazhou, Liu Wenqing was still the secretary of the municipalmittee, he was still the number one. Necessary respect must still be given. If he were to look down on others as if he were the second most important person after God, Liu Wenqing had the ability to deal with him. If that were to happen, he would not be fit to seed the Nie family. Shortly afterwards, Nie Zhenbang said in a deep voice, ¡°Xiaoyi, go directly to the County Committee. After that, you can send Director Chen back to the Public Security Bureau and park the car at the Li County Hotel. You¡¯ve been tired all day, go home and check on your family. We still do not know what their situation is like after the quake.¡± When Nie Zhenbang arrived at the countymitteepound, Zhang Chubin was already waiting at the entrance of the countymittee office building. This time, Secretary Liu had truly made an impact. He waited inside the office, stubbornly refusing to go to the room arranged by Li County. He was determined to wait for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s return. This attitude made all officers in Li County contemte deeply. Zhang Chubin has long known about Liu Wenqing¡¯s favoritism towards Nie Zhenbang. Now, this was just further confirmation. Seeing Nie Zhenbang get out of the car, he immediately greeted him, ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re finally back. What¡¯s the situation in Gemu Township? I hope there were no casualties.¡± Mention of this made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darken. He said in a low voice, ¡°Overall, it¡¯s not too bad. Except for two elderly people in their eighties who were trapped under copsed houses because they couldn¡¯t avoid in time. Their body functions had deteriorated, and we couldn¡¯t save them. Other situations are still okay. The school copsed but the students are all unharmed. For now, I¡¯ve instructed them to temporarily stop sses.¡± When Liu Wenqing heard that Nie Zhenbang had returned, he couldn¡¯t sit still. Just as he reached the door, Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin walked in. Upon seeing Liu Wenqing, Nie Zhenbang immediately apologized, ¡°Secretary Liu, I am truly sorry for making you work with us sote. Your health is not as robust as ours young people.¡± Liu Wenqing waved his hand and said straightforwardly, ¡°No need for those words. Zhenbang, let¡¯s discuss the situation in Gemu Township. The Party Committee and government of the autonomous region attach great importance to the strong quake in Li County. Secretary Jiang Zhenquan personally called to inquire. Not only I am waiting for your definite response but Secretary Jiang probably hasn¡¯t taken any rest yet either. This time, the Li County Committee did a fine job. Especially you and Chubin, reacting quickly, coordinating well, and properly dividing the work. You guys are a good team. A team should be united and stable. Only in this way, can achievements be made.¡± Upon hearing Jiang Zhenquan was also waiting for news, Nie Zhenbang did not dare to dy and promptly reported the situation in Gemu Township. Without any prepared notes, Nie Zhenbang spoke bluntly. He detailed how many people there were in Gemu Township, how many viges, how many houses had copsed, how many were injured, and how many had died. All the data effortlessly flowed from his mouth, as if all these were etched deep in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind. As Liu Wenqing listened, his previously anxious furrowed brows gradually rxed. Nie Zhenbang really went into depth in his investigation. Seeing him covered in dirt, one would know that he was truly working hard. Once Nie Zhenbang finished, Liu Wenqing immediately stood up andughed, ¡°Good, this is what a party member should do. Zhenbang, your thinking is correct. First of all, we are party members; then, we are national cadres. We work for the people and strive for their welfare. I will report this to Secretary Jiang immediately.¡± Liu Wenqing called Jiang Zhenquan right in front of Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin. After reporting the conditions from the earthquake damage in Li County, Liu Wenqing hung up the phone and turned to Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin, ¡°Chubin, Zhenbang, this time, Secretary Jiang spoke highly of you.¡± On the side, Nie Zhenbang mused for a moment. He had already a rough outline of the issues in Gemu Township since the return trip. It was now gradually finalizing. Then, Nie Zhenbang said to Liu Wenqing, ¡°Secretary Liu, I have an idea that I would like to report to you. It¡¯s about the situation in Gemu Township.¡± PS: The third update is now up. Brothers and sisters, where are you? Old Cai needs you! Please support with a monthly pass, giving a helping hand to Old Cai. (.) Chapter 201: Whole Migration (The Fourth Request for Monthly Tickets)_i Chapter 201: Whole Migration (The Fourth Request for Monthly Tickets)_i Trantor:549690339 Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Wenqing immediately took them seriously. It had always seemed to Liu that Zhenbang was the sort of man who wouldn¡¯t take action unless he could aplish something significant. No one had expected that, upon his arrival in Lixian County, this young vice county director, just 23 years old, could achieve such remarkable results. But Zhenbang went on to found the Farmer Welfare Company. Thepany¡¯s operation mode of integrating business, farms, and farmers was now flourishing not only in Xibei but also in many parts of the country. This model greatly reduced the risks for farmers, enhancing their enthusiasm for agricultural production. Tangible benefits wereid out before them, guaranteeing returns as long as they put in the effort. What followed was Longhua Mining and the forceful development of Lixian County¡¯s vermiculite mineral resources; this too was groundbreaking. Then there was the construction of Lixian Economic and Technological Development Zone, and the massive relocation of the Lixian County Committee and County Government offices and other departments ¡ª all of which were ambitious projects beyond anyone¡¯s imagination. And now, this young man had a new idea. Naturally, Liu Wenqing was intrigued and asked, ¡°Zhenbang, what new initiative do you have in mind?¡± Zhang Chubin, on the other hand, was equally curious. He had not heard any rumors beforehand about Zhenbang¡¯s ns. Having worked together with Zhenbang for so long, he had a good grasp of Zhenbang¡¯s character. If it was a preconceived idea, Zhenbang would definitely have discussed it with him in advance. Despite his assertiveness, Zhenbang was very meticulous in managing these details. He would have informed others about his ns, regardless of whether they agreed with him. From this, it seemed that this idea must have been conceived just today. Nie Zhenbang was also organizing his thoughts at this moment. His n was simply a sh of insight. Having conducted no particr feasibility study, Nie Zhenbang just let out his idea impulsively earlier. Upon second thought, perhaps some detailed research followed by a presentation would have given a more mature impression. But since he had already mentioned it, revising his statement might give the impression of indecision and inefficiency. He then chuckled, saying to Liu, ¡°Secretary Liu, this idea came to me during my visit to Gemu Township earlier today. The timing might seem a bit hasty, and there might be some inadequacies, so I hope you can bear with me.¡± At this point, Liu Wenqingughed as well,menting, ¡°Zhenbang, you are always too modest. It¡¯s just an initial idea, not a formal proposal, and there are no outsiders present. You can freely share your thoughts.¡± Then, Zhenbang began his argument, ¡°Secretary Liu, Gemu Township, which is located in our county, is the most remote township from Lixian County City, about 78 kilometers away. Deep in the mountains, the township has a total poption of over two thousand people and is a nationally recognized impoverished township. Gemu Township is far from the national highway. To vigorously develop it would require an enormous investment of funds, manpower, and resources. I was thinking, could we consider a different approach and relocate the entire Gemu Township?¡± ¡°Mass relocation?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposal, Liu Wenqing was taken aback. To be honest, he was quite shocked. When considering economic development, especially in impoverished areas, most people would wonder how to develop local advantages, improve transportation conditions, and ultimately help locals escape poverty. But the idea of mass relocation had nevere up before. After some contemtion, Liu Wenqing continued, ¡°Relocation? It¡¯s not necessarily a bad idea. But have you considered the views and feelings of the local vigers, especially with over two thousand of them? They say thend of one¡¯s birth is hard to leave. As local government behavior, this relocation does not qualify for national relocation support or policy backing, and all expenses will have to be borne by the Lixian Government. Issues concerning the resettlement of the relocated households, such as housing,nd allocation and future sources of ie, need to be taken into ount. This would require a considerable amount of money ¡ª can the Lixian Government afford it?¡± Nie Zhenbang had considered these factors when he was musing over this n. He responded promptly, ¡°Secretary Liu, I¡¯m not sure about the locals¡¯ reactions at the moment. However, I believe that everyone shares amon desire to prosper. As long as we can find amon ground, I don¡¯t think there would be problems concerning their mindset. Regarding the relocation issue, I¡¯ve also thought it through. If we were to develop Gemu Township, we would have to maintain and upgrade nearly forty kilometers of county roads, which alone would be a major expense. Plus, Gemu Township doesn¡¯t have many unique resources, making it hard to develop. Given the establishment of the Lixian Development Zone and the steady influx of various factories and enterprises, Lixian might soon face abor shortage. The relocation could conveniently fill this gap. Employment issues resolved, there would be no worries about the future. As for the financial gap, I think if our county¡¯s finances can make some contribution and we secure a bank loan, the relocation should not be a major issue.¡± After listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s detailed exnation, Liu Wenqing fell into deep thought. Zhenbang¡¯s points were valid: Gemu Township didn¡¯t have any clear advantages or resources that would make it easy to develop. On the other hand, there were few people in Lixian County City. Combining the two issues seemed like killing two birds with one stone. Therefore, Liu Wenqing nodded and replied, ¡°I preliminarily approve your n. You should start with a detailed nning and survey in the county office, weigh the reactions of local vigers, meticulous n for the resettlement area etc. Write a detailed report based on your study and then show it to me.¡± Xibei was a region prone to frequent earthquakes. Although the quake in Lixian was strong, it was not umon in Xibei. Liu Wenqing only came because he was worried about Lixian, specifically about people like Nie Zhenbang. Seeing that there was no issue in Lixian, he felt relieved. So, the next morning, Liu Wenqing returned to Bazhou City. At the same time, Nie Zhenbang began to take action. The matter of Gemu Township should be addressed sooner rather thanter. The sooner the arrangements were made, the sooner action could be taken. The next day, Nie Zhenbang returned to Gemu Township. The moment his car entered the township, at least half of the vigers had gathered around the township government. They filled the courtyard, the streets on both sides, and even climbed on the surrounding walls and trees. When they saw Nie Zhenbang, they all eximed, ¡°Our county leader hase! Hello, Director Nie!¡± At this moment, the members of the Gemu Township Party Committee had all rushed to greet them, and Yao Lianghua looked rather excited. For two consecutive days, the county chief had paid them a visit, and while that was understandable yesterday because of the earthquake, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s visit today likely meant that the county government had started to consider the economic development issue of Gemu Township. The efficiency was staggering. Within one day, Nie Zhenbang had paid them another visit, which was beyond Yao Lianghua¡¯s expectations. Extending both hands, Yao Lianghua tightly shook Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hand, saying ¡°Director Nie, thank you so much. We¡¯re grateful for your and the county government¡¯s attention to Gemu Township.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and responded, ¡°The issues in Gemu Township resulted from our negligence, we didn¡¯t fully understand the situation here. We must make amends for our shorings in work, it¡¯s the attitude that every Party member should have.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang loudly spoke to the surrounding vigers, ¡°Fellow vigers, I¡¯m back. Are you d to see me again?¡± After what happened yesterday, Nie Zhenbang had already gained tremendous respect in the eyes of Gemu Township¡¯s vigers. As soon as his voice fell, a deafening shout rose in unison, ¡°Wee!¡± Though their cheering was uneven, it was authentic. A unified, clear answer without any distractions usually was the result of deliberate training, and their response was a true portrayal of their sentiments. Nie Zhenbang thenughed and shouted once more, ¡°Fellow vigers, I¡¯m here this time specifically to help over two thousand vigers in Gemu Township prosper. Please head home now. Later, the township will individually seek your opinions door-to-door. Everyone, please go home.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the vigers were naturally reluctant to disperse. For them, who had been poor for a long time, pursuing wealth had always been their dream. Walking into the meeting room of Gemu Township¡¯s Party Committee and Government, the conditions there were enough to make Nie Zhenbang distraught. It was like a ssroom, with a few office tablesbined to form a makeshift workspace. He had thought the county government meeting room was in terrible condition, and it wasn¡¯t until he saw this setup did Nie Zhenbang realize that it was actually better off. Many tables were missing parts, revealing traces of patchwork. Despite its shabbiness, the ce was kept surprisingly clean, which Nie Zhenbang found satisfying. From this, it was evident that the Gemu Township¡¯smittee was dedicated to their work. A meeting room like this could only be kept so clean if it was used regrly. Having taken his seat, Nie Zhenbang started right away, ¡°Concerning the future and development of Gemu Township, I had a discussion with Secretary Zhang from the countymittee yesterday and reported to Secretary Liu from the citymittee. My idea is to relocate Gemu Township as a whole to a ce near Li County Development Zone, with the entire Gemu Township merging into the former Shengli Township. The Gemu Township Party Committee team will be rearranged.¡± Upon hearing this, all present members of the Gemu Township Party Committee froze. They had not expected such a proposal for total relocation from Nie Zhenbang. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang was watching the reactions of Yao Lianghua and the others, smiling faintly. The purpose of hisst sentence was mainly to observe their attitude when it came to their personal interests. At this moment, Yao Lianghua was also struggling. He held a significant position in Gemu Township, but if relocation were to ur, he knew he would have to assume a reduced role in arger township like Shengli. However, his proposal was indeed the best option for Gemu Township. Yao Lianghua had been dwelling on the development of Gemu Township and had to admit that this n was indeed the best approach. After a moment of silence, Yao Lianghua spoke, ¡°Director Nie, although we, the Gemu Township Party Committee, haven¡¯t had a discussion yet, I want to, on behalf of the Committee, express our stance: we fully support the decision made by the county partymittee and the county government and are fullymitted to cooperating with the superiors¡¯ work. As for the rest, we have no otherments.¡± Chapter 202: The Rich Man of Gemu Township (First update, request for monthly tickets)_i Chapter 202: The Rich Man of Gemu Township (First update, request for monthly tickets)_i Trantor:549690339 Nie Zhenbang was quite pleased with Yao Lianghua¡¯s attitude. For the residents of Gemu Township, the entire relocation and migration would be a rare blessing;pared to scratching a living in poor mountainous areas. After relocation, the government would certainly consider thoroughly issues regarding their houses,nds retained for personal use, as well as jobs and the future. Before, perhaps none of the older residents of Gemu Township had ever visited the county town before. But after the migration, the time needed to travel from the resettlement site to the county town would only be a few minutes. However, the migration posed a severe test for the whole party and government team of Gemu Township and for the individuals working in various departments of the township. Gemu Township is small; in terms of poption base, it is even smaller than a big vige in Shengli Township. The whole township has only a little over two thousand people. This is because of Gemu Township¡¯s remote geographical location. If it were to be merged into other viges or towns, the entire Gemu Township would turn into a disorganized and fragmented state. This was why the decision had been made to establish the township in the first ce. However, the situation would be difficult to predict when ites to the topic of relocation. Despite having few cadres, the township does have formal and ranked government officials. For instance, Yao Lianghua is an official of the formal division-level. The issue of how to arrange them in the future, whether to demote or relocate, remains. Now is the time to test whether the officials of Gemu Township truly consider issues from the perspective of ordinary people. It is a critical moment to test the nature of individuals¡¯ hearts. Fortunately, Nie Zhenbang was fully satisfied with the attitude and choices of Yao Lianghua and others. They did not care about personal gains, losses, glory, or disgrace. The number of party cadres with this attitude is much less than before. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang also stood up and said, ¡°Comrades, it¡¯s excellent that you have this kind of mindset. This is the practical attitude. As party members, you should have this kind of mindset that does not care about personal gains and losses or glory and disgrace. All of these are insignificantpared to the national and ethnic interests. I am very relieved. If you can all prioritize themon people, I trust that all of you are good cadres. The organization will not overlook, nor will it bury capable personnel.¡± In fact, by saying this, Nie Zhenbang affirmed his stance. If you can prioritize themon people, the higher-level organization will certainly not treat you unfairly and will definitely make proper arrangements. However, if you fret over your own personal interests, how things will be arranged is uncertain. Nie Zhenbang then proceeded to say, ¡°Since we have already made this decision, Secretary Yao, I suggest you organize a migration leadership group in Gemu Township immediately. Old Yao, you should serve as the group¡¯s leader and do ideological work among the township¡¯s residents, exining our policies to them. I believe that themon people will understand and support our decisions.¡± As everyone left the township governmentpound, the street was buzzing with activity, and the crowd of onlookers gradually thinned out. Meanwhile, the outside environment was bing lively. As Yao Lianghua furrowed his brow, ready to step out, a tall, skinny middle-aged man, about 1.75 meters tall, walked in surrounded by a group of vigers. Before Yao Lianghua could speak, vigers next to him began speaking spontaneously, ¡°Secretary Yao, this is our town¡¯s businessman who left the vige. He heard about the earthquake and rushed back today. Lufeng said he wanted to rebuild the primary school for our township.¡± ¡°Lufeng? Zhu Lufeng who left for Yuedong in the south during the 1980s?¡± Yao Lianghua had heard of this name, along with some interesting stories about Zhu Lufeng. Zhu Lufeng was quite a character in Gemu Township. In the 1980s, he was a well-known rascal in the township. Despite his potty mouth and slight promiscuity, his reputation among the vigers was pretty good. He never stole or was dishonest, and strictly adhered to not doing anything detrimental to the vige. Later, with the deepening of reform and opening up, Zhu Lufeng left to go south to Yuedong for business about four or five years ago. He hadn¡¯t returned for several years, but many rtives and friends from Gemu Township went to join him. Upon returning, they shared quite a few interesting stories about Zhu Lufeng. For instance, once in the South China Sea in Yuedong, a small car parked on the side of the street, probably due to illegal parking. A traffic police officer walked up to the car and knocked on it, but when he saw no one inside, he prepared to issue a fine. At that moment, Zhu Lufeng approached with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, looking at the traffic officer with disdain, ¡°Can¡¯t you do anything else but issue fines?¡± The traffic policeman looked at Zhu Lufeng, thinking, ¡°I knocked on the car for a long time with no response and when I decided to write a ticket, you appear. I¡¯m definitely fining you.¡± But Zhu Lufeng continued, ¡°Why are you issuing a fine? If you dare, tow the car.¡± This statement made the police officer angry. However, the traffic police in the South China Sea were well-trained. With so many bosses in the South China Sea, a little fine would not hurt their pockets. The officer continued to fill out his paperwork. This time, Zhu Lufeng spoke up again, very aggressively, ¡°Go ahead, dare you tow my car away.¡± At this point, the traffic police officer was furious. So, you think I wouldn¡¯t dare to tow your car? Mainly considering if your car was towed away, it wouldplicate your transport options. So, if that¡¯s the case, I will take action. Consequently, the traffic police officer immediately called for backup, and shortly after, a tow truck came, hoisted the car up and took it away. At this time, one of the officers sauntered over to Zhu Lufeng, smiling politely, ¡°I have towed your car. Come and face the penalty at the Second Detachment at three this afternoon.¡± At that moment, Zhu Lufeng, this audacious young man, flicked his hair back and said, ¡°I don¡¯t give a shit. It¡¯s not even my car.¡± Saying that, he hopped on his bicycle and left. Hearing Yao Lianghua describe this moment, Nie Zhenbang also broke out inughter. He found the scenario amusing enough to illustrate the recklessness and nonchnce of Zhu Lufeng¡¯s younger years, and yet this man managed to carve out a foothold for himself in Yuedong out of nothing. Many have ventured into business, but not many have made it far. At this moment, while the two were deep in conversation, Zhu Lufeng, guided by a few older men, walked up to Nie Zhenbang. He was someone Nie Zhenbang already knew from yesterday¡¯s rescue scene at school, the middle-aged man who took the lead. Now, Boss Zhu came along too. ¡°Lufeng, let me introduce you. This is Director Nie, the head of Lixian County. Yesterday, it wasrgely thanks to him that the school was saved. If he hadn¡¯t shown up and led the way, Boss Zhu and the rest wouldn¡¯t have made it.¡± The middle-aged man embarrassingly recalled the incident. If it wasn¡¯t for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s unyielding spirit and leadership, Boss Zhu and the kids would have been finished. The few people from the town government would¡¯ve needed several hours just to clear the rubble, which would have suffocated the kids. Boss Zhu added, ¡°Lufeng, this time, if Director Nie hadn¡¯t done his absolute best to save us, I probably wouldn¡¯t be alive.¡± Zhu Lufeng, hearing his cousin¡¯s words, stepped forth to meet Nie Zhenbang, a man he¡¯d heard of before. Although Zhu Lufeng was a hoodlum, he was honorable and principled. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have achieved what he has today. Since he has be more familiar with people from the government, after opening the Millionaire Hotel in Bazhou, his respect for Nie has only grown. Zhu Lufeng then stepped forth, ¡°Director Nie, as soon as I heard about the earthquake in Lixian, I rushed back. Seeing the school in ruins, I want to help my hometown. I will cover the cost of rebuilding this school. I have a favor to ask, and I hope Nie Zhenbang will grant it. I am from Gemu Township, and I want to do something for my fellow vigers.¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. In this era, not many among the first group of wealthy men in the country show the same level of consideration as Zhu Lufeng. There have been frequent news of overseas Chinese making donations for hometown development. This alone gave Nie a good impression of Zhu. No matter what he did or who he was, a hoodlum or a gangster, the fact that he could consider the well-being of his hometown said volumes about his character. If it was up to Nie¡¯s preferences, he might have dly epted Zhu¡¯s offer, but since the decision had already been made to relocate the entirety of Gemu Township, naturally he couldn¡¯t ept the offer. So, he responded with a smile, ¡°Boss Zhu, as representatives of the countymittee and government, we appreciate your kindness. I have heard that Boss Zhu also ns to invest in a leather factory in our industrial zone. I am grateful to Boss Zhu for your support and assistance in the economic development of our hometown. However, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t grant you your wish to rebuild the school.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhu Lufeng grew anxious. Prior to this, the first thing that Zhu Lufeng did upon his return was to visit his cousin and inspect the town¡¯s primary school. As a man who had spent many years working outside without much education, Zhu Lufeng knew too well the importance of education. It¡¯s impossible for him to get a proper education now, but it only made him respect educated people even more. That¡¯s why he came up with the idea of donating a school. But now, Nie Zhenbang had rejected his offer. Then Zhu Lufeng moved closer, noticeably anxiously, ¡°No, Director Nie. I have the money. I was nning to donate half a million for the school. I don¡¯t want anything in return, just allow me to do something for the people and children of our Gemu Township.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbangughed and exined, ¡°Boss Zhu, don¡¯t get me wrong, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t ept your donation. We wee phnthropists like you who are concerned about the development and education of our hometown. The issue isn¡¯t about your donation, but about the problem of Gemu Township. The county government has a preliminary n, intending to relocate Gemu Township to the area around our industrial zone. The limited poption is a big constraint on the development of Lixian County. Moving Gemu Township might solve the issue and mitigate the current shortage of poption.¡± When the vigers surrounding them heard about the relocation of Gemu Township as a whole, they became visibly agitated. PS: The first update is out. No more nonsense. I believe brothers and sisters can tell Old Cai¡¯s determination and attitude from this. Just one word! Fight! Chapter 203 - 203 Big Brother’s Reminder (Second Update Requesting Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 203 Big Brother¡¯s Reminder (Second Update Requesting Monthly Tickets)_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Director Nie, where will we live after the relocation?¡± ¡°Director, after we migrate, what will we eat? Will we still havend?¡± ¡°Director, can we still live together in the future? I can¡¯t bear to leave my old neighbors that I¡¯ve lived beside for so many years.¡± All the questions were rted to migration, yet none seemed unwilling to relocate. This trend satisfied Nie Zhenbang. It¡¯s always said that people are reluctant to leave their hometowns and this was the most concerning aspect of migration. If anyone were unwilling to move, it would impact the entire execution of the n. After all, they couldn¡¯t just abandon one or two households here. This moment was exciting for Zhu Lufeng, who hadn¡¯t anticipated such a n. A mass migration with settlements near the development zone was a grand scheme. Zhu Lufeng wasn¡¯t naive; he instantly realized the tremendous benefits this held. In fact, once the migration wasplete, the people of Gemu Township would immediately escape their fate of poverty. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang stepped forward, raised his hand to signal everyone to quiet down, then loudly announced, ¡°My fellow townsmen, please calm down. Detailed migration measures and ns are being meticulously arranged by the countymittee and the government. As soon as we have the results, we will notify you immediately. Here, allow me to reassure everyone. This migration will see all your houses constructed uniformly by the government. After migration, each household will surely receive a certain amount of reservednd to fully meet your daily needs. Thest principle: the migration of Gemu Township will surely be holistic. Even if we don¡¯t settle the entire township in the same area, we will ensure that settlement is organized by vige.¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the entire popce of Gemu Township felt reassured. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s credibility was beyond question. At this moment, all the people set their hearts down. Beside him, Zhu Lufeng smiled again, saying: ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re a good officer. With my many years of traveling and experience, there aren¡¯t many in my memory that I can call good officers. But you, Director Nie, are definitely the first. This is not ttery. Therefore, to express my feelings, I am willing to donate one million to the government for the renovation and construction of schools across the county.¡± One million! Zhu Lufeng¡¯s words stunned the people of Gemu Township. In such a poverty-stricken ce, they had never seen such money. If a family in the township had savings of one thousand, it would be considered wealthy. At this moment, everyone in Gemu Township respected Zhu Lufeng. Many who had grown up with Zhu Lufeng were amazed, ¡°Lufeng, you¡¯re rich! A big boss! Donating a million?¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled. Such individuals, no matter what, deserved praise and encouragement. Nie Zhenbang responded: ¡°Boss Zhu, let me thank you in advance for your donation. I heard you¡¯ve bought a plot ofnd in the Li County Development Zone, intending to invest in a leather factory. This is very good. Secretary Yi, give Boss Zhu your phone number. Once his factory is open, remember to invite me.¡± This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s non-direct way of aiding Zhu Lufeng. This method shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. For Zhu Lufeng, this meant that as long as he operated legally in Li County, no one would dare to bother him. Zhu Lufeng understood this and responded with a smile: ¡°Director Nie, thank you for your support of us private entrepreneurs. When the timees, I will specifically invite Director Nie to attend the opening ceremony.¡± After returning from Gemu Township, Nie Zhenbang rushed to the Li County Hotel where Nie Jialei was preparing to leave. After spending the past few days alone, Nie Jialei had seen the genuine state of Li County. The quick response of the Li County officials and Nie Zhenbang¡¯smitment following the earthquake made a deep impression on Nie Jialei, who could now wholeheartedly admit he was convinced. His loss to Nie Zhenbang made sense; from the very beginning, he was weaker. While he pursued his career and prospects, Nie Zhenbang was for the people. ¡°Big brother, I¡¯m really sorry about these past few days. Given how busy I¡¯ve been, I haven¡¯t been able to apany you properly. If you¡¯re not in a hurry, please stay a few more days. After I finish my tasks, I will apany you properly.¡± In room 207 of the Li County Hotel, Nie Zhenbang sat on a chair, speaking to Nie Jialei nearby. The hotel aodations, though considered upscale for locals, were simply ordinary to people like Nie Jialei. Room 207 was one of the nicer rooms in the hotel, second only to the small courtyards in the back area. In a suite-styleyout, it contained a private bathroom and a roughly 15 square meter living room. The bedroom was also about 15 square meters. The furniture style within the entire room was reminiscent of the 1980s. Some of it was old, and although it was gradually bing outdated, it was tidily cleaned. This made Nie Zhenbang a little satisfied. Liu Zhifang, from the reception of the countymittee, was indeed discerning. He recognized that this was his older brother and maintained proper respect. At this moment, Nie Jialei walked over to the side of the water dispenser, poured Nie Zhenbang a cup of hot tea, and passed it over. He smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m not staying. I¡¯ve been out for a few days. It¡¯s time to go back. This time, I¡¯ve learned a lot. Little brother, this time, you¡¯ve given me a deep impression and education. Now, I understand why I¡¯m not as good as you.¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could speak, Nie Jialei said again, ¡°Little brother, I n to leave tomorrow morning. Before I leave, I want to talk to you about your marriage and your future ns.¡± Marriage? Future ns? Nie Jialei¡¯s words stunned Nie Zhenbang. Was this his older brother¡¯s idea or was it their father¡¯s? Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t sure. And, although he was clear about his future ns, marriage was currently his most bothersome issue, one he didn¡¯t want to discuss. It seemed that Nie Jialei knew what Nie Zhenbang was thinking and smiled, ¡°The issue of marriage concerns father. The other matter is my idea. You know, children from ourpound usually start looking for a spouse at your age. I¡¯ve already settled it on my side, the third daughter of the Chen family. She is the same age as you.¡± When Nie Jialei said this, he seemed indifferent, as if he wasn¡¯t talking about his own marriage but evaluating some event. Political marriages amongst families, over eighty percent were like this. The Chen family was quite renowned in Jingcheng. Although the third elder Chen was frivolous and unscrupulous in his youth, he was still a direct line of the Chen family, even though he was now in a bad state. Father made such an arrangement, making it clear that Nie Jialei had already withdrawn from thepetition. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang also said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what to say about marriage. You are aware of my situation. Right now, I¡¯m stuck in a difficult position. Now, I can only take one step at a time.¡± His father¡¯s involvement in his marriage was both good and bad news. The good news being, it showed father¡¯s stance. Officials who were married had an advantage over those who weren¡¯t. Moreover, young people who hadn¡¯t yet got married weren¡¯t taken seriously. Thus, this problem needed to be resolved. The bad news was, given hisplicated love life, Nie Zhenbang was unsure of what to do. If either Dong Wan or An Na were regr people, or even from provincial or ministerial level families, it would have been manageable. However, both of them were from remarkably renowned families. This made thingsplicated as the country would never allow polygamy. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang bitterlyughed, ¡°I really don¡¯t know what to do about marriage. Right now, all I can do is take one step at a time. As for future ns, brother, I have a joke.¡± ¡°Oh? A joke? Interesting, let¡¯s hear it.¡± Nie Jialei asked with a smile. The joke was about the difference between a Huaxia passport and an American passport that Nie Zhenbang had seen on his phone before his rebirth. On the Huaxia passport, it says: Please strictly abide by localws and respect local customs. The American passport, on the other hand, says: No matter where you are, the US government and military will always be your strong backing. Nie Jialei understood about passports. He knew these were just lies to deceive themon people. The Huaxia passport he had wrote: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People¡¯s Republic of Huaxia requests all military and political authorities of other countries to facilitate the passage of the passport holder and provide necessary assistance. Nie Jialeiughed and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t this nonsense? The American passport, I¡¯ve seen it too, it doesn¡¯t say anything so pompous. It clearly says: The Secretary of State of the United States of America requests relevant personnel to provide this American citizen/national with unobstructed traffic and legal assistance and protection when necessary. When did the United States be so arrogant?¡± However, immediately after, Nie Jialei was surprised and said, ¡°Little brother, you sure are ambitious.¡± Nie Zhenbang also became serious at this moment, his face showing confidence and ease. He said solemnly, ¡°Brother, if I get the chance in my lifetime, maybe I will make our Huaxia passport really say this sentence ¡ª The Huaxia government will always be your strong backing.¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, with Nie¡¯s grand ambition, brothers and sisters are my strong backing. To the brothers and sisters with tickets for the month, please vote for Old Cai. We will also be grand and lofty. Chapter 204: Proposal at the Standing Committee (Third update craving for monthly ticket support) _i Chapter 204: Proposal at the Standing Committee (Third update craving for monthly ticket support) _i Trantor: 549690339 Even though Nie Zhenbang spoke in a joking manner, Nie Jialei understood that his youngest brother was serious. It was not just chit-chat; he indeed harbored such a thought deep down. After discussing with his brother for a while, Nie Jialei stood up and said with a smile, ¡°Third brother, it¡¯s gettingte. You should go back and rest. Tomorrow, Kun will take me to the airport, you don¡¯t need to bother. As for your marriage, you¡¯d better avoid it for the time being. I estimate that once you return to Jingcheng during the Chinese New Year, you¡¯ll undoubtedly be preupied again. You¡¯d better prepare in advance.¡± The next morning, Nie Zhenbang had already settled into his office. After sorting out some stuff, he got up and left his office. Yi Jun followed behind, carrying Nie Zhenbang¡¯s cup and notebook. This is a secretary¡¯s duty. At half-past eight in the morning, a meeting was specifically convened in the small conference room of the County Committee after the earthquake. This was also a recurrent standingmittee meeting, coincidentally timed together. The small meeting room of the Li County Party Committee is right next to Zhang Chubin¡¯s office, on the southern side, thus catching the summer breeze. When Nie Zhenbang arrived at the meeting room, all the deputy members of the County Committee, except Zhang Chubin, had already seated themselves here. The uniform pale short-sleeved shirts and dark dress pants had be a fashion trend among government officials. This dress code seemed to reflect the calmness and gravity of the officials. Nie Zhenbang, however, wore dark jeans and a Montagu silk T-shirt, a specialty Dong Wan brought from Hong Kong. At this moment, he stood out like a crane among chickens amongst themittee members. Just as Nie Zhenbang sat down, Zhang Chubin stepped into the meeting room. This was a convention as typically, other standingmittee members would arrive first, followed by the full-time deputy secretary and the county chief. Thest to enter would undoubtedly be the secretary of the county partymittee. If the secretary of the county partymittee enters before the county chief, there is no doubt a conflict. As he walked in, a smile was already on Zhang Chubin¡¯s face, and he nodded to everyone. After seating down, Zhang Chubin began, ¡°Comrades, before we begin the meeting, let¡¯s first discuss the situation of this earthquake in Li County.¡± Having said that, Zhang Chubin opened his notebook and continued, ¡°ording to the data from the Li County Seismological Bureau, the earthquake urred near Gemu Township. With a magnitude of 6.3, it was a strong quake. It greatly impacted the county¡¯s normal functioning, causing the copse of thirty-six houses and one school throughout the county. The quake caused nine fatalities and over two hundred injuries, resulting in around forty-two thousand Yuan in property damage. In general, this earthquake has caused a significant economic loss in Li County. The leaders of the Municipal Committee and the Municipal Government are highly concerned. Secretary Liu of the Municipal Committee personally arrived in Li County to direct the earthquake relief work. Commendably, county officials worked in unity to distribute aid across various townships. Director Nie personally rushed to Gemu Township. This spirit was highly praised by Secretary Liu. Post this earthquake, all county officials need to focus primarily on economic construction and development.¡± Zhang Chubin¡¯s summary was crisp, reflecting the pragmatic attitude of the current Li County officials. Many othermittee members nodded in agreement. The quick response from the countymittee in limiting the quake¡¯s impact to a minimum and restoring normalcy in the county within two hours following the quake was an unprecedented efficiency in Li County¡¯s history. It was such efficiency that earned the Li Countymittee unanimous praise from the public. A thousand miles from one¡¯s office, profit was usually the primary pursuit. However, sometimes, it¡¯s not merely about profit. Every official likes a good reputation. Everyone likes the situation where a good reputation is gained without any conflicts of interest involved. At this moment, Zhang Chubin again opened his mouth, ¡°Comrades, now that the summary is done, let¡¯s discuss an issue. Following the earthquake, Director Nie proposed a bold suggestion to Secretary Liu of the Municipal Committee. Considering Gemu Township¡¯s situation, Director Nie suggested that Gemu Township should be entirely relocated to Shengli Township in the Development Zone. The partymittee team of Gemu Township and its affiliated units should be disbanded and incorporated into other departments of the county. The personnel would be arranged separately. Secretary Liu of the Municipal Committee has initially agreed to this view. Everyone is wee to express your opinions. If there are any areas that need to be supplemented, please feel free to mention.¡± When Zhang Chubin said this, it was a kind of wisdom. The immigration n required discussion, but Zhang Chubin pointed out the meaning of Secretary Liu of the Municipal Committee. Secretary Liu of the Municipal Committee ¨C who was this person? In Bazhou Municipal Committee, the only Secretary Liu was Liu Wenqing. As the number one person in the municipalmittee, he had already agreed. If there were dissenting voices in the Li County Standing Committee, it would not be simply a disagreement with Nie Zhenbang. When Liu Wenqing bes angry, it¡¯s not a trivial matter. ¡°Hmm, about the immigration issue, I want to express a few thoughts too.¡± At this time, Xie Yi also spoke up. This was the first time he actively voiced his opinion as a member of the Standing Committee of the Li County Party Committee and full-time deputy secretary. If this had been before, Xie Yi would typically excuse himself by saying something like ¡°I just got here, I¡¯m not familiar with the situation in Li County¡±. This time he actually took the initiative to speak, which caught the attention of the other members of the Standing Committee. At this moment, Xie Yi appeared unfazed. After arranging his thoughts, he continued: ¡°Previously, our thoughts, especially regarding poor townships like Gemu, focused on how to assist them in getting rich. However, we have overlooked local resources, environment, and characteristics. We have been hasty in pursuing short-term gain. We have taken many detours and wasted resources. As a result, despite the money spent, the locals are still dissatisfied. Now, Director Nie¡¯s suggestion provides a new approach. I have also looked into Gemu. It is 78 kilometers away from the county town with a poption of 2,357 spread across 513 households. This includes officially appointed vige leaders. From which we have to subtract 46 households. This means we only need to resettle 467 households. At an investment of 20,000 Yuan per household, the total cost would be around 10 million Yuan. But this could significantly increase the poption of Li County City and greatly contribute to the future development of the Li County Development Zone. It would help withbor resources as well as stimting prosperity. With 10 million Yuan, we could finally put this matter to rest. I think it¡¯s worth it. I agree with this n.¡± At this point, it was clear that Secretary Liu of the Municipal Committee had already given his approval. Naturally, no one would dare to oppose it. After Xie Yi finished speaking, the other standingmittee members also expressed their views without exception. Basically, all the voices were in agreement. In the end, the entire n was passed unanimously. The immigration resettlement project for Gemu Township was officially ready tounch. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang nced at Zhang Chubin next to him and also began to speak, ¡°The immigration and dissolution of the township is a big project. The resettlement of immigrants is not just a matter of houses andnd. Changes in the new environment, mentality issues, problems of living and schooling. These all need to be addressed. Also, skill training is needed to ensure that these people have a skill to rely on. This also requires time. I suggest that the County Party Committee take the lead and form a Steering Group for the Gemu Township Immigration Work. Secretary Zhang should personally act as the leader. Then, we should select elite members from the county partymittee to specifically manage this immigration work.¡± When Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Zhang Chubin was stunned. He had never thought that Nie Zhenbang would hand over the immigration work to him voluntarily. It was originally Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposal; ordinarily, Nie Zhenbang should handle it himself. Zhang Chubin had lost all motivation since the incident with the development zone. Nheless, this time brought an unexpected joy. Without waiting for Zhang Chubin to speak, Xue Daming on the side immediately said, ¡°I also agree with Director Nie¡¯s proposal. I suggest that the organizational Minister Xie can serve as the deputy leader. The staff vacated by the dissolution of Gemu Township needs to be reorganized and assigned. If Minister Xie serves as the deputy leader, he can better coordinate this. He can also do some ideological work for the leaders in Gemu Township.¡± Nie Zhenbang had already seen through Xue Daming¡¯s character. Xue Daming had strong opinions about him. Nie Zhenbang guessed that Xue Daming must have instigated Zhang Chubin to take creditst time, which annoyed Nie Zhenbang. However, Xue Daming acted well on the surface. Nie Zhenbang did not care at all about such a clown. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang had originally nned to give the immigration work to Zhang Chubin. Naturally, he had no objections. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Secretary Zhang, fellowrades, I have a proposal that I would like to discuss.¡± Zhang Chubin was startled by this. There was only one issue on the standingmittee meeting¡¯s agenda. Whatever Nie Zhenbang wanted to say now had certainly not been run past him first. Although Zhang Chubin was quite annoyed inside, on the surface he smiled and said, ¡°Director Nie, if you have suggestions, please feel free to speak. Let the other standingmittee members learn from it.¡± Zhang Chubin¡¯s words were very flexible. It seemed as though he had already been briefed about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposal, thereby saving face and not offending Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang seemed to realize that he had indeed forgotten about Zhang Chubin. He had not thought to inform him in advance, which could give Zhang Chubin the impression that he was too domineering. Nie Zhenbang immediately gave Zhang Chubin an apologetic look and said, ¡°Secretary Zhang,rades, the copse of Gemu Township Elementary School in this quake has taught me a profound lesson. Chief Nan once proposed putting education at the forefront of a hundred-year grand n, which is the correct path. There is a saying ¡®No matter how poor you are, you can¡¯t deny your child an education; no matter how hard life is, you can¡¯t make it hard for your child.¡¯ Now, the Hope Project has begun domestically. We in Li County should also take action and not wait for others. I think we can use this earthquake as an opportunity to conduct a thorough investigation of the primary and secondary schools in our county,pletely eradicate the potential risks associated with dangerous buildings, rebuild those that need to be rebuilt and repair those that require maintenance. We must provide the children with a safe and stable learning environment.¡± Chapter 205: Generosity (Fourth Update) _i Chapter 205: Generosity (Fourth Update) _i Trantor:549690339 School reform across the entire county? Zhang Chubin was stunned. The other standingmittee members were also stunned. They all found Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposal rather surprising. In the party and political system, education as a cause is often overlooked unless the region is particrly wealthy, and has seen a high degree of economic development. Only then, when the financial situation is robust and the government has an abundance of resources, would a significant amount be allocated to education investment. Yet, for ces like the Northwest Region and Lixian, the government lives on a tight budget. Where would they find the energy to oversee such matters? Basically, besides a few schools in the county town that receive a certain amount of funding, the primary and middle schools in various townships and viges are struggling. The director of the county¡¯s educationmittee is even intimidated by the principals of township schools. Nothing good everes when he meets them; they ask for either sries or funds. In summary, it alles back to money. Seeing everyone¡¯s surprised expressions, Nie Zhenbang chuckled and said, ¡°Comrades, after the copse of Gemu Township Elementary School, an entrepreneurial local from Gemu made a deep impression on me. This Boss Zhu from Gemu was willing to donate one million on the spot for school construction. That¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m making this proposal. As society develops, knowledge-based society will pay more and more attention to culture and education. The time hase for us to shift our focus to education. A person with only an elementary school education level is willing to spend one million to support the construction of educational facilities. I suggest we seize this opportunity tounch a county-wide campaign and call on everyone to contribute to the construction of these facilities.¡± About Zhu Lufeng¡¯s donation, aside from Nie Zhenbang, almost no one in the county partymittee knew about it. One million, spread across just eight townships in Lixian, including Chengguan Town and Gemu Township. While Gemu Township is scheduled for dissolution, the elementary school in Chengguan Town is in the county town¡ªit¡¯s less than three years old. ording to the estimation of one hundred thousand per elementary school, up to ten schools could be built. Distributed among six townships, six elementary schools could be constructed, and the remaining funds could be used for county-wide school maintenance. As it stands, if all enterprises in Lixian are mobilized to donate, just think of the improvements to education in Lixian County, not to mention, this would be a major gain in public opinion. Anyone would be willing to aplish something that doesn¡¯t require much effort, yet reaps high praise. No one would oppose it. The proceedings of the Standing Committee are not confidential, and in less than half a day, the entire county cadre would probably know all about it. Any reports that a certain leader opposed improving construction of educational infrastructure would be a major blow to that leader¡¯s reputation. Zhang Chubin finally spoke up: ¡°Director Nie¡¯s proposal is excellent. I think we can utilize Boss Zhu¡¯s donation as an opportunity to host a county-wide education fundraising event, perhaps even a g. Minister Xue, you¡¯re in charge of the propaganda department. The g preparations will be handed over to you.¡± Honestly, aside from Xue Daming¡¯s private interests and propensity to be a bit too clever, he is quite capable when ites to work issues. As a long-timerade in the propaganda department, he is well-versed in propaganda work. Soon enough, under the operation of Xue Daming, the whole of Lixian began to mobilize. On the main street, many red banners appeared at various intersections. Banners reading messages such as ¡°Education is the cornerstone for a century¡±, ¡°Improve county educational conditions, provide space for children¡¯s growth¡±, ¡°Establish an educational philosophy, improve rural schooling environment¡±, could be seen everywhere. Along with this, a propaganda exhibition organized by the Propaganda Department of the County Party Committee and co-organized by the County Education Committee and the County Youth League Committee had also begun on both sides of the street. Numerous letters along with countless true pictures from rural low-rise brick-and-mortar schools showed dark ssrooms and the bewildered eyes of students, immediately causing a sensation in the county. At the same time, under the coordination of Xue Daming, arge-scale aid-student and teaching charity concert would officially start at the Lixian Theater fifteen dayster. In Zhang Chubin¡¯s office at the countymitteepound, Nie Zhenbang was sitting on the sofa. Xue Daming, a member of the County Standing Committee and Minister of Propaganda was present too. The rtionship between Secretary Zhang and Director Nie seemed different now. See Nie Zhenbang here, Xue Daming began to ponder. Such nuances were things Xue Daming paid attention to. They allowed him to see various situations and analyze problems from the fine details, enabling him to adjust his strategies at any time. ¡°Secretary Zhang, Director Nie, this is the schedule for the charity concert. ording to the preliminary n from our nning group, the concert will be simple and unsophisticated andst for two hours. Besides inviting a few renowned performers from the city¡¯s drama and dance troupe, the rest of the performances will all be from our county¡¯s dance troupe and students of all grades from schools across the county. The main event of the concert is the donation ceremony in thetter half¡­ That¡¯s roughly the idea. Secretary Zhang, Director Nie, I would appreciate both of your inputs.¡± Xue Daming said respectfully. Seeing Xue Daming sitting with a half-butt on the sofa, Nie Zhenbang found it a bit amusing. It¡¯s impossible to trace when this habit started, but it seemed to be amon attitude among lower-level officials when meeting their superiors on the official circuit. It appears that only in this manner can subordinates demonstrate their respect for their superiors. To be honest, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care much about such trivial matters. In his view, respectes from the heart, not from superficial gestures. At this moment, Zhang Chubin seemed to be paying close attention. After reviewing the program list, he looked at Nie Zhenbang and asked, ¡°Director Nie, do you have any suggestions?¡± Referring to Nie Zhenbang was a matter that not only bothered Zhang Chubin but also all the cadres in the county. If one¡¯s rank was indeed higher, like Liu Wenqing and other municipal party leaders, it was eptable to affectionately refer him as ¡°Nie.¡± However, being of equal rank, calling him ¡°Nie¡± could give the impression of being frivolous and not taking them seriously. Calling him ¡°Old Nie¡± was also inappropriate. Therefore, in Li County, Nie Zhenbang was typically referred to by his position, either County Director or Director Nie. Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment, then replied, ¡°The general arrangement of the program nned by Minister Xue is excellent. Our focus is on aiding students. Inviting celebrities would not only cost a lot of money but would also deviate from the purpose of the evening party. So, using the city and county¡¯s dance troupe as the main performance and schools across the county as support is a good idea. I have no objections. However, during the donation ceremony, I personally think that we might consider arranging the donation segments in between various programs. For instance, separating donations from county party and government organs, county-level organs, various institutional systems, and finally donations from variouspanies and individuals in the county. By not consolidating everything together, we can showcase the theme of the evening without appearing mercenary.¡± Zhang Chubin nodded and said, ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a good point. Besides, I think the event should not be held in a theatre but in Li County Stadium, in an open-air format. The nature of the event is public welfare. We might consider setting up several donation boxes at the venue to facilitate on-site donations. This is a good deed that benefits the country and the people and it¡¯s a matter that involves national participation.¡± Nie Zhenbang had learned such a mode from the donation parties he remembered from his previous life. At this time, when he proposed it, it seemed quite novel. Xue Daming thought for a while and immediately realized the benefits of such an arrangement. These segments interspersed among the programs could push the enthusiasm of the evening party to a climax, and also prevent boredom during the final procedures. Xue Daming then nodded and said, ¡°Director Nie, listening to your words is better than studying for ten years. I will immediately arrange ording to your suggestion.¡± July 30th, 8 p.m. By now, Li County Stadium was already packed with a sea of people. Not only was the stadium filled with spectators, but the walls outside the stadium and the tops of trees were also packed with ordinary people rushing from all over the county. The party kicked off with a grand chorus of ¡°Singing for the Mothend,¡± performed by the choral group of retired cadres from Li County. At this moment, the old cadres were filled with passion. The new team of Li County Party Committee satisfied these old cadres. They had all worked in Li County for a lifetime. They hadn¡¯t brought about the county¡¯s development and construction, but their hearts were in it. Now that Li County¡¯s development was changing with each passing day, the cadre team was naturally approved by the old cadres. After the opening chorus, the host stepped onto the stage and said passionately, ¡°The earthquake in Li County and the copse of Gemu Township Elementary School served as a wake-up call for the entirety of Li County. The county partymittee and government leaders pay high attention to this. Children shouldn¡¯t suffer hardships no matter how poor and no matter how tough the conditions, education cannot be impoverished. Led by Zhang and Director Nie, the cadres of the county party and government agencies have donated a total of 56,700 yuan this time. This donation will be used entirely for the repair and reconstruction of primary and secondary schools across the county, as well as to aid poverty-stricken school dropouts.¡± The party continued until the midpoint. After a high school student from Li County First Middle School performed a folk dance titled ¡°The Turning Serf Sings,¡± the host took the stage again, overflowing with excitement, and said, ¡°This donation has attracted a great deal of attention from people of all walks of life. Renowned entrepreneur whoes from our county, Mr. Zhu Lufeng, chairman of Nanhai City Zhu n Engineering Company in Yuedong Province, and general manager of Millionaire Hotel in Bazhou City, specially rushed back from Bazhou to Li County upon hearing the news. Now, please wee Mr. Zhu Lufeng to the stage.¡± Chapter 206: Mayor Ma’s Intentions (First Update, Seek Support)_i Chapter 206: Mayor Ma¡¯s Intentions (First Update, Seek Support)_i Trantor:549690339 At this moment, Zhu Lufeng was somewhat embarrassed. Despite his sesses in Yuedong, he always saw himself as a thug who got lucky, and a thug who valued loyalty at that. Now, back in his home town, he was being given this great honour. This was something Zhu Lufeng never expected. As he walked onto the stage, the female host had already greeted him. She was a fresh college graduate assigned to Li County TV Station this year; tall and fair-skinned, a typical Uighur. In an attempt to lighten the mood, she asked with a smile, ¡°Mr. Zhu, did you consult your wife about this donation? With such arge amount, aren¡¯t you afraid of being scolded once you get home?¡± Zhu Lufeng was taken aback. Showing his difort, he scratched his head, which gave him an amusing look. Sheepishly, he replied, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have a wife. So, the situation you mention shouldn¡¯t arise.¡± This answer left the female host somewhat embarrassed and her face turned a bit red. Fortunately, the male host reacted quickly and stepped in, saying, ¡°Mr. Zhu is truly a promising young man. Do you have any standards? What do you think of Le, ourdy host here?¡± Le is the female host. The atmosphere on stage became slightly tense and flirty. Below the stage, Zhang Chubin couldn¡¯t help butugh. He often fondly remembered the time when Nie Zhenbang joked about the hosts ying around with Boss Zhu. Zhu Lufeng, being a well-traveled man, quickly joined in and said, ¡°Of course, there is no problem. To be with such a college student is a blessing I, Zhu Lufeng, have cultivated in my eight sessive lives.¡± The male host, amused, asked, ¡°Mr. Zhu, you donated a million yuan, making you the richest man in Lixian. What inspired you to donate such arge sum? Can you tell us?¡± Zhu Lufeng grew serious and after a moment of contemtion, he said, ¡°Thanks to the Party¡¯s excellent policy, I am one of the first to acquire wealth. But over the years, I have realised that we are no longer in the age where grit and courage make you sessful. Now, knowledge is critical. As for our generation, there is no hope left. However, I hope the children of our hometown can have a bright and spacious learning environment, afortable school which doesn¡¯t pose danger of copse. That¡¯s my initial intention. One million is not much; it¡¯s just my small contribution.¡± Le seemed moved by his words; she never thought this boss, who seemed like a minor thug, could have such noble ambitions. To hide her embarrassment, she quickly announced, ¡°In this evening party, Mr. Zhu personally donated one million yuan for our county¡¯s school renovation and construction. Let¡¯s wee and appreciate Mr. Zhu¡¯s generosity! Let¡¯s continue to enjoy the performance ¡®We are Communists¡¯ by students from Lixian Chengguan Town Central Primary School.¡± Next, Liu Kun, the manager personally hired by the Farmer Welfare Company, represented thepany in making a donation of one million yuan, which stunned the audience once again. Since the grand founding ceremony, thepany seems to have be dormant. But this act won the people¡¯s hearts. Among those perched on the surrounding walls and trees, some traveled from far away to witness the event. The majority were farmers who had signed cooperation agreements with the Farmer Welfarepany. Upon hearing about the donation, many of them proudly said, ¡°Look at the Farmer Welfare Company. They donated one million yuan! They have treated us well. We must work harder this time and not let them lose.¡± Simrly, Longhua Mining also made a donation of one million yuan. After several such donations, Zhang Chubin was taken aback. He never thought there would be so many donations. If this trend continues, it seems all the schools in the county could be reced. After the song and dance performance on the stage, host Le came back onstage with a look of astonishment, announcing with an excited voice: ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, just now, our donation reception group received a donation. Upon hearing about our situation in Lixian County, Mr. Yang Anbang, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the well-known nationalpany, top ten private enterprise, and head of retail and department store industry, the Wal-Mart Group, entrusted Miss Li Lixue, the general manager of the Wal-Mart Supermarket in Lixian County, to donate four million yuan on behalf of the Wal-Mart Group.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was startled. Yang Anbang being stingy was something he knew all too well. It was impossible that he would generously donate four million here. With Wal-Mart supermarkets all over the country, if he donated this way, even Yang Anbang¡¯s huge fortune wouldn¡¯t be enough. Clearly, this was a personal donation made by Li Lixue and Dong Wan under that pretext. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but give a wry smile. These two women seemed determined to build his political achievements with their money. However, he felt that this donation was not only good, but also somewhat insufficient. Just at this moment, Qu Feng, the director of the countymittee, approached him and Zhang Chubin. He bent over and whispered: ¡°Comrade Zhang, Director Nie, old Man Ma from Muli Township is here. He is leaning on his crutch and cursing, saying that the countymittee and the county government look down upon the retired officials in the township. He isining that we didn¡¯t inform them of such a big event.¡± Upon hearing Qu Feng¡¯s words, both Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang started to feel a headacheing on. How did hee over here? Especially Nie Zhenbang, who deeply realized that with just a few words from Old Man Ma, no one dared to breathe. This testified to the heavy weight of Old Man Ma¡¯s word in Muli Township. This old man, once he gets angry, it¡¯s no joking matter. What¡¯s the significance of you being the county partymittee secretary and county chief? He¡¯s a veteran who began serving as an official shortly after the founding of the country. He retired as the partymittee secretary of a township, but that was because he was stubborn, humble, and considered himself incapable of handling a promotion. Suddenly, Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang nced at each other. They stood up at the same time. Zhang Chubin turned his head and said to Qu Feng, ¡°Old Qu, where is Old Man Ma now? Take us to him immediately.¡± Zhang Chubin knew this old man even better than Nie Zhenbang did. Old Man Ma was not just someone who could calm situations down. asionally, he was also the one causing a stir. At this point in time, the distance from Muli Township to their location was considerable. The old man hade all this way. There probably wasn¡¯t any good news. By the time they arrived outside the meeting venue, Old Man Ma was in the reception room of the stadium, leaning on a cane, his brows furrowed and a look of dissatisfaction on his face. At his side, the partymittee secretary of Muli Township, Peng Hui, and the vige head, Ma Suxi, were cautiously keeping himpany. ¡°You all thought this old man was useless because of my age and retirement, and because of my limited funds, you forgot about me. This time, we¡¯re raising funds for the children of the entire county to fix their schools. The entire county, all those bastards in the Bureau of Retired Officials have donated. Why am I the only one you left out? Are you looking down on me?¡± Old Man Ma¡¯s words were quite aggressive. ¡°Mayor Ma, it¡¯ste at night, why have youe here as well?¡± As soon as Zhang Chubin entered the reception room, he immediately began to speak with a smile on his face. As soon as Old Man Ma saw Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang, he immediately snorted dismissively and said impolitely, ¡°What? Am I no longer a retired official of the state? Is my pension no longer managed by the state? You all donated, but you thought so little of us old folks. Do I have no awareness?¡± His anger caught Zhang Chubin off guard. Nie Zhenbang was also taken aback at that moment, not expecting that. Mayor Ma suddenly changed his tone and directed it at Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Director Nie, you too. You¡¯re a good official, young man. I¡¯ve witnessed and enjoyed the development of Lixian under your administration. You¡¯re much better than us. You¡¯re knowledgeable and insightful. However, Director Nie, you are not acting appropriately. ¡± It seems that this old man was now indiscriminately criticizing everyone. As a retired official, there was nothing you could do about his explosive temper. Liu Wenqing, the municipal partymittee secretary, had been blocked by this old man once. Old Man Ma was infamous throughout the city. Nie Zhenbang smiled awkwardly at this moment and said, ¡°Mayor Ma, you¡¯ve misunderstood. For this donation drive, we only expected donations from on-duty officials, while retired officials were to donate voluntarily. It was our mistake that you did not receive a notification. I apologize for our colleagues¡¯ oversight.¡± With such personalities, Nie Zhenbang had figured out how to handle them. He could only appease andpliment Mayor Ma. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Mayor Ma¡¯s expression softened, and he said, ¡°Hmm, Director Nie sure knows how to talk. I came here to donate. Pir, bring grandpa¡¯s money.¡± As he finished speaking, the grandson of the vige chief, a humble man in his thirties, quietly stepped forward and ced a cloth bag on the table. When they opened it, Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin were stunned. It was more than forty thousand yuan. This¡­ this must be the vige chief¡¯s life savings. Nie Zhenbang quickly said, ¡°Mayor Ma, this is not good. Look, our county enterprises have responded positively. We have already raised eight million in donations. That¡¯s enough to refurbish the schools in the entire county.¡± But at this moment, the vige chief said in a low voice, ¡°Director Nie, Secretary Zhang, this money is the savings of my life. Let it all go as my final party membership dues. I¡¯m of an age now where half of me is in the ground. I don¡¯t know how much longer I will live. When I¡¯m dying, this will be myst contribution to Lixian. Take this money, no matter how much it is, it can buy a book for the children, help a few dropouts to return to school, it would be good. It¡¯s my heartfelt intention.¡± To the side, the vige chief¡¯s grandson, Ma Guozhu, looked like a simple country man. As the grandson of the vige chief, it would have been easy for him to get a job in the government. However, he chose to stay in the countryside and farm thend. The vige chief¡¯s selflessness had shocked everyone. Looking at Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang, Guozhu also seemed a bit shy. He said softly, ¡°Grandpa says, if my descendants are stronger than me, what¡¯s the use of leaving money? If they¡¯re weaker than me, what¡¯s the use of leaving money? Our entire family supports grandpa¡¯s donation. Secretary Zhang, Director Nie, please ept it.¡± PS: The final three days of battle have begun. Brothers and sisters, this is the first update. Please support with a monthly vote, and hope for me. Chapter 208: Borrow a Shoulder to Lean on (Third update, asking for monthly tickets) _i Chapter 208: Borrow a Shoulder to Lean on (Third update, asking for monthly tickets) _i Trantor:549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words shocked all the onlookers. The authority of Director Nie had long been tested in the county government. No official in the entire county government would dare to ignore Nie Zhenbang. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Director Gu nodded, saying, ¡°Yes, Director, I¡¯ll handle it immediately. Please punish me for letting irrelevant people in.¡± At this moment, Fan Jianjun, like a mad dog, released Yan Fengjiao¡¯s hair and stood up, cocking his head, looking at Nie Zhenbang, and then began to bluster, ¡°I wondered why you were so eager to rush to Lixian. Turns out you have a pretty boy now.¡± Nie Zhenbang, being over one meter eighty tall, with a sturdy body and very fair skin, indeed looked like a handsome man. Now, Fan Jianjunpletely sumbed to a perverse mentality. If Nie Zhenbang called him a mad dog, it would be quite apt. Now, Fan Jianjun was tantly criticizing anyone in sight. That being said, Fan Jianjun looked directly at Nie Zhenbang and said gravely, ¡°Nie, is this bitch satisfying? Don¡¯t you just love to pick up trash? Her seductive mannerisms, they must satisfy you, right?¡± Upon hearing Fan Jianjun¡¯s words, everyone was shocked. This was too crazy. Yan Fengjiao had a bad reputation outside. Almost everyone in Bazhou City heard rumors that Yan Fengjiao used her body to get ahead. Now, even her own husband talks about her like this. Yan Fengjiao¡¯s credibility in Lixian ispletely gone. Now, Yan Fengjiao was squatting on the ground, sobbing softly. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened. There was no need to speak to this kind of person. He turned and said, ¡°Director Gu, throw this mad dog out. From now on, if you see this mad dog entering the county governmentpound, you needn¡¯t be the head of security any longer.¡± Seeing that Nie Zhenbang was serious, Director Gu and several other security staff immediately grabbed Fan Jianjun¡¯s arm and dragged him out. Fan Jianjun had been ustomed to being reckless in Bazhou City. When he was young, his father was the secretary of the Bazhou Municipal Committee, and he was the prominent first son of Bazhou. Although his father has retired now, his influence remains. Many officials in Bazhou were promoted by his father, and the secretary of the municipalmittee, Liu Wenqing, was his father¡¯s secretary back in the day. As such, the officials of Bazhou City would usually give him some leeway. However, he was humiliated in Lixian today. Fan Jianjun felt provoked. Pointing at Nie Zhenbang, Fan Jianjun roared, ¡°Who do you think you are, Nie Zhenbang? Don¡¯t you just rely on your connections? I tell you, offend me, and you will have no peace.¡± These words ignited a fire in Nie Zhenbang. He rushed straight to Fan Jianjun¡¯s face. To Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, this middle-aged man actually had the scent of perfume on him. He grabbed Fan Jianjun and started walking towards the outside of the county governmentpound. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strength was quite considerable. Not to mention Fan Jianjun, he could easily ovee several burly men. Grabbing Fan Jianjun was as easy as an eagle catching a chicken. Thrown on the side of the road, Nie Zhenbang gravely said, ¡°Fan Jianjun, what kind of person are you, a man who doesn¡¯t even have a job, still having the audacity to behave like this because of your father¡¯s residual influence? I¡¯m not going to have peace? Humph, was my position given by your father? Even if your father was still in office, so what? I am a cadre of the Party and a public servant of the people. The world is not owned by your Fan family. It belongs to the Party!¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s righteous words engendered loud cheers from the onlookers. Fan Jianjun, this kind of person, was simply too despicable, assaulting a woman in public, which clearly led to public outrage. Seeing himself being amon enemy, the target of scolding, Fan Jianjun red at Nie Zhenbang with hateful and malicious eyes. However, the situation was stronger than the person, and he couldn¡¯t beat him. Now, on someone else¡¯s turf, Fan Jianjun had no method to deal with Nie Zhenbang. Instead, he vented all his anger on Yan Fengjiao. Looking at Yan Fengjiao, who was still squatting on the ground and sobbing, Fan Jianjun yelled, ¡°Yan Fengjiao, you slut, I¡¯ll wait for you here. If you dare, don¡¯t leave this gate for the rest of your life.¡± Such people are indeed extremely repugnant. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt pity for Yan Fengjiao, never imagining there were so many stories hidden behind Yan Fengjiao. Seeing that the officials around were looking at Yan Fengjiao and discussing, despite this being a state organ, people¡¯s curiosity was evident, especially since Fan Jianjun publicly spoke about Yan Fengjiao that way, they had even more to talk about. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened, he immediately said, ¡°What are you all looking at? Don¡¯t you have work to do? The immigration project, the education project, all these tasks need people to perform them.¡± After watching the staff of the county government leave, Nie Zhenbang squatted down and looked at Yan Fengjiao. He took a handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to her, saying in a serious tone, ¡°County Mayor Yan, get up. Go back and rest in the office. These people are like mad dogs, biting whoever they see. Don¡¯t worry about such things. Just do your job well. The development n of the development zone needs someone like you in charge. I believe in your capabilities. A person who cane up with the idea to promote the development zone at the Canton Fair is certainly not someone who got to their position by using their body or by ttering others.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words stunned Yan Fengjiao. At this moment, she felt extremely wronged. Fan Jianjun¡¯s words were incredibly harsh. Previously, when she worked in Bazhou City, Fan Jianjun often caused amotion at her workce. However, at most, it just involved physical violence. But now, such malicious words were still something that had never happened before. Nevertheless, since Yan Fengjiao took office in Lixian, numerous matters in the county gave her no chance to rest. Manypanies in the development zone needed her coordination for construction. After all, Yan Fengjiao also served as the director of the managementmittee. At this moment, she saw Yan Fengjiao stand up. Fan Jianjun, who had been keeping an eye on this ce, suddenly started to roar again: ¡°Yan Fengjiao, you bitch, I knew it, you¡¯re having an affair with this boy. Look at how intimate you two are. I won¡¯t forgive you, Nie Zhenbang, I won¡¯t let you two off.¡± As soon as his voice fell, Director Gu shouted from the side: ¡°Why are you still barking like a dog? Is Director Nie someone you can insult? Since Nie Zhenbang came to Lixian, he has done countless amount of solid work. He works overtimete into the night every day, devoting all his heart to his job. If you say another word, I will drive you out.¡± Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t bother about Fan Jianjun anymore. Such people who arepletely warped in nature do not need to be dealt with. The more you pay attention to them, the more excited they be. Seeing that Yan Fengjiao was still somewhat depressed, Nie Zhenbang sighed, ¡°County Mayor Yan, I think you should go back to your office. The more you stay here, the more likely he is to continue making a scene.¡± After returning to his office, Nie Zhenbang started to work. He wasn¡¯t the kind of person who liked to take charge of everything. There were such people in history too, for example, Zhuge Liang, who personally took charge of everything and devoted himself to work to the point of exhaustion, and as a result, he died in the camp. Everyone has their limits in terms of energy and capability. The philosophy that Nie Zhenbang advocates is collective wisdom and collective effort. Now, there were different people responsible for different aspects. There were Fan Zhenming from the Investment Promotion Bureau and the Publicity Department in charge of the promotional materials and brochures. The immigrant work was in the hands of Zhang Chubin. The construction of education projects was naturally led by the Lixian Education Committee. In the development zone, the deputy director of the managementmittee and the deputy secretary of the workingmittee, Yang Zhengping, handled the daily work. Thus, Nie Zhenbang seemed to have a lot of leisure time. He was only required to grasp the overall direction and overall idea, and the specific work was left to others. It was an ideal state for Nie Zhenbang. This way, he was also able to devote his energy to other aspects and manage the overall situation. Time passed quickly, and after Nie Zhenbang got off work, he did not stay and walked out of his office. Seeing that Fan Jianjun was still squatting at the door, Nie Zhenbang frowned. However, since Fan Jianjun wasn¡¯t causing a scene anymore, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t bother about him. After all, it was a private family matter, and he didn¡¯t know the specifics. If he got involved, it would make things worse. Returning to his dormitory behind the county government building, under normal circumstances, Nie Zhenbang lived here. Although Li Lixue and Dong Wan were both in Lixian, considering their impact, both were unwilling toe over. Apart from weekends together at the hotel, Nie Zhenbang primarily lived here the rest of the time. Just after taking off his shoes and putting on his slippers, Nie Zhenbang was about to cook when suddenly there was a knock on the door. This surprised Nie Zhenbang. Who was this? Coming to him just after finishing work? At this time, there was no personnel adjustment period, and there were no vacant positions in the county either. In the current stable and calm situation, the homes of the county leaders were also the quietest ce. Opening the door with doubt, Yan Fengjiao was standing at the door. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprised expression, Yan Fengjiao also smiled, although it seemed somewhat forced. ¡°Director Nie, did I disturb you at this time?¡± Yan Fengjiao asked in a quiet voice. Yan Fengjiao lived in the same building as Nie Zhenbang, except he lived on the second floor and she lived on the third. Looking at Yan Fengjiao, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback for a moment, and thenughed, ¡°No, not at all. I just got back too, I was about to cook something. County Mayor Yan,e in and have a seat.¡± Yan Fengjiao nodded and walked into the room. She was wearing a light-colored dress, with white skin and meat-colored stockings. It was hard to believe that a woman in her thirties didn¡¯t have a single wrinkle. As soon as she entered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s house and closed the door, Yan Fengjiao suddenly threw herself into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arms. Chapter 209: Yan Fengjiao’s Past (4th Update, Request for Monthly Tickets)_1 Yan Fengjiao¡¯s sudden move took Nie Zhenbang by surprise. He didn¡¯t know where to put his hands. On his chest, he felt the intense pressure from Yan Fengjiao. This gave Nie Zhenbang a strange feeling. This woman was truly enchantingly flirtatious. Pushing her away at this moment didn¡¯t seem right either. A woman¡¯s pride is fragile. But not pushing her away was even worse. Even though they were in his own house, there were people passing through the corridor. After hesitating for a moment, Nie Zhenbang gently ced his hand on Yan Fengjiao¡¯s back andforted her, ¡°County Mayor Yan, calm down. Don¡¯t be so agitated.¡± At this moment, Yan Fengjiao also realized she was being inappropriate. However, she was reluctant to let go. But she did loosen her hug. In a low voice she said, ¡°Director Nie, can I lean on your shoulder for a bit?¡± At this point, how could Nie Zhenbang refuse? A woman, who was a leading figure in Lixian, and director of the development zonemittee, had just been publicly humiliated by her husband. Such an insult was more than what an ordinary person could endure. The two of them stood there in the living room for a few minutes. Yan Fengjiao eventually calmed down and sensing the awkwardness of the situation, she let go, apologizing awkwardly, ¡°Director Nie, I¡¯m sorry for that, I was too agitated.¡± ¡°Director Yan, there¡¯s no need to be so formal. Since we¡¯re colleagues, we¡¯re in the same boat and it¡¯s fine to lend you a shoulder. Since you¡¯re already here, why don¡¯t you have dinner here? It seems like you¡¯re not in the mood to cook,¡± Nie Zhenbang teased. The sudden visit by Fan Jianjun today had left Yan Fengjiao entirely shocked. The grant insults and public humiliation under the open sky had left Yan Fengjiao on the verge of copsing, a nightmare burned into her heart. But there was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s assertive intervention, throwing Fan Jianjun out of the government courtyard, and offering his handkerchief. It all gave Yan Fengjiao a sense of trust and gratitude. Thus, after work, when she got to the second floor, Yan Fengjiao knocked on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s door, as if moved by some strange impulse. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yan Fengjiao couldn¡¯t help but throw herself at him. At this moment, it didn¡¯t really matter; it had nothing to do with romance. Yan Fengjiao just wanted to lean on someone¡¯s shoulder and pour out her woes. Since her marriage, she had rarely felt this way. Watching other women being pampered by their men, Yan Fengjiao had never yearned for such thing. That led to the scene that had just unfolded. Several small dishes, very delicate. Tofu with green onion, tomato and egg soup, and a dish of stir-fried lotus root. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s cooking skills were decent. In his past life, Nie Zhenbang cooked for himself most of the time. After a life-changing event when he was young, Nie Zhenbang began to cook for himself. Later, he became disabled, and life was tough, so naturally he had to cook for himself. He couldn¡¯t have instant noodles every day, and pushed by circumstances, Nie Zhenbang had to learn cooking. In this life, his fate had changed, but his culinary skills remained. Seeing the dishes Nie Zhenbang cooked, Yan Fengjiaoughed: ¡°Director Nie, I didn¡¯t know you were vegetarian. I thought all you men were carnivorous.¡± After she finished speaking, she seemed to realize that her words were somewhat suggestive. All men are carnivorous, thisment was simr to the popr saying that all men think with their lower half. Yan Fengjiao¡¯s face turned red. After serving a bowl of rice to Yan Fengjiao, Nie Zhenbang sat down and said, ¡°Ha ha, when alone at home, I just eat whatever is in the kitchen. Mayor Yan, let¡¯s eat together. No need to be polite.¡± It was simple, but it still felt cozy. Right now, Yan Fengjiao¡¯s face was adorned with a hint of a serene smile, a feeling she had never experienced before. After finishing her meal, Yan Fengjiao got up, looked at Nie Zhenbang andughingly said, ¡°Director Nie, thank you for your hospitality. Since you cooked, let me wash the dishes.¡± Having tea after dinner was a habit Nie Zhenbang formed after moving to Xibei. Before Dong Wan and the others moved in, he didn¡¯t have much to do when he wasn¡¯t working or watching ¡°Daily at Seven¡±, so making tea leisurely seemed like a great idea. Now that someone was washing the dishes, Nie Zhenbang naturally brought out his tea set from under the table. He heated up the water, brewed the tea, and soon the living room was filled with the subtle aroma of tea. Seeing Yan Fengjiao approach, Nie Zhenbang immediately picked up a cup of tea and passed it to her,ughing, ¡°County Mayor Yan, would you like a cup of tea?¡± At this moment, Yan Fengjiao also sat down, looking at Nie Zhenbang. This man¡­ well, by age, he could hardly be called a man yet. However, his manner of speech and conduct made him seem very mature, giving off the impression of a man in his forties. After being silent for a while, Yan Fengjiao held the teacup with both hands and took a light sip. Then, after a long pause, Yan Fengjiao suddenly whispered, ¡°Director Nie, would you like to hear a story?¡± Hearing Yan Fengjiao¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said, ¡°Of course, since it¡¯s already off work. I¡¯m honored to be able to keep County Mayor Yanpany.¡± ¡°Years ago, a young woman graduated from university. She could have been assigned back to her hometown, but she chose to support the construction of the frontier of the mothend. She came to Bazhou and was assigned to Bazhou Municipal Committee Office. Then, less than half a year into her job, she identally met a man. This man was very powerful and treated this female exceptionally well. Due to an ident, the man got injured and lost his ability to procreate. After the woman learned about it, she still chose to marry him. But after that, the man changed. He became paranoid, suspicious, and even deranged. He was always suspecting that this young woman was looking for other men. The man¡¯s father was also very powerful and treated the woman well, helping her climb the careerdder. However, after the old man retired, the man¡¯s repressed naturepletely broke out. The woman was always under torture.¡± From then on, the woman began to fear and loathe going home. She would rather live in the single dormitory of the unit. Even if it was just a moment of peace, she was willing to enjoy it. However, this made the man even more certain that the woman had another man outside, even suspecting that she had a rtionship with his father¡¯s secretary. He intensified his torture on the woman, leaving her covered in injuries. The woman, in order to avoid this, requested to move to a county office, but she could not escape this endless nightmare. At this point, Nie Zhenbang was already clear that the story Yan Fengjiao was telling was her own experience. Looking at Fan Jianjun¡¯s appearance and bearing, he seemed like a fairly decent person. Coupled with his father Fan Guoliang¡¯s status, such a family was hard to find. Furthermore, Yan Fengjiao, despite knowing that Fan Jianjun was impotent, still chose to marry him. This was a testament to her unwavering love. Thinking of Yan Fengjiao, Nie Zhenbang seemed to envision Yang Anna, a woman who chose to protect him in silence in their previous life, who would rather stay single forever till she felt like she had no choice. Looking at Yan Fengjiao, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression also changed slightly. This kind of woman deserves respect and needs to be protected. After pondering for a while, Nie Zhenbang asked gently, ¡°County Mayor Yan, could I ask bluntly, you¡¯re the girl in the story, aren¡¯t you?¡± Yan Fengjiao smiled bitterly and nodded, looking at Nie Zhenbang and saying, ¡°Director Nie, I apologize for showing you such a side of me. In both Lixian and Bazhou, I am an outsider. Men don¡¯t dare to get close to me because of my father-inw¡¯s lingering influence. Women reject me because of my looks. Here I am alone. I have no family, neither do I have anyone to confide in. I don¡¯t know how I managed to survive these years. Please don¡¯t mind, I just wanted to find someone to confide in.¡± Hearing her words, Nie Zhenbang was shocked. A woman, alone and helpless, having to endure the humiliation of a perverse husband, was something Nie Zhenbang could never imagine. Yet, he could see the torment in Yan Fengjiao¡¯s eyes. This was not something that just anyone could endure. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang suddenly asked, ¡°County Mayor Yan, tell me honestly, do you still want to repay this pseudo kindness and continue living this kind of life?¡± With a bitter smile, Yan Fengjiaoy back on the sofa. Her snow-white skin and the fullness of her chest were clearly visible. She spoke calmly, ¡°Repay kindness? After so many years, even with a boundless amount of gratitude, I think it would have disappearedpletely under these instances of verbal and physical abuse. If it weren¡¯t for my parents, I would have died long ago and wouldn¡¯t have to endure all this pain and torture.¡± Nie Zhenbang began to ponder. To his surprise, Nie Zhenbang suddenly stood up, looking at Yan Fengjiao and said, ¡°County Mayor Yan, since you¡¯ve already made up your mind, let¡¯s divorce. Let¡¯s do it now, I¡¯ll apany you to the city. I¡¯m curious to meet Secretary Fan Guoliang.¡± Chapter 210: Former City Party Secretary (Fifth update, requesting monthly ticket)_1 Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yan Fengjiao was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected this impulsive, passionate side of Nie Zhenbang. He had always given the impression of being steady and calm, even in the face of the greatest upheavals. But now, she had seen a new side of Nie Zhenbang. Immediately, Yan Fengjiao, who had been pulled up from the sofa by Nie Zhenbang, seemed a little flustered. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, she hesitated for a while, then retreated: ¡°Director¡­ Director Nie, I think we should reconsider. If we really do this, I¡¯m afraid my father-inw¡¯s reputation would be destroyed. Moreover, if you get involved, it mightplicate the matter further.¡± Yan Fengjiao¡¯s worries were not unfounded. In the past, Fan Guoliang was easy to deal with and felt guilty about his daughter-inw and took good care of her. But that was all under the premise that Yan Fengjiao had not wronged the Fan family. Now, Yan Fengjiao wanted to divorce, bringing another man to the house, regardless of her rtionship with Nie Zhenbang, whether it is innocent or not, the old man¡¯s thoughts would certainly be different. People are like this, sometimes they are blinded by their imagination. Fan Guoliang had been the secretary of the Bazhou Municipal Committee for many years and had a good reputation. But that was in the past. Now, Fan Guoliang was a seventy-year-old man. This was not the time for reasoning. Nie Zhenbang was also taken aback for a moment. Then, looking at Yan Fengjiao, he was somewhat puzzled. After being stunned, he smiled: ¡°County Mayor Yan, are you scared? Don¡¯t be. As a woman, fighting for her happiness is human nature. I believe Secretary Fan would not want to see you living a lonely life. As for sex, although it appears rotten, it is something no one can escape. As for me, don¡¯t worry. My actions are upright, I am not afraid of any rumors. The pure have nothing to fear. People live for themselves, not for the opinion or reputation of others.¡± Nie Zhenbang was quite eloquent at the moment, but that was because he was talking about others. When ites to himself, Nie Zhenbang was not so free and easy. At least on the issue of his three daughters, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t know what to do. Yan Fengjiao had suffered in loneliness throughout her life, enduring this pain and the judgmental gazes of society, coupled with the big-mouthed Fan Jianjun. Regardless of where Yan Fengjiao worked, she was certainly causing amotion. Fan Jianjun¡¯s inhumane actions were almost known throughout the city. Consequently, rumors were bound to circte, using Yan Fengjiao of being unfaithful. Landing a man without any capability, looking outside, that was considered normal. This kind of need is not gender-specific. It could be said that for the past decade, Yan Fengjiao had been bearing this pressure and scrutiny alone, even enduring harassment from higher-ups. Now, when she poured out her heart to Nie Zhenbang. Yan Fengjiao felt a significant closeness with Nie Zhenbang. After an internal struggle, Yan Fengjiao was reassured by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. When she looked up again, Yan Fengjiao nodded determinedly: ¡°Director Nie, we can go, but, I have a request. My father-inw¡¯s health is poor, he has high blood pressure and heart disease, he cannot be overly stimted. So, don¡¯t provoke him excessively.¡± This woman, even in this moment, was considering Fan Guoliang¡¯s health. This act of repaying kindness with a spring of generosity amazed Nie Zhenbang, she was a remarkable woman. Nie Zhenbang drove the car himself while Yan Fengjiao sat in the passenger seat, music yed in the vehicle. Liu Dehua¡¯s tape was on, at this time he was one of the popr music icons. It seemed that the driver was also a fan. Now, the car was silent. Nie Zhenbang thought about ying some music to alleviate the somewhat oppressive atmosphere. Nie Zhenbang drove fast, covering the distance of fifty kilometers in less than an hour to Bazhou City. It was only eight o¡¯clock. Looking at Yan Fengjiao next to him, Nie Zhenbang turned his head and asked: ¡°County Mayor Yan. Where do you live?¡± Under the direction of Yan Fengjiao, the car drove directly into the yard of the Bazhou City Veteran Cadre Bureau. Just at this point, Nie Zhenbang had a favorable impression of Fan Guoliang. Typically, a cadre of Fan Guoliang¡¯s rank, who had retired from a top position in Bazhou, even if they lived in the municipalmittee¡¯spound and continued to upy a courtyard, the leaders of the municipalmittee usually wouldn¡¯t say anything. After all, many of the current leaders of the municipalmittee were promoted by Fan Guoliang. However, Fan Guoliang voluntarily moved out of the municipalmitteepound to live in the Veteran cadre bureau. This showed that Fan Guoliang was a noble person. The house at the veteran bureau was not very big. It was a three-bedroom with a living room, but it was sufficient for Fan Guoliang. Fan Guoliang¡¯s house was in the first dormitory building of the veteran cadres dormitory area. These buildings, built by the Bazhou City Veteran Cadre Bureau a few years ago, were brick and concrete structures. The exterior walls were stered and covered with colorful stones. There was one stairwell per unit. Fan Guoliang¡¯s house was located on the first floor. As the former secretary of the Municipal Committee, he was advanced in age, and climbing stairs was a strenuous task. The city had considered this and deliberately arranged for Fan Guoliang to live on the first floor. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao had just arrived at the door, when a ¡°crash¡± resonated from inside the house, the sound of a teacup shattering on the floor. Immediately following, a voice rang out: ¡°You unfilial son, I¡¯ve told you before not to go after Fengjiao. You ignored my words. You don¡¯t want to work. All you do isze about the house, idling your time away. When I meet Mark (Death), how will you survive? Fengjiao is an extraordinary woman, a rare gem. You disregard her feelings; you shouldn¡¯t even be deserving to live in this world. You should just die!¡± Such was the extent of Fan Guoliang¡¯s rage that he was uttering such harsh words to his own son. After all, which parent doesn¡¯t dote on their own child? As soon as those words fell, a screeching voice filled with hysteria and rage sounded from Fan Jianjun: ¡°You¡¯re still taking her side, you must be going senile. You¡¯re oblivious. This woman, she¡¯s living quite the merry life in Lixian. She hooked up with the County Mayor Nie Zhenbang of Lixian. Now that you¡¯re old and powerless, she¡¯s be brazen. She doesn¡¯t respect you anymore.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a disgrace! Even if Fengjiao chooses another man over you, I¡¯d ept it. Whoever gives the Fan family a descendant doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ve said it before. You should let go of Fengjiao. But did you listen?¡± Fan Guoliang¡¯s voice resonates once again. This exchange, however, took Nie Zhenbang by surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected Fan Guoliang to have this attitude, which in turnforted him somewhat. Initially, Nie Zhenbang hade here with the intention to confront Fan Guoliang. But the elderly former secretary of the Municipal Committee seemed reasonable after all. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang gave a nce to Yan Fengjiao and signaled her. Understanding Nie¡¯s intention, Yan immediately took a set of keys out from her purse. The sound of them opening the door silenced the room. As soon as Fan Guoliang and his son saw Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao at the doorway¡­ Fan Jianjun yelled hysterically: ¡°You bitch, you¡¯re getting more audacious, even bringing this stray man into our home. Watch me deal with you. Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯ve got guts. You act as if it¡¯spletely justified to steal another¡¯s wife. Apparently, you really don¡¯t respect the Fan family.¡± Fan Jianjun, indeed cunning, knew he was in no position to confront Nie Zhenbang and deliberately implicated his father. Now, it seemed to look like Nie Zhenbang was confronting the former secretary of the municipalmittee. ¡°Insolent! I¡¯m not dead yet, this house isn¡¯t your domain. Get out of here right now!¡± Fan Guoliang¡¯s face darkened with anger and he bellowed. At this moment, Fan Jianjun was somewhat terrified. His cocky demeanor was mostly contributed to the reputation of his father, Fan Guoliang. If even his father didn¡¯t stand up for him, his demise would be inevitable. The moment Fan Guoliang roared, Fan Jianjun¡¯s expression changed, and grudgingly looking at Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao he said, ¡°You shameless pair, okay, very well, we¡¯re far from done yet!¡± Having said that, Fan Jianjun ran out. This man¡¯s mentality was already severely twisted, and he could no longer be evaluated like a normal person. Watching his son dash out of the house, Fan Guoliang didn¡¯t show any reaction. His eyes settled on Nie Zhenbang. As the former secretary of the Municipal Committee, Fan Guoliang, though retired, carried himself with certain dignity. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Fan Guoliang finally smiled: ¡°You¡¯re the Mayor Nie Zhenbang, indeedmendable. You are skilled, capable, and young, Lixian is in good hands with you in charge. This will ease Comrade Wenqing¡¯s workload significantly.¡± Fan Guoliang was sharp at assessing people. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze was sincere, his demeanor calm, showing no fear or hesitation. Such a man should not be underestimated. Moreover, Fan Guoliang trusted Yan Fengjiao. ¡°Hehe, Mayor Nie, my household is in a state of disarray. You¡¯ve seen an old man¡¯s misery. Please, have a seat. Ever since my wife left, my home has been in chaos.¡± Fan Guoliang seemed genuinely warm as he weed Nie Zhenbang, truly exuding the aura of an ordinary old man. Turning his gaze to Yan Fengjiao he said, ¡°Fengjiao,e in. It¡¯s been a few months since youst visited home, hasn¡¯t it? Why have you suddenly grown so distant?¡± Looking at Yan Fengjiao, Nie Zhenbang began to understand why she had chosen to endure for so many years. With such an understanding old man in her life, it was difficult for her to speak out. PS: I delivered 15,000 words in 5 updates today. But I am saddened. An explosion of 15,000 words, and during exciting chapters too, still couldn¡¯tpete with others¡¯ single chapter updates. Starting from the early morning of the 28th, there were ten updates, a total of 30,000 words. Hope it won¡¯t be overshadowed by others¡¯ 3,000-word updates. End of the next part. If you like this novel, you¡¯re wee to visit qidian to cast your rmendation votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Chapter 211: The Fan Family’s Request (Ten more explosive, first more)_1 Chapter 211: The Fan Family¡¯s Request (Ten more explosive, first more)_1 Trantor: 549690339 However, not being able to say it signifies the end of Yan Fengjiao¡¯s life. While this might seem unfair to the Fan family, it was also cruel to Yan Fengjiao. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang looked at Yan Fengjiao and then garner his thoughts in his heart, saying, ¡°Old Secretary, I brought Comrade Yan Fengjiao here primarily to discuss a matter with you.¡± This tone and style were perhaps the most appropriate that Nie Zhenbang could conceive. If Yan Fengjiao were a man, or, if he himself were a woman, then it wouldn¡¯t be as problematic. However, unfortunately, they were a man and a woman, making this situation very likely to cause misunderstandings. ¡°Director Nie, you shouldn¡¯t¡­¡± Yan Fengjiao suddenly called out, backing away. Hearing this, Fan Guoliang also said abruptly, ¡°Feng Jiao, don¡¯t speak. Let Director Nie talk. I understand your thoughts. As long as I¡¯m clear, it¡¯s enough.¡± Nie Zhenbang steeled his heart. The life that Yan Fengjiao was leading was too miserable. It¡¯s utterly unfair and cruel to her. Even if he was being nosy, even at this cost, he would y the viin. Looking at Fan Guoliang, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Old Secretary, I heard about Comrade Yan Fengjiao and Fan Jianjun¡¯s situation. Personally, I believe a divorce is in order. Yan Fengjiao is still young and has a promising future. You should know far better than I do about what kind of person Feng Jiao is, whether she has upheld her duties as a wife. Let¡¯s not discuss these matters now. A woman, a physically and mentally healthy woman, should have the right to pursue her happiness. I hope that the Old Secretary can persuade Fan Jianjun ¨C a good separation is better than a perilous unity. Persisting in this way doesn¡¯t get anyone anywhere. It just hurts both individuals and both families.¡± Fan Guoliang nodded in agreement. He knew clearly that Yan Fengjiao had never betrayed the Fan family, leading to his feeling of guilt. His son had been a disgrace while Yan Fengjiao remained by his side. The Fan family owed it to her. If it weren¡¯t so, if Yan Fengjiao had indeed done as Fan Jianjun had used, perhaps Fan Guoliang wouldn¡¯t feel the way he did. Although Fan Guoliang had retired, his words still carried weight in Bazhou City. ¡°Dad¡­ I¡­¡±, Yan Fengjiao tried to interject on the side. Before she could finish, Fan Guoliang waved his hand to stop Yan Fengjiao from speaking. Staring at Nie Zhenbang, Fan Guoliang¡¯s eyes bore a serious expression. After a while he said, ¡°Young Director Nie, you are a good person. You¡¯ve expressed your concern for a subordinate without worrying about your status and image. This sort of person is getting rarer in our bureaucracy. If I did not know Feng Jiao¡¯s character so well, you might be in big trouble.¡± There was an implicit meaning behind Fan Guoliang¡¯s words. It was all clear since Yan Fengjiao was present and didn¡¯t need to be spelled out. Despite being flirtatious and exuding a mature charm, Yan Fengjiao was a virgin. Being a former citymittee secretary, Fan Guoliang was easily able to tell the physical and mental changes of a woman. Thus, he was certain that there were no entanglements between Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao. Behind his words, Nie Zhenbang got the gist. Although Fan Guoliang had retired, he was still an influential figure in Bazhou City, especially with the connection to Liu Wenqing. Despite Nie Zhenbang¡¯s solid background, if Fan Guoliang wanted to stir trouble for him, it was absolutely within his reach. ¡°Young Director Nie, a true man knows his actions and omissions. Your ability to cast aside societal prejudices and stand up for Feng Jiao is truly admirable. To be honest, I appreciate your help. Our child, Feng Jiao, should have her life. I¡¯ll arrange Feng Jiao and Jian Jun¡¯s situation. However, I do have a request. Feng Jiao, hope you¡¯ll agree.¡± Fan Guoliang¡¯s words were amicable and humble while looking at Yan Fengjiao, who saw no citymittee secretary nor elderly cadre in him ¨C just an old man. At this moment, Yan Fengjiao¡¯s voice began to crack, struggling to not let herself cry out loud, she looked at Fan Guoliang and said, ¡°Dad, you say it. I¡¯ll agree to anything.¡± Fan Guoliang smiled gently. ¡°Silly girl, why so resolute? In fact, it¡¯s our Fan family who¡¯s hindered you and that rascal Jianjun, who¡¯s ruined your life. Before, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to make this decision. But Young Director Nie¡¯s words awakened me. You¡¯re still young, you shouldn¡¯t waste your whole life like this, you should live your life.¡± Soon after, Fan Guoliang smilingly said, ¡°Feng Jiao, consider this thest request I ask of you. After you get married, could you let one of your children bear the surname Fan? As for the family nning policy, I¡¯ll handle it all. Rest assured, it won¡¯t affect your future.¡± Hearing Fan Guoliang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t the least bit surprised, having already had a premonition from the conversation between father and son. At this moment, Yan Fengjiao covered her mouth with her hands, tears streaming down her face. Looking at Fan Guoliang, who seemed to have aged greatly, she nodded vigorously and said, ¡°Dad, I promise you. I¡¯ll forever be your daughter. I promise you.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang also stood up. It wasn¡¯t appropriate for him to stay any longer; after all, this was someone else¡¯s family matter, and he had already meddled more than enough. Then, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said: ¡°Old Secretary, County Mayor Yan, you two carry on with your chat. I¡¯ll go to Bazhou Hotel for the night. County Mayor Yan, we can meet tomorrow. We can go back to Lixian together, or you can go back on your own. I won¡¯t bother you anymore. I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Just as he stepped out of the Fan family¡¯s front door, Yan Fengjiao followed him out silently. When they approached the car, Yan Fengjiao finally softly said, ¡°Director Nie, thank you.¡± Now, after piercing through such thin veil of secrecy, Yan Fengjiao felt considerably more rxed. Naturally, she was filled with gratitude towards Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang also began tough at that moment, ¡°County Mayor Yan, you better hurry back. The Old Secretary must be feeling quite upset, being an elder, he takes these matters very seriously. You don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± The Bazhou Hotel is one of the better hotels in Bazhou City. Room 509, it¡¯s a standard single room thates with an attached bathroom. The room size isn¡¯t that big, with a bed in the middle and a colored television ced on a desk. Beside the bed, there is a round little table and two chairs. A telephone is set on the bedside table. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang had yet to get out from bed, but there was a knock on the door. Nie Zhenbang sat up and nced at his watch, realizing it was almost ten o¡¯clock. This is something that has never happened before. Due to his regr martial arts practice, typically, Nie Zhenbang wakes up at around six every morning. It¡¯s no wonder, as he has been workingte into the nighttely due to the developing zone¡¯s affairs. Afterward, the Lixian earthquake wore him out and then there was the entire Gemu Township relocation n and the reconstruction project for all the primary and secondary schools in the county. A series of events came one after the other. Nie Zhenbang participated fully in each of them. Right now, after finally being able to rx his mentality, he unconsciously overslept. When he dressed up and opened the door, Yan Fengjiao was standing at the door. Today, Yan Fengjiao was wearing a set of trendy sportswear, all white. She had her hair tied in a ponytail which stood high behind her, giving her a youthful spark. Seeing Yan Fengjiao¡¯s demeanor and expression at this moment, Nie Zhenbang knew that the issue between Yan Fengjiao and Fan Jianjun must have been sessfully resolved. People like Fan Jianjun might act mighty and brash outside, behaving like they own the world, but, in fact, their confidencees solely from the support of Fan Guoliang. Now, even his father no longer supports him, so naturally, Fan Jianjun lost his temperpletely. ¡°Director Nie, you just woke up, I thought you might have already gone back to Lixian County. I¡¯m d I decided to check.¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could speak, Yan Fengjiao was the first to talk. Nie Zhenbangughed at that moment and then said, ¡°County Mayor Yan, make yourselffortable. I just need to freshen up.¡± When Nie Zhenbang finished freshening up and walked out of the bathroom, he said, ¡°County Mayor Yan, you look good. It seems you¡¯vepletely resolved the issue with Fan Jianjun, haven¡¯t you?¡± Yan Fengjiao nodded, and then solemnly said, ¡°Yes, I took care of it this morning. Right now, I feel an unprecedented relief. Thank you, Director Nie. You¡¯ve done me a huge favor. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t have had the bravery or the determination to face it. Director Nie, when we¡¯re alone, you can just call me Feng Jiao. Wan and Li Xue both address me that way. Always calling me ¡®County Mayor Yan¡¯ feels a bit rigid.¡± Listening to Yan Fengjiao¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang nodded. Based on what she had said, one could tell that Yan Fengjiao feltpletely relieved at this moment. He subsequentlyughed and said, ¡°Alright. Then, I¡¯ll follow how Li Xue addresses you. However, it sounds a bit formal if you still call me ¡®Director Nie¡¯. Just call me Zhenbang.¡± After checking out of the hotel, Nie Zhenbang had a casual meal at a roadside ramen shop. Then, Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao drove back to Lixian County. At half-past twelve in the afternoon, the car finally entered the county government courtyard. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang parked the car under the residential building. Just as he got out of the car, Yi Jun was descending the stairs from upstairs. Seeing Yan Fengjiao following Nie Zhenbang, Yi Jun was taken aback. Then he walked up to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Director Nie, Bureau Director Fan came by several times today. The sample of the brochure is out.¡± PS: Final two days, Old Cai will go all out. Onest push, working tirelessly through the night to write. Brothers and sisters, please support me with a monthly ticket. Give me unlimited motivation. Chapter 212: Impressions of Lixian (Ten more explosive, second more)_1 Chapter 212: Impressions of Lixian (Ten more explosive, second more)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Has the sample of the promotional booklete out? This was a surprise to both Nie Zhenbang and Yan Fengjiao. Yan Fengjiao was especially astonished and said, ¡°Director Yi, that was quick. It has only been a month since we decided on this n in our meeting. Has Fan Zhenming already delivered results?¡± A secretary, especially a leader¡¯s secretary, must possess certain qualities: they should not meddle in the leader¡¯s affairs, they should not ask about personal matters and should not reveal orment on things that they shouldn¡¯t. Yi Jun was well aware of themotion Yan Fengjiao¡¯s husband caused yesterday at the County Government¡¯spound. Specifically, he pointed fingers at Yan Fengjiao and Nie Zhenbang. Today, though both had note to work, they had returned together in the same car. Such a scene would naturally spark spections, especially with Yan Fengjiao looking as spruced up as a young girl. If it was a year ago, Yi Jun might not have known how to handle this. But now? With aplomb, he replied, ¡°County Mayor Yan, it has arrived. Each leader from the County Party Committee and County Government has received a copy. In addition, copies have been delivered to the Development Zone Work Committee. I skimmed through it briefly, it is very well made.¡± Hearing Yi Jun¡¯sment, Nie Zhenbang became interested and promptly said, ¡°County Mayor Yan, you can continue with your work. Hearing what Xiaoyi said, I¡¯m a bit curious now. Come, Xiaoyi, let¡¯s go to the office.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office also had a small kitchen, located right next to the restroom. There were food supplies like noodles and malted milk. A small electric stove served the convenience of having something to eat when working overtime. As soon as they entered the office, Yi Jun went to the storage room and told Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Director, you haven¡¯t eaten lunch yet, right? I¡¯ll cook some noodles for you. The sample and today¡¯s documents are on your desk.¡± ¡°Haha, I almost forgot if you didn¡¯t mention it. Just cook some noodles, not too much. I had ate breakfast today. Anything simple would be fine.¡± Nie Zhenbang said whileughing and sat down on his chair. At that moment, Yi Jun¡¯s expression changed slightly. Waking upte? Could it be that Director Nie and Deputy Director Yan¡­? If so, it might not bode well for the director. After all, the Director is only 24 years old, while Deputy Director Yan is now 35. The age gap isn¡¯t trivial. Would the public ept this? The first document on the desk was the sample brochure from the Department of Commerce. Nie Zhenbang was quite satisfied with what he saw. The cover page was hard white paper, with four simple, beautifully written characters reading ¡°Scenery of Lixian¡±. Upon opening the first page, there was a color photograph. The pristine grasnd, herds of cattle and sheep. A cluster of por trees with a backdrop of clear, meandering streams,pletely overturning the public¡¯s impression of the Xibei Autonomous Region. The concept certainly pleased Nie Zhenbang, as such a photo was great, fully showcasing the natural beauty and resources of Lixian. However, the title of the brochure, ¡°Lixian Scenery¡±, was toomon and didn¡¯t highlight Lixian¡¯s theme. The point of attending the uing Canton Fair was to promote Lixian and attract investment. ¡®Lixian scenery¡¯ does not seem appropriate, it gives the impression that it is promoting tourism. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang picked up a pen, circled the title, and wrote alongside, ¡°The title ¡®Lixian Scenery¡¯ gives the impression of promoting tourism. I suggest that the Bureau should emphasize the theme, perhaps using phrases like ¡®Lixian Investment Guide¡¯, ¡®Lixian Investment Brochure¡¯ etc. Wouldn¡¯t that be more appropriate? Nie Zhenbang.¡± The flowing, elegant handwriting stood out. The second page contained a full text introducing the history, cultural background, and natural resources of Lixian, focusing on the Li County Development Zone. At this moment, Yi Jun came out of the small kitchen with a bowl of egg noodles and carefully ced it on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk, saying, ¡°Director, your noodles are ready. You may want to eat before continuing with the document.¡± Watching Nie Zhenbang eat, Yi Jun hesitated, remaining silent for a moment before abruptly asking, ¡°Director, may I ask you something?¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was slightly taken aback but thenughed and said, ¡°Xiaoyi, what¡¯s gotten into you today? Why are you stuttering? If there¡¯s anything you want to say, just say it. Don¡¯t you know my character by now after all this time?¡± Just now, while boiling noodles, Yi Jun had been contemting this matter. As a secretary, he felt that in addition to being obedient to his superiors, he sometimes needed to appropriately remind them of things. Doing so could not only showcase his usefulness but also ensure, to the greatest extent possible, that his superiors would not make any major mistakes. Moreover, Yi Jun was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character. He knew that Nie wasn¡¯t the kind of leader who couldn¡¯t tolerate even the slightest bit of criticism. If his words were justified, Yi Jun believed that Nie would ept them. Quickly, heposed his thoughts and then turned to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Director, were you and County Mayor Yan in the city all day yesterday?¡± Hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang understood what Yi Jun was getting at, andughed, ¡°Xiaoyi, have you also started meditating like those gossipy women? All that fuss over nothing. Yesterday, I did indeed go with County Mayor Yan to Bazhou City. However, it¡¯s not as you might think. End of discussion. I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± As soon as the afternoon shiftmenced, Nie Zhenbang went through the documents that had piled up from the morning. At this moment, Yi Jun walked in from outside and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Director, the head of the Investment Promotional Bureau, Mr. Fan, is here.¡± Upon hearing that Fan Zhenming had arrived, Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Perfect timing, there¡¯s something I need to discuss with him. Let hime in.¡± As soon as Fan Zhenming entered the office, heughed and greeted Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Director Nie! The sample for the investment brochure of Lixian is ready. You¡¯re the expert in some areas, so please help guide us.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and signaled for Fan Zhenming to sit on the sofa, then, plunging directly into the topic, he said, ¡°Mr. Fan, earlier I looked over the draft of your brochure. Overall, you¡¯re on the right track. The details about the natural scenery, environment, and unique location advantages of Lixian are all well-ced and clear, easily-convenient for potential investors. However, when ites to detailing the local resources of Lixian, for instance, the abundant livestock resources. The number of cattle and sheep presently avable, annual product and fur production, as well as other mineral resources, etc. are somewhatcking in data. This time, our main goal is to attract investors. We need to show our sincerity and reflect the various advantages of Lixian. Only in this way, can we attract people and drive investment. Empty descriptions do little to whet investors¡¯ interest. Additionally, a mere brochure may not be enough. I suggest printing separate colored promotional pages based on the different categories. These should include an overview of Lixian, separate sections about our investment policy, livestock resources, mineral resources, etc. This way, investors will immediately get a sense of our professionalism and be able to perceive the importance Lixian County Party Committee and County Government attach to enticing investment and creating a favorable investment environment.¡± As Nie Zhenbang spoke, Fan Zhenming took notes. After Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, an expression of admiration appeared on Fan Zhenming¡¯s face. Then, Fan Zhenmingughed and said, ¡°Director, I have to admit that I underestimated you. Previously, I heard talk of Lixian¡¯s capable, promising young Director and presumed it was exaggeration. Now, I realize my folly. Compared to you, I feel as though you should be the one heading the Investment Promotion Bureau.¡± At this, Nie Zhenbangughed. He had not expected that Fan Zhenming, known for hispetence and pragmatism, would be such an aplished tterer. tterers fall into many categories. The basest among them offer emptypliments devoid of substance ¨C such words, once heard frequently enough, simply induceughter. However, the likes of Fan Zhenming, who masterfully manipte human psychology by using the backhandedpliment technique, provide a boost to pride and self-esteem. Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Haha, Mr. Fan, enough with the ttery. Next, I want to advise you on something.¡± Nie Zhenbang handed the sample back to Fan Zhenming and continued, ¡°The phrase ¡®Scenery of Lixian¡¯ seems tock something. Our focus is on attracting investment. I suggest changing it to ¡®Investment Guide to Lixian¡¯ or ¡®Impression of Lixian¡¯. This would be both simple and direct, conveying a pragmatic spirit and attitude. All right, Mr. Fan, hurry back and make the changes. Then, let me review it one more time before we officiallymence printing.¡± Just as Fan was about to leave, the phone on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk rang. He answered the call and appeared rxed, but quickly his face took on a serious expression, ¡°County Mayor Yan, are you serious? Are you certain this isn¡¯t a joke? Okay, immediately notify the colleagues from the Development Zone. We need to hold an immediate meeting in the small conference room at the County Government Office.¡± After hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang looked grave. He turned to Fan Zhenming and said, ¡°Mr. Fan, I¡¯ve just received an urgent message from County Mayor Yan. There¡¯s a problem with the investment project. Don¡¯t head back to the Investment Promotion Bureau. Come directly to the small conference room with me for a meeting.¡± PS: Congrattions to Dragon¡¯s Son Yi for bing the new guardian of this book. The second update is here; I will continue writing. I am requesting support through monthly votes. My goal is to reach a total of 2000 votes today. Can my brothers and sisters fulfill this small wish? Chapter 213: Heading to Yuedong (Ten more explosive, third more)_1 Chapter 213: Heading to Yuedong (Ten more explosive, third more)_1 Trantor: 549690339 County Committee, inside the small meeting room At this moment, the atmosphere in the meeting room was somewhat heavy. Yang Zhengping and Gao Yuanshan had both rushed back directly from the construction site in the development zone. In the northwestern region, summer was scorching hot. At this moment, Yang Zhengping was not satisfied even when the electric fan was turned on. He was still holding a straw hat and fanning himself asionally. Looking at the deputy director of the Investment Promotion Bureau, Li Yan, next to him, Yang Zhengping asked in a low voice, ¡°Director Li, what¡¯s going on? What happened to Nie Lao Da today? He suddenly summoned all of us back.¡± Now, in the Lixian County Government, the officials below have given Nie Zhenbang a nickname, Nie Lao Da, indicating that Nie Zhenbang is undoubtedly the boss of the county government. Li Yan was also a bit puzzled at this moment. When he received the notice, he was on his way to Bazhou. Li Yan was nning to go to the Bazhou City TV Station to collect the video recording of the groundbreaking ceremony of the Farmer Welfare Company. Unexpectedly, a phone call came in and directly summoned him back. Fortunately, he hadn¡¯t gone far. Otherwise, Li Yan would not have made it in time. Hearing Yang Zhengping¡¯s question, Li Yan shook his head and whispered, ¡°Secretary Yang, I¡¯m also confused. I was just less than five kilometers out of the county city, preparing for a trip to the city, but I had to turn around ande back.¡± At this moment, Bayaer, deputy head of Li County government, Li Lin, Yan Fengjiao, as well as executive deputy head Bekri walked into the room with solemn faces. Lastly, Nie Zhenbang came in with the head of the Investment Promotion Bureau, Fan Zhenming. He nced around at everyone. Nie Zhenbang said in a deep voice, ¡°Colleagues who smoke, please put out your cigarettes first. I have an urgent message to share.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words stunned Bekri and others. The fact that people smoked during meetings was not unusual, especially in the regr meetings of the County Committee, which were typically filled with cigarette smoke. The county government, though, typically took turns smoking out of consideration for the two female deputy heads. Nie Zhenbang had never interfered with this before. Sometimes, he would even light up a cigarette himself. Today, however, he requested that they put out their cigarettes, which seemed rather peculiar. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, everyone sat up straighter and waited for Nie Zhenbang to speak. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang looked at Yan Fengjiao and said, ¡°County Mayor Yan, you¡¯ve been in charge of this matter. Why don¡¯t you exin it?¡± At the sound of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, all eyes turned to Yan Fengjiao. Today, Yan Fengjiao had changed her attire. Although sportswear was fine for casual asions after work, formal attire was more appropriate for such formal asions. After pondering for a moment, Yan Fengjiao began, ¡°Director Nie, fellow leaders andrades, I proposed the idea of participating in the Canton Fair. After that, I was specifically responsible for maintaining contact with the organizers of the Canton Fair, and through the liaison from the Bazhou office in Yuedong. Recently, I directly connected with the Canton Fair Organizers and exined our situation to them. Their reply was that they had never before had a county government unit participate in the fair, and that our promotion was not for local specialties from Lixian, but for investment promotion. Therefore, they found it very difficult to amodate us. They agreed to give us a response during this period. This afternoon, I received a call from them, and their implying they were unable to provide us with an exhibition space.¡± Seeing that everyone was stunned, Yan Fengjiao added, ¡°In other words, our trip to the Canton Fair may not be possible.¡± As Yan Fengjiao¡¯s words fell, the meeting room was immediately filled with a flurry of discussion. This period had been busy for the county government, especially the development zone and the investment promotion bureau, as they were all working around this matter. Having spent nearly a month¡¯s time and a considerable amount of manpower and materials, they had evenpleted the sample manuscript. But to suddenly receive the news that the trip was not going to happen naturally caused an uproar. Yan Fengjiao¡¯s expression was also not very good. After all, she was the one who proposed the idea. Although it was Nie Zhenbang who finally gave the go-ahead, since she was the one who solicited the idea, it could be imagined how she felt after all the work done around this matter suddenly seemed to have gone in vain. ¡°Director Nie,rades, let me say a few words.¡± At this moment, Bayaer spoke in a calming tone. Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Bayaer nodded and said, ¡°Regarding the Canton Fair, honestly, I was not in agreement from the beginning. The Canton Fair is a nationally renowned trade fair, primarily catering to big entities. The inclusion of a single county causes logistical difficulties for the organizers. I believe it¡¯s better to be down-to-earth and try to attract as much investment as possible through various city offices and institutions.¡± Upon hearing these remarks, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brows too. It wasn¡¯t because of Bayaer¡¯s attack on Yan Fengjiao. From his experience, a person like Bayaer is not rare in government offices. Always looking cheerful during routine days, extremely polite to everyone. However, whenever there¡¯s an issue, they would hurriedly jump out ming one person after another, behaving as if they¡¯re the only ones right in the entire world. Yan Fengjiao¡¯s countenance didn¡¯t look good. However, at this point, all she could do was to endure it. After all, it was hard to deny her own share of responsibility in the current state of things. Bekri, on the side, took the initiative to speak, ¡°Comrade Bayaer, I think your remarks are somewhat excessive, bordering on making a mountain out of a molehill. Initially, Mayor Yan did propose the idea, which went through collective discussion. As I remember, you also voted in favor, didn¡¯t you? So, how did it turn out to be Mayor Yan¡¯s fault now?¡± Currently, Bayaer handles the works concerning science, education, culture, and public health in the county government. Even though he was third in rank and seniority after Bekri, these were the most marginalized tasks. But Bayaer¡¯s remarks seemed to add insult to injury. Watching the dialogue between Bekri and Bayaer unfold, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brows even further. Such a situation urring among the members of the county government was definitely an rming sign. They must restrain it, or their future tasks would be hindered by internal disputes. Then, Nie Zhenbang took a sip of tea and said, ¡°Enough, it¡¯s all in the past. Let¡¯s not argue about who was right or wrong.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words instantly caused both Bekri and Bayaer to fall silent. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s authority was undoubted. Who would dare to seize the financial power of the county party secretary or go into the earthquake center? Today, in Lixian, whether among officials or the general popce, Nie Zhenbang has an awe-inspiring presence because he single-handedly nned the grandndscape of Lixian. After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Let¡¯s leave the past behind and focus on our current issue. Now that the trade fair has rejected us, what should we do? How should we proceed? Feel free to share your thoughts and suggestions.¡± ¡°County Mayor, I think since we have started, we should continue. ¡®If a journey of a hundred miles is undertaken, then ny miles is only half-way.¡¯ We¡¯ve made a lot of progress already and all we¡¯recking is the final step. Giving up just because the trade fair refused us would mean wasting a lot of manpower and resources if we were to start again. This would be uneconomical. It¡¯s better to continue andplete the investment guide of Lixian. Even if it won¡¯t be used this time, it wille in handy at some other point.¡± Fan Zhenming has been pondering over this issue ever since hearing about their rejection from the trade fair. As soon as Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Fan Zhenming offered his opinion. Li Lin, sitting beside them, also rarely spoke out, ¡°County Mayor, I agree with Director Fan¡¯s opinion. Since the preliminary work is almost finished, I also support the continuation.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also nodded, ¡°Hmm, both Director Fan and Mayor Li have made excellent suggestions. We have to continue. Moreover¡­¡± Upon saying this, Nie Zhenbang stood up, looking resolute, ¡°Director Fan, let¡¯s try to expedite the process. We have one month. Do your best toplete the promotional materials as soon as possible. Despite the rejection, we should still attend the trade fair. If they don¡¯t wish for us to participate, should we just drop it? Let¡¯s go and see. Given the high footfall at the trade fair, we can conduct the promotion somewhere outside and would still achieve satisfactory results.¡± Once Nie Zhenbang had spoken, people like Fan Zhenming sprang into action. A month psed swiftly. Now, it was already autumn. In the season of golden and fragrant Osmanthus in October, Wal-Mart Group¡¯s hotel in Lixian City hadpletednd leveling and foundation work after two months, and the construction project was underway. The first batch of Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s products were exported directly to the Middle East by Liu Kun. After the Gulf War, Lao Sa had seen better days. Given his connection with Nie Zhenbang, Liu Kun¡¯s visit was received with great enthusiasm. Lao Sa was overjoyed with the hefty export of mutton, to the extent that he almost granted Liu Kun citizenship. Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang and Li County Government had also prepared for the departure. This time, apart from Nie Zhenbang leading the team himself, Yan Fengjiao, the Chairperson of the Administrative Committee, was bound to apany them. Furthermore, Deputy Chairperson Gao Yuanshan, Investment Promotion Bureau¡¯s Director Fan Zhenming and Li Yan, apanied by Yi Jun, Secretary Huyan Apo of Yan Fengjiao, along with some staff members of the Investment Promotion Bureau, a total of seventeen people, gathered in a grand procession at the main entrance of the county government office courtyard. At this moment, Zhang Chubin personally rushed over. The news about the refusal of Lixian Government by the trade fair had already spread throughout Lixian. But Nack was determined to go, and at this moment, Zhang Chubin seemed to treat the matter somewhat lightly. ¡°Director Nie, your trip is all-important for Lixian¡¯s development. Here, I wish you a smooth journey,¡± Zhang Chubin said warmly, shaking hands with Nie Zhenbang. Smiling faintly, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, I¡¯m leaving everything at home to you. Just wait for some good news from me.¡± (To be continued. If you like this novel, pleasee to Qidian ) to support it with your rmendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 214: Being Despised (Ten more explosive, fourth more)_1 Chapter 214: Being Despised (Ten more explosive, fourth more)_1 Trantor: 549690339 The nended slowly at Yuezhou Airport. Nie Zhenbang was no stranger to Yuedong, it was the Ye Family¡¯s turf and the ce where the old man had started his career. His leap from deputy department level to deputy ministry level began right here in Yuedong. ¡°Xiaoyi, take a few people and arrange for a few taxis outside. Let¡¯s get to a hotel near the exhibition first. We¡¯re not in a rush, we have two days before the exhibition. After settling down, we¡¯ll look for the organisers and try to arrange a booth for us.¡± Nie Zhenbang also pushed a suitcase, giving orders to Yi Jun by his side. Nowadays, Yi Jun is the deputy director of the county government office. Nie Zhenbang is thinking of fostering him intensively. This time, the team from Lixian wasrge and carried a lot of stuff. Apart from the data on livestock farming, and mining, some of the carefully selected specialty agricultural products from Lixian, including desert dates, red dates, watermelons, fragrant pears, and grapes, which are all specialty products from Lixian, with desert watermelons and fragrant pears making up the pir industries of the county¡¯s agriculture. Fan Zhenming held the idea that it¡¯s better to make a mistake than to miss an opportunity. Since they¡¯vee, they might as well bring everything. If it worked out, it would be a pleasant surprise. If not, it was still good publicity. Because they had so much luggage, they called for ten taxis. Only then could all the luggage be amodated. The Exhibition Center for the Canton Fair was located right by the Yuezhou train station. After finding a room at the Lihua Hotel nearby, Nie Zhenbang proposed to Yan Fengjiao and Fan Zhenming: ¡°County Mayor Yan, Old Fan, shall we go over to the exhibition center and see if we can secure a booth for us?¡± Next to the exhibition hall was an office of about sixty square meters. This was the office of the Canton Fair set up on-site, responsible for the preparation, nning, and exnation of the entire exhibition. When Nie Zhenbang, Yan Fengjiao, Fan Zhenming, and Yi Jun arrived, it was just after office hours. At this moment, two people, a man and a woman, were whispering something in the office. As soon as Nie Zhenbang walked in and knocked on the office door, the young man looked up, seemingly annoyed that Nie Zhenbang had interrupted him and grumbled in a low voice, ¡°What do you want? Come backter. We¡¯re not open yet.¡± The man¡¯s tone made Nie Zhenbang frown. He felt that the staff should be on duty by now. It was understandable if they were a few minuteste, but the attitude and ent of the man were concerning. He was speaking in Cantonese, which demonstrated ack of respect, as most people here were from out of town and came specifically for the exhibition. They may not even understand Cantonese. If it weren¡¯t for Nie Zhenbang having lived in Yuedong before, he might not haveprehended those sentences.¡± ¡°Comrade, can¡¯t you speak Mandarin? Besides, it¡¯s office hours now. Isn¡¯t this ce supposed to operate on the national schedule?¡± Nie Zhenbang frowned and retorted. The man seemed ready to get angry, but hisdy friend held him back and whispered to him, ¡°The visitor is not wrong. Be more polite. They came all the way here. It wasn¡¯t easy.¡± The two seemed to be in a romantic rtionship. Softened by his girlfriend¡¯s words, the man switched to Mandarin and said, ¡°Are you here for the exhibition? Please wait, Director Wang is in charge of this. All booth rentals must be personally approved by him. But you¡¯re toote. The event is about to start, all other enterprises have already started setting up their booths.¡± ¡°Xiao Lin, what¡¯s going on? There is a crowd at the door.¡± At this moment, an authoritative voice came from outside the door. County Mayor Yan and others had already cleared a path. A middle-aged man with a slightly reddened face, seemingly due to intoxication, walked in from outside. Seeing Nie Zhenbang and others, he furrowed his brows and said to Lin, ¡°What are these people doing here? They¡¯re crowding the ce.¡± Xiao Lin, the young man who initially showed a poor attitude, was extremely respectful in front of his superior and replied, ¡°Director Wang, they¡¯re here to inquire about booth rentals.¡± Hearing this, Director Wang immediately refused without giving it a second thought, ¡°There are no booths left. Do you see the time? Do you really think there would still be booths avable now? Don¡¯t even think about it. Come earlier next year.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang frowned at Director Wang¡¯s arrogant attitude. This was indicative of the strong demand for booths at the Canton Fair. However, a few decadester, with the increase in trade fairs across China, the Canton Fair may not hold this much sway. What Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t expected was Yan Fengjiao speaking up at this moment: ¡°Director Wang, hello. We¡¯vee from Northwest. I¡¯m Yan Fengjiao from Lixian, Bazhou in the Northwest. We spoke on the phonest time. As you can see, we¡¯ve alreadye here. Could you possibly make some concessions for us and find a space for us in the exhibition hall? Even a small area would suffice.¡± Upon hearing these words, Director Wang¡¯s brow furrowed, he quickly lost his temper and said: ¡°Why don¡¯t you people from Lixian get the message? When I say no, I mean no. Why aren¡¯t you listening? Do you think I¡¯m trying to trick you? There¡¯s no room for negotiating about the exhibition hall. Tell me, what¡¯s going on with a government unit getting involved?¡± By this time, more and more staff had entered the office. Seeing Nie Zhenbang and his party, they pointed and whispered amongst themselves. Many staff members began to gossip quietly on the side: ¡°From the Northwest? The government is participating in the exhibition too?¡± ¡°Hehe, they are probably people from small rural ces. They clearly don¡¯t understand how the trade fair works. They think governmental involvement means they can just muscle their way in, how audacious. Director Wang always says what he means; they¡¯vee on a fool¡¯s errand this time.¡± Yan Fengjiao¡¯s face began to show signs of anxiety. This operation was initially her proposal, all the preparations were made, and now they were here. In her eyes, her n was only being supported by Nie Zhenbang. Hence, Fengjiao was determined to make an effort too. She pleaded again: ¡°Director Wang, please, grant us an exhibition stand. Make things easier for us. We¡¯vee all the way from the Northwest. It took us three days just to get here by train. It really wasn¡¯t easy for us. Can you bear to let us go back empty-handed?¡± Yan Fengjiao spoke softly. Director Wang finally turned around. He only now saw Yan Fengjiao properly and upon seeing her, his facial expression altered. With a smile on his face, he stretched out his hand and said: ¡°Xiao Yan, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to arrange it for you; it¡¯s just that there¡¯s no such precedent at the trade fair. How about I consult again?¡± At this moment, Director Wang was sping Yan Fengjiao¡¯s hand. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang found it somewhat amusing ¨C this man wasn¡¯t trying to hide his style at all. Yan Fengjiao smoothly withdrew her hand. As a beauty within the bureaucratic circles, she had often dealt with harassment and knew how to react in situations like this. As soon as she freed her hand, Director Wang¡¯s face changed. His expression bing disgruntled. Wasn¡¯t she disrespecting him? His mood darkened instantly, and looking at Yan Fengjiao he spoke: ¡°Xiao Yan, I suggest you go back home. We can¡¯t facilitate you this time. However, I heard that there will be a Yuedong trade fair here tomorrow. It is a brand new event. You coulde and check it out then. But your cecks levels and is rather small in scale. If you were attending on behalf of Bazhou City, that would be excellent.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang also felt infuriated. From the moment they arrived, they had been berated by Lin. Now they were being slighted by Director Wang. Nie Zhenbang was not someone to throw a fit or pull strings for something like this, but he would also not stoop to beg. It was a matter of principle. He said firmly: ¡°County Mayor Yan, let¡¯s leave. I don¡¯t believe we can¡¯t find a way without an exhibition stand. If we can¡¯t get in the hall, we will rent a ce outside and make our presence known. I believe this will not be a wasted effort.¡± As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words fell, the entire office remained stunned. This young man was bold. In all the years they had been organising the trade fair, they had never met such an audacious person. Everyone who came was usually cautious, vying for a better, cheaper exhibition stand. But this man was openly challenging them. Wasn¡¯t this immediately challenging Director Wang? At this moment, Director Wang¡¯s expression transformed, he said sternly: ¡°Xiao Yan, this junior from your county has a rather big mouth. It¡¯s true that there are rental storefronts outside the exhibition hall, but they are usually booked a month in advance. There¡¯s likely no ce now. And, this junior of yours, the leaders haven¡¯t even spoken, yet you¡¯re getting so angry. This is uneptable, there¡¯s no respect for hierarchy.¡± ¡°Who are you suggestingcks respect for hierarchy? This is our County Mayor Nie Zhenbang.¡± At this moment, Yi Jun also stood up. The humiliation of his superior was his own humiliation. And he wasn¡¯t one to back down.¡± Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, scoffed, and said: ¡°Is that so? In that case, I will set up in the open square in front of your exhibition hall. I don¡¯t believe we havee here for nothing.¡± Watching Nie Zhenbang and his party leaving, Director Wang¡¯s face darkened. The office staff began to gossip quietly about this young County Mayor Nie Zhenbang undoubtedly disying an attitude. Director Wang turned his head and sternly said: ¡°What is there to discuss, shouldn¡¯t you be getting back to work? Lin, after the exhibition starts tomorrow, you will lead a team to patrol the entire venue. If you see this group, drive them away immediately. They¡¯re so out of line.¡± PS: I can¡¯t remember how long it¡¯s been since myst all-nighter. Just to be safe if I fall asleep, I¡¯ll set up auto-updates. I seek your monthly ticket support. Brothers and sisters, let¡¯s work hard together. Chapter 215: Super Large Exhibition Stand (Ten more explosive, fifth more)_1 Chapter 215: Super Large Exhibition Stand (Ten more explosive, fifth more)_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°County Mayor, it¡¯s exactly as Director Wang said. We¡¯ve searched all around the trade fair pavilion. In the words of the people from Yuedong, all the stalls had been rented out a month or even several months ahead of time, even those tin houses behind the pavilion. Now, there aren¡¯t any stalls avable.¡± Fan Zhenming, drenched in sweat from exhaustion, walked in from outside. In Yuedong, October is still rather hot, especially around noon. Observing Fan Zhenming¡¯s condition, Nie Zhenbang chuckled and rose to serve him a cup of cold tea,forting him, ¡°Old Fan, it¡¯s anticipated. I¡¯ve seen it, don¡¯t bother searching any more, it¡¯s futile.¡± In thest couple of days, the officials from Li County practically roamed all around the pavilion. But the stall spots outside were either all taken or exorbitantly priced. They asionally found a vacant spot, but the rent was sky-high. Tens of thousands for one month scared off our Li County officials. Li County¡¯s finance was indeed in good shape, but the money was earmarked for county development, every cent was precious. Naturally, Nie Zhenbang was unwilling to part with so much money. On October 15, the trade fair officiallymenced. Manufacturers and businessmen from across the country gathered here. The vast square in front of the pavilion was packed with visitors. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s entourage, bearing sacks and packages with plenty of items, also arrived at the square. Looking at the crowd, Nie Zhenbang promptly set down the things they carried and announced, ¡°Let¡¯s make do here. This is the primary entrance of the exhibition, where human traffic is dense, and the effect is good.¡± They unfolded several tables. Below the tables, a banner was hung bearing arge caption, ¡®Northwest Ba State Li County People¡¯s Government Wees You¡¯. Another banner below read, ¡®Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone Wees Investors¡¯. At the same time, the employees of the Investment Bureau began setting up the exquisite brochures and specialty products they brought along. As soon as these materials wereid out, they immediately drew several businessmen to stop and gaze. It had to be admitted that the development of Li County indeed held enormous advantages. As soon as the mammoth picture of the pasture was set up, someone inquired, ¡°Li County has such good pastures? Are there many people breeding dairy cows there?¡± County Mayor Yan Fengjiao, Yi Jun, and even Nie Zhenbang himself, were all at the frontline, assuming the role of guides. Nie Zhenbang jovially mentioned, ¡°Currently, we have roughly 17 million acres of pasturnd in Li County, of which about 10 million acres are put to use. The Northwest Water Resources Department has tentatively nned to construct arge reservoir in our county. Backed by abundant water resources, the pasturnd area can be further expanded, and dairy farming, which is part of our n. If you are interested, you can take one of the brochures.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the manughed and approvingly nodded, ¡°You¡¯re doing amendable job. Unlike some other ces, where they get haughty. You¡¯re so diligent and dedicated, your leadership should promote you.¡± Upon hearing the man¡¯sment, Yi Jun alsoughed and replied, ¡°Comrade, you¡¯ve made a mistake. This is our County Mayor. If he¡¯s promoted further, he¡¯ll have to move to the city.¡± Yi Jun¡¯s words surprised many of the previously quiet bystanders. A young County Mayor was a first-time sight for them, though no one was overly shocked. After all, it was not umon for officials to get promoted quickly in poverty-stricken regions like Xibei. But their outlook on Li County underwent a paradigm shift. With such a dedicated leader, investing in Li County appeared promising. ¡°This Li County, they seem alright. The County Mayor even came out personally. They value investors so highly. There are also three million acres of wild licorice resources, it would be worth it to set up a branch factory there.¡± Thisment came from the owner of a medicinal herb manufacturing business who was attending the exhibition. Another businessman at the side agreed with a nod, ¡°Hmm, I see it simrly. In these current times, we investors are pestered by many for bribes and kickbacks. This ce has implemented a three-free two-halves policy, this means they can reduce our tax pressures significantly. There won¡¯t be any harm in checking it out.¡± At this point, Lin from the Pavilion¡¯s office brought along four or five security guards and started marching straight towards them. Ever since Nie Zhenbang voiced his firm deration in the officest time, Director Wang passed the message down and Lin took charge. As the pavilion opened in the morning, Lin led the team in making a full round of the pavilion. Observing nothing unusual, they assumed that these people would not arrive. They did not anticipate that when they returned, they found a swarm of people gathered on the za. As he approached, the banner of Li County came into Lin¡¯s sight. Suddenly, Lin¡¯s face darkened. He walked up and said loudly, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What are you doing? Why did you set up here in the square? People areing and going, it¡¯s already quite crowded. If everyone does what you did, wouldn¡¯t it be chaotic?¡± Upon seeing Lin, Yan Fengjiao immediately went to greet him. This was not the time to exercise governmental restraint. Although he was a government official, he was from Xibei, not Yuedong. Even if he were from Yuedong Province, would others disregard their obligations towards him? Under such circumstances, it was better for Yan Fengjiao defend her actions. Stepping up to Lin, sheughed and said, ¡°Comrade Lin, please be more understanding. We traveled a long way from Xibei and it hasn¡¯t been easy. Let us stay here for two hours, just two hours, then we will leave. We will leave before the lunchtime rush to avoid causing any trouble.¡± This was just Yan Fengjiao¡¯s attempt to buy more time. Staying for two hours was better than leaving immediately. Yet, Lin¡¯s facial expression changed at this. Director Wang had specifically ordered that these people had to leave. Although Yan Fengjiao¡¯s story was pitiful and Lin himself didn¡¯t think it was a big deal, an order is an order. He frowned and said, ¡°Who¡¯s yourrade? What¡¯s going on? Can we really bargain about this? This isn¡¯t a vegetable market. Hurry up and leave. You¡¯re disrupting traffic.¡± Just as he finished speaking, Yan Fengjiao¡¯s secretary, Huyan Apo, stepped forward. The double surname Huyan was unusual, but there were many famous people in history with it. Huyan Apo was about the same age as Yi Jun. He was assigned to the secretary¡¯s office of Li County Government, and now he had be Yan Fengjiao¡¯s secretary, a great leap forward for his career. ¡°Director Lin, please look at the matter from our point of view as well. County Mayor Yan had good intentions. We came from a poor area in Xibei, it¡¯s not easy for us. Please be more understanding. Director Lin, let me invite you to a simple dinner tonight?¡± Huyan Apo was quite tactful, when sweet words didn¡¯t work, he immediately tried temptation. Upon hearing this, Lin started to hesitate. Technically, they all belonged to the same system, even though they were from different ces. Seeing each other should be like seeing friends. There were indeed quite a few people setting up stalls outside, but it was Director Wang¡¯s specific instructions this time. Just as he was about to agree, a different voice came from behind, ¡°Lin, what the heck is going on? Quite a few merchants have reported to me about this already. What were you doing? Can¡¯t you even handle a small matter like this? Rules are rules, are we just abandoning them now?¡± Looking back, Director Wang was walking over with a gloomy face. Seeing Nie Zhenbang and others¡¯ stalls, he ced his hands behind his back, looking somewhat like a leader. He red at Nie Zhenbang and said in a deep voice, ¡°What you guys are doing? Are officials from Xibei now excused from following rules? You¡¯re undermining our work. Leave, leave now. It¡¯ll be embarrassing for everyone if we have our people clear this ce.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt really helpless. Director Wang had the upper hand in terms of principle. ording to the rules of the fair, setting up a stall here was not allowed. If they allowed this, others would follow suit, causing chaos. Although Nie Zhenbang knew that Director Wang was partly settling personal scores, he had no recourse and could only swallow the bitter pill. Resorting to using connections now would make Nie Zhenbang seem petty. Moreover, if he called in favors every time a problem arose, wouldn¡¯t it make him seem ipetent? After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang turned to Yan Fengjiao and others and said, ¡°County Mayor Yan, Old Fan, inform the others to pack up. We¡¯re leaving. We shouldn¡¯t make it difficult for ourrades in Bazhou City.¡± Just at that moment, on the edge of the square, a convoy slowly pulled up. Behind the police car, a group of official-looking people got out of a Toyota Coaster business vehicle. Upon seeing this, Director Wang froze. He said to Nie Zhenbang and others, ¡°Hold on. Don¡¯t dismantle your stalls yet. Let¡¯s wait until after the inspection. Help me out here, and you can stay for a day tomorrow.¡± At this moment, when Nie Zhenbang saw the leading official, he justughed. Looking at Director Wang, he said, ¡°Director Wang, I¡¯m truly sorry, but I can¡¯t agree to that. We n to go back tomorrow. Let¡¯s just clear out our stall. However, if you can find us a space inside the exhibition hall, I can cooperate with you a bit.¡± Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t afraid of any future retaliation from Director Wang. Setting up outside definitely wasn¡¯t a big deal. If it really were dismantled, it would only attract attention, leaving Director Wang unable to evade responsibility. This was an excellent opportunity to ask for more in return, and Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t going to let it slip by. (To be continued. If you like this novel, I wee you to to vote and rmend it. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 216: The County Mayor is Awesome (Ten more to explode, the sixth more)_1 Chapter 216: The County Mayor is Awesome (Ten more to explode, the sixth more)_1 Trantor:549690339 Director Wang had a dark look on his face, his eyes on Nie Zhenbang, somewhat irritated. This young county head, truly had audacity. How dare he pull this stunt at such a time. He watched as Guo Donghai, a member of the Yuedong Province CPC Committee, Deputy Secretary of the CPC Provincial Committee, and Governor of the Yuedong Provincial People¡¯s Government, was currently nearing with thepany of Fu Xiaobin, a member of the Yuedong Province CPC Committee and Secretary of the Yuedong City CPC Committee. If these Northwesterners started packing up their booth at this moment, it would undoubtedly draw attention. When that happened, Governor Guo would certainly ask, and the young county head in front of him would probably say something abut setting up a booth. However, simr promotional booths have also been set up elsewhere on the square. What could he say then? Should he im that he collected money for those booths too? That would mean he would be forced into disgorging the money he pocketed. On this thought, Director Wang harshly dered: ¡°Fine, I agree.¡± Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, began to smile. He then directed his words to Yan Fengjiao and others beside him: ¡°County Mayor Yan, tell our friends to be alert and work hard. We must not bring disgrace upon our Northwestern officials while in Yuedong Province.¡± As for the look on Director Wang¡¯s face, Nie Zhenbang did not care less about it. If one dares to y tricks with him, then it is an entirely different story because Nie Zhenbang has recognized a familiar face. Meanwhile, as Director Wang was in a state of apprehension, Guo Donghai and Fu Xiaobin had already made their approach. While walking, the two asionally exchanged whispers, with Guo Donghai frequently nodding. As soon as he saw the booth in front of him, his gaze swept across the area, eventually falling on Nie Zhenbang. In response, Guo Donghai walked over. Neither the merchants around the area, Director Wang, nor all the officials from Lixian expected that the Governor of Yuedong Province would take the initiative to approach and say to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Zhenbang, you are in Yuedong and have not visited Uncle Guo¡¯s house. Is there any dissatisfaction with Uncle Guo?¡± Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Guo Donghai quickly grasped Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intentions. Years ago, Guo Donghai established a rtionship with the Nie family through his son, Guo Ming. Now, Guo Donghai is a prominent figure in the Nie Faction. Along with Governor Liang, who is far-off in Caoyuan Province, and Nie Guowei of Yanbei, they are the primary members of the Nie Faction in the government, echoing from a distance with Nie Guodong in the military. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s posting in the Northwest was well known to Guo Donghai. This unexpected meeting with Nie Zhenbang in Yuedong, particrly with a delegation of Northwestern officials present, revealed to Guo Donghai that Nie Zhenbang was on a mission. Furthermore, observing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current condition, Guo Donghai could tell he was probably here for the trade fair. Therefore, Guo Donghai intentionally revealed his rtionship with Nie Zhenbang. Hearing Guo Donghai¡¯s words, Director Wang was silently resenting Nie Zhenbang. This vile man had such connections all along; why would he try to keep a low profile? A direct call to Governor Guo should have sufficed, and it wouldn¡¯t have been an issue to arrange for a booth or even an exclusive show. At this moment, Director Wang no longer desired to confront Nie Zhenbang. Such a figure, who even the province¡¯s second-inmand warmly weed, was definitely not someone he could afford to offend. On the side, Fu Xiaobin, Secretary of the City CPC Committee of Yuedong, was also taken aback. Zhenbang? Nie Faction? It was no secret in all of Yuedong that Guo Donghai was knitted into the Nie Faction. Back when Guo Donghai was recently promoted to Governor, his rtionship with Nie Guowei was extremely close. Thinking of this, Fu Xiaobin appeared to recall an incident from the past. At that time, he was just a Deputy Secretary of the CPC Committee in the city of Yuedong, and the Deputy Secretary of Nanhai City seemed to have been torn down by the Nie family. Back then, Xue Ligong, the CPC Provincial Secretary, had personally rushed to Nanhai City to handle that incident. Pondering this, Fu Xiaobin was astonished. Nie Zhenbang was a genuine progeny of the Nie family. He was the son of Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian, a person taken care of by both the Nie and Ye ns. Upon this realization, Fu Xiaobin did not dare to be negligent and promptly smiled, saying: ¡°Comrade Nie, are you also here to attend the trade fair?¡± Without waiting for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reply, Director Wang had already stepped forward, smiling as he said: ¡°Governor Guo, Secretary. County Director Nie and his party arrived a bitte. Traditionally, the trade fair has not had a precedent for governmental bodies participating. However, considering the harsh conditions and difficulties in economic development in the Northwest Region, we are actively cooperating and coordinating. We are currently preparing to use the backup exhibition hall. For the time being, we must work under the fierce sun.¡± Director Wang was a clever man. By framing it this way, not only did he avoid trouble, but he also seemed to be actively coordinating efforts. However, Nie Zhenbang was not nning to expose Director Wang at this moment. If he were topletely tear apart their rtionship, although Director Wang wouldn¡¯te out of it unscathed, it would also give Fu Xiaobin, the Party Secretary of Yuedong city, an impression of him being relentless and unforgiving. It¡¯s best not to unnecessarily make enemies over trivial matters that don¡¯t impact the bigger picture. Consequently, Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile, ¡°Uncle Guo, Secretary Fu, your Yuedong cadres are indeed more forward-thinking than those in ourndlocked provinces. I really have to thank Director Wang for his coordination this time. Our trip was arranged in a rush and ourmunication was dyed. I was truly worried that we might have had made the trip in vain. It seems we chose the right ce.¡± A p followed by a date; this was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strategy. Being a smooth operator, Director Wang wouldn¡¯t harbor any further thoughts once he knew Nie Zhenbang had such connections. At this juncture, even if anything negative were said, it was unlikely that Fu Xiaobin would take any action. After all, being an outsider himself among local cadres withplexworks, Director Wang, who was in charge of such an important task, must have had strong backing. It was better to do him a favor instead. As expected, upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, a gleeful smile spread across Director Wang¡¯s face. He hadn¡¯t expected the same Nie Zhenbang who had threatened him earlier to be speaking in his favor now, praising him in front of the governor and the Party Secretary. This was indeed a great honor for him. Guo Donghai, standing nearby, was taken aback for a moment. From the expressions on their faces, he knew things weren¡¯t as they were made out to be. However, seeing both parties involved concealing it, he chose not to expose it. He wasn¡¯t keen on ying the role of the viin, especially when it wasn¡¯t required. Soon after, Guo Donghai turned to Party Secretary Fu Xiaobin and said, ¡°Secretary Fu, I believe that government participation in trade exhibitions is a new subject altogether. At present, every region in the country is focusing on economic development. I believe they all desperately need a tform to promote themselves. Yuedong city, being at the forefront of reforms and opening up, can take advantage of therge trade fair. I suggest organizing regional trade negotiations in the future to provide more local governments with an opportunity to participate and promote their regions. Don¡¯t be afraid of investments being taken away by others. Be more broad-minded. Even the great leader once said, ¡®Broad views lead to great achievements.¡¯ The more peoplee to Yuedong city and our Yuedong region, the greater our influence and poprity. This is a mutually beneficial situation. I think the Yuedong City Party Committee should seriously consider this ande up with a n. Let me review it when it¡¯s ready.¡± Fu Xiaobin nodded and said, ¡°Governor, rest assured, we will consider your instructions carefully.¡± At this point, Guo Donghai walked over to Nie Zhenbang, patted him on the shoulder and said, ¡°Zhenbang, stay at the hotel tonight. I will call Xiao Ming in the afternoon to pick you up. You must have a meal at Uncle Guo¡¯s ce. The work you¡¯ve been doing ismendable. It¡¯s rare for the Northwest Province to have such progressive thinking. Your work isprehensive and meticulous. Keep it up. We¡¯ll discuss more about this tonight.¡± As the head of a province, regardless of his close rtionship with Nie Zhenbang, Guo Donghai couldn¡¯t feasibly stay here indefinitely. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t be fit to serve as governor. No matter how much Guo Donghai supported Nie Zhenbang privately, he had to maintain a facade of fairness on the surface. After Guo Donghai, Fu Xiaobin and the others had left, Director Wang approached Nie Zhenbang. His demeanor hadpletely changed, and he wore a warm smile on his face. He looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Hehe, Director Nie, I truly apologize for the initial misunderstanding. I owe you an apology.¡± Nie Zhenbang just chuckled and replied casually, ¡°Director Wang, let bygones be bygones. You were merely adhering to principles. After all, without rules, there would be chaos at the exhibition. It¡¯s perfectly understandable.¡± In reality, Nie Zhenbang was merely saving face for Director Wang. They both knew well what had transpired, they just didn¡¯t expose it. Director Wangughed and said, ¡°Long live understanding! Long live understanding! Director Nie, it¡¯s hot out here. You shouldn¡¯t be standing in the sun. Lin, get people to fetch a sunshade from the office storeroom right away for Director Nie and his team. We¡¯re allrades from the same system, we should take care of each other, right? Director Nie, you can go about your business. I¡¯ll arrange for the shade right away. It will be best if you assign somebody from your team to apany me. This way, we can work out theyout of the exhibit more effectively.¡± Watching Director Wang leave, Yan Fengjiao, Fan Zhenming and the others were somewhat stunned. Director Nie was truly exceptional with an impressive background. Initially, they all thought that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s connections only stretched to the Northwest, but now, even here in Yuedong, he shared an intimate rtionship with a provincial governor, a ministerial-level official. This kind of backing was truly awe-inspiring. It was truly outstanding. Chapter 217: Encouraging Situation (Ten more explosive, seventh more)_1 Chapter 217: Encouraging Situation (Ten more explosive, seventh more)_1 Trantor: 549690339 As the saying goes, one can rise high in government with the right connections. In the Huaxia, this is a tradition. This is reality. At first, Director Wang presented an austere and stern impression, with an imposing lofty demeanor. He seemed set on driving out Nie Zhenbang and his group. But at the moment, he had transformed into an enthusiastic person, even offering to help Lixian County set up a sun-shade canopy. Lin was quick to act, implementing the orders of his superiors straightaway. In less than ten minutes, he had already brought a group of workers over. At this time, the sun-shade canopies were not the retractable types fromter eras. They were all structured with steel frames, manually assembled into a square formation, like a stage inter times. These workers were quick; in two hours, they had already set up arge frame. Over it, they covered a transparent stic sheet. At the front, they hung a big red banner that said, ¡°People of Lixian, Northwest Bazhou City wees you.¡± Looking at the fully set up canopy, Director Wang was quite satisfied, as the work was carried out quickly and efficiently. More importantly, he looked good in the process. After a nce around, Director Wang gave a satisfied nod and said, ¡°Mmm, not bad. Now this looks decent. Lin, do this ¨C during the afternoon work shift, go to the warehouse and bring arge sofa set for Director Nie, along with the matching coffee table, and that new water dispenser. Everything has to be set up. A government exhibition has to look like a government exhibition. Even when we are outside, we have to maintain high standards.¡± Director Wang spoke with grand authority. It seemed as though if he didn¡¯t do this job well, he would be subject to humiliation. He conveniently forgot the scenes of him trying to drive out Nie Zhenbang and his group at first. After finishing his speech, Director Wang turned to Nie Zhenbang with a smile, ¡°Director Nie, don¡¯t worry. I will help you arrange the exhibition. Every year we always have a few booths in reserve. This time, since you are participating under the name of the government for the first time, I see the need for grandeur. We happen to have a superrge exhibition booth of 200 square meters. But as for how to design and decorate the booth, that will be left to you.¡± Nie Zhenbang also broke into a smile. Director Wang was a true petty person. But Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dislike him. After all, such people were always straightforward. A hypocrite was indeed more infuriating. ¡°Director Wang, thank you very much. You will have to bear the burden of the uing tasks. After the exhibition ends, I will be sure to invite you to a meal,¡± Nie Zhenbang also replied with a smile. These words lifted Director Wang¡¯s spirits. The young Director Nie had a deep background. Even the provincial governor was being so courteous. He was definitely not an ordinary person. If such a person invited him to a meal, wasn¡¯t this an indication that his official position would soon rise rapidly? Immediately, Director Wang responded with a smile, ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re too courteous. At that time, I will invite you to get together. You can get busy now. I will not disturb you. If you need anything, I wille over to contact you at any time.¡± With the proper booth in ce, the atmosphere changed significantly. The location was the main entrance and exit for the entire exhibition, with a high footfall. Numerous merchants from all over the world passed through the gate. Beside, Several staff members from Lixian Investment Promotion Bureau were handing out brochures to passers-by one by one. This was a good method for Lixian to expand its influence. Through the afternoon, many businesses stopped by to watch. Some businesses dealing with agricultural products, leather, and woolen textiles were particrly interested and inquired about specific details. By around five in the afternoon, when the exhibition was about to close, everyone, including Yan Fengjiao, was excited. Although they had been in the sun all day, they had handed out more than 10,000 brochures and over 400 investment guides. It should be noted that each of these materials represented a potential investment. Merchants who were interested in obtaining detailed materials were likely to be interested in investment as well. The strategy being employed now was to cast a wide ¨C even if only half or a third of these prospects were sessful, the promotion would still be considered a sess. ¡°Director Nie, we have received the contact numbers of more than 360 businesses today. Just now, we havepiled some statistics. Among them, there are sixty-five leather goodspanies, thirty-seven leather manufacturingpanies, seven agriculturalpanies, and ny-two woolen textile enterprises. There are also forty-nine meat processing enterprises and tourism developmentpanies, as well as fifty-three pharmaceuticalpanies. The rest are miningpanies interested in Lixian County¡¯s tantalum resources,¡± said Fan Zhenming, excitedly. With so manypanies, some suitable businesses were bound to be found. Moreover, the fur resources of Lixian County, were more than one or twopanies could consume. Even if the Farmer Welfare Company reached its peak output over the next year, it could still support over forty leatherpanies. Leather goodspanies represent the final link in the chain of the leather goods industry and deal with the production of finished products. If the leather manufacturing industry flourishes, the leather goodspanies can also thrive. This is the domino effect of investment. ¡°Old Fan, don¡¯t celebrate too early. The higher the hopes, the greater the disappointment. Now and in the future, we must maintain a realistic spirit, we must continue to practice and promote it. This is the foundation of doing things ¨C promise and deliver, bear the fruit, and achieve sess. This is a rule, but also a necessity. You need to work on this aspect more meticulously. I think, during this exhibition, you should contact thesepanies that have left their phone numbers more often. After the exhibition ends, we can invite these entrepreneurs to visit Lixian County in person, and conduct field investigations. I believe they will make the right choice,¡± said Nie Zhenbang right away. Seeing that everyone was so excited, Nie Zhenbang felt it was necessary to cool their enthusiasm a bit. Otherwise, they might lose their focus. At this time, Yi Jun walked over and pointed to a young man standing not far away and whispered ¡°Director Nie, that gentleman has been waiting for you for some time.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s impressive performance during the morning had made Yi Jun show him much more respect. Also, he heard Guo Donghai¡¯s words clearly in the morning: He had told his son to find Nie Zhenbangter in the day. Now, this man must be Guo Donghai¡¯s son ¨C the son of the governor of Yuedong Province. Although Yi Jun doesn¡¯t serve under Yuedong¡¯s jurisdiction, he can¡¯t afford to offend such a person, let alone that this man is Nie Zhenbang¡¯s friend. Turning his head and looking at Guo Ming, who was also smiling and waving his hand, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said to Fan Zhenming and Yi Jun, ¡°Mr. Fan, Xiao Yi, wait a moment and tidy up. Go back to the hotel on your own. Don¡¯t worry about me tonight.¡± Everyone understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s situation and naturally, wouldn¡¯t say much. As soon as Nie Zhenbang walked towards Guo Ming, Guo approached him. Now in his mid tote twenties, Guo Ming had be much more maturepared to six or seven years before, even wearing gold-rimmed sses. ¡°Mingzi, you¡¯re doing well, bing quite the gentleman.¡± Nie Zhenbang also startedughing. Although Guo Ming was a few years older than Nie Zhenbang, he didn¡¯t mind being addressed this way. The Guo family had now hitched their wagon to the Nie family. It was understood that they would rise and fall together. Moreover, it was clear that the second generation of the Nie family hadn¡¯t achieved much. Now, it all rested on the third generation, in which Nie Zhenbang had the greatest potential. Having a good rtionship with Nie Zhenbang was of great benefit to Guo Ming. Subsequently, Guo Ming alsoughed and said, ¡°Third Young Master, was I that uncultured before? Now, I have no choice. I also work within the bureaucracy. If I continued as before, I won¡¯t have any prospects.¡± Hearing Guo Ming¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang paused, somewhat surprised. Generally, those with Guo Ming¡¯s background, even children from many longstanding families in Jingcheng, did not prefer working within the bureaucratic system. Generally, if a family could have one or two members preserving the family¡¯s continuation within the system, it would be considered good. For the likes of the Nie family, it was a rarity. Nowadays, the trend was more so towards business. Not only was it profitable allowing them to lead a luxurious life, but it wasn¡¯t as dry and rigid as working within the bureaucratic system. Outside, one could use one¡¯s background without hesitation, but it wasn¡¯t the same within the system. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised by Guo Ming¡¯s choice of working within the system. Guo Donghai and his son were truly insightful. While those currently operating outside the system seemed sessful, things could change in the future. Soon after, Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°You¡¯re also in the bureaucratic system now? Good for you.¡± The car that Guo Ming drove was an Audi, bearing the license te of the Yuedong Province Military Region. This was Guo Donghai¡¯s vehicle. After starting the car, Guo Mingughed and said, ¡°Third Young Master, actually, my decision to join the bureaucratic system was influenced by you. I felt that your choice can¡¯t be wrong. Now, I¡¯m working in the office of the Yuedong City Committee as the secretary to the Party Secretary.¡± Guo Ming spoke frankly, without any sense of showing off. In the face of someone with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background, there was nothing worth boasting about. The car drove smoothly all the way to the Yuedong Provincial Governmentplex. The Yuedong Provincial Government was located on Dongfeng Road, near the Zhongshan Memorial Hall. Upon entering the provincial government campus, rows of lush mango trees on both sides were striking, demonstrating the distinctive characteristic of Yuedong ¨C its abundant vegetation, unlike the barren Xibei. Behind the provincial government office building, under the shade of the green trees, were a row of two-story Chinese-style cottages surrounded by see-through fences overrun with ivy. At the root of the fence was a row of evergreen shrubs. At this moment, the door of the No.6 residence was wide open, and Guo Ming¡¯s parents were already waiting in the yard. Seeing this arrangement, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare to dy, as this was the etiquette for hosting esteemed guests. Since he was the younger generation, even if the Guo family was subordinate to the Nie family, it would be arrogant and rude to throw his weight around in front of Guo Donghai, despite him and Guo Ming being friends. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang also approached them, appearing rather apprehensive, ¡°Uncle Guo, Aunt Guo. You are too kind.¡± (To be continued. If you enjoy this work,e to to cast your rmendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support would be my greatest motivation.) Chapter 218: Solving Nie Zhenbang’s doubts (Ten more explosive, eighth more)_1 Chapter 218: Solving Nie Zhenbang¡¯s doubts (Ten more explosive, eighth more)_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Uncle Guo, I don¡¯t deserve such attention. You¡¯re my elder, and you¡¯re personally greeting me. If my grandfather knew about this, I¡¯m afraid he would scold me severely.¡± Nie Zhenbang also stepped forward, extending his hand to support Guo Donghai¡¯s arm. Of course, Guo Donghai was not an old man who could barely move. In fact, Guo Donghai was only 55 years old this year and was still considered young among the provincial and ministerial officials. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Guo Donghai alsoughed: ¡°Haha, dear, did you see that? The grandson of the senior leader is so outstanding. Compared to our son, Ming, it¡¯s like heaven and earth.¡± Guo Donghai¡¯s wife was Li Cuiying, who worked at the Women¡¯s Federation of Yuedong Province. She was not in good health and was now retired at home. With her kind eyes and simple dress, she was the epitome of a virtuous and loving mother. Hearing Guo Donghai¡¯s words, Li Cuiying alsoughed: ¡°How can youpare them? Can the grandson of the senior leader be like your son?¡± Guo Ming, standing by the side, also felt somewhat awkward. Solely from theparison of roles, he had nothing topare with Nie Zhenbang. He was already 27 years old and still at the deputy section level. In contrast, Nie Zhenbang, not yet 24, was already at the section level, holding great power to benefit the people. In other aspects, there was even no moreparison, like education. Guo Ming was simply a bachelor¡¯s degree holder while Nie Zhenbang was a postgraduate from Jingcheng University. This was indeed a gap. Subsequently, Guo Ming also walked over with a bitter face: ¡°Mom, please, don¡¯tpare me with Third Master Nie. Comparing people, it would be frustrating. Why are we all standing at the door? Let¡¯s go inside to talk.¡± Guo Donghai alsoughed and then addressed Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Haha, Xiao Ming is right! We got carried away discussing things and forgot, Zhenbang, it¡¯s your first time visiting our home. Pleasee inside.¡± The buildings of Yuedong Provincial Government were all of this Southern-style two-story type, although their construction dates back to some time ago, the buildings were very neat and simple. As soon as you stepped into the door, an entrance hall was there, with a shoe cab and coat rack to the side, leading down four steps to the living room. The whole vi was decorated in Huaxia ssical style, with openwork carving, wooden decorations, appearing very simple and elegant. The sofas were also wooden carved ones, blending well with the decorative style. Upon entering, Guo Donghai said with a smile: ¡°Zhenbang, dinner will be ready soon. Let¡¯s go to the study room, I¡¯ve heard that your running script is very solid. No matter what, you have to leave a calligraphy piece for Uncle Guo on this visit.¡± Inside the study room, the four treasures of the study ¨C brushes, ink, paper, and ink stone ¨C were all in ce, all being the most renowned of their kind and beautifully arranged. Next to them, a piece of ¡®Spring in the Garden, Snow¡¯, written in cursive script by Guo Donghai, indicated a genuine calligraphy enthusiast. ¡°Uncle Guo, seeing your words here, I feel a bit intimidated. In front of you, it¡¯s like I¡¯m pretending to know something I don¡¯t.¡± Nie Zhenbang, looking at theyout of the study and Guo Donghai¡¯s calligraphy, said with a smile. ¡°Hehe, you Zhenbang, no wonder the old leader said you are a slick one. Looking at you now, he was right. Write quickly.¡± Guo Donghai this time also intentionally put on a straight face and scolded with augh. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang no longer hesitated. Since it hade to this, continuing to dodge the request would make him seem overly aloof. The Guo¡¯s line had been a great addition to the overallyout of the Nie family in the domestic politicalndscape. The Nie family had always been focused on the military. The government was their weak point. Now, with the joining of Guo Donghai, this weak point was greatly supplemented. Given the rtionship between the two sides, it was necessary to be more harmonious. Nie Zhenbang, no longer being pretentious, went to the desk, picked up the brush, contemted for a moment, and then wrote ¡®Wholeheartedly for the People¡¯ inrge characters on the rice paper. Watching Nie Zhenbang¡¯s running script, Guo Donghai, standing by the side, nodded in satisfaction. As the saying goes, people can be judged from their handwriting. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s running script, with a hint of cursive script style, was, however, full-bodied and vigorous, which spoke of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stubborn nature. Moreover, even though he had decided to write freely, Nie Zhenbang wrote exclusively about ¡®Wholeheartedly for the People.¡¯ Guo Donghai could tell from this what kind of person Nie Zhenbang was, which made sense as to why the Nie family had chosen him as the heir. ¡°Zhenbang, I noticed your visit here has created quite a stir. With a government body participating in a trade fair, what is your rationale? Won¡¯t this give off the impression that the government is also engaged in business?¡± Guo Donghai moved to the adjacent sofa, held a cup of tea in his hand, and asked with a smile. The position held by Guo Donghai inevitably meant he had a different angle and consideration from ordinary people. Despite the country having entered a stable period of reform and opening up, it wasrgely due to Chief Nan¡¯s national tour that had stabilized the situation and the public sentiment. In the eyes of the world, the government represented the country and embodied a solemn image. However, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang was pioneering in the nation by attracting investment in the name of the government, much like a business unit establishing rtions. He even managed to secure a booth at arge-scale trade fair like the Canton Fair. There were plenty of possible business opportunities here. Given the speed of today¡¯s media, the affairs of Lixian would likely be in the newspapers in a couple of days. The media across the country would react to this news, and Lixian would indeed be in the limelight. What was more critical was Guo Donghai¡¯s concern that the Nie family¡¯s political opponents could seize this opportunity for a collective attack. If they could manage to knock down the heir that the Nie family had painstakingly cultivated, it would be a significant victory. As he listened to Guo Donghai¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang immediately began to ponder, formting his words, then saying, ¡°Uncle Guo, I feel this might be a trend in the future.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°The Economic and Technological Development Zone isn¡¯t apletely new concept in our country. Jinzhou, Liaoning Province, started attempting to create development zones as early as the 1980s. In fact, the South China Sea Special Zone and the Yuehai Special Zone are essentiallyrge-scale development zones created by the nation. Now, the development of the development zones in Yuedong city has seen promising and flourishing potential, which I believe you, Uncle Guo, can also perceive.¡± Guo Donghai nodded his head. As the governor, he had an excellent understanding of Yuedong. Nowadays, not only Yuedong city, but numerous coastal prefecture-level cities in Yuedong Province were also initiating development zones, and each was doing quite well. Development zones had considerable advantages in terms of preferential policies and support. Furthermore, Yuedong¡¯s concept of one park, one characteristic. One city, one direction is excellent. Electronic products in Yuehai, high-tech enterprises in the South China Sea Special Zone, ceramic tiles in Fushan, etc., were all examples of highly sessful businesses on arge scale, thus creating a considerable influence and effect. Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Uncle Guo, the circumstances in Yuedong are different. It¡¯s practically the focus of the nation, with elites from all over the country flocking to the area. With inherent traffic and location advantages coupled with national policy support, as soon as a development area in Yuedong emerges, it immediately draws the attention and favor of businesses. However, it is different in the Northwest Region.¡± Guo Donghai, looking thoughtful, said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re implying that government conceptions need to be changed, and government functions and attitudes should transition from providing guidance to providing services? Hmm, in that case, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for the government to participate in trade fairs. I believe more governments will participate in simr exhibitions in the future.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised. He had underestimated Guo Donghai. Indeed, someonepetent enough to govern a province doesn¡¯t get there through ttery alone. These are people with genuine talent and learning. The concept of a service-based government was still in its initial nning stages for him, yet Guo Donghai had picked up on it. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°That is inevitable. Attracting investment will be a major issue that governments at all levels will have to face. Uncle Guo, there is another matter I wish to consult with you.¡± ¡°Oh? Is there something you don¡¯t understand? Feel free to ask. I¡¯ll do my best to tell you everything I know,¡± Guo Donghai became curious. Knowing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character, he realized that it must be quite an important issue for him to initiate such a conversation. There was nothing Nie Zhenbang needed to hide at this point. Guo Donghai, being at his level, must have known that the old man had designated him as the heir. Promptly, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Uncle Guo, my elder brother visited me a while ago and said a lot. He mentioned something about the grassroots level and the ministry, which I still don¡¯t quite understand. Could you exin?¡± Nie Zhenbang had already made up his mind about the choice between the grassroots level and the ministry. Not to mention anything else, given the current situation in Lixian and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character, he would not leave. This is a matter of principle. The meaning of ¡®ny in a hundred miles¡¯ is very clear, even if one has traveled ny miles, withoutpleting the entire journey, it is deemed as not having traveled at all. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang would wait until Lixian showed results. However, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat puzzled. Could the choice between the grassroots level and the ministry really cause Nie Jialei to lose his fighting spirit and voluntarily give up his position as the heir? This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s weakness. Despite having memories and experiences from his previous life, venturing into politics and the officialdom was still uncharted territory for him. Upon hearing this, Guo Donghai chuckled and jokingly said, ¡°Zhenbang, it feels real now that I see you don¡¯t know it all.¡± At this point, Guo Donghai¡¯s expression became serious as he looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you must understand that the insight of the old leader is nothing ordinary. Current grassroots experience is an important standard for future promotions.¡± Chapter 219: Back on ‘Daily at Seven’ (Ten more explosive, ninth more)_1 Chapter 219: Back on ¡®Daily at Seven¡¯ (Ten more explosive, ninth more)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Experience at the grassroots level has always been highly valued in Huaxia¡¯s officialdom since ancient times. In ancient imperial examinations, the top graduate generally focused on schrship. Those that passed were usually posted to the provinces, starting from the position of county magistrate and working their way up to the imperial court. The current situation has changed from previous years. For someone with a background like Nie Zhenbang, the previous smooth path might seem appealing, but itcks luster on a resume. Especially since the current top leader has followed the grassroots route. As a result, the importance of grassroots-level positions across the country has been increasingly recognized. If one can make tangible achievements at the grassroots level, it is seen as even better. At this moment, Guo Donghai also fell into deep thought. He could guess some things about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s situation, but answering was difficult. Guo Donghai was hesitant about the intentions of the older leader ¨C Elder Nie arranged this but did not explicitly mention it, so what did he intend? Was he trying to let Nie Zhenbang figure this out on his own? Should he speak out, he wondered if it might have implications for Nie Zhenbang, or if it might disrupt Elder Nie¡¯s overall n. These were all considerations to be taken into ount. In the end, Guo Donghai decided to just nod. As for how much Nie Zhenbang wouldprehend, that would depend on his own insight. ¡°Zhenbang, this issue involves your family and the future direction of the Nie family¡¯s development. Normally, I should not meddle or speak much about it. However, since you asked, I¡¯ll give you my opinion. Today, after the continuous deepening of reform and opening up, governing capacity has be an important criterion for promoting cadres. And where can one best demonstrate this?¡± Guo Donghai¡¯s words were very tactful. Nie Zhenbang nodded and said: ¡°Uncle Guo, it¡¯s like building a house ¨C grassroots work experience is the foundation. With a solid foundation, one can determine the height of the building, right?¡± At that moment, Guo Ming knocked on the door and walked in, saying with a smile: ¡°Dad, Boss Nie, dinner is ready.¡± The Guo family dinner was borate. Given Guo Donghai¡¯s rank, he was entitled to a nanny. However, to honor Nie Zhenbang, they had given the nanny a break and let Li Cuiying cook personally. It was a sign of respect for Nie Zhenbang. The dishes were typical Cantonese cuisine. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t find it unfamiliar since Ye Shuxian, being a native of Yuedong, frequently cooked Cantonese dishes at home. After finishing his meal, Nie Zhenbang rose and said: ¡°Uncle Guo, I won¡¯t disturb your work anymore. I¡¯ll visit you specifically after the exhibition.¡± Just as Guo Donghai expected, the news that Li County Government was participating in the trade fair set the national news media abuzz the next day. A local government participating as a group in amercial trade fair was undoubtedly explosive news. The nation¡¯s attention converged on the exhibition. Li County became the focus of discussion and concern among local governments nationwide. The next morning, heavyweight news media from Yuedong, including ¡°Yuedong Daily,¡± ¡°Yuedong Weekend,¡± ¡°South Sea Daily,¡± and Yuedong Television Station, arrived at the venue. As the venue opened in the morning, the officials of Li County had barely arrived. The stage wasn¡¯t even set up yet, and the promotional materials were still not fully arranged. Cameras were already rolling, and many journalists raised their microphones and recorders to every staff member: ¡°May I ask, are you from Northwestern Li County? What was the original intention of your government to participate in thismercial exhibition?¡± ¡°Hello, we are journalists from the ¡®Yuedong News¡¯ program on the Yuedong Television Station, may I ask if the transition from government functions to amercial nature is a bit too ahead of its time?¡± ¡°May I ask where your county mayor is? I¡¯m a reporter from ¡®Yuedong Daily.¡¯ Can I have an exclusive interview?¡± ¡°Hello, I¡¯m from the Huaxia News Agency in Yuedong Province, may I ask what prompted your Li County Government to take such a pioneering initiative? How do you maintain the image of the government and its solemnity in these business-like, market-oriented activities? Has this approach won the support of higher-level governments?¡± As soon as the reporter finished speaking, the surrounding reporters sucked in a breath of cold air. Regardless of the industry, there¡¯s always a hierarchy, and provincial media outlets are usually pretty impressive. But this time, the Huaxia News Agency had arrived, which is considered a top-tier official media outlet. Its articles are directly published on national television and national media outlets, such as ¡°Hope Daily¡± and ¡°rm¡± magazine. It looks like Li County will be famous nationwide soon. On a deeper level, if the mayor of Li County aligns with the intentions of the higher-ups, he¡¯s set for sess. But if not, his career as an official might be nearing its end. For a while, there was a crowd in front of the Li County Government¡¯s exhibition stand. The congregation of so many media outlets also attracted the attention of the exhibitors, who stopped to watch. At this moment, Yan Fengjiao felt a bit taken aback. Such arge crowd was something Yan Fengjiao had not seen before. She looked at the Director of the Bureau of Commerce, Fan Zhenming, and shook her head. Everything happened too suddenly, and without Nie Zhenbang¡¯s presence, the others were not yet willing to take a stand. Right then, Nie Zhenbang arrived, carrying a pile of promotional materials. To participate in the exhibition, Li County had printed 50,000 copies of promotional flyers and 5,000 copies of Li County Investment Guide. It seemed that the quantity was still insufficient. Nie Zhenbang immediately set off with Yi Jun and Li Yan from the Bureau of Commerce to find a printing factory in Yuedong to print more. After returning to the hotel with some materials, the scene before him also took Nie Zhenbang by surprise. As soon as she saw Nie Zhenbang, Yan Fengjiao looked like she¡¯d found a lifeline. She hastily said: ¡°Thank you for the attention from our media friends. Our Director Nie is here. If you have any questions, you can ask Director Nie.¡± Seeing the young Nie Zhenbang carrying a pile of materials, despite being dressed quite well, everyone could see that his demeanor was truly not put on. As media professionals, their observational skills were sharp. They could tell the difference between pretense and sincerity. It was admirable and impressive that a County Director was doing such work himself instead of showing off. All the reporters began to form a good impression of Nie Zhenbang. After putting down the materials, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said: ¡°I thank all the news media professionals for their attention and support. It seems a bit crowded here, so how about this: wait a moment and let us contact the exhibition venue and borrow a function room. Everyone can move there. I promise to answer every question to the best of my knowledge.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s harmonious and witty remarks satisfied all the journalists. A young county director, free of pretense and speaking candidly. This style was refreshingly different from the usual cunning and sly politicians, giving rise to a feeling of trust. Everyone echoed along. Hope Daily took the lead and published an opinion piece on the front page titled ¡°Government Functions Change, or Government Institutions Decadence?¡±. At first nce, it seems to be praising the effort. Discussing the transforming trend and patterns of government functions after the start of the reform and opening up. However, the article essentially criticizes the actions of the Li County Government. The piece used harsh words to refute the Li County Government for bing market-driven andmercial, losing the solemnity and dignity befitting of the government. Inside Guangzhou Lihua Hotel in Yuedong City Looking at the newspaper on the table, Nie Zhenbang remained very calm. Yan Fengjiao and Fan Zhenming beside him, however, were somewhat anxious. ¡°Director, the national media are now making a fuss. There is praise, but there is also criticism. Now that ¡®Hope Daily¡¯ has published such an article, I¡¯m afraid¡­¡± Yan Fengjiao, sitting on the side, spoke softly. Yan Fengjiao was insightful. At present, newspapers from Yuedong City were ced on the coffee table of the sofa. Among the national media, there were many papers criticizing. The situation was quite lively, and Yan Fengjiao was certain that next, Li County, especially Nie Zhenbang, would face immense pressure. At the side, Fan Zhenming also nodded and said, ¡°Director, County Mayor Yan is right, we need to be prepared. Look at this ¡®Hope Daily.¡¯ At first nce, it seems to be discussing the issue. However, the article¡¯s text has sparked much debate, especially about our government participating inmercial exhibitions. I think they have ulterior motives.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed at this point. He realized very clearly that this was likely the doing of certain hostile families stirring things up. The goal: to prevent him from bing a prominent figure. Whether he could be suppressed was uncertain. At least they muddled the situation, causing his political performance to be questioned. Knowing thew of development in the future, Nie Zhenbang was not particrly worried. He was about to speak when the phone rang in the room. Yan Fengjiao and the others were taken aback. Who could it be at this time? People from Li County would never call the hotel room. Nie Zhenbang picked up the phone. Just as he uttered a greeting, his brother Nie Jialei¡¯s voice came from the other end, ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯ve made a big fuss this time, and caused amotion among all families in Jingcheng. Tonight, wait in front of the TV. Your Li County is going to be on ¡®Daily at Seven¡¯ again.¡± Hearing Nie Jialei¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbangughed. After casually chatting for a few more words, Nie Zhenbang hung up the phone and said to Yan Fengjiao and Fan Zhenming: ¡°County Mayor Yan, Old Fan, notify everyone to watch the news tonight. This time, we¡¯re going to be on ¡®Daily at Seven¡¯ again.¡± It seemed that there was a reaction from above. Being on ¡®Daily at Seven¡¯ was likely to set the tone of the entire event. Chapter 220: Unusual Movement in the Zhou Family (Ten more explosive, tenth more)_1 Chapter 220: Unusual Movement in the Zhou Family (Ten more explosive, tenth more)_1 Trantor: 549690339 At exactly seven o¡¯clock in the evening, all the officials from Li County had gathered in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s suite. Room 609 of the Guangzhou Lihua Hotel. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s suite. The suite was arranged into a living room and a bedroom. After all, Nie Zhenbang represented the image of Li County Government. Sharing a room with others would not befit a county head. However, at present, all corners of the bedroom and the living room were piled up with various publicity materials. Everyone had gathered here at this moment. Nie Zhenbang naturally sat on the sofa directly facing the television, with Yan Fengjiao on his left and Fan Zhenming on his right. They were, aside from Nie Zhenbang, the highest-ranking officials in the present assembly. On both sides of thetter part of the sofa sat Yi Jun and Huyan Apo, and on the other side Li Yan and an office director of the Investment Attraction Bureau. As for the other staff members, they could only stand at the back. With the sound of the punctual time signal, ¡°Daily at Seven¡± began broadcasting on time. The early segment of the show mainly reported on scenes of the nation¡¯s leadership attending events and on-the-spot work inspections. As the midsection screen transitioned, the host appeared and announced in standard Mandarin: ¡°A few days ago, the Guangzhou Fair officially opened in Guangzhou. The numbers of participating enterprises and the number of businessmen have reached a new high. This Fair saw the Houses of the Xibei Autonomous Region and The Li County government participate for the first time in the name of the government.¡± Then the screen transitioned to footage of the Guangzhou Fair site. Everyone present saw themselves appear on the television screen, and all of them were very excited. The room instantly buzzed with excitement. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was listening to the voiceover on the screen. The reporter from Huaxia, moreover, reported: ¡°A few days ago, at the Guangzhou Fair, we received a group of special guests, a group of staff members from the Li County Government offices of the Xibei Autonomous Region. They brought excellently made promotional booklets and an investment guide for Li County. They have brought an abundance of Li County¡¯s specialty products. This initiative has made a significant impact nationwide and received positive evaluations from all sectors of society. In just one day, the Li County government has preliminarily reached over a dozen intents to invest. It has also opened up new possibilities for the economic growth and development of governments nationwide. How to change concepts, from waiting for their arrivals to inviting them back. This is a new exploration in socialist construction. Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Daily at Seven¡± was the national mouthpiece, and often, signs of the top leaders¡¯ policy changes could be detected therein. The reporting and arrangement of the leaders¡¯ activities can reveal the atmosphere amongst the top leaders. This time, in the report on Li County, ¡°Daily at Seven¡± seemed to speak moderately, with nothing out of the ordinary. Yet, if you read into the deeper meanings of it, there was a hint of praise. Stirring a great response, receiving praise, and acknowledging the achievements of Li County. By the final conclusion, it pointed out that Li County had carved out a path for local governments throughout the country. These phrases, while seemingly insignificant, carry a lot of weight. As that news segment ended and the next one began, everyone in the room burst into cheers. As Yan Fengjiao looked on, preparing to say something, Nie Zhenbang gestured with his hand and said: ¡°Mayor Yan, there is no need to be so strict. At this time, it¡¯s only right for everyone to celebrate and be happy.¡± The stir that Nie Zhenbang created in Guangzhou, however, also stirred up quite a response in Jingcheng¡¯s quarter. Inside the Yang family¡¯s courtyard. At the moment, Elder Yang was in his study, sshing ink and wielding a brush. Next to him, his health care doctor nced at the clock, and ording to Elder Yang¡¯s health condition, there were regtions about what activities he could perform daily, the quantity of food he could consume, the types of food and nutrition ns he could supplement his diet with, the number of cigarettes he could smoke, and the amount of time he could walk. All of these had strict regtions and drank alcohol where it was utterly forbidden. Elder Yang¡¯s condition was rted to the cardiovascr system, and drinking alcohol was like the god of longevity eating arsenic¡ªasking for trouble. Elder Yang¡¯s calligraphy was very standard, neatly written, each stroke and line were square and upright, much like his character. A ¡°quiet¡± character in regr script emerged on the paper. Seemingly satisfied, Elder Yang put down the brush and reached for a special panda-brand cigarette on the table. He was just about to smoke and rx. At the side, his health care doctor came forward: ¡°Chief, you are allowed four cigarettes per day, and you have already smoked two today. Have one after dinner tonight. I assume you won¡¯t smoke before going to sleep?¡± Hearing this, Elder Yang paused, then put the cigarettes down with a smile, saying, ¡°This little Zhang, I sometimes think I¡¯m worse off than farmers. Although they don¡¯t have health care doctors, they can live at their own pace, eating when they want to eat, smoking when they want to smoke.¡± At this time, the door to the study was pushed open from the outside. Yang Shengli, the current Minister of Transport of China, walked in. Seeing Elder Yang and the health care doctor, he smiled and said, ¡°Dr. Zhang, you¡¯re here too. I have to thank you for looking after my father¡¯s health.¡± At this moment, Dr. Zhang politely stood up, smiled, and said, ¡°Minister Yang, wee back. It is our duty to serve the leaders. You and the Chief talk. I will step out.¡± At this time, it would be unwise for Dr. Zhang to stay any longer. It was clear that Elder Yang did not write the word ¡°quiet¡± in his study without purpose. Moreover, Yang Shengli was transferred from the position of Executive Deputy Director in Jingcheng to be the leader of Jiangnan Province less than three years ago and suddenly he got called back to Jingcheng to be a minister of a ministry. Although there was no change in rank, it appeared to outsiders as a demotion. Being the head of a ministry was nowhere near asfortable as being a local magistrate. After the health doctor left, Elder Yang took a seat on the nearby sofa, picked up the cigarette holder, and plucked a cigarette with augh, saying, ¡°This Xiao Zhang is really suffocating me, limiting me to four cigarettes a day; it¡¯s quite a torment.¡± Taking a deep drag, Elder Yang looked at Yang Shengli and said, ¡°You came back because of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s matter, right?¡± The Yang family¡¯s eldest son had always been engaged in the propaganda front. This time, several heavyweight state media outlets, especially the ¡°Daily at Seven,¡± seemed to be supporting Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, Elder Yang chuckled and said, ¡°Shengli, do you know why you were asked to serve a term in the Ministry of Transport? Besides the issues of age and seniority, the deeper reason is for you to fully understand the bnce of politics while at the Ministry of Transport.¡± The Nie family was also paying attention to this matter at this moment. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current position has been finalized. Given the size of the disturbance this time, naturally, the entire Nie family is extremely concerned. Old Nie even personally went to Elder Nan to have an exchange andmunication. At this moment, in the Zhou family¡¯s house in Jingcheng, members of the Zhou family had gathered together. In the living room, the Zhou family¡¯s old man was resting with his eyes closed. The older generation had all stepped back, but the new generation of the Zhou family was not satisfactory. A wrong choice had left the Zhou family isted from the circle, a rather desperate situation. Fortunately, Elder Zhou was decisive. His resolute action saved them from total loss. The second generation of the Zhou family, the two brothers Zhou Hongwei and Zhou Hongtu, eldest son Zhou Hongwei, is now the executive deputy minister of the Ministry of Public Security (ministerial level). Zhou Hongtu is a little behind, although he serves in the Ministry of Agriculture. Now, the Zhou family is making every effort to maintain good rtions with the current leaders, finally recovering some lost ground. However, one wrong move made led to consistent losses. Now, both sons of Old Nie have achieved high-ranking positions, one holds the major military region position, and the other is a high-level official.. Elder Zhou despises this level of achievement to the extreme. What¡¯s even more important is that the third generation of the Zhou family has already lost a round at the starting line. This is what annoys Elder Zhou the most. ¡°Dad, do you think the Yang family¡¯s protection for Nie Zhenbang might be because of the Yang family¡¯s little princess?¡± Zhou Hongwei started to ask at this time. On the side, Zhou Hongtu chimed in, ¡°That can¡¯t be. Would a shrewd guy like Yang Shengli, would the Yang family really be so blinded? No matter how much they spoil her, they wouldn¡¯t risk her future and destiny, would they?¡± At this time, Elder Zhou said in a low voice, ¡°Old Yang Head wouldn¡¯t be so foolish. This is nothing more than going with the flow, now that the Chen family is already married to the Nie family. The Li family naturally has to worry. This is just a normal suppression and defense, don¡¯t take it too seriously. It¡¯s not like before, once the overall situation is stable, everyone will converge. People of our generation are not fit to be in the spotlight anymore.¡± Speaking of which, Elder Zhou turned to Zhou Chen and asked, ¡°Chen is already a deputy-level cadre now, right?¡± These words seemed rather inexplicable, but Zhou Hongwei guessed some of the old man¡¯s thoughts and nodded readily, ¡°Yes, little Chen had a good stint at the grassroots level. Aftering up in a year, he was promoted to the deputy office level. By the time Nie Zhenbang¡¯s illegitimate son took up a post in the Youth League, Chen had already been promoted. He has been serving as a secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture¡¯s office for more than three years.¡± At this moment, Zhou Chen, who was sitting on the side, appeared very obedient. He¡¯s Zhou family¡¯s elected sessor, very exacting and obedient at home, just as a 28-year-old should be; like a kid. Upon hearing his grandfather and father¡¯s conversation, Zhou Chen also began to get excited. Is he about to be promoted and move up a bit more? As expected, Elder Zhou fell into a moment of contemtion and slowly said, ¡°Well, at 28, it¡¯s time to make a move. I think he can go to the Xibei Autonomous Region and serve as a deputy mayor in Bazhou City. He won¡¯t be a standingmittee member, but a deputy mayor is suitable.¡± Upon hearing these words, Zhou Hongwei knew that the old man nned to let his grandson go to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ce and grab a piece of the political achievement, giving Nie Zhenbang a taste of his own medicine. But when it came to his son, back then, he was forced to go to the countryside by Nie Zhenbang. At this point, can he outmaneuver Nie Zhenbang? Immediately, Zhou Hongwei expressed his concerns, ¡°Dad, letting little Chen go to Bazhou City¡­ would that be a bit difficult for him?¡± At this moment, Zhou Chen¡¯s mind went nk. Although he had been promoted to deputy department level, he was to go to Xibei. However, when he thought that once he arrived, he would be Nie Zhenbang¡¯s immediate superior, Zhou Chen was exceedingly excited. With rare initiative, he stood up to express his stance, ¡°Grandfather, let me go to Bazhou. I¡¯m not afraid of difficulties.¡±(To be continued. If you like this work, we wee you to Qidian ) to vote and support. Your support is my greatest motivation). Chapter 221: Return with Full Load (First Update)_1 Chapter 221: Return with Full Load (First Update)_1 Trantor:549690339 The debates andments from various major media outlets did not influence Nie Zhenbang. After the ¡°Daily at Seven¡± news broadcast, the voices of doubt were already suppressed. Almost everyone understood the situation ¨C the higher-ups were supportive. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s entourage, after standing outside the exhibition hall for two days, moved inside to a nearly two-hundred square meter booth. Above the entrance, an art sign was specially crafted, reading ¡°Captivating Li County, City of Openness¡±. Such a slogan immediately attracted the attention of many businessmen. Every day saw a great deal ofing and going businessmen. With an official setup this time, even television and video recordings were used. The television continuously looped scenes of Li County¡¯s scenery, giving a clear, endless view of pasture, which also attracted many visitors to stop and watch. ¡°Mr. Wang, let me introduce you. This is Director Nie Zhenbang, the Director of the People¡¯s Government of Li County, and concurrently, Secretary of our Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone Working Committee. If you have any questions, feel free to consult Director Nie directly.¡± At this moment, at the exhibition venue, Nie Zhenbang was also looking at the investment data from the past few days. During this period, many people had left theirpany¡¯s contact details and detailed information. Twenty-pluspanies had signed letters of intent on the spot and promised to visit Li County. Upon hearing Fan Zhenming¡¯s statement, Nie Zhenbang also looked up at the forty-year-old man in front of him, who appeared somewhat short in stature. Nie Zhenbang also stood up, smiling and extending his hand, ¡°Mr. Wang, hello. Wee to our Li County exhibition.¡± This type of situation was far from the first time. It was human nature, these business owners were all savvy characters. Everyone¡¯s money was hard-earned, diligently umted. Investing was no trivial matter. The Xibei Autonomous Region was a border area with aplex ethnic structure. It was normal for investors to have concerns and doubts about investing here. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s courteous manner was a bit surprising to Mr. Wang. In this day and age, government officials usually adopted a bossy persona; Nie Zhenbang was a rare exception. Despite Nie Zhenbang being rtively young, his demeanor conveyed gravitas and authority. Mr. Wang alsoughed and reached out his hand, ¡°Director Nie,pared to you, we are all wet behind the ears. Director Nie, I specialize in leather tanning. Just now, I listened to Director Fan introduce the situation in Li County. I¡¯ve heard of the Min Nong Company. If I were to invest, would Min Nong Company be able to supply the raw materials we need? Also, if Min Nong Company exports fresh products directly, wouldn¡¯t our supply of raw materials be cut off?¡± Hearing Mr. Wang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang frowned. This issue that Mr. Wang raised was the first of its kind. After all, if Min Nong Company exports, not all can be finished products, especially if they export to the Middle East, the products have to be fresh. Otherwise, preservation over such long distances was an issue. Frozen meat would lose its original texture and taste. After a moment¡¯s thought, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Wang, you do not need to worry about the supply of raw materials. Not only Min Nong Company, but the entire Northwest Region, not only Bazhou City, has abundant pasture resources. Other cities, including the nearby Qingzhou and Ganzhou, also have plenty of pastoral resources. You do not need to worry about the raw materials. As for the export of fresh products¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang paused here, looked at Mr. Wang, and smiled, ¡°Mr. Wang, as a businessman, nowadays, everything is dominated by thews of market economy. Exporting is profitable forpanies. But, if we can make them believe that domestic ughtering generates higher returns, I believe that this will not be a problem.¡± Nie Zhenbang would definitely not take on responsibility for this alone. Providing preferential policies forpanies was Lixian¡¯s duty. This was the foundation of attracting investment. The government should treat all equally ording to the policies for attracting investment, exempting what should be exempted, reducing what should be reduced. During the operation period, Lixian can serve as a nanny, responsible for coordinating local affairs, and helpingpanies to build. However, Nie Zhenbang would never make such amitment as to have the Lixian government supply these raw materials. In his memory, countless local governments have made all sorts of promises to attract investments, and ended up unable to fulfill these promises, which resulted in disputes and evenwsuits. Nie Zhenbang would absolutely not make promises beyond established policies. Mr. Wang, on the other hand, stood up after hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, ¡°Director Nie, your straightforward honesty is refreshing. I don¡¯t think I need to visit Li County in person. I think we can directly sign an investment contract now. Mypany is notrge, initially, I want to set up a leather factory in Li County, covering fifty acres. How does that sound?¡± Mr. Wang¡¯s words stunned both Nie Zhenbang and Fan Zhenming. There were many investors who looked at and asked about signing letters of intent, scheduled visits, and even decided to visit Li County together with Nie Zhenbang and his team. However, there were indeed very few like Mr. Wang who directly decided to purchase fifty acres ofnd to build a factory. On the side, Fan Zhenming also advised, ¡°Mr. Wang, won¡¯t you go over and take a look first?¡± Hearing Fan Zhenming¡¯s words, Mr. Wangughed and waved his hand, ¡°Director Fan, no need. I¡¯m an emotional person. Just now, Director Nie¡¯s words. I found them very genuine. He said what it is, what it is not. Because of this, I believe in your Li County cadre. With such a county director, I¡¯m sure it can¡¯t be wrong.¡± With this sentence, everyone from Li County began to understand a little bit. Mr. Wang is a respectable businessman. What he fears most is not the raw materials nor the difficulty in doing business. He is afraid that local governments wille to investigate today and transfer tomorrow. If so, then there is no need to do any other business. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude and honesty just now reassured Mr. Wang. Under the arrangement of Fan Zhenming, here, Yan Fengjiao, as the director of the Li County Development Zone Management Committee, represented the Li County government and Mr. Wang, together they drafted an investment agreement on the spot. Li County would offer a preferred sale of 50 acres ofnd to Mr. Wang in ordance with the national industrialnd price and Li county¡¯s currentnd price standards. Li County would also help Mr. Wang¡¯s Wang¡¯s Leather Factory deal with rted documents. Mr. Wang, on the other hand, would wire the 300,000 yuan in earnest money to the Li County Development Zone¡¯s treasury within three days after the contract was signed. In the next few days, the scene at the Li County exhibition booth was as hot as ever, and Mr. Wang even brought a few friends. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. The people who can be friends with Mr. Wang are all straightforward and very frank people. After understanding Li County¡¯s investment promotion policy in detail andmunicating with Li County¡¯s officials, they all signed the contract without hesitation. The 20-day exhibition flew by in no time, and now all the data has also been sorted out. Looking at the results, Yan Fengjiao and Fan Zhenming looked at each other, both slightly surprised. ¡°Director Yan, this number, is it wrong?¡± Fan Zhenming was stunned. The number represented some of the achievements of the entire exhibition over the past twenty days. For a while, all staff members of Li County, including Nie Zhenbang, Yan Fengjiao and Fan Zhenming, were exhausted and had spoken enough to make them not want to move anymore. Therefore, they hadn¡¯tpiled any statistics until the end of the exhibition, when they finally began topile the data in the hotel. However, the final result left Fan Zhenming surprised. Yan Fengjiao paused, took over the report, scanned it once, and was just as astonished, ¡°Liu, are you sure your side didn¡¯t make any mistakes in the statistics? Everyone has been exhausted for twenty days, both mentally and physically, reaching a limit. Mistakes are inevitable and understandable.¡± Liu is a member of the Investment Promotion Bureau and a university graduate in finance. Right now, with both leaders not believing it, he said with a bitter face, ¡°County Mayor Yan, I¡¯m also afraid of making a mistake, so I double-checked it and asked Old Guo to help me calcte it. The result is this number. It¡¯s really not wrong.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang came over and saw the data, and he was also astonished. In just twenty days, thirteenpanies have signed investment contracts and paid the preliminary deposit. Thesepanies cover leather manufacturing, leather goods production, Chinese medical material processing, drug manufacturing, mining, and agricultural development reaching over 80 million in total investment. Add to this the dozens ofpanies that came along with Nie Zhenbang and others for inspection, and it¡¯s estimated that just this time Li County Development Zone could introduce more than 200 million in investments. In this era, it¡¯s definitely considered fruitful. More importantly, after this event, Li County has be famous nationwide, opening up the situation of attracting investment. Nie Zhenbang reflected for a moment, and then instructed, ¡°So, Director Yan, you have been coordinating the inspection team¡¯s affairs all along. I think you can contact the bosses and managers who have confirmed to participate in the inspection. We have more than ten people ourselves, plus Mr. Wang and their confirmed investmentpanies have more than fifty people. The inspection team also has seventy to eighty people. We can totally charter a flight back.¡± A chartered ne, hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, everyone¡¯s eyes lit up. An inspection team on a chartered ne would probably be another event that would shock the Northwest. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang added, ¡°In addition, I am going to contact Secretary Liu and Mayor Ding right away. This is an opportunity for Li County and Bazhou City. Perhaps some people are not interested in Li County but like Bazhou City, which would also be a gain.¡± PS: There are only 11 hours left until 12 o¡¯clock on the 29th. I am a bit overdrawn these two days. I only woke up at more than 9 o¡¯clock in the morning, and I started writing at 10:30 in a daze. The first update iste. Brothers and sisters, there¡¯s an end to everything. We still have more than ten hours left, please brothers and sisters check out if there are still any monthly tickets. If there are, please vote for Old Cai, tomorrow the monthly tickets will be invalid. Also seek rmendations (.) Chapter 222 - 222 Shocking Xibei_1 Chapter 222 Shocking Xibei_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°Chartering a ne has always been a significant event, thus we can say it¡¯s a return journey full of gains. At this moment, in the standingmittee meeting of the Bazhou City Municipal Party Committee. Liu Wenqing gives a sign to Ding Aiguo sitting beside him. Ding Aiguo nods and says, ¡°During this standingmittee meeting, there is a special topic we need to discuss with everyone.¡± Hearing the words of Ding Aiguo, all themittee members are taken aback momentarily. The topics for the standingmittee meetings are always pre-determined, but this time, there is an additional matter. Moreover, it is clear to everyone about the eye contact between Ding Aiguo and Liu Wenqing just now. Everyone knows that this matter, it seems the secretary and the mayor, the first and second inmand have already talked it over. Now, all that remains for Ding Aiguo is to simply say it out loud. ¡°Comrades,st night, I got a call fromrade Nie Zhenbang from Lixian. This time, the measures and attempts made by Lixian have yielded significant results and has caused a massive impact. Twice a year, Bazhou appeared in ¡°Daily at Seven¡±, which for us in Bazhou City is a rare opportunity.¡± Ding Aiguo started with this as his preamble. Then, Ding Aiguo continued: ¡°Additionally, I also received news from Comrade Nie Zhenbang yesterday. This time, Lixian achieved remarkable sess at the trade fair. Up until now, they have attracted nearly 80 million yuan in contracted investment funds. At the same time. This time, Director Nie has also brought back an investment inspection groupprising over a hundred entrepreneurs and factory owners. Director Nie¡¯s intention is to ask the city¡¯s municipal partymittee and government to coordinate and organize a weing ceremony. In this way, not only can we arrange for them to conduct inspections in Lixian, but also throughout Bazhou City, they can invest ording to Lixian¡¯s preferential investment policy. The secretary and I discussed it for a bit and wanted to hear what everyone thinks.¡± Hearing the words of Ding Aiguo, all themittee members are startled, with contract investment of 80 million and an inspection team of over a hundred people, it is too overwhelming. If the total investment of Lixian this year is calcted, including the investment of Farmer Welfare Company and Longhua Mining, and the investment of Wal-Mart Group, won¡¯t it exceed 400 million? You must know that the entire Bazhou City, apart from Lixian, only achieved total investment of around 60 millionst year, wherein 50% of the funds were allocated by the superior. The real private enterprises and capital investment were only less than 10 million. Lixian county alone is forty times that of Bazhou City. Where does this leave the faces of the leaders of Bazhou City? Isn¡¯t this absurd? The meeting room is quiet. Yet, at this moment, Zhao Weihong is ying with her pen. Seeing themittee members beside her sitting calmly, eyes closed in meditation, Zhao Weihong is helpless. In the standingmittee of Bazhou City, Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo, two old foxes, give each other assistance and support. They frequently unite, and the old fox Cheng Xinhua is even more slippery. As for other people, several secretary like Bai Weimin never agree with her. There is nothing good to say about them, and other people like the director of the propaganda department Liu Sufang is on good terms with her. Zhao Weihong feels isted and helpless. Yet, when Zhao Weihong sees everyone is silent, she gets impatient, and takes the initiative to speak, ¡°Since Mayor Ding has already spoken so much, let me say a few words. Please correct me, secretary and mayor, if my words are wrong.¡± When Zhao Weihong speaks, Cheng Xinhua lift her head to listen. At this point, Zhao Weihong smiles knowing that the old fox couldn¡¯t resist. However, since Ding Aiguo has said to let everyone speak freely, and didn¡¯t indicate their choice, Zhao Weihong won¡¯t be courteous. After pondering for a while, Zhao Weihong nods and says, ¡°Hmmm, therades in Lixian are very energetic, such as Comrade Fan Zhenming. I see, the model of public selection of cadres is excellent, and can be promoted. This time, Lixian achieved such excellent results. I think the Investment Promotion Bureau and the Administrative Committee¡¯s team should be credited.¡± Zhao Weihong¡¯s words are like giving a hat to themittee members. The Investment Promotion Bureau and the Administrative Committee team, many people have their backgrounds. Speaking so, themittee members feel morefortable. Then, Zhao Weihong changes her tone and continues, ¡°Also, in my personal opinion, Comrade Nie seems to be making a mountain out of a molehill. It¡¯s just an inspection delegation if the standards are set too high, will there be suspicion of ttering these people? Lixian¡¯s participation in the exhibition is controversial to begin with. I think we should carefully deliberate the matter of Bazhou City hosting the reception.¡± Zhao Weihong is taking advantage of the fact that Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo didn¡¯t express their opinion. Since it is free discussion. Zhao Weihong naturally has the right to express her views. Also, speaking in this way gives the standingmittee a sense of ambiguity. Others can hardly determine the thoughts of Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo, so they also don¡¯t dare to express their views, thus it seems as if they all support Zhao Weihong. Cheng Xinhua now also pays attention to Liu Wenqing¡¯s facial expression. This seems to have be a habit of Cheng Xinhua. For so many years, Cheng Xinhua has always been diligent in her work but very discreet in her behavior, thus enabling her to blend in seamlessly within the system. Being discreet alone is not enough. Another characteristic of Cheng Xinhua is being very focused; whenever she does speak, she would directly address the main topic, and moreover, she follows the most advantageous strategy. This is Cheng Xinhua¡¯s strength. Seeing the expressions of Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo, Cheng Xinhua knows that they are not satisfied with the words of Zhao Weihong. Hence, Cheng Xinhua also adds,¡± Secretary Zhao, I think your words are a little exaggerated. Debate is a good thing, and ¡°Daily at Seven¡± has set the tone for this event. It is a case worth promoting that has opened up new ideas for economic development of local governments everywhere. From our side, we n to propose to Secretary Liu and Mayor Ding that we should consider hosting a trade conference in the Northwest Region or the five Northwestern provinces. If we go by your words, doesn¡¯t that imply shelving this idea too? Personally, I believe our municipal partymittee and government should give Nie Zhenbang the opportunity to wee the investors. The delegation, with so many people, might not all choose Lixian, but maybe if we take this chance to let them inspect the entire Bazhou City, there might be unexpected gains. I think, we should go, not just go but do it in a grand way.¡± ¡°Okay! Let me say a few words.¡± Liu Wenqing knocks on the table, hums affirmatively, and then slowly speaks. At the moment, this is final. When Secretary Liu speaks, it¡¯s the final result. Looking around at the crowd, Liu Wenqing finally spoke: ¡°I think we should go. On one hand, it would be more grand and show Bazhou City¡¯s importance to this investment scouting delegation. As they say, a gold or silver cup is not as good as themon people¡¯s word of mouth. These entrepreneurs and businessmen all have their own connections. Bazhou City¡¯s attitude will affect our future development. I also agree with Comrade Xinhua¡¯s view that if the east is not bright, the west will light up. Perhaps, other parts of Bazhou City may also receive some unexpected benefits.¡± Next to him, Ding Aiguo also nodded: ¡°Secretary Liu, I think I should take the lead in weing them. I¡¯ll use two of the City Committee¡¯s Mercedes cars and borrow a few buses from the autonomous government. I¡¯ll coordinate with Secretary Qian of Urumqi City to have ourrades from the Urumqi Public Security Bureau help clear the way, creating an atmosphere of gravitas and importance.¡± Hearing this, Liu Wenqing also nodded: ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea. Let Mayor Ding take care of this matter; I trust your judgment. I will handle things on the city¡¯s side, and Minister Liu and Secretary Li will need to finalize some things regarding propaganda andw enforcement. Comrade Qingde, you should also make arrangements at the City Committee Guesthouse. Prepare the banquet and amodations to give our guests a sense of home.¡± Urumqi Bao Di Airport At this moment, with coordination from the Urumqi Public Security Bureau, the weing team from Bazhou City drove directly into the airport. Four buses were parked next to the tarmac, along with two Mercedes cars and three police cars¡ªone of which was dispatched from Urumqi to clear the way and coordinate the arrangements. As the chartered Huaxia Eastern Airlines ne slowlynded, a stair car drove up to it. The cabin door opened, and Nie Zhenbang, leading the group, appeared at the top of the stairs. Seeing Ding Aiguo and the other leaders of Bazhou City waiting, Nie Zhenbang also hastened his pace, greeting them and offering a handshake: ¡°Mayor Ding, I¡¯m surprised you came in person. I¡¯m really ttered.¡± At that moment, Ding Aiguoughed, patted Nie Zhenbang on the shoulder, and said, ¡°Nie, excessive humility can be considered arrogance. This time, you guys are the heroes. Not only did you cause a sensation nationwide, but you also brought real investment. As the mayor, it¡¯s only right for me to wee our heroes.¡± This time, Ding Aiguo had indeed spared no effort. He stood next to the stairs and shook hands with over a hundred businessmen, conversing warmly with some. This approach quickly earned high praise from the businessmen¡ªthe attention of the local government is also a standard for investment. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang opened his mock mobile phone. Ding Aiguo warmly said, ¡°Nie, let¡¯s get on the bus together. You can tell me about the harvest from your trip to Yuedong.¡± After the relevant leaders of Bazhou City boarded the bus, the convoy slowly started, turned around, and drove out of the airport. Suddenly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone rang. Seeing the call was from Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang looked at Ding Aiguo and apologized, ¡°Mayor Ding, excuse me, I need to take this call.¡± As soon as he answered, Liu Kun¡¯s voice came from the phone: ¡°Third Brother, I have some bad news. Zhou Xiaoshe¡¯s transfer orders havee through. He is assigned to Bazhou City as the deputy mayor. Now, he¡¯s your immediate supervisor, and I¡¯m afraid your days won¡¯t be easy.¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, there¡¯s only 8 hours left. (To be continued. If you like this novel, please feel free to vote for it at . Your support is my biggest motivation.) Chapter 223 - 223 The County Head Blows His Top_1 Chapter 223 The County Head Blows His Top_1 Trantor:549690339 Zhou Chen is actually in Bazhou now. What does the Zhou family intend to do? Nie Zhenbang also starts to ponder. A deputy mayor who is not even a standing member of the municipal partymittee, his specific role cannot be determined. If he¡¯s responsible for work rting to education, culture, healthcare, religion or ethnicity, that would make him a low-ranking deputy mayor. Could he influence me, the county party secretary? Nie Zhenbang is also somewhat puzzled. As he ended his call andpsed into thought, Ding Aiguo who was beside him chuckled, ¡°Zhenbang, what happened?¡± Asked by Ding Aiguo, Nie Zhenbang sank back into thought. This incident, do Ding Aiguo and the others know about it? However, Nie Zhenbang replied with augh, ¡°Mayor, a friend called me. We have a new cadreing to Bazhou.¡± At this moment, Ding Aiguo froze. The new cadre was assigned over and chose to be based in Bazhou City. He hadn¡¯t received any news. It seemed that the neer likely had a background simr to Nie Zhenbang. Yet, from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone, it appeared that there might be some friction between them. This put Ding Aiguo in a tough situation. The current state of affairs in Bazhou was bing increasingly challenging to control. The city¡¯s party secretary and mayor fearing their subordinates was somewhat absurd. However, Ding Aiguo didn¡¯t worry too much. There were plenty of people with backgrounds. Some had a Xibei background, others had the background of being leaders in Dizhou City. It was just that now, these people¡¯s backgrounds appeared somewhat overpowering. If they were to be irritated, Ding Aiguo wouldn¡¯t be afraid. Things should be handled reasonably. No matter how strong one¡¯s background, without a good rtionship with local leaders, they could still be suppressed. Those who always unt their backgrounds are simply that way. Police cars from Urumqi opened the way, escorting them to the border between Urumqi and Bazhou. From there, the police cars from Bazhou City took over. The cars only arrived at Bazhou Hotel at five in the afternoon. Since the development of Lixian, the economy of Bazhou has also elerated. The influx of people increased, making the economy of Bazhou much more vibrant. Streets were renovated, and many road surfaces were transformed from asphalt to concrete. Many roadside lights were also reced with new models. Meanwhile, Bazhou City put more effort into greening. Now, the whole city looked quite different from the destion of Xibei. This stark contrast immediately created a profound impression on the businessmen in the cars. Xibei is synonymous with desert, Gobi, and destion, but it seemed now that this wasn¡¯t entirely urate. The convoy slowly entered the Bazhou Hotel, and at this moment, the city party secretary of Bazhou City Committee stood at the entrance of the hotel. Beside him were the deputy party secretary of the citymittee, Cheng Xinhua, and the party secretary of Lixian County Committee, Zhang Chubin, and the deputy party secretary Xie Yi. This scene naturally caught the attention of the officials from Li County. The fact that the City Party Secretary personally greeted them and the leadership of the Li countymittee attended in full made it a spectacle that called for good publicity. The local government leaders¡¯ attention to the matter could also enhance the confidence of these investors. At this time, Fan Zhenming smiled and introduced to the bosses on the bus, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, our Secretary of Bazhou City Committee Liu and our Lixian County Committee Secretary Comrade Zhang Chubin and Deputy Secretary Comrade Xie Yi are waiting for us. It looks like the City Committee is going to host us in Bazhou today. It seems we won¡¯t be able to go to Lixian today.¡± Fan Zhenming¡¯s humorous words elicitedughter from the bosses in the car. Mr. Wang even loudly said, ¡°Director Fan, it seems I made the right choiceing to invest in Lixian. Although the investment hasn¡¯t started yet, seeing the enthusiasm of the leaders in your Bazhou City and Lixian County, I am full of confidence. With such attentive leadership, it¡¯s only possible for our business to keep growing.¡± Mr. Wang¡¯s words resonated with many of the bosses. They are not afraid of ack of favorable policies or support, but rather of government inspections today, fines tomorrow, and the depletion of energy by dealing with and maintaining rtionships. Where would they find the leisure and time to run their businesses? Hence, when they saw how much the leadership at both the city and county levels valued this matter, all the bosses were filled with confidence. The banquet hall of the Bazhou Hotel was filled with over twenty banquet tables. In terms of hospitality, Liu Wenqing arranged the reception ording to high standards. Every table had a roasted wholemb, weighing around forty pounds. This was a special feature of Xibei, and a must-have in Bazhou City. In addition, considering that these bossese from different regions, various local recipes were also prepared ¨C some numbing, some spicy, some sweet, some greasy. During the banquet, Liu Wenqing stood up personally and proposed a toast as a gesture of wee. This much regard was already very high, since there were too many bosses and it was impossible for a city¡¯s party secretary to toast each table. With this gesture, it was already considered grand and courteous. After the feast, a discussion meeting was held in therge conference room of the hotel, where Liu Wenqing personally introduced the situation of Bazhou City. Afterward, the guests were arranged to rest in the hotel. The next morning, when the convoy set off again and entered the newly built Li City Avenue in Lixian, the spectacr construction scene of Lixian Development Zone immediately caught the eye of many businessmen. After returning to Li County, Nie Zhenbang naturally rxed as the specific work was naturally being handled by the development zone team. All the people had been brought back, and they were potential investors. If Nie Zhenbang had to personally handle everything, entertaining more than a hundred merchants would be overwhelming enough. Other tasks could be given no further thought. Nie Zhenbang was currently sitting in his office, looking at the information submitted by the Investment Promotion Bureau. Over the past few days, many potential investors had conducted on-the-ground explorations of Li County¡¯s development zone, gained a detailed understanding of the county¡¯s policies, and visited the Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s farms. After looking at the growing conditions of wild licorice and other various hardware facilities, many more started signing investment agreements with Li County. Now, Nie Zhenbang was reviewing these investing corporations¡¯ data. Suddenly, as he looked at the document in front of him, his brows furrowed. To invest in Li County, passing the county¡¯s Environmental Protection Department¡¯s environmental impact assessment is a must. First of all, even before you start, a detailed environmental report is needed that describes the estimated environmental impact after thepany¡¯spletion and production. The degree of pollution, the presence of adequate preventive measures, how to reduce pollution, etc. were part of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strict policy. It was something he insisted on. Having seen numerous examples of serious pollution in the future and the efforts to rectify it, Nie Zhenbang had resolved that, this time, not allowing any high-pollutingpanies within his jurisdiction is non-negotiable, whether it seems idealistic or not. However, this particrpany did not have an environmental report and, moreover, it was a notorious high-polluting paper mill. In the whole project nning report, all the descriptions and texts were about how to develop the enterprise, how much economic growth it could bring to Li County, and the number of jobs it would generate. Regarding the factory¡¯s emission treatment, the only mention was ¡ª ¡®The factory¡¯s discharge outlet is tentatively designed to be close to Muli River. After being washed by the current, it is estimated that there will not be a significant impact on Li County¡¯s environment.¡¯ Upon reading this, Nie Zhenbang became furiously angry. ¡®Not much impact,¡¯ indeed. They think they¡¯re slimming a three-year-old. If this argument was valid, he feared that within five years, Li County¡¯s river would have dried up, and the clear water today would turn into a foul, stagnant puddle. At this thought, Nie Zhenbang called out, ¡°Xiaoyi,e in. Get Zhang Zhenming from the Investment Promotion Bureau over here. What is he doing letting suchpanies enter our Li County?¡± This was the first time Yi Jun had seen Nie Zhenbang so angry. In the past, Director Nie always seemed affable. He did not expect Nie Zhenbang to get so worked up when angry, which, at this moment, made Yi Jun feel fearful. Immediately following, he went out and dialed Fan Zhenming¡¯s number. At the moment, Fan Zhenming was in his office, discussing detailed investment matters with the boss of Luyang Dafapaper Industry when the phone on the desk rang. As soon as Fan Zhenming picked the phone up, Yi Jun¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Director Fan, where are you right now? Pleasee to the county government immediately. The county head is furious.¡± Upon hearing this, Fan Zhenming was taken aback and immediately stood up, ¡°Mr. Xiong, I apologize, but I have to attend to something at the county government.¡± Xiong Dafa, the boss of Dafapaper, who was bold and one of the earliest individuals who had be wealthy, immediately replied with a smile, ¡°Director Fan, if the county leader wants to see you, that must be good news! It looks like you¡¯re about to get a promotion.¡± When Fan Zhenming arrived at the county government, Yi Jun immediately stood up and quietly said, ¡°Director Fan, I won¡¯t beat about the bush. The county leader is currently in a very bad mood. I think you should be careful. It should be about the emission issue.¡± At that moment, in Zhang Chubin¡¯s office, while Nie Zhenbang was berating Fan Zhenming, Zhang¡¯s office received a call from the city government¡¯s office. The city¡¯s new deputy mayor, Zhou Chen, is nning to conduct a survey and inspection of Li County tomorrow. He requested the relevant leaders from Li County Party Committee and County Government to receive him. After hanging up the phone, Zhang Chubin did not dare to neglect his duties. Zhou Chen was currently the most discussed topic throughout Bazhou City, apart from the investment promotions in Li County. An assistant deputy mayor dropped from the central government, who brought along thirty million funds on arrival, had already made a name throughout Bazhou. Unexpectedly, Zhou Chen chose Li County as his first stop. Immediately, Zhang Chubin dialed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s number, ¡°Director Nie, just got the news, Deputy Mayor Zhou from the city wille to inspect our Li County tomorrow. How about we receive him together.¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. What was Zhou Xiaoshe trying to do? Was heing here to show off his power? PS: I apologize to everyone. I haven¡¯t fully recovered my energy yet, so there will only be three more updates today. There are only two more hours left. Brothers and sisters, try to withstand the pressure. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, feel free to vote and donate at . Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 224 - 224 – Mayor Zhou is very dissatisfied_1 Chapter 224 ¨C Mayor Zhou is very dissatisfied_1 Trantor:549690339 When Zhou Xiaoshe came to Lixian, Nie Zhenbang had to greet him personally. Nie Zhenbangughed, surprised that after so many years of not seeing each other, Zhou Chen was still the same, hardly any change. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Okay, Secretary Zhang, rest assured. I will be present tomorrow. No matter what, it¡¯s necessary to have the courtesy when the deputy mayor visits Lixian.¡± Hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang turned his attention towards Fan Zhenming in front of him. At this moment, Fan Zhenming seemed somewhat restrained, and after being scolded earlier, he didn¡¯t dare to sit, but stood by the door with his head bowed, staying silent. Nie Zhenbang gestured and said, ¡°Sit.¡± After Fan Zhenming sat down, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Let¡¯s continue discussing the Prosperous Company. What¡¯s the deal with thispany? There is no environmental assessment report, and you are taking light of the pollution control issue. It¡¯s clear that you are not taking it seriously. How could we ept such apany?¡± Fan Zhenming was familiar with the Prosperous Company, a rtivelyrge paper manufacturingpany in Ludong Province with strong capabilities. An oversight had led to this mistake. Fan Zhenming dared not defend himself at the moment, pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Director Nie, this issue is our oversight. Rest assured, I will ensure that the Prosperous Companyplete all documentation and pass strict environmental assessments and monitoring. We will put a stop to such incidents.¡± The 17th car of Bazhou City Committee, a ck Audi, was on its way from Bazhou to Lixian County. Zhou Chen, after arriving in Bazhou, had chosen this car from among the options such as Mercedes-Benz. Zhou Chen had once been part of the Jingcheng car issue, although the final result was a loss of a deputy department-level leader in Zhou family. However, they had seeded in thwarting the marriage between Jingcheng auto and Audi, forming a good rtionship with FAW. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Since then, Zhou Chen developed a habit of not riding in Mercedes-Benz. Looking at the beige interior of the Audi,bined with the texture of the peach-wood panels, and the car¡¯s quietness, the performance was superb. Zhou Chen was very satisfied. At this moment, Secretary Zhou Wang, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, turned his head and said, ¡°Mayor Zhou, we¡¯ve already entered the county boundary of Lixian.¡± Looking ahead to the empty road, free of shing police lights, stationed car fleets, or any leaders on the roadside eagerly looking out, Zhou Chen¡¯s face turned dark. Lixian¡¯s officials didn¡¯t even bother to show him any respect. However, discontent aside, Zhou Chen clearly knew why he came to Bazhou. At this moment, after several years spent struggling in the grassroots and ministry departments, especially since the entire Zhou family was marginalized, Zhou Chen had changed. The former frivolous, dissolute, and superior-acting Zhou Chen was gone, reced by a much moreposed and reserved Zhou Chen. However, habits die hard. Seeing the old man¡¯s efforts to recover the Zhou family¡¯s situation had stabilized things, and Uncle Zhou Hongtu would soon be transferred to a provincialmittee as its leader. This was a harbinger of Zhou family¡¯s return to prominence. Recalling his grandfather¡¯s admonitions before he left, Zhou Chen restrained himself and said in a low voice, ¡°Let¡¯s keep moving. Therades of Lixian are busy these days. We¡¯re traveling light. It¡¯s no different going there ourselves.¡± Watching the por trees by the side of the road quickly disappear from his line of sight, Zhou Chen fell into deep thought. Although he was now in a leadership position above Nie Zhenbang, he was only in charge of science, education, culture, and health maintenance. In the Bazhou City government, he was a low-ranking deputy mayor, not included in the standingmittee, which meant he didn¡¯t have a say in personnel issues and various other matters. Whether Nie Zhenbang would ignore him was questionable. As the car continued to move, the ongoing constructions around them amazed Zhou Chen. If he didn¡¯t know for sure, having witnessed firsthand that this was Xibei and this was Lixian, he would have thought he lost his way. Was this the poverty-stricken and bare Xibei? There was a sixne highway in both directions with the greenery partition in the middle. The newest style of pavement bricks on both sides of the sidewalk, even had a specially marked blind path. The innovative design of the street lights and at least a dozen construction sites in action on the open ground on both sides struck Zhou Chen by surprise. Was this still Lixian? Unknown to him, he might have thought he had arrived at a special economic zone. Ahead of them, the sign of the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone entered their line of sight. Under the sign, a group of people was already waiting on the side, with police lights shing. Seeing this scene and familiar figures in the crowd, a curve formed on Zhou Chen¡¯s mouth. This time, they somehow managed to avoid embarrassment. Although the Li County Party Committee and County government seemed somewhat negligent, it was better than having no one to greet him when he quietly entered the courtyard of the Li County Party Committee. ¡°Little Wu, pull the car over to the side of the road,¡± Zhou Chen, now sitting upright, instructed the driver with a calm tone. As Zhou Chen¡¯s car slowly pulled over to the side of the road, Zhang Chubin was already there to wee him: ¡°Mayor Zhou, wee, wee.¡± At this moment, Zhou Chen didn¡¯t dare to act superior. Given the current situation, Li County¡¯s development might exceed Ku City¡¯s. This could potentially elevate Li County Party Secretary Zhang Chubin¡¯s chances of joining the standingmittee. Even though he only held a director-level position, joining the municipalmittee¡¯s standingmittee would give him a higher standing than his own vice-department level status. Also, Zhou Chen hadn¡¯t forgotten his real purpose; he was there to pluck peaches. Though with the intention of pursuing achievements, he still thrilled at the idea of causing some trouble for Nie Zhenbang and enjoying the spectacle. Subsequently, Zhou Chen stepped out of his car with a smile on his face. He shook hands with Zhang Chubin, disying a familiar and amiable demeanor: ¡°Secretary Zhang, I¡¯ve long heard about your achievements. Immediately after I was assigned to Bazhou, I heard about how talented Li County¡¯s Secretary Zhang is, transforming a poor county into a thriving one. Now, seeing the bustling construction scene in Li County, it proves that the reputation is well-deserved.¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s words caused a slight shock among Li County¡¯s officials. The new Deputy Mayor seemed to be making veiledments. Everyone knew that Nie Zhenbang wasrgely responsible for their economic construction and development. Yet Zhou Chen¡¯s remarks now hinted at a deeper meaning, which left everyone somewhat puzzled, including Zhang Chubin. At this moment, Zhang Chubin was equally confused. The arrival of Deputy Mayor Zhou seemed quite sudden. It wasn¡¯t during an official changeover period, nor was a major event happening in Bazhou City. All of a sudden, they had a parachuted Deputy Mayor, who shared many parallels with Nie Zhenbang. Firstly, they were both young ¨C a 28-year-old Deputy Mayor and a 24-year-old County Director. Secondly, both were university undergraduates. Thirdly, both were parachuted in. Could there be some connection between the two? Zhang Chubin weighed options in his mind but responded with a smile: ¡°Mayor Zhou, you tter me too much. All this is directed by Director Nie. I merely assisted and coordinated. I truly don¡¯t deserve your high praise.¡± After some consideration, Zhang Chubin decided not to fan the mes. Intelligent enough to choose between Nie Zhenbang and Deputy Mayor Zhou, he sided with Nie Zhenbang. With elder officials like Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo supporting from above and Nie clearly exhibiting his capabilities, Zhang Chubin couldn¡¯t be swayed by Deputy Mayor Zhou¡¯s ttery that could possibly entangle him. Otherwise, he risked ending up in a disadvantageous position. Zhou Chen chuckled in response to Zhang Chubin¡¯s reaction, which was entirely within his expectations. Local officials were notoriously slippery. He had experienced this firsthand when he was in Chunan. Next, Zhou Chen nced indifferently at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, don¡¯t be modest. Regardless, you are the ss leader of Li County. You do y a principal role in Li County¡¯s development.¡± After exchanging a few pleasantries with Xie Yi, the Deputy Secretary of the County Committee, Zhou Chen turned and said, ¡°Everyone, get in the car. Secretary Zhang, why don¡¯t youe with me?¡± That sentence caused a stir among the officials of Li County. Logically, after the County Party Secretary, it should have been Nie Zhenbang¡¯s turn. But Zhou Chen skipped Nie Zhenbang, warmly greeted Xie Yi, and headed directly to the car, inviting Zhang Chubin to apany him. This naturally aroused some deep thought. Was the new Deputy Mayor Zhou discontented with Nie Zhenbang? Many pondered nearby with Zhao Kunlun¡¯s face reflecting an odd expression. Next to them, Bayaer, the Deputy Mayor of the County Government, also fell into deep thought. The car procession started again. This time, with Zhou Chen in the lead, it had the semnce of a leadership inspection tour, with a police car clearing the way, followed by a long train of cars. Seeing Zhang Chubin looking a little cautious, Zhou Chen smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, don¡¯t be so formal. I have seen Li County¡¯s work and it¡¯s quitemendable. As the ss leader of Li County, you have to keep up the good work.¡± Hearing Zhou Chen¡¯sments, Zhang Chubin was taken aback. It seemed that the young Deputy Mayor bore ill-will. His numerous actions suggested some discontent with Nie Zhenbang. Despite this, the more Zhou Chen behaved in this manner, the more Zhang Chubin saw the situation clearly. Zhou Chen was merely a Deputy Mayor in charge of science, education, culture, and health ¨C his actions upon arrival somewhat lowered Zhang Chubin¡¯s esteem for him. PS: Rmend a friend¡¯s book, ¡®Step on the Green Clouds¡¯ (book number: 1793308), which is about to bepleted. It¡¯s over 2.8 million words long and it¡¯s about the life in the officialdom. Also, asking for a bottom-line monthly ticket. Brothers and sisters, this is possible. Chapter 225 - 225 Changes in Lixian (Request for monthly ticket and recommendation ticket)_1 Chapter 225 Changes in Lixian (Request for monthly ticket and rmendation ticket)_1 Trantor:549690339 Being an official who had struggled so long within the system, Zhang Chubin was no ordinary man. In his view, this deputy Mayor Zhou had several unwise aspects. Firstly, he had just taken office and came to inspect Lixian, disying an arrogant attitude in front of Nie Zhenbang. This deliberate cold-shouldering was the first unwise move. Regardless, he was just newly appointed. At least, he should have ascertained the situation and nned before taking action. From this perspective, he seemed reckless. The second unwise move was that in front of all the officials in Lixian, he clearly distinguished the important from the unimportant and forcefully attributed the credit to other officials. On the surface, it seemed as though he was trying to offend Nie Zhenbang, but in fact, he was putting the other officials in an awkward position. Even if he wanted to cause disunity in the Lixian team, this was not the way to do it. From this, it could be seen that Zhou Chen was a person who would do anything to achieve his goals and did not care about hisrades. As for such a person, even if he wanted to follow him, Zhang Chubin would not dare to do so, who knew when he would abandon his subordinates for his own sake. After a moment of contemtion, Zhang Chubin smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Zhou is right. I have always been managing the task of the Li County Party Committee. Now, the team of Lixian is still rtively united and stable. Of course, there are definitely shorings and I need to continue to strengthen it.¡± Hearing this, Zhou Chen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. His position was indeed low; being a deputy mayor in charge of science, education, culture and health was not an ordinary position. When it came down to it, these local leaders could choose to give you utmost respect, and if not, it wasmon to send a corresponding deputy county chief to greet you. It seemed that he had been too eager and had neglected the fact that Nie Zhenbang had been operating in Lixian for so long. For a time, the car became silent. The car went directly into the Li County Hotel. As for the grade, the Li County Party Committee had managed to organize it. In suite 888 of the hotel, this was a medium-sized suite of the Li County Hotel with four tables. Now, Zhou Chen was sitting in the main seat, with Zhang Chubin on his left and Xie Yi on his right. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was not sitting at this table. This was also an attitude of Nie Zhenbang. Wasn¡¯t Deputy Mayor Zhou ignoring me? Then I don¡¯t need to warm my face up to your cold butt. Seeing this, Zhao Kunlun was somewhat pleased. The mysterious arrival of Zhou Chen was a hope for Zhao Kunlun. Although Zhou Chen was now just a deputy mayor with a low ranking, not even a member of the standingmittee, and his power was even less than Nie Zhenbang¡¯s, Zhao Kunlun was currently being pressured by Nie Zhenbang. Furthermore, Zhao Kunlun had also summarized his experiences during this period. His loss was due tock of backing, and this time, Zhao Kunlun was prepared to gamble. The dishes for the four tables were all arranged uniformly, and apart from a roastmb which was considered high-end, the entire table of dishes was basically arranged ording to a standard of about fifteen yuan per person. This standard was not to be underestimated, as it was considered high-end at this time. At a time when fast food was only two yuan per serving, this was considered a high price. Looking at the dishes on the table, Zhou Chen¡¯s brow furrowed slightly. Zhao Kunlun on the side noticed this change and had a sharp feeling that his chance hade. He immediately said with augh: ¡°Mayor Zhou, I¡¯m sorry, we didn¡¯t know your preference. Why don¡¯t we change these dishes and order again?¡± As soon as his words fell, all the officials nearby fell silent. From this, even without saying anything, Zhou Chen knew and heughed: ¡°Secretary Zhao, this is fine. Let¡¯s eat together.¡± The meal was incredibly awkward. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s group finished quickly. After everyone left, Nie Zhenbang returned to his office. Many of the investors who came to Lixian had already signed contracts. Those who were quick to act, like Mr. Wang who was impatient, had already begun the preliminary expropriation work. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t concern himself with Zhou Chen¡¯s affairs. To put it arrogantly, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t think much of people like Zhou Chen. While looking at the newly submitted environmental impact report and pollution discharge n from the Prosperous Company, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat satisfied. It wasn¡¯t that thesepaniescked pollution prevention measures, but they were just unwilling to spend a lot of money on it. In the end, it was ack of environmental protection awareness. However, by the time they came to their senses in ten or so years, it would be toote. At this moment, Yi Jun came in from outside and said to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°County Mayor, County Mayor Yan is here. What do you think?¡± Yan Fengjiao came? Nie Zhenbang was stunned. Since the trip to Yuedong, Yan Fengjiao could be regarded as one of the busiest officials in Lixian. At this time, Yan Fengjiao actually came, could it be a problem with the development zone? As he was thinking, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said with a deep voice, ¡°Please let here in quickly.¡± As soon as Yan Fengjiao entered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang himself went to the water dispenser. This water dispenser was one of the new products brought back from Yuedong, and it was obviously much more convenient than those bottled water. After pouring County Mayor Yan a cup of hot tea, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Director Yan, is there anything going on in the development zone?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude at this moment made County Mayor Yan somewhat anxious. The County Mayor was really easygoing. At this time, he still had the leisure to study the affairs of the development zone in the office. After pondering for a while, County Mayor Yan also said, ¡°Zhenbang, there are some things, I, as your older sister, don¡¯t know whether I should say or not.¡± County Mayor Yan¡¯s words left Nie Zhenbang stunned. Since helping County Mayor Yan get divorced, the rtionship between the two had be much closer. As for having any thoughts about County Mayor Yan, he didn¡¯t have any at all. In regards to County Mayor Yan, what Nie Zhenbang felt for her was admiration. He didn¡¯t want her to live like this for the rest of her life, that was all. At this point, Nie Zhenbang himself was somewhat at his wits¡¯ end with his own marital issues. Going after another woman was simply unrealistic. However, privately, they did refer to each other as siblings. Now, in the office, County Mayor Yan talking like this clearly meant she intended tomunicate in their private identities, rather than in their formal, hierachical work rtionship. Hence, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Of course, what can¡¯t be said between us? Whatever you want to say, Sister Feng Jiao, just say it.¡± ¡°Zhenbang, I feel this Deputy Mayor Zhou doesn¡¯t have good intentions. Judging from his performance, he¡¯s clearly targeting you. You knew each other before, didn¡¯t you?¡± County Mayor Yan thought for a while, and then spoke up. Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised. County Mayor Yan¡¯s intuition was amazing. She saw the problem from these signs. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt pity for County Mayor Yan. If she were not a woman, her border patrol record alone, coupled with her sharp political sense, would make her future boundless. It¡¯s a pity that womenck some natural advantages. Within the system, it seems they are inherently disadvantaged. The matter of Deputy Mayor Zhou¡¯s rtionship with him was bound toe out sooner orter, and Nie Zhenbang, not intending to hide it in front of County Mayor Yan, nodded and smiled, ¡°Sister Feng Jiao, it seems you have really seen it. I did have some disputes with Zhou Chen when we were young. Why? Has he done anything in Li County now?¡± County Mayor Yan nodded and said, ¡°This afternoon, Deputy Mayor Zhou went to the Education Commission and the Health Bureau for a research trip. Afterwards, he returned to the countymittee. I think Deputy Mayor Zhou¡¯s trip was just a formality. I¡¯m afraid the actual purpose of Deputy Mayor Zhou still lies with you. He continuously met with Zhao Kunlun and Bayaer. I don¡¯t think these are good signs.¡± Upon hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Zhou Chen actually did this? Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care about the matter with Zhao Kunlun. After he ousted Zhao Kunlun from the position of Director of Public Security, Zhao Kunlun, as the Secretary of the Political and Law Committee, had be a phoenix that had fallen from the sky, and he was now a chicken. An important unit of the Political and Law Committee was under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s control. Zhao Kunlun¡¯s position as secretary had be a mere decoration. It was something Nie Zhenbang had expected that Zhao Kunlun would hook up with Zhou Chen. However, Bayaer¡¯s involvement in this matter came as a surprise to Nie Zhenbang. Someone from the county government making contact with Zhou Chen is not a good thing. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression became serious. After a while, he smiled and said, ¡°Sister Feng Jiao, don¡¯t worry about this matter. Comrade Bayaer is also in charge of science, education, culture, and health. It¡¯s normal for him to report his work to Deputy Mayor Zhou, who is in the same sector.¡± Since Nie Zhenbang had said this, County Mayor Yan naturally couldn¡¯t say more. She subsequently nodded and said, ¡°As long as you¡¯re aware of this matter. There¡¯s still quite a bit to be done in the development area. I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± After County Mayor Yan left, Nie Zhenbang began to ponder. Zhou Chen¡¯s ploy this time was much craftier than his previous ones. Although he was a low-ranking deputy mayor who couldn¡¯t stir a major upheaval, his rank was still there. Today¡¯s move to suppress him had immediately made many people in the Li County Party Committee active. Yet, he didn¡¯t have a good strategy for dealing with it. Getting to here, Nie Zhenbang was also puzzled. Could it be that there was someone higher up guiding Zhou Stutter this time? Just as he thought of this, the phone on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk rang. The red telephone represented citymittee leadership. As the call connected, the voice of Minister Fang Gushan of the Organization Department of the Municipal Party Committee came through: ¡°Zhenbang, are you free tomorrow? If so,e over to the Organization Department of the Municipal Party Committee in the morning.¡± Upon hearing Fang Gushan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang froze. The Organization Department asking for a talk? A promotion? It couldn¡¯t be that soon, could it? Yet, if it wasn¡¯t a promotion, what could it be? Nie Zhenbang started to ponder. PS: Rmending thetest masterpiece ¡°The Red Path of Officialdom¡± from the political drama genius, Hongmeng Tree. A grassroots man enters the officialdom. His continuous promotion has some fortuitous coincidences, as well as genuine political achievements. There¡¯s omnipresent political intrigue in the officialdom, transitioning from naivety to maturity, from obscurity to the peak, the door of the officialdom opens for him! Old Cai¡¯s VIP Readers Group: 75169925. Verification required for entry. Brothers and sisters, please join enthusiastically. Chapter 227: Rumors Abound (Fourth Update, Seeking Monthly Ticket Support)_1 Chapter 227: Rumors Abound (Fourth Update, Seeking Monthly Ticket Support)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Liu Wenqing spoke directly, and Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, saying, ¡°Secretary, it seems that you already know why I am here.¡± These kind of attitudes Nie Zhenbang presents in front of the leaders is well controlled. He, who had seen too much of the world, had met with quite a few central leaders, and even at Elder Nan¡¯s ce, could be passionate and point out directions freely. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang is naturally won¡¯t be constrained in front of Liu Wenqing. Nie Zhenbang, from the prestigious family of Jingcheng, still has his imposing manner. Neither humble or aggressive, he managed to give an impression of being open and rxed, which is truly geniune. This made Liu Wenqing feel like he was not facing a subordinate, but a younger generation. ¡°Nie, what are your thoughts? I would like to hear them.¡± Seemingly indifferent, Liu Wenqing sat down, his eyes fixated on Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment thenughed, saying, ¡°Secretary, are you testing me? As for the party school training, it is certain to be attended. It is a directive given by Secretary Li of the Xibei Party Committee. I am definitely going. However, the current development of Lixian County is also key. I am in a dilemma.¡± ¡°You are such a cunning fellow,¡± Liu Wenqingughed. ¡°So that¡¯s your intention. You want to go to the party school and also want to maintain the ongoing work in Lixian. However, the intention of the municipal partymittee was never for Nie Zhenbang to give up power. If someone new takes ce in Lixian and starts running things, it will surely affect the development. As for the party school, it¡¯s not anything too special. After the start of the semester, the schedule will be rxed anyway, because all the students are the party and government leaders from various municipal governments. They can¡¯t possibly sit in the ssroom all day.¡± Liu Wenqing nodded and said: ¡°Yeah, the development of Lixian does indeed hold the greatest importance. Originally, I was hoping for you to go to the municipal party school for further study after a few months, next spring. Unexpectedly, we¡¯ve already received notification from the district party school.¡± Upon saying this, Liu Wenqing paused and then seriously added: ¡°Nie, this training is directed at deputy-level officers. Your participation is already an exception. I heard that it was Secretary Jiang Zhenquan of the Xibei Party Committee who specifically chose you. This is an honor. With this achievement, your future will no doubt be smooth sailing. Don¡¯t underestimate this party school training. If possible, take on some roles in the ss. That will earn you extra points.¡± Hearing Liu Wenqing¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. He had always thought it was Li Yifeng¡¯s nomination. He never expected it to be Jiang Zhenquan. Jiang Zhenquan might be able to guess his background, and, as evidence showed, Jiang had indeed guessed it. But from his position, Jiang would not court his favor this way. Was it purely about favor or did he really value himself? Nie Zhenbang was a bit puzzled. However, though he didn¡¯t understand, Nie Zhenbang still had to go. If it were Li Yifeng, he still had room to resist since they were close, but now it was Jiang Zhenquan who pointed him out, so if he didn¡¯t go, it would really offend the head of the district partymittee. Nie Zhenbang was a little surprised that even Fang Gushan didn¡¯t know about it and thought it had been pointed out by Li Yifeng. It seemed that Li Yifeng and Jiang Zhenquan had made the arrangements together. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said ¡°Secretary, please rest assured. I will definitely obey the organization¡¯s arrangement. After going to the district party school, I will study seriously, strengthen my ideological study, unite with my ssmates and maintain good rtionships with them. I will never tarnish the image of Bazhou, and will color the image of Bazhou City.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grandiose assurances, Liu Wenqingughed: ¡°You, you¡¯re still a child in some ways. You managed a county quite well, and hold great prestige. But now, you seem to be acting like a joke, saying anything and everything. You are trying to ndish me, huh? Anyway, just speak honestly. You have to go to the party school and also work on your duties in Lixian. I will send word to Zhang Chubin. Lixian is now the top priority for Bazhou City. The development of the new district in Lixian affects the overall development of Bazhou. You must keep a close eye on it. If there¡¯s no urgent business, go home and pack up immediately and report to the party school early.¡± Nie Zhenbang is going? To study at the party school? When Nie Zhenbang left, it seemed that the entire Lixian had gone mad, and rumors began to circte. At this moment, Yi Jun was having a tough time. Nie Zhenbang went this time without taking him along, and he left so suddenly that he didn¡¯t have time to prepare. Now, all the officials in Lixian are in uproar, and there are all kinds of rumors going around. Some of them say that Nie Zhenbang is studying at the party school in name only. In reality, the Municipal Disciplinary Committee deliberately transferred him so they could investigate issues rted to Nie Zhenbang in Lixian. Yi Jun scoffed at such talk. Isn¡¯t he clear on what kind of person Nie Zhenbang is? There is absolutely no chance that Nie Zhenbang has any issues rted to the Min Nong Company or Longhua Mining. As for the matter of the Wal-Mart Group, Yi Jun wasn¡¯t clear. But, there definitely wouldn¡¯t be any issue. This is trust. At this moment, Yi Jun¡¯s telephone on the desk suddenly rang. He picked it up and heard Yan Fengjiao¡¯s voice from the other end. ¡°Director Yi, are you busy? It¡¯s Yan Fengjiao. Do you have time tonight? Let¡¯s go out and have a gathering with a few old friends like Director Chen and Director Lin.¡± County Mayor Yan¡¯s words were clear and to the point. Naming specific individuals saved Yi Jun the guesswork, and he responded smilingly, ¡°County Mayor Yan, wherever you are, I¡¯lle over.¡± He headed to the Millionaire Hotel in Lixian, Zhu Lufeng¡¯s first venture in Lixian. His leather factory was still under construction, so most of his efforts were now devoted to the hotel industry. The sess of the Millionaire Hotel in Bazhou gave Zhu Lufeng the confidence he needed, and after the earthquake, he began to look for a new location. After several months, the Lixian branch of the Millionaire Hotel finally opened. When Yi Jun arrived at a guest room on the fourth floor of the Millionaire Hotel, the room was filled with smoky haze. Several smokers were puffing away, their cigarettes glowing red. The people present were all direct subordinates of Nie Zhenbang in Lixian ¨C Lin Weimin of the Finance Bureau, Wei Chenglin of the Transportation Bureau, Chen Le of the Public Security Bureau, Fan Zhenming of the Investment Promotion Bureau, and Yan Fengjiao. The news of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sudden departure caught everyone off guard. No one received anymunication until Zhang Chubin revealed that Director Nie had left Bazhou and driven alone to Urumqi for a party school training program. Even his closest subordinates were kept in the dark, leaving them uncertain about what to do next. Seeing Yi Jun arrive, the others stood up. After closing the door, Yi Jun immediately said, ¡°Leaders, don¡¯t ask me. I just found out as well. I can¡¯t get through to Director Nie¡¯s phone. I did hear that during Director Nie¡¯s study period, the work of the Li County Government will be led by the Executive Deputy County Mayor Bekri, and the Development Zone by County Mayor Yan. This seemingly was a n set by the county mayor before he left, but as for anything else, I know as much as you all do.¡± The room fell silent at his words, everyone looking at the disheartened few. County Mayor Yan understood that it was time for someone to step up. ¡°Old Forest,¡± she said, ¡°Have you notified Director Xiong and Director Huang yet? It¡¯s about time.¡± The moment she finished speaking, Chen Le darkened his face and interjected, ¡°Why wait for them? They¡¯ve wasted their talents. They¡¯re probably already someone else¡¯s guests, thinking they¡¯re so important. Thinking that Deputy Mayor Zhou is so great. I don¡¯t care about any of this. Worstes to worst, I won¡¯t be the bureau chief anymore.¡± Lin Weimin also spoke solemnly, ¡°County Mayor Yan, I think we should focus on our own issues. Everyone has their own ambitions. True colors show in times of adversity. Both Director Chen and I were promoted by Director Nie. If Director Xiong and Director Huang have different ideas, we won¡¯t force them. The question is how we can maintain the current situation. I¡¯m afraid some people will be eager to step in.¡± Yan Fengjiao nodded. Among those present, Yi Jun was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s most trusted aide, and she herself owed a great deal to Nie Zhenbang. Chen Le and Lin Weimin felt the same way, while Wei Chenglin, a schrly type of official, had his own persistence and stubbornness. As for Fan Zhenming, a strong young man, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tactics had won his admiration and loyalty. This was a situation where only the strong survived. After a moment of contemtion, Yan Fengjiao quietly said, ¡°Old Forest, with you in the finance bureau, I don¡¯t think we have any issues. As for the development zone, both Director Fan and I are here, so for now, there shouldn¡¯t be any problems. However, I¡¯m afraid that if this drags on too long, issues may arise. Director Yi, would you consider making a personal trip to Urumqi to see Director Nie? It would help if we could have a clearer understanding.¡± Yi Jun nodded, speaking in a solemn tone, ¡°County Mayor Yan, you¡¯re right. I think I should go to Urumqi tomorrow.¡± Right now, while things were in chaos in Lixian, Nie Zhenbang was already standing at the entrance of the Party School of the Urumqi Autonomous Region. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sudden departure was intentional. On one hand, he wanted to observe how his direct subordinates would react in this unexpected situation. On a deeper level, he knew he would have to leave eventually, and he wanted to test whether the current cadre in Lixian were capable of handling responsibilities and could carry forward his ideas. Therefore, this study period served as an early test for Nie Zhenbang. PS: I rmend ¡°Darling Gentle Wife¡±, a fascinating tale of a brilliant artist-turned-thief who arrived in Northern Song Hui Dynasty in its fourth year. The story revolves around art and taste, featuring forged famous paintings, beautifully written calligraphy, and the appreciation of exquisite antiques. My dear readers, the promised monthly ticket is here. Please support Old Cai. Despite it being a non-agenda month after a glorious previous one, we shouldn¡¯t fall too far behind, right? Please support us. Four more chapters to go tomorrow. (To be continued¡­ If you like this story, please vote for it on . Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 228: Reporting to the Youth Corps_1 Chapter 228: Reporting to the Youth Corps_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Dearrades from the armed police, I am here to¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang stepped forward to greet, but didn¡¯t get a chance to finish his sentence. The guard at the door, upon ncing at Nie Zhenbang, quickly interjected, ¡°You¡¯re here to deliver something to the leader, right? Have you telephoned him? If not, please wait a while.¡± The armed police spoke with decorum. Standing guard at the Party School, armed police were generally vignt. The peopleing and going were either leaders, secretaries, or family members. One couldn¡¯t afford to offend any of these individuals. Currently, Nie Zhenbang was mistaken for a leader¡¯s secretary by the policeman, understandably so. Nie Zhenbang looked too young, just in his twenties, and had arrived alone driving his car. If he were a party leader, wouldn¡¯t there be people doting on him from all sides? Nie Zhenbang chuckled and handed out his official introduction letter, ¡°I believe there was a misunderstanding. I havee to register here for the young cadres¡¯ training course held by our autonomous region. Can you tell me where the registration office is?¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the policeman hesitated. He had heard about this officers¡¯ training programme, a cadre training program initiated by the autonomous region, with strict age and rank limits. ording to rumors, this programme could potentially breed future core cadres of the autonomous region. Even the future Secretary of the Party Committee of the autonomous region and the Chairman of the autonomous regional government could be among them. Observing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s introduction letter, the policeman was even more astonished. As a twenty-four-year-old official heading the county government, Nie Zhenbang was taking part in a deputy bureau-level cadre training program. Promptly, he saluted, ¡°Hello, Officer. It¡¯s straight ahead from here. Look for a two-story office building. That¡¯s the administration building of the party school. The first office on the left of the first floor is where you willplete your enrollment process.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car was parked nearby. As soon as he got out, a chubby man walked out from the office on the left, somewhat discontented, followed by a young man. The young man, carrying several bags, seemed to be serving his master and proposed with some hesitation, ¡°Secretary Min, should I rent a room nearby and help you tidy up in a few days?¡± Min, who was the chubby man, calmed down. After all, those who could attend the training program were not riff-raff. Taking the luggage from his secretary, he gestured dismissively, ¡°Never mind, Xiao Wang. Go back first. Everyone¡¯s in the same boat. If I seek special treatment, I¡¯ll stand out.¡± Catching sight of Nie Zhenbang, Secretary Min advanced to greet him, ¡°Comrade, are you also here to register for your leader? If not, you should probably have hime over.¡± Min paused for a moment before pointing to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Wait, it seems I¡¯ve seen you before.¡± Min¡¯s outgoing personality made Nie Zhenbangugh. He was straightforward, if not exactly a gentleman, and definitely not devious. Getting along with someone like Min was easy. In turn, Nie Zhenbang extended his hand and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Secretary Min. This is Nie Zhenbang, the county head of Lixian, Bazhou City. I¡¯m looking forward to being your ssmate over the next year.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s self-introduction, Min pped his forehead and burst outughing, ¡°I knew I had met you somewhere. Buddy, you¡¯re famous. I bet everyone in the whole of Xibei knows you by now.¡± Following this, Min struck a serious pose, ¡°I am Min Zhigao, deputy secretary of Kema City Committee. As we are ssmates, let¡¯s not focus on ranks. If we startparing posts and ages, you are the youngest among us. Let¡¯s keep the rtionship at a student level. Call me Brother Gao, or Fat Gao if you like.¡± Min Zhigao¡¯s words surprised Nie Zhenbang. Deputy bureau-level officials with Min¡¯s kind of aura were rare. Despite this, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t look down on him. Each of the attendees at the training programme carried their own weight. He was here to keep a low profile. Laughing, Nie Zhenbang replied ¡°Great, I¡¯ll call you Brother Gao then. You carry on and I¡¯m going toplete my enrollment process. When I have time tomorrow, I¡¯ll invite you for lunch, Brother Gao.¡± The office staff were very enthusiastic. Nie Zhenbang was a known personality in Xibei, well known to the faculty at the Party School. His appearance at the Party School this time was due to an explicit invitation by Principal Li Yifeng, deputy head of the Party Committee of Xibei. A young official of his rank who could attract the attention of such high-ranking officials was clearly of considerable repute. After quickly getting all the registration procedures done, Nie Zhenbang received his dormitory number. As this was an advanced training programsting for one year,prehensive arrangements had been made by the Party School. With a total of thirty-two attendees in the entire ss, excluding six women, the remaining twenty-six male students were assigned to dormitories, with four in each room. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s dormitory number was 207, which suited his liking. People in the system usually prefer ascending numbers, seeking luck. By the time Nie Zhenbang entered the dormitory, everyone else had already settled in. Perhaps because it was the first day, they were all sitting together, talking andughing. Everyone here is smart and they understand that this was more than just a training ss but an opportunity to establishworks. Who knows, someone might get promoted faster than you, be transferred and turn out to be your immediate supervisor. So, building rtionships now would be a huge help in the future. In life, there are three types of crucial friendships; those you went to school with, those you have been through battles with, and those you¡¯ve visit the brothel with. Schoolmates have always been a very solid kind ofwork. For this reason, everyone chose to stay andmunicate instead of going out. As soon as Nie Zhenbang walked in, he broke intoughter. It¡¯s really ironic how coincidences work out. He didn¡¯t expect to be grouped with Min Zhigao. At this moment, Min Zhigao also stood up,ughing boisterously, ¡°Elder brother Nie, talk about luck. Who would¡¯ve thought that we would end up being roommates?¡± ¡°Brothers, let me introduce you to my buddy here.¡± Min Zhigao¡¯s way of speaking at that moment was like a character from a Wuxia novel, nowhere near the decorum expected from a city deputy secretary. Nie Zhenbang started sizing up the other two men. One of them was wearing a very traditional suit, probably the Kim Lee brand, with a red tie that had a tie clip attached. He had gold-rimmed sses and neatlybed hair. He acted prudently. This kind of man is a schrly type of official. The other one had a clean-cut t-top hairstyle, with a height of 1.85 meters and a muscr build, making him look somewhat formidable. Before Min Zhigao could introduce them, the t-top man came forward, extending his hand, ¡°Director Nie, it¡¯s a pleasure. I¡¯m Zhou Chun Lei, the secretary of the Law and Order Committee of Yu City. I used to be a soldier, a former military officer in the Xibei Military Region. Now I¡¯m slightly affiliated with the military. Let¡¯s stay in touch.¡± Zhou Chun Lei, true to his name, had a booming voice. It really is ear-piercing when he speaks. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and extended his hand, ¡°Secretary Zhou is too polite. In the future, I¡¯ll be relying on the help and support of all the older brothers.¡± Finally, the man with the sses greeted Nie Zhenbang with a restrained smile. ¡°Director Nie, hello. I am Qiao Yuan, the Deputy Mayor of Yihah City¡¯s People¡¯s Government. I admire Director Nie¡¯s economic construction achievements. I¡¯ve been wanting to visit Lixian to learn more, and it seems my wish is fulfilled now.¡± Qiao Yuan¡¯s demeanour always gives people a refined feeling. Moreover, he always carries a warm smile on his face, making him hard to figure out. Just when Nie Zhenbang was about to reply, Min Zhigao interjected with a chuckle, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s drop the formalities. Looking at the time, it¡¯s almost time for lunch. I¡¯ll treat everyone. This can be our dorm¡¯s first mini-gathering. We¡¯ll have plenty of time to get to know each otherter. If we keep up with the pleasantries, I wouldn¡¯t know how to continue.¡± There are many restaurants around the party¡¯s autonomous region school. The local cuisine of Xibei isn¡¯t a novelty to the bureaucrats from Xibei, but this time, Min Zhigao specifically chose a Sichuan restaurant. A Sichuanese spicy hot pot, boiled slices of pork, and eggnt in garlic sauce, with a few other seasonal dishes. A te of peanuts but no alcoholic drinks as they still had a full ss project in the afternoon. All of them were people of status, and it wouldn¡¯t look good if they got drunk. At this moment, seizing the chance while the dishes were being served, Min Zhigao started to speak, ¡°Brothers, I¡¯ve inquired a bit. This time, our ss has got quite a few impressive figures.¡± With a personality like Min Zhigao, although it appeared to undermine his image superficially, this kind of behaviour is quite appealing among peers. Initially, when the secretaries were present, Min Zhigao had maintained a different attitude. This is a skill, a technique of interpersonalmunication. Judging by the circumstance, Min Zhigao seems to get along quite well with his ssmates. Otherwise, there¡¯s no way he could have gathered information in such a short period. Zhou Chun Lei also intervened with augh, ¡°Gao Pangzi, don¡¯t keep us in suspense. Do tell. I have no interest in ss leadership. I know myself well. I¡¯m a simple man, just being in this ss makes me content.¡± Now Qiao Yuan chimed in with a gentle smile, ¡°The first impressive figure is probably our Nie Brother here. As for the others, I¡¯m not so clear.¡± Min Zhigao nodded immediately, ¡°We don¡¯t need to mention our brother here. I heard that Lin HaiKun¡¯s son, who has just been appointed as the standing deputy chairman, and Kema City¡¯s deputy mayor Lin Yang, are also in the ss. He¡¯s a vice-ministerial level official at just thirty. Besides Lin Yang, the son of the former partymittee secretary Xu Maochai, Xu Jianhua, has also entered. It seems like the position of the branch secretary will be fiercely contested this time.¡± PS: I rmend Qu Feng¡¯s new officialdom novel ¡°I am an Officer¡±.¡± I¡¯m quite embarrassed this month. Fromst night until now, there¡¯s only been one monthly ticket. Please, I¡¯m asking for a monthly ticket, a rmendation. Please give Old Cai the motivation to write. Chapter 229: A Strong Smell of Gunpowder_1 Chapter 229: A Strong Smell of Gunpowder_1 Trantor: 549690339 Zhou Chunlei was stunned for a moment, thenughed and said, ¡°Gao Pangzi, aren¡¯t you exaggerating a bit? Xu Jianhua is in the Ministry of Science and Technology, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯s notparable to Lin Yang at all. I¡¯ve retired, and nowadays who cares about all this? Who canpare with Lin Yang? As far as I can see, there¡¯s hardly any suspense in the ss cadre election.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Qiao Yuan on the side shook his hand and said, ¡°Old Zhou, you can¡¯t just say that. I would say Xu Jianhua is not as simple as he seems on the surface. An old hand, after all, was once in charge. One should not take him lightly. However, now the situation is clear. The Youth Cadre ss is obviously a battle among gods. Both these people are aiming for the position of branch secretary. They have zero interest in the positions of organizationmittee and publicitymittee. If you guys are up for it, why not try for these two positions?¡± After a meal, the spicy taste of Sichuan cuisine got everyone somewhat heated up. As they had something in the afternoon, they didn¡¯t linger for too long. Around two-thirty in the afternoon. The four of them also rushed to the exclusive ssroom located in the postgraduate building of the Autonomous Region Party School. As soon as the four entered, the ssroom was already full of people. At this time, Lin Yang, surrounded by four or five people, walked in from the outside. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Lin Yang was stunned for a moment, then immediately came over to greet him. Lin Yang was familiar with Nie Zhenbang. Cao Yangming had blocked Nie Zhenbang¡¯s funds, but Nie managed to secure them directly from the Ministry. More importantly, Cao Yangming, who was still rtively young, was sent straight to the Political Consultative Conference for retirement. On the surface, it was an ordinary personnel adjustment. It seemed that Cao Yangming was affected by his son, Cao Zhuangzhi. But Lin Yang was very clear that this matter could be rted to Nie Zhenbang. Just this point was enough to make Lin Yang treat Nie Zhenbang with utmost respect, let alone when the Secretary of the Party Committee of Kazhou City got snubbed, and Cui Jinsheng, the Director of the State Taxation Bureau, moved to the second line. At this, Lin Yang dared not ck off. Unexpectedly, this young, youngest department-level official, who was known as a killer in the Northwest officialdom, had actually enrolled in this Youth Cadre ss. Then, Lin Yang greeted him with augh and said, ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re here too? Haha, I¡¯ve always wanted to get to know you. I didn¡¯t expect that we would be ssmates today. Director Nie, do you have time for a casual meal tonight? When ites to economic development, you¡¯re the top notch in the Northwest. I definitely need to learn from you.¡± This attitude of Lin Yang immediately stumped many people in the ss. This was the famous Nie Zhenbang from Bazhou, Northwest. He could actually join this ss. It seems that he really is a key figure for development. Nie Zhenbang was also startled. Lin Yang¡¯s words put Nie Zhenbang in a difficult position. Offering to have dinner may seem like that on the surface. But in reality, it¡¯s probably about the election of the ss cadre. As the saying goes, there¡¯s no smoke without fire. Nie Zhenbang is not a child, he¡¯s clear that there¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t n to get involved in thepetition between Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua. When he came to study in this ss, Nie Zhenbang had a good attitude and an upright mentality. In the ss, his age and position are inferior to others. And being a ss cadre, didn¡¯t even cross Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind. But, he also didn¡¯t want to get involved. Then, Nie Zhenbang also replied with augh, ¡°Mayor Lin is being polite. It should be me treating you guys to dinner. How about this, after a few days, once the school starts, I¡¯ll treat everyone in the ss to a meal, consider it a token of my appreciation.¡± At this moment, a hearty voice came from outside, ¡°Haha, I like what Director Nie just said. Director Nie is the youngest in our ss. From now on, he¡¯ll be our ¡®little brother¡¯. We all have to take care of our ¡®little brother¡¯.¡± Following the voice, a young man about thirty-five years old also walked in from outside. This is Xu Jianhua, the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Science and Technology. In the Northwest, with the appearance of Nie Zhenbang, the trend of rejuvenation of officials has expanded many times more than before. Many people with background and ability have been promoted more quickly. This year, there are many more young deputy bureau-level officials in the Northwest. This is an example. In addition, Zhou Chen broke another record this time. The trend of rejuvenation of officials in the Northwest is likely to intensify further. As soon as he saw Xu Jianhua, Lin Yang¡¯s face fell, but then he alsoughed lightly, ¡°I was wondering who it was. Such a strong call to arms, turns out it¡¯s our Jianhua.¡± There is a hidden message in Lin Yang¡¯s words. Everyone here was of the same level except for Nie Zhenbang, the ¡®little brother¡¯. The others were all deputy bureau-level officials. You, Xu Jianhua, were acting like a leader, making such a call to arms. By saying this, Lin Yang naturally resonated with many people. However, even Nie Zhenbang, considering his background and ability, doesn¡¯t take the deputy bureau-level officials too seriously. Xu Jianhua was also taken aback. He was caught off guard by Lin Yang¡¯s quick detection of a loophole in his rhetoric. But Xu Jianhua was no fool. He quickly adjusted andughed, ¡°Mayor Lin, what do you mean by call to arms? This is a proposal. Are you saying that you feel Nie Zhen doesn¡¯t deserve it? A 24-year-old department-level official. His work in Lixian County is so outstanding, I, Xu Jianhua, admire him. I wonder what your attitude is, Mayor Lin.¡± Tensions began to rise. The ss hadn¡¯t even started yet, but there was already a lot of friction in the air. Lin Yang¡¯s face changed. Xu Jianhua¡¯s ability to put a spin on things was pretty good. But Lin Yang seemed to forget how he had started off bending people¡¯s words. Under these circumstances, it¡¯s quite clear now, both men are aiming for the position of secretary for the Young Cadres ss branch. To stand out among so many leaders in the Young Cadres ss at the Party School, to serve as an officer of the ss, is not only a great honor but also an important personal experience. To put it a bit more boldly, it¡¯s tied to one¡¯s future promotions. At this point, those who have such thoughts should naturally strive for it. Within the system, those who do not strive will end up standing aside and allow others to take it away. With the two men preparing to continue their confrontation, the tension seemed to be escting. The ssroom door suddenly swung open, standing by the entrance was Zhang Xiaou, the director of the political research department of the District Party School and also the charge for this Young Cadres ss. Leading the entrance was Jiang Zhenquan, secretary of the Autonomous Region Party Committee. Following Jiang were Li Yifeng, Deputy Secretary of the Autonomous Region Party Committee, concurrently Minister of the Organization Department, and Principal of the Party School of the Autonomous Region. Then came Jia Ping, member of the Standing Committee and Secretary-General of the Party Committee of the Autonomous Region, along with Wang Shunnan, the Executive Vice Principal of the Party School of the Autonomous Region. This lineup, this pomp, immediately stunned everyone in the Young Cadres ss. Generally, for the start of such training courses, even for medium and long-term training courses of a year, having Executive Vice-Principal Wang Shunnan, who is in charge of the overall work of the Party School, would already be considered high standard. Li Yifeng¡¯s main responsibilities still lie in his position as the full-time Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee. However, this time, not only was Li Yifeng present, but also Jiang Zhenquan. Meanwhile, everyone felt somewhat fortunate at heart. The more the Autonomous Region Party Committee valued this, the higher the position of the Young Cadres ss in the minds of the Party Committee. Thus, the potential for future promotions was also greater. It seemed that the Party Committee of the Autonomous Region was determined to support young cadres this time. Lin Yang, who was sitting at the front, had already stood up at this moment and had moved a few tables and chairs to make room. His quickness greatly pleased Zhang Xiaou. As the ss director, Zhang Xiaou naturally assumed the role of the moderator at this moment. He stepped onto the podium and then said: ¡°Leaders, colleagues, I am honored to serve as your ss director for this mid-ranking young cadre training ss at the Autonomous Region Party School. I am thankful to the leadership and the organization for their trust and support. Now, please wee, with warm apuse, Secretary Jiang to speak for us.¡± Jiang Zhenquan confidently stepped onto the podium, looked around at everyone, and an immediate silence fell over the ssroom. This reflected the majesty and grace of a provincial leader. Then, Jiang Zhenquan said slowly: ¡°Colleagues, a great person once said, you all, are the sun at eight or nine in the morning. This world is ours, and yours, but ultimately it belongs to you¡­¡± Jiang Zhenquan quoted a famous saying from a great person as an opener, such an iconic quote. It set off some reverie among the crowd. Does this mean that this training ss would be the talent pool for future party and government leaders, even leaders of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and the government? After Jiang Zhenquan finished his speech, Li Yifeng also took the stage. Unlike Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s profound speech, Li Yifeng¡¯s words seemed rather straightforward, talking about the current situation, development, and the challenges that young cadres currently face and the changes in mindset they need to make. He urged everyone to study diligently at the Party School, serving the people. Having the leaders of the Autonomous Region Party Committee attend the opening ceremony was already considered high-level. Naturally, they wouldn¡¯t stay for long. After the leaders had left, Zhang Xiaou returned to the podium and said solemnly: ¡°Everyone, today is Friday, on Monday, we will have a ss meeting to formally elect the ss officers for our Young Cadres ss. As leaders yourselves, I won¡¯t say much. I believe everyone has adequate organizational capability. Now, I need a few ssmates to help me move some books.¡± No sooner had his voice dropped than Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua both stood up. At this point, it was a crucial period for running for ss officers, their minds were alike. Under these circumstances, providing good service to ssmates could bring lots of benefits to the election. After the books were distributed and the meeting adjourned, everyone else left. They were all officials of status and naturally would not sit still in the ssroom. Moreover, many were like Nie Zhenbang, splitting their time between studying and handling work. Nie Zhenbang and the other four from his dormitory had just reached the school gate when Yi Jun spotted Nie Zhenbang and immediately came to greet him. PS: I owe it to others. Now, it¡¯s time to give back. I rmend a book Title: Return to the Peak Number: 2141339 Summary: Forced to merge with an ancient relic, Ling Feng reincarnated on his 18th wedding night, which was the night his family was wiped out! That was the turning point of his fate¡­ Thanks for all your monthly tickets and rmendations. As promised, there must be four updates today. To brothers and sisters who still have base monthly tickets, please cast them for Old Cai. (To be continued. If you like this book, wee to to vote and support. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 230: Unexpected Result_1 Chapter 230: Unexpected Result_1 Trantor: 549690339 Seeing Yi Jun, Nie Zhenbang did not show any surprise. His sudden departure from Lixian without any exnation or instructions was bound to cause anxiety amongst the local officials. However, this was precisely Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intention. In Lixian, Nie Zhenbang knew he would not be able to maintain his presence forever. This ce marked his first step, and also the most significant one. His objective was to ensure the continued growth and sess of the town, even after his departure. To achieve this, a strong andpetent sessor was necessary, and this was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first test for his potential sessors. Nie Zhenbang then turned to Min Zhigao and the others, saying, ¡°Brothers Min, Zhou, and Qiao, please head over to the restaurant and wait for me. I have something to attend to, but I¡¯ll join you soon.¡± Min Zhigao and the others gave him a nod. Each person has their secrets, and this was especially true in the world of politics. They understood that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position was different ¨C as leading people in their municipal roles they had fewerplicationspared to Nie Zhenbang himself. ¡°Xiaoyi, I was considering that you all mighte over after a few days. I did not expect you toe here so quickly, which is a surprise for me.¡± Nie Zhenbang said this with a smile. These words made Yi Jun feel a little embarrassed. When the county head spoke, there was implicit criticism in his words. At this moment, Yi Jun, who was full of doubt, had to exin, ¡°County Head, now the whole of Bazhou City is talking. They say¡­ they say that you abused your power for personal gain during your tenure in Lixian. They even im thating here for study is just a cover. They say the disciplinemittee is going to investigate you.¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face turned serious. What bothered him were not the rumors per se, but Zhou Chen¡¯s insolence was surely causing unnecessary spection. Nie Zhenbang responded, ¡°Xiaoyi, howe you¡¯ve also started blindly following rumors? The organization will rify whether these rumors are true or not. This is not something you should worry about. For now, your responsibility is to focus on Lixian¡¯s economic development and your work. Don¡¯t concern yourself with other matters. Do you understand?¡± Nie Zhenbang appeared stern. Since his departure, there seems to be certain unrest in Lixian, and he was concerned about what would happen in the future. Yi Jun gave a nod of agreement and said in a low voice, ¡°County Head, I understand. I will return to Lixian immediately.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mood seemed slightly more rxed now, and he replied, ¡°Good, go back. You know my number, call me if anythinges up.¡± After watching Yi Jun leave, Nie Zhenbang hurried to a Sichuan restaurant next to the party school where the other three were waiting. They had already ordered and made no enquiries about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s matters. Each of them was a leader, with enough understanding to know not to pry into what should not be asked, and what needed to be spoken would naturally be said. Min Zhigao now picked up a bottle of Yili liquor, pouring a full ss for Nie Zhenbang, and saidughingly, ¡°Drink deeply if feelings are true; if not, just sip. Brother, we¡¯ve been waiting for you. This round of drinks is your penalty.¡± The culture of drinking was intrinsic to the Huaxia politicalndscape. Foreigners might enjoy sipping wine freely at social events, but the culture here was altogether different. Here, there were ancient customs and rituals associated with drinking. It seemed as if there were always reasons and excuses to drink at any asion. Nie Zhenbang smiled at the sight of the three men. Min Zhigao was very chivalrous, while Zhou Chunlei was straightforward. Qiao Yuan, though schrly, was a person of warm heart under his reserved exterior. All were goodpany. Nie Zhenbang picked up his ss and said, ¡°Brother Min, this is bullying me because I¡¯m the youngest.¡± As he spoke, a single gulp finished the ss of liquor. His face remained untouched by the drink, presenting an air of calm. After a round of drinks, the four people had cleaned up four bottles of white spirits. Among them, Qiao Yuan had the poorest tolerance, barely managing one bottle, while Zhou Chunlei and Min Zhigao were clearly seasoned drinkers. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hardiness, however, surpassed everyone¡¯s expectations. A few days passed. Especially over the weekend, Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua were on the move. Unlike other party school training sses, the methods and tactics at the Young Cadre Training ss were quite different. If it were training ss for county or lower-level cadres, having a strong background would be an unquestionable advantage. However, for this cohort of the cadre training program, the political connections don¡¯t seem to be that important. All of them are deputy bureau-level officials. Everyone has some connections behind them. Transitioning from a division position to deputy bureau level is a hurdle, and those who can cross it all have their paths. Moreover, unless they have extraordinary influential connections, the attraction isn¡¯t that strong for them at this level. As such, both Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua are trying their best to build rtionships; today you treat people to dinner, tomorrow I¡¯ll invite them for drinks. For a while, the entire cadre training cohort spent their whole weekends in social activities. Monday morning, eight rings. At this moment, all the trainees of the cadre training program have seated themselves in the ssroom. On Lin Yang¡¯s side, a few people gathered on the left side of the ssroom and asionally discussing something in whispers. On Xu Jianhua¡¯s side, a simr group of people gathered, maintaining a lively, jovial atmosphere. With the ringing of the ss bell, Zhang Xiaou also walked in appropriately from outside. Being the head teacher of the cadre training program was not easy. That was Zhang Xiaou¡¯s first impression. All those present are deputy-level officials. Normally, officers of this caliber should all be studying at the Central Party School. However, this time, the District Party Committee has opened such a ss. Truthfully, Zhang Xiaou¡¯s rank is also at the deputy bureau level. If it wasn¡¯t for the backing of his identity and support from the Autonomous Region Party Committee, Zhang Xiaou would indeed feel out of depth. Nevertheless, Zhang Xiaou is very pleased at the moment. Being the ss instructor, all these students will be his connections in the future. Regardless of whether there¡¯s a way for him to climb further, Zhang Xiaou dares assure himself that as long as he doesn¡¯t vite any fundamental principles, this group of students alone will be enough to secure his position for life. Walking up to the podium, Zhang Xiaou then spoke: ¡°ssmates, this is our first ss meeting of the cadre training program. For the next year, we will live and learn together here. Thus, the theme of this ss meeting is to elect the leaders of our cadre training program. We need a branch secretary, a publicity delegate, and an organization delegate. Those of you interested, pleasee up to the stage and participate in the election.¡± The rules of this election took apletely fair and open democratic election method to appoint ss leaders. They first act as agents. Even Zhang Xiaou didn¡¯t dare oppose these people. None of them are to be taken lightly. In such way, the dissatisfaction of any unsessful candidates can be minimized. Hearing Zhang Xiaou¡¯s exnation of the election rules, everyone including Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua nodded in satisfaction, recognizing this as the best approach. Next, Lin Yang stood up and walked onto the podium, ¡°Hello everyone, since it¡¯s a publicpetition. Let me be the first to make a proposal¡­¡± Seeing Lin Yang step forward, Xu Jianhua¡¯s face darkened for a moment. He was a bit too slow and let Lin Yang take the initiative. However, since things had already gone this far, Xu Jianhua could do nothing. He could only go up second. Afterward, all 32 students in the ss took turns giving a brief self-introduction and made their campaign speeches. ¡°Zhenbang, think about what you want to say. After ss, it¡¯ll be your turn. This campaign, even though not everyone wants to be a ss leader, you have to show that you are willing to, understand?¡± Min Zhigao and Nie Zhenbang sat together, whispering to each other. Nie Zhenbang nodded. Min Zhigao was right. To deliver a campaign speech was necessary as it demonstrated an attitude. All being cadres with ranks and status, if it got out that one didn¡¯t even have this little bit of ambition, it would affect one¡¯s career advancement. Regardless of whether they could be elected or not, at least they ought to show that attitude. Politics is like that. At times, even if one doesn¡¯t want topete, they would be urged to by other reasons. This is the case now. Nie Zhenbang was thest one to take the stage. Looking at everyone below the stage, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said: ¡°Hello to all of you. Allow me to introduce myself. I¡¯m Nie Zhenbang from Lixian, Bazhou City. This time, I am also running for the position of branch secretary¡­¡± After this round of introductions and campaign speeches, Zhang Xiaou distributed a pile of white papers for voting. It was time to cast votes. At this moment, Xu Jianhua¡¯s face also darkened. Looking at the smug look on Lin Yang across from him, Xu Jianhua bent over and began whispering to the students next to him. Under Zhang Xiaou¡¯s arrangement, several students in the front row took on the responsibilities of counting votes and monitoring the process. The ballots were distributed face-to-face and collected on the spot. The votes were counted and announced immediately. Everything was done in apletely transparent manner. Zhang Xiaou wouldn¡¯t dare to pull any tricks on such an asion. Something like this, as long as there¡¯s no bias, was just fine. Trying to get fanciful would only cause trouble. With the vote counting ongoing, the names of candidates were announced one by one. At this moment, Min Zhigao and others started tough while Nie Zhenbang opened his mouth wide, looking at Qiao Yuan and others on the side. The situation had exceeded his expectations. Among the candidates for the position of branch secretary, he had already got 22 votes. There were only 32 people in the entire ss, and he already had three votes more than the second candidate. It seemed that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s election as branch secretary was a foregone conclusion. PS: The third update has been submitted. Please vote for rmendations and monthly tickets. The results this month are a bit bleak. Brothers and sisters. Those who have bottom-vote, please support Old Cai. Chapter 231 - 231 Astonishing Divine Being_1 Chapter 231: Astonishing Divine Being_1 Trantor:549690339 On seeing the vote count, not only Nie Zhenbang but also Zhang Xiaou was stunned. How did this happen? Nie Zhenbang, who had remained remarkably low-key, was elected. On the other hand, Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua, who had been the most enthusiastic, did not receive a single vote. What was going on? Despite his surprise, Zhang Xiaou took the stage with a smile and said, ¡°The enthusiastic participation of everyone makes me very happy, and the result is satisfactory. Now, I invite Comrade Nie Zhenbang, Comrade Liu Yue, and Comrade Shi Aiguo to the stage.¡± Liu Yue was a female cadre in the ss, a vice mayor in charge of science, education, culture, and health in a city. There were many female cadres in the department and ministries, but there were not many women like Liu Yue who held party and government leadership positions at the local level. As for Shi Aiguo, Nie Zhenbang was not particrly familiar with him. But he did know that those who could stand out were not to be trifled with. After the propagandamittee and organizationalmittee members had given their inaugural speeches, Nie Zhenbang also went up. At this time, it was different from his initial election speech. He had no intention of running for election and had been perfunctory. However, now that he had been elected, if he spoke in the same manner, he would give off a frivolous impression. After contemting for a moment, Nie Zhenbang began, ¡°I want to thank everyone here and all my friends for their trust and support. Taking on the role of branch secretary brings a lot of pressure, but I promise to learn from everyone and our teachers and leaders, and strive to serve everyone well.¡± cing himself at the level of service was a very clever move by Nie Zhenbang. Everyone knew that the branch secretary was the most important position in such training sses, potentially a crucial factor for future promotions. Nie Zhenbang, the youngest and least experienced, had, by grasping this opportunity, picked up a big bargain. Many might be displeased. Taking an overly arrogant attitude might have made his job as branch secretary more challenging. But by positioning himself as a service to his ssmates, Nie Zhenbang reduced any jealousy. ¡°Brother, what¡¯s the situation? When they were counting the votes, I couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua, who¡¯ve been stirring up a storm recently, have been doing all this for you,¡± Zhou Chunlei said loudly as soon as they returned to the dorm. Qiao Yuan frowned. Even though Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua did not live here, it was better to avoid gossip. Even though Zhou Chunlei wouldn¡¯t face serious repercussions, it was still inappropriate. Subsequently, Qiao Yuan chided, ¡°Old Zhou, watch your words.¡± Qiao Yuan had good intentions, but his words came across as reprimanding. Luckily, everyone in the dormitory knew each other well. Zhou Chunlei grinned and nodded. When he spoke again, he lowered his voice. On the side, Min Zhigaoughed and said, ¡°It¡¯s obvious. Seeing the first chance to get on stage being stolen by Lin Yang, Xu Jianhua knew that he had little chance of victory. Rather than endure humiliation, it was better to step aside. Selection fell on the four of us in the dormitory. Conveniently, Zhenbang also ran for branch secretary. This made Lin Yang¡¯s chances uncertain. Lin Yang saw the problem and thus we have Zhenbang¡¯s surprising election.¡± Qiao Yuan nodded and said, ¡°Pangzi¡¯s analysis is not bad. Lin Yang¡¯s a tough one too. Better to break ties on his terms than lose to Zhenbang. These two are not simple at all.¡± Nie Zhenbang had already figured all this out. The audacity of Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua also surprised him. There were plenty of tough and capable people at the local level. The old man¡¯s arrangements were seemingly purposeful. At this point, Qiao Yuanughed and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need to consider those matters anymore. In any case, this was a fortuitous coincidence. Zhenbang¡¯s luck is something you can¡¯t imagine. And don¡¯t chalk this up to luck. The selection of candidates by Lin Yang and Xu Jianhua followed rules. This opportunity is not given to just anyone. This time, I actually want to learn more from Zhenbang about his economic development ideas.¡± Hearing Qiao Yuan say this, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Brother Yuan, you are joking with me. Learning from each other is more like it.¡± The dormitory was home to some remarkable individuals, like Min Zhigao for example. He was particrly skilled in interpersonal rtions and boasted impressive abilities. For such individuals, their future prospects were boundless. As for Zhou Chunlei, while he was rxed andid back, this stint in the ¡°Young Cadres ss¡± was nothing more than a credential-boosting exercise. His career trajectory would ultimately steer him towards Politics and Law. After this, gaining a semi-rank promotion wouldn¡¯t pose a problem at all. However, what surprised Nie Zhenbang the most was this man, Qiao Yuan, the deputy mayor of Yihashi City. Although he had not joined the city¡¯s standingmittee, he was in charge of industry, a sector where achievements were readily observable. Moreover, Qiao¡¯s capabilities came as a pleasant shock to Nie. This modest, somewhat aloof intellectual might potentially possess the highest developmental potential among them. At the moment, Qiao Yuan appeared somewhat solemn, yet humble. After some contemtion, he spoke up, ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯ve done some research on Lixian¡¯s economic model and development n, even though I¡¯ve never paid a visit to the county. However, I can¡¯t help but wonder, could your approach to the county¡¯s economy be misguided? By introducing livestock farming and mining industries, do these sectors have a future? Besides, the situation in my Yihashi City is simr to yours. We have nearly 300 million acres of pasture, abundant water resources, and a pleasant climate. Despite these advantages, I am somewhat at a loss regarding how to kickstart industrial development in the city.¡± This was the first time Nie Zhenbang had heard such objections. Qiao¡¯s concerns were not umon and many local leaders of this era faced simr issues. Many of these leaders believed that economic growth could only be achieved through manufacturing, high-tech initiatives, or by invitingrgemercial consortia. However, what these people often overlooked were the local resources at their disposal. For a region to develop sustainably over the long term, it had to utilize its inherent resources and advantages. Upon reflecting on this, Nie Zhenbang exined to Qiao, ¡°Brother Yuan, be itmerce, economy or industrial development, they all should align with the local resources and advantages. For instance, if you want to build a cement factory in a ce with no rted resources, the cost of raw materials will inevitably increase, thus reducing profits. However, if you use these 300 million acres of grasnd to bring in arge leather goods and leather industry, the abundant resources will give them a rich choice of raw materials. Higher quality of raw materials will lower costs and naturally increasepany profits. This will spur development and themon people, the farmers and the herdsmen, given that they don¡¯t have to worry about mark-up, will be even more enthusiastic about breeding. It¡¯s aplete cycle that feeds into itself.¡± At this point, even Min Zhigao and Zhou Chunlei were drawn to their discussion. Invigorated, Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°Brother Yuan, local suitability is key. One has to consider the local resources, environment and the various advantages of the local products. Amplifying these strengths will ensure longsting and sessful development.¡± On the side, Min Zhigao listened in admiration. After quite some time, he suddenly proposed: ¡°Young man, how about youe to our Kema City? I can¡¯t make big promises, but I can definitely arrange a countymittee secretary position for you.¡± Despite Min Zhigao¡¯s offer, everyone understood that it was impossible. Let alone Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance in Lixian, even the role of a countymittee secretary wasn¡¯t alluring enough. After contemting for a moment, Qiao Yuan nodded his head. At this moment, the gaze he turned on Nie Zhenbang hadpletely changed, filled with a mixture of awe and shock. For the following days, life became much more rxed. The Party School course was rather casual. The focus of the deputy provincial-level Young Cadres ss was mostly on governance. Once the official sses began, the number of people in the ssrooms decreased greatly, as many returned to their units. For his part, Nie Zhenbang remained at the school. He was hoping to catch some rest, and perhaps also put some serious effort into his postgraduate coursework. After all, more than a year after themencement of sses he had yet to submit any research materials for review, raising concerns about graduation. Additionally, he decided to test Lixian¡¯s people to see how well they managed without him. As the saying goes: adversity reveals genius, time reveals the heart. Only those who could withstand the test of time would form Nie¡¯s core group. Those who could withstand the test this time would be the ones he would heavily invest in ¨C the difference between heaven and earth. Just as his thoughts were flowing, the mobile phone on his bedside table began to ring. As soon as he picked up, he heard Yi Jun¡¯s voice on the other end: ¡°Governor, there¡¯s a problem with the Education Commission.¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened instantly. A problem within the Education Commission could only indicate issues with the special funds, one of the most crucial projects Nie had undertaken. His annoyance was unquestionable. After a moment of contemtion, Nie responded, ¡°I¡¯ll return to Lixian tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll discuss it then.¡± PS: A 12,000-word explosion ispleted. Please rmend and vote for the monthly pass. (.) Chapter 232 - 232 Nie Zhenbang’s Rage_1 Chapter 232: Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Rage_1 Trantor:549690339 The Range Rover was speeding on the road from Urumqi to Bazhou City. After hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang became increasingly worried. The special funds for education in Lixian were something he had worked hard to obtain. Now, with a call from Yi Jun saying that there was a problem with the Education Committee, Nie Zhenbang knew it must be an issue with the special education fund. Unable to sit still, he set off back home in the middle of the night. The drive from Urumqi to Lixian took almost seven hours. Nie Zhenbang did not set off until nearly midnight. He hurried along the way and finally arrived at Bazhou City proper around seven o¡¯clock in the morning. He drove his car directly into the municipal partymitteepound and parked at the front door of Liu Wenqing¡¯s house. By this time, Liu Wenqing was already up. One of his hobbies was to exercise early in the morning. When he saw Nie Zhenbang step out of his car, looking tired with bloodshot eyes, Liu Wenqing paused in surprise, then stopped his exercise and came over: ¡°Nie, have you juste from Urumqi?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, then broke into a small smile: ¡°I received a reportst night that something had happened at the Lixian Education Committee. So, in my panic, I immediately rushed back. Director, I don¡¯t know much about the situation yet, but I am nning to first obtain your ¡®Imperial Sword¡¯ before I return.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s joking words made Liu Wenqingugh too. He quite liked Nie Zhenbang¡¯s direct and straightforward character, and his way of doing things was something Liu Wenqing appreciated. A problem had arisen with the Lixian Education Committee, and Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t even know what the problem was yet, but he had rushed over to request Liu Wenqing¡¯s ¡®Imperial Sword¡¯. Liu Wenqing was satisfied with this openness. He trusted Nie Zhenbang. Smiling, he said: ¡°Nie, as long as you are in the right, the municipal partymittee and the municipal government will be your strong backers.¡± With Liu Wenqing¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang immediately stood up: ¡°Director Liu, with your support, I feel much more confident. I¡¯m still not sure about the situation in Lixian, so I¡¯m going to rush back now.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words stirred Liu Wenqing¡¯s emotions. This youngster was really throwing himself into the fray. Just as he was about to speak, Nie Zhenbang had already walked out into the yard. The car quickly started, and he left. The People¡¯s Government of Li Countypound Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car drove straight in. The guards basically recognized his license te number. When the government staff saw Nie Zhenbang getting out of the car, they were all stunned. Wasn¡¯t Director Nie supposed to have gone to the district party school to study? And wasn¡¯t the Disciplinary Committee also nning to investigate him? Why had he suddenly returned? Despite their surprise, after all, those were just spections. Now, Nie Zhenbang was still the county head and as he walked through the building, several associates waved and greeted him with smiles. This was the first time in almost a month that Nie Zhenbang walked into his office on the third floor. Meanwhile, sitting in the outer office, Yi Jun stood up as well. Feeling the coldness of human rtionships following Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sudden departure, Yi Jun had now learned some truths about the world of officialdom. Seeing Nie Zhenbang standing in the doorway, Yi Jun heartily said, ¡°Director, howe you came back so soon?¡± Nie Zhenbang took off his coat and walked into his office. Hanging his coat on the rack, he responded solemnly, ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep after receiving the call yesterday. Tell me, what¡¯s the situation? Is it really that serious?¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yi Jun didn¡¯t beat around the bush. Though, over the past month, officials like Chen Le, Yan Fengjiao, Fan Zhenming, and Lin Weimin had been under great pressure, now wasn¡¯t the time to dump grievances. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character was very clear to Yi Jun. Without hesitation, Yi Jun gave him the summary: ¡°Director, since you left, Deputy County Head Bayaer, Deputy Director of the Management Committee Gao Yuanshan, Director of the Education Committee Huang Pingan, and Zhao Kunlun have all banded together. Apparently, they¡¯ve all thrown in their lot with Deputy Mayor Zhou now¡­¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s report, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression darkened again. The allegiance of Bayaer and Zhao Kunlun was expected, but he hadn¡¯t expected Gao Yuanshan and Huang Pingan. Not that Nie Zhenbang was upset about this; in the world of officialdom, pragmatism wasmonce, and he knew he wasn¡¯t a saint himself. People are entitled to their own ambitions, so it was only natural. ¡°Xiaoyi, it¡¯s been a month and you¡¯ve turned quite around. Let¡¯s put aside others¡¯ affairs; everyone has their own journey and choices to make. You just tell me straight. Are there problems with the special education funds managed by the Education Commission?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone was somewhat stern. At that moment, Yi Jun shook his head and said, ¡°Director Nie, the special funds were indeed used for the construction of schools. However, it¡¯splicated. I can¡¯t fully exin it. You need to see it for yourself.¡± The Li County Shengli Township Central Elementary School hadpletely changedpared to half a year ago. Although the size remained the same, the original two-story teaching building had been redecorated and repaired. All the necessary reinforcements were made. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang frowned at a building adjacent to the school. Across from the teaching building, beside the elementary school¡¯s yground, a chic building incensed Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang now understood why Yi Jun struggled to articte the situation. The mboyant design of a mere toilet attracted his ire. It was grander than the teaching building of the school itself. Ostentatiously decorated, the restroom was fitted with thetest urinals and squat toilets which, along with the impressive lights outside, made one feel as if they had stepped into a four-star hotel. The construction and sanitary costs of suchvatories added to at least 30,000 yuan. With current prices, a primary school could be built with just ten times that amount. Nie Zhenbang would not object if suchvatories were built in more affluent areas like the coastal belts of the East. However, in the Northwest, where many vige schools were still made of simple adobe bricks, this extravagance seemed criminal and negligent to him. Renovating every elementary school in the county would make more sense. The leftover money could have been directed towards educational equipment for middle schools or schrships for impoverished students. Nie Zhenbang turned to Yi Jun and said, ¡°Xiaoyi, let¡¯s go take a look at the Muli Township Middle School and Elementary School.¡± By the time Nie Zhenbang and Yi Jun arrived at Muli Township, the Director of the Education Commission, Huang Pingan, and Deputy Director, Bayaer, who had received news of their arrival, had already rushed over. Upon exiting one of the Muli Township Middle School¡¯svatories, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face showed no acknowledgment of any irregrities. The pattern was consistent: every single toilet was opulent, to the extent where vigers joked that the school toilets were far better than the ssrooms. Nie Zhenbang, standing before the approaching Huang Pingan and Bayaer, remained silent. The atmosphere turned tense. Bayaer, somewhat apprehensive of Nie Zhenbang¡¯smanding presence, nervously began, ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯ve finally returned. You see, this sudden situation¡­¡± Mid-sentence, he was cut off by Nie Zhenbang, ¡°What sudden situation, Comrade Bayaer? As the Director of the People¡¯s Government of Li County, do I need to inform you before inspecting the situation on the ground? Or, does my presence here unsettle certain individuals? I didn¡¯t invite you here, why are you so agitated?¡± Essentially berating a Deputy Director in the presence of the students and teachers of Muli Middle School, as well the township citizens, was unheard of. Bayaer, rushing to find a response, was left speechless by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rebuttal. Nie Zhenbang turned his gaze to Huang Pingan, the Director of the Education Commission, and sternlymented, ¡°Director Huang, excellent work indeed. The toilets I have inspected could easily be ced in five-star hotels in Hucheng City or the South China Sea. You have truly worked hard for the sanitation needs of our county¡¯s teachers and students.¡± Everyone understood the sarcasm in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. Huang Pingan lowered his head and nervously responded, ¡°Director Nie¡­ this, this is a showcase project for Li County.¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang waspletely agitated. He had always yearned for a government that wholeheartedly served the people. The tant misuse of funds by the Education Commission was thest straw. As the County Director, Nie Zhenbang cursing publicly was unprecedented. The scene went silent. His face filled with rage, Nie Zhenbang pointed at the marble-encrustedvatory and roared, ¡°Is this your concept of image and prestige? The way I see it, this is just avatory! How much did this cost, Comrade Huang Pingan? Have you calcted that? Each restroom of an elementary school costs no less than 30,000 yuan, and for middle schools, each is 50,000 yuan. Let¡¯s total that up: across the county, considering fifty elementary schools and ten middle schools, that¡¯s two million yuan. Two million yuan! This could have established twenty vige schools, built two high-spec middle schools, and funded two hundred students through high school. Instead, it¡¯s being wasted on toilets. Toilets, a ce to relieve oneself! Does it need such opulence? Ask these vigers, would they dareset foot in such avatory? This is not image-building, you¡¯re tarnishing the image of Li County! This is a crime and a dereliction of duty!¡± Just as he finished, one person from the crowd raised his voice and shouted, ¡°Well said! In my opinion, such people should be shot!¡± Chapter 233: Bayaer Gets Beaten_1 Chapter 233: Bayaer Gets Beaten_1 Trantor: 549690339 A path suddenly opened within the crowd. At that moment, Mayor Ma, leaning on his cane, made his way in with the support of his grandson, Ma Guozhu. Ever since that incident, Ma Guozhu was particrly recruited by Lixian into Muli Township. Currently, he works at the township¡¯s water resource management, and although he holds no official title, he is a genuine cadre and is considered the government¡¯s constion andpensation for Mayor Ma, an old party member. ¡°Director Nie, I think Guozhu should quit his job. He was meant to be a farmer. That he did not excel in school was his own fate. We havend back home, and he¡¯s got strength. That¡¯s all we need, we won¡¯t starve.¡± Mayor Ma, who had been so fiery just now, surprisingly proposed resigning his grandson¡¯s job. Nie Zhenbang was moved, thinking, ¡®This is a real party member, a real cadre. The world needs more such officers who value the people¡¯s interest and disregard personal gains and losses.¡¯ He then said with a smile, ¡°Mayor Ma, you¡¯re mistaken. Guozhu¡¯s job was arranged by Muli Township, and he has been performing well at the water resource management. This indicates that Guozhu is qualified for the job. You¡¯re asking me to dismiss apetent cadre, which is akin to avoiding treatment due to fear of a doctor¡¯s diagnosis. Merit should be rewarded regardless of one¡¯s rtionship; you can¡¯t forbid your descendants from bing cadres because you once were one.¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Mayor Ma found no reason to persist. In his heart, he epted Director Nie¡¯s kindness. For someone like Mayor Ma, who was innately proud, he would never exploit government resources for his own grandchildren. He would return favours, inviting or not, but now that Director Nie has voiced his words, things were different. Although he knew it was still favoritism, there was no reason to refuse now. If he were to continue refusing, then Mayor Ma would also be unsociable. Then, Mayor Ma¡¯s gaze shifted toward the toilet. He was a little disappointed and said, ¡°Nie, I¡¯ve wanted to talk to you for a while, but you¡¯ve been missing for a month, and Lixian is again in a mess. All sorts of monsters are emerging from the shadows.¡± While speaking, Mayor Ma picked up his crutches, pointed towards the toilet on the side, and said without courtesy, ¡°Director Nie, please look. What the hell is this? Isn¡¯t this merely a ce for people to piss and shit? A few bricks and asbestos tiles are enough. As long as it doesn¡¯t copse when people use it, isn¡¯t it enough? A project that could be done well within a thousand bucks is getting tens of thousands spent on it. My donations are basically wasted. These are all textbooks, desks and chairs, they represent the sweat and blood of the people. And the donations from those big bosses, they weren¡¯t meant to be spent like this.¡± Mayor Ma¡¯s words were very direct. He did not give any dignity to Bayaer or Huang Pingan. Given Mayor Ma¡¯s reputation in Muli Township, the crowd began cheering and joining in. Voices of ridicule could be heard within the crowd, ¡°Mayor Ma, you¡¯re right. We dare not use this toilet. We have no idea how to use this thing when we go inside.¡± Hearing such rumors, Bayaer¡¯s expression turned cold. Looking at the mayor standing next to him, he said in a low voice, ¡°Mayor Ma, please be mindful of your standing. This is all aprehensive consideration and judgement of the countymittee and government. It represents Lixian¡¯s image and face.¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± It seemed as though Mayor Ma¡¯s mantra was this very sentence. At this moment, the twinkle of anger appeared on Mayor Ma¡¯s face. His eyes widened as he stared at Bayaer, yelling, ¡°Bullshit, Bayaer! When I was a cadre, you were most likely still wearing open-crotch trousers. Don¡¯t pull that one with me. Is this the intention of the countymittee and government? Don¡¯t pull rank with me. Wearing a hat, I believe the countymittee and the county government would not make such outrageous decisions. A toilet has just been built, and that represented Lixian¡¯s image? That added reputation to Lixian? You should rather spend effort on education quality and poor students. It seems like you¡¯re not concerned about money.¡± He paused for a bit, bing slightly agitated, mainly because he was old and his strength not what it used to be. After calming down, Mayor Ma exploded again, ¡°Bayaer, Huang Pingan, you guys are misusing your powers and public funding. This is a vition of discipline, a severe vition. I will certainly report this to higher authorities. As an old party member and municipal representative, I condemn the actions you have taken. You guys are not fit to be cadres.¡± Bayaer¡¯s face sank. Talking to this old man was incredibly cumbersome. He nced at Nie Zhenbang next to him. Bayaer decided to go all out. He sternly said, ¡°Comrade Ma, please be aware of your position. I¡¯m still the deputy head of Lixian, overseeing the education and health department. The work of Lixian¡¯s government is not subject to your directions. Moreover, for all the new toilet constructions in Lixian¡¯s schools, we had informed and gotten approval from Deputy Mayor Zhou. This is a key issue that the city is focusing on. You, a retiredrade, what do you know? Words and actions bear responsibilities.¡± Hearing this, Mayor Ma was so angry that his whiskers trembled. After a long silence, Mayor Ma pointed at Bayaer and said, ¡°Alright, today, I will stake my old life on standing up to you.¡± Having said that, Mayor Ma lifted his cane and headed straight for Bayaer. His sturdy wooden cane, with a dragon¡¯s head carved on top, was extremely solid. It was no child¡¯s y if that cane struck someone. Moreover, Mayor Ma did not hold back at all, several blows, and Bayaer¡¯s head was soundly smashed, blood flowing freely. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also stepped forward, violence should only go so far. With Mayor Ma¡¯s identity, a few hits were not a problem, but if he hit too much, it would be trouble, after all, the partymittee and government still needed to maintain a certain authority and image. Even if Bayaer was to be dealt with, it would have to be done through the government. If they beat him like this and cause a big fuss, Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin would also be implicated. Nie Zhenbang, with his nimbleness, grabbed Mayor Ma¡¯s walking stick and gently put it down. Nie Zhenbang said with a smile: ¡°Mayor Ma, that¡¯s enough, that¡¯s enough. I assure you, this time the toilet incident, our County Party Committee and County Government will definitely deal with it seriously. Thepleted ones, we won¡¯t bother about. We won¡¯t tear them down and rebuild them, the ones under construction will all halt for rectification. The ones that have not started, they will all be cancelled. Also, regarding the issues of Comrade Bayaer and Comrade Huang Pingan, the County Party Committee and County Government will definitely give you, and all the citizens of the county, a satisfactory answer. What do you think?¡± Here, when Bayaer saw Nei Zhenbang stepping in, he immediately stood up, his face gloomy, roaring: ¡°Call the police, call the police, Director Huang, call the police immediately. This iswlessness, they are now openly assaulting state officials.¡± This time, Bayaer waspletely plunged into a state of frenzy. At this moment, he had forgotten the prestige of Mayor Ma in Muli Township. As this sentence ended, the words had just fallen, and the onlookers around immediately turned their heads to look at Bayaer, in the middle, there were even people shouting loudly: ¡°Call the police, I want to see which police officer dare to arrest Mayor Ma. In my opinion, this waste, deserves to be killed. Howe Mayor Ma doesn¡¯t hit Director Nie, but hits you specifically.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression became serious: ¡°Bayaer, enough is enough, look at yourself, do you still look like an official? Wasteful extravagance, a toilet, so grandly built, your issue will definitely be discussed by the county standingmittee. And you, Comrade Huang Pingan, as the director of the Committee on Education. Is this how you care about the education work of the entire county? The literacy project, the hope project for rescuing out-of-school children, all these are big money spenders, you guys are great, squandering two million, two million. From now on, you stop being the head of the Committee on Education. I will personally report to Secretary Zhang. For your issue, after investigation, the County Party Committee and County Government will give you a clear and fair answer.¡± He paused for a moment, but Nie Zhenbang looked at Bayaer on the side with a gloomy expression: ¡°I will personally report Vice Mayor Zhou¡¯s issue to Secretary Liu and Mayor Ding at the City Committee. I want to see if the City Party Committee and Municipal Government¡¯s approval for Lixian to build so many toilets will really bring Lixian much honor and face.¡± Nie Zhenbang was really angry at this moment. Zhou Chen,ing to Bazhou was a smart move by your Zhou family. Knowing that Lixian¡¯s big development will inevitably drive the development of Bazhou City, in this way, no matter what, the team of Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government will have merits. After all, no matter what he is in charge of, if a ce gets rich and develops, they can all achieve some results. In this way, Zhou Chen had capital for promotion. But now that Zhou Chen is restless and waiting to take credit for himself, he should not be polite either. Lixian, to put it bluntly, is Nie Zhenbang¡¯s starting ce, here, is Nie Zhenbang¡¯s forbidden area. If anyone wanted to interfere or destroy this development of Lixian, they must be prepared to face off with Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, Bayaer did not care much about Nie Zhenbang. Now, he too has someone to lean on. Did Nie Zhenbang, a county head, really think he could overthrow a deputy city mayor? Bayaer would never believe it. You, Nie Zhenbang, have a background, Vice Mayor Zhou also has one, it is still yet to be seen who will win. With this kind of backing, Bayaer became much bolder. He snorted coldly and said, ¡°Director Huang, let¡¯s go. There is no reason in Lixian. Let¡¯s go somewhere where reason can be found.¡± Seeing Bayaer leave, Nie Zhenbang did not stop him. Right now, Nie Zhenbang wished that Bayaer could invite Zhou Chen over. In this way, he could tidy them up all at once. Now, he was upying a justified position, no matter where thewsuit was filed, Zhou Chen would lose. Here, Nie Zhenbangforted Mayor Ma a few words, then, upon returning to the county, Zhang Chubin¡¯s call came directly to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone. As soon as he answered, Zhang Chubin¡¯s voice came over: ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯re back. I heard that Bayaer just got beaten up by Mayor Ma. What on earth happened?¡± Upon hearing Zhang Chubin¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was stunned, the news spread really fast, how long has it been, probably the whole Lixian knows about it now. After pondering for a while, Nie Zhenbang also said slowly: ¡°Secretary Zhang, things are a bitplicated, I think, I should go to the countymittee, there are some things I need to discuss with you.¡± PS: Thanks for the monthly tickets and rmendation tickets. Chapter 234: Zhou Chen is Smart This Time_1 Chapter 234: Zhou Chen is Smart This Time_1 Trantor: 549690339 After hanging up the phone, Zhang Chubin was lost in contemtion. To be honest, he was envious. The officials in Lixian couldn¡¯t grasp the situation, but Zhang Chubin had learnt about it through Liu Wenqing. The training of the young elites at the Party School of the Autonomous Region was set tost for a year. It was a long time, but it wasn¡¯t full-time. Additionally, this level and the time were carefully calcted. It was a sign that Nie Zhenbang was being primed for promotion. At this moment, if it was possible, Zhang Chubin would even be willing to switch his position as County Party Secretary with Nie Zhenbang, and then he himself could go to the young elites. Imagine, a Deputy Department-level official, surrounded by Vice-Minister-level ssmates, what a vastwork of rtionships this would be in the future. More importantly, attending the young elites course at the Vice-Minister level as a Deputy Department-level official represented the importance the Party Committee and government of the Autonomous Region ced on Nie Zhenbang. In other words, in the eyes of the leaders of the Autonomous Region Party Committee, Nie Zhenbang had already be equal to the Vice-Minister level. Nie Zhenbang moved quickly. Although he didn¡¯t sleep for the entire night, it wasn¡¯t an issue. When he was in the Tiger Group, it wasmon not to sleep. He could still endure such a short span of time. Besides, after seeing all these luxury toilets in the whole county, he was furious. He wasn¡¯t in the mood to sleep. From the county government to the courtyard of the county partymittee, it was just a few steps away. In less than two minutes, Nie Zhenbang walked into Zhang Chubin¡¯s office. At this moment, Zhang Chubin himself hade out to meet him, seeing Nie Zhenbang with bloodshot eyes. He showed up so early in Lixian, and Zhang Chubin knew that Nie Zhenbang must have rushed back the previous night. This desperate posture also aroused some admiration in Zhang Chubin. At least, in terms of Lixian¡¯s development, hegged behind Nie Zhenbang. After personally pouring a cup of tea for Nie Zhenbang, Zhang Chubin smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you haven¡¯t slept for the whole night. Your health is important. Why don¡¯t you rest a bit first? We can discuss it tomorrow.¡± Nie Zhenbang shook his head, took a sip of tea, and moistened his throat. After returning, he didn¡¯t tell them he hadn¡¯t slept, and he didn¡¯t even have breakfast. He hadn¡¯t drunk any tea either. At this moment, he felt a bit hungry after sitting down. But the matter was important. Nie Zhenbang replied, ¡°Secretary Zhang, I¡¯m okay. I can handle a day or two. Let¡¯s discuss first. We can make up for it tonight.¡± After some contemtion, Nie Zhenbang spoke in a calm tone, ¡°Secretary Zhang, I got a call from my secretary, Yi Jun. That¡¯s why I rushed back from Urumqi. Comrade Huang Pingan from the County Education Commission has been abusing his power and squandering public funds. He¡¯s been embarking on face work and image-building projects in various primary and secondary schools across the county, building dozens of luxurious public toilets. You haven¡¯t seen it. These toilets are even more luxurious than the teaching buildings and our county partymittee and county government office buildings. My opinion is to immediately suspend Huang Pingan¡¯s duties; let the county partymittee lead, and the county discipline inspectionmission establish an investigation team to probe all primary and secondary schools across the county. Based on the amount of wasted money, we¡¯ll decide how to deal with Huang Pingan.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Additionally, for deputy county mayor Bayaer, who is in charge of Science, Education, Culture, and Health Unit, I suggest that we report to the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government in the name of the county partymittee and county government group and investigate Bayaer¡¯s leadership responsibility.¡± At Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhang Chubin was stunned. Nie Zhenbang was going to really crack down. Suspension and investigation by the discipline inspectionmission ¨C this meant pushing people to a dead end. Several dozen luxury toilets. Regardless of whether Huang Pingan got any benefit or not from this, if he had, he was looking at jail time, and even if he hadn¡¯t, his leadership could possiblye to an end. As for Bayaer, even if he was not demoted, a certain punishment was guaranteed, at the very least, he would be med for ineffective supervision. Furthermore, if a warning or demerit was imposed within the party, Bayaer¡¯s career would surelye to an end. However, at the moment, Zhang Chubin didn¡¯t have any intention to protect Bayaer and Huang Pingan. Recently, these two people have been very close to Zhao Kunlun. Ever since Nie Zhenbang left Lixian, this group of people has been causing a ruckus, along with Gao Yuanshan, vice director of the Management Committee of the Development Zone. If he wasn¡¯t in control, Lixian might have not looked like the way it was now. Now, Zhang Chubin had a clear view. The better Lixian¡¯s development, the more benefits he would receive. If he really wanted to squeeze out Nie Zhenbang, his own career would probably be over. Then, Zhang Chubin nodded, ¡°Zhenbang, I have no objections here. I think we should invite Secretary Xie, Secretary Sun, and others to discuss.¡± While Nie Zhenbang was discussing how to handle the situation with Zhang Chubin, a Santana was racing down the road to Bazhou City. Inside the car, Bayaer was gloomy. The wound on his head had been roughly bandaged at the hospital. Next to him, the director of the County Education Commission, Huang Pingan, still seemed somewhat uneasy. The inside of the car was silent for a while. This time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sudden return was totally unexpected. Such anger was unprecedented. Nie Zhenbang acted as if he hadpletely torn off his facade. It seemed as if he intended toe down hard. Chapter 235 - 234: Zhou Chen is Smart This Time_2 Chapter 235: Chapter 234: Zhou Chen is Smart This Time_2 Trantor: 549690339 Huang Pingan was feeling restless. After experiencing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s fury and witnessing the public¡¯s outrage, he began to feel afraid. He was just an official of rank. It was very likely that he would be cannon fodder in the uing struggle. After a moment of silence, Huang Pingan murmured, ¡°County Mayor, about Deputy Mayor Zhou¡­¡± Bayaer interrupted Huang Pingan before he could finish his sentence, saying firmly, ¡°Old Huang, don¡¯t mention Deputy Mayor Zhou now. Yes, Deputy Mayor Zhou did say that Lixian¡¯s education should be at the forefront of the city, and even the country, as a gship. However, Deputy Mayor Zhou never specified that you, Huang Pingan, should build such a luxurious bathroom. Don¡¯t say anything rash.¡± Being a leader, Bayaer was well aware of the ins and outs. Deputy Mayor Zhou never mentioned building a bathroom ¨C it was just a subtle hint. If he attempted to shift the me onto Zhou, he would definitely deny any involvement. Furthermore, without Zhou¡¯s support, they stood no chance in the face of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s power. Such was the art of interpreting leaders¡¯ intentions in the officialdom. If correctly interpreted, one could gain favor and promotion. If misinterpreted, it could be lethal. In any case, if a job were well-executed, it would reflect positively on the leaders. If issues arose, they were your sole responsibility. If you shouldered the me, the leaders might support you. Try to shift me upward, and no one would defend your tarnished reputation. The car drove directly into thepound of the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government. The staff looked askance at Bayaer¡¯s disheveled state. At this moment, maintaining one¡¯s official position took precedence over preserving one¡¯s image. The Deputy Mayor Zhou Chen¡¯s office was on the fourth floor of the government building. Truth be told, Zhou Chen was not fond of the fourth floor. He had a personal prejudice against the number four. However, his rank dictated his office¡¯s location. Just like the other deputy mayors, he had to work on the fourth floor. As soon as Bayaer entered Zhou Chen¡¯s office, he immediately asked, chuckling, ¡°Secretary Zhou, is the Mayor here?¡± Bayaer was well-acquainted with Zhou Chen¡¯s secretary, Zhou Wang. After all, the Mayor yed a crucial role in Lixian. Consequently, Zhou Wang stood up enthusiastically and asked, surprised, ¡°Old Ba, what happened to you? Who beat you?¡± The mention of the incident sparked regret in Bayaer. He regretted allowing Mayor Ma to strike down his ns like a dog snapping up a dumpling. It was now harder to make amends than scaling the sky. If things spiraled out of control, he would be thrown into even bigger hot water. With a bitter smile, Bayaer shook his head and said, ¡°Secretary Zhou, nevermind it. I was caught off guard by a thug. Is the Mayor free? I have urgent news to report.¡± Upon entering his office, Zhou Chen smiled and indicated, ¡°County Mayor Ba is here. Please be seated. What happened to your head? You look like you¡¯ve been hit with a blunt object.¡± At this, Bayaer took a seat, with Huang Pingan following suit hesitantly, feeling very constrained. After a moment of contemtion, Bayaer said, ¡°Mayor, we have failed your expectations. Lixian¡¯s education has run into issues. Nie Zhenbang unexpectedly returned from Urumqi. Upon his return, he inspected several local primary and middle schools. He was quite furious about the bathroom initiative we have undertaken. Now, it seems he is preparing to make his move against us.¡± Taking a short pause, Bayaer continued, ¡°Mayor, we failed to carry out your directives properly and fell into subjectivism. We ask for your criticism and punishment.¡± Gazing at the two men before him, Zhou Chen felt irritated. Impotent anger seethed within him as hepared his subordinates to Nie Zhenbang¡¯spetent team. Zhou Chen was fully aware of the bathroom crisis and agreed it wasn¡¯t handled well. However, he let it slide to vex Nie Zhenbang. Now, Nie Zhenbang had hardly returned when these two came running terrified to seek Zhou Chen¡¯s help. He was beginning to regret his initial indifference. He should have listened to the words of wisdom and focused on his work with the financial backing and support from Bazhou City. He could have quickly produced results while Nie Zhenbang took the spotlight. To tell you the truth, Zhou Chen was not epting the situation lying down. Consequently, he had tried causing trouble for Nie Zhenbang. However, Zhou Chen did not anticipate getting embroiled in trouble himself while failing to steal Nie Zhenbang¡¯s limelight. Now, he was in a dilemma. Should he provide protection? There were no obvious solutions. If he didn¡¯t, his reputation would be tarnished. If his underlings risked harm for him, and he casually washed his hands off the matter, who would trust him in the future? Who would dare to seek his patronage? He had to provide protection, but he needed to find the right strategy. Zhou Chen fell into deep thought. After a while, he looked up at Bayaer and Huang Pingan and said, ¡°You two, go back for now. I am aware of the situation. I will handle it. Don¡¯t worry, with me here, the sky won¡¯t fall down.¡± At Zhou Chen¡¯s words, Bayaer visibly rxed. Apparently, his decision to admit his mistake straightaway upon arrival had paid off. At least Zhou Chen had made his stance clear. With his support, Bayaer no longer had reason to worry. It wasn¡¯t reasonable to expect a clear decision from Zhou Chen at the spur of the moment, considering he was just a Deputy Mayor. Even a Mayor or top leader couldn¡¯t have instantly promised a solution. Shortly thereafter, Bayaer stood up and respectfully said, ¡°Mayor, we won¡¯t disturb you further. Please carry on with your work.¡± Once Bayaer and Huang Pingan had left, Zhou Chen picked up his cell phone and dialed a number. After a brief wait, a voice came through from the other end, ¡°Chen, what made you call me?¡± The voice was steady with an underlying confidence and magnanimity. In contrast, Zhou Chen seemed rather obsequious as heughed and said, ¡°Brother Hua, are you busy? I need to consult you about a matter. My people have provoked Nie Zhenbang. The problem is that Nie Zhenbang has the upper hand. I¡¯m caught between a rock and a hard ce. Brother Hua, could you give me some advice on how to handle this situation?¡± PS: Arge chapter of over 3600 words, courtesy of Old Cai. Saving as much as possible for my brothers and sisters. Here¡¯s the update. Not feeling too well today, so this is it for now. Please rmend and vote. Chapter 236 - 235: Mastermind Behind the Scene_i Chapter 236: Chapter 235: Mastermind Behind the Scene_i Trantor: 549690339 On the other end of the phone, the man listened carefully to Zhou Chen exining the situation in its entirety. After a pause, the man spoke in a calm voice: ¡°Chen, no offense, but if this is your way of doing things, stick to your own field of science, education, culture, and health. Nie Zhenbang is not someone you can mess with.¡± Thisment made Zhou Chen somewhat embarrassed, but he didn¡¯t dare to refute due to the man¡¯s identity. He responded with an awkward smile: ¡°Hu, you know well, Nie and I are simply not on the same page. Coming to Bazhou, if I bent my head down, it would hurt my pride. So, I nned to give him a bit of trouble, you know?¡± In front of this man, Zhou Chen was unusually humble, just like he was in front of his master. It showed that this man was not an ordinary person in terms of his background and abilities. On the other side, the voice became gradually more stern: ¡°Chen, I won¡¯t mince words. Gauge your own weight in all this. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strategy and abilities, even I have to be cautious of. To him, you¡¯re just a dish on the table, something he can eat as and when he likes. If you were honest, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t harm you, but if you y these types of tricks, then you¡¯re digging your own grave. I don¡¯t know what kind of n you¡¯re hatching. Do you think this is how you stir up trouble? Remember, revenge is a dish best served cold. Find the right opportunity when you are in the right, that¡¯s how yound a fatal blow. The way you¡¯re going, it¡¯s as if you¡¯re asking for death.¡± After a pause, the man on the other end of the phone spoke again: ¡°What ridiculous idea is this? Building such luxurious toilets, if it was up to me, I¡¯d want to smack you. You better watch your own back. Don¡¯t look for petty revenge. Just stop dreaming about it.¡± After hanging up the phone, Zhou Chen became thoughtful. The man¡¯s words greatly stirred him, and indeed, he had to admit, he was nowhere near Nie Zhenbang¡¯s level. To Zhou Chen, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t just a man. He was a saint. Then, Zhou Chen got up, walked out of his office, and told his secretary: ¡°Xiao Zhou, I¡¯m stepping out for a bit. If anyonees looking for me, please ask them to wait.¡± Inside the office of Ali, the Deputy Mayor of Bazhou City, who is a Uighur and his full name is Ali Ehmet. Normally, in informal settings, he is simply referred to as Deputy Mayor Ali, or his Han name. ¡°Mayor Ali, currently, the citywide education work is flourishing. This year, the city¡¯s Department of Education has set a goal for literacy work. It¡¯s expected that by this time next year, the city¡¯s illiteracy rate will drop by more than ten percentage points. And by the year after, we forecast an illiteracy rate of 87%. The illiteracy rate for young and middle-aged adults in the city will be above 97.6%,¡± Zhou Chen said humbly. After a pause, Zhou Chen continued: ¡°Mayor, what I mean is, I want to moverade Bayaer, the acting Deputy Mayor of Lixian, to serve as Deputy Director of the Education Department, to boost its efficiency. Moreover, I thinkrade Lu Haibo, the Director of Ku City Government¡¯s Office, is quite capable. He could take up the role of Deputy Mayor of Lixian.¡± Hearing Zhou Chen¡¯s words, Ali was taken into deep thoughts. News spread fast in the city government. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sudden return followed by his rage, publicly reprimanding Bayaer and the Director of the Education Department, even Mayor Ma from Muli Township was beaten. The news had already reached the city. Right now, Zhou Chen was undoubtedly trying to protect Bayaer. Being moved to the Deputy Director of the Education Department was already a good deal. Zhou Chen didn¡¯t have much foundation in Bazhou. The City Party Secretary and the Mayor paid little heed to him. Now, Zhou Chen was getting close to Zhao Weihong. In this context, given Zhao Weihong¡¯s influence in the standingmittee, being moved aside in this way was pretty good. As for the Director of the Education Department, Zhou Chen probably already had to forfeit that. After all, Nie Zhenbang was outraged, someone had to be sacrificed. At this moment, Zhou Chen talking about this matter with him showed that he hade prepared. Lu Haibo was his wife¡¯s nephew. Not many people in Bazhou knew this affair. For Zhou Chen to know about it, it was clear that he had done his homework. By moving Bayaer, letting someone go for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s outrage, he would be giving himself some benefits. He yed these three moves well, bncing all sides and saving face for himself. On his side, he also got substantial benefits. The position of Deputy Mayor of Lixian was even more desirable than a bureau-level position. There was no way Ali could refuse at the moment. After pondering for a moment, Ali nodded and said: ¡°Mmm, it would be suitable forrade Bayaer to serve as the Deputy Director of the Education Department. Thisrade, he¡¯s been working on the front lines of science, education, culture, and health for a long time. This time, being able to work in the Education Department is only natural, and it would enhance the Department¡¯s working capacity. I think it¡¯s very good.¡± With this response, Zhou Chen breathed a sigh of relief. Ali¡¯s words confirmed he agreed to his proposal. Generally, in the world of politics, one¡¯s credit still mattered. One wouldn¡¯t be straightforward in their words. But generally, they would act ording to private agreements. If anyone goes back on their promises, then their future cooperations with others would be difficult. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also taking action swiftly. Under the proposal of Zhang Chubin, an urgent office meeting of the Lixian County Party Secretary was convened. During the meeting, after Nie Zhenbang finished recounting the whole matter with a stern countenance and strict tone, he summarized, ¡°Leaders,rades, I believe that the actions of Bayaer and Huang Pingan are a serious vition of discipline. Comrade Huang Pingan, as the head of the Education Committee of Li County, should be held primarily responsible. I suggest that the County Party Committee issue an official document suspending all duties of Comrade Huang Pingan, and rmend that the county¡¯s Discipline Inspection Commission dispatch an investigation team, working with the finance and audit departments, to review the special education funds. They should also enlist experts to audit all the contractors that handle the school-specific fund. Based on the results, we can then decide on the punishment for Comrade Huang Pingan¡¯s abuse of power.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Furthermore, Comrade Bayaer, the deputy county head in charge of science, education, culture, and health, should also take responsibility for this gravepse in all schools in Li County. As the deputy head in charge, Comrade Bayaer is also at fault for weak supervision and indifference. Here, I also rmend that the County Party Committee investigate Comrade Bayaer.¡± As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words fell, everyone present was stunned. Zhao Kunlun looked at Nie Zhenbang with shock. Clearly, when Nie Zhenbang made a move, he was truly extraordinary. Having been absent for a month, his first action upon his return was a hard-hitting strike. If Zhao Kunlun didn¡¯t know that Nie Zhenbang had been studying at the Party School, he would have thought that Nie Zhenbang had deliberately stayed away for a while to lure out those restless people. Looking around at the people present, Zhang Chubin and Xie Yi were clearly Nie Zhenbang¡¯s close allies. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that they were breathing through the same nostril. Another one, Sun Kewen, was also no saint. In this situation, even though Zhao Kunlun knew his words carried little weight, he felt that he had to express his stance. Immediately, Zhao Kunlun said in a deep voice, ¡°I have a different perspective on Director Nie¡¯s proposal regarding Comrade Huang Pingan. I am reluctant toment. However, isn¡¯t it harsh to treat Deputy County Head Bayaer like this? This is not ancient times when people were condemned by association. If we follow this line of argument, shouldn¡¯t you, Director Nie, as the head of the county government, also take responsibility?¡± Zhao Kunlun was using amon method to shift gaze and concept. He was taking other people¡¯s feelings into ount. Otherwise, he could have pushed the me to Zhang Chubin, Ding Aiguo, or Liu Wenqing. His aim seemed obvious: sacrifice pawns to save the general. As soon as the echo of his voice faded, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow furrowed as he said in a deep voice, ¡°Secretary Zhao makes a good point. As the county head, I should indeed take responsibility. Please rest assured, Secretary Zhao. I will present myself and make a self-examination to the organization and the leaders of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words left Zhang Chubin shocked. It seemed that Nie Zhenbang was determined to remove Bayaer and Huang Pingan from their positions. He had even suggested self-punishment. There was no turning back now. Then, Zhang Chubin said slowly, ¡°Secretary Zhao, we can¡¯t simply disregard Director Nie¡¯s absence from Li County because of his training at the Party School in the Autonomous Region. On the issue of Bayaer and Huang Pingan, I think we should investigate. I¡¯ve also visited the luxury toilets, and it was quite shocking. Now, these toilets have probably be a symbol of Li County. I agree with Director Nie¡¯s view. This matter must be handled seriously.¡± At this moment, Xie Yi also spoke, ¡°I agree with Secretary Zhang. Li County¡¯s development is just starting. It¡¯s not appropriate to have such decadent lifestyles when the local economy has just started to improve. We need to put an end to this.¡± The following voting resulted as expected. Of five people, four were in favor and one opposed the office of Li County¡¯s Secretary passing the resolutions concerning Bayaer and Huang Pingan. The next day, while the Secretary of County Discipline Inspection Commission, Sun Kewen, was still organizing members for an investigation team, a document from the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s Organization Department was directly issued to Li County. The document requested the current vice chief of Li County, Bayaer, to be transferred to serve as the deputy director of the Bazhou City Education Committee. Lu Haibo, city government office chief of Ku City, was asked to take a position at the Li County Party Committee and serve as the deputy head of the People¡¯s Government of Li County, thereby recing Bayaer¡¯s duties. This move left Nie Zhenbang feeling taken by surprise. He was not exactly sure what took ce at the city level. However, since the appointment came from the Municipal Party¡¯s Organization Department, it was clear that it had the approval of individuals like Liu Wenqing. In light of these events, Nie Zhenbang was pondering. This time, Zhou Chen¡¯s response was quite good. Nie was initially trying to suppress Bayaer and remove Huang Pingan, thereby making Zhou Chen lose face in Bazhou City. Then, all the officials in Bazhou City would see that a deputy mayor couldn¡¯t even protect his subordinates. After that, who would dare to join him? Obviously, no one would even think about it. In such case, Zhou Chen would be left isted in Bazhou, unable to create any major upheaval. However, Zhou Chen¡¯s tactics surprised Nie Zhenbang. Giving up the position of deputy county head in exchange for support from the city¡¯s leaders and forcing apromise from the Municipal Party Secretary, Liu Wenqing, and Mayor Ding Aiguo worked. Ateral transfer removed Bayaer without a promotion, but it gave others the impression that following Deputy Mayor Zhou was viable. If they made a mistake, Deputy Mayor Zhou wouldn¡¯t hesitate to protect them. Lastly, he left Huang Pingan, the director of the Education Committee, to face Nie Zhenbang¡¯s fury. This move left Nie Zhenbang certain that it wasn¡¯t something a brain like Zhou Chen¡¯s could havee up with. It seemed that Zhou Chen had wise counsel behind him. PS: As the title suggests, a wise advisor has joined the scheme. I hope to receive some extra monthly and rmendation tickets. Brothers and sisters, we haven¡¯t even reached the top ten in the urban category or the top forty in the overall list this March. I feel quite embarrassed by these figures. Please, continue supporting Old Cai. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, I wee you to visit and vote for it. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 237 - 236: Losing Face to Zhou Chen_1 Chapter 237: Chapter 236: Losing Face to Zhou Chen_1 Trantor: 549690339 In the familypound of the Li County Government, in the bureau-level building. At this moment, both Dong Wan and Li Lixue hade over to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s dormitory. At this moment, Dong Wan and Li Lixue, along with Yan Fengjiao, were all busy in the kitchen. In the living room, Lin Weimin, Chen Le, and Fan Zhenming, were all sitting on the sofa. On the coffee table, there were two special packages of Zhonghua cigarettes. Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t be polite. Today, there are no hierarchies among us. Let¡¯s all be casual, just consider it a regr family gathering.¡± These people had all been tested, and while their abilities to fulfill their roles remained in doubt, their loyalty was unquestioned. Therefore, this gathering at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ce could be considered his first real gathering with his direct subordinates in Li County. ¡°Director Nie, are we really going to let it go? I just can¡¯t understand how we let Bayaer escape,¡± Chen Le said from the sofa, sounding somewhat agitated. Chen Le had been under the most pressuretely. After all, in the development zone, Gao Yuanshan was still being overseen by Yan Fengjiao. Although Yang Zhengping was not aligned with Nie Zhenbang, he also did not side with Gao Yuanshan. Yang was independent, very tactful, and his goal ofing to the development zone was clear ¨C to achieve results. Naturally, he would not support Gao Yuanshan. Therefore, Zhou Chen couldn¡¯t interfere in the affairs of the development zone. As for Fan Zhenming and Lin Weimin, there were no problems on their end. Bayaer, as the deputy county head in charge of education and health, did not have authority over Fan Zhenming and Lin Weimin. Hence, the two were not under much pressure. At most, other officials in Li County tried to intervene once they thought Nie Zhenbang was overthrown. However, Fan Zhenming and Lin Weimin managed to withstand. Among all, Chen Le had it the worst, because Zhao Kunlun, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee, who had authority over the Public Security Bureau where Chen Le worked, was present. After Nie Zhenbang left for Urumqi, Zhao Kunlun immediately came to inspect the Public Security Bureau¡¯s work, which led to Chen Le being subtly criticized by Zhao Kunlun. If Nie Zhenbang did not return, there might have been instability in the Public Security Bureau. Therefore, it was Chen Le who was the most resentful. Seeing Chen Le¡¯s disgruntled expression, Nie Zhenbangughed, looked at everyone and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about Bayaer for now. In short, what¡¯s meant toe will alwayse. There¡¯s no need to hurry.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang asked seriously, ¡°Do you know why I have been unstoppable in my career and could turn the tables?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s question made both Chen Le and Lin Weimin stunned. This was the first time Nie Zhenbang had brought up political struggles in front of his subordinates. At this point, no one spoke, because everyone knew that Nie Zhenbang had more to say. Sure enough, he said, ¡°One aspect is the background. Because I have a strong backing, with leaders above me who appreciate and protect me, nobody dares to touch me from top to bottom. That¡¯s one aspect. But more importantly, I am in the right. Everything I do, everything I say, even if it¡¯s not for the country or for the people, at the very least, I can live up to myself, my position, and most of the people. With the support of most people, the minority is not to be feared.¡± It was the first time Nie Zhenbang publicly admitted his background. In the past, though everyone spected about it, spection was just spection. Admitting it himself now, made it different. Both Lin Weimin and Fan Zhenming seemed thoughtful, asionally ncing at Chen Le. There was a further implication in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. Chen Le¡¯s previous remarks seemed to suggest a focus on struggle over the greater good. It was obvious that those Nie Zhenbang had criticized deserved it, but Chen Le appeared to be showing a vengeance that was unforgiving and brutal. This was why Nie Zhenbang spoke up to remind him. At this moment, Li Lixue and the others came out of the kitchen with thest few dishes. Yan Fengjiao also said with a smile, ¡°Leaders, dinner is ready.¡± This was the mostplete gathering of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s close aides. Even Li Lixue and Dong Wan hade, which showed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude. He waspletely open with these trusted aides. At this point, there were no superiors or subordinates, and the meal was enjoyed harmoniously. At the County Discipline Commission, Sun Kewen also dispatched apetent investigation team. On the day they arrived at the County Education Commission, all the ount books rted to the special education funding were confiscated. Meanwhile, the Li County Audit Bureau together with the Discipline Commission and the professionals hired from the City Construction Bureau and the City Engineering Company, started a special assessment on the investment and use of funds for the reconstruction and renovation of primary and secondary school infrastructures throughout Li County. The investigation team of the County Discipline Commission was set up in the Armed Department Guest House. At this moment, Huang Pingan looked desperately at the three people before him. The Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee, Sun Kewen, stood there with a serious and gloomy expression. The room had beenpletely cleared, every corner thoroughly searched. In this room, not a single object could be found to end one¡¯s life. It seemed that they were afraid he mightmit suicide out of guilt. Huang Pingan let out a bitter smile. If he truly wanted to end his life, if he had the courage to do so, he probably wouldn¡¯t be so corrupt in the first ce. At this moment, Huang Pingan also began to resent Nie Zhenbang a little. If Nie Zhenbang had still been in Lixian, if there hadn¡¯t been these rumors causing all those associated with Nie¡¯s faction to be severely suppressed, how could he have had any other thoughts? Everyone in Lixian knew about Nie, the county mayor, and his character. Corrupting the government is just asking for Nie to act against him, isn¡¯t it? However, Huang Pingan believed that something really happened to Nie Zhenbang. After Nie¡¯s faction copsed, Huang Pingan thought his chance finally hade. Now that such a good opportunity exists, being able to curry favor with Deputy Mayor Zhou, wouldn¡¯t that brighten his future? At this moment, Huang Pingan attributed all his corruption and degradation to Nie Zhenbang. But he failed to realize that if he had been upright and honest to start with, none of this would have happened. In front of the table, two interrogators from the County Disciplinary Committee, one of them emotionless, finally spoke: ¡°Huang Pingan, I won¡¯t reiterate the Party¡¯s policies and discipline. You know them very well. Just honestly confess. In terms of county education funding, the reconstruction and remodeling of primary and secondary schools in the entire county, the issues with the over-standardized toilets, along with other rted issues, could you please exin them?¡± Despite the grim situation, Huang Pingan still held some hope as he shifted his gaze uneasily. After a long pause, Huang Pingan offered ast semnce of expectation of Bayaer and Deputy Mayor Zhou. As far as Huang Pingan was concerned, Deputy Mayor Zhou had already made the first move by transferring Bayaer, the county head. So, the next move should be to save him, Huang Pingan. Even a minor position in the Municipal Education Commission would be enough. With such thoughts in mind, Huang Pingan said in a serious tone: ¡°About the over-standardized toilet issue, I admit I misunderstood the spirit of the instructions from the higher-ups. I am suspected of wastefully spending special funds. I propose to the organization to penalize me. However, in other matters, I ampletely innocent. My party loyalty and principles can withstand the organization¡¯s test.¡± ¡°p!¡± As Huang Pingan¡¯s words fell, Sun Kewen mmed his palm onto the table. At this moment, Sun Kewen¡¯s expression became gloomy. With his eyes wide open in anger, he red at Huang Pingan and burst out: ¡°Huang Pingan, you are shameless. Do you have any party loyalty or principles left? Ridiculous! Someone like you is not fit to be a Party member. You are tarnishing the Party.¡± With that, an ount book hit the table with a bang. Sun Kewen himself said: ¡°Across the county, 30 over-standardized toilets have been built. Among them, 25 are in primary schools and 5 in secondary schools. ording to the cost estimates in your ount book, each toilet for the primary school costs RMB 60,000 each and RMB 100,000 each for the secondary schools. Here, you spent a total of two million. However, ording to the evaluation of the professional cost estimator from the Construction Company of the city, the total investment for these toilets should be only one million. Where is the other one million?¡± After a pause, Sun Kewen continued, ¡°Also, over at Unity Township, the aid money for impoverished children who dropped out of school was supposed to be disbursed at the rate of RMB 500 per person per year ording to the ounts of the County Education Commission. However, based on the investigation, the actual amount received by Unity Township was only RMB 380 per person. Where did the other RMB 120 per person go? Unity Township has a total of 1,100 dropouts who met the criteria for aid, which umted to a total of RMB 132,000. In addition, each worker in the County Education Commission received a subsidy of RMB 5,000 in the middle of this year. Where did this moneye from? You can¡¯t say it¡¯s from higher-up¡¯s allotments. Furthermore, five extra Audi cars were bought by the County Education Commission, costing over one million. How do you exin this? Is the Lixian Education Commission prosperous now?¡± Given this amount of money, almost RMB 2.8 million out of RMB 9,172,355.40 of county education special funds is unounted for. Sun Kewen naturally would be angered. At this moment, Huang Pingan went pale. Sun Kewen¡¯s words were like daggers in his heart, making Huang Pingan¡¯s defensive linepletely crumble. He didn¡¯t dare to mention the higher-up¡¯s allotment. Such an issue could be verified with a simple phone call. However, the problem wasn¡¯t that; it was the toilet project. After a moment of silence, Huang Pingan lowered his head and said: ¡°I admit! The aid money that was intercepted from Unity Township was used to buy new cars for the County Education Commission. Total expense for the five Audi cars was RMB 1.5 million. I epted a kickback of RMB 100,000 from the car dealership. As for the workers at the Education Commission receiving subsidies, that money came from the special funds. However, I can personally guarantee that all the renovation of the county¡¯s primary and secondary schools has beenpleted. This money was leftover.¡± This statement somewhat amused and angered Sun Kewen. He retorted coldly: ¡°Leftover money can be misused arbitrarily? This money was supposed to be used for educational matters in Lixian County, including buying desks, chairs, and teaching equipment. The money donated by entrepreneurs and ordinary people in the county was not meant for your welfare. It was supposed to be used for the children of this county to go to school. What about the toilet problem?¡± At the mention of the toilet problem, Huang Pingan hesitated. He then gritted his teeth and said, ¡°About the toilet issue, I have embezzled around one million in total. I personally gained two hundred thousand. Four hundred thousand was divided among several other leaders of the Education Commission. One hundred thousand was kept in the Education Commission¡¯s petty cash box as a reserve for flexible funds. Thest three hundred thousand¡­ I¡­ I gave it to Deputy County Mayor Bayaer.¡± Upon hearing Huang Pingan¡¯s words, Sun Kewen was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected Bayaer to be implicated at this point. Bayaer epted a bribe of three hundred thousand in a single instance, truly audacious! Thinking about this, Sun Kewen didn¡¯t dare to be negligent. The County Disciplinary Committee couldn¡¯t handle this matter any longer. It could only be reported immediately. Given Nie¡¯s character, this time around, Zhou, the deputy city mayor, was probably doomed. PS: Sorry for thete update. My apologies. Chapter 238 - 237 Mayor Zhou’s Reputation Stinks _1 Chapter 238: Chapter 237 Mayor Zhou¡¯s Reputation Stinks _1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°You two, continue the interrogation. Be thorough and don¡¯t overlook any detail. The County Education Committee issue is of great concern to the county partymittee and government. Secretary Zhang and Director Nie are all attentive to this matter. No neglect is allowed. More importantly, Secretary Liu and Mayor Ding from the citymittee are also paying attention. Secretary Bai also called me and issued important instructions. Under the current economic development situation, disciplinarymittee inspectors must demand a lot from themselves. Be fair and trustworthy. Firmly eliminate corruption. Safeguard the economic construction of socialism. This matter is of great importance. I¡¯ll step out for a moment.¡± Sun Kewen instructed the two staff on the side, then immediately walked out. Once he stepped out of the room, Sun Kewen reported the progress of the case to Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang via phone calls. After sharing what Huang Pingan confessed, particrly the matters rted to Bayaer, Sun Kewen hung up the phone. The issue had extended to the jurisdiction of the city disciplinarymittee. Sun Kewen no longer wanted to be involved. Sun Kewen temporarily put aside considerations about Deputy Mayor Zhou¡¯s background. He focused on the work he ought to do and would absolutely not take on what he shouldn¡¯t. In a bureaucratic system, it wasn¡¯t rare for small transgressions to be magnified. Sun Kewen wasn¡¯t a neer to the political arena who knew nothing. Under these circumstances, the fate of Bayaer was in the hands of Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang. The top two officials of the county partymittee could bring the issue up if they wished to pursue it. If they took the vice mayor into consideration and ended it here, it wouldn¡¯t be something out of the ordinary. Over here, just as Nie Zhenbang hung up the phone with Sun Kewen, his face showed no joy. He had already anticipated Bayaer¡¯s situation. Now, it merely confirmed his intention to take action against Bayaer. Just then, the phone on his desk rang again, and Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t need to guess who was on the other end. Sure enough, as soon as he picked up, Zhang Chubin¡¯s voice came through: ¡°Hehe, Director Nie, are you busy right now?¡± Zhang Chubin¡¯s tone made Nie Zhenbang frown. It was unusual for Zhang Chubin to speak like this. Zhang Chubin must have received a call from Sun Kewen as well. Could it be that Zhang Chubin also intended to let Bayaer off? Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have sounded like this. Immediately, before Zhang Chubin could say more, Nie Zhenbang sternly said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, I was just about to call you. Secretary Sun reported a situation where Bayaer epted a bribe of 300,000 yuan from Huang Pingan. This is a serious offense, involving a vast amount of money. In such a case, my stance is clear ¨C to eliminate anyone involved, without lenience orpromise, regardless of who is backing Bayaer. I suggest we handle this matter with utmost urgency.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhang Chubin was somewhat taken aback. Nie Zhenbang had made a smart move by stating his stance first, putting the difficult decision onto Zhang Chubin. In fact, when Zhang Chubin was calling Nie Zhenbang, he did intend to let Bayaer off. After all, there is a huge difference between the deputy mayor of a city and the deputy chief executive of a county. Moreover, considering Bayaer¡¯s transfer, it must have been a result ofprehensive consideration by the city. Since the city had reached a consensus, Zhang Chubin reckoned there was no need to hold onto this matter. It¡¯s also good to show mercy when possible. However, if he was the one to first suggest letting Bayaer off, the one in a dilemma would be Nie Zhenbang. Regardless of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughts, he would certainly have to consider the face of Zhang Chubin, the secretary of the countymittee. Nie Zhenbang was aplicated person. Offending his principles made him formidable, but generally speaking, he was easygoing and humble. If he was the one to propose letting Bayaer go, Nie Zhenbang would be ced in a difficult position. To let go? Nie Zhenbang would certainly be unwilling. Not to let go? Nie Zhenbang would also have to consider his feelings and attitude. But now, it was Nie Zhenbang who spoke first. As a result, all the pressure was on him. Zhang Chubin sighed inwardly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s move was indeed a clever one. After pondering a bit, Zhang Chubin also replied in a softer voice: ¡°Hmm, I agree with your opinion too. Since Comrade Bayaer has such serious disciplinary problems, I believe we should not let it slide, nor tolerate it. I think we should immediately report this matter to the citymittee and city government and follow their arrangement.¡± Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but smile. As he thought, in this matter, whoever seized the initiative would win. Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Zhang, I have the same opinion. Comrade Bayaer¡¯s problem is very severe. I think we should have a discussion in Lixian first, then report to the citymittee and city government.¡± After hanging up with Zhang Chubin, Nie Zhenbang immediately called Liu Wenqing from the citymittee. On the phone, Nie Zhenbang detailed the findings from Lixian¡¯s investigation. Liu Wenqing was also enraged. Any leaders, even if they themselves were corrupt, would have to show certain attitudes when confronted with such matters. It was an issue of principle. Liu Wenqing then sternly said, ¡°Nie, have you reported this matter to Mayor Ding?¡± Nie Zhenbang replied respectfully, ¡°Secretary, not yet. After receiving the report from Comrade Sun Kewen from the County Discipline Inspection Commission, I discussed it with Secretary Zhang and reported to you immediately. I¡¯ll report to Mayor Ding afterwards.¡± This answer satisfied Liu Wenqing. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude showed that he was still in his primary role. Liu Wenqing nodded, ¡°Hmm, you should report to Mayor Ding first. The city will handle this. You just focus on your work in Lixian.¡± Liu Wenqing moved swiftly in this matter. The position of Nie Zhenbang dictated that Liu Wenqing could not shirk responsibility in this issue either. Bayaer had irrefutable evidence against him; there was nothing more to say. It didn¡¯t matter who was backing him up if he vited party and nationalws. Very soon, the city disciplinarymittee responded rapidly. In fact, Bai Weimin had also received Sun Kewen¡¯s report. Even before the citymittee made a decision, Bai Weimin had already gathered a team. As soon as the order was given, the inspection team would go directly to the City Education Committee and take away Bayaer. Soon, under the stringent actions of the municipal discipline inspectionmission, in the face of Huang Pingan¡¯s testimony and his own financial ounts, Bayaer had no mind to continue his cunning denials or to remain silent. He straightforwardly admitted to epting bribes. Simultaneously, the discipline inspectionmissions of Lixian and Bazhou City transferred Huang Pingan and Bayaer to the inspection authorities. Bayaer was formally charged with corruption and bribery. He was expelled from the party and ousted from office. Huang Pingan, however, received an even harsher punishment ¡ª a ten-year sentence. As the sentence was pronounced, the whole of Bazhou City was shaken. At this moment, Zhou Chen, sitting in his office, was filled with rage. With a bang, a cup smashed against the floor. The secretary, Zhou Wang, carefully stepped into the office, picked up a broom and dustpan, and swept every fragment of ceramic into the dustpan. He then fetched a fresh cup from the inner office, cleaned it, poured a cup of hot tea for Zhou Chen, and ced it on the desk. ¡°Xiao Zhou, do you reckon our reputation is ruined? Hereafter, will anyone in Bazhou dare to align with me? Now I cannot even protect one subordinate,¡± Zhou Chen sat down and questioned his secretary. Zhou Wang hesitated. The question was truly challenging to answer. Misconduct among lower-ranking officials was not exclusive to Zhou Chen¡¯s subordinates. However, the recent conduct of both the city¡¯s discipline inspectionmission and Lixian was tantly disrespectful towards Zhou Chen. In other words, Zhou Chen¡¯s reputation was tarnished. Nheless, Zhou Wang did not dare to voice this. After a moment¡¯s thought, Zhou Wang whispered, ¡°Mr. Mayor, it all depends on how you see it. It is true that Bayaer and Huang Pingan have indeed vited the discipline. Try not to worry too much about it.¡± Over in Lixian, once Bayaer and Huang Pingan were jailed, the rampant rumours came to aplete halt. Nie Zhenbang had no involvement, instead, he entered merrily. This was noticed by all the officials of Lixian. The Construction Bureau¡¯s Xiong Jianming regretted his choices. Initially, he believed that Nie Zhenbang was truly in trouble. Therefore, once he saw the pressure Lin Weimin, Chen Le, and others were facing he gradually distanced himself from their circle. However, now it was toote for Xiong Jianming to regret. After some reflection, Xiong Jianming stood up, drove into thepound of the county government, and headed straight for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s third-floor office. After knocking on the door, he heard Yi Jun¡¯s voice echo, ¡°Come in.¡± Upon entering, Xiong Jianming greeted Yi Jun with a smile, threw a packet of Zhonghua cigarettes into Yi Jun¡¯s drawer, and chuckled, ¡°Director Yi, is the director busy? I would like to report on my work.¡± Yi Jun, bearing a gloomy expression, retrieved the Zhonghua cigarettes and thrust them back into Xiong Jianming¡¯s pocket, then said, ¡°Director Xiong, please wait. I will report this first and see if the director has time. However, I reckon the Director doesn¡¯t have much time. It¡¯s the end of the year, the key economic data of Lixian will be out soon, which is a busy period.¡± When Yi Jun entered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang was in the middle of reviewing the summaries submitted by various units. Upon seeing Yi Jun, he paused before asking, ¡°Xiaoyi, is there something you need?¡± ¡°Director, Xiong Jianming is here again, do you think¡­¡± Yi Jun nodded and stated the matter. On hearing that Xiong Jianming had arrived, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brow. Xiong Jianming was indeed persistent. Since Huang Pingan¡¯s case was publicized, Xiong Jianming had showed up to report for four consecutive days. However, it wouldn¡¯t be so easy for Xiong Jianming to join again. For the past few days, Nie Zhenbang had been ignoring Xiong Jianming. Individuals like him, once they miss an opportunity, will never be able to enter Nie Zhenbang¡¯s system again. Nie Zhenbang not causing trouble for him now can be considered quite fortunate. Nie Zhenbang then nodded and said, ¡°Alright, let him in for a while. Give him ten minutes. I have to go to the Finance Bureauter for an investigation.¡± Chapter 239 - 238 Knocking the Mountain to Shock the Tiger _1 Chapter 239: Chapter 238 Knocking the Mountain to Shock the Tiger _1 Trantor:549690339 Ten minutes, what could be said? It¡¯s hard to say. But Xiong Jianming was already quite satisfied. He made a mistake in this whole incident. Even worse, he made an unforgivable mistake. Xiong Jianming was regretting it immensely at this moment. In the world of bureaucracy, such behavior is looked down upon the most. No leader would feelfortable with his actions. Or rather, if Nie Zhenbang doesn¡¯t forgive him, Xiong Jianming is basically ruined. No other leader would want to take him, after all, who wants a subordinate who could betray them at any moment. Walking into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, Xiong Jianming felt anxious. His head was lowered, and he was quite tense. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s calm face, he felt his heart sink. This was not a good sign. As the saying goes, love deeply, hate thoroughly. The principle works the same in the officialdom. If Nie Zhenbang were to show a face of anger, scolding him, Xiong Jianming would feel at ease. It would imply that Nie Zhenbang still cared about him, and there might be a chance to turn things around. Sincerely apologize, and deeply acknowledge his mistake, perhaps, Nie Zhenbang might ept him. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current expression disappointed Xiong Jianming. Director Nie was simply too calm to care about anything he says, likely to just dismiss it with a smile. At this moment, Xiong Jianming just stood there, because Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t speak or look up, he was just reviewing Li County¡¯s economic data for the year. After about seven or eight minutes, Nie Zhenbang finally looked up at him, ¡°Director Xiong is here. Is there something you want to report?¡± This was a very formal way of addressing formalities in the bureaucracy. If he was more intimate, ¡®Old Xiong¡¯ or ¡®Director Jianming¡¯ would have been used. But using such a formal address, Xiong Jianming understood that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude was basically rejection. Yet, Xiong Jianming could only plod on, ¡°Director Nie, about the new water nt project of the construction bureau, I would like to report the progress to you.¡± Currently, with therge-scale development taking ce throughout the county and economic construction flourishing, the Li County Urban Construction Investment Company, while still subordinate to the Construction Bureau, is likely to soon break away and be directly managed by the county government. At present, the only project the Construction Bureau presides over with some degree of pride is this water nt project. Nie Zhenbang listened to Xiong Jianming and snorted coldly in his heart. Xiong Jianming had abilities. When Nie Zhenbang had chosen him in the past, he had noticed his pragmatic attitude, and it was this that had drawn him to Xiong. However, this incident led to a change in Nie¡¯s attitude towards him. Then, Nie Zhenbang thought for a moment before saying, ¡°Director Xiong, let¡¯s talk about the water ntter. After the spring, I will visit the water nt. Is there anything else?¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang had rejected Xiong Jianmingpletely. Even if Xiong Jianming had other things he wanted to report, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t care. And in this situation, there were things Xiong Jianming found hard to say. If said, Nie Zhenbang would aggressively interrupt him ¨C it was just reality. Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t afraid of Xiong hindering him in his future work. The fact that he hadn¡¯t yet taken action against Xiong was fair and just. If Nie was a leader of smaller mind, he would have reassigned him already. If Xiong dared to hold back, his position of authority would end there. Seeing Xiong Jianming in silence, Nie Zhenbang spoke again, ¡°Director Xiong, if there¡¯s nothing else, go back and work. I have some things to do.¡± ¡­ Bazhou City At this moment, at the entrance of Bazhou City¡¯s Education Department, its leaders had already gathered at the front door. Just past nine AM, three cars slowly drove up. From the leading ck Mercedes, Secretary Feng Dayong was the first to get off, opening the door for Liu Wenqing. Liu Wenqing stepped out of the car with a stern look, and Feng followed behind, briefcase in hand. Behind the second Mercedes, Li Qingde, a standingmittee member and secretary general of the municipal partymittee¡¯s office, followed closely. As a confidant of the municipal party secretary, Li Qingde was indispensable at such asions. The third car was an Audi, from which Zhou Wang was the first to get off. He opened the door for Zhou Chen, mimicking the actions of Feng Dayong. Since he was the leading official, Zhou Chen needed to apany them. Seeing Zhou Chen¡¯s grand entry, both Liu Wenqing and Li Qingde¡¯s faces darkened. Li Qingde looked particrly disheartened. Their Mayor Zhou didn¡¯t understand the importance of being low-key. Showing off such grandeur in front of the Municipal Party Secretary was nothing short of unting.] The leaders of the Municipal Education Commission greeted them with beaming smiles. A personal inspection by the Municipal Party Secretary was a great honor for the Education Commission. Out of all the city¡¯s direct agencies, the fact that the Municipal Party Secretary chose to inspect the Education Commission was a sign of considerable regard. At this moment, Liu Wenqing exuded restraint. He was constantly demonstrating the authority and grace of a City Committee Secretary, the leader of the City Committee. Once he had lightly shaken hands with everyone, Liu Wenqing said in a deep voice, ¡°Let¡¯s proceed to the conference room.¡± As soon as he walked into the conference room of the City Education Committee, Liu Wenqing was taken aback, then jokingly said, ¡°The working conditions of the Education Committee are not bad. The meeting room, the interior style ¨C it¡¯s almost on par with the City Committee¡¯s meeting room.¡± No one dared to respond to the City Committee Secretary¡¯s remarks at this moment. His meaning and attitude seemed somewhat strange. Everyone was unsure about what Liu Wenqing was actually implying. Unyielding, Liu Wenqing took the main seat himself, looked around at the people and said: ¡°Have a seat,rades from the Education Committee, now report on the construction of the city¡¯s basic education infrastructure, the progress ofpulsory education, and the literacy rate among young and middle-aged illiterates across the city this year.¡± The foundation of Bazhou City was ultimately not very strong. Over the past one or two years, after Bazhou City had finally managed to offload the burden of Li County and even utilized the development of Li County to stimte the growth of the entire Bazhou area, the city¡¯s finances had be much more rxed. Naturally, the investments in education had increased significantly. However, due to the historically poor foundation, even slight progress was still not enough. The director of the City Education Committee touched his already bald head at this moment, then said, ¡°Secretary Liu, Secretary Li, Mayor Zhou, and other leaders andrades, the city has invested in education reform this year¡­ Overall, the promotion ofpulsory education in our city is still below averagepared to the entire region. The illiteracy rate among young and middle-aged people in the city also needs more investment. As it stands right now, the methods used by Li County are worth learning and borrowing. The Li County Committee and County Government have highly prioritized education in Li County, using self-raised funds to increase their support forpulsory education. This year, the enrollment rate of school-age children and teenagers and the literacy rate of young and middle-aged illiterates in Li County have reached 93% and 95.6%, respectively. These achievements likely rank at the top among all the county-level units in the region.¡± The Education Committee director was somewhat embarrassed. There wasn¡¯t much to say about the development and achievements of education across the city. Now, the only thing that could be bragged about was Li County. There was no choice, since the leader of the County Committee and County Government here in Li County greatly valued this. For those without money, the government offered schrships. Naturally, the number of out-of-school children reduced significantly. The Education Committee director also had something more to say at this moment, which was that if the city supported us to this extent, the city¡¯s results could just as well be outstanding. But this thought could only be kept in his heart.Y0u can read sh0rt, t0uching, and r0mantic st0ries ab0ut c0uples, as well as children¡¯s st0ries f0r free 0n sitest0rys . c0m Liu Wenqing pondered for a moment, then said: ¡°Education is a n for a hundred years. The central government and autonomous region leaders have repeatedly emphasized this issue. Education, including science, culture, health, and sports services, all rte to the country¡¯s future development. The city¡¯s finances are gradually relieving pressure, but the iron needs to be hard by itself, we can¡¯t just rely on the city¡¯s finances. Li County¡¯s situation is after all a special case. The education work of other brother cities is loud and colorful. Isn¡¯t this also relying on themselves? The Education Committee must think of ways to enhance the promotion ofpulsory education and to change the education concepts of themon people. This is the ultimate solution to the problem.¡± When Liu Wenqing said this, he shifted his tone and calmly said: ¡°In addition, somerades should focus on their own duties and not make arbitraryments or blindly give orders about the situation below. You should do a good job in the overall work of the city. This is the key to development.¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s face quickly darkened after hearing this. Liu Wenqing¡¯s words were clearly directed at him. The vertical leadership was responsible for the city¡¯s education work trailing so far behind. The state of the scienti?c and technological, educational, cultural, health, and sports sectors was probably all the same. This was like saying that he had been ignoring his job, not taking care of the big picture, but went to Li County to cause trouble instead. However, at this moment, Zhou Chen could only listen. The fact was alreadyid bare here and there was indeed no room for Zhou Chen to refute. Liu Wenqing¡¯s game of rattling the mountain to shake the tiger was a ssic move. Liu Wenqing¡¯s speech during the inspection of the City Education Committee was quickly published in full in the Bazhou Daily. As such, all of the city¡¯s officials could see that Secretary Liu was expressing his dissatisfaction. This new Deputy Mayor Zhou started jumping up and down as soon as he arrived. Zhou Chen initiated the storm in Li County, and now, Secretary Liu was really making a statement. At this time, all of the city officials have fundamentally understood¨C Li County was Secretary Liu¡¯s forbidden zone. In the office of the Secretary of the Li County Party Committee, Zhang Chubin looked at the Bazhou Daily and his admiration for Nie Zhenbang rose yet another level. Not only did he manage to strip Deputy Mayor Zhou¡¯s face off, but he also got Secretary Liu to step in. Zhang Chubin admitted that he himself couldn¡¯t achieve this feat. Looking at Nie Zhenbang who was sitting on the sofa, Zhang Chubin also chuckled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, after this event, I suspect that the troubles of our Li County will bergely reduced.¡± Nie Zhenbang also began tough. He hadn¡¯t expected Liu Wenqing would support him in this manner. But, this was also good. As for the motive behind Zhou Chen¡¯s arrival, Nie Zhenbang could almost guess it. Sharing some of the credit wasn¡¯t a problem for Nie Zhenbang; after all, Zhou Chen couldn¡¯t stake a im in the merits of Li County. He was just having a free ride. As long as he didn¡¯t create a mess, let him be. Immediately afterward, Nie Zhenbang handed a set of economic data to Zhang Chubin saying, ¡°Secretary Zhang, first look at these economic data. This time, I am having some difficulty.¡± PS: Thank you for therge cash reward from Jiaodong Ah Mao and Ah Mao Wei Ru. Thank you brothers and sisters for the monthly tickets and rmendation tickets. Chapter 240 - 239 Shocking the Municipal Committee_1 Chapter 240: Chapter 239 Shocking the Municipal Committee_1 Trantor:549690339 Zhang Chubin was taken aback by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. In Zhang Chubin¡¯s impression, it seemed that there had never been anything that posed a difficulty for Nie Zhenbang. In terms of agricultural development, Nie Zhenbang easily established the Farmer Welfare Company. For mining, Longhua Mining made a grand entry. For development zones, theck of funds, Wal-Mart Group chipped in. The countymittee and county government arranged for relocation. There seemed to be a limitless flow of funds from the ministries into the treasury of Lixian County, and the district and city governments couldn¡¯t get a cut of it. Everyone had designated it for specific purposes. In this world, were there any challenging situations for Director Nie? Then, Zhang Chubin also smiled and said: ¡°Zhenbang, to hear you like this, I am quite curious. I am eager to see the issues that make you feel challenged.¡± Looking at the documents on the table. On the title page, it read ¡°1993 Lixian Economic Development Data Report¡±. Upon opening the report, Zhang Chubin¡¯s originally calm expression, suddenly lit up with excitement. The total investment brought in throughout the year amounted to 369 million Yuan. The actual amount invested was 324.3 million Yuan. The Lixian Government itself had invested 1.2 billion Yuan. Overall industrial growth rate in the county had reached an astonishing 93 percent. There were 5,300 new jobs in the county. Mining growth also reached 67 percent. Agricultural growth reached 72 percent. The per capita ie of farmers and herders reached 7,733 Yuan. The average annual ie of urban residents (excluding government officials) reached 7,962 Yuan per person. The overall economic growth rate of Lixian reached 77.3 percent. From a total ie of less than 10 million Yuan the previous year, by this year, so far, the total ie has exceeded 89 million Yuan. It had increased ninefold. After closing the documents, Zhang Chubin was puzzled. This was an extraordinary achievement. If the report was released, he was likely due for promotion. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Zhang Chubin smiled and said: ¡°Zhenbang, this is good news, very good news. How did this be a difficult situation?¡± Nie Zhenbang also startedughing. Upon initially seeing the report, he thought he miscalcted. He specially brought in auditors and the head of the finance bureau. After confirming, he too thought it was good. Yet, upon calming down, Nie Zhenbang found it challenging. ¡°Secretary Zhang, the data are excellent and I assure you that there is no padding whatsoever. And these estimations are quite conservative. However, when I think more carefully about it, how are we going to report to the city government?¡± Nie Zhenbang started tough again. After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°Old Zhang, we have been working together for a while now. After this, I suspect, your promotion is not far off. After all, you were an Executive Director in the past, although you¡¯ve only been the lead for one year. However, with your significant contributions as the leader, promotion is guaranteed. What I am worried about now is whether we should underreport the numbers, following the pattern of the South China Sea Special Zone, which is to control and report the economic development at a rate of about ten percent. Or do we report truthfully? This is where I find difficulty.¡± At this moment, Zhang Chubin was also somewhat content. Promotions were inevitable and he would not be offered a job in which there was nothing substantial to do. Most likely, he would still be within the ranks of the party and government leaders. Zhang Chubin was clear about what Nie Zhenbang was saying. The so-called South China Sea Mode refers to the initial stages of special zone development. In fact, the economic growth rate of the special zone had reached 40 percent. However, the published data was only about 20 percent or so. This left room for other local governments. After all, rapid development in the past didn¡¯t guarantee the same in the future. It was an art form. After pondering for a moment, Zhang Chubin nodded and said: ¡°Indeed, this is difficult. For the economic data, I believe we should not inte the numbers. In the past, there was nothing to work with in Lixian and so it was in dire straits. But with the current performance, it was mainly due to the stark contrast. I think a maximum growth of 20 percent should be the target, leaving some room for the future.¡± In fact, this thought process shared by Zhang Chubin is generally embodied in normal circumstances. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s memory, there were urrences in his previous life where good development was hidden in year one to ensure handsome results for the following year, giving a consecutive year of positive results. Another scenario is when local development data isn¡¯t optimistic, false data is created to preserve achievements, this was a possibility as well. After a moment¡¯s reflection, Nie Zhenbang said: ¡°Old Zhang, in my opinion, we should report the actual figures. Whatever our achievements, we report them as such, without holding back. On one hand, it would set a benchmark for the cadres in Lixian County and put pressure and responsibilities on everyone, including myself. Only under these circumstances, can we push Lixian to continue striving. On the other hand, if we hold back, your aplishments won¡¯t be as prominent, which would be detrimental to your future.¡± Listening, Zhang Chubin felt moved. Despite Nie Zhenbang having his own thoughts doing this, in the end, there was no difference between being a county head or the secretary. The person profiting was ultimately himself. Moving from an executive position to a bureau level position is a big hurdle. Some may never be able to cross it in their lifetimes. For Zhang Chubin, the temptation to hold a sub-bureau level position was undoubtedly huge. Whether in or out of Lixian, or being a county secretary or not, everything would have to give way to a sub-bureau level position. Subsequently, Zhang Chubin also nodded, ¡°Hmm, Zhenbang, your consideration is indeed an issue. I suggest we report the situation truthfully. We¡¯ve never manipted the data and we can withstand any investigation or test. This way, we won¡¯t have to worry about these things.¡± Back at the municipal partymittee, Liu Wenqing had just begun his day at work when the voice of Mayor Ding Aiguo could be heard from outside, ¡°Secretary Feng, is Secretary Liu in there?¡± Upon hearing this, Liu Wenqing was slightly startled and began to wonder. What would bring Ding Aiguo here himself? Did something happen on his end? Even in the case of urgent matters, Ding Aiguo typically preferred phone calls. They had been colleagues for many years, and their rtionship had always been cordial. There had never been any direct confrontations between them. But truth be told, Ding Aiguo rarely visited. Considering this, Liu Wenqing stood up personally, opened the door and greeted him with a smile on his face, ¡°Mayor Ding, pleasee in. What brings you here today, Old Ding?¡± Ding Aiguo¡¯s expression wasplex, his face changing as he followed Liu into his office and sat down. He then asked, ¡°Secretary Liu, have you seen the annual economic data report sent from Lixian?¡± This question took Liu by surprise as usually, these kinds of reports were not delivered to him. Economic data reports fell under the category of government work and usually these were delivered directly to Ding Aiguo by the relevant departments or officials. This year, Liu had also received an economic data report from Lixian, but he hadn¡¯t had a chance to look at it yet. At this, Liu shook his head, ¡°No, not yet. The municipal office just delivered it yesterday. I nned to find time to read it today. Why? Did something happen in Lixian?¡± Listening to Liu¡¯s words, a knowing expression appeared on Ding Aiguo¡¯s face. He thenughed and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, I suggest you take a look at it personally. This time, there¡¯s a big problem in Lixian.¡± Upon reading the report, Liu scanned it briefly. His eyes widened in surprise at the economic growth figures reported for Lixian. It was hard to believe, like a fairy tale. ¡°Old Ding, do you think there¡¯s any intion in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s report?¡± Liu immediately asked with a frown. The county¡¯s economic growth rate had reached 77.3%, and the average annual ie per capita was close to 8,000 yuan. In this era, this was an incredible achievement. In a time when ten-thousand-yuan households were a rarity, it seemed like by next year, Lixian might be the first county in the country where every household made ten thousand yuan a year. That would be even more astonishing than a ten-thousand-yuan vige or township. Ding could not be sure of the uracy of this information. The numbers given by Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin were just too shocking, too unrealistic, especially in a ce like Xibei where most areas only saw economic growth rates of around 7%. This speed was miraculous. After some contemtion, Ding Aiguo finally said softly, ¡°Secretary Liu, I don¡¯t think so. We know the character ofrades Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang. They aren¡¯t the kind of people who exaggerate. Plus, since they dare to report these figures, they must be prepared for scrutiny. I believe that the figures are authentic.¡± Liu Wenqing also nodded, then replied solemnly, ¡°Fine. I believerades Xiao Zhang and Xiao Nie. We will report these figures as is.¡± Right now, Liu Wenqing¡¯s decision was based on his absolute trust in Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin. He even skipped the usual investigation and verification process and reported the figures directly. In doing so, he was indeed taking a significant risk. However, Liu knew Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character well ¨C he would not attempt something unless he was sure it would seed. It could be said with certainty that these data were urate, if not likely lower than the actual figures. Simr to Bazhou City, the provincial audit and finance departments were also stunned upon receiving the data sent by Bazhou City. Everyone thought there had been a mistake made. It was only after phone confirmation with Bazhou City that they forwarded the data to the president of the autonomous region. Chapter 241 - 240: Autonomous Region Investigation Team_1 Chapter 241: Chapter 240: Autonomous Region Investigation Team_1 Trantor:549690339 The Autonomous Region Party Committeepound. The partymittee office building¡¯s small meeting room is located on the top floor. At this moment, all the standingmittee members of the Xibei Autonomous Region have already taken their seats here. Jiang Zhenquan nced around and said, ¡°Comrades, this special standingmittee meeting is to discuss the economic data reported by the Li County Government of Bazhou City this year. Regarding the economic data of Li County, everyone please express your opinions. Do you have any thoughts? Feel free to share.¡± As Jiang Zhenquan finished speaking, Lin Haikun, the executive vice-chairman of the Autonomous Region Government, began to speak ¡°Secretary Jiang, I think there might be some dubious intion in these figures. I remember, even back during the South China Sea Special Zone, there wasn¡¯t such a significant increase. Can Li County actually achieve such growth? Isn¡¯t this just an arbitrary im? I suggest that the Party Committee of the Autonomous Region send a dedicated investigative team to station in Li County to specifically investigate this matter. This trend, doesn¡¯t it resemble the Great Leap Forward? Production per mu in the tens of thousands?¡± Meanwhile, the other standingmittee members also voiced their thoughts one after another. No wonder, the data from Li County was indeed shocking. On the side, Li Yifeng also furrowed his brows slightly. This time, the old leader¡¯s grandson had garnered too much attention. If this data was falsified, it would definitely be severely punished by the Autonomous Region Party Committee Government. If it was true, then the rest of the region would lose face. This was bound to offend other cadres in the entire region due to immature thinking. They were only concerned about their own performances. With these thoughts in mind, Li Yifeng also voiced his opinion solemnly: ¡°My personal opinion is that the Autonomous Region Party Committee Government should lead, along with various departments, to form a joint investigation team. We could even consider inviting personnel from other Dizhou cities to form an observation group, and station them in Li County together to investigate the economic data.¡± Hearing that Li Yifeng also agreed with the investigation, Jiang Zhenquan was slightly stunned. In Xibei, probably only he knew about the rtionship between Li Yifeng and the Nie family, and he had only learned about it by coincidence. Now that even Li Yifeng agreed to the investigation and audit, Jiang Zhenquan naturally felt somewhat surprised. Soon after, Jiang Zhenquan understood Li Yifeng¡¯s intentions. The old ginger was indeed the spiciest. Orchestrating the investigation team headed by the Autonomous Region Party Committee Government, in concert with rted departments, was sure to incorporate people from all factions. Including others from the Dizhou cities would ensure maximum fairness and impartiality. They wanted to confirm Nie Zhenbang¡¯s merit. However, at this moment, Jiang Zhenquan also felt content. He admired Nie Zhenbang, as capable individuals with strong backgrounds are rare. What he found even more valuable was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s handling of affairs and people, which greatly appealed to him. With these thoughts, as the head of the Autonomous Region Party Committee, Jiang Zhenquan finally made the decision: ¡°I think this is a good decision. Without investigation, there is no right to speak. The truth bes clearer through debate. Consider forming an investigative teamposed of the auditing department, the finance department, and other departments as soon as possible. Formally stationed in Li County.¡± Bazhou City Home of City Secretary Liu Wenqing At this moment, Liu Wenqing was sitting in his study. Just now, he had received a phone call from Secretary Tang of the Autonomous Region Party Committee. Regarding the data from Li County, the Autonomous Region had made a big fuss. Now, the investigation team was in preparation and would arrive shortly in Li County for a full assessment and audit. Although Liu Wenqing had faith in Zhang Chu Bin and Nie Zhenbang, when he received the call, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little worried. He had already anticipated that the Autonomous Region Party Committee Government would send an investigation team. Their sess was so significant that, once announced, it would surely shock the entire country. It was inevitable that Li County would be featured on ¡°Daily at Seven¡±. However, despite his confidence, Liu Wenqing was still a little uneasy, and he dialed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s number. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was working overtime in his office. As the year-end approaches, work bes increasingly busy. The construction of all engineering buildings has stopped due to the cold weather in Xibei. The main construction work for the new office buildings of the Li County Party Committee, the County Government and other county direct agencies and bureaus have mostly beenpleted. Now, they¡¯re in the final stage of interior decoration. It is estimated that by next May 1st, the whole of Li County will be able to move to the new office buildings. By then, the area of Li County City will have expanded by more than double. Nie Zhenbang was currently looking at the itinerary sent over by the Government Office. As the Spring Festival was approaching, stability and public security management can not be rxed. The Government Office had carefully selected some units for condolences and visits. Right now, the phone on the table suddenly started ringing. Seeing the red telephone, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare to ck off. This call was from the citymittee leaders, usually either Liu Wenqing or Ding Aiguo. As for Cheng Xinhua, their rtionship was in to see, so there was rarely any phone contact. As soon as the call connected, Liu Wenqing¡¯s voice came through: ¡°Nie, this time, your Li County has made quite a ssh in the whole region. The economic growth data of Li County, reported to the Autonomous Region Party Committee Government, has been highly valued. For an objective and rigorous attitude, and to be responsible to Li County and the central government, the Autonomous Region Party Committee Government will send an investigation team this time. Supervisors from all cities in the region will also be sent to participate in the entire investigation process. On your side, I hope you won¡¯t have any personal biases or burdens. Please ensure the reception work is done well.¡± Having heard that, Nie Zhenbang also nodded right away. He had already guessed about the investigation team. For such a determinant report, it would indeed be odd if there was no investigation team toe out to look into it. With that thought, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°Secretary, please be rest assured. We will definitely do our best to host them and not tarnish the reputation of Bazhou City.¡± On this issue, the autonomous region partymittee government acted fast. In less than two days, arge delegation of more than sixty people was quickly formed. The north wind is cold. The gale is howling. At this moment, at the junction of Li County and Ku City County, the four principal leaders of Li County have already waited by the side. Both Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang were now dressed in dark, thick windbreaker, the pile cor stood upright, standing by the side. At this moment, Zhang Chubin was also a bit excited. The economic data of Li County had attracted the investigation team from the autonomous region, led by the executive vice-chairman of the autonomous region Lin Haikun, which excited Zhang Chubin greatly. The more attention the leadership of the autonomous region paid, the happier Zhang Chubin was. It meant that his future prospects would be even brighter. ¡°Zhenbang, why don¡¯t you sit in the car for a while? We¡¯ve heard from Ku City that the investigation team stayed at the Bazhou Hotel for one night and we don¡¯t know when they will leave.¡± Zhang Chubin said softly to Nie Zhenbang standing next to him. Nie Zhenbang nodded, was about to speak, when a police car pulled up. Parked on the side, Chen Le quickly got out of the car and walked over, saying, ¡°Secretary, Major, we¡¯ve got news from Ku City that the investigation team has been out for about an hour. Given their speed, they should arrive soon.¡± After waiting for less than ten minutes, a convoy was approaching Li County under the shing police lights. Besides the investigation team, the cars of Bazhou City Party Secretary and the Mayor also followed. The convoy slowly stopped in front of everyone, and the window of a ck Benz in front slid down. With a smile on his face and a slight nod of greeting, Lin Haikun said, ¡°Comrades Chu Bin and Zhenbang, thank you for your hard work. Thank you,rades from Li County. It is freezing cold, everyone get in the car. Let¡¯s go to the development zone first.¡± With the tone set by the executive vice chairman of the autonomous region, both Zhang Chubin and Nie Zhenbang were momentarily stunned. This was unexpected. Usually, the investigation team would have to check in first, but this time, they were directly heading to the development zone. It seems that the purpose of this visit is clearly stated: to conduct official business. The convoy slowly moved forward. Nie Zhenbang said to Zhang Chubin standing next to him, ¡°Secretary Zhang, let¡¯s get in the car. We¡¯ve always sought truth from facts when ites to the situation in Li County, which can definitely withstand inspection and investigation. Now that Vice Chairman Lin has made it so clear, we just need to follow the leadership¡¯s instructions.¡± In the development zone, gs were already waving and gongs and drums were making a racket. The local people of Gemu Township had all sessfully moved to their new homes. Each household has found a job in the factory here in the development zone. Now, the wide and clean streets, the green belts on both sides and the bus stations, all of this seemed like a dream. At this moment, Lin Haikun also got out of the car. This time, Lin Haikun had volunteered to lead the investigation team. The name Nie Zhenbang was one that Lin Haikun had heard from his son Lin Yang. In the autonomous region, Nie Zhenbang was considered a celebrity. Now that he had achieved such great sess, Lin Haikun¡¯s initial reaction was disbelief. Hence, he volunteered for this investigation. Looking at the factories, government buildings, and newly constructed residential areas on both sides of the new town of Li County, Lin Haikun found himself starting to believe. Next to him, Nie Zhenbang also stepped forward and introduced to Lin Haikun and Liu Wenqing, ¡°Chairman Lin, Secretary Liu, leaders, this is our Li County¡¯s Economic and Technological Development Zone. This year, we have introduced over 4 billion in capital to our development zone. At present, 15 factories have been built and put into production, and 27 others are under construction.¡± Lin Haikun gave a nod with a smile, and then said, ¡°Hmm, good job. Seeing this situation in Li County, in Xibei, I¡¯m reminded of the feeling I had on the east coast. The ability of the party and government team of Li County to ovee the difficulties of remote Xibei, exploit their advantages and achieve such results is indeed not easy. Achievements like these deservemendation, promotion, and more learning and consideration from officials across the region.¡± After he finished speaking, and to everyone¡¯s surprise, Lin Haikun suddenly walked forward. Chapter 242 - 241: Unexpected Result_l Chapter 242: Chapter 241: Unexpected Result_l Trantor: 549690339 Generally, during a leadership inspection, the leaders do not move or act recklessly. This isn¡¯t because the lower-level officials are restraining them, rather, the leaders themselves do not want to deviate and cause any unexpected situations. However, Lin Haikun¡¯s actions at the moment seem somewhat out of line. In doing so, he not only poses additional challenges for the local security in Li County, but should an event arise, the local officials of Li County would also have to suffer alongside him. Moreover, Lin Haikun¡¯s actions appear to be exceedingly presumptuous. It is tant that he does not trust the nsid out by Li County and is only trying to listen for differing opinions. At this moment, seeing such a high-ranking leader approach, the locals of Lixian have all paused, as Lin Haikun is now standing in front of a viger. With a warm smile, Lin Haikun said very affably: ¡°Fellow viger, first of all, I represent the Party Committee and Government of the Autonomous Region, I appreciate your grand wee. Has all of this been arranged by the county partymittee and county government?¡± As soon as these words were spoken, not only did Liu Wenqing¡¯s face change, but Nie Zhenbang¡¯s and Zhang Chubin¡¯s expressions also changed. What was Lin Haikun implying? As the standing deputy chairman of an Autonomous Region government, he shouldn¡¯tck such political wisdom. In asking this, isn¡¯t he pointedly implying that the government has staged this impression? In a leadership inspection, Li County was actually doing pretty well. In some ces, schools are closed to allow students to line the streets, banners in hand, giving the leaders a warm reception. Executives usually wouldn¡¯t question it even if they knew this was all pre-arranged. This time, however, Lin Haikun¡¯s actions seemed a bit excessive. Liu Wenqing was also losing face. If a problem urred, it will put both Li County and Bazhou City leadership in a difficult position. At this moment Zhang Chubin intentionallygged behind and whispered, ¡°Zhenbang, it seems like this guy is not here for good. ¡± Nie Zhenbang gave a coldugh and replied, ¡°Old Zhang, so long as we act upright, why should we be afraid? Besides, I think the situation isn ¡®t thatplex. ¡± This statement puzzled Zhang Chubin somewhat, and he said emotionally, ¡°Zhenbang, what¡¯s going on with you today? You¡¯ve never had this attitude before. This is clearly bullying us. ¡± Nie Zhenbangughed. It seemed that ever since he arrived in Li County, the entire province¡¯s officials had raised their sights, they were no longer in awe of high-ranking leaders like Lin Haikun. Soon after, Nie Zhenbang whispered, ¡°Old Zhang, this time, our Li County is in the limelight. Think about it, the economic growth of other cities in the region is still in the single digits percentages. Here, as soon as we report upwards, we surpass them by tenfold. Isn ¡®t this a p in the face for other cities?¡± Zhang Chubin was not foolish and immediately understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, he asked: ¡°Zhenbang, are you implying that¡­?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, continuing the conversation, ¡°That¡¯s right. I feel that the more outrageous and excessive Lin Haikun acts, the stronger the authenticity of this data will be, effectively silencing other city leaders, even autonomous region leaders. ¡± This was clear now. Other city and autonomous region leaders who were either satisfied, dubious or envious about Li County¡¯s economic growth report would require a harsh inspection and approval. Having understood this, Zhang Chubin¡¯s mood brightened, and he immediately followed suit. Now, the viger whom Lin Haikun had questioned furrowed his brows and said discontentedly, ¡°You,rade, why can¡¯t you speak properly? Is this even arranged?¡± Nie Zhenbang looked closer, recognizing most among those who were ying the drums hade from Gemu Township. It can be said that among all the locals in Li County, the ones who trust and are most grateful to the government are these people from Gemu Township. The government provided them with brand new brick houses and allocated themnd for personal use, solving their food concerns. Training opportunities had also been provided in the development zone, with factory jobs for residents and cleaning jobs for the elderly. Every family was living prosperously, with appliances like bicycles, sewing machines, and televisions having made their way into each household, something the people of Gemu Township had never imagined happening. At this moment, wouldn ¡®t Lin Haikun¡¯s question spark resentment? Lin Haikun, now somewhat embarrassed, asked with a smile, ¡°So, you mean to say that you all came here voluntarily?¡± The vigers once again nodded affirmatively, looking around at the fellow vigers. He loudly said, ¡°Ask any of us here, none of us aren ¡®t here voluntarily. When we heard that top leaders from the city and province would be here to inspect us, we were already nning this. We wanted to give the leaders a moving scene. ¡± Next, Lin Haikun ¡®s inspection seemed quite casual, and Nie Zhenbang and Zhang Chubin did not arrange any more, Nie Zhenbang was filled with confidence about Lixian¡¯s affairs. Nothing was off-limits, and there was nothing to hide. At the Li County Dafuhao Leather Factory. Lin Haikun and his group walked into the leather factory, where Zhu Lufeng, who had already received news, had rushed over from The Millionaire Hotel. In the leather factory¡¯s production workshop, hundreds of workers were busy in the spacious and bright factory. Music was even being yed over the workshop¡¯s PA system. This innovation made Lin Haikun curious. He promptly asked, ¡°ying pop music during work hours, won¡¯t this impact production? Can quality be guaranteed? Are your products mainly for domestic or foreign markets?¡± Nie Zhenbang came over and smiled, ¡°Chairman Lin, our government¡¯s principle is that it is up to enterprises themselves to handle their operations beyond providing support in terms of policy and industry. How an enterprise arranges things is their own business. I¡¯ve called over Boss Zhu of the leather factory. Boss Zhu is a well-known private entrepreneur in Bazhou. He has luxury hotels in Bazhou City and Lixian. In Nanhai City in Yuedong, he also has a constructionpany. This leather factory is one of Boss Zhu¡¯s enterprises. ¡± Zhu Lufeng came over and immediately smiled, ¡°Chairman Lin, hello. We learned to y music during work from the Taiwanese. In the midst of tedious work, ying music can relieve tense work emotions. It not only does not affect production, but it can also relieve pressure. After our factory implemented this method, production efficiency not only did not decrease, but it has improved a lot. Now, many factories in the development zone have learned this method from us.¡± Zhu Lufeng paused, then continued, ¡°Our products are mainly for the domestic market. Currently, our factory is also preparing to hire a professional design team at a high sry. To customize products for our factory. We want to go high-end, striving to enter the international market and create our own leather goods brand within three to five years. ¡± Lin Haikunughed and said, ¡°Boss Zhu, so what is the wage level of your workers?¡± As soon this question was out, not only did the ears of the investigation team personnel in charge of the audit perk up. On the side, many observers from Dizhou City also pricked up their ears. The factory was a minor matter, ie, that¡¯s a big deal. That is the important data that measures the economic level of Lixan. Zhu Lufeng is a smart man, and at this moment, seeing the different vibe, he immediatelyughed, ¡°Chairman Lin, forgive me for being coy. For this question, I think, the leaders can freely ask our workers. Their words carry more persuasive power than mine. ¡± Having said that, Zhu Lufeng instructed the managers next to him, ¡°Broadcast that we will have a temporary rest today. ¡± It was like a recess for students studying, as soon as they heard the word rest, many people stopped their work, stood up from their seats, some stretched, and some went to the bathroom. The investigation team then entered the workshop, which was very clean, wellorganized, and orderly. It was clear that there were strict rules and regtions in ce for management. Lin Haikun randomly selected a few workers and smilingly asked, ¡°Youngrades, can I ask how much money each of you can make in a month?¡± Next to him, a young girl, probably around twenty years old, had some freckles on her face. She had her hair in a braid and seemed a bit shy. She lowered her head and said, ¡°I just started not long ago. The basic wage is four hundred yuan per month, plusmission. After a month of work, it¡¯s about five hundred or so. The team leader¡¯s sry is much higher than mine, she can make eight to nine hundred a month. ¡± Upon hearing this, everyone was shocked. Would there be such high wages in the Northwest Region? Currently, even a vige chief in the Northwest, even with border work allowances, only makes around four hundred a month at most, pushing it. Yet, a worker here simr to a group leader, surprisingly can make eight to nine hundred. The team leader on the side alsoughed, seemingly not very satisfied, said, ¡°Boss Zhu said it himself. Manybors get more, and we are paid ording to work contribution. We don ¡®t treat different regions differently. Doing business is about having a conscience. This wage level is based on the advanced coastal areas in the east. Now, it¡¯s the same price in other enterprises in our development zone. Otherwise, we couldn ¡®t recruit workers. ¡± Nie Zhenbang himself was not very clear about this. He had not expected that Zhu Lufeng, who was bent on repaying his hometown, had actually driven up the wage level in Lixian. On the side, Lin Haikun alsoughed at this moment, ¡°This trip has really opened my eyes. Originally, I thought that the economic development of Lixian was just a bluff, but now it seems to be quite pragmatic. It¡¯s almost noon, let¡¯s not trouble Lixian¡¯s enterprises anymore. Let¡¯s all go to the countymittee first. ¡± PS: Let¡¯s have an extra update first, thanks to Brother Pants¡¯ red reward. An extra chapter as a special thanks. A mini explosion today. Chapter 243 - 242: Promotion to Provincial Development Zone_1 Chapter 243: Chapter 242: Promotion to Provincial Development Zone_1 Trantor: 549690339 Inside the auditorium of the Li County Party Committee, Lin Haikun sat on the rostrum, with Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo on either side. As for Nie Zhenbang and others, at this moment, they could only sit below the stage. This was a small-scale meeting, mainly facing the Li County investigation team. Lin Haikun pondered for a moment and then said, ¡°Comrades, the development of Li County is astounding. As the saying goes, seeing is believing. The ancients, they do not deceive me. Beforeing to Li County, I personally, had expressed a skeptical attitude. A year ago, Li County was a poverty-stricken county in our autonomous region, a national-level poverty-stricken county. Sparsely popted withnd aplenty. Life was tough. They couldn¡¯t even afford to pay sries. Now, the development of Li County gives me a feeling of being in Yuedong.¡± Reality also proves that thebat effectiveness of the Li County Party Committee government team is strong. The work of Li County ismendable. This time, it is not only an audit of Li County¡¯s economic report but also an audit of the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone. I hope that allrades of the investigation team will conduct the investigation and audit with a spirit of seeking truth from facts and a serious and responsible attitude. Observers from all cities in Dizhou should also y a supervisory role. We must restore the true economic data of Li County. This is the tone set by Lin Haikun for Li County. With this statement and this speech, the entire economic data report of Li County, regardless of the final investigation result, is at least trustworthy data. Next, a total of twenty tables were set up inside the Millionaire Hotel. The standards of hospitality were still based on Li County¡¯s official reception standards. Since there were still things to do afterwards, people did not drink. After lunch, the investigation team took separate actions. Personnel from various departments such as audit, finance, industry, agriculture, etc., were stationed in various units of Li County, and all the data for this year were brought out. Meanwhile, observers from various Dizhou cities also followed these investigation teams. It can be said that the possibility of Li County cheating waspletely eliminated. Under the eyes of the entire autonomous region, the economic data of Li County will have nowhere to hide. Over at the Li County Finance Bureau, In the conference room of the Finance Bureau, Guo Guodong, the director of the local finance audit budget office from the Autonomous Region Finance Department, was somewhat horrified as he looked at the calcted data in front of him. On the side, observers from Yihah and several other Dizhou cities looked at Guo Guodong¡¯s expression and crowded around. One of them asked, ¡°Old Guo, how is it? Is there a problem? I told you. How could the economic data of Li County be so brilliant? Yes, they have made achievements, but such good achievements must have been inted.¡± Guo Guodong nced at the person next to him, clearly aware that Li County has now be the target of the entire region. With such brilliant data, if it¡¯s true and announced, won¡¯t this embarrass all other cities in Dizhou. Now, not only does the Autonomous Region Party Committee government demand real data, all cities in Dizhou are hoping for inted data. At this moment, Guo Guodong shook his head and said, ¡°Old Chen, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be as you wish. Our audit results are even more terrifying than the results reported by Li County.¡± The man was a bit puzzled now and looked at Guo Guodong and asked, ¡°Old Guo, what do you mean? More terrifying? Could it be that Li County dares to falsify on arge scale? They are pretty audacious.¡± ¡°Old Chen, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve misunderstood. What I mean is that there¡¯s no false data in Li County¡¯s economic growth rate. The result we audited now is that Li County¡¯s actual growth rate this year should have been 97.5%, meaning, Li County has hidden 20.2% of the data this year,¡± Guo Guodong exined once again. To be honest, Guo Guodong couldn¡¯t quite understand this result either. Reporting a growth rate of 77.3% and reporting 97.5% makes no difference. The result is the same: disbelief, doubt, and then investigation and audit. Why would the Lixian government hide so much, for next year¡¯s considerations? The man referred to as Old Chen looked astonished and eximed, ¡°Old Guo, your data isn¡¯t wrong, is it? This high. How is it possible?¡± As soon as his words fell, Guo Guodong¡¯s face became serious. He said sternly, ¡°Director Chen, you too work in finance, you know my character well, and do you think under your professional supervision, I, Guo Guodong, would have the chance to cheat? Besides, does my character match that of a cheater? Since you have doubts, this data is here, you are more than wee to recalcte it yourself.¡± The Director Chen from Yihashi city also realised his mistake, his words were outright showing his disbelief in Guo Guodong. In politics, such behavior is the most reviled. It would really be strange if Guo Guodong did not get angry. From the side, several people had alreadye up to mediate, saying, ¡°Director Guo, cool down, cool down. That¡¯s not what Old Chen meant. Mainly, it¡¯s that the behaviour from Lixian side is quite unscrupulous. They even concealed data instead of reporting it. Let¡¯s call over Director Lin Weimin from Lixian for questioning.¡± On Lin Weimin¡¯s side, upon receiving notification from the finance bureau staff that the audit investigation team was looking for him, he didn¡¯t dare to dy and quickly went to the conference room. Looking at the group of officials, Lin also chuckled and said, ¡°Director Guo, leaders, what do you need our side to cooperate with?¡± Director Guo had also calmed down at this moment. Old Chen¡¯s words, although unpleasant, the others had already apologised. If he himself clings on to it, it would also mean nothing. Then, a serious expression appeared on Guo Guodong¡¯s face: ¡°Director Lin, there is a matter that I need to consult you about. After our audit, the economic growth rate of Lixian has actually reached ny-seven and a half percent. Director Lin, what was your reason for deliberately hiding the increase of over twenty points? Was it for the economic development rate next year?¡± This statement made Lin Weimin somewhat embarrassed. When the investigation team was dispatched by the Autonomous Region Party Committee and Government, Lin knew that this matter couldn¡¯t be concealed. He was also mentally prepared for it. However, when asked at this moment, he felt somewhat awkward. He awkwardly chuckled ¡°Director Guo, leaders. Indeed, in hiding the data, we did have this consideration. Another point is that we were afraid that the data might have been inted. That¡¯s why we suppressed the growth rate by twenty points.¡± After a pause, Lin Weimin sincerely said, ¡°Director Guo, leaders, here, I want to give a self-critique. We should not have hidden the data, we should maintain an attitude of seeking truth from facts. Later, ourrades from the Lixian Finance Bureau will definitely enhance learning in this area. We will definitely remain truthful, modest and cautious in our pragmatic style.¡± The words of Lin Weimin gave Guo Guodong and others a feeling of frustration. All the officials of Lixian, from top to bottom, are too overbearing. This is not apology. This is downright boasting. This current growth rate of seventy-seven point three percent is enough to make people feel frustrated. If it increases further, how will others live? Guo Guodong waved his hand and then said, ¡°Director Lin, go on with your work. We don¡¯t have anything here.¡± At the Li County Hotel, the courtyard of the small hotel had be the residence of Lin Haikun. In the living room of the house sat the leaders of the autonomous region partymittee government investigation team from various departments. Firstly, Guo Guodong, being the key core of this investigation, reported the situation of the financial bureau to Lin Haikun. While looking at the people from other departments beside the sofa, Guo Guodong organized hisnguage, then said solemnly: ¡°Chairman Lin, in this investigation, under the supervision of observers from several Dizhou cities, we conducted a detailed audit of the Lixian Finance Bureau. We have detailed checks on the ount books of the Finance Bureau over the years, as well as the bank ounts and other relevant information of the current Finance Bureau. Our result is that the actual economic growth rate in Lixian should be around ny-seven percent, which is twenty percentage points higher than Lixian¡¯s reported economic growth rate.¡± When the voice fell, the staff of the Audit, Agriculture and other rted departments also expressed their opinions one after another. The director of the Animal Husbandry Management Office of the Agricultural Hall even said more: ¡°Chairman Lin, this investigation found that the actual number of cattle and sheep in Lixian, as well as the output quantity, arepletely in line with the growth rate of ny-seven point five percent. Under the Farmer Welfare Company and farmer mode, the actual number of cattle and sheep raised by each household in the county is more than five hundred. ording to the output benefits of the Farmer Welfare Company, each farmer can get about six hundred for each cattle, and about two hundred for each sheep. Last year, the total output number was at least one thousand five hundred or so. The average ie is three hundred per head. The annual ie of each household has reached about 45,000. Our opinion is, the economic growth rate reported now is indeed somewhat conservative.¡± It was the same issue on the Audit side. At this moment, Lin Haikun was also dwelling on this news. Then, Lin Haikun also got up and said: ¡°Yes, tomorrow, I feel that the investigation team might continue to delve into various industries and towns in Lixian and get a serious understanding. Alright, that¡¯s it for today. Everyone, go back. From the region, there will then be aprehensive judgement.¡± The situation in Lixian haspletely exceeded Lin Haikun¡¯s expectations, and the thriving development of the Lixian Economic and Technological Development Zone also surprised Lin Haikun. At this moment, it¡¯s already very clear from the investigation team. Going on further wouldn¡¯t be much necessary. Now, Lixian is bound to take on the mantle of the provincial Economic and Technological Development Zone. As for the economic growth rate, whether the one of Lixian or the one from the investigation is correct, Lin Haikun was also somewhat fazed. Then, Lin Haikun also picked up the phone and called the Autonomous Region Party Committee Secretary Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s telephone number. Only Jiang Zhenquan could decide and make the final call on this matter. Chapter 244 - 243: National Model County_1 Chapter 244: Chapter 243: National Model County_1 Trantor: 549690339 At this time, Jiang Zhenquan should be sleeping and resting, but with the matter of Li County, Lin Haikun estimated that Jiang Zhenquan might also be waiting for his own news. So, he made a call. Indeed, after the phone rang twice, Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Comrade Haikun, how is the situation in Li County? The economic growth rate should be true, right?¡± Listening to Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s tone, Lin Haikun knew that perhaps Jiang Zhenquan had determined that there was no issue with Li County¡¯s economic growth rate even before the investigation. Otherwise, Jiang Zhenquan would not be so sure. Immediately, Lin Haikun also chuckled, ¡°Secretary Zhenquan, the situation is really surprising. The report from the investigation team ispletely different from Li County¡¯s economic growth rate. Nie Zhenbang even concealed twenty percentage points of data. What do you think, should we continue to use Li County¡¯s economic growth rate report, or should we use the report from the investigation team?¡± Upon hearing Lin Haikun¡¯s words, Jiang Zhenquan alsoughed heartily over the phone. This result was also anticipated by him. The character of Nie Zhenbang is not the kind to show off when his knowledge is just half the story. His low profile, practical style made Jiang Zhenquan feel quite assured. At the time, after seeing Li County¡¯s economic growth rate report, he affirmed that Li County must have some reservations, and it turned out to be just as he thought. As for which data to report, after a moment of contemtion, Jiang Zhenquan made a decision. Since Nie Zhenbang and others reported that data, they must have their own considerations. Also, 77.3% and 97.5% may seem to be a significant difference, but in rtive terms, there isn¡¯t actually much difference. Based on this, Jiang Zhenquan said in a deep voice: ¡°Comrade Haikun, I think we should report using Li County¡¯s economic growth rate. This time, our district¡¯s report can list the economic growth rate of Li County separately. Then, submit it to the State Council.¡± ¡°Hmm, I think that¡¯s appropriate, in addition, Secretary Zhenquan, regarding the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone, I think that the Li County Development Zone has fully reached the standard of provincial-level Economic and Technological Development Zone. What do you think, can we consider listing the Li County Economic and Technological Development Zone at this opportunity?¡± Lin Haikun brought up again. On this side, after some contemtion, Jiang Zhenquan also nodded and replied: ¡°Hmm, I think that¡¯s possible too. The development of Li County has now be a leading force, a symbol for our district. It¡¯s okay for the district partymittee and government to increase their support.¡± After staying in Li County for three days, the investigation team left Li County. At the same time, Li County returned to its usual order. In the meantime, at the district partymittee standingmittee meeting, an ordinary but not so ordinary standingmittee meeting was being held. While it seemed ordinary, it was actually just a standard personnel discussion meeting of the district standingmittee. However, it was not ordinary as this standingmittee meeting also had some rtion to Li County. In the meeting room of the standingmittee, Li Yifeng, the deputy secretary of the district partymittee and concurrently the Minister of the Organization Department said, ¡°Comrades, this meeting, in terms of the candidate for the standingmittee of the Kerk City and deputy mayor of the city government, the District Party Committee and Municipal Organization Department have another candidate.¡± Seeing all eyes focused on him, Li Yifeng didn¡¯t feel the least bit ufortable. Basically, his candidacy would always be the focus of attention of all leaders in each personnel meeting. As deputy secretary of the district partymittee and concurrently the organization department director, Li Yifeng himself is also a centralmittee member. In Xibei, apart from Jiang Zhenquan, only he held this status. Even the autonomous district chairman, Tieli? Mehmet, is only a candidate for centralmittee. That¡¯s the difference. In terms of personnel appointment in the entire district, Li Yifeng¡¯s authority is significant. Now, after several candidates, Li Yifeng brought up another person. Naturally, everyone focused their attention. But at this moment, Li Yifeng spoke slowly, ¡°For the candidate for the standingmittee and deputy mayor of Kerk City, the organization department noticed another candidate while assessing the entire district¡¯s cadres, the current Li County Party Secretary, Comrade Zhang Chubin.¡± Upon hearing Li Yifeng¡¯s words, everyone, including Jiang Zhenquan, was taken aback. As expected of Li Yifeng, he makes no move unless it¡¯s a significant one. At this point, moving Zhang Chubin away was indeed a good strategy. Zhang Chubin had taken full advantage of Li County¡¯s political achievements, proudly ascending to the position of vice-ministerial level and additionally, bing a deputy mayor of a prefecture-level city, he had indeed reaped great benefits. However, in essence, the next secretary of the Li County Party Committee was likely to be concurrently served by Nie Zhenbang, allowing him to enjoy the biggest piece of the Li County pie in the future. What a cunning move. Jiang Zhenquan looked meaningfully at Li Yifeng beside him. At that moment, Li Yifeng¡¯s face was calm, revealing nothing. Was this the intent of the Nie family patriarch, or was it Li Yifeng¡¯s own decision? Jiang Zhenquan couldn¡¯t figure it out. However, at this moment Jiang Zhenquan did not object and chimed in saying, ¡°Comrade Zhang Chubin is indeed a goodrade, young and energetic. This time, the achievements in Li County are due to Comrade Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personal responsibility, and this is inseparable from Comrade Zhang Chubin¡¯s assistance. I think we can add some responsibilities to Comrade Zhang Chubin. Arade like this with such capability should be utilized more. We need to be bolder, and can also take bigger steps.¡± As soon as Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s voice fell, Chairman Tieli coughed slightly and said, ¡°I think Comrade Zhang Chubin, is still a bit too young. Being a deputy mayor of a prefecture-level city is no child¡¯s y. I think we should approach this more cautiously. I suggest that he would be better suited as the Deputy Director of the Autonomous Regional Economic Committee.¡± Tieli ced great importance on the selection of a deputy mayor for Kerk City, unlike the county-level positions. The county-level officials did not catch the eyes of these provincial and ministerial officials. However, the department-level officials were different. Just then, the conference room door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Secretary Tang poked his head in. Seeing Secretary Tang, Jiang Zhenquan was taken aback. The Autonomous Regional Party Committee Office Secretary General immediately walked over and whispered something in his ear. As the office door closed, the Secretary-General stood up and announced, ¡°Secretary Jiang, Chairman Tieli, and all the leaders present, we have just received a call from the State Council Office. The economic data of Li County has created a huge sensation at the central government. This county has been selected as a national model county. In addition, Deputy Prime Minister Tao from the State Council will personally visit Li County. The colleagues at the State Council Office just notified us to be prepared to receive and ensure the safety of Deputy Prime Minister Tao.¡± Upon hearing this news, all the standingmittee members of the Autonomous Regional Party Committee were shocked. Tieli¡¯s face was even more pale. This news came too timely. Even the central government has been alerted and has been selected as a national model county. These honors are undeniable, and would provide a huge boost for Zhang Chubin at this moment. Sure enough, Jiang Zhenquan was looking rxed at that moment. Even Deputy Prime Minister Tao wasing for an inspections. This was an honor. Subsequently, Jiang Zhenquan calmly said, ¡°I suggest that we vote on the nomination ofrade Zhang Chubin directly.¡± Under these circumstances, both the party secretary and the deputy secretary agree, coupled with the attention of the central government, it would be hard to exin why someone who has made such great contributions as Zhang Chubin wasn¡¯t promoted. ¡°Seven votes in favor, one abstention, three against. With the decision already made, I suggest Comrade Yifeng expedite the issuance of the Appointment Letter. Next, let¡¯s discuss the amodation and security issues during Deputy Prime Minister Tao¡¯s visit to the Xibei region,¡± Jiang Zhenquan said lightly. The decision of the Autonomous Regional Party Committee was quickly dispatched to the Organizing Department of the Bazhou City Party Committee. Comrade Zhang Chubin was being transferred to serve as Deputy Mayor of Kerk City. He was to report to the District Party Committee Organizing Department immediately for briefing before his new appointment. Meanwhile, the citymittee was also bustling with activity. The vacant position of Secretary of Li County Party Committee had already caught the attention of many, and Zhang Chubin¡¯s rapid rise in ranks had made the officials in Bazhou City envious. From Deputy Secretary to Secretary, and then to the current Deputy Mayor and fully-fledged Vice Ministerial-level official. At this point, if one can take up a leadership position in Li County, promotion would be practically guaranteed. The proud and ambitious ones were mainly vying for the position of County Party Secretary; the more astute ones had their eye on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office. In a short while, the whole of Bazhou City started to buzz with activity, with many partymittee leaders receiving countless visitors. At the city partymittee meeting, Liu Wenqing¡¯s expression was also very serious at this moment. After surveying everyone, Liu Wenqing solemnly said, ¡°Comrades, Comrade Zhang Chubin¡¯s transfer to Kerk City to serve as Deputy Mayor is an honor for our Bazhou city, and it also affirms the achievements and work done in Li County. However, the morale of the city officials is not good right now. People are anxious which I think is due to their petty personal interests. My suggestion regarding the choice for the position of Li County Party Committee Secretary is it should be determined as soon as possible. We have just received news that the date of Deputy Prime Minister Tao¡¯s visit has been finalized, and he will arrive in Urumqi in three days. We should also start taking action.¡± Having finished, Liu Wenqing turned his gaze to Mayor Ding next to him. Ding Aiguo understood and nodded, then coughed lightly and said, ¡°I agree with Secretary Liu¡¯s opinion. At present, the time seems a bit too rushed. My suggestion is that for the position of County Party Committee Secretary, I propose that Comrade Nie Zhenbang takes on the role and concurrently hold the position of County Mayor till the ¡°two sessions¡± next year, when we can then consider the options for the County Mayor.¡± Under the insistence of Liu Wenqing, Ding Aiguo, and Cheng Xinhua, the Bazhou City Party Committee quickly reached a consensus, assigning Nie Zhenbang as the temporary Li County Party Committee Secretary and acting County Mayor. Now, Nie Zhenbang effectively had control over both the party and the government in his hands. Chapter 245 - 244 Leaders Gather in Lixian_1 Chapter 245: Chapter 244 Leaders Gather in Lixian_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Secretary Nie, you see, do we move directly to the countymittee office or continue working here? Furthermore, after Secretary Zhang left, the house of Zhang is already vacant. How about moving there? In this way, the servants of the County Committee could help clean up or something.¡± Qu Feng, the director of the countymittee office, was now sitting in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, cautiously proposing his suggestions. Though Qu Feng was also a standingmittee member of the countymittee and the director of the countymittee office, these positions were generally reserved for trusted personnel of the county party secretary. He himself was promoted during Zhang Chubin¡¯s tenure and now, overnight, the allegiances in Li County shifted. This move by the Party Committee of the Autonomous Region was so unexpected that none of the leaders in Li County anticipated it. Secretary Zhang was promoted and transferred to another city to serve as a deputy mayor, a vice-ministerial leader with a voice in the municipalmittee. Naturally, Zhang Chubin happily took his secretary and assumed his new position, leaving Li County behind as he didn¡¯t have many loyalties here, and he naturally wouldn¡¯t have to handle these matters now. So it was that Qu Feng had rushed here, to the county government office building, as soon as possible. This is the best way to show loyalty to Secretary Nie. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current mindset was vastly different from a few days ago. Within the system, the party and government roles were different. The Secretary managed people, and the government managed matters. The responsibilities of a Secretary and the tasks of a county mayor are different. Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat uneasy about how to perform well as a Secretary. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was well aware of Qu Feng¡¯s attitude. Now that Zhang Chubin had left, and in such a rush at that. From receiving the call from the Organization Department of the Autonomous Region to his departure, it took less than two days. The abruptness of the development didn¡¯t give Zhang Chubin enough time to arrange anything. He only managed to take a secretary with him, that¡¯s all. This meant he basically came and left without leaving a cloud in the sky. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Qu, the officeplex of the countymittee and the county government will be in use in a few months. There¡¯s no need to move right now, especially with the New Year approaching and many things going on. For now, there¡¯s no need. I¡¯ll move once the new county mayor arrives.¡± Nie Zhenbang tried his best to appear casual in his tone and attitude. At this moment, with Zhang Chubin¡¯s departure, the hearts of the countymittee were greatly disturbed. First of all, Zhao Kunlun was getting nervous, after all, they had always been at odds. He had crossed paths with Zhao Kunlun as soon as he arrived in Li County as vice-county mayor. As soon as he took over as the County Mayor, he demoted Zhao Kunlun from his bureau chief position. Now, with him bing the county party secretary, Zhao Kunlun was naturally scared. In addition, Xue Daming, the minister of the Propaganda Department, was also a bit worried at the moment. Over the past few days, the two of them had been making close contact, probably trying to form a group to resist him. As for the tactics of these two, Nie Zhenbang found them somewhat amusing. It¡¯s too low-level. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have the mood to bother about these two. For now, he needed to stabilize the countymittee first. After Vice Premier Tao and the provincial and city leaders had left, Nie Zhenbang would then consider the matter of the countymittee. The north wind was still bitterly cold. At present, at the junction of Li County and Ku City, from the city center of Li County, about twenty kilometers away, several vehicles were waiting by the road, Nie Zhenbang, along with the leaders from all four teams, were all waiting by the side. A fleet of vehicles bearing the military police license tes was passing by swiftly. The No.1 car of the Bazhou City Committee arrived first and pulled over by the roadside. After the car window ss was let down, Liu Wenqing, the Secretary of the Municipal Committee, stuck his head out and said, ¡°Nie, get in the car and follow, we¡¯ll talk when we reach the city.¡± The convoy didn¡¯t stop at all here and instead proceeded directly to Li County City. At the archway of Li County Development Zone, the entire road had been cordoned off. The entire county¡¯s armed police and public security police had been dispatched from the starting point of the Licheng avenue in the Development Zone, all the way to the gate of the countymitteepound. This entire road was nearly six kilometers long. Every twenty meters, standing earnestly in a salute position, were the armed or public security police. The road had been cordoned off on one side, where other vehicles could only enter and exit from the other side. At this time, the regtions for inspection by party and government leaders were not standard. Under such circumstances, leaders¡¯ travel must have a certain grandeur. Now, with the Deputy Prime Minister visiting, it was of even more significance. Inside a business car in the middle of the convoy, the Deputy Prime Minister Tao, about sixty-three years old, his sparse hair brushed meticulously backwards in a bold hairstyle. Wearing ck-framed sses, the man, even though just sitting casually, carried an aura of gravitas and dignity fitting for someone in a high position. Beside him were the Secretary of the Autonomous Region Party Committee, Jiang Zhenquan, and the Chairman of the Autonomous Region, Tieli Mehmet. At this moment, people with the status of Liu Wenqing didn¡¯t even have the qualifications to apany them. Looking out at the scene of the Li County Development Zone from the car window, Deputy Premier Tao nodded in satisfaction. Elder Nie¡¯s grandson was not simple at all. In just less than a year and a half, he could build Li County into such an acimed sess. This wasn¡¯t something that could be supported by some nobles from Jingcheng. ¡°Secretary Zhenquan, the development of Li County is impressive. Therades from Li County certainly have innovative ideas. Looking at the road ns and the overallyout of the development zone, it¡¯s very pragmatic. They¡¯ve considered both current economic development and future expansion. There isprehensive consideration in all aspects. This is verymendable.¡± Deputy Prime Minister Tao, at this moment, also had a hint of a smile on his face. This scene relieved Jiang Zhenquan and Tieli. After arriving in Urumqi, Deputy Prime Minister Tao did not follow the Xibei Autonomous Region Party Committee¡¯s suggestion of staying there, even Jiang Zhenquan was too shy to mention the Urumqi development project. After arriving in Bazhou, Deputy Prime Minister Tao had been maintaining this calm state. This left Jiang Zhenquan and Tieli a little anxious, uncertain about the purpose of the Deputy Prime Minister¡¯s visit. At this moment, after hearing Tao¡¯s words, both of them breathed a sigh of relief. Immediately, Jiang Zhenquan also grinned, saying: ¡°Deputy Prime Minister Tao, your praise is too generous. The development of Li County is still inseparable from the central government¡¯s overall n.¡± This statement made Deputy Prime Minister Taough heartily, pointing to Jiang Zhenquan and saying: ¡°Hehe,rade Zhenquan, many people say that Jiang Zhenquan of Xibei knows how to talk, and this meeting proves that. The development of Li County is mainly due to the merits of the Li County Party Committee, the Bazhou City, and the leadership of your Xibei Autonomous Region government. It has nothing to do with us.¡± The convoy drove into the county party yard. At this moment, the leaders of the Bazhou City Committee and the Li County Party Committee were all standing in two lines in the yard, like soldiers waiting for theirmander to inspect, showing their vitality perfectly. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang stood next to Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo. The minivan opened, and first, Tieli got out of the car, followed by Jiang Zhenquan, the Secretary of the Autonomous Region Party Committee, and finally, Deputy Prime Minister Tao At this moment, Jiang Zhenquan also yed the role of secretary, introducing to Deputy Prime Minister Tao: ¡°Deputy Prime Minister Tao, this is Liu Wenqing, the Secretary of Bazhou City Committee. Next to him is Ding Aiguo, the Mayor of Bazhou City.¡± At this time, Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo also got excited. This was a national leader. Being seen by the leader was a rare opportunity. Both were somewhat excited at the moment, they stretched out their hands to shake hands with Deputy Prime Minister Tao, and excitedly said: ¡°Hello, Deputy Prime Minister Tao. Wee to Bazhou and Li County for your inspection.¡± Next, when it was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s turn, just as Jiang Zhenquan was about to introduce him, Deputy Prime Minister Tao smiled and said: ¡°This must berade Nie Zhenbang. Very good. From a preliminary look at the development of Li County, it¡¯s well-done, very good indeed. It seems that this year, Li County is likely to be the top model county in the Great Xibei Region.¡± This assessment made everyone envious. People like Bekri, Xie Yi, and Yan Fengjiao who were standing in the back row were jubnt. The more Nie Zhenbang was appreciated, the greater his potential for promotion. They just need to keep pace with Secretary Nie. Promotion was inevitable. As for making money, they dare not think about it. They understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character. If anyone dared to make money, they would definitely report it to the Commission for Discipline Inspection. Zhao Kunlun also looked a bit awkward, and felt a bit resentful in his heart. But Zhao Kunlun was feeling more and more powerless. It seemed that he needed to start changing his attitude as well. After shaking hands with the main leaders of Bazhou City one by one, Deputy Prime Minister Tao immediately put his hands behind his back. This clear signal meant that the Deputy Prime Minister was no longer intending to continue shaking hands. At this moment, Deputy Prime Minister Tao turned around and said with a smile: ¡°I heard beforeing that the Min Nong Company and Longhua Mining of Li County are quite good. Let¡¯s go visit these two ces.¡± At Longhua Mining, Deputy Prime Minister Tao inspected the vermiculite mine and asked in detail about the current development and utilization of the vermiculite mine. Especially after his concern about the research on vermiculite mine for soil improvement, Tao urged the researchers of Longhua Mining to make good use of and develop vermiculite mines to elerate soil improvement in the Northwest Region. Then, Deputy Prime Minister Tao went deep into the production line of the Farmer Welfare Company, in the vast pasture of 17 million mu in Li County. Deputy Prime Minister Tao personally visited some farmers and herders who had signed breeding agreements with the Farmer Welfare Company. After hearing that thepany paid the costs in advance, contracted for breeding, and regrly sent technicians to guide the farmers and herders, Tao looked up at Jiang Zhenquan and others and said: ¡°Comrade Zhenquan, Comrade Tieli, the Xibei Autonomous Region is vast and sparsely popted, with abundant pasture areas. In addition to tackling deserts, there are still many resources that can be utilized. I think the Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s project is very good. The Xibei Autonomous Region can fully promote this model and promote the development of agriculture and animal husbandry in the Xibei Autonomous Region.¡± By the time they returned from the Farmer Welfare Company, it was already dinner time. After dinner, just as Nie Zhenbang was about to leave, Liu Wenqing came over personally. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Liu Wenqing said with a hint of envy: ¡°Nie,e with me quickly. Deputy Prime Minister Tao has specially requested to see you.¡± Chapter 246 - 245 Reform Experiment Zone_1 Chapter 246: Chapter 245 Reform Experiment Zone_1 Trantor: 549690339 Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stunned expression, Liu Wenqing felt both envious and annoyed. Deputy Prime Minister Tao had personally proposed to meet him. This was a great honor. Though it¡¯s probable that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background might even be higher than Deputy Prime Minister Tao. Usually, the people he meets may even be much higher than Deputy Prime Minister Tao. But, after all, those are private asions. Different from the situation now. ¡°Hurry up and get ready. Don¡¯t make a fool of me in front of Deputy Prime Minister Tao.¡± Liu Wenqing pped Nie Zhenbang with augh. At this moment, in Liu Wenqing¡¯s feeling, Nie Zhenbang was like her own younger generation child. Nie Zhenbang also startedughing and adjusted his clothing, then followed. The No.1 courtyard of the Li County Party Committee guesthouse. Because of Deputy Prime Minister Tao¡¯s visit, the entire courtyard was cleaned and tidied up, and the evergreen trees inside the courtyard were also finely trimmed. When Nie Zhenbang and Liu Wenqing arrived here, there were still quite a few people standing outside the courtyard. Seeing Nie Zhenbanging, many people showed envious looks. Several guards from the Forbidden City Security Bureau stood at the entrance of the house. After Nie Zhenbang came in, Jiang Zhenquan also walked out of the house. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Jiang Zhenquan also smiled and walked up to him: ¡°Nie, you have done a great job in the Li County Development Zone. Give a good report this time when you go in.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and walked into the living room. At this moment, a guard standing by the entrance of the living room had alreadye up. The security for national leaders is very strict. It¡¯s a bit easier for general provincial and ministerial level officials to meet. But for meetings of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s level, the procedures are moreplicated. Nie Zhenbang was well aware of these procedures, and as soon as he entered the door, he raised both hands to indicate that he had nothing dangerous on him. At this time, Deputy Prime Minister Tao¡¯s secretary, Huang Yuansheng, came over and said with a smile, ¡°No need to check. Anyone else can be checked, but Zhenbang doesn¡¯t need to be.¡± As Deputy Prime Minister Tao¡¯s secretary, Huang Yuansheng was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background. The grandson of Elder Nie, and the adopted grandson of Elder Nan. Just with these identities, Nie Zhenbang is not a dangerous person. Under Huang Yuansheng¡¯s guidance, Nie Zhenbang entered the study next door. He had been in this house quite a few times, and indeed he was much more familiar with it than Deputy Prime Minister Tao. The study, about thirty square meters, had a desk in the middle. Behind it, a row of bookshelves, and in front of the desk, a set of sofa and coffee table. When Nie Zhenbang walked in and Huang Yuansheng closed the door, Deputy Prime Minister Tao put down his sses and said with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, the economic data of Li County really is shocking. Despite the harsh natural conditions in the Northwest Region, such results can still be achieved, which fully demonstrates your ability.¡± With that, Deputy Prime Minister Tao personally poured a ss of water for Nie Zhenbang, sat down on the sofa, and continued, ¡°Zhenbang, this time I came here under the direction of Secretary Yuan Kangan and Prime Minister Yun Bo. The main purpose is to solicit your personal views.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was also taken aback, a mandate from Secretary Yuan Kangan and Prime Minister Yun Bo? Could it be that the central government is preparing to make another move? Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang fell into thought, since it was a proposal made by these two leaders, both grandparents must already know, and neither of them have informed him. This suggests they are in agreement or rather, they also hope to let him decide. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Deputy Prime Minister Tao, I personally am firmlymitted to the organization¡¯s arrangement.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Deputy Prime Minister Tao also chuckled, waved his hand and said, ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t be so formal. There are no outsiders here, you can just call me Uncle Tao.¡± Speaking of it, Deputy Prime Minister Tao paused for a moment before slowly saying, ¡°Starting fromst year, the Central Government has put forth a brand new issue concerning current economic development and reform and opening-up ¡ª the strategy of sustainable development. This is new to us. At present, this concept is still being explored, both domestically and internationally. There¡¯s no specific experience for us to draw on. Therefore, ording to Secretary Yuan¡¯s idea, we should select a few ces within China for pilot studies. This time, Lixian hase into the Central Government¡¯s view.¡± Pausing for a moment, Deputy Prime Minister Tao continued, ¡°On the selection of candidates for the reform pilot, Prime Minister Yun Bo¡¯s intention is to have you take on this role. To this end, the Prime Minister even specifically discussed with your grandfather. Elder Nie¡¯s opinion was to respect your own will. So, Prime Minister Yun Bo sent me over to ask you in person about your intentions.¡± National policy. This is not something that can be decided in a short period of time; it pertains to the overall development and nning of the country. It is a massive system project. The central leaders are always very cautious in formting and implementing national policies. It¡¯s not like in Lixian, where Nie Zhenbang can address whatever issues arise,e up with any scheme he wants, consider it one day and implement it the next. National policy is no child¡¯s y. Changes have widespread implications. If the orders change overnight, the credibility of the country will be lost. The strategy of sustainable development. This concept was first proposed by me when I visited Elder Nan¡¯s house duringst year¡¯s New Year. Now, after a year of data investigation and scientific argumentation, the state has officially implemented this policy. This is a normal progression. The policy of sustainable development was proposed by myself. If I can be part of the pilot study, it would be most appropriate. After all, Nie Zhenbang can confidently say that, in terms of understanding of these matters, nobody within the country can surpass me. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang then readily nodded and said, ¡°Uncle Tao, I am willing to contribute to the development of our country. I will also give my all to do a decent job in the pilot work of sustainable development and set a good example for all the local governments in the country.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, a sh of admiration appeared on Deputy Prime Minister Tao¡¯s face. Indeed, the third son of the Nie family has not fallen short of his reputation. He¡¯s no less capable than my own nephew. It seems that there will be a battle between them in the future. No, it should be said that thepetition has already begun. Deputy Prime Minister Tao, from the perspective of factions, belongs to the Li family, and not Li Hua¡¯s family which belongs to the military lineage. This Li family, belongs to the government lineage. Elder Li was a central leader back in the day. Although he has retired now, the Li family has deep roots. Throughout the government system, their prot¨¦g¨¦s and former officials are everywhere. They are far stronger than the Zhou family. However, as for this matter, the fledgling politicians are still in their growing period. What will happen in the future still depends on them. Suppressing one side to uphold their own fledgling politicians at this time is not something Deputy Prime Minister Tao would dare to do, and even his father-inw, Elder Li, wouldn¡¯t dare to. This could cause public outrage. Next, Deputy Prime Minister Taoughed and said, ¡°I knew, Zhenbang, that this would be your attitude. When I was leaving, Prime Minister Yun Bo mentioned that you, Nie Zhenbang, would definitely agree without hesitation. It appears that this is indeed the case.¡± Pausing for a moment, Deputy Prime Minister Tao continued, ¡°Zhenbang, it ismendable that you are brave enough to bear this responsibility. However, if Lixian is designated as a reform experimental area, the scale of Lixian is still a bit too small. The area is enough, but the poption is slightlycking.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heartbeat elerated. It seemed that this time, in addition to Zhang Chubin reaping benefits, there would also be a huge leap on his side as well. At this moment, Deputy Prime Minister Tao looked at Nie Zhenbang, who was expressionless and seemed to be genuinely listening. Tao admired him in his heart. As the saying goes, one can judge a person by their appearance. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance was undoubtedly excellent. Subsequently, Deputy Prime Minister Tao went on to say, ¡°After thorough consideration and bncing, Prime Minister Yun Bo has decided to incorporate the nearby Yun County and the three towns of Dafeng, Red g, and Chetai, which are close to Lixian in Ku City. This will umte a total area of 110,000 square kilometers and a poption of 170,000 people into Lixian, which will be renamed as New Li City. In this way, the total area of Lixian will reach 170,000 square kilometers, and the total poption will exceed 340,000.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. This adjustment by the Central Government also has its own considerations. The scale of Lixian is still small. If Lixian alone is used as a reform experimental area, it would be a bit too simplistic. Increasing the area and poption would make the reform experiment on the strategy of sustainable development in the newly expanded Li City of greater reference significance. Deputy Prime Minister Tao, after pausing a bit, continued, ¡°The administrative level of the new Li City is temporarily set as a sub-bureau level unit. The financial affairs will be managed by the Xibei Autonomous Region, and the administrative affairs will be managed by Bazhou City. This time, it¡¯s up to you.¡± This huge decision by the Central Government to upgrade Lixian to a sub-bureau level city was something Nie Zhenbang had not expected at all. If it falls under the jurisdiction of Bazhou, then he would undoubtedly have to concurrently hold the position of a member of the Bazhou City Committee. The achievements of Lixian are right here, backed by solid data. Regardless of whoes to inspect, there¡¯s no doubt about it. There¡¯s no falsification involved, so naturally, there¡¯s nothing to verify. Deputy Prime Minister Tao left the next afternoon, leaving behind a national economic and technological development zone sign for Nie Zhenbang. This is the first of its kind in the Northwest Region. You have to know that at this time, Urumqi Development Zone is only a provincial-level economic and technological development zone. At the same time, the actions of the partymittee of the Xibei Autonomous Region were also very swift. On the third day after Deputy Prime Minister Tao¡¯s departure, the Regional Party Committee Government issued a document to abolish the administrative divisions of Yun County. Yun County was entirely incorporated into Lixian, along with the three towns of Dafeng, Shengli, and Chetai from Ku City. The county-level administrative unit of Lixian was abolished and Xinli City was established. The Bazhou City Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee appointed Nie Zhenbang as a member of the Bazhou City Municipal Party Committee, a standingmittee member, Secretary of Xinli City Municipal Party Committee, and concurrently as Mayor of Xinli City People¡¯s Government. His rank is at a sub-bureau level. Chapter 247 - 246: Year-end Condolence_i Chapter 247: Chapter 246: Year-end Condolence_i Trantor: 549690339 Li County has been upgraded to a city, and its new administrative name is New Li City. Moreover, it is a sub-provincial administrative unit. The finances are directly integrated into the autonomous region¡¯s financial system. Its administration falls under Bazhou City¡¯s jurisdiction, which means that in the future, the financial autonomy of New Li City will be much greater than that of an average county-level city. What is more important is that with the upgrade, all the cadres of New Li City are the happiest. The sub-provincial city, the party secretary and the mayor, these are two sub-provincial positions, and this is inevitable. Today, Nie Zhenbang is still acting as mayor. After the two sessions that will pass after the new year, there will definitely be a position vacated. It¡¯s impossible to really have one party to rule everything. Besides, the other deputy positions in the city are all now deputy section-level cadres. After this, they will definitely be promoted by half a notch. The section-level is certain, correspondingly, the heads and minds of the various departments of the municipal direct organs have also stepped onto the steps of the deputy section-level. It can be said that this time, with the upgrade of New Li City, it is considered a real promotion for everyone. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mood isn¡¯t that great at the moment. Looking at the documents and materials on the table, Nie Zhenbang also frowned. The three townships of Dafeng Town, Red g Town, and Chetai Township in Ku City are still okay. After all, they are townships where the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government are located. All the infrastructure is very good and the economic development is rtively bnced. When the State Council considered merging, it also went through a great deal of effort. Among them, Dafeng Town was only eleven kilometers away from Li County City, and Red g Town and Chetai Township were on both sides of the national highway from Li County to Bazhou City. The distance between the two ces and Li County City was about eighteen kilometers. Yun County is on the south side of New Li City, and the distance between Yun County City and New Li City downtown area is only thirty-nine kilometers, which makes it much easier for Nie Zhenbang to n and develop in the future. However, what gives Nie Zhenbang a headache is still Yun County. This is a typical wide and sparsely popted small county. Yun County has and area of more than 70,000 square kilometers, but the poption is only about 100,000; most of them are concentrated around Yun¡¯s County City, and the rest of the areas are mostly desert, belonging to a temperate and extremely arid region. The annual rainfall is very scarce. Yun County is also a well-known poor county. New Li City has just started to show some signs of improvement, and now another burden is on its back. How to develop the original Yun County is also an important issue. ¡°Secretary, Deputy Mayor Bai is here. He said he has a problem to report and discuss with you.¡± Yi Jun suddenly walked in from the outside. Bekri has arrived. Nie Zhenbang was taken aback for a moment, thinking about it, he understood. Now, the establishment of New Li City, upgraded to a sub-provincial city. And now the party and government are all in his own hands. Everyone knows clearly that he can¡¯t hold the position of mayor for long. From the perspective of New Li City, there are two people who are eligible to serve as mayor, Xie Yi and Bekri. It is normal for Bekri to do this. As for the county partymittee and government team of Yun County, most of the cadres will be appointed by Bazhou City. They were all at the same level before, but after the merger, they suddenly dropped one level. These people from the Yun County Party Committee must be unhappy. Bazhou City will make separate appointments, which is also normal. As for the position of the mayor, the cadres of Yun County, even the secretary of the Yun County Party Committee, should not think about it. This is something that can¡¯t happen at all. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang nodded immediately: ¡°Well, please let Deputy Mayor Bai in.¡± People are always dissatisfied. At this moment, Bekri is also stepping aboard at the right time to the regr department¡¯s ranks. Now, with such a great opportunity, he can leap from the regr department to the subprovincial notch, Bekri naturally wants to strive for it. ¡°Secretary Nie, are you busy?¡± Bekri entered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office and immediately greeted him with a smile. Now that New Li City has ample financial resources, there are fewerrades from below who flock up for money at the end of each year. For the first time, Bekri feltfortable in such a day. Now, Li County has transformed itself into a national reform and opening up pilot zone and be New Li City. He also followed the rising tide to be a regr section-level cadre. Now, Bekri realized that at this time, it¡¯s necessary to keep up with Secretary Nie¡¯s pace. ¡°Well, Mayor Bai is here. I was thinking just now that New Li City has been established and there are many things. For this year-endfort, I am also preparing to adjust it. For the original Li County, I am preparing to let you and Secretary Xie go to the various townships and county direct organs under it. I am nning to go to Yun County and Dafeng, Red g, and Chetai towns.¡± Nie Zhenbang signaled Bekri to sit on the sofa and said with a smile. It¡¯s exactly at the end of the year¡¯s critical moment. New Li City was established, and now the Yun County Party Committee, government team and county direct government offices are all in the process of retrenchment and merger. For the time being, there is a feeling of uneasiness among the people below. At this time, as the secretary of the municipal partymittee, Nie Zhenbang needs to go down and stabilize the scene. Bekri alsoughed at this moment and said, ¡°With Secretary Nie in charge, there will naturally be no problems. However, there are so many ces and only three days left until the new year. Will your going there be a bit rushed? It seems it might also be a bit tiring for you. Uh, Secretary, do you think the municipal partymittee will consider anything?¡± After some small talk, Bekri still subtly brought up the issue he was concerned about. This is not something that can be discussed in terms of face or posture. If he doesn¡¯t work hard, he¡¯s afraid that he won¡¯t be able to get the position of mayor. Nie Zhenbang is the secretary of the New Li City Party Committee and also a standing member of the Bazhou City Party Committee. He has great power in terms of the choice of the mayor of New Li City, regardless of how the Bazhou City Party Committee decides. If he can gain the support of Nie Zhenbang, for Bekri, it would mean achieving most of his goal. Listening to Bekri¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang mused for a moment, then smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Bai, on the issue of choosing the mayor, I personally still lean towards promoting from within Xinli City. However, what the city partymittee stance is, what Secretary Liu¡¯s intentions are, we still need to consider the opinion of the leadership. Rest assured on your end. I will express my position to the citymittee and municipal government.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s official vehicle, after having been named a national model county and a national development zone, was specifically allocated a batch of resources by the State Council. After all, if you want the horse to run, you have to let it graze, right? Nine Mercedes-Benz saloons, three Mercedes-Benz vans, and twelve Toyotas were allocated. Additionally, the council allocated 30 million yuan in special funds, which were delivered to Xinli City the day after Deputy Premier Tao returned to Beijing. Out of the twelve off-road vehicles, two were kept for Nie Zhenbang, while the remaining were all allocated to the Xinli City Public Security Bureau. The three Mercedes-Benz vans were kept at the Xinli City Committee¡¯s office formon affairs, for unified operations. The other nine Mercedes-Benz cars were distributed among the other leaders of the Xinli City Committee. Nie Zhenbang chose off-road vehicles mainly for their performance. In a ce like Xinli City, sometimes, when visiting some towns, a regr car won¡¯t cut it, so off-road vehicles are better. Outside the car window, the endless ins were dressed in silver. The distant mountains were even whiter. The car drove over the snow at a slow pace. Considering the safety of the vehicles, the Xinli City Public Security Bureau sent a police car to lead the way ahead. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s vehicle followed behind. At this moment, Yi Jun sat in the front passenger seat, and Qu Feng, the Secretary General of the citymittee, sat by Nie Zhenbang. Behind Nie Zhenbang¡¯s vehicle were Yan Fengjiao¡¯s vehicle and a van carrying condolences goods. The motorcade slowly passed through the gatehouse of the development zone, and a little further ahead, Pear City Avenue would reach its end. After the merger, at the beginning of next spring, Pear City Avenue should be extended to Red g Town. After covering Dafeng, Red g, and Chetai towns in a day and a half, the motorcade headed to the former Yun County seat the next morning. The approximately 30-kilometer journey, due to the snow, took about an hour, and the motorcade slowly entered Yun County. At this moment, Qu Feng¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed as he murmured, ¡°What¡¯s going on with the remaining officials in Yun County? We sent a clear notification yesterday, so why isn¡¯t anyone out to wee us?¡± Nie Zhenbang, however, was indifferent and smiled, ¡°Old Qu, don¡¯t be angry. The wee is just a formality. When the autonomous region leaders and citymittee leaderse to inspect, especially in this cold weather, I actually don¡¯t like to stand by the roadside for formalities. Put yourself in their shoes¡ªthe remaining officials are all concerned about their future. Theirck of wee is normal.¡± Looking at the entire Yun County, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow furrowed. The condition of Yun County greatly exceeded Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expectations. Now, only a day and a half is left until New Year¡¯s Eve, yet the entire street had a messy ambiance. Garbage was piled up on the roadside, untouched. The thickyer of snow on the street symbolized the total shutdown of the government. Otherwise, how could even the sanitation workers be absent? Unlike Li County, which had bothnd and pastures despite being poor, and abundant water resources, Yun County was a desert in many ces except for the county seat close to Li County that had enough water. The per capita farming area was even less than half of that in Li County. The whole of Yun County was content if they could eat their fill. The vehicle drove into the courtyard of the Yun County government office. At this point, the entire yard had already been deserted, with only a few ordinary staff members bustling around. At the gate, two middle-aged men waited. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s motorcade, they promptly stepped out to greet them. PS: Rmend a new government novel ¡°Journey of a Police Official¡±, differently exciting as a police officer treads the officialdom. Book number: 2199700 Also, let me nag again, dear brothers and sisters, Old Cai has not appealed for monthly tickets for this month. Please support with a monthly ticket if you can. The performance of this month is really bleak. Chapter 248 - 247: A Long Way to Go_1 Chapter 248: Chapter 247: A Long Way to Go_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Secretary Nie, hello and wee to Yun County¡­Oh, no, to Yunshan Town for inspection and guidance. I am Tang Fangming, the former deputy mayor of the People¡¯s Government of Yun County. This person here is the standby officer, the former deputy director of the county government office, Comrade Mi Fugui.¡± Tang Fangming has alreadye forward to greet him at this moment, looking very excited and happy. He stretched out both hands, brimming with anticipation. No wonder. Seeing the situation in Li County City, Nie Zhenbang understood the worries of these standby officers. Even though it has been merged into New Li City, all the cadres of Yun County, at this moment, are full of anxiety. The top leaders of the Yun County party and government have naturally been transferred away through connections. The remaining cadres, still in Yun County, began to worry. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression is not very pleasant. After all, the situation in Yunshan Town isid bare. The entire city area is in a state of total chaos. This chaos is not anarchical chaos. It is a reflection of a state of mind. The remaining cadres in the entire Yun County no longer have the mood to go to work. At this time, if it wasn¡¯t for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s visit, they would probably have already gone home to rest. Anyone with the slightest connection is thinking of transferring away. In the eyes of the Yun County cadres, Yun County has been merged into Lixian County to form New Li City. From now on, the cadres of New Li City will definitely be primarily from Lixian County. With this scenario, many Yun County cadres are at a loss. They were leaders, why should they be demoted? Moreover, used to being leaders, many are not ustomed to listening to others. This is how they lost their unity. This situation will take some time to rectify. It can only be returned to normal order after the new year, when all the teams in the new city of Li are formed and the cadres here in Yun County have moved to the new city,pletely handing this ce over to the management of Yunshan Town. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang also nodded slightly: ¡°Deputy Mayor Tang, Director Mi, you are doing a great job. As standby officers, being able to persist in your jobs at this time ismendable. Does the Public Security Bureau have any arrangements? The establishment of New Li City is sudden and there is insufficient time. Negligence in various areas of work is inevitable. However, the public security department must stick to their posts to ensure that the public can have a stable and peaceful Spring Festival.¡± Other government departments can take breaks, but public security and firefighting are key departments and they absolutely cannot rest. At this moment, Tang Fangming also nods: ¡°Secretary Nie, Chief Chen had specifically made a trip here before and arranged for the Spring Festival duty shifts in various townships and the police work in the county town. Please rest assured, Secretary. We are confident that we can ensure that all the people of Yun County can have a stable and peaceful Spring Festival.¡± Hearing that Chen Le had taken the initiative to arrange the public security bureau¡¯s affairs, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat pleased. Chen Le is someone he can rely on in terms of work capabilities. Soon, Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°Since Chief Chen has been here, I won¡¯t ask any more questions. I think we should stick to the original n and go visit the most needy citizens.¡± As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words fell, everyone returned to their cars, and the convoy departed in single-file. At this time, the streets of Li County City were already sparse with people. Suddenly, a figure ahead caught Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attention. On a street, a thin figure, at this moment, d in a thick cotton coat and a cotton hat, was holding a shovel in his hand, and was clearing the umted snow on the road, revealing the cement surface. Looking into the distance, a path about two to three meters wide has been cleared along this street and extended forward. Because it was a cloudy, snowy day, the whole sky looked gloomy, and the vision was somewhat blurry. Amid the haziness, this short figure seemed tremendously tall. When all the city officials, ordinary workers, and even the ordinary people were at home roasting around the fire and enjoying the warmth, on the street, there was still such a sanitation worker cleaning the street. Against this stark contrast, Nie Zhenbang felt his eyes dampen. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang said in a deep voice, ¡°Xiao Wang, pull the car over.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car stopped, and the convoy naturally stopped as well. At this moment, seeing the convoy stop next to him, the sanitation worker also stopped his work. Right now, Nie Zhenbang can clearly see the worker¡¯s face. He¡¯s about 1.7 meters tall, not very tall. His skin is dark and the clothes are somewhat old, but they look tidy. The man is about forty years old. When he looked at Nie Zhenbang and his entourage, his face seemed a little flustered and fearful. Looking at this, Nie Zhenbang feels touched. This is not a pretense for his own benefit. The snow on this road is not a small project. More than that, the man¡¯s slightly fearful expression further moved Nie Zhenbang. This is an ordinary sanitation worker who hasn¡¯t experienced much. Facing so many leaders, he is undoubtedly somewhat fearful and scared. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll finish this spot and leave immediately, immediately. No one notified me to move out of the way today. So, I just kept on sweeping till I got here.¡± As soon as the man spoke, his stuttering words made Nie Zhenbang feel an aching sensation in his heart. Such straightforward words, such a simple man. While focusing on his standard duties, the first thing he considered was whether he had made a mistake. Such a person was indeed deserving of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s respect. Promptly, Nie Zhenbang tried to convey with a gentle voice, ¡°Comrade, don¡¯t misunderstand. You haven¡¯t done anything wrong. Don¡¯t be afraid.¡± Beside them, Mi Fugui walked up, a serious expression on his face. ¡°You must be a sanitation worker. This here is Nie, the Secretary of Xinli City. He¡¯s asking you questions. Please respond earnestly.¡± The words from Mi Fugui caused Nie Zhenbang to furrow his brows, people like Fugui are way toomon in various government systems. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang turned towards the sanitation worker, saying, ¡°Big Brother, don¡¯t be afraid, let¡¯s just have an ordinary chat. There¡¯s no mention of ¡®Secretary¡¯ here. I noticed that everyone else in the county has gone back to rest, so why are you still outside?¡± His words made the middle-aged man feel a bit embarrassed. Then, he awkwardly scratched his head, exining, ¡°This area is indeed my responsibility. I saw the thick snow and how inconvenient it was for people to get around. So, I thought about clearing a path, making it easier for everyone to get out.¡± His words were simple without any ornamentalnguage, just a straightforward idea and nothing grandiose. However, Nie Zhenbang felt warm and touched when hearing it. Such an ordinary person, yet the brilliance of humanity was perfectly embodied at this moment. After a quick search, Nie Zhenbang took out five hundred yuan; normally, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t carry cash, but this time he had prepared some to console the frontline workers and the needy. He handed the money to the middle-aged man, saying, ¡°Big brother, take this money as a small token of my appreciation. Seeing your difficult situation, I hope you won¡¯t refuse. Spend the money and celebrate the New Year.¡± As the middle-aged man watched Zhenbang¡¯s departing figure, he murmured, ¡°Good person, Secretary Nie is a good person. Now, we will also have good days in Yun County.¡± Next, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s group headed for the Yun County Heating Company to visit the workers who were still on the frontlines of heating services. These key departments, dealing with people¡¯s livelihoods, were operating as normal, which was satisfactory to Nie Zhenbang. After encouraging and praising the staff¡¯s dedication, Nie Zhenbang moved on to visit several households in Yun County¡¯s urban area, including old, widowed, orphan, sick, and disabled individuals, to send rice, oil and cash forfort. At the home of Wu Sanniu, a destitute resident from Tiaoma Town, Tuan Mountain Vige in Yun County, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. Seeing the five or six family members squeezing on one bed, wearing thin summer clothes and shivering from the cold, Nie Zhenbang was deeply moved. Watching Wu Sanniu¡¯s shy demeanor as he epted thefort money with his calloused hands, and recalling his words: ¡°Secretary Nie, we cannot ept this money. The rice and oil are enough. I heard that it¡¯s easy to find work in Xinli City. After the New Year, I¡¯ll go there. We are able-bodied. We can manage.¡± While experiencing the sincerity of these simple rural folks, despite their poverty, they hadn¡¯t lost hope in a better life. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang felt uplifted. His work remained challenging. Upon returning to Downtown Xinli City, which was originally Lixian County City, Nie Zhenbang walked into his office. As secretary Nie insisted on working, Yi Jun had not gone home yet. Nie had just taken off his coat when he instructed Yi Jun, ¡°Xiaoyi, bring me the economic data from Yun County this year. After that, you can go. It¡¯s the New Year after all. Go spend some time with your parents. I¡¯ll manage here.¡± Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t nned on going home for the New Year, particrly after his visit to Yun County; he couldn¡¯t afford to lose a minute¡¯s preparation time. He nned to review all the data about Yun County first, then consider further developmental ns. Yi Jun looked somewhat ufortable; if the secretary was working overtime, how could he go home? Was this still fulfilling his secretarial duties? Just as he was about to respond, the phone on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk rang. As soon as Nie Zhenbang answered, his elder brother Nie Jialei¡¯s voice came through, with a very serious tone, ¡°Zhenbang, Grandfather ordered you toe back tomorrow. This is an order!¡± Chapter 249 - 248 Marriage Issues_1 Chapter 249: Chapter 248 Marriage Issues_1 Trantor:549690339 Nie Jialei¡¯s tone was so serious and formal, he even used the word ¡°order¡±. Nie Zhenbang was witnessing this for the first time. However, Nie Zhenbang was certain that this time, Elder Nie must be serious. ¡°Order¡± is a term regrly used in the military, and now just Elder Nie, Nie Guodong, and Nie Jiamin liked to use it in the Nie family. As for himself, even though he had some military experience, he still wouldn¡¯t consider himself military personnel. ¡°Big Brother, can you let me in on what¡¯s going on?¡± Nie Zhenbang changed from his usual stern demeanor in front of his subordinates and asked somewhat irresponsibly. On the other end of the call, Nie Guodong seemed to sense Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reaction and continued: ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯ll know everything once youe back. But, I¡¯m going to be getting married. The date has been set for the fourth day of the New Year. Considering that it¡¯s not easy for everyone to get together given our usual circumstances, my father and I discussed it, and grandfather agreed. The Chen family also gave their consent, so the date has been set. Regardless, you shoulde back.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was also astonished. His oldest brother was going to get married, and he had chosen the time when most of the children of the noble families in Jingcheng returned home. What was the hidden message here? The Nie family was officially confirming the sessor? After all, Nie Guodong¡¯s wife¡¯s background was a little below par. In this case, Nie Guodong¡¯s marriage signals that he¡¯s withdrawing from the contention for the sessor of the Nie family. At this thought, Nie Zhenbang nodded: ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go to Urumqi today and try to catch the flight back to Jingcheng tomorrow morning.¡± Because of the New Year, Li Lixue and Dong Wan had already rushed back early. Dong Wan had no significant issues being away during the rest of the year. Besides, the Dong family knew that Dong Wan was in Xinli City and normally turned a blind eye to it. However, if she failed to return home for the New Year, that would be too excessive. Although the Dong family ignored Dong Wan¡¯s marital affairs, they wouldn¡¯t let it go that far. As for Li Lixue, she was now at the height of business at the Dynasty Club during the New Year period. Without Li Lixue¡¯s management, they might struggle to keep up operations. So, Nie Zhenbang ended up flying on his own. This year, the returning flights to Jingcheng on New Year¡¯s Eve were sparsely popted. The 9 am flightnded at Jingcheng City International Airport at 12:10 pm. As soon as he left the airport, a familiar figure immediately appeared in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s vision. Nie Jiamin was at the exit grinning widely with his gangly posture. After several years in the military, Nie Jiamin had an extra burly aura around him even though he was lopsided in his stance. ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯ve finally deigned toe back. This morning, grandma and grandpa were anxiously expecting you. Uncle and auntie have already returned.¡± Nie Jiamin approached and the two brothers hugged tightly. The military car with the Jingcheng City Military District license te sped all the way and stopped in front of the courtyard gate. The gate of the quadrangle was already open. When Nie Ziyu spotted Nie Zhenbang, she rushed out to greet him. At 21 years old, Nie Ziyu had grown into a willowy young woman. Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t seen Nie Ziyu for two or three years. At this moment, seeing Nie Zhenbang, Nie Ziyu excitedly rushed towards him and hugged his neck, cooingly saying, ¡°Brother, did you miss me?¡± ¡°You silly child, you¡¯re too old for that. Your brother just came home, he hasn¡¯t even put down his luggage yet.¡± At this moment, Ye Shuxian also came out from the courtyard. Ye Shuxian seemed very delighted at this moment. Even though Nie Zhenbang was not her biological son, he was still her son. In the past, her daughter-inw and other rtives barely took notice of her. But as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status rose, her own status in the family improved. Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Mum, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯m happy to see Ziyu like this.¡± The group entered the courtyard, where the reunion dinner for New Year¡¯s Eve had been prepared in the main hall. ording to the custom in Elder Nie¡¯s hometown, the whole family would gather for lunch on New Year¡¯s Eve to pay tribute to the ancestors. Originally, it should have started at noon, but it was dyed until now to wait for Nie Zhenbang. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, grandmother also came over. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, the olddy¡¯s face was full of kindness. After observing him for a while, she smiled, nodded, and said, ¡°You¡¯ve tanned and lost weight. I really don¡¯t know what that old man was thinking, the children of other people¡¯s families are all left in Jingcheng, are our children not human? Birds of a feather flock together, we sent both of them to the bitter cold of Xibei, such a sin.¡± After hearing the olddy¡¯sints, Elder Nie made a neutral noise but avoided that topic by saying solemnly, ¡°Let¡¯s alle and pay tribute to our ancestors. Let¡¯s start the meal.¡± After lunch, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t leave the house. Elder Nie stood up, his hands sped behind his back, and said, ¡°Guodong, Guowei, follow me to the study.¡± After a moment, the elder¡¯s gaze swept over the third generation of the Nie family, and he continued, ¡°Jialiang, Jiamin, and Zhenbang, youe over as well.¡± Inside the Nie family¡¯s study room. This time, the family meeting was somewhat different from past ones. At this moment, the elder naturally sat at the front of the desk, while the brothers Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei sat in the middle of the sofa. Historically, the middle of the sofa, precisely in front of the Elder, was usually upied by Nie Jialiang. But at this moment, Nie Jialiang willingly sat on the side, while Nie Jiamin sat on the edge of the sofa. Once Nie Zhenbang had sat down, the elder finally began, ¡°Now, the older generation has all stepped down. With Elder Nan sitting firmly, I fear no one would dare to cause any mischief. Comrade Kang An¡¯s status is also solidified. As the times progress, now, each family is scrambling for their descendants.¡± The elder¡¯s explicit opening statement surprised Nie Zhenbang and others. It is worth noting that the elder used to prefer speaking in riddles. This kind of directness is rare, and in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s memory, it only happened twice, the first time when Nie Jialiang wrote an article, and the second time when Nie Guowei did the same. At this moment, the elder mused before continuing, ¡°Guodong and Guowei, both of you had some insufficiencies congenitally and, likely, this should be your potential for upward mobility in this life. Conversely, Jialiang, Jiamin, and Zhenbang give me an inspiring feeling.¡± The elder¡¯s words were very blunt, which left Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei feeling somewhat disgraced. In front of their own sons, to be evaluated in such a manner by their father, they felt aplete loss of dignity. Then, the elder¡¯s gazended on Nie Zhenbang as he calmly asked, ¡°This time, both Zhenbang and Jialiang have sessfully been promoted to the position of deputy bureau-level cadres. Comparatively, Zhenbang still holds a slight advantage. Now, Jialiang¡¯s marriage has been settled, Zhenbang, what are your ns?¡± Although the words were calm, the elder¡¯s tone was insistent and unchallengeable. In the system, usually, at the rank of deputy bureau-level cadres, whether or not to get married bes an important measure ofpetency. By now, Nie Zhenbang was already at the deputy bureau level, and he was 24 years old. It was time for him to get married. Otherwise, moving up the ranks for Nie Zhenbang would prove even harder. Upon hearing the elder¡¯s words, all the brothers turned their gaze to Nie Zhenbang. Beside them, Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei were also looking at him. Nie Guowei initiated by asking, ¡°Zhenbang, how have you decided? Speak up. Dong family or Yang family, you should at least have a clear attitude. Keeping both options open like this is not a solution.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat troubled. If he had to choose between Dong Wan and Li Lixue, barring courtesy, he would naturally choose Dong Wan. However, the current situation was making things extremely difficult for him. No matter if he chose Dong Wan or Yang Anna, either decision would be excruciatingly hard. Right now, it seemed like Nie Zhenbang was seeing Yang Anna puckering her lips in front of Elder Nan and iming him as hers. He could also see her saying that she would marry Zhenbang once she grows up. It¡¯s hard to bear a beauty¡¯s favor. Nie Zhenbang deeply felt the true meaning of this phrase. While Nie Zhenbang was silent, the elder suddenly interjected, ¡°Since you cannot make a decision, let me help you. After discussing it with your grandpa, we have decided on Old Yang Head¡¯s granddaughter Yang Anna. Once your elder brother gets married, we will have an engagement banquet for you before you return to Xibei.¡± Over at the Dynasty Club. By now, at the top floor of the Dynasty Club, Nie Zhenbang, Nie Jiamin, Liu Kun, Li Hua, and Zhao Xinglong were all sitting together. At the moment, Liu Kun was engrossed in mixing drinks behind the bar. Nie Jiamin was huddled on the sofa, swirling the ss in his hands, and heughed, ¡°Third brother, I¡¯m afraid you can¡¯t avoid it this time. If you were to get engaged now, Dong¡¯s family attitude towards Dong Wan would surely not be the same as now.¡± Beside them, Zhao Xinglong chuckled, ¡°Young Master, why not quit the system? Aren¡¯t you familiar with Iran and Iraq? You might as well pick up an Arab nationality. There are no limitations to getting a wife there. Wouldn¡¯t that be the best of both worlds?¡± Nie Zhenbang was also starting to feel a headache. Running his hand across his head, regardless of anything else, he felt his authority was still too low. If he could dy this for a few more years until he has amassed enough power, the discussion about this matter wouldn¡¯t be as passive as it is now. Just then, Li Wenge burst in from the outside. Seeing Nie Zhenbang and others, Li Wenge quickly said, ¡°Third brother, Zhou Stutter and Li Guohua are creating a ruckus downstairs, and it doesn¡¯t look good.¡± (To be continued. If you like this story, please vote and rmend it on . Your support is my biggest motivation.) Chapter 250 - 249: The First Confrontation_1 Chapter 250: Chapter 249: The First Confrontation_1 Trantor:549690339 ¡°Li Guohua? Who is that?¡± Nie Zhenbang knitted his brow and immediately questioned. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s memory, among all the people he knew who survived within the system, he never came across a person named Li Guohua. Could it be that his own presence stirred up such changes, just like the flutter of a butterfly¡¯s wings does? Indeed, what Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t know was that he was no butterfly. After the Soviet Union incident, through his influence, Huaxia managed to acquire hundreds of billions of US dors in foreign exchange reserves from the Soviet Union. This dramatically improved the foundations of the heavy industry and advanced the development of defense military technology by about 15 years. Currently, within the Foreign Expert Bureau of the Huaxia Military Science Academy, at least five hundred former Soviet Union experts have been registered. There are at least some thirty experts from the Sukhoi Design Bureau alone. Moreover, no fewer than ten individuals have been awarded the honorary title ¡°Soviet Union Meritorious Scientist¡±. This massive force has already propelled Huaxia¡¯s military strength to an immense level. Consequently, Huaxia¡¯s situation seems far better than it did in his previous life. Strength, after all, is always the crucial standard by which a country¡¯s international status is measured, and military strength is representative of a nation¡¯s status on the global stage. Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t expected that these changes would lead numerous aristocratic descendants, who initially had no intention of entering politics, to change their minds and dive headfirst into the political scene. ¡°Third brother, speaking of this Li Guohua, he was quite ruthless back in the day. Li Guohua should be thirty this year. At the age of fifteen, he almost crippled a disciple from a small family in Jingcheng who offended him. Afterward, Li family¡¯s patriarch was furious and sent Li Guohua to the United States. He graduated from the Kennedy School of Government and returned to Huaxia during the years you disappeared. Nowadays, it¡¯s said that he¡¯s already the executive deputy mayor of a coastal city,¡± replied Liu Kun as he heard Nie Zhenbang. Listening to Liu Kun, Nie Zhenbang recalled Li Wenge¡¯s words; Li Guohua actually associated with Zhou Chen. This suggested that after the Zhou family was marginalized, they had allied themselves with the Li family. In the past, Nie Zhenbang had been contemting Zhou Chen¡¯s change in dealing with affairs. It now appeared that the real mastermind behind the scenes was likely Li Guohua. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression turned serious. Li Guohua¡¯s method of handling affairs, which he had witnessed before, was indeed worthy of being seen as that of an expert. His political skill was extremely mature, making him a fiercepetitor on his future political path. Although the two were now far apart, one in the east and the other in the west,petition was everywhere. Unless Nie Zhenbang set his sights on a different position, the two of them would be in constantpetition,peting at every instant. ¡°Let¡¯s go and see what¡¯s going on,¡± Nie Zhenbang, having now stood up, pondered before heading out. At this moment, he had already guessed roughly what was happening. The Dynasty Club¡¯swork of connections was something any ambitious political aspirant would envy and covet. It seemed Li Guohua hade well prepared for this. When their group reached the lobby on the first floor of the Dynasty Club via the elevator, arge crowd had already gathered in the middle of the spacious room. Upon closer inspection, they saw that Zhou Chen was in the center, vigorously leading the show. Standing next to Zhou Chen was a young man wearing gold-rimmed sses, his face adorned with a slight smile as he watched the scene unfold. ¡°So this is the standard of the Dynasty Club? Serving fake Lafite, do they take us for idiots?¡± Zhou Chen was significantly outspoken, likely due to some backstage support. The Dynasty Club, established by Nie Zhenbang himself, would not possibly serve counterfeit wine. Although Li Lixue had been managing the ce, there was no chance that counterfeit alcohol would be supplied. There was something fishy about all of this. Zhang Xu had also appeared at the scene. It seemed like the New Year was indeed a grand gathering for the younger generation of the influential families in Jingcheng. ¡°Zhou Stutter, isn¡¯t it making you sound foolish using the club of serving fake Lafite wine? I¡¯ve drunk no less than a hundred bottles of Lafite in the Dynasty Club and never encountered a counterfeit. This bottle of wine, could it be something you brought in yourself to frame the club?¡± Zhang Xu sarcastically retorted. Among the younger generation of elite families, there were rules and ways of ying. During ordinary days and at work, their backgrounds were merely auxiliary, and everything had toply with the system¡¯s rules. But now? Position and image counted for nothing here. This ce was a pure gathering spot for aristocratic descendants, because here, all other identities were stripped away¡ªwhat remained was only the identity of being a member of an influential family. Nie Zhenbang, Liu Kun, Li Hua, and others had also stepped in from outside at this moment. Looking at Zhou Chen, a hint of a smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face, his voice deep, ¡°Zhou Chen, I was wondering why you¡¯ve be more and more unrulytely. Turns out, you¡¯ve be apdog.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Li Guohua began tough. This marked the first time he had stood up since entering the room. His eyes were fixed directly on Nie Zhenbang, and he said with a smile, ¡°Young Nie, unmistakably from themon folk. Sharp-tongued. I admit I¡¯m no match for you.¡± Continuing, Li Guohua stated, ¡°Young Nie, I admire this club you¡¯ve started. So much so, in fact, that I¡¯ve grown jealous. Today, I¡¯vee with a single aim in mind ¡ª to make trouble.¡± Li Guohua¡¯s deration sent murmurs through the room. Such unabashed and righteous disruption, as if he were on a quest for justice, was something of a first in Jingcheng, if not the entire country. Certainly, Li Guohua¡¯s remarks were sharp, but nobody could criticize his manners. Firstly, he did not mention official positions or obligations when speaking,municating purely as one would between peers of influential families. This gave his words a degree of instion from critique. Disputes among the young ones of Jingcheng¡¯s elite families weremon, often leading to open conflict. However, such conflicts usually started subtly, with secretive skirmishes before being exposed. But Li Guohua was different; he went public from the start. Li Guohua had an impressivework of contacts and reputation within the government structure, provided by the Li family. Many were naturally drawn to him. Despite the straightforward nature of his statement, it was nheless effective. If there were just minor disturbances and a couple of backhanded moves in ce, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t even blink an eye. Those would be too low for him. However, the current situation had put all the pressure squarely on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulders. Numerous eyes were watching, anticipating his response. An improper handling of the situation would directly affect his respect among these young elites and might even risk the Dynasty Club¡¯s position as a leading social organization in Jingcheng. After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Nie Zhenbang slowly replied, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been living abroad for too long, Guohua, drinking too much American milk. You¡¯ve forgotten how things work here. Since this wine came from my club, naturally, I will give you a satisfactory answer.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang crypticallymanded, ¡°Kun, have your sister Li Xue investigate who brought in this fake wine.¡± At the Dynasty Club, wine control was extremely strict. Its wine was all directly imported from Bordeaux¡¯s wineries in France, leaving no opportunity for any outsider to tamper. The origin of this bottle of wine was indeed suspicious. To put it bluntly, it wasn¡¯t out of the question that Li Guohua bribed some of the staff here, deliberately introducing a fake bottle into the mix. Soon, a young waitress in her twenties was brought over by Li Lixue. Li Lixue¡¯s expression was cold and stern, she said, ¡°ording to today¡¯s records, Xiao Wang is responsible for this table. This fake bottle was smuggled in by her.¡± At this moment, Xiao Wang appeared somewhat shiveringly. Her eyes were dodging, her head was low, and she kept casting nces at Zhou Chen standing nearby. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow was furrowed now. He had not expected Zhou Chen and others to n to discredit the Dynasty Club in such a way, to tarnish his reputation. Their goal, he suspected, went beyond merely tarnishing his personal reputation. They were also attempting to destroy thework of connections that the Dynasty Club had amassed. At this moment, it would seem petty to continue investigating the fake wine. He quickly said, ¡°Li Xue, bring me three bottles of vodka.¡± Three bottles of vodka were ced in front of Nie Zhenbang, who opened them without a word. He drank from one bottle after another, with no pause, gulping down all three. With nine pounds of spirits consumed in such rapid session, even Nie Zhenbang, known for his tolerance, was feeling some difort. His face was slightly flushed as he looked at Li Guohua and said with a deep voice, ¡°Mr. Li, this incident is the failure of my management. The person responsible will be dismissed immediately. These three bottles are my apology. From now on, all your expenses at my establishment will be taken care of, whether youe alone or inpany, and regardless of how many visits you make. Li Xue, provide Mr. Li with a card that exempts him from all charges when he visits.¡± Having said that, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone quickly shifted as he looked at Li Guohua, ¡°Mr. Li, are you satisfied with this arrangement? If you still have anyints, feel free to vent. As Nie Zhenbang, I will bear it all, without wishy-washiness.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approach won admiration from many of the bystanders. The Young Nie was decisive. His apology, coupled with a lifetime of free admittance to the Dynasty Club, demonstrated the Club¡¯s sincerity. Thest part showed his determination and a tough attitude. If Li Guohua was still not satisfied, then they can go to war. Nie Zhenbang was always ready for a fight. In handling it this way, Nie Zhenbang had maintained his inside and outside influences. At this point, Li Guohua couldn¡¯tin further. There was a flicker of approval in his eyes, Nie Zhenbang was a formidable opponent indeed. Their first scuffle seemed to be tipping in his favor; however, this sess had been built upon Nie Zhenbang being caught off guard. Given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rapid response, he realized that this opponent was not to be underestimated. Chapter 251 - 250: Spectacular Wedding_1 Chapter 251: Chapter 250: Spectacr Wedding_1 Trantor: 549690339 Subsequently, Li Guohua also startedughing, extending his thumb and saying: ¡°Mr. Nie the Third, you indeed live up to your reputation. I believe we will have the opportunity to meet again in the future. Chen, let¡¯s go.¡± Li Guohua¡¯sughter felt natural. From the incident to now, Li Guohua always gave off an open and straightforward vibe. This kind of person acts with great confidence. Even when causing trouble, they operated openly and honorably. This in contrast won some admiration from the onlooking crowd. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°If Mr. Hua is interested, I will dly apany you.¡± The two gave off the impression of mutual appreciation. This is a respected adversary, both an enemy and a friend. This concept is entirely different from the hostility between Nie Zhenbang and Zhou Chen. Zhou Chen was indeed an enemy. But for Li Guohua, he is merely apetitor along the road of politics, apetitor in their careers. Privately, both knew that the other would be the biggest hurdle to their own sess. Yet, that did not deny the potential for coboration between them. From Nie Zhenbang¡¯s perspective, his advantages were quite clear. However, there were also disadvantages. His advantagey in being six years younger than Li Guohua, but they were on the same administrative level. Once the regtions for party and governmental leadership positionse out next year, it¡¯s clear that under the same age restriction, Nie Zhenbang will have an even greater advantage than Li Guohua. The disadvantage still lies in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s age. At this moment, it is unrealistic to think he could advance any further. After all, a 24-year-old deputy department-level official, who also holds a party and government leadership position, has already broken national records. Rapid promotions simr to a rocket¡¯s ascent are definitely impossible now. Apart from spending New Year¡¯s Eve with the family at Grandfather¡¯s side, the rest of the time was spent by Nie Zhenbang at the Dynasty Club. This time, the issue brought up by the old man put Nie Zhenbang in a tough position. He wasn¡¯t sure how to handle it. Thus, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang could only choose to escape. In a blink of an eye, two or three days passed. On the night of the third day of the lunar new year, the courtyard of the Nie family had already been specially rearranged. As the eldest son and legitimate grandson of the Nie family, it was inevitable that Nie Jialei¡¯s wedding would be held in the family courtyard. Even for the children of prestigious families, when ites to this life-changing event of marriage, they could not defy the convention. The courtyard was already adorned with big rednterns and the word ¡°Happiness¡± in big red was pasted on the windows. At this moment, all the Nie brothers had returned. The eldest, Nie Guoping, was currently chatting with the grandmothers in the room. Unlike the other women in the Nie family, Nie Guoping seldom spent time with them. Families like the Nie¡¯s valued status and position. Even though Nie Guoping and her husband were both minor generals, they were, after all, civil servants and technical staff. Their positions were given little regard within the family. Huang Yuerong, one of the leadingdies of today, was attended by Ye Shuxian and Nie Guorong. Nie Guorong, at this moment, was also smiling and saying: ¡°Eldest sister-inw, you can finally rx. Now that Jialei has married a family as good as this, all that¡¯s left is to enjoy a peaceful life¡­¡± Hearing this, Huang Yuerong couldn¡¯t help but break into a smile of pride. However, turning to look at Ye Shuxian, Huang Yuerong managed augh and said: ¡°Guorong, what are you still worrying about? Aren¡¯t Xiao Yali and Yang¡¯s second son together? What is there to fear? The Wal-Mart Group is now the leading retailer in our country. You will be the one to enjoy the good life.¡± The elders of the family were also busy, Nie Jialei, however, was dragged by Nie Zhenbang, Yang Anbang and a few others to the Dynasty Club. On the ninth floor of the club, it was Nie Jialei¡¯s first visit. Looking at all thevish decorations, Nie Jialei was stunned on the spot. At that moment, Yang Anbang was smiling and said: ¡°Big brother, did you know? This is the ce where the third brother harbors his beloved. How is it? Isn¡¯t the decor ptial? Since it¡¯s your wedding, we should definitely make the third decorate something for you. Just let it be asvish and high-profile as it can be.¡± Yang Anbang was just making a joke. After all, people like them, scions of esteemed families, and those still outside the system, can still talk freely, as there are fewer restrictions. However, those within the system always pay attention to their image and impact. Being overly high-profile might cause negative effects. However, what Yang Anbang hadn¡¯t expected was that Nie Zhenbang, after pondering for a moment, alsoughed and said: ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s possible. There are three great joyful things in life: the wedding night, passing the imperial examination, and meeting old friends in a foreign ce. The wedding is the biggest one, and on the premise that they won¡¯t divorce, it only happens once in a lifetime. It indeed needs to be grand.¡± After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°Regarding the banquet, Uncle has already booked the VIP banquet hall of Capital Restaurant for you, big brother. I will not interfere there. As for the wedding cars and other ns, let me handle it. However, boss Yang, you are going to marry our sister Xiao. Shouldn¡¯t us, your future brothers-inw, get some kind of token on your part?¡± Yang Anbang paused for a moment, then broke out intoughter. The Wal-Mart Group and the Nation now have aplete coverage across the country. They have already established their presence in all prefecture-level cities. Arguably, thepany that has thergest cash flow in the country right now is the Wal-Mart Group. What Yang Anbang is least short of is funding. At this time, Yang Anbang turned his head and nced at Xiao Yali, their eyes meeting for a moment. Immediately after, Yang Anbang alsoughed and said: ¡°In that case, I will gift to my big brother and future sister-inw a new house. It will be at the outskirts of Jingcheng city, close to Dongcheng district. Recently, our Wal-Mart Group has started getting involved in real estate. Here, we have a new luxury property. It will be an 800 square meter house, along with a BMW 740, as our small token of affection.¡± Nie Jialei was taken aback at the moment, how did these young men be so wealthy over just a few years? As he was about to refuse, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Alright, it is settled then.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang turned to Nie Jialei and said, ¡°Big brother, you should quit making excuses. I know the wealth of Young Master Yang better than you do. This little expense is but a drop in the bucket for him. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask my second sister.¡± By his side, Xiao Yali was also somewhat embarrassed as she said, ¡°Big brother, what Zhenbang said is true. Just ept it with ease. I actually think he should have given more.¡± Nie Zhenbang was more experienced than anyone in the room when it came to arranging weddings. After all, he had a decade more experience than the rest. He was now adept at orchestrating startling disys that were a sensation in hister life. On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, at eight in the morning, a vast parking lot outside the Dynasty Club was already full of various luxurious cars. At the very front, a red Ferrari had been decorated as a floral car, adorned with a heart-shaped pattern of bright roses. It symbolised that Nie Jialei¡¯s wedding would be prosperous and lucky. Following the Ferrari was a Rolls-Royce, and behind it were two Bentleys. The rest were BMWs and Mercedes, and the entire fleetprised ny-nine cars, symbolizing the longevity and perpetuity of marriage. The moment the fleet appeared, the whole city of Jingcheng was abuzz. Many pedestrians stopped to watch. Fortunately, Nie Zhenbang had not asked the traffic police to control or block the traffic, which maintained the massive disy¡¯s decorum. Meanwhile, across from the Dynasty Club, the entire tenth floor of a building had been rented and designed with traditional ssical Chinese motifs. At the entrance, a small sign hung on a carved wooden panel, reading, ¡°Jingcheng City Ivy Club.¡± ¡°Brother Hua, what does Nie Zhenbang mean by this? Why a grand spectacle, so luxurious and solemn? Isn¡¯t he afraid of bringing the leaders¡¯ criticism on himself?¡± Zhou Chen, standing by the window, was somewhat puzzled by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intent. This enormous motorcade, this grand spectacle, contrasted to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s usually low-profile style, leaving Zhou Chen confused. The tenth floor was a one personally designated by Li Guohua. To put it inmon words, after all, wasn¡¯t the Dynasty Club only nine floors high? Hence, his cement on the tenth floor clearly meant he wanted to surpass Nie Zhenbang. After pondering for a bit, Li Guohua started to admire Nie Zhenbang. Such strategic prowess, a skill only understood after some thought. On one hand, the changing of acting heads in the Nie family, where the eldest, Nie Jialei, gave his position to Nie Zhenbang, was undoubtedly due to ability. But, as outsiders wouldn¡¯t know, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grand arrangement of the Nie Jialei¡¯s wedding demonstrated the Nie family¡¯s unity. On another note, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions were a warning to the other nobles of Jingcheng, encouraging hesitation when choosing their alliances. Thirdly, Nie Zhenbang was providing cover for himself. Everyone in Jingcheng knew that upon Nie Zhenbang¡¯s return, his own marriage was an issue too. By directing everyone¡¯s attention to Nie Jialei¡¯s wedding, Nie Zhenbang created a chance for his own discreet departure. Having thought this through, Li Guohua smiled as well. Such an opponent was indeed interesting. Though, he would not share these thoughts with Zhou Chen. Zhou Chen, high-minded but frail, wouldn¡¯t understand. It would just be foolish if he took this information to heart when he was unable to do anything with it. Then, Li Guohua seriously said, ¡°Chen, don¡¯t bother with other people¡¯s affairs. He¡¯s got his own troubles. You should consider your position in Bazhou City. This time, your old man had good intentions, but you failed to achieve any results. Now, I want to send you to Xinli City to be the mayor. It depends if you have the confidence and the ability to work with Zhenbang.¡± Upon hearing Li Guohua¡¯s words, Zhou Chen was taken aback. To be the mayor of Xinli City and work with Nie Zhenbang would be like walking into the tiger¡¯s mouth, wouldn¡¯t it? However, Zhou Chen knew Li Guohua¡¯s character well, a man who meant what he said. If Zhou Chen challenged him, it would be difficult for Li Guohua to guide him in the future. Chapter 252 - 251 Offended Everyone_1 Chapter 252: Chapter 251 Offended Everyone_1 Trantor: 549690339 Urumqi Airport The flight from Jingcheng gently descended into the airport terminal, with Nie Zhenbang appearing amidst the crowd. The day after Nie Jialei¡¯s wedding ceremony, Nie Zhenbang had booked his flight. In regards to his own marital concerns, Nie Zhenbang was left in a dilemma. Between Dong Wan and Yang Anna, who both came from simr backgrounds, choosing was a headache-inducing problem. If he were to reveal his choice, regardless of his decision, it would hurt the other party. Yet, Nie Zhenbang understood that the time hade for him to make a choice. If he made no decision, it could significantly impact his political future. However, Nie Zhenbang ultimately chose to escape. He decided to leave the decision to Yang Anna and Dong Wan, to see who would remain the puppeteer behind the scenes. As such, Nie Zhenbang chose to run away. Unbeknownst to him, there was amotion brewing in Jingcheng. At the Dong family¡¯s residence in the West Mountain vi cluster, Old Dong wore a grave expression on his face. In Jingcheng, news spread rapidly. Old Nie had chosen the Yang family as his inws, something Old Dong was aware of. At the moment, Old Dong reclined on his sofa, his face rigid with displeasure. Sitting by his side were a few Dong family siblings, with Dong Liuliu (Old Dong¡¯s sixth son) also wearing a troubled look. Amidst the room of older rtives, Dong Wan stood silently by the side, the atmosphere in the room oppressive. ¡°Sixth Brother, she is your daughter. So, voice your opinion. We can¡¯t allow Wan to blindly follow Nie Zhenbang for the rest of her life after all.¡± The mouthpiece from the Dong family finally spoke. As soon as he stopped speaking, a representative from the dozens of Dong family men standing behind the sofa interjected. ¡°Uncle Six, why bother with all this? Can women from our Dong family not find good men to marry? Nie Zhenbang, who thinks he can just fly back to the northwest, is quite mistaken. Wan, this time, all us brothers n to travel to the northwest and face this Nie Zhenbang. I want to understand what¡¯s so appealing about him that captures our Wan¡¯s heart sopletely.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s departure was clear to Dong Wan. He was considering her dignity, her feelings, which touched her. For her sake, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sacrifice was massive. His evasion would firstly ruin his reputation, painting him as a man incapable of managing a romance or shouldering responsibility. People would naturally think little of him. Secondly, his flight could further infuriate the Yang family and Grandfather Nie. The aftermath of this could greatly jeopardize Nie Zhenbang¡¯s political future. Among the children of Jingcheng¡¯s old families, prodigal sons and daughters are plentiful. People, once favored by their elders, often find themselves discarded by their family because of romantic problems. Worried, Dong Wan nced at her restless brothers before she crisply rebuffed them, ¡°Big Brother, my affairs are none of your business.¡± Dong Wan turned towards Old Dong as she spoke. ¡°Grandfather, you said I would handle my own marriage. I¡ªI think I should be able to handle it well.¡± Startled, Old Dong remembered his past promise primarily to keep Dong Wan happy. He never thought it would force Dong Wan to be someone¡¯s mistress. Gazing at her retreating figure, Old Dong sighed and waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Enough, enough. Let¡¯s disperse.¡± At the Yang family¡¯s residence, Elder Yang¡¯s expression closely mirrored Old Dong¡¯s. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s elopement not only lost face for the Dong family but also disgraced the Yang family even more. After all, Old Nie had dered his intention to marry into the Yang family. With Nie Zhenbang gone now, it was a p in the face for the Yang family. ¡°The audacity of Nie Zhenbang! He really thought our Anna would definitely marry him.¡± Yang Shengli grumbled, visibly frustrated. Yang Anna, who was just as beloved as Dong Wan in her family, listened to her father¡¯s words and retorted in a huff, ¡°Dad! I want to marry Brother Zhenbang. I don¡¯t mind even if I am a second wife!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, Elder Yang¡¯s expression darkened. He stood up and shouted angrily, ¡°Nonsense! It¡¯s utter chaos! Yang Shengli, teach your own daughter some manners. I¡¯m old and my words have no impact. I can¡¯t control her anymore.¡± Having said his piece, the old man stormed out of the room. Meanwhile, several men of the Nie family sat huddled together in the Nie family¡¯s courtyard, a displeased look painted on Nie Guowei¡¯s face. At his side, Nie Guodong solemnly interjected, ¡°The downside of being raised bymoners inevitably surfaces. This time, Zhenbang¡¯s ploy has humiliated both the Dong and Yang families, even if they¡¯ve not openlymented on it.¡± Grandfather Nie suddenly felt furious. Despite personally arranging this, his most exceptional grandson surprised him like this. As for Old Dong and Old Yang, though they might not say anything publicly, they undoubtedly held grudges against the Nie family. After a moment of silence, the old man rose from his seat. ¡°Enough! This matter ends here,¡± he dered. In Jialei¡¯s house in West City, his wife Chen Nan greeted him as soon as he stepped through the door. Chen Nan was around 24 or 25 years old. She was dressed in a cotton nightgown, her hair pinned up in a bun. In the warmth of the heated house, she looked ratherzy. In terms of temperament and appearance, Chen Nan was top-notch, despite being in a political marriage. She seemed to have the makings of a good wife and mother. Taking the coat from Jialei¡¯s hand and hanging it on the rack, she asked him worriedly, ¡°Jialei, what did elder Nie say? Did he throw a fit?¡± ¡°What good will blowing a fuse do? The main culprit has already run off to Xibei. Is the old man supposed to chase him down? At this time, it¡¯s best to step away. If we brought him back now, that would put us in the spotlight. I doubt the Dong and Yang families would show my third brother any kindness then.¡± Jialei responded to Chen Nan¡¯s query. Upon hearing Jialei¡¯s words, a glimmer of joyful anticipation showed on Chen Nan¡¯s face. She was fully aware that their family¡¯s focus had shifted to nurturing Zhenbang. This hup in Zhenbang¡¯s trajectory could present an opportunity for elder Nie to shift his attention back to her own husband. If that happened, she would be in luck. Looking at Jialei, Chen Nan said with a smile, ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right. After this incident, the Dong and Yang families must feel humiliated. Zhenbang isn¡¯t going to have an easy time. Jialei, do you think elder Nie might have a change of heart¡­¡± Before she could finish, Jialei¡¯s face darkened and he interrupted, ¡°Nan, refrain from saying such things in the future. I know my capabilities. Even with the blessings of the family, I¡¯ll never reach the ultimate position in this life. As for Zhenbang, I dare say even without familial backing, his contributions to the state and the recognition from President Yuan and Premier Yun mean he has a fair shot at reaching the power nucleus. That¡¯s the difference. Let¡¯s not bring this up again. We should simply focus on doing our own business well.¡± Different from the past few days of brooding rage, upon hearing the news, Zhou Chen rushed over to the Ivy Club. Upon entering the club, he saw Guohua casually seated in a room featuring an antique style, leisurely fiddling with tea utensils on a wooden, artistically crafted tea table. Looking at the visibly perturbed Zhou Chen, Guohua¡¯s face slightly changed, and he calmly said, ¡°You¡¯re here because of Zhenbang¡¯s matter, aren¡¯t you?¡± This statement made Zhou Chen pause momentarily before replying joyfully, ¡°Brother Hua, this time, Zhenbang is thoroughly done for. Without the support of his family, he¡¯s nothing in my eyes.¡± His words caused Guohua to furrow his brow further. At this moment, he was somewhat regretting taking on a waste like Zhou Chen. Why hadn¡¯t he thought it through when he returned to the country? Support from the family was not a necessity for people like himself and Zhenbang. Of course, having such a background undoubtedly made matters more convenient. However, a dragon was always a dragon ¨C having a familial background was like turning ake into an ocean, creating a more expansive world. Even without such a background, a true dragon would still find its path to the vast ocean. It was merely a matter of time. What¡¯s more, after scrutinizing and observing the entire matter, Guohua concluded that Zhenbang¡¯s current choice was the best one. On the surface, he offended the Dong and Yang families, infuriating elder Nie. But in the grand scheme of things, it was a minor issue. If the engagement had taken ce, the other family he¡¯d offend would be much more serious. They might even ally with his own family, essentially putting Zhenbang under greater distress. This was the true mark of a despot ¨C decisive and indifferent to minor gains or losses. With these thoughts, Guohua began to worry about Zhou Chen bing the mayor of New Li City. He once again advised, ¡°Chen, I have made arrangements for you to take up the mayor¡¯s post in New Li City. Don¡¯t rush into things when you get there. Stabilize your position and establish some influence before you take any action. Do you understand?¡± Still basking in a sense of tion, Zhou Chen paid little heed to Guohua¡¯s words. He simply nodded nomittally before stating, ¡°Brother Hua, I understand. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll surely do you proud this time. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m heading back to get my things together and head to New Li City.¡± Chapter 254 - 253: Audacious to the extreme (Seeking monthly ticket support) _1 Chapter 254: Chapter 253: Audacious to the extreme (Seeking monthly ticket support) _1 Trantor:549690339 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone was quite hostile, and his attitude wasn¡¯t much better. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Duan Changgui¡¯s face turned somewhat unpleasant. After hesitating for a moment, he turned his head and yelled, ¡°Get out of here. Duan the Third, do you want me to personally help you get up?¡± This remark made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrow once again. Everyone was insolent in his presence, and theirnguage was extremely abusive. It was clear to see how domineering and rampant Duan Changgui was in the Duan n Vige. After Duan Changgui¡¯s roar, Duan the Third¡¯s family was scared into trembling and moring to get up. Perhaps because they had been kneeling for a long time, their legs and feet were a bit numb. Several burly men rushed up and started kicking them. Duan Changgui didn¡¯t bother stopping them. Instead, heughed and said, ¡°Damn you, Duan the Third, remember this. You can¡¯t skimp on a cent ofst year¡¯s withholding fee for me. I¡¯m giving you three more days. If you don¡¯t pay up, get ready to tear down your house.¡± Having said that, Duan Changgui greeted Nie Zhenbang with a smile: ¡°Hehe, Secretary Nie, sorry for the unpleasant scene. These country folks, they are naturally stubborn. You need to show them some colors, or they won¡¯t know who¡¯s the boss. These poor, miserable creatures need to be ruled with an iron fist, then they¡¯ll fearfully hand over the money.¡± This remark made Nie Zhenbang frown again. Such arrogance, an unheard level of insolence from a vige secretary, was something Nie Zhenbang had never witnessed before. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face turned gloomy, and his tone was somewhat stern: ¡°Secretary Duan, is this how you treat your vigers? Such rudeness and violence. Is this how your ¡®prosperous vige¡¯ came about? How can there still be vigers who can¡¯t afford to pay agricultural withholdings, and are forced to tear down their houses and sell their livestock? Are you a bandit?¡± As soon as the words fell, a man who came with Duan Changgui gave Nie Zhenbang a contemptuous look and then said: ¡°Who do you think you are, Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee? I don¡¯t think so. Which secretary rides the bus? You brazen brat, dare to impersonate our New Li City¡¯s Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee. Guys, grab him and take him to the police station.¡± Nie Zhenbang had no solution against an ordinary viger¡¯s remarks. He had arrived in a hurry and had brought nothing with him. He did not even bring his work permit, which was in his office. He was used to having Yi Jun around and thus did not worry about these matters. Moreover, even if these people recognized him, hard ims of his impersonation would be of little help. using someone with words alone is impossible. These people were not part of the system. Furthermore, he was not the type to execute someone on the basis of their words alone. However, at this point, Nie Zhenbang sensed from the tone that they were likely to act. If he was grabbed and beaten up, they could afterward conveniently im ignorance. This was the most disadvantageous scenario for him. Nie Zhenbang was about to speak when a man suddenly emerged from the crowd of onlookers. He said in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s trulywless. Nie Zhenbang was on ¡°Daily at Seven¡±. You vigers who don¡¯t recognize him, are purposely trying to cause trouble. If you¡¯re looking for a fight, I, Feng Kuang, am ready.¡± The young man moved with the swagger of a dragon or a tiger ¨C a strut and physique immediately recognizable as belonging to someone from the military. Furthermore, it was clear he was a special force soldier with strong military skills. Feng Kuang then turned to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Secretary Nie, these people must be rotten to the bone. A long-standing problem cannot be solved in an instant. I suggest you contact the Municipal Public Security Bureau and the Municipal Party Committee Office. You¡¯re namely outnumbered. You can¡¯t argue with these people.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang looked at his cell phone, but due to the undeveloped mobile signal coverage in the rural parts of the Northwest Region, it was impossible to contact anyone. A crafty gleam shed in Duan Changgui¡¯s eyes. Making a big fuss under these circumstances would be the worst. If only Secretary Nie was involved, he could easily deny everything after beating him up. Whether Nie Zhenbang retaliated or not, his credibility as the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee would be damaged, and no one could me him on the surface. Duan n Vige¡¯s glory was based on its connections and channels, which were Duan Changgui¡¯s reliance. But with the sudden appearance of Feng Kuang, things became moreplicated. Whether to fight or not to fight became a dilemma. Shortly thereafter, Duan Changgui forced a smile and said, ¡°When the respected Secretary arrives, we should warmly receive him. Secretary Nie, would you grace us with your presence at our vige department for a casual meal?¡± Nie Zhenbang was deep in thought at that moment, aware that many things in the countryside could change before his next visit. After all, vigers lived in close quarters, and any ill feelings were often bottled up; no one knew if the government was truly cracking down or just bluffing. If it turned out to be thetter, what would happen to him after the local bullies regain theirposure? Would they hold a deadly grudge against him? Nie Zhenbang also wanted to personally see what Duan n Vige was like. Taking advantage of the situation, he turned his head to Feng Kuang, who was standing nearby. ¡°Comrade Feng Kuang, are you here on official business, or for something else? If you¡¯re free, would you like to apany me to Duan n Vige?¡± The public road in Duan n Vige was well-maintained, connecting to the national highway with a concrete road surface. There was even a sign by the side, dering it the ¡®Prosperous Model Vige of the Xibei Autonomous Region¡¯ and ¡®Huaxia¡¯s Model Vige of Moderate Prosperity.¡¯ About a kilometer down the road, leading into the vige, a two-story office block stood at the vige entrance. Seven or eight houses were lined neatly along a single row. On either side of the fence, signs hung disying ¡®Duan n Vige Party Branch Committee of New Li City¡¯s Daming Township¡¯ and ¡®Duan n Vige Resident Committee of New Li City¡¯s Daming Township.¡¯ Two-story buildings lined both sides of the pathway. Even further in, despite being single-story houses, they appeared new from the outside, confirming the vige¡¯s reputation as a ¡®prosperous and moderately wealthy¡¯ vige. However, Nie Zhenbang was thinking about Duan Lao San. He asked in a solemn tone, ¡°Duan Changgui, where does Duan Lao San live in your vige?¡± Duan Changgui¡¯s face slightly changed. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s behavior was unsettling. If Nie Zhenbang were to visit the vigemittee, Duan Changgui would certainly reveal past issues, politely wee Nie Zhenbang, and then graciously bid the city¡¯s Party Secretary farewell. However, as Nie Zhenbang was persistently probing into his affairs, an action equivalent to a death sentence for Duan Changgui, he understood his own predicament. If rtions were to sour, not only would his future be ruined, but he might even go to jail. Duan Changgui¡¯s face darkened and he replied coldly, ¡°If the Secretary is interested in inspecting the living conditions of the people, you can find it yourself. I am busy with other matters, so I won¡¯t apany you.¡± Nie Zhenbang continued to inquire from house to house, following a small road near the highway into the vige. About five hundred meterster, a modest house appeared before Nie Zhenbang and Feng Kuang. The house was so rundown it could be best described as destitute. When Nie Zhenbang and the others entered the house, Duan Lao San and his family were obviously startled. Nie Zhenbang, making his tone as gentle as possible, said, ¡°Duan Lao San, don¡¯t be scared. I am the City Party Secretary of Xinli City, can you tell me what happened today?¡± Duan Lao San sighed and slowly shook his head. However, his wife spoke up, ¡°Is it because we can¡¯t afford the deposit? Duan Changgui knows we have been raising four or fivembs. He wanted to take them away. These were borrowed from my elder brother¡¯s family. We were counting on thesembs to grow bigger and repay the debt. So, in his panic, old San hit Duan Changgui.¡± As her words trailed off, the door was kicked open with a bang. Duan Changgui strutted in with a group of people. He red at Duan Lao San¡¯s wife, a cold smile on his face, ¡°Trying toin? I¡¯m not scared. Let me remind you, Duan Lao San, I¡¯ve made up my mind about the deposit today. Even if youin to a higher authority, it won¡¯t be of any use.¡± His words caused Nie Zhenbang to furrow his brows. In viges, there¡¯s usually an agricultural deposit to be made,monly referred to as a ¡®three-item deposit.¡¯ From a modern perspective, this deposit is regarded as an illegal levy. The term ¡®three-item deposit¡¯ refers to the total amount of money extracted from farmers¡¯ ie by vige-level collective economic organizations, which is used to sustain or expand reproduction, initiate public welfare projects, and cover daily management expenses. The deposit includes three items: the umtion fund, the public welfare fund, and the administration fee. The ¡®township coordination fee¡¯ is collected legally from affiliated units (including township and vige-run enterprises, joint household enterprises) and farmers, and is used for vige-level education, family nning, consoling, militia training, building vige roads, etc. Duan Changgui looked at Nie Zhenbang with a smug look in his eyes and said, ¡°Old Three, you can report to the Secretary. Tell him I am bullying the vigers here. What¡¯s more, your deposit, you can ask the Secretary to waive it.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Duan Changgui¡¯s face changed. He yelled angrily, ¡°You spineless bastard, dare to hit me. Fugui, you guys, get everything valuable he has.¡± With Duan Changgui¡¯s words as an order, a group of people rushed forward like bandits. Some led thembs away, some grabbed anything that was valuable. At this moment, Duan Lao San knelt down again, begging, ¡°Secretary Duan, Secretary Duan, I beg you. Thesembs were borrowed from my brother-inw. My entire family, we were counting on thesembs. Be assured, when thembs grow up, I will repay the money I owe to the vige. I surely will. I was wrong to hit you. I will apologize. I will.¡± At this moment, Duan Changgui smiled lightly, looked at Nie Zhenbang, and said, ¡°Distinguished Secretary, you see, this — this was not instigated by me. Some weak-willed individuals, they are like this — can¡¯t me me right?¡± Chapter 255 - 254: Resolutely Investigating_1 Chapter 255: Chapter 254: Resolutely Investigating_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Duan Changgui, what is this attitude, what do you mean? Vigers are not your ves. In your eyes, is there now, no citizens¡¯ rights, no party discipline or nationalws? If you continue like this, it¡¯s going to lead to big problems. You will have to bear the consequences.¡± Nie Zhenbang felt a feeling of rage at this point. Duan Laosan was truly cowardly. However, from another perspective, the reason why Duan Laosan behaved like this might still be due to Duan Changgui¡¯s tyrannical power in Duan n Vige. The long-term oppression scared the vigers into fearing and being afraid to rebut him. At this moment, Duan Changgui just smirked coldly and said nonchntly, ¡°Mr. Secretary, as you have witnessed, I didn¡¯t ask him to kneel, he wanted to do it himself. Can I stop him? Bear the consequences? Very well, as long as you, Mr. Secretary, say the word, stating that the Three Uplifts and Five Unified Policies are cancelled, and the reservation funds are cancelled, I¡¯ll leave immediately. You, the city¡¯s senior leader, must not know our difficulties at the grassroots level. We don¡¯t have a state wage. The township asks us for money and throws tasks at us. We¡¯re stuck between a rock and a hard ce. Once collected, themon peoplein. Failure to collect results in a scolding from the leaders. Please, issue a document, help us cancel the agricultural reservation, and I can rx.¡± Duan Changgui¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang somewhat furious. Cancelling the agricultural reservation at present is unrealistic. The nation¡¯s economic foundation is very weak. Cancelling reservations at this time would be a heavy burden on the country. When ites to state policy issues, Nie Zhenbang dare not make a statement. Although Downtown Xinli City currently meets the conditions for reducing the agricultural reservation, Nie Zhenbang, alone, would not dare to make a decision without going through the discussion of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee. On the side, one of Duan Changgui¡¯s minions disdainfully said, ¡°Uncle Changgui, why bother arguing with this boy. Who knows if it¡¯s real or not. Ever seen a secretary of the municipal partymittee ride in a van? Let¡¯s give this boy a lesson first, to let him know that what happens in Duan n Vige is none of his business.¡± As he spoke, two burly rural men suddenly lunged at Nie Zhenbang. Nearby, Feng Kuang was ready and stepped in front of Nie Zhenbang. The people of Xibei are bold and fierce, and almost everyone has a specialty, but in the face of Feng Kuang, a special forces soldier, they fall short. With a sweep of his leg, one of them was instantly knocked down. The other, throwing a punch, was caught by Feng Kuang. As he slowly twisted his wrist, the man¡¯s arm was twisted with it. His body followed, flipping backwards. It¡¯s a natural human reaction, uncontroble. To not flip would mean enduring the pain of a twisted arm, risking a broken limb. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang stood up. He didn¡¯t want to stay in Duan n Vige for a second more. He then said in a deep voice, ¡°Comrade Feng Kuang, let this man go. Fighting these people is a humiliation for me.¡± The two men directly walked onto the highway. However, Duan Changgui and a few others chased them on motorcycles, his mood was quite pleasant. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stringent investigation didn¡¯t worry Duan Changgui at all. As long as he broadcasts his stance to the whole vige, no one would dare to step out of line. He was confident about his authority. Soon, a bus pulled up by the side of the road. Just as Nie Zhenbang and others were about to board, Duan Changgui sneered: ¡°Did I say you could board? I want to see who dares to let you on the bus while you¡¯re on my vige¡¯snd.¡± As soon as his voice fell, several men crowded around the bus, and, picking up a few stones from the roadside, smashed them into the bus windows, shattering the tempered ss. The bus driver was panicked and quickly drove away. You can¡¯t mess with people from Duan n Vige. This was a well-known fact among the bus drivers on this route. Duan Changgui was cunning. By doing this, he essentially humiliated Nie Zhenbang in front of everyone. Moreover, it would make Nie Zhenbang hesitate. Because if Nie Zhenbang was to hold onto this issue, it might give people the impression that he is seeking personal revenge. But, Duan Changgui underestimated Nie Zhenbang¡¯s determination. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang snorted coldly, and said, ¡°Comrade Feng Kuang, it¡¯s been a long time since ourst march drill. How about we have a go today?¡± At this moment, Feng Kuang alsoughed: ¡°Secretary Nie, since you said so, let¡¯s give it a shot.¡± The saying goes, an expert shows his skills with a single move. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s steps and moves showed that he had been trained. Simultaneously, through their conversation, Nie Zhenbang had some understanding of Feng Kuang¡¯s situation. As a retired soldier from a reconnaissance battalion in the Xibei Military Region, when choosing between returning to his hometown or staying in Xibei to support the border areas, Feng Kuang chose to stay in Xibei. He was originally assigned to Yun County. But at the end ofst year, Yun County was suddenly incorporated into Xinli City. After getting this news, Feng Kuang rushed over after the New Year. However, he didn¡¯t expect to meet Nie Zhenbang on his way to Yun County. Twenty minutester, the two men had run nearly seven or eight kilometers. Nie Zhenbang suddenly stopped because his pager rang. Nie Zhenbang was delighted and saw that it was from Yi Jun. As soon as he answered, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Xiaoyi, where are you now? Immediately notify Secretary Sun Kewen of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission and Comrade Chen Le, the head of the bureau, toe to Daming Township. I have urgent business.¡± After hanging up the phone, Feng Kuang looked at Nie Zhenbang in surprise and said, ¡°Secretary Nie, you really are the Secretary of Xinli City Party Committee.¡± Listening to Feng Kuang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. Feng had seemed so sure, so believing before it was confirmed. Now that it was, he almost seemed disbelieving. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang joked: ¡°What? You think it could be false?¡± Feng Kuang felt embarrassed and gave his head a scratch. Then he replied: ¡°No¡­no, Secretary Nie, it¡¯s just that seeing you riding a bus¡­ people might not actually believe you¡¯re a municipal party secretary.¡± Feng Kuang¡¯s words revealed a societal reality. Nowadays, people in leadership positions with certain ranks always traveled with fanfare, police escorts, and a convoy. Someone like Nie Zhenbang, who stayed low-profile, would not be believed to be a leader. Not only did this situation exist now, but it was also trending upwards. Frankly speaking, the grandiose scene was a significant blow to the image of the party and government. The public¡¯s trust in the government diminished ordingly, which was an obvious fact. Nie Zhenbang had the intention to change this, but it would not be achieved overnight. The distance from downtown Xinli City to here was approximately 30 kilometers. Nie Zhenbang and his group had already run about seven to eight kilometers. After about twenty minutes, a police car with shing lights drove towards them, followed by several other vehicles. Having parked by the side of the road, Yi Jun got out of his car. As they saw Nie Zhenbang standing by the roadside, talking andughing with a stranger, Chen Le, Sun Kewen, and Yi Jun came to greet him. Before Yi Jun could speak, Nie Zhenbang said seriously, ¡°Secretary Sun, I appreciate your assistance. This matter is a bit serious. Let¡¯s get into the car and talk about the situation. Director Chen, head for Duan n Vige in Daming Township.¡± Once onboard, after Nie Zhenbang recounted what happened in Duan n Vige, Sun Kewen¡¯s face also turned grave. Sun Kewen, capable of serving as secretary of the discipline inspectionmission, was a man of integrity. ¡°It¡¯swless, utterlywless. Secretary Nie, as people say, ¡®seeing is believing.¡¯ The situation in Yun County is a tough one. In my estimation, the case of Duan n Vige is not a one-off ¨C other problems must be lurking in Yun County. In unloading this burden called Yun County onto us, the whole of Lixian is going to be dragged down with it.¡± However, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand at that point, ¡°Old Sun, let¡¯s put all other matters aside. Whether Yun County is a burden or a catalyst is one thing. The primary concern now is to ensure the integrity of the officials throughout Xinli City. Rome wasn¡¯t built in a day. The municipal discipline inspectionmission must do its job well and resolutely put a stop to all cases of epting bribes and twisting thew for personal gain.¡± Less than two hourster, they returned to Duan n Vige. Upon receiving the news, Duan Changgui was shocked, and immediately told his men, ¡°Fugui, you and the others go to every household in the vige. Be fully aware of what to say and what not to say. Otherwise, you¡¯re going to answer to me.¡± After pausing for a moment, Duan Changgui added, ¡°Fugui, you personally go to Duan San¡¯s ce. Make sure he doesn¡¯t get us into trouble. Remember, be tough.¡± After giving his orders, Duan Changgui straightened his clothes and stepped out of his house. The vigemittee of Duan n Vige came out to wee them. Seeing Nie Zhenbang leading a group of people towards them with a solemn expression, Duan Changgui quickly stepped up to greet them, ¡°Greetings, each and every leader. We wee your visit to our Duan n Vige to inspect and guide our work.¡± However, to Duan Changgui¡¯s surprise, Nie Zhenbang coldly huffed, ¡°Duan Changgui, you are good at acting, aren¡¯t you? Director Chen, just before this, these people had brazenly attacked vehicles on the road. Thisrade and I are both eyewitnesses.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s statement was explicit. Chen Le stepped forward, showed his credentials, and then said, ¡°You guys,e with me to assist in the investigation. The car owners have reported the incident.¡± At that moment, Duan Changgui was also stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected Nie Zhenbang to dare to do this. Didn¡¯t this young guy care about his image, or was he not afraid being used of venting personal grievances publicly? Chapter 256 - 255: Shocking Sight (First Update of the Month, Seeking Support for Tickets)_1 Chapter 256: Chapter 255: Shocking Sight (First Update of the Month, Seeking Support for Tickets)_1 Trantor: 549690339 Duan Changgui was also taken aback; he had never seen Nie Zhenbang act like this. Without a word, they were arrested, and the reason given was this absurd one¡ªblocking the way and vandalizing other people¡¯s stuff. He was certain that the public security bureau could indeed locate the car with its shattered ss. Moreover, the car¡¯s owner wasn¡¯t from Duan n Vige and wouldn¡¯t fear his vengeance, and would definitely tell the truth. In this case, he had to spend at least two or three days in the public security bureau. Without him ruling Duan n Vige, he couldn¡¯t trust his ipetent followers to take over. After this, there would surely be people from the oppressed Duan n Vige who would step up to expose and denounce their oppressors. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s moves were interlocking and calcted, pushing him into a desperate situation. At the thought of this, Duan Changgui struggled and said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, what do you mean by this? Was it because I started insulting you? You are the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, but without any proof, who knows if you are impersonating? You are retaliating for personal grievances. I am a representative of the city¡¯s People¡¯s Congress, you have no right to arrest me. Even if you want to arrest me, you must inform the Standing Committee of Bazhou City People¡¯s Congress and revoke my qualifications first.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. The more agitated and furious Duan Changgui became, the more unsure he seemed. Following this, Nie Zhenbang calmly said: ¡°Duan Changgui, why are you so excited? We¡¯re not arresting you, we just want you toe back and assist in the investigation. Rest assured, we will have results for you within 24 hours. As a representative of the People¡¯s Congress of the city, as the secretary of the Duan n Vige Party branch, you, Duan Changgui, have the duty to cooperate with the government and the Public Security Bureau in their investigations, don¡¯t you?¡± At this moment, Chen Le¡¯s face sank; he then said, ¡°Comrade Duan Changgui, let me make it clear to you, nobody said they are arresting you. You are a representative of the People¡¯s Congress. How dare we? We just want you toe back and assist us in our case investigation. Please understand.¡± After Chen Le had all seven or eight people in Duan Changgui¡¯s group taken to the police car, Nie Zhenbang turned to Sun Kewen and suggested, ¡°Secretary Sun, why don¡¯t you go with me to the home of the third brother Duan in Duan n Vige?¡± Nie Zhenbang then turned to Chen Le and said, ¡°Director Chen, thisrade is a professional cadre of the Xibei Military Region and was originally assigned to Yun County. After the merger of Yun County into Lixian to form New Li City, there was no one to manage his position. Comrade Feng Kuang is very good, insisting on justice and truth. This kind ofrade is what our New Li City needs. Director Chen, you should go to the city armed forces department to inquire; I think it would be best to arrange Comrade Feng Kuang to work in the city public security bureau.¡± When Nie Zhenbang had finished speaking, all the officials present including Sun Kewen were somewhat surprised. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strict standards for his subordinates were unprecedented, and during his long tenure in Lixian, hardly had he ever praised any official so highly, not even the head of the Investment Promotion Bureau, Fan Zhenming, who had made outstanding contributions to the development zone, nor his trusted aide, Lin Weimin. Even they had only received a praise. This just proved how precious Nie Zhenbang¡¯s praise was, so Feng Kuang beingmended by Nie Zhenbang now was a really big deal. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attention, wouldn¡¯t his promotion be as fast as taking a rocket? Feng Kuang appeared very smart at this moment, which pleased Nie Zhenbang. This young man was very good, adhering to truth and justice yet not pedantic. He was indeed a promising talent. It remained to be seen whether he could maintain this character in the future. Down a small branching path from the cement road of Duan n Vige, about five hundred meters away, the house of the third brother Duan stood conspicuously. Upon seeing this house, Sun Kewen also frowned. To describe it as deste might seem an exaggeration. However, this kind of house, this kind of scene, if it were in a poverty-stricken vige, might still seemmonce. But when it appeared in Duan n Vige, a wealthy model vige, there was a sense of irony. The arrival of Nie Zhenbang and his party made the third brother Duan¡¯s family somewhat worried. There were also four newmbs in the originally empty sheep pen nearby. Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Old third, I¡¯vee again. Let me introduce you, this is Mr. Sun Kewen, the Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee of New Li City. Secretary Sun is specifically in charge of these officials, supervising them. If you have any grievances or distresses, tell Secretary Sun about how Duan Changgui forced your family to kneel on the side of the road to apologize. The party and the government will support you. Those who trample on thew will receive the severest punishment.¡± What Nie Zhenbang did not expect, however, was that the third brother Duan now had a hesitant look on his face. Behind him, his wife pulled at the hem of his clothes. Looking at his four children, who were eagerly looking at him, the third brother Duan sighed and said, ¡°Secretary Nie, I know you are a good official, a good person. Please go back. This event has nothing to do with Secretary Duan. It was my fault, I dragged the vige down. Now, the vige has been lenient, and mymbs have been returned. Life will get better.¡± As soon as he heard this, Nie Zhenbang knew that Duan Changgui was probably already prepared for everything. It¡¯d be strange if third brother Duan dared to tell the truth after being oppressed and terrified by Duan Changgui for so long. Next to him, Sun Kewen was somewhat surprised: ¡°Secretary Nie, who is Secretary Duan? Is he an official of Yun County?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, and then said, ¡°Old Sun, you may not be aware, in the entire Duan n Vige, Duan Changgui is Secretary Duan.¡± As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang entered the house and said to the third brother Duan, ¡°Old third, don¡¯t hesitate. Isn¡¯t Duan Changgui¡¯s oppression of you enough? Making your whole family kneel by the road to apologize in this cold weather, how can he be a party member, a vige branch secretary? Old third, don¡¯t worry about anything. Report the real situation to Secretary Sun. The party and the government will stand up for you.¡± Nie Zhenbang was hoping to make a breakthrough with Duan Laosan, hoping that the whole vige¡¯s resentment towards Duan Changgui would erupt like a mountain flood, fully evoking their grievances. Duan Laosan was silent for a moment. As if he had made up his mind, he looked at Nie Zhenbang and Sun Kewen and said gravely, ¡°Secretary Nie, Secretary Sun, you must stand up for us. Duan Changgui, for so-called honor, for his own selfish gain, has made us miserable.¡± While saying so, Duan Laosan abruptly fell to his knees. Nie Zhenbang and Sun Kewen both felt a pang in their hearts. From Duan Laosan¡¯s emotional outburst, they could see the extent to which Duan Changgui has abused his power in Duan n Vige. After returning to New Li City, Nie Zhenbang rushed to Bazhou City, even though work wasn¡¯t due to start for another two days. He was too eager to wait. Now that he had Duan Laosan¡¯s confession, he had a legitimate basis for investigating Duan Changgui. Very quickly, the next morning thanks to a special proposal from the secretary of the municipal partymittee, Liu Wenqing, a special meeting was held by the standingmittee of the Bazhou City People¡¯s Congress. After hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s statement and reviewing the confession documents provided by Duan Laosan, they unanimously voted to formally end Duan Changgui¡¯s qualifications as a representative of the Bazhou City People¡¯s Congress. At this moment, in the interrogation room at the New Li City Public Security Bureau, Duan Changgui seemed indifferent andposed. He knew that because of his status as a representative, they could only hold him for a maximum of 24 hours. After that, nobody in Duan n Vige would dare to speak up, he would still stand like a mountain. That was his biggest reliance. Looking at Chen Le, the director of the New Li City Public Security Bureau, Duan Changgui¡¯s face showed a trace of disdain. He boasted, ¡°Director Chen, 24 hours are almost up. It¡¯s time to let me go.¡± Chen Le looked at his watch and said solemnly, ¡°Duan Changgui, don¡¯t be so smug. There¡¯s still half an hour left.¡± Just then, a police officer in uniform walked in. It was Feng Kuang, who had recently retired from his military service. With a jubnt expression, he showed Chen Le a document. Chen Le read it andughed. He showed it to Duan Changgui and said, ¡°Duan Changgui, take a good look at this. I announce that the special meeting of the People¡¯s Congress of Bazhou City has ended your qualifications as a representative.¡± Saying so, Chen Le ced Duan Laosan¡¯s confession on the interrogation table and said solemnly, ¡°Duan Changgui, based on theints from the vigers of Duan n Vige, while you were in charge, you are suspected of organizing a gang of thugs, overburdening the vigers with unreasonable taxation, and intercepting the public funds for your own luxurious consumption. Just confess. Don¡¯t hesitate. Think about those vigers that you¡¯ve oppressed and injured and those vigers you¡¯ve driven away from their hometowns.¡± Soon, the investigation team of the Discipline Inspection Commission returned to Duan n Vige. In front of the vige department building, a public notice was posted. The bright red official seal of the New Li City Committee was stamped on the side. The bright national emblem seemed exceptionally striking at this moment. The literate vigers started whispering, ¡°Former vige secretary Duan Changgui is suspected of serious vitions of discipline. His qualification as a Bazhou City People¡¯s Congress representative has been cancelled, pending investigation. The municipal Discipline Inspection investigation team has been stationed in Duan n Vige¡­ To report information, please call¡­¡± Upon hearing this, many vigers were stunned. But when they saw unfamiliar officials setting up at the Vige Committee, and the absence of Duan Changgui and his minions, they understood what was happening. In an instant, thunderous apuse burst from the crowd, followed by someone shouting, ¡°Duan Changgui has fallen, there is justice in the heavens. I¡¯m going to set off firecrackers to celebrate.¡± At the same time, many vigers, filled with righteous indignation, rushed to the door of the vigemittee office, yelling at the Discipline Committee personnel, ¡°Comrades, we have situations to report.¡± Chapter 257 - 256 The Vacant Seat_1 Chapter 257: Chapter 256 The Vacant Seat_1 Trantor: 549690339 The proverb ¡®when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter¡¯ aptly describes Duan Changgui¡¯s situation. The people of Duan n Vige were once cowed by his despotic rule, living in fear of his retribution, bottling up their anger. However, now that he¡¯s been disqualified from the National People¡¯s Congress and under investigation by the Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government, the pent-up anger of the vigers is finally boiling over. In just one day, the working group of the city disciplinarymittee stationed in Duan n Vige has umted hundreds of pages of reports ¨C all allegations against Duan Changgui, without even a moment free for a sip of water. Looking at these documents, the chief of the city disciplinarymittee also can¡¯t help but be astounded. Duan Changgui has truly outdone himself ¨C his tyranny and oppression knew no bounds in Duan n Vige, the only thing he didn¡¯t do is dere himself emperor. Simultaneously, everyone in the city disciplinarymittee knew that Duan Changgui¡¯s deeds were severe enough to warrant execution a hundred times over. In what used to be the administrative building of Lixian County, now the office building of Xinli City Government, outside the office of Nie Zhenbang¡­ Secretary Qi Sanshui and Mayor Lu Changping of Daming Township are nervously waiting outside the office door. Originally under the jurisdiction of Yun County, Daming Township is now part of the newly established Xinli City because the entire Yun County has been incorporated into Xinli City. The administrative system of Yun County Government has been disbanded. Among the former leaders of Yun County, only Tang Fangming and Mi Fugui remain in Xinli City, and they still haven¡¯t settled into their new roles. With such a major incident in Daming Township, the top leadership in the township is flustered and rushed to Xinli City overnight. Getting acquainted with the departments in Xinli City and understanding the new dynamics has taken a considerable amount of time. Initially, they thought Nie Zhenbang was at the citymittee office, but their efforts came up empty. By the time they found his office, it was already afternoon working hours. The office door suddenly opened, forcing Qi Sanshui and Lu Changping to stand upright, their backs slightly curved, disying a cautious demeanor. Watching their reactions, Yi Jun couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. It seems the officials from Yun County are even more stringent in observing hierarchical norms than those from Lixian County. Now, in Xinli City, the officials from the old county of Lixian stride with chests puffed out ¨C they are clear about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character. Bootlicking won¡¯t work with Secretary Nie Zhenbang; he values actual work results and contributions to the locals. ¡°Secretary Qi, Mayor Lu, please, make yourselvesfortable. Come in, the Secretary is waiting for you in the office.¡± Yi Jun also offered with a smile. As a secretary, sometimes he also has to assist the leader in facilitating the mood of the lower-level officials, which is quite indispensable. The two men expressed their gratitude. Qi Sanshui took out a box of Zhonghua cigarettes from his briefcase and stuffed it into Yi Jun¡¯s pocket, quietly saying, ¡°Thank you, Secretary Yi.¡± Once they entered the office, they found Nie Zhenbang engrossed in a document. To be honest, Nie Zhenbang was extremely dissatisfied with the party and government leadership of Daming Township. In their jurisdiction, such a major scandal had urred. To Nie Zhenbang, this was a severe dereliction of duty by the township government. If this had happened in any of the townships in the old Lixian County, with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s temper, they would have undoubtedly been sacked by now. Considering that Yun County was newly incorporated into Xinli City, sweeping changes in personnel might give the impression of an adversarial approach or favoritism. For this reason, Nie Zhenbang agreed to meet with Qi Sanshui and Lu Changping. He nced at them and noted their nervous demeanor. Nie Zhenbang gestured towards the sofa then said, ¡°the heads of the Party and government of Daming Township are all here. Sit down first while I finish reading this document.¡± The document on his desk contained information about Duan Changgui. Duan Changgui had ruled by fear during his term in office, resulting in the disability of three vigers and the death of another. this point alone was enough to warrant execution. With the powerful intervention of the disciplinarymittee, Duan Changgui¡¯sst line of defense was shattered. He no longer denied his criminal deeds. He has now been indicted, and Nie Zhenbang promptly signed his opinion on the document: ¡°Please forward this to the city disciplinarymittee Secretary Sun and other citymittee leaders for review! The political and legal systems should strictly and severely deal with this in ordance with nationalws. Such a man must be executed; it¡¯s the only way to quell public outrage and assuage the public¡¯s fear. Nie Zhenbang.¡± A citymittee secretary endorsing such a suggestion in writing might seem topromise the impartiality of the judicial process. The impact of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s opinions would certainly influence the court¡¯s sentencing. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care. He believed that a man must stand for something and not be constrained by every little thing. If he were always worried about this or that, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t be the man he is ¨C he would merely be an ordinary man among the multitudes. Putting down the documents, Nie Zhenbang looked up and said, ¡°Comrades Qi Sanshui and Lu Changping, what brings you here? Although Yun County has just been merged into New Li City, the normal workflow needs to be maintained. The Municipal Committee and Government have aprehensive n for the entire New Li City. The original officials of Yun County will also be properly handled. You should focus on your work without any worries.¡± The two men exchanged nces; indeed, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s way of doing things was as pragmatic as the rumors said. Next, Qi Sanshui nodded and said, ¡°We will follow your instructions, Secretary Nie. This time, our main purpose ofing here is to apologize. The issue in Duan n Vige is the consequence of our negligence in Daming Township Party Committee and Government. I request the Municipal Party Committee to punish me.¡± At his side, Lu Changping also nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Nie, I also ask the Municipal Party Committee to punish me. This time, we in Daming Township Government, both Qi Secretary and I, paid high attention to the change in election issues in Duan n Vige. We personally supervised the election. The vigers selected a trustworthy vigemittee for Duan n Vige. The vigers are inviting Secretary Nie to visit Duan n Vige again.¡± Although their attitudes seemed a little pretentious, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t bothered. He was aware of the mindsets of these lower-ranking officials ¨C saying nice things like voluntarily asking for punishment was just a show of attitude. Immediately after, Nie Zhenbang said solemnly, ¡°There¡¯s no need for punishment. We¡¯re in a new era now and collective punishment is not in vogue anymore. However¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang shifted his tone, and his voice grew strict, ¡°However, the Daming Township Party Committee and Government did mishandle the issue in Duan n Vige. You were too focused on the honor and glory that the vige brought to Daming Township, and missed the essence of the issue. There is a sense of responsibility here. This can be considered a superficial act. Remember, in the future, you must adopt a pragmatic attitude¡ªfocus on the quality of life of the people and the development of the locality. If you do well in these areas, sess will naturally follow.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words made Qi Sanshui and Lu Changping feel somewhat ashamed. The gap between them and Nie Zhenbang was evident. While they were only holding section-level positions in their thirties, Nie Zhenbang was a deputy bureau-level official in his twenties. However, in terms of capability, a few words from Nie Zhenbang thoroughly convinced them. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Yi Jun walked in with a serious look, walked straight over to Nie Zhenbang, and whispered in his ear, ¡°Secretary, we just received news. Zhao Kunlun is about to be transferred. His new position has already been confirmed¡ªhe¡¯ll be the head of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Autonomous Region Public Security Bureau. It should happen in the next few days.¡± Seeing this, Qi Sanshui and Lu Changping stood up and said, ¡°Secretary Nie, we won¡¯t disturb you any further. Rest assured, when we return, we will strengthen the ideological education of the entire township officials, putting the people first and working diligently.¡± After Qi Sanshui and Lu Changping left, Nie Zhenbang frowned. Zhao Kunlun¡¯s departure was rather sudden. He was still pondering about the impact his departure would have on the future of New Li City. However, with the position of Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of New Li City now vacant along with the position of Mayor of New Li City, there would likely be a struggle during the next Bazhou City Party Committee Standing Committee meeting. Anyone could see the current development of New Li City. A national-level Economic and Technological Development Zone in the northwest was indeed a rare urrence. With New Li City¡¯s expansion in area and increase in poption, Yun County, although temporarily burdensome, would likely provide long-term benefits to New Li City¡¯s development due to the poption base. Therefore, the positions in New Li City became highly coveted within Bazhou City and even the entire autonomous region. This time, there would probably be an intensepetition again. Just as he was thinking about this, the phone on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk rang. As soon as he picked up, Bazhou City Party Committee Standing Committee member and Secretary-General Li Qingde¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Hehe, is this Secretary Nie Zhenbang? This is Li Qingde. Yes, I¡¯m calling to notify you of the topics that need to be discussed in this Bazhou City Committee Standing Committee meeting. Please make a note of them.¡± Looking at the topics on his desk, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow frowned again. This time, the city was acting so quickly. Zhao Kunlun hadn¡¯t even left yet and themittee was already discussing the issue of the recement for the Secretary of the Political and Law Committee. It seemed like the city was well-prepared. After contemting for a while, Nie Zhenbang turned to Yi Jun and said, ¡°Xiaoyi, call Chen Le and ask him toe over.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang say this, Yi Jun¡¯s heart skipped a beat. It seemed that Chen Le would have to treat them this time. Yi Jun was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character ¨C if he said this, it meant that Nie Zhenbang already had an idea about the position of the Secretary of the Political and Law Committee. Chapter 258 - 257 City Committee Standing Committee Meeting_1 Chapter 258: Chapter 257 City Committee Standing Committee Meeting_1 Trantor: 549690339 Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government Office Building At this moment, the meeting room on the top floor of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government Office Building has be the focus of attention for all the leaders and cadres in Bazhou City. Because at this regr Standing Committee meeting, two important positions will be finalized. Both of these positions are rted to New Pear City ¨C one being the Party Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of the New Pear City Municipal Party Committee, and the other being the Deputy Mayor acting as the Deputy Secretary of the New Pear City Municipal Committee. Of these, thetter position is particrly important as it is a position at the Deputy Department level. For any division or county level cadre, and for any cadres in Bazhou city qualified topete for this position, the final choice for these two posts is of high interest. Many active and aspiring officials are waiting in the urban area of Bazhou, vying to be the first to know the resolution of the standingmittee meeting. Nie Zhenbang arrived from New Pear City at around 8:30 in the morning to ensure that he wouldn¡¯t bete. He had set off just after seven. This was the first time Nie Zhenbang had entered the meeting room on the top floor of the Municipal Committee. The entire meeting room, approximately eighty square meters in size, had a wooden ceiling, crystal chandeliers, an elliptical conference table in the center with several fresh flowers and nts on it. Leather chairs surrounded the table with the national and party gs hanging on one side. Next to the conference room was a small room, which was the refreshment room of the meeting room. Sometimes, for long meetings, it¡¯s necessary to refill the tea. When Nie Zhenbang entered the meeting room, there were already quite a few people seated ¨C the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Committee, Cheng Xinhua, the Secretary of the Municipal Disciplinary Committee, Bai Weimin, and the Secretary of the Municipal Political and Legal Committee, Li Yong, who were all sitting in their respective seats. They each nodded with a slight smile upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, as a way of greeting him. Next to them, when Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Committee Zhao Weihong saw Nie Zhenbang, his expression changed and he turned his head away with a cold snort. The Executive Deputy Mayor, Ali, also seemed a bit embarrassed. There had been some underhand dealings between Ali and Zhou Chen in Lixian. Now, Nie Zhenbang was skyrocketing in his career, and he was on par with them. Their meeting at this moment was bound to be awkward. The Minister of the Organization Department, Fang Gushan, smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Nie hase, sit here. Let me introduce you. This is Secretary Zhang Dan from Kucity. This time, you two have been promoted to the Municipal Committee simultaneously. You could say there is a bond between you now.¡± Fang Gushan¡¯s statement gave the feeling of the ancient imperial examination system, where everyone obtained their official titles in the same year. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. His gaze fell on the middle-aged man next to Fang Gushan. Zhang Dan, around forty years old, was not particrly tall ¨C about 173 cm. His heavy brows gave a sense of innate authority. Nie Zhenbang sat down next to Zhang Dan and said with a smile, ¡°Secretary Zhang, I¡¯ve admired you for a long time. I¡¯ve wanted to build a rtionship with Secretary Zhang since thest National People¡¯s Congress and the Chinese People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference, but never had the time. This time, we have finally met.¡± Zhang Dan also smiled, extended his hand, and shook Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hand, replying, ¡°Secretary Nie, you¡¯re too kind. The development of New Pear City is well-known to all. I¡¯ve always wanted to visit New Pear City to study their experiences, but never got the chance. This time, since we have this opportunity, we need to make a good agreement. I n to organize a study group to visit and learn from New Pear City.¡± In front of Nie Zhenbang, Zhang Dan didn¡¯t dare to show any signs of seniority. Zhang Dan was very clear that his promotion to the municipalmittee was due to his position as the Party Secretary of Kucity, the city where the municipalmittee and government are located. It is a convention within the system that the Party Secretary of the capital or provincial city is granted a standingmittee membership. However, Zhang Dan was aware that his appointment as a member of the municipalmittee wasrgely due to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s impact. New Pear City had been elevated to a sub-provincial-level city, half a level higher than Kucity. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s candidacy for the Standing Committee was inevitable, but the number of Standing Committee members could only be odd. It was not appropriate to remove anyone currently on themittee, so they incorporated him. Therefore, Zhang Dan¡¯s words contained no traces of pretense. He was truly sincere. On the other hand, with the development of New Pear City, the Bazhou Municipal Committee and Municipal Government were nning to relocate. They were moving closer to New Pear City. The Kucity Municipal Party Committee and municipal government¡¯s organ would also move to New Pear City, which would bridge the gap between Kucity and New Pear City. ording to the considerations of the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government, the Bazhou City Committee, the Municipal Government, and various direct municipal departments would relocate in one direction, the Ku City Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government would move towards another direction. Together, they would form a triangle-like structure, which could stimte the vast area between Ku City and New Li City. If they managed it well, Bazhou would be nationally acimed. The political achievement would be remarkable enough for the officials in Bazhou to benefit from it in their lifetime. Just as Nie Zhenbang was about to speak, Ding Aiguo walked in from outside, followed by Liu Wenqing, the Secretary of the Municipal Committee, carrying his own tea cup. Liu Wenqing sat in the main seat. As the Secretary of the Bazhou Municipal Committee, he appeared quite pleased. His contributions to the achievements in New Li City also provided him with new career advancement possibilities. Liu Wenqing nced around at everyone, rhythmically tapping his finger on the table. This action made all the members of the City Committee stand solemnly, sitting upright. This was a sign that Liu Wenqing was about to speak. As expected, Liu Wenqing slowly said: ¡°First of all, congrattions to the addition of two newrades to the Standing Committee, the Secretary of Xinli City, Nie Zhenbang, and the Secretary of Ku City, Zhang Ziniu. I think everyone here is familiar with these tworades already, so I won¡¯t introduce them in detail.¡± Hesitating for a moment, Liu Wenqing went straight to the point: ¡°At this Standing Committee meeting, we will mainly discuss two personnel issues rted to Xinli City. One is the candidate for the Deputy Secretary of Xinli City and Acting Mayor. The other is the candidate for the Secretary of the Legal and Political Committee and member of the Standing Committee of the Xinli City Committee. Minister Fang, as you are in charge of the organization, responsible for the entire city¡¯s officer assignment, are there any views from the Department of Organization on this matter?¡± At this moment, Fang Gushan also nodded: ¡°Secretary Liu, Mayor Ding, leaders, andrades, reassigning officials in Xinli City is also a test and a brand new topic for the Organizational Department of the Municipal Committee. Xinli city is ssified as a vice-provincial city, its finances alone managed by the autonomous region. Personnel administration is entrusted to the Bazhou Municipal Committee and Municipal Government. This is the first time for our Organization Department to decide on the appointment of a departmental-level official. We have taken a very careful and detailed consideration of this.¡± Fang Gushan¡¯s words seemed very cautious. The appointment of a departmental-level official, especially when Fang Gushan himself was also at department-level but was to decide on the appointment of another departmental-level official, added weight to the challenge at hand. ¡°Well, leaders, first of all, regarding the personnel issue of the Secretary of the Xinli City¡¯s Legal and Political Committee, the Municipal Committee¡¯s Organization Department has carefully considered and decided on two suitable candidates. One is Comrade Peng Jianhui, who is currently the Deputy Director of the Bazhou City Public Security Bureau. Comrade Peng Jianhui takes charge of political work in the Bazhou City Public Security Bureau and supervises personnel propaganda, education, and police officer training. He can be described as a very conscientious and capablerade. Another candidate is Comrade Chen Le, the Chief of the Public Security Bureau of Xinli city. Since Chen Le took the position of Director of the Xinli City Public Security Bureau, he significantly increased the intensity of organizing civilian police and joint defense work, which helped Xinli City be the city with the best public security record. Thisrade, a graduate of the police academy with a strong political backbone, is valiant and capable of fighting tough battles. If Comrade Chen Le were to serve as the Secretary of the Xinli City Committee and Legal and Political Committee, I believe that the political and legal work in Xinli City would reach a new level under his leadership.¡± Fang Gushan¡¯s words were very steady, as if he was carefully bncing a scale. However, everyone present was experienced enough to understand Fang Gushan¡¯s underlying intentions. Peng Jianhui was merely mentioned in passing as a dedicatedrade with strong working ability. On the other hand, Fang Gushan spent more time discussing Chen Le, even suggesting that if Chen Le were appointed as the Secretary of the Legal and Political Committee, Xinli City¡¯s political and legal work would be elevated to a new level. This was a notable difference in the importance Fang Gushan gave to each potential candidate.¡± In the bureaucracy, leaders¡¯ speeches often have different meanings. Just like when someone ims to have financial approval from the leader, they can¡¯t receive the money simply because the leader is unwilling to pay¡ªin such situations, the true intention behind the actions requires some discernment and understanding. As soon as the sound of his voice fell, Zhao Weihong softly said: ¡°Hmm, Secretary Liu, Mayor Ding, may I speak? On the personnel issue of the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, I personally favor Comrade Chen Le.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, the entire meeting room fell silent. Even Liu Wenqing looked at Zhao Weihong somewhat startled. What on earth was happening? Had the sun risen from the west? It wasmon knowledge that Zhao Weihong and Nie Zhenbang were arch-enemies, and Chen Le was known to be affiliated with a certain group. Could it be that Zhao Weihong and Nie Zhenbang hade to some private agreement? Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face sank. What was Zhao Weihong¡¯s game? Was he deliberately creating a false impression of coalition and thereby making Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo suspect him? If that was the case, then his method was very immature. If Liu Wenqing and Ding Aiguo were so easily deceived, then they didn¡¯t deserve their current positions. Zhao Weihong, however, kept a straight face and continued: ¡°I know Comrade Chen Le well. He¡¯s in the prime of his life and his work capability is undeniable. I feel reassured with Chen Le in Xinli City. Therefore, I agree with the idea of letting Comrade Chen Le assume the position of Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of Xinli City.¡± Meanwhile, Cheng Xinhua chimed in: ¡°I agree with the words of Deputy Secretary Zhao. An attitude of impartiality, disregarding personal grudges like Deputy Secretary Zhao does, is a quality that a genuine party member should have. I also agree with letting Comrade Chen Le serve as the Secretary of the Legal and Political Committee of Xinli City.¡± PS: I rmend a book called ¡°Supreme Urban Prince¡±, book number: 2187529. Those who are interested can go have a look. Chapter 259 - 258 Zhao Weihong’s Purpose_1 Chapter 259: Chapter 258 Zhao Weihong¡¯s Purpose_1 Trantor:549690339 Cheng Xinhua¡¯sment caused a twitch in Zhao Weihong¡¯s face. Despite both being deputy secretaries, at this moment, being evaluated in such a manner by Cheng Xinhua seemed to make her feel as if she was a notch lower than him. From the side, Deputy Mayor Ali spoke up: ¡°Comrade Chen Le, aren¡¯t you slightly too young? Political and legal affairs are crucial departments holding significant powers. I suggest that the Municipal Party Committee considers this thoughtfully. Personally, I rmend Comrade Peng Jianhui. His achievements in political work are evident. Compared to Chen Le, Comrade Peng Jianhui has the advantage of age.¡± In the officialdom, age does matter. At times, being older can hinder promotion. But sometimes, being too young can also be an obstacle to promotion. It is a double-edged sword. It alles down to how one uses it. On the issue of the Secretary of Xinli City¡¯s Political and Legal Committee, Liu Wenqing had his considerations. Before, Nie Zhenbang had sought him out and reported on Xinli City¡¯s situation. The incident in Yun County¡¯s Duan n Vige had shocked Liu Wenqing. Xinli City currently needed a strong team. If Xinli City did well, it meant Bazhou had done well. The n for therge development zone was always on Liu Wenqing¡¯s mind. Providing Nie Zhenbang necessary support was a must. Deputy Mayor Ali¡¯s words made Liu Wenqing frown. He tapped his fingers on the table, deep in thought for a moment, then turned to Ding Aiguo: ¡°Mayor Aiguo, regarding the candidate for the Secretary of Xinli City¡¯s Political and Legal Committee, do you have any additional views?¡± As the Executive Deputy Mayor, Ali was part of the government. It would be better to let Ding Aiguo state his position on this matter. If he made a hasty deration, it might give the impression of autocracy and parental-style management, refusing others to express their opinions. Although the Secretary guides the party and people, sometimes they also have to be cautious. At that moment, Ding Aiguo cleared his throat, then said: ¡°I disagree with Comrade Ali¡¯s view. Our Huaxia has a historical saying from ancient times: ¡®Gan Luo became prime minister at the age of 12.¡¯ It¡¯s not impossible. For instance, Comrade Zhenbang is rtively young. But in less than two years, the vast Lixian has prospered significantly in its development. This is a prime example. The central government advocates the rejuvenation of leadership cadres. This is not without reason. Younger cadres and youngrades adapt to new things and environments better than their older counterparts. They are more talented. The average age of Xinli City officials is the lowest in Bazhou City, even in the entire autonomous region, and yet, they have done well in development. The fact proves that age is not a big issue. The main thing is work ability. Comrade Chen Le¡¯s work ability is beyond doubt. I also believe in Comrade Chen Le¡¯s ability to do this job well.¡± Ding Aiguo¡¯s statement was very influential. Now, on the issue of the candidate for the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, or more bluntly, on Chen Le¡¯s problem, the situation at the Municipal Standing Committee was clear. Liu Wenqing nodded again: ¡°Secretary Nie, this time, the personnel issue is rted to Xinli City. As the Secretary of Xinli City, your opinion is critical on personnel matters of Xinli City. Secretary Nie, what is your view?¡± Before, Liu Wenqing used to call Nie Zhenbang ¡®Little Secretary Nie¡¯ or ¡®Director Nie¡¯. Now that Nie Zhenbang has been promoted to the vice-ministerial level as a Municipal Party Secretary, it¡¯s no longer appropriate for Liu Wenqing to call him that. After all, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status is already established. That¡¯s why Liu Wenqing changed his address to Secretary Nie. On this issue, Nie Zhenbang had no hesitation or dys. Within the system, one must possess a certain level of ruthlessness, especially in personnel matters. It requires an unyielding spirit and attitude. If one was too polite or reserved, the position would be snatched away by others in an instant. Not only would it be a loss of face for oneself, but it would also discourage the subordinates following their leader. Leaders who can¡¯t provide opportunities for promotion to their subordinates naturally wouldn¡¯t have people following them. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang also said: ¡°Since Secretary Liu specifically asked, I¡¯ll share my thoughts. As the Secretary of Xinli City, I understand the situation of Xinli City. Regarding the candidate for the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, my views are the same as those of Mayor Ding, Secretary Cheng, and Deputy Secretary Zhao. I also think that Comrade Chen Le is more suitable. On the one hand, Comrade Chen Le has been working in Xinli City and is familiar with the public security, prosecution, and judiciary systems of Xinli City. Xinli City is a newly established city withplex rtionships. Especially at a time when Xinli City is facingrge-scale development and opportunities, a strong political and legal system has significant importance for Xinli City¡¯s economic development and social stability. I suggest that Comrade Chen Le should serve as the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of Xinli City.¡± In the subsequent vote, Liu Wenqing was the first to raise his hand. Followed by Ding Aiguo, Cheng Xinhua, Zhao Weihong, Nie Zhenbang, and next to them, the Secretary of Ku City, Zhang Ziniu, also raised his hand. Regarding hister interactions with Xinli City, there might be times when Zhang Ziniu will have to trouble Nie Zhenbang, especially concerning some connections. As for the position of the Political and Legal Committee Secretary of Xinli City, Zhang Ziniu had no problem. Offending Nie Zhenbang for this reason would not be good. Aside from Commander Li Yong of the Bazhou City Military Subdistrict who chose to abstain, among the remaining fourteen Standing Committee members, only Ali and the Minister of the United Front Work Department of the Municipal Party Committee voted against it. For Nie Zhenbang, the situation had be bearable, and Liu Wenqing seemed pleased too. The events testified to his influence and allure in the Bazhou City Municipal Party Committee¡¯s Standing Committee ¨C qualities the Secretary of the city partymittee cherishes. Liu Wenqing then addressed Fang Gushan, saying, ¡°Minister Fang, since you are the head of the organizational department, this time, you can represent the municipal partymittee and municipal government in Chen Le¡¯s organizational talk.¡± Next, Liu Wenqing took a sharp turn andughed, saying, ¡°Since the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee has been appointed, let¡¯s now discuss the candidacy for the Deputy Secretary of the Xinli City Party Committee and the Deputy Mayor of the Xinli City People¡¯s Government.¡± At this moment, one could only refer to the role as Deputy Mayor. The upper party and government departments didn¡¯t have the power to directly appoint the mayor at most, an individual could be a member of the city partymittee, standingmittee, deputy secretary, deputy mayor of the city people¡¯s government, acting mayor. Getting rid of the temporary status and bing a full mayor requires it going through the people¡¯s congress and acquiring over half of the votes. This is a rigid rule in Huaxia¡¯s electoral system, which cannot be changed. Then, Fang Gushan slowly said, ¡°Leaders,rades, to be honest, we¡¯re quite troubled over the final selection of the Deputy Secretary of Xinli City Party Committee and the Acting Mayor. We¡¯re experiencing this for the first time during the selection of deputy hall-level officials. For the position of Mayor of Xinli City, we`ve considered three candidates on our side.¡± Fang Gushan paused, opened his notebook, and some things needed to be remembered too much. One could memorize aplete speech, which would give people the illusion of an improvised speech. However, not everything can be memorized. It was inevitable to look at the notes and references. Then, Fang Gushan continued, ¡°Leaders,rades, about the candidate for the Deputy Secretary of Xinli City Party Committee and Acting Mayor, the first one we thought of is the current standing Deputy Mayor of Xinli City, Comrade Bekri. After Secretary Nie took over theprehensive work of Xinli City, Bekri has been in charge of theprehensive work of Xinli City¡¯s peoples government. Overall, his performance is quite good. Besides, Comrade Bekri is a veteran and has served as Deputy Department Chief for many years. This time, his promotion to the Mayor is reasonable.¡± ¡°The second candidate is the current Secretary-General of Bazhou City People¡¯s Government Office, Wen Weihua. Comrade Wen Weihua is a department-level cadre who has served for many years and has ample grassroots work experience. Therefore, his promotion to the Deputy Hall level cadre position is entirely understandable.¡± After saying this, Fang Gushan paused for a while and looked across at Nie Zhenbang with aplex gaze, which gave Nie Zhenbang a bad premonition. As expected, Fang Gushan continued to say, ¡°Thest candidate is the current Deputy Mayor of Bazhou city who is in charge of the science, education, culture, health, and sports department, Comrade Zhouchen. Although Comrade Zhouchen is also a neer, he has achieved quite significant results in his work. He is young and is himself a deputy hall level cadre, this time his transfer to Xinli city could be called a logical step.¡± This time, it was Zhao Weihong who went first again. After pondering slightly, Zhao Weihong said, ¡°I agree with Minister Fang¡¯s words. I personally think that Comrade Zhouchen is indeed very suitable to be the Mayor of Xinli City. There is no issue with his level of promotion or transfer. Furthermore, Comrade Zhouchen is young and energetic, and he is also a parachuted cadre from Jingcheng. I believe he and Secretary Nie will have a lot inmon. Having Comrade Zhouchen and Secretary Nie in the leadership of Xinli City can potentially take the construction of the city a notch further.¡± Now, Nie Zhenbang understoodpletely. Zhao Weihong wasn¡¯t showing goodwill ¨C on the contrary, it looked like he was setting him up. Firstly, pushing Chen Le to the post, which gave people an unusual feeling as if he had reached some under-the-table deals with Zhao Weihong. Under such circumstances, other undecided standingmittee members would find themselves in a difficult situation. Even if he staunchly supported Bekri at this point, it may not have any effect and might even leave a bad impression on people as if he was someone who dismantles the bridge after crossing the river, and can easily turn against them. In the future, anyone who cooperates with him would have to be a little cautious because they would fear that he might suddenly turn against them too. Caught off guard by Zhao Weihong, Nie Zhenbang found himself at a loss for words. On the side, as soon as Zhao Weihong finished speaking, Ali began to echo his thoughts. To Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, at this moment, Liu Wenqing pounded on the table and said in a stern voice, ¡°I thinkrade Zhouchen isn¡¯t bad.¡± This statement astonished everyone present. What was going on with Liu Wenqing? Was he out of his mind? Recently, he had criticized Zhou Chen specifically, but today he was unusually supporting Zhou Chen. What was going on? Chapter 260 - 259: Nie Jiamin Arrives_1 Chapter 260: Chapter 259: Nie Jiamin Arrives_1 Trantor:549690339 At this moment, Liu Wenqing¡¯s face is very indifferent, ignoring the gaze projected by Nie Zhenbang as if he did not see it at all. Liu Wenqing¡¯s remarks puzzled the other regr members of the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee. What did Liu Wenqing mean? Contrary to his usual practice, normally, the secretary of the municipal partymittee, the top leader, is always thest one to make concluding remarks. In this way, no matter the situation, the prestige and face of the secretary of the municipal partymittee would not be lost. Yet, at this moment, Liu Wenqing made his stance known before everyone else without waiting for their views, signaling that he supports Zhou Chen to take office as the acting mayor of Xinli City. Consequently, the other regr members might start to ponder. Knowing that Liu Wenqing is willing to risk the chance of Zhou Chen not getting elected, which would be the equivalent of risking losing his own prestige, indirectly demonstrates Liu Wenqing¡¯s emphasis on this matter. Sure enough, with this development, the thoughts of the regr members multiplied. The most direct example was that Li Yong, the Minister of Politics and Law, who usually does not express his views, even though he did not voice an opinion during the discussion of the Xinli City Minister of Politics and Law candidate, now slowly spoke, ¡°I agree with Secretary Liu¡¯s opinion. Vice-Mayor Zhou is already a deputy department-level cadre. His appointment as mayor of Xinli City is justified.¡± Ding Aiguo hesitated at this point while other regr members sessively expressed their support for the views of Liu Wenqing and Zhao Weihong. In this situation, Ding Aiguo pondered for a moment and then calmly said, ¡°Regarding Comrade Zhou Chen¡¯s acting as the acting mayor of Xinli City, I reserve myments.¡± At this time, the gap was already evident. Even with his support, it won¡¯t change the overall situation. The fact that Ding Aiguo could say so shows that he was giving Nie Zhenbang face. In the following voting session among the fifteen Standing Committee members, Zhou Chen abstained with four votes, was approved with eleven votes, and smoothly passed the Bazhou City Party Committee Standing Committee personnel resolution. He would go to Xinli City to serve as a member of the Municipal Party Committee, a standing member, deputy secretary, Vice Mayor of Xinli City People¡¯s Government, and nominated as a candidate for Mayor of Xinli City. With the adjournment of the Municipal Party Committee meeting, Nie Zhenbang stood up with a paleplexion. At this moment, the overall situation was settled, and what Nie Zhenbang needed to worry about was Zhou Chen¡¯s affairs. Just at this moment, Cheng Xinhua walked up to Nie Zhenbang and smiled, ¡°Zhenbang,e and sit down in my office.¡± Following Cheng Xinhua into his office, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mood had stabilized significantly. As he observed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current state, a trace of admiration appeared on Cheng Xinhua¡¯s face. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s adaptability in the officialdom was not a boast. Having calmed down so quickly was indeed a sign of his ability. Then, Cheng Xinhua also sat down and looked at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, do you know why I have called you today?¡± Despite Li Yifeng¡¯s request to Cheng Xinhua to look after him, he had been in Bazhou for such a long time. Except for when he took the initiative to find Cheng Xinhua, Cheng Xinhua had never actively sought him out. This time was the first, probably because he noticed that he looked somewhat upset. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Cheng, you¡¯re worried that I might do something after Zhou Chen takes office in Xinli City, aren¡¯t you?¡± This statement by Nie Zhenbang was not a shot in the dark. Given his current connections, prestige, and status in Xinli City, if he wanted to plot anything, it would almost be impossible for Zhou Chen to be sessfully elected in the uing people¡¯s congress. Cheng Xinhua nodded and then added solemnly, ¡°Zhenbang, it¡¯s good that you understand. Though others may not know about your prestige in Xinli City, I am well aware of it. Even if you summon arge crowd, you can still do it. But, on this matter, you can¡¯t do anything, let alone help Zhou Chen be elected. Otherwise, as the secretary of the municipal partymittee, you will also have to take responsibility. Have you ever considered why Liu Wenqing suddenly changed his stance this time to help Zhou Chen?¡± Cheng Xinhua¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang shudder. In fact, this was what Nie Zhenbang had been pondering over. If Liu Wenqing and Zhou Chen had a good rtionship previously, it would be understandable. But during thest incident of the Li County education special fund and the luxurious toilets, Liu Wenqing pointedly criticized Zhou Chen during the inspection of the municipal educationmittee. This shows that Liu Wenqing was not on the side of Zhou Chen or Li¡¯s family. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have been so ruthless. But now, out of the blue, Liu Wenqing made aplete U-turn. Why? In terms of the entire Xibei Autonomous Region, Cheng Xinhua`s intelligence was certainly moreprehensive than that of Nie Zhenbang. After pondering for a while, Cheng Xinhua continued in a grave tone, ¡°Zhenbang, this time, the provincial and municipal people¡¯s congress meetings are about to convene, and our autonomous region is no exception. This year, a new autonomous region team will be introduced, and with Secretary Liu¡¯s achievements, this time he has the greatest hope of advancing. So, you should understand this matter. I will not say much. Try your best to perform well in Xinli City. I believe that even if Zhou Chen is elected, it will not be a significant issue for you.¡± Nie Zhenbang took a moment to digest this and then nodded. Having heard this, Nie Zhenbang began to understand. Behind Zhou Chen¡¯s affairs is Li Guohua¡¯s influence. Through the Li family¡¯s contacts in Xibei, Liu Wenqing¡¯s promotion is being exchanged for the support of the top leader of Bazhou City, to elevate Zhou Chen to the mayor¡¯s position in Xinli City. Li Guohua yed his cards well. With these achievements, both Nie Zhenbang and Zhou Chen, being from Jingcheng, would share the credit, which would inadvertently undermine Nie Zhenbang¡¯s significant status and role in Xinli City. If there are any issues, Zhou Chen, for Li Guohua, would be a piece of cloth that could be thrown away at any time. Byparison, Nie Zhenbang would be implicated. Nie Zhenbang and Li Guohua would then be on different levels. It¡¯s a win-win situation. What a shrewd scheme! After contemting, Nie Zhenbang was firm: ¡°Secretary Cheng, I understand your concerns. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this matter appropriately.¡± As he left Cheng Xinhua¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang walked downstairs where Yi Jun and his driver Xiao Wang had already arrived to meet him. The car drove straight out of the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government office building, and Nie Zhenbang instructed, ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Xinli. The journey is not too far, we can eat when we get back.¡± It is approximately an hour¡¯s drive from Bazhou City to Xinli City, a distance of fifty kilometers. As the car entered the premises of the Xinli City People¡¯s Government, an familiar figure made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart skip a beat. He quickly told Yi Jun, ¡°Xiaoyi, stop the car.¡± Stepping out of the car, Nie Jiamin appeared in front of Nie Zhenbang with a young man by his side. At that moment, Nie Jiamin, dressed in a military uniform, sported two rows of three stars glittering on his shoulder. As Nie Jiamin was the only one in the Nie family serving in the military, his promotions had been rapid. The young man next to him was also wearing two rows of two stars, indicating a Lieutenant Colonel rank. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Nie Jiamin walked up with a smile, wrapping him in a firm hug. Nie Jiamin joked, ¡°Younger brother, you seem unhappy. Who angered you? I¡¯ll bring a battalion to teach them a lesson.¡± Despite Nie Jiamin¡¯s teasing, Nie Zhenbangughed: ¡°Second brother, your smart-mouth skills only seem to improve in the military. Maybe I should contact Yao Yuan. Let the Devil take you for remolding. Looks like you haven¡¯t eaten yet, let¡¯s go back to the dorm. I¡¯ll cook for you.¡± Nie Jiamin chuckled and mentioned Yao Yuan, the big shot from the Xibei Military Region and leader of the Tiger Group. Then, turning serious, he said, ¡°Let me introduce you, this is Ouyang Xuan, a fellow soldier from the militarypound who belongs to the logistics department. He¡¯s my deputy, and we thought to pay you a visit while we were here for military exercises.¡± With not enough time to go grocery shopping, Nie Zhenbang instructed Yi Jun to buy ready-made dishes from the market and peanuts. The three of them enjoyed their meal, apanied by a bottle of Maotai each. Nie Jiamin, patting his stomach, took the panda cigarettes Nie Zhenbang handed him, smacking his lips, ¡°Little brother, our father still dotes on you. He never stopped supplying with these cigarettes. I¡¯m living a hard life, you know. You have to send me some cigarettes and liquor this time; otherwise, I¡¯ll have a hard time exining to our superior.¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled, ¡°Get lost, Nie No.2, it¡¯s easy for you to ask. These things were brought by Dong Wan and An Na, there are none left. If you want some food though, I can arrange it.¡± At the mention of An Na and Dong Wan, Nie Jiamin¡¯s expression turned serious: ¡°Little brother, your failed betrothal has angered the old men in Jingcheng. Your conduct was too rash. Nowadays, their attitudes are ambiguous, especially before Old Yang and Old Dong. They¡¯ve lost face. I think you¡¯d be staying in Xinli City for a long time.¡± Nie Zhenbang had anticipated resentment from the Yang and Dong families. He didn¡¯t mind staying in Xinli City for some years, Xinli City was after all his real starting point. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s feelings towards Xinli City wereplex, the city was like his child, and he cherished it profoundly. Even if he was offered a chance to go back, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t have wanted to leave. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang knew that it was challenging to please everyone. Whether it was to mollify both Dong Wan and An Na, or to avoid offending both old men, it was a situation without a solution. At this point, Nie Zhenbang looked at Ouyang Xuan, if Nie Jiamin could discuss such matters in front of Ouyang Xuan, it meant that Ouyang Xuan was a trustworthy person. Thus, Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Second brother, I¡¯m fully aware of what you said. The bitter fruit is already manifesting. I just returned from a meeting in Bazhou City this morning, do you know why I¡¯m annoyed?¡± Annoyed? Nie Jiamin was taken aback. This was a fresh term. After mumbling it to himself, he startedughing, ¡°Younger brother, you are talented. This word is very apt. Annoyed.¡± Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat embarrassed, unintentionally blurting out the ng from his previous life. He continued, ¡°Today, the Bazhou City Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee has made a decision. Zhou Stutter has got me in his sights. He¡¯ll being to Xinli City to serve as the acting mayor soon. You tell me, isn¡¯t that depressing? Li Guohua yed it well.¡± As Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Ouyang Xuan frowned and said, ¡°Third brother, it can¡¯t be that bad, right? Is Zhou Xiaoshe that threatening? Wasn¡¯t he the character whom you and second brother always teased and bullied? Hasn¡¯t he learned his lesson? Perhaps, after our military exercises, second brother and I should have a heart-to-heart talk with him.¡± PS: I¡¯m disheartened. Only 3 monthly votes from early morning yesterday till now. Brothers and sisters, could you motivate me a little? (To be continued. If you like this book, wee to to vote, your support is my biggest motivation.) Chapter 261 - 260 Bekri has an Idea _1 Chapter 261: Chapter 260 Bekri has an Idea _1 Trantor: 549690339 Listening to Ouyang Xuan¡¯s speech, Nie Zhenbang immediately shook his head. He perfectly understood what Ouyang meant by ¡°heart-to-heart¡±. For the children of Jingcheng¡¯s noble families, it was normal to establish superiority through one-on-one challenges or group fights. However, that was just in Jingcheng. Now, that bunch had started to mature. Methods like these seemed to have be somewhat inferior. Nie Zhenbang soonughingly said, ¡°Younger brother Xuan, you don¡¯t have to talk about heart-to-hearts anymore. Zhou Chen is still that Zhou Chen, he can¡¯t pull off anything extraordinary. What I¡¯m really worried about isn¡¯t Zhou Chen, but Li Guohua standing behind him, he¡¯s the formidable opponent.¡± Nie Zhenbang disdained to employ such methods; if it got out, Zhou Chen would at least have the guts to say nothing. But for Li Guohua, it would be nothing more than aughing stock. ¡°Li Guohua?¡± Nie Jiamin also furrowed his brows at this moment. This was the second time Nie Zhenbang had mentioned this name tonight. With Nie Jiamin¡¯s understanding of Nie Zhenbang, it seemed there had never been a person afforded this much attention before by his younger brother. Nie Jiamin looked somewhat surprised at the moment and asked, ¡°Third brother, aren¡¯t you making a mountain out of a molehill? This Li Guohua doesn¡¯t have much contact with us in the past. However, due to his background of studying abroad, he¡¯s inherently disadvantaged, so what are you worried about?¡± Within the system of Huaxia, it seemed there was indeed such an underlying rule. Generally speaking, officials with a Western background needed to be extremely careful when appointed. But that was under general circumstances. For Li Guohua, with the support of his family, this factor could almost be ignored. Immediately afterwards, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s stop discussing these things. Older brother, the information you gave is very important. Now knowing their attitudes, I also know what to do. My car is downstairs, you can drive to Xin Li Hotel. I¡¯ve already asked my secretary to arrange a room for you. You two take a rest for the night, then immediately get out of my sight.¡± At night, at the home of Xinli City¡¯s Executive Deputy Mayor Bekri, Xie Jiuda, the Minister of the Organization Department of the Standing Committee of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee, was also sitting nearby. Bekri appeared quite calm at the moment, but the asional trembling of his feet exposed his emotional state. The resolution of the Bazhou City Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee meeting had already reached Xinli City. The election of Chen Le wasn¡¯t surprising. But the sudden rise of Zhou Chen gave Bekri a sense of powerlessness. The personal endorsement of party secretary Liu Wenqing apparently made it a foregone conclusion. Seeing Bekri deep in thought, Xie Jiuda was also somewhat indecisive. He had once been Zhang Chubin¡¯s man. Although he hadn¡¯t greatly offended Nie Zhenbang before, after Secretary Nie took office, his attitude towards him was lukewarm. This made Xie Jiuda somewhat worried about his position. That¡¯s why he was establishing close rtions with Bekri at this moment. Originally, Xie Jiuda had thought that Bekri would be able to seed the mayor. In that case, together with Xue Daming, and Huang Shuyong, they would have been tied to the mayor, ensuring Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t do much to them. But now, that n suddenly fell through. This made Xie Jiuda somewhat hesitant. If Zhou Chen had a good reputation, Xie Jiuda would have naturally thrown his support behind him without hesitation. But the problem was, Bayaer¡¯s case was right in front of him. At present, Bayaer was still in prison doing hardbor. Given Deputy Mayor Zhou¡¯s reputation, there was probably not a single official in Xinli City who dared to pledge their loyalty to him. ¡°Mayor Bai, do you think this matter still stands a chance of being turned around? Should we do something during the People¡¯s Congress election¡­¡± Xie Jiuda asked in a probing manner at this moment. On the one hand, Xie Jiuda did indeed have this idea. Given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s prestige in Xinli City, if Secretary Nie held these thoughts, Zhou Chen¡¯s loss would certainly be a foregone conclusion. In that case, Zhou Chen would have no face to stay in Xinli City anymore. As soon as Bekri heard Xie Jiuda¡¯s words, he showed a shocked expression on his face. He immediately waved his hand and said, ¡°Old Xie, don¡¯t even think about this n, it won¡¯t work. Let¡¯s not talk about whether Secretary Nie will support this proposal. At the time of the People¡¯s Congress election, leaders from both Bazhou City and the Autonomous Region will certainlye down to oversee. Then, our citymittee leaders will probably be called one by one for a meeting. Under those circumstances, if Zhou Chen were to lose, it wouldn¡¯t be Zhou Chen losing face, but the citymittee and the partymittee of the Autonomous Region. I am afraid our entire leadership body of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee will be punished.¡± Having said this, Bekri looked somewhat haggard. After all, the position of a deputy department level official was obviously right in front of him, he only needed onest step to secure it. However, someone suddenly told him he wouldn¡¯t be able to make that step. Anyone in this situation would have trouble understanding. Bekri was no exception. Bekri had racked his brains for a solution, only to find it seemed to have no meaning at all. Perhaps by now, the Organization Department was talking to Zhou Chen. Once the appointment document was issued, it would be a done deal. With a wave of his hand, Bekri morosely said, ¡°Okay, Old Xie, you can go back first. I want to be alone for a while.¡± At this point, Bekri seemed still unsure, he added, ¡°Old Xie, now that we are friends, let me say one more thing, no matter whether I can be mayor or not, you yourself must not entertain any other ideas. You are well aware of Secretary Nie¡¯s temperament. With Zhou Chen taking office, Secretary Nie may not y tricks. However, life will definitely not be easy for him. In Lixian, anyone who opposes Secretary Nie, even the powerful Zhao Kunlun, was forced to leave. I believe, if we follow Secretary Nie¡¯s footsteps, we won¡¯t end up at a disadvantage. You should understand this.¡± After Xie Jiuda left, Bekri also started to n. Although on the surface, Bekri tly refused Xie Jiuda, but his mind was influenced by Xie Jiuda. Just because he himself doesn¡¯t have the courage, doesn¡¯t mean Secretary Nie doesn¡¯t. Zhou Chen has connections, but Secretary Nie¡¯s connections are not bad either. He was personally met by the Secretary of the Autonomous Region Party Committee and the Vice Premier. He has so much support from the government funds. All this shows the extraordinary status of Secretary Nie. He is the real deal. Then, Bekri also stood up and said to the bedroom, ¡°Old Cao, I¡¯m going out for a while.¡± By the time Bekri¡¯s wife came out of the bedroom, Bekri had already dressed and left the house. Bekri¡¯s house and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s dormitory were just a unit apart. Within five minutes, Bekri was standing at the door of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s dormitory. Taking a deep breath, Bekri knocked on the door. A momentter, Nie Zhenbang opened the door. Seeing Bekri standing outside, Nie Zhenbang also seemed a bit surprised. However, he immediately smiled and said, ¡°Old White has arrived,e and sit down. Are you still awake sote?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s smile, these warm words, and the friendly address, were Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personal charm, giving people a feeling of warmth. Bei Lick had also met Zhou Chen, who had a leader¡¯s manner and acted and behaved in a high-handed way. Compared to Nie Zhenbang, there was a world of difference. This was the gap between people. At this point Bei Lick alsoughed, saying, ¡°Secretary, what are you busy with? Seeing you working overtime all day is a bit hard for us subordinates. The economy has to develop, but we also need to take care of our health. Or, I can have my wife make some midnight snacks every night and bring them to you?¡± For officials like Nie Zhenbang who have families in other ces or are single, resourceful subordinates would generally do such a thing. However, it is mostly limited to those at the county and township level. As for Bei Lick, who is also a member of the citymittee and ranks high, this would appear somewhat demeaning. It was evident that Bei Lick was in a hurry because of Zhou Chen¡¯s situation. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed at this point, made a cup of coffee for Bei Lick himself, handed it to Bei Lick, and thenughed and said, ¡°Old White, it would be too troublesome. Every evening, I just drink some coffee and eat some snacks. I heard the your wife¡¯s health is not too good. Don¡¯t bother. Try this coffee, but first remember not to me me if you can¡¯t sleep tonight.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s joke made the atmosphere between the two much more rxed. Bai took a sip of the coffee andughed, ¡°I can¡¯t tell good from bad when ites to coffee. Secretary, I came here today to report to you my thoughts recently.¡± The secretary is in charge of everyone and is responsible for all the cadre¡¯s ideological work within his jurisdiction, this is also correct. However, typically, one would report to their superiors. Nie Zhenbang and Bai, are peers. Both are members of the citymittee, Bai saying this put his status at a very low level. ¡°Secretary, I have acknowledged the resolutions of the citymittee standingmittee. Personally, I ammitted to following them. In revolutionary work, there is no big or small. Although there are some minorints, rest assured that I will ovee them,¡± Bai immediately reported formally. After listening to Bai¡¯s statement, Nie Zhenbang was clear on Bai¡¯s intentions. It seems that not only is he unable to ept Zhou Chen¡¯s appointment, the cadres below him also can¡¯t ept it. However, this oue, trying to adjust it, is probably impossible, even if he found Li Yifeng at this point. Then, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Old White, your awareness makes me admire you. We need to support the decision of Bazhou City Committee. Themittee leadership has their considerations. We subordinates have no ce to criticize. But, you shouldn¡¯t be like this. The work to be done still needs to be well carried out. The grand n for the development of Xinli City is an irond principle. No matter who it is, vition will not be tolerated, this is my principle and bottom line. After the new mayor takes office, you should also have your own opinions while cooperating with the work. Democracy has always been valued within the party, and collective wisdom is trusted. It is not one or two people who make the decisions and on this point, I am supportive.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang paused, then took some materials from his table and handed them to BAI, ¡°Old White, it¡¯s good that you came, this is an idea I just came up with, take a look, do you have any opinions? I n to hold a temporary standingmittee meeting in the next few days and make a decision on this.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words greatly relieved Bai Li; his intention was clear. Zhou Chenes and we support the citymittee¡¯s decision. However, after arrival, whether he could manage or not, that was not certain. As for you Bai Li, I still support you. Subsequently, Bai Li took over the documents, and was struck by the grand n of Nie Zhenbang from the title. Chapter 262 - 261 Citywide Major Adjustment_1 Chapter 262: Chapter 261 Citywide Major Adjustment_1 Trantor: 549690339 ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n, excluding a slight adjustment needed for the standingmittee of the Municipal Party Committee, the standingmittee member and Publicity Minister, Xue Daming, was reassigned to the Standing Committee of Xinli City People¡¯s Congress to serve as the deputy secretary of the partymittee and deputy director of the Standing Committee of Xinli City People¡¯s Congress, and Yan Fengjiao took over his original roles. Furthermore, Lin Weimin, the director of the finance bureau, was proposed as the deputy mayor of Xinli City People¡¯s Government. This way, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s initial nning for Xinli City Standing Committee was virtuallyplete. Among the standingmittee members, Nie Zhenbang himself was the secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and had absolute veto power. Moreover, the deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Xie Yi, Chen Le, the secretary of the Politics and Law Committee, and Yan Fengjiao, the Publicity Minister, could all be considered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s people along with himself, making five votes in total. Adding Xie Jiuda, Sun Kewen, Huang Shuyong and Qu Feng, this gave the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee nine votes. Wouldn¡¯t Zhou Chen merely be a figurehead when he took up his post? Additionally, Tang Fangming, the former deputy county head of Yun County, was elected as the deputy mayor of Xinli City, whilst Mi Fugui, the former deputy director of Yun County Government Office, was elected as the deputy director of Xinli City Government Office. Hence, the two leaders from Yun County would also be grateful to Nie Zhenbang. This almost makes Xinli City an unbreachable fortress. What shocked Bekri even more was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s adjustment to the administrative divisions of Xinli City. The three towns of Dafeng, Red g, and Chetai, which were brought in from Ku City, was collectively incorporated into Xinli City Economic and Technological Development Zone. This move would expand the nning area of the entire Development Zone to over 130 square kilometers, and the core development area would also reach 40 square kilometers. This was indeed a grand move. At least, after this n was drawn up, the investment in the Development Zone of Xinli City this year would undoubtedly not be less than that of the previous year. Nowadays, Xinli City¡¯s finances are considered abundant. However, it still wouldn¡¯t be enough to support this investment. In addition, this entire n is just the beginning, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nning and adjustment for the original Yun county is the real highlight. In the past, Yun County was vast with six townships concentrated around Yunshan Town. Each township was significantly underdeveloped. Now, ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s adjustments, the six townships are to be consolidated into four. Among them, Yunshan Town, the original county seat of Yun County, has a substantial foundation and will not be readjusted, The other townships, Daming Township and Heping Township, which are less than three kilometers apart, will be merged into a new Heping Town, led primarily by Heping Township. Additionally, Baitian Township will be divided into two parts, each incorporated into Tiaoma Town and Xinlou Township respectively. After these divisions and mergers, the original administrative units of Yun County only remain as Yunshan Town, Heping Town, Tiaoma Town, and Xinlou Township. This would reduce the number of administrations under Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government¡¯s jurisdiction, stimtingprehensive nning and development across Xinli City. ¡°Secretary, this n is excellent. If implemented, it will tremendously stimte our work. This way, the entire city willprise one Development Zone and ten townships, allowing us to focus on the important tasks. However, Secretary, I fear that the Municipal Committee may disagree with the personnel adjustments,¡± said Bekri thoughtfully, expressing his opinions. After pausing for a while, Bekri worriedly said, ¡°Also, Secretary Nie, I¡¯m afraid other members of the Municipal Committee may have their thoughts on this. Zhou Chen¡¯s appointment in Xinli City is not a minor issue. The Municipal Committee¡¯s decision will undoubtedly impact your prestige in Xinli City.¡± The upfront nature of Bekri¡¯s words reflected sincerity, causing Nie Zhenbang to furrow his brows in concern. Indeed, as Bekri suggested, although the adjustment of Xinli City¡¯s administrative regions was theoretically good due to Ding Aiguo¡¯s support, and the Bazhou City Government shouldn¡¯t have any objections, the real problem lies in the adjustment of the Standing Committee of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee. His actions aim to suppress Xue Daming. Xue Daming, one who specializes in opportunism, was used to ying tricks during Zhang Chubin¡¯s tenure. Now with Zhou Chen¡¯s arrival, Xue Daming will surely cozy up to him, knowing fully well the risks associated with following Zhou Chen. However, Xue Daming would still rush up like a moth to a me. After all, for moths, there¡¯s still a chance of extinguishing a candle me. However, without allegiance, Xue Daming would be doomed. Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t let him off. As such, this adjustment must be made. The abrupt shift in Liu Wenqing¡¯s position caught Nie Zhenbang off guard, proving once again that there are neither permanent allies nor enemies in politics. Previously, due to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s aplishments in Lixian, Liu Wenqing provided full support, and their rtionship seemed symbiotic. However, ultimately, this was merely a coalition of interests. Now, for his long-desired provincial and ministerial positions, Liu Wenqing could even support Zhou Chen, even though he subtly criticized Zhou¡¯s work during his visit to the Municipal Education Committee before the spring festival. This just shows how fluid alliances on political grounds can be. What¡¯s worse, the chain reaction triggered by this incident had a significant impact on Nie Zhenbang. Those people in politics, however politically savvy or dog-eyed they may be, couldn¡¯t be underestimated. Liu Wenqing firmly supported Zhou Chen, which suggested a misunderstanding between Secretary Nie and Secretary Liu of the Party Committee. Between a Municipality Secretary at the prefectural level and his deputy, people would mostly likely choose the former. Now, within the New Li City Party Committee, the only people Nie Zhenbang could really trust were Chen Le and Xie Yi. Now, perhaps Bekri could be added to the list. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang was eager to promote Yan Fengjiao to the position of Minister of Propaganda. Looking at Bekri, who at this moment as the Executive Deputy Mayor was originally well-positioned to take a step forward to be the Mayor but was now preempted by Zhou Chen, Bekri must be dissatisfied. Therefore, this was the reason Bekri was willing to open his heart to him. Between the Party Secretary and the Mayor, Bekri chose him. This can also be considered a choice based on interests. In the future, if Zhou Chen could provide Bekri with more benefits, perhaps, Bekri might change. But for now, Bekri could still be trusted. Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Old White, I understand your concerns. There will definitely be resistance, but I have made up my mind, don¡¯t try to persuade me anymore.¡± In fact, Nie Zhenbang had another unsaid sentence. It would be best to choose Li Lin in terms of seniority. However, Yan Fengjiao had an advantage that Li Lin could not match because, behind Yan Fengjiao, there was Fan Guoliang. With this connection, this matter was not impossible. The next day, Nie Zhenbang drove to Bazhou City. In the office of Ding Aiguo, Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Mayor of the Municipal Government, Nie Zhenbang sat upright, paying close attention to Ding Aiguo¡¯s expression. After a while, Ding Aiguo put down the material in his hand, removed his sses, and said with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, I think your adjustment n is good. In distribution, it not only ensures the continued development of the Development Zone, but also ensures the overall nning of New Li City. In the administrative division and merger of Yun County, the pairing of the rich and the poor is reasonable and even. I have no objections to this idea. Go ahead with confidence. The Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government still support you, and I still support you.¡± Ding Aiguo¡¯s words were very vague. On the issue of Zhou Chen taking office as Mayor of New Li City, Ding Aiguo chose to withhold his opinions. Nie Zhenbang was present, which was a fact, and there was no point in denying it. Sometimes, withholding an opinion and strong opposition are two different concepts. Therefore, Ding Aiguo had to consider Nie Zhenbang¡¯s feelings at the moment. As for Liu Wenqing¡¯s choice, it¡¯s not appropriate for Ding Aiguo to evaluate. The backgrounds of Nie Zhenbang and Zhou Chen are both mysterious. Since Zhou Chen can persuade Liu Wenqing to change his attitude, would the people behind Nie Zhenbang object to Liu Wenqing? Whether Liu Wenqing is right or wrong in this matter, it is not easy to judge at this moment. However, Ding Aiguo himself needed to repair the rift between him and Nie Zhenbang. The meaning of the previous sentence was very clear. Although he withheld his opinionst time, he still supports you. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°I am well aware of the Mayor¡¯s support and help for me. In the future, I will have to continue to trouble the Mayor. Now that this is settled, I will go back first.¡± The n Nie Zhenbang submitted immediately caused an uproar in Bazhou City, making Liu Wenqing¡¯s face look unpleasant in his office. In Liu Wenqing¡¯s view, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s adjustments to the New Li City Party Committee Executive Committee implied his dissatisfaction. He was unhappy with the decision of the Party Committee. Clearly, the moment Zhou Chen steps down, he will likely be isted by the New Li City Party Committee. At this moment, secretary Feng Dayong stealthily walked in from the outside. Seeing Liu Wenqing¡¯s brow furrowed, Feng Dayong knew very clearly that Secretary Liu was probably vexed over the affairs of New Li City. He then whispered, ¡°Secretary, Mayor Zhou is here. What do you think?¡± Zhou Chen is here? This surprised Liu Wenqing. His fingers drummed on the table, a habit when he was thinking or about to speak. After a moment¡¯s consideration, Liu Wenqing decided to see Zhou Chen. Then, he told Feng Dayong, ¡°Hmm, let him in.¡± At the moment, Zhou Chen was somewhat dissatisfied as well. The adjustment made by Nie Zhenbang was clearly a dig at him. Currently, he had managed New Li City as imprable as a bucket of iron, but if he goes there now, wouldn¡¯t he be clearly waiting to be made redundant? Therefore, Zhou Chen rushed to Liu Wenqing¡¯s office in a hurry. As soon as he walked in the door, Zhou Chen seemed agitated. He hadn¡¯t even sat down when he said directly, ¡°Secretary Liu, you absolutely must not agree to this proposal put forward by Nie Zhenbang. Isn¡¯t it obviously aimed at me?¡± Upon hearing Zhou Chen¡¯s words, Liu Wenqing¡¯s face changed. This Zhou Chen really considered himself important. Although Tieli? Mehmet, the chairman of the autonomous region, had spoken to him and although Zhou Chen had a profound background, how could he say that? Didn¡¯t he even consider the presence of the Secretary of the Party Committee? Consequently, Liu Wenqing¡¯s face turned sullen. Chapter 263 - 262 Arrival of the Place Holder (Seeking Monthly Ticket Support)_1 Chapter 263: Chapter 262 Arrival of the ce Holder (Seeking Monthly Ticket Support)_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°Comrade Zhou Chen, you¡¯re too impatient. Do you even have the image of a leader anymore?¡± Liu Wenqing¡¯s face darkened, his tone was somewhat fiery. These words stunned Zhou Chen. Zhou Chen had always been this kind of character, and the Zhou family had indulged him too much. From childhood to adulthood, it seemed that Zhou Chen had no idea what humility was. Even when he was transferred to local departments, Zhou Chen believed that his background identity already afforded him a certain privilege and expected local officials to curry favor him. Now that Liu Wenqing was so supportive of him, Zhou Chen believed that this must have been arranged by brother Hua. Therefore, on entering, Zhou Chen appeared extremely familiar. ¡°Uh, Secretary Liu, can you still sit still? Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions clearly means he doesn¡¯t take you seriously.¡± Zhou Chen was also somewhat surprised. These words once again annoyed Liu Wenqing. Zhou Chen was too full of himself. Simply put, he was a little arrogant. This kind of feeling was as if they were talking as equals. One should not make too much contact with such persons, otherwise, you will be dragged down by them sooner orter. Moreover, Liu Wenqing was also somewhat worried at this moment. Nie Zhenbang also had a deep background. If it wasn¡¯t for Chairman Tieli¡¯s clear indication of Zhou Chen¡¯s rtionship and background, Liu Wenqing would not necessarily support Zhou Chen. However, he had already made up his mind. After this, he should avoid Zhou Chen as much as possible. Subsequently, Liu Wenqing also said solemnly: ¡°Comrade Zhou Chen, these things arepletely groundless, you don¡¯t need to worry about them. Even if there¡¯s really a personnel reshuffle, it¡¯s a normal thing. The work adjustments made in Xinli City have overall considerations. You should refrain from speaking about things that have no factual basis. Concentrate on your work, that¡¯s the most important thing.¡± Upon hearing Liu Wenqing¡¯s words, Zhou Chen also knew that his performance just now was indeed a bit too much. However, things had been said, and anything more seemed unwise. So Zhou Chen also nodded: ¡°Secretary Liu, then I¡¯ll leave you to your work. I¡¯ll get back to mine.¡± In fact, Liu Wenqing was also a bit embarrassed at this moment. From the bottom of his heart, he did not want to transfer Yan Feng Jiao¡¯s position. After all, this was rted to his authority as the secretary of the municipalmittee. Just after pushing Zhou Chen to the position of mayor of Xinli City, and immediately agreeing to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personnel reshuffle, outsiders¡¯ perception might inevitably feel like ttery. If it were up to Liu Wenqing, he would absolutely disagree with this adjustment. However, this issue involved Fan Guoliang, and the situation was different. So far as Zhou Chen was concerned, Liu Wenqing didn¡¯t think too much. The brilliance of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personnel reshuffle was that it ced Yan Fengjiao in this position. Thinking of the old secretary, Fan Guoliang¡¯s personal visitst night, even though the old secretary did not explicitly state it, the meaning was clear. Liu Wenqing could onlypromise. Then, Liu Wenqing picked up the phone on the table and dialed Mayor Ding Aiguo¡¯s number: ¡°Hello, Mayor Ding. This is Liu Wenqing. Hehe, there¡¯s some minor issue. The materials for the personnel reshuffle in Xinli City have you looked at them? I would like to exchange opinions with you.¡± Soon, after discussion and vote by the Standing Committee of the Bazhou City Municipal Party Committee, Xue Daming, the Standing Committee of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee, and Minister of Publicity of the Municipal Party Committee was reassigned to serve as the Deputy Director of the Xinli City People¡¯s Congress. The Deputy County Magistrate, Yan Fengjiao, was reassigned as the Minister of Publicity of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee and concurrently served as the Director of the Xinli City Economic and Technological Development Zone, and was given the title of Xinli City Municipal Committee Member and Standing Committee Member. Afterpleting this personnel adjustment, it was now time for Zhou Chen to take office in Xinli City. At the junction of Xinli City and Ku City, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang personally led the Standing Committee of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee. The leaders of the four major teams in Xinli City were all waiting at the border. The reason for such a grand wee was that Nie Zhenbang and others had received a call from the secretary-general of the municipalmittee, Li Qingde. This time, for Zhou Chen¡¯s inauguration, the Bazhou City Party Committee and the municipal government attached great importance to him, and Liu Wenqing personally escorted him into office. As the secretary of the municipal partymittee, personally escorting his subordinates into office was a very rare event. At most, as a sign of importance, it would be escorted into office by the full-time deputy secretary of the municipal partymittee, which would be the highest specification. However, Liu Wenqing had chosen to take this on himself, which was enough to prove the importance Liu Wenqing attached to this matter. At the same time, it also indirectly expressed Liu Wenqing¡¯s attitude, Zhou Chen¡¯s inaugural mayorship was a matter of great importance to the city¡¯s Party Committee and municipal government. The city officials of Xinli City were expected to hold their thoughts and this wasmonly known as taking control of the situation. Liu Wenqing¡¯s motorcade slowly stopped in front of Nie Zhenbang and others. The car window was lowered, and Liu Wenqing was actually sitting alone in the car, which was somewhat unexpected for Nie Zhenbang. Typically, during such an inauguration, Zhou Chen should have been sitting in Liu Wenqing¡¯s car. A look of surprise shed across Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face, but he immediately went up to him, smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, wee to inspect and guide the work of Xinli City.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words also carried some sense of distance. In the past, he would definitely have greeted him warmly as Secretary. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang deliberately ignored Zhou Chen¡¯s inauguration and described it as inspecting and guiding work, which revealed some implications. Liu Wenqing also started smiling at this moment, and then, shifted his buttocks slightly, ¡°Secretary Nie, you¡¯re too polite. Come on up.¡± This change, however, left the leaders of Xinli City in some surprise. Could it be that the rtionship between Secretary Nie and Secretary Liu was already easing? The car drove directly into the office building of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee. Inside themittee¡¯s auditorium, everything had already been arranged. Above the auditorium¡¯s podium, a banner had already been hung up, which read, ¡°Xinli City Leadership Meeting.¡± Liu Wenqing took the main seat in the middle without hesitation. To his left was Nie Zhenbang, and to his right was Zhou Chen. The Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee and the leaders of the four major groups were all seated on the podium. In the audience, the front row was filled with other deputy leaders of the City Party Committee and Municipal Government, as well as retired seniors from the former Lixian and Yun County. Behind them were the heads and deputies of each department of the municipal government units, the leaders rted to the Economic and Technological Development Zone, and the heads and deputies from each town and vige. Further back were mid-level cadres from the Municipal Party Committee, the City Government, and municipal government units working in the city. Several hundred people crowded together. All eyes focused on the podium, and the auditorium became silent. As the Secretary of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee, Nie Zhenbang took on the role of host without any hesitation. After taking a nce at the cadres below the stage, Nie Zhenbang tapped the microphone and loudly announced, ¡°Leaders,rades, first of all, I wee Secretary Liu Wenqing of the Bazhou Municipal Party Committee, who came here to inspect and guide our work. First of all, please have Secretary Liu read out the appointment on behalf of the Municipal Party Committee.¡± Liu Wenqing then took the microphone and began, ¡°Therades of Xinli City deserve praise. Xinli City¡¯s work has been excellent, seeing vibrant development that pleases me. Now, let¡¯s first read out the resolution of the Municipal Party Committee. The Bazhou City Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee and the Municipal Organization Department¡¯s Resolution No.1. We will release Mr. Zhou Chen from his membership of the Bazhou City People¡¯s Government Party Group and his position as deputy mayor, and appoint Mr. Zhou Chen as a member of the Xinli City Municipal Committee, standingmittee member, deputy secretary, deputy mayor of Xinli City People¡¯s Government, to preside over the overall work of Xinli City People¡¯s Government and nominate him as the candidate for mayor of Xinli City People¡¯s Government. I hope that all the cadres of the whole city can cooperate with the new mayor¡¯s work. To create new achievements for the economic development and construction of Xinli City.¡± After the cadre meeting, Liu Wenqing did not have a meal in Xinli City, an action that further rified that Liu Wenqing¡¯s trip was specifically to support Zhou Chen. As for this, Nie Zhenbang had an indifferent attitude. The Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee was definitely not a solid group. This point was clear to Nie Zhenbang. If it were to be a solid group, it wouldn¡¯t be good for him, as it would inevitably give people a bad impression of him forming factions and vying for power. The current state was good, ensuring he had the right to speak and decide on the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee without causing any criticism. As for Zhou Chen, his ability and vision were clear, and Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t worried at all, as long as Zhou didn¡¯t cross his bottom line. He would let Zhou do whatever he wanted. But if Zhou Chen dared to cross his line, Nie Zhenbang naturally had ways to deal with it. Li Guohua¡¯s current movepletely caught Nie Zhenbang off guard. However, as the saying goes, there is no need to wait ten years for a gentleman to take revenge. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t need to wait ten years. As soon as he sorted out the situation, Nie Zhenbang could take action, and it would probably be Li Guohua¡¯s turn to worry. At this moment, Zhou Chen didn¡¯t know Nie Zhenbang had already made Li Guohua, his awe-inspiring brother, a target. At this moment, Zhou Chen was standing in the mayor¡¯s office of the municipal government. This office had always been used by Nie Zhenbang. As soon as he walked in the door, Zhou Chen¡¯s brows furrowed. Nie Zhenbang used such an office¡­ was he actually from the countryside? This is so shabby. Immediately, Zhou Chen told the secretary-general of the municipal government, Mi Fugui, ¡°Director Mi, change the decoration style of the office for me. Change all these desks and all.¡± Just as these words fell, a look of difficulty appeared on Mi Fugui¡¯s face. He was promoted by Nie Zhenbang personally, and no matter how you looked at it, he was marked by Nie¡¯s faction. Once Zhou Chen managed to stabilise his position, Mi Fugui would absolutely be reced, so he didn¡¯t really care or tread carefully. Immediately, he expressed some difficulty, ¡°Deputy Mayor Zhou, I¡¯m really sorry. The financial expenditure of Xinli City implements a one-pen management system. The funds of the municipal government office affairs bureau are all in the hands of Secretary Nie. But evenst year, the municipal partymittee and the municipal government issued a policy, which considering that the new office building can be used in May, strictly prohibits the refurbishment of the old building. If everything is reced, I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be approved.¡± As soon as Mi Fugui¡¯s words fell, Zhou Chen¡¯s brows furrowed. Though Zhou had already prepared himself mentally, he didn¡¯t expect Nie Zhenbang to be so ruthless, even the money for office renovation had been withheld. Immediately, Zhou Chen chuckled awkwardly, ¡°So that¡¯s the case, well, since there¡¯s such a regtion, then let¡¯s not decorate. Hang a picture of the Eight Horses on the wall over there. I think you can handle this request. Also, help me notify them that I n to visit the retired cadres bureau tomorrow morning.¡± PS: Speaking of which, there are already 45 votes. It seems that four updates tomorrow are a certainty. Brothers and sisters, do you have the guts to make me update five or even six times? Chapter 264 - 263 Secretary Nie Wants to Build an Airport (Seeking Monthly Ticket Support) _1 Chapter 264: Chapter 263 Secretary Nie Wants to Build an Airport (Seeking Monthly Ticket Support) _1 Trantor: 549690339 After the arrival of spring, the Xibei Autonomous Region has weathered the harsh winter. Revival sprinkled everywhere, the construction of the New Li City has also resumed the climax ofst year. The entire development zone has be the busiest construction site, and at the same time, the Development Zone team is also working hard. The new infrastructure nning and preparations are proceeding in an orderly manner. Pear City Avenue will extend another fifteen kilometers onward. This willpletely connect the newly included Red g and Chetai townships in the development zone. In the future, this will be the gateway to the Development Zone. ¡°Secretary, are you busy?¡± At this moment, Secretary Yi Jun knocked on the door and walked in from outside, after moving to the city governmentpound. After Yi Jun¡¯s organizational rtionship was naturally transferred from the city government to the city partymittee, he is now also rising with time. He is serving as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of New Li City Party Committee, and is an official vice-department level cadre. Now, there is a long line of peopleing to his door to ask for his hand in marriage. Yi Jun¡¯s gratitude towards Nie Zhenbang had deepened in his heart. If it¡¯s about who is most loyal to Nie Zhenbang in New Li City, I¡¯m afraid, Yi Jun is probably the first one, followed by Chen Le and Lin Weimin. Looking at Yi Jun¡¯s appearance, Nie Zhenbang was stunned for a while. He understood Yi Jun¡¯s personality well over the past year of acquaintance. Then he smiled and said, ¡°Xiaoyi, what¡¯s up? You seem a little preupied. What happened? Are you having trouble with your rtionship?¡± At this moment, Yi Jun also felt embarrassed by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. With his family¡¯s introduction, Yi Jun has also started dating a staff member from the Finance Bureau, with Lin Weimin helping Yi Jun as an insider. So far, it¡¯s going well. However, today, what Yi Jun wants to talk about is not this matter. He walked into the office and put a schedule for tomorrow on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk and said, ¡°Secretary, here is the schedule for tomorrow. At nine in the morning, the Millionaire Leather Co., Ltd. will officially open. Zhu Lufeng, General Manager Zhu has sent an invitation. You have promised General Manager Zhu to attend the opening ceremony. I have taken the liberty to schedule it for you. In the afternoon, you will have to go to Yunshan Town for an investigation.¡± Having said that, Yi Jun paused for a moment, showing some hesitation. Although a secretary and a leader share amon weal and woe, a secretary is an intimate confidant of the leader. However, sometimes, a secretary must keep bottom line and there are things that absolutely cannot be crossed. After hesitating for a moment, Yi Jun still decided to say something. He then lowered his voice and said, ¡°Secretary, recently, Mayor Zhou has been quite active.¡± Nie Zhenbang was not at all surprised by Yi Jun¡¯s words. From Yi Jun¡¯s expression, Nie Zhenbang knew this young man had something to say. Now, after listening, it was indeed as expected. At this moment, since Yi Jun has already said it, he simply let go. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang showed no dissatisfaction, he continued, ¡°Secretary, after Mayor Zhou took office, he first went to the City¡¯s Veteran Cadre Bureau to console old leaders andrades of New Li City. Then, he went to the Standing Committee of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress for an exchange. After that, he has been visiting the towns and townships, and whenever he goes, he will surely sit with the presidium of the People¡¯s Congress of each township. Secretary, it seems like Mayor Zhou is preparing for the uing election.¡± Hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. With the guidance of an experienced person, Zhou Chen¡¯s performance became extraordinary. He learned to keep a low profile and to unite different forces. After taking office, he also performed very low-key. However, Zhou Chen seems to be a bit too cautious. Nie Zhenbang did not really have the idea of driving Zhou Chen away through the People¡¯s Congress election. In the officialdom, such a thing is a big taboo. If the candidate rmended by the superior leader fails in the election, unless he has truly outraged public opinion, otherwise, the anger from the superior is something that an ordinary person cannot bear. Then, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Xiaoyi, let Mayor Zhou do his own thing. We, on our side, will do ours. As long as it doesn¡¯t interfere with the normal development of New Li City, he also has his own freedom to act. Let¡¯s leave it at that with this matter, just let him do as he pleases.¡± Yi Jun also nodded, and then said, ¡°Yes, your criticism is correct, Secretary. I was being a bit sensitive. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll go out and get busy.¡± The next day at eight o¡¯clock in the morning, at the factory gate of Millionaire Leather Co., Ltd. in the development zone, it was already a lively scene. Colored gs had been hung up on the hollow fence. A stage was set up at the entrance of the factory office building. Following some of the traditions and styles of Yuedong, this time, Zhu Lufeng¡¯s opening ceremony was somewhat grand. Five minutes past eight. Under the leadership of Nie Zhenbang, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee Xie Yi, Deputy Secretary of the Development Zone Work Committee Yang Zhengping. The City Committee Member, Minister of Propaganda of the City Committee Yan Fengjiao, and the Management Committee of the Development Zone, Leng Guohua also arrived. Zhu Lufeng greeted them with a smile. The attendance of several important leaders of New Li City at his opening ceremony was a great honor for Zhu Lufeng. ¡°Secretary Nie, all the leaders, warm wee to your visit. Please take a seat on the podium.¡± At this moment, Zhu Lufeng was also wearing a suit and tie. He looked energetic throughout. After the opening remarks came the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the factory. Nie Zhenbang and other leaders stepped forward and, led by the ceremoniously dressed youngdy, cut the ribbon for Millionaire Leather Co., Ltd. Zhu Lufeng personally apanied and led Nie Zhenbang and others towards the new factory district. In just half a year, Zhu Lufeng¡¯s leather factory had been promoted to a limitedpany, indicating Zhu Lufeng¡¯s rapid development. Looking at the rows of new factories, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Mr. Zhu, I remember when Secretary Jiang from the Xibei Autonomous Region¡¯s Party Committee came to inspect, your factory was only a few dozen hectares. Now, you¡¯ve acquired 300 hectares and built so many factories. It seems your products are in high demand.¡± Zhu Lufeng felt a little embarrassed at that moment. Initially, his motivation for setting up the factory was to invest in and give back to his hometown. But to his surprise, the leather factory had be his primary source of ie. Responding to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s query, Zhu Lufengughed, ¡°Secretary Nie, there¡¯s no problem at all. In the second half of this year, I n to acquire another 200 hectares. The leather in Xinli City is excellent and all our products are made from genuine leather. Nearly every piece of our production is sold with practically no inventory left behind. Most of them are exported. So, I¡¯m very confident. However, there is one thing that I¡¯m not sure whether to mention.¡± Zhu Lufeng¡¯s words stunned Xinli City leaders. Nie Zhenbang, however,ughed, ¡°Mr. Zhu, there¡¯s no need to hesitate. We wee anyments from investors in New Li City freely. It is our duty to provide the best services for investors.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were not mere rhetoric but were taken to heart and put into practice in New Li City. The investment green channel, primary responsibility system, and other measures were all aimed at making things easier for investors. The level of government support is one of the first things investors look at when assessing a ce to invest. Zhu Lufeng smiled and said, ¡°No, no, Secretary Nie, I think you misunderstood me. We, as investors, are quite satisfied with the city and district leaders. I have met several fellow business owners here, and we all agree that as long as we do not break thew, investing in New Li City is a certain and stable venture. My point is, the transportation situation in New Li City is not very convenient.¡± This issue touches precisely on New Li City¡¯s weaknesses, and it is not only a problem in New Li City¡ªit¡¯s an issue Bazhou City is also facing. It¡¯s generally known that if an outside guest or leaders want toe to Bazhou, they first need to fly to Urumqi and generally need to stay there overnight. The next morning, it would be a seven-hour drive to reach Bazhou City, then again a few tens of minutes to reach Lixian. It¡¯s fine for regr times, but during any emergency, this mode of transport is not quite adequate. Nie Zhenbang also began considering the transportation issue, as it has indeed be a pressing issue for New Li City¡¯s development. At present, the development of New Li City is about toe to a bottleneck if the transportation issues are not resolved, which will undoubtedly affect New Li City.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Thank you for your suggestion, Mr. Zhu. We indeed did not think about this issue at the municipal government. However, we surely will consider it our top priority and study it thoroughly with your suggestion. We aremitted to serving the entrepreneurs of New Li City.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s candid attitude garnered Zhu Lufeng¡¯s admiration. His approach was straightforward: ¡°What we have, we have; what we don¡¯t have, we don¡¯t have.¡± Unlike other ces where they pretend to understand everything. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s straightforward style and attitude put the many surrounding business owners watching at ease. Having such a practical leader makes investing in New Li City a lot more reassuring. Upon returning to the citymittee¡¯s office building, Nie Zhenbang immediately ordered Qu Feng, ¡°Secretary Qu, inform the home-based standingmittee members to hold an ad-hoc standingmittee meeting as soon as possible. Set the time for 2 PM this afternoon. Also, please call Yunshan Town and let them know that my visit this afternoon will be postponed. I think it would be better to reschedule it for tomorrow.¡± Qu Feng blinks but nods in agreement. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sudden request for a standingmittee meeting must be rted to Zhu Lufeng¡¯s suggestion. By 2 PM, all of the standingmittee members were seated in the conference room. Nie Zhenbang arrived right on time and, seeing that everyone was present except for Zhou Chen, took his ce and began, ¡°Vice Mayor Zhou is not here as he has gone on a rural inspection. Let¡¯s start the meeting without him. The main issue of this meeting is the transportation issue in New Li City that was raised by an enterprise owner from the Development Zone. I propose that with the development and prospects of New Li City, it¡¯s necessary to construct an airport.¡± Just as Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, the conference room door was pushed open from the outside. Zhou Chen walked in with an awkward smile, nced at his watch and said, ¡°Ha ha, has it started already? My apologies for beingte.¡± PS: It¡¯s such a good sign to have reached 60 monthly tickets! Seems like you all are eagerly hoping for Old Cai to release five chapters. Looking forward to reaching 100 tickets. By the way, can I quietly ask if 150 tickets equaling six chapters is a possibility? (To be continued. If you like this novel, please visit ) to rmend and vote. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 265 - 264 Kuli Airport_1 Chapter 265: Chapter 264 Kuli Airport_1 Trantor:549690339 Upon listening to Zhou Chen¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened. Indeed, it still wasn¡¯t quite two o¡¯clock. To be urate, Zhou Chen did arrive right at two when he walked in. However, Zhou Chen¡¯s attitude frustrated Nie Zhenbang immensely. Zhou Chen¡¯s arrival to take a position in Xinli City? Nie Zhenbang could tolerate that, biding his time, especially under current circumstances. Showing off too wildly wouldn¡¯t do any good. Right now, the reactions of the Dong and Yang families remained unclear, the patriarch¡¯s fury had not yet subsided. Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat fearful. That was the real reason Nie Zhenbang was swallowing his pride. But if only Zhou Chen would behave properly and mind his manners. What a coincidence it was that he calcted his arrival time so perfectly. He wasn¡¯t far away, he was only inspecting Daming Township, a half-hour drive away. Qu Feng had phoned to notify him before twelve o¡¯clock, and it took him two hours to get back? Clearly, Zhou Chen was demonstrating his authority. The continuous rural inspections these few days were likely because he assumed his election as mayor was a done deal. Zhou Chen¡¯s tail was starting to show. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened, then he snapped disrespectfully, ¡°Vice Mayor Zhou, this is a Standing Committee meeting of the Municipal Party Committee. Please, try to be on time for future meetings. Your attitude ¡ªughing and joking ¡ª doesn¡¯t reflect the seriousness of a party member or the demeanor of a cadre leader. You are the acting mayor, how can you lead by example like this? Alright, now that you¡¯re here, sit down.¡± Treating Zhou Chen as though he was a primary school student who made a mistake made Zhou Chen feel somewhat awkward. However, at this moment, Zhou Chen had no power to retaliate. Histe arrival was a fact, his nonchnt attitude was not serious. Nie Zhenbang rebuked him, he deserved it. What Zhou Chen didn¡¯t expect was that Nie Zhenbang, who had been holding back, would suddenly attack at this moment. The other Standing Committee members remained silent. Recently, Vice Mayor Zhou had been very active, always inviting reporters from Xinli City Television Station and Xinli Daily whenever he went out. Although under Yan Fengjiao¡¯s suppression, he did not make front-page headlines. Yet, he nevertheless received considerable exposure. This time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s anger also reminded other Standing Committee members that Secretary Nie was still the same Nie Zhenbang who could dethrone the County Party Secretary even when he was just a Deputy County Head. ¡°Regarding the construction of the airport. Does anyone have any opinions? Mayor Bai, you are the Executive Deputy Mayor of the municipal government. You go first, do you have any opinions?¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang spoke, he called on Bekri. Moreover, regarding the address, it is worthy of further consideration. Nie Zhenbang had just referred to Zhou Chen, the acting mayor, as Vice Mayor Zhou, but Bekri, the vice mayor, was addressed as Mayor Bai. Could it be that Secretary Nie did not recognize the resolution of the Municipal Committee? Bekri was delighted. As long as Nie Zhenbang had this idea, as long as he had Nie Zhenbang¡¯s support, he would dare to act. In the face of actual positions, no one would back down. With tall people holding up the sky, Bekri was not afraid of anything. Then, Bekri hesitated for a moment and slowly said, ¡°Secretary Nie,rades, I personally agree with Secretary Nie¡¯s suggestion about building an airport. However, it is a troublesome matter to build an airport. Not only do we need to apply to the National Civil Aviation Administration, but we also need the National Development and Reform Commission to support the project. I think that as a Deputy Bureau level city, Xinli City alone seems tock something. Shouldn¡¯t we jointly build the airport with Bazhou City at the junction of Kun City and Xinli City? In this way, the airport will be only about 20 kilometers away from both Bazhou City and Xinli City. In addition, apart from the airport, I think we should also consider the construction of highways.¡± Just as his words fell, Zhou Chen sneered and slowly said, ¡°I also have a few words to say.¡± Zhou Chen as an individual was somewhatcking. Perhaps it could be said that he was innately deficient in political acumen and leadership skills, which wouldn¡¯t be a big issue. With the backing of the Zhou family, since he wanted to mix in the system, holding a position at the provincial level should be no problem. However, Zhou Chen had a bad habit of not paying attention to details and asions in his speech and actions. The scoff from Zhou Chen just now almost offended the entire Standing Committee of Xinli City. What did this mean, contempt or scorn? But Zhou Chen seemed indifferent, ¡°Comrades, whether it¡¯s building an airport or a highway, these are not small investments. Even for a domestic feeder airport, the construction investment would be at least between two to three hundred million. And that¡¯s under the premise of meticulous budgeting. As for the highway, even more funds would be needed. It¡¯s 800 kilometers from Xinli City to Urumqi. Even a casual investment would be a huge expense of tens of billions. Let alone Xinli City, even the autonomous regional government probably can¡¯t raise so much funding.¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrow again. A member of a team, especially Zhou Chen who is acting mayor, instead of endorsing, he was throwing cold water on the project. This is not the attitude of a cadre in Xinli City. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang started rethinking about allowing Zhou Chen to take office. Before, he thought as long as Zhou Chen behaved steadily and didn¡¯t hinder progress, that would be enough. However, it seemed that such idealistic expectations are difficult to achieve. If Zhou Chen really does get elected, he might be even more unrestrained. Now, his status has changed, he has be the Party Secretary in charge of all works of Xinli City Party Committee. In theory, the development of the government was no longer in his hands. Moreover, if Zhou Chen yed some tricks in the position of mayor, he would probably have a hard time. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone became stern, ¡°The opinion of Vice Mayor Zhou presents a realistic problem in front of us. The funding issue is indeed a big problem. However, since Vice Mayor Zhou raised this issue so confidently, you must have better constructive suggestions. Would you mind sharing them for discussion?¡± Nie Zhenbang adopted a retreat strategy, first affirming Zhou Chen¡¯s argument on the funding issue. Indeed, the funding was a significant problem. Highways, Nie Zhenbang had no solution, but there was a solution for airports. Bazhou City would contribute some, Xinli City some, request some from the Autonomous Region, snatch some from Jingcheng Ministers, even if it was less, it wouldn¡¯t be much less. Moreover, investment could be allowed. Nie Zhenbang said this mainly to see what Zhou Chen would say. Sure enough, after hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhou Chen¡¯s face showed obvious embarrassment. As for suggestions on the development of Xinli City, Zhou Chen had not given it serious thought, as his visit seemed not to be for that purpose. Subsequently, Zhou Chen awkwardly smiled saying, ¡°I haven¡¯t yet developed aplete thinking, so leave it at that.¡± This remark earned him disdain from themittee members. As a mayor who had not yet considered how Xinli City should develop, it clearly indicated ipetence. This was unlike Nie Zhenbang who had, from the moment he took office in Lixian, established a huge difference. On the side, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Xie Yi also coughed saying, ¡°Secretary Nie,rades, I think that the feasibility of building an airport in Xinli City is quite high. Let us not discuss the highway for now. I believe that constructing an airport is not a difficult task for us.¡± Firstly, analyzing from thend aspect, there is a lot of state-owned, uncultivatednd between Xinli City and Ku City. If we use thisnd, at least the costs of acquisition and demolition are eliminated. This is our advantage. Furthermore, from the construction point of view, it is estimated that it can bepleted within three years, and the total investment of the entire project is expected to be around four hundred million. If the ministries and the autonomous region strive for around fifty million funds, I am confident that it won¡¯t be a problem. The state itself has supporting policies for the border areas in the Western Region.¡± This way, we only have a pressure of 350 million. Among it, Xinli City can bear 150 million funds and the remaining 200 million can be borne by both the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government and the Ku City Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government within three years. I believe it won¡¯t put too much pressure on the City Party Committee, Municipal Governments, or Ku City.¡± Originally, themittee members were taken aback by the funds amounting to hundreds of millions proposed by Zhou Chen, but after this analysis by Xie Yi, it seemed not to be that much. Immediately, Chen Le nodded saying, ¡°I agree with Secretary Xie¡¯s view.¡± Yan Fengjia also nodded: ¡°Yes, from the current development of the district, after this year, the financial ie of Xinli City is expected to reach 100 million. For Xinli City, this amount of funds is not a problem.¡± In the following show of hands vote, apart from Zhou Chen, everyone else voted in favor. This made Zhou Chen¡¯s face look a bit unpleasant. It seemed that he had already been isted by these officials of Xinli City. Nie Zhenbang immediately stood up saying, ¡°I think the matter of the airport is settled. Let¡¯s adjourn the meeting. Today, I will go to the city and report to Mayor Ding and Secretary Liu, striving for immediate project approval and construction.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car quickly entered Bazhou City. It was a little past four in the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang went directly into the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government office building, this time he went straight to Ding Aiguo¡¯s office. On Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival, Ding Aiguo showed great enthusiasm. As soon as he sat down, Nie Zhenbang said directly, ¡°Mayor, I have specificallye to report something to you. Now, the development of Xinli City has reached a bottleneck. Many investors have expressed opinions. After careful consideration by our City Party Committee and Municipal Government, we feel that it is time to establish an airport. The journey from Urumqi takes too long. If an airport could be built between Xinli City and Ku City, the distance from the airport to Bazhou or to Xinli City would be almost the same, and this would also quickly stimte the economic growth of Bazhou and Xinli.¡± On hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Ding Aiguo was also shocked. This was a daring thought indeed. As for building an airport, to be honest, it was something Ding Aiguo had never thought of. The economy of Bazhou City does not rank high in the autonomous region. However, with the development of Lixian, the Bazhou City¡¯s economy is also growing rapidly. But, the construction of an airport was something that Ding Aiguo had never thought of. Now, thinking about it carefully, it really made sense. With the support of aviation, not only would the overall position of Bazhou City improve but it would also greatly promote the surrounding areas. Having an airport also represents the perfect embodiment of the status and location advantage of Bazhou City. Thinking of this, Ding Aiguo seemed somewhat excited and stood up from the seat saying, ¡°Zhenbang, building an airport is a big project. Now, I understand your style. You never fight an uncertain battle. I am sure that you already have a specific n, right?¡± PS: Ahem! Brothers and sisters, I look forward to achieving a hundred votes at 12 o¡¯clock. Chapter 266 - 265: Returning to Urumqi_1 Chapter 266: Chapter 265: Returning to Urumqi_1 Trantor:549690339 Nie Zhenbangughed a little, looking a bit embarrassed. ¡°Mayor, this n was just decided upon this afternoon after the standingmittee meeting held in New Li City. Moreover, my consideration is that this airport will likely end up under Ku City¡¯s jurisdiction. Therefore, there¡¯s no specific n yet. However, we¡¯ve had some discussions about the general n. I think I might have some ideas to obtain support from the National Development and Reform Commission and the Civil Aviation Authority. Regarding the investment issue, a rough estimate suggests we¡¯ll need around four hundred million yuan.¡± Then, after sharing Xie Yi¡¯s investment distribution n which was proposed at the afternoon standingmittee meeting, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°I believe the management and share allocation of the airport should mainly fall under the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government with oversight by the Bazhou City State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. Ku City and our New Li City would only participate as shareholders and supervisors. This way, it reflects the prestige of City¡¯s Party Committee and government. That¡¯s about it.¡± Ding Aiguo nodded in satisfaction. He admires Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pragmatic approach. Being straightforward, not being vague, without ulterior motives. He is not exaggerating ¨C instead, he is realistic and sincere. This is honestly the right attitude to work and life. After pondering for a while, Ding Aiguo also thought that the project was highly feasible. Promptly, he got up and said, ¡°Zhenbang, why don¡¯t youe with me to report on this to Secretary Liu at the City Committee. I believe Secretary Wenqing will give it his full support.¡± Ding Aiguo¡¯s words were not arbitrary. The fact that Liu Wenqing could potentially be promoted to deputy chairman of the Autonomous Region was no strange thing to people like Ding Aiguo. Liu Wenqing would surely support something that could add a feather to his cap for his promotion. He certainly wouldn¡¯t act against his own interests. Indeed, when Nie Zhenbang and Ding Aiguo went into Liu Wenqing¡¯s office together, and Ding Aiguo hadid out the ns for the airport, Liu Wenqing was not displeased. He didn¡¯t even express dissatisfaction at Nie Zhenbang approaching Ding Aiguo before him. Instead, he was very pleased, ¡°Mayor Aiguo, I told you, Secretary Nie is Bazhou City¡¯s lucky star. The idea of the airport is excellent. It¡¯s bold, yet bnced and well-considered. It¡¯s highly feasible. This can be one of Bazhou City¡¯s key projects this year. Mayor Aiguo, I¡¯ll need to trouble you to personally supervise this. Experts can immediately be organized to carry out detailed assessment and budgeting of the airport, including site selection and construction costs. This way, I can present the assessments to the Autonomous Region Party Committee and Government.¡± With the support of Liu Wenqing and the approval of Ding Aiguo, the work efficiency of the Bazhou City Government has seen unprecedented improvement. The next day, a professional survey team was formed to conduct on-site surveys and site selection at the intersection of Ku City and New Li City. An airport involves many considerations: the impact of the airport on local residents¡¯ lives ¨C after all, the noise pollution from the airport will be severe; the effect on the local ecological environment; and, the airport¡¯s influence on the surrounding area. It¡¯s arge investment project that can¡¯t just consider one location, it should benefit multiple aspects. If only one city profits from this, it would seem wasteful. Lastly,nd suitability also has to be taken into ount. With all these aspects going on concurrently, the assessment and budgeting work are orderly and thorough. The rapid development of New Li City, coupled with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pragmatic attitude and work spirit, is subtly influencing and inspiring those around him. Even the leadership of Bazhou City has be pragmatic, which pleases Nie Zhenbang. This is a good sign, indirectly proving that the path he insists on is feasible. Shortly, within 15 days, the preliminary airport nning design and the evaluation report were finalised. After receiving the n, Liu Wenqing specifically summoned Nie Zhenbang. This wasn¡¯t because Liu Wenqing had any special regard for Nie Zhenbang, but because Nie Zhenbang had extraordinary background connections. By the time the two arrived in Urumqi, it was already evening. Liu Wenqing massaged his forehead. He had dozed off in the car, and now he woke up. His secretary, Feng Dayong, who sat in the passenger seat, turned around and said, ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve reached Urumqi. Shall we go to the office first or find a hotel to rest?¡± Liu Wenqing waved him off at that moment, looked at his wristwatch and said, ¡°It¡¯s only 8 o¡¯clock. Give me the phone; I¡¯ll call Chairman Tieli to decide.¡± The unusual rtionship and attitude between Liu Wenqing and Tieli indicate something special. All this had Nie Zhenbang deep in thought beside him. Soon, Liu Wenqing ended his call, directing the driver, ¡°Go to the Autonomous Region¡¯s Governmental Mansion.¡± The number one car of the Bazhou City Party Committee can freely enter the Autonomous Region¡¯s Mansion even at night. The car stopped at the entrance of Residence No. 1 in the residential area of the Autonomous Region¡¯s Mansion. Liu Wenqing said to his secretary Feng Dayong, ¡°Dayong, you go and arrange the lodging first, ehh,e back to pick me up after about an hour.¡± Then, he turned to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Secretary Nie Zhen,e inside with me.¡± The reason he brought Nie Zhenbang was to show good faith. Supporting Zhou Chen was amand from Tieli. As someone without political backing, Liu Wenqing needs every opportunity he can get in his quest to be Deputy Minister. Tieli has just provided him one, and Liu Wenqing wouldn¡¯t miss it. On a deeper level, Liu Wenqing feared that Nie Zhenbang might be dissatisfied. Thus, he used this opportunity to express his own helpless situation. In fact, what Liu Wenqing was doing was catering to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character. He is generally agreeable as long as principles aren¡¯tpromised. This is how an affable person is usually taken advantage of. It was at this moment that Nie Zhenbang realized this issue. Upon entering Tieli¡¯s home with Liu Wenqing, the decoration of the entire room showed strong ethnic characteristics. A woman had alreadye over and taken out slippers for Liu Wenqing and Nie Zhenbang. Liu Wenqing seemed very familiar with the ce, smiling and saying: ¡°Sorry to disturb you and the old leader sote at night.¡± The woman, presumably Tieli¡¯s wife, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Aunty, sorry for the intrusion.¡± At this moment, Tieli came out from his study, slightly nodding his head at Liu Wenqing and Nie Zhenbang as a form of greeting. He signaled for them to sit down on the sofa, then sat down himself, lit a cigarette and finally said, ¡°Comrades Wenqing and Nie are here. You two seem very anxious, has something happened?¡± Liu Wenqing seemed very rxed, which allowed Nie Zhenbang to understand the close rtionship between the two. Liu Wenqing answered with augh, ¡°Old leader, the situation in Bazhou City is stable. We came here mainly to report an important matter to you.¡± Then, Liu Wenqing exined in detail Bazhou City¡¯s n to build an airport. Liu Wenqing really was capable, he was able to present the whole n without referring to any documents, indicating his high regard for the airport construction project. Hearing Liu Wenqing¡¯s words, Tieli fell into deep thought. After a long while, he slowly said, ¡°The construction of an airport in Bazhou is feasible. Last year, Bazhou¡¯s development ranked first in the region, even surpassing Urumqi, which really puts pressure on Old Qian there. I agree with this n to build an airport to promote faster development of Bazhou.¡± Hearing Tieli¡¯s words, Liu Wenqing breathed a sigh of relief. With Tieli¡¯s support, the Autonomous Region nning Commission and the Civil Aviation Administration shouldn¡¯t present any major issues. As for the rest, Liu Wenqing trusted in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s judgment. Then, Tieli turned his attention to Nie Zhenbang and said with a smile: ¡°Secretary Nie¡¯s pioneering idea is very good. I guess the idea of the airport must havee from you, Secretary Nie. Wenqing, you are lucky to have such a cadre in Bazhou City.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang modestly replied, ¡°Chairman Tieli, you tter me. In the end, this idea is the result of the leadership of the Party Committee and the City Government.¡± Tieliughed out loud. Nie Zhenbang had left a good impression on him. However, thinking of the words from above, Tieli changed the topic and said, ¡°Secretary Nie, this time, the Party Committee and the Government of the Autonomous Region are considering letting Zhou Chen join the Party Committee team of New Li City. This has been carefully considered and bnced. You should pay attention to the unity and stability of the team in your future work.¡± This sentence made Nie Zhenbang frown. What was Tieli implying? Was he warning him not to meddle in the city government¡¯s operations? The words of a leader are not always straightforward. If youckprehension in the world of politics, it equals waiting for death. Pondering over Tieli¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang decided to make his stance clear. Zhou Chen had a strong background, but so did he, andpared to Zhou family, an insignificant family, his family was unmatched. Holding back anger should be timely. If he showed a bit of firmness in ordinary times, perhaps Liu Wenqing would reconsider his attitude. However, realizing this was obviouslyte. Then, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°I will definitely keep Chairman Tieli¡¯s instructions and teachings in mind. I firmly support anything that is beneficial for New Li City¡¯s development. Please rest assured, Chairman Tieli.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude made Tieli¡¯s face darken. Tieli understood the implication behind Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. What did he mean by ¡®generally good¡¯ or ¡®beneficial for New Li City¡¯s development¡¯? Nie Zhenbang was subtly saying that if Zhou Chen¡¯s actions weren¡¯t beneficial for New Li City, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to be ruthless. PS: Yesterday, 81 votes, today, the same as always. If we can reach 50 votes today, we will continue updating tomorrow. The first update for today is up. There will be five updates today. Three guaranteed, one 50-vote update, one Lindi alliance update. To be continued. If you like this work, pleasee and vote for it on Qidian website ). Your support is my greatest motivation. Chapter 267 - 266: Scary Hosting Fee_1 Chapter 267: Chapter 266: Scary Hosting Fee_1 Trantor: 549690339 Liu Wenqing also looked a little tense. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s behavior at this moment was beyond Liu Wenqing¡¯s expectations. At this moment, Liu Wenqing felt some regret. If he had known that Nie Zhenbang would act like this, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to do it. But Nie Zhenbang used to be not like this in character. He was always low-profile and never put on airs when dealing with superiors. However, today he suddenly became so stubborn. This showed that Liu Wenqing actually didn¡¯t understand Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personality. It could be said that in most matters, Nie Zhenbang acted within the norms. It was as if he didn¡¯t have any significant connections or background. But this time, Tieli¡¯s words inadvertently touched Nie Zhenbang¡¯s bottom line. Tieli¡¯s intention was that Nie Zhenbang should always yield to Zhou Chen, regardless of the situation. This was clearly impossible, and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rebuttal was natural. At this moment, Tieli¡¯s face sank, and he once again said, ¡°Comrade Nie, as a party member and cadre, you must have organizational discipline and be politically minded, considering the bigger picture. Otherwise, will there be any need for the organization or higher-ups? Will there be any rules left?¡± Having said that, Tieli stood up and waved his hand, ¡°That¡¯s enough. The airport project is very good. It¡¯s a big boost for Bazhou City. I¡¯ve got it. You all go back first.¡± In hisst sentence, Tieli intentionally ignored New Li City, which was another bad signal. But Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care about this problem. As long as Bazhou was building an airport, New Li City couldn¡¯t be left out. Bazhou City alone couldn¡¯t build an airport. As soon as Nie Zhenbang walked out of Tieli¡¯s yard, he smiled and said to Liu Wenqing, ¡°Secretary Liu, you go rest. I just arrived, I¡¯ll just go report at the party school. I¡¯ll go back by myself tomorrow.¡± Looking at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s demeanor at this moment, Liu Wenqing sighed. Nie Zhenbang was a good man, but he was a bit too bold. Even if he had a point, could he assert himself in front of the chairman of the autonomous region like this? Liu Wenqing fell into thought and then said, ¡°Zhenbang, there¡¯s something I want to say, but I¡¯m not sure if I should.¡± Listening to Liu Wenqing, Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment, and then nodded, ¡°Secretary Liu, go ahead and say what you want to.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a saying, ¡®the stiffest tree is most easily cracked by the wind.¡¯ Zhenbang, you have a great future ahead of you. Sometimes, you also need to know how topromise. Sometimes, taking a step back doesn¡¯t mean surrendering. Perhaps, it¡¯s just to make room for a bigger stride forward. Do you understand what I¡¯m trying to say?¡± Liu Wenqing contemted and spoke these words. Listening to this, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. He understood Liu Wenqing¡¯s meaning very well.He was to tolerate the matter regarding Zhou Chen. The domestic situation dictated that moderation and bnce were key. However, he was not prepared topromise on Zhou Chen. If Zhou Chen was to y by the rules, that was fine. If not, Nie Zhenbang was not without resources. Having thought about this, Nie Zhenbang said with augh, ¡°Secretary Liu, as I¡¯ve said, considering the overall political situation and the bigger picture is predicated on the hope that Deputy Mayor Zhou will care about the overall development of New Li City. Then I have no problem at all, all can be discussed. But if it¡¯s because of Deputy Mayor Zhou¡¯s reasons, I can¡¯t do anything. Secretary Liu, please go ahead with your work. I¡¯m here in Urumqi and will go to the party school to report. I¡¯ll go back by myself tomorrow.¡± After saying this, Nie Zhenbang turned around and left. At this moment, Feng Dayong came up from the side and said to Liu Wenqing, ¡°Secretary, it¡¯s windy outside. You should get in the car quickly. Nie Zhenbang is really ungrateful. You¡¯ve said so much. Whether he believes you or not is up to him. You don¡¯t have to get angry for him.¡± Liu Wenqing waved his hand and watched Nie Zhenbang¡¯s retreating figure. Right now, Liu Wenqing felt a mix of pain and pleasure. It was difficult to hold the position of Secretary of the Bazhou City Committee. It seemed morous from the outside, but having these two people under hismand, was no easy task, leaving him stuck in a dilemma. Inside the student dormitory of the vice bureau-level Young Cadre Training ss of the Autonomous Region Party School, Nie Zhenbang walked in and found most of the rooms empty. But his own room was lit up. As soon as he walked in, Qiao Yuan, who was in the room, looked up. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Qiao Yuan looked somewhat surprised. All the cadres in the whole region knew about the situation in Pear City. Nie Zhenbang was promoted to deputy bureau-level cadre. As the first-in-charge and Secretary of the New Pear City Committee, he was much morefortable than the deputies at the same level like them. Then, Qiao Yuan took off his sses and said with a smile, ¡°Secretary Nie, now you¡¯re truly a secretary. You disappeared as soon as you went back. Fat Min has been missing you. He said if you don¡¯te back, we¡¯ll have to form an inspection group and rush to New Pear City for a big meal.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. He sat down on the bed next to him and said, ¡°Brother Yuan, why are Fat Min and Chun Lei out having fun while you are still studying hard?¡± Qiao Yuan alsoughed and said, ¡°Old Lei has been caught up in some trouble in Yu City recently. Rumour has it that it¡¯s some ethnic conflict and he is extremely busy dealing with it. Fat Min has been making moves recently. This kid got the chance to interact with the coastal region and he¡¯s likely to advance fast once he returns. As for you and me, we¡¯re just stuck here studyingboriously.¡± Qiao Yuan¡¯s words were partly a joke. They were all deputy bureau-level officials and naturally had their own ways of progressing. Despite Qiao Yuan¡¯s nonchnt demeanor, he probably wouldn¡¯t do too badly. After staying one night at the Party School and engaging in some idle chats with Qiao Yuan, Nie Zhenbang spent a few more days in Urumqi. He even deliberately attended some sses and held a discussion with the ss teacher, Zhang Xiaou. Only after Liu Wenqing got his hands on the official approval documents from the Autonomous Region¡¯s Development and Reform Commission and the Civil Aviation Administration did Nie Zhenbang prepare to set off for New Li City. The next morning, Nie Zhenbang boarded the coach back to New Li City. With the development of New Li City, there are now more coaches running directly between Urumqi and New Li City, reflecting the impact of the market economy. If people are travelling to New Li City, it means there¡¯s a market there, and where there¡¯s a market there¡¯s a possibility to earn money. Such things didn¡¯t need to be arranged, people naturally came up with these ideas. At around 3:30 in the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang finally arrived at the New Li City bus station. After eating something casually on the roadside, Nie Zhenbang returned to the courtyard of New Li City Committee. When he entered the office building, many staff members stopped to let Nie Zhenbang pass first, greeting him politely with smiles on their faces. When Nie Zhenbang walked into his office, it was around four in the afternoon. As he opened the door, Yi Jun stood up. This aspect of Yi Jun pleased Nie Zhenbang. Regardless of whether he was not in the office, Yi Jun always adhered to the office hours. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yi Jun quickly stood up, and seemed quite delighted as he said, ¡°Secretary, you¡¯ve finally returned. Things have really gotten chaotic in the city within these few days.¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang frowned immediately. He didn¡¯t need a second to guess that the problem must havee from Zhou Chen. He was familiar with the members of the New Li City Committee. Although not all officials in New Li City were his confidants, they wouldn¡¯t stir up any trouble under his influence. The only one that made him uneasy was Zhou Chen. On one hand, Zhou Chen¡¯s personality wasn¡¯t influenced by him. Moreover, Zhou Chen was the acting mayor. When he was not around, local officials could ignore Zhou Chen and wouldn¡¯t be affected by him. But correspondingly, there was no one who could obstruct his actions. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang said in a serious tone, ¡°Tell me what happened, no rush. Take your time.¡± As Nie Zhenbang entered his office, Yi Jun followed him in with a stack of materials and ced them on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk, saying, ¡°Secretary, please take a look. These are the bills from the Xin Li Hotel and the Millionaire Hotel over thest few days. Deputy Mayor Lindi saw these and didn¡¯t dare to sign them off. She thought you should look into it.¡± Looking at the bills, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in concern. The economic development and zone development model of New Li City had be the target and model that many counties and cities across the autonomous region aspire to emte. Fromst year, various delegations of county and city representatives have been visiting every month for an inspection, even delegations from neighbouring Xueyu Province and Qingzhou Province. In the past, these inspection teams were usually treated strictly ording to the official reception standards set by Nie Zhenbang. These standards had also been learned by quite a few counties and cities. However, in the past few days when Nie Zhenbang was not in New Li City, a few inspection teams came and they were all received by Zhou Chen, who serves as the deputy secretary of the municipal partymittee and the acting mayor. Looking at the bills, during the three-day visit of only one delegation, the amodation and catering expenses at the Xin Li Hotel totalled over 67,000 yuan, plus another 85,400 at the Millionaire Hotel. That¡¯s to say, a three-day visit by a single delegation had cost New Li City over 150,000 yuan. The figure was quite staggering. If they were to follow the hospitality standard set by Nie Zhenbang, a delegation of twenty individuals with two people sharing a room would only need a total of 1,500 yuan for amodation for three nights at Xin Li Hotel¡¯s standard rate of 50 yuan per night. The reception standard of 20 yuan per meal per person for nine meals would only amount to 3,600 yuan. In total, it would only cost around 5,000 yuan, which is significantly lower than what was spent. Upon seeing this, Nie Zhenbang was furious. He mmed his hand on the table and in a thunderous voice, he said, ¡°This is absurd. Xiaoyi, call Zhou Chen and ask him toe to my office immediately.¡± PS: Adding more to the story for Lindi, our grandmaster. Go Lindi! Chapter 268 - 267 Secretary Nie Hits Someone_1 Chapter 268: Chapter 267 Secretary Nie Hits Someone_1 Trantor: 549690339 At this moment, Yi Jun felt a sense of joy in his heart. These days, all officials throughout the city were frustrated but dared not speak out. Furthermore, Zhou Chen was the acting Mayor, and his approval of expenses would be recognized by others. However, these bad debts would ultimately have to be paid by the city¡¯s finance department. Xin Li Hotel was a different story because it was, after all, a business unit directly under the jurisdiction of the Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government. However, the situation with the Millionaire Hotel was different. Zhou Chen¡¯s position as the Deputy Secretary of the Xinli City Municipal Committee and Acting Mayor meant that his expenses should be recognized. Others wouldn¡¯t care about how they managed their internal affairs. As long as the bill was there, the Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government would have to acknowledge it, they would have to pay for it. However, the bill signed by Zhou Chen left every leader of the municipalmittee dumbfounded. In this year alone, Xinli City had received at least a hundred inspection teams. If all were treated to the same standard, it would lead to expenditures exceeding ten million. Even if Xin Li were wealthier, it couldn¡¯t afford such extravagance. As Yi Jun walked to his outer office to call Zhou Chen, Nie Zhenbang was carefully examining the expenses. At Xin Li Hotel alone, the cost of amodation for three days was 18,000 yuan. Twenty people presumably rented luxury single rooms for 300 yuan each. They were not special leaders, just an inspection team from a brother city. Was such grandeur necessary? Moreover, there was an expenditure of 49,000 yuan. Breakfast should practically be negligible. Over three days, a total of six lunches and dinners would have been served. Even if we include the Xinli city officials, and exaggerate a bit and calcte it at four tables, there would have been twenty-four tables in total over three days. On average, each table cost two thousand yuan. With ten people at a table, the average cost per person per meal was two hundred yuan. This was ten times higher than the official hospitality standard set by Nie Zhenbang. Now, let¡¯s look at the expenses at the Millionaire Hotel. On the night the inspection team arrived, threerge boxes were opened in the KTV of the hotel. In that one night, the cost of drinks and room charges amounted to more than 36,000 yuan. It was even morevish the night before,with nearly 50,000 yuan spent. What did they eat? What did they drink? Nie Zhenbang was well aware of Zhu Lufeng¡¯s Millionaire Hotel. Although Zhu Lufeng was a businessman with a sense of social responsibility, there were hostesses in the Millionaire Hotel. A bottle of foreign wine, which would cost a few thousand yuan elsewhere, probably costs tens of thousands in the Millionaire Hotel. ording to this estimate, tonight¡¯s expenses would probably add tens of thousands to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s bill. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang picked up the phone and dialed Zhu Lufeng¡¯s cell phone. After two beeps, Zhu Lufeng¡¯s voice came across the line: ¡°Secretary Nie, hello. Does the leader have any instructions?¡± This confirmed Zhu Lufeng was not part of the system. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care about that and went on to say, ¡°Mr. Zhu, there¡¯s a matter I need to discuss with you. If Acting Mayor Zhou Chen of our Xinli Cityes to the Millionaire Hotel for consumption tonight, please ask them to pay in cash. l won¡¯t recognize tonight¡¯s consumption.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhu Lufeng stopped short. These few days, the Xinli city government had spentrge amounts continuously. Zhu Lufeng had noticed since the party officials in Xinli City had never been so generous before. Zhou Chen¡¯svish spending was bound to attract Zhu Lufeng¡¯s attention. At this moment, hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhu Lufeng responded with consternation, ¡°Secretary Nie, I¡¯m afraid it may be toote. This afternoon, Mayor Zhou called and booked three rooms. It wouldn¡¯t be right for me to refuse.¡± As expected, Nie Zhenbang hung up the phone. Yi Jun also walked in, with an embarrassed expression on his face, ¡°Secretary Nie, I just called Zhou Chen¡¯s secretary, Zhou Wang. He said that Zhou Chen is holding a seminar with the inspection team members at the Xinli Hotel and doesn¡¯t have time toe over. He also said, he also said¡­¡±. Looking at Yi Jun stumbling over his words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows twitched, his voice low, ¡°What else did he say, Xiaoyi? Why are you being so coy?¡±. Seeing Yi Jun¡¯s expression, Nie Zhenbang knew that there wouldn¡¯t be any good news from Zhou Chen¡¯s side. At this point, after being berated by Nie Zhenbang, Yi Jun blurted out, ¡°Zhou Wang said that Zhou Chen is busy and if Secretary Nie has anything to speak about, he can go to Xin Li Hotel to find him.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was furious. Zhou Chen¡¯s intention was clear¡ªhe was pulling rank. What is a secretary? They are the puppet and the mouthpiece of their leader. If Zhou Chen didn¡¯t instigate it, there was no way Zhou Wang would dare to say something like this on his own. The Secretary and the Mayor, on the surface, were of equal rank. However, the unwritten rule in Huaxia was that the Partymands everything. In terms of party posts, Nie Zhenbang was the Secretary, and Zhou Chen was the Deputy Secretary. It was natural for the Secretary to call the Deputy Secretary to his office to talk, but for the Secretary to seek out the Deputy Secretary, it would have been out of humility, being down-to-earth, and respectful. Generally speaking, what Zhou Chen did was almost unheard of within the system. After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said in a deep voice, ¡°Xiaoyi, prepare the car. We¡¯re going to Xin Li Hotel.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car drove directly into the courtyard of Xin Li Hotel. At this point, the security guard at the entrance had already greeted them and respectfully opened the car door, offering a standard salute. Zhou Chen, the General Manager of Xin Li Hotel and Chief of the Reception Office of Xinli City Municipal Committee, also learned this approach from Millionaire Hotel. Once implemented, the ssiness was immediately apparent, and the level was elevated. Nie Zhenbang marched straight into the hotel lobby, where Liu Zhifang had already arrived upon hearing the news. The moment Nie Zhenbang saw Liu Zhifang, he snapped angrily: ¡°Director Liu, what is going on? Don¡¯t you know the public reception regtions of the Municipal Committee and Government? There¡¯s a per person per meal limit of twenty yuan. Anything over this limit is to be rejected. What kind of Director are you to allow us to exceed the limit by tenfold?¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Zhifang was a bit frightened. In the past, Secretary Nie would always address him cheerily as Manager Liu. This tone indicated that Nie Zhenbang was furious. At that moment, Liu Zhifang felt quite wronged. As nothing more than a Reception Director, pleasant words would mark him as a popr figure of the Municipal Committee and Government, frequently meeting leaders and even higher-ranking authorities. However, he knew well his position. Everything was fine when the Committee was peaceful, but now he was sandwiched in a tricky situation, damned if he did and damned if he didn¡¯t. Nie Zhenbang snorted coldly and headed upstairs. Inside the conference room on the fourth floor of Xin Li Hotel, Zhou Chen was cheerfully introducing the economic situation of Xinli City: ¡°Our Xinli City, in the Economic and Technological Development Zone, focuses on high-tech industries. With a firm grounding in high technology, we provide support and attract high-value enterprises. We estimate that Xinli City will participate once again in the spring Canton Fair. Preliminary estimates show inflow of over 30 billion yuan and we have alreadyunched fifty investment attraction projects¡­¡± Unable to endure Zhou Chen¡¯s words any longer, Nie Zhenbang interrupted. Though it was confirmed that they would participate in this year¡¯s Canton Fair, the units and projects to be introduced this time were different fromst year. This year, Xinli City primarily aimed to attract businesses focused on deep processing and farming of agricultural products. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care about the specific inflow of funds, the key was that it must suit Xinli City¡¯s development. However, in Zhou Chen¡¯s mouth, it was high tech and high value. 30 billion. Was he sure it wasn¡¯t in yen? Introducing an experience like this could harm people, it would be disastrous if others actually followed Zhou Chen¡¯s introduction. Given the location environment of the Northwest Region, bringing in even 300,000 was doubtful, let alone 30 billion. Putting aside the issue of excessive reception expenses, out of responsibility to colleagues from other counties and cities, it was time for Nie Zhenbang to step in. Without considering too much, he pushed open the door of the conference room. At that moment, Zhou Chen was seated in the chief ce in the conference room. To one side were the inspection groups from other counties and cities, and to the other side were Deputy Director of the Development Zone Management Committee Gao Yuanshan, Director of the Construction Bureau Xiong Jianming, Director of the Health Bureau Huang Wenbiao. Middle-level cadres from the Development Zone, Construction Bureau, and Health Bureau were all seated by the side. Seeing Nie Zhenbange in, a smirk of satisfaction appeared on Zhou Chen¡¯s face: so Nie Zhenbang, who asked me to meet him, has unexpectedlye to me. Immediately, Zhou Chen also stood, adopting a victorious posture as he announced: ¡°Secretary Nie is here. Have a seat, hear how it¡¯s going?¡± Nie Zhenbang was thoroughly incensed. Looking at Zhou Chen, he growled, ¡°Comrade Zhou Chen, what other tricks are you ying? Do your inspection speeches and summaries really benefit ourrades from the other counties and cities?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone was bad, and his voice rang out louder. The meeting room fell silent. It was not umon for a Secretary and a Mayor to be at odds, but such a confrontation by Nie Zhenbang was a first. Without waiting for Zhou Chen to speak, Nie Zhenbang turned back to the others: ¡°My apologies,rades. The experience of our New Pear City Development Zone is very simple: we focus on our own resources and industries while fully considering local sustainable development ns. We don¡¯t indulge in empty pursuits or chase high technology or efficiency. We only choose the enterprise development that suits us. That¡¯s how our investment attraction effort can grow and strengthen. My apologies, tomorrow I will arrange for Yan, the Director of the Development Zone Management Committee, to personally introduce our Development Zone experience to you.¡± Having said that, Nie Zhenbang turned to face Zhou Chen, mming a stack of documents on the table with a bang, shouting, ¡°Zhou Chen, let¡¯s discuss the issue of reception expenses. ording to public reception standards and regtions in Lixian County fromst year, the limit was twenty yuan per person per meal. ording to your bill, we are at least ten times over the limit. Also, what¡¯s the story with the KTV box charges at the Millionaire Hotel?¡± Losing hisposure, Zhou Chen attempted tough it off, mumbling, ¡°Secretary Nie, what do you mean by this? As the mayor, don¡¯t I have this little power?¡± As soon as the words fell, Zhou Chen did not expect Nie Zhenbang to suddenly rush forward. Ni Zhenbang grabbed Zhou Chen¡¯s cor, and with a smack, pped Zhou Chen¡¯s face. Chapter 269 - 268: Return to Jingcheng_1 Chapter 269: Chapter 268: Return to Jingcheng_1 Trantor: 549690339 Secretary Nie hit someone? This was a rare urrence, everyone present was taken aback, representatives of the delegation from the brother cities and counties all stared in shock. The conflicts between city party secretary and mayor led to open confrontations, with the city party secretary pping the mayor in public. These events sounded like a tall tale. Beside them, Xiong Jianming and others all wore faces of delight. This was indeed a great opportunity. If Mayor Zhou ys his cards right and seizes onto Secretary Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tails, Secretary Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position might not be so stable anymore. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang waspletely confident. If Brother Three did not show his might, was he simply seen as a sick cat? Having hit him, what can you, Zhou Chen, possibly do to me? Nie Zhenbang was indeed confident in himself. Immediately after, Nie Zhenbang spoke in a righteous manner, ¡°Mayor? Power?¡± Repeating these two words, Nie Zhenbang sneered and continued, ¡°Zhou Chen, you have ignored the rules and regtions issued by the city partymittee and government, and tantly wasted public funds. What does that make you? What kind of mayor are you? Now, you are the deputy party secretary of Xinli City and the acting mayor of Xinli City People¡¯s Government. Your power? What power do you have? You are a public servant for the people. Don¡¯t forget that you were elected by the people. The power you hold has been granted to you by the people of Xinli City. It was their hope that you could lead all the people of Xinli City towards a better and richer life, not for you to waste public money on eating and drinking. I hit you for your own good, I want you to sober up and understand yourself.¡± ¡°Hmph! Reflect on yourself and think hard. This stack of bills, this time, will be paid by the city partymittee and government for you. However, I hope that there will not be a next time. If there really is, then you will pay for it yourself.¡± Nie Zhenbang snorted coldly and walked away. At this moment, the members of the delegation left one after another. Earlier, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s remarks had been very sincere. So far, the delegation members seemed to have detected something. To genuinely learn something, they still had to find Secretary Nie. As soon as the delegates left, the rest of the middle-ranking cadres also left one after another. Under the current circumstances, it was best to leave first. Otherwise, if the mayor were to lose his temper and vent his anger at them, wouldn¡¯t that bring about undeserved punishment? Thus, only Zhou Chen, Zhou Wang, Xiong Jianming, Gao Yuanshan and Huang Wenbiao were left in the room. These people had followed Zhou Chen since he was the deputy mayor of Bazhou City, and had pledged their allegiance to Zhou Chen along with Bayaer and Zhao Kunlun. After the incident with Bayaer, Nie Zhenbang had spared these men due to theirck of malicious intent. This time, when Zhou Chen was unexpectedly appointed Deputy Party Secretary and Mayor of Xinli City, these people were all excited as they now had a strong backing in Xinli City. Next, Huang Wenbiao said in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrogance, this cannot be tolerated. He publicly attacked someone. Based on this alone, the city partymittee can reprimand him. This way, he will lose his image as city party secretary. Perhaps if manipted properly, he may even lose the position of city party secretary.¡± Hearing Xiong Jianming¡¯s remarks, Zhou Chen rejected them without a second thought, and his expression darkened. He warned, ¡°Enough, I will handle this matter myself.¡± With that, Zhou Chen warned once again, ¡°Let this matter rest here. If I hear any rumors or hearsay, you better not me me for not being polite.¡± Zhou Chen was very clear about this. Since Nie Zhenbang dared to hit him, there must be implied meaning behind it. They were all members of Jingcheng¡¯s noble families, and Zhou Chen was very clear about the rules of the game in these circles. Could he use this opportunity to bring disgrace to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position? Obviously, this was simply impossible. In the end, he would be the one to suffer. It was not necessary at all. To regain his dignity right after this p was likely impossible. After watching everyone else leave, Zhou Chen sat down with a gloomy face. Five reddening fingerprints on his cheek, going outside would be a real embarrassment now. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words earlier reminded Zhou Chen that he was only an acting mayor at the moment, his position had not been confirmed yet, so he couldn¡¯t afford to be too ostentatious. Beside him, Zhou Wang suggested softly, ¡°Mayor, perhaps I could book a room for you close by. You should rest there for today. There¡¯s something I¡¯m unsure if I should say.¡± Zhou Chen was quite satisfied with his secretary Zhou Wang. He nodded and said, ¡°Speak your mind, whatever it is, just say it.¡± Zhou Wang immediately said, ¡°Mayor, I think the current gap between us and Secretary Nie lies in the respectmanded by Nie Zhenbang. If we could also bring in a fewrge projects, wouldn¡¯t the officials and the people of Xinli City look at us differently? Our own reputation would improve at that point. Would Nie Zhenbang still dare to be so arrogant then?¡± Listening to Zhou Wang¡¯s words, Zhou Chen also fell into deep thought. However, Zhou Chen did not express his stance at the moment and soon stood up, ¡°Xiao Zhou, go book a hotel room for me. Today has really been a bad day.¡± As for Nie Zhenbang, upon returning to his own office, he immediately began preparations. The materials rted to the autonomous region were ready. So, the next is all up to Nie Zhenbang. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang started packing up, preparing to head to Jingcheng. This is what¡¯s known as ¡°running to the ministry for funds¡±. In this era and possibly even in the future, making a trip to the ministry for support is something a local government must do. All high-level officials in the ministries often perceive themselves as superior. Regardless of whether you are a smaller, local official, or even a typical deputy ministerial official, without any background or connections in the central government, you may frequently be despised in Jingcheng. Inter years, there¡¯s an abundance of ¡°Beijing offices¡± established just because of the need for this ¡°running¡±. Once a local government needs to appeal to a ministry, these offices serve as bridges. Because not all local officials possess the same capabilities as Nie Zhenbang has, the ability to enter a ministry as if it¡¯s his own home. Nie Zhenbang was packing up his things in his office and put all the materials about the Kuli Airport in his briefcase. Meanwhile, outside, Lin Weimin, who was the deputy mayor of Xinli City and concurrently the director of the Finance Bureau, walked in. Seeing Nie Zhenbang getting ready, Lin Weimin smiled and said, ¡°Secretary, you called for me.¡± Upon seeing Lin Weimin, Nie Zhenbang nodded, and then sat down, ¡°Old Forest, sit down for the moment, wait for me to finish sorting out.¡± After putting several documents in the packet, Nie Zhenbang then said, ¡°Old Forest, this time I asked you here mainly for two issues. One, currently, you¡¯re the Deputy Mayor while also holding the role of the Director of the Finance Bureau. This going on too long might attract criticism. It might not look good for you either. I think it¡¯s time you find a suitable candidate for the position of the Director of the Finance Bureau.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Lin Weimin was somewhat moved. It¡¯s sofortable to work with Nie Zhenbang. Among those who work with Nie Zhenbang in Xinli City, let¡¯s not mention Yan Fengjiao. Her promotion was like a rocket, she was already at the level of a member of the Municipal Party Committee and Director of Propaganda. Chen Le was now a member of the Municipal Party Committee, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, and also the Director of the Public Security Bureau. While Wei Chenglin and Fan Zhenming¡¯s positions hadn¡¯t changed, their prospects were definitely promising. Leng Guohua was now the director of the managementmittee. He himself was promoted to Deputy Mayor. These were all benefits of following Nie Zhenbang. What¡¯s moremendable was that Nie Zhenbang even delegated some positions to people like him. This allowed them to gather their own trusted subordinates, which showed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s magnanimous style. Then, Lin Weimin nodded and respectfully said, ¡°Secretary, speaking of this, I was just about to rmend to you that the current Deputy Director of the Finance Bureau, Tai Jiantao, is not bad.¡± Just as he was about to introduce Tai Jiantao, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand and said, ¡°Hmm, you don¡¯t need to report the specifics. I trust you to handle this. Just arrange it. There is another issue. This time, for the matters concerning the Kuli Airport, I will be returning to Jingcheng for a while. During this period, you must strictly manage the city¡¯s financial expenditures. Zhou Chen has already caused such a big issue just within a few days of my trip to Urumqi. You should have stepped up from day one when such a situation was discovered. If you can¡¯t uphold justice andmon principles, then what¡¯s the point of being an official. This time, I don¡¯t have a fixed schedule for my visit, so when ites to the finances, you must stabilize it. If any issues arise, I¡¯ll hold you ountable.¡± Nie Zhenbang had been frightened by Zhou Chen¡¯s actions this time. Just a three-day trip to Urumqi had already cost Xinli City¡¯s finances tens of thousands. This time, he was going to Jingcheng, which couldst for a week, maybe even half a month. Wouldn¡¯t Zhou Chen turn the world upside down? Therefore, Nie Zhenbang specially called Lin Weimin over to give him a stern admonishment. In the end, Nie Zhenbang instructed, ¡°Old Forest, don¡¯t worry. If you really can¡¯t handle it, feel free to call me anytime. I will rush back as soon as possible. On ordinary days, if there¡¯s any issue, you can consult with Secretary Xie, Minister Yan, or Comrade Chen Le. I¡¯ve already mentioned this to them. As long as you work together, I believe there won¡¯t be any issue in Xinli.¡± Lin Weimin also nodded, ¡°Secretary, don¡¯t worry. I will ensure the city¡¯s finances are well managed and no simr situations will happen again. If any problem arises, you can take me down immediately.¡± After spending a night in Xinli City, Nie Zhenbang decided to have Yi Jun and Xiao Wang send him to Urumqi the next morning. The ne took off from Urumqi Airport at half-past four in the afternoon, flying straight to Jingcheng. As the ne was circling above Jingcheng,municating with Jingcheng City Airport Control Tower fornding restrictions, he looked down from the ne¡¯s window. Jingcheng¡¯s night view was bright, and the city was aze with lights. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had a sudden feeling of homesickness. The nended smoothly, and finally docked at the set connection port. Through this port, Nie Zhenbang directly stepped out of the airport. Outside, the beautiful figure of Li Lixue appeared in front of Nie Zhenbang at the first nce. Chapter 270 - 269: Dong Wan is Grounded_1 Chapter 270: Chapter 269: Dong Wan is Grounded_1 Trantor: 549690339 Upon seeing Li Lixue alone, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat puzzled and promptly greeted her with a strong hug. Smiling happily, he said, ¡°Lixue, why did youe alone?¡± At that moment, Li Lixue took the luggage from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hand and, with his arm linked in hers, walked towards her car. As soon they got in, Li Lixue turned to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, I need to tell you something. Please, don¡¯t overreact. Wan has been grounded by her grandfather.¡± Listening this news, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. Then, from his understanding, he realized that, as unexpected as it was, it made sense. The Dong family¡¯s reputation could not be thrown away recklessly. After all, he had run away, and now that the news was out that his grandfather intended to choose the Yang family, it was clearly unrealistic for old Dong to remain unperturbed. This control over Dong Wan seemed to be an indirect stand made by the Dong family. Their daughter was not unwanted, nor did she have to marry Nie Zhenbang. Seeing Nie Zhenbang lost in thought, Li Lixue said in a solemn voice, ¡°Zhenbang, sometimes, I think I¡¯m luckier than Wan. At least, I can still be with you.¡± Li Lixue¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang feel a bit heartbroken. The deeper meaning was clear: it was better being amon person, with no one in the family opposing even if she was an underground lover. At least, she wouldn¡¯t be like Dong Wan, stuck in an awkward and difficult situation. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression became awkward and he turned to look at Li Lixue, saying, ¡°Lixue, I¡¯m sorry! If¡­ if you are willing, I can¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang felt guilty. Whether it was Li Lixue, Dong Wan or Yang Anna, they were all exceptional women who loved deeply. At this moment, he regretted why after his rebirth, he unintentionally got involved with so many emotions. If only he could have been simpler. At this moment, Li Lixue¡¯s face changed slightly, but she shook her head and said, ¡°Zhenbang, once you have loved someone, it¡¯s hard to get over it. This life, whether it¡¯s me, Wan, or Anna, we probably can¡¯t live without you. I understand what you mean, but without you, would we really be happy? An identity, a certificate, to me, it doesn¡¯t matter. I don¡¯t care.¡± Back at their residence, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat depressed and gloomy. Going into the bathroom, he turned on the tap, filled the bathtub with water, and felt better after taking a rxing bath before he finally came out. In the room, the dim pink lighting was somewhat hazy. The warmth of the room made him feel a bit flushed, and on therge red bed, the silhouette was tantalizing, stirring some heat within him. Sitting on the side of the bed, Li Lixue turned her body to face him. Under the thin veil, the ckce lingerie ignited something in Nie Zhenbang. Their burning lips connected¡­ a night filled with spring-time passions brought sweetness and happiness, which also alleviated some of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s worries. Early the next morning, Nie Zhenbang woke up. At this time, Li Lixue, who was curled up in the quilt, opened her eyes groggily and was surprised to see Nie Zhenbang already dressed. She asked, ¡°Zhenbang, why are you up so early?¡± Nie Zhenbang looked at her with determination and said solemnly, ¡°Lixue, I¡¯ve been thinking. Running away is not the solution. Today, I¡¯m going to the Dong family to clear things up. Wan¡¯s car is still here, right? Where did you put the keys?¡± After taking the key from the drawer, Nie Zhenbang gently pecked her forehead and said softly, ¡°Lixue, have a good rest today. I¡¯m going to the Dong¡¯s now.¡± He took the elevator straight down to the garage. In there, another of Dong Wan¡¯s sturdy Land Rovers was parked in the private underground parking lot. Unlike Li Lixue who enjoyed driving sports cars, Dong Wan preferred SUVs. The car roared out of the garage, heading east in the direction of the Dong estate. The various special permits of Dong Wan¡¯s car allowed Nie Zhenbang to park directly outside the Dong mansion without any obstacles. Seeing the car, the old man of the Dong family, who was practicing Tai Chi in the courtyard, looked puzzled. However, when he saw Nie Zhenbang get out of the car, his beard bristled with anger. On seeing Nie Zhenbang, old Dong was fuming. The daughters of old Dong¡¯s family were dearly cherished, how dare he insult them by making them his mistress! Immediately, the old man snorted coldly, stopped his Tai Chi exercise, and strode angrily back into the mansion. Don¡¯t be fooled by these elders¡¯ high-ranking positions at work. In daily life, they too can be somewhat temperamental. Especially after stepping down from their responsibilities, they tend to let their guard down, and their true colors show even more. At that moment, many people at the Dong¡¯s had already been awakened. As Nie Zhenbang was approaching the door, several young men rushed out, standing by the iron gate. They looked at Nie Zhenbang, with the leader among them saying, ¡°You are Nie Zhenbang, huh? Boy, you got guts. We didn¡¯t look for you, but you take the initiative to show up here. If it weren¡¯t for my sister¡¯s intervention, I¡¯d already be out in Xibei cutting you down.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to bber about with this kid? Just beat him up. He¡¯s got guts,ing into our home to make trouble. He even thinks the Nie family is the best in the world. I want to see what you can do to me after I cut you down,¡± another man angrily added. Nie Zhenbang could understand the indignation of Dong Wan¡¯s brothers, because he himself has a sister. If Nie Ziyu was mistreated by others, he would be the first to object. Putting himself in the Dong brothers¡¯ shoes, he thought they were actually being quite reasonable. Regarding the crowd, Nie Zhenbang calmly responded, ¡°Brothers, today, I didn¡¯te to show off or argue. I came to see Wan and your respected father. Can you let me in to speak?¡± Just as the Dong brothers were about to respond, Dong Wan appeared at the door, ¡°Brothers, stop arguing. Grandfather said to let him in.¡± Under the watchful eyes of the Dong brothers, Nie Zhenbang entered with a calm demeanor. He nced at Dong Wan who was standing by the parlor, looking a bit haggard and significantly thinner. As he passed by Dong Wan, Nie Zhenbang lingered for a second, whispering, ¡°Wan, you¡¯ve lost weight.¡± This simple statement seemed to make Dong Wan shudder a little, as if all her perseverance was suddenly validated. As he entered the parlor, the father of the Dong¡¯s looked very stern and serious. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he addressed him directly, ¡°What are you here for? Isn¡¯t it enough trouble that you¡¯ve caused for my Wan? Do you think that just because I am old, you can bully us however you wish? Wan has too many brothers. You can¡¯t just do as you please.¡± The father¡¯s words disregarded the social standing and backgrounds of both families. This made Nie Zhenbang feel slightly relieved, as it was a positive sign. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang spoke humbly, ¡°Dong¡¯s father, I understand that I have displeased you and the Yang¡¯s over this marriage issue. Even my own grandfather was dissatisfied. Here, I would like to apologize. I ask for your forgiveness.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s apology, the Dong¡¯s father¡¯s expression softened a bit. For the past few weeks, he had been deeply worried about Wan¡¯s state. But his stubbornness and obstinacy had been supporting him. Now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s presence allowed him an opportunity to make amends with Nie. Although his attitude was softened, it did not mean that he would allow Nie Zhenbang and Dong Wan to ambiguous about their rtionship. So, the Dong¡¯s father paused and cautiously added, ¡°Originally, I would have discussed this with your grandfather. However, since you came today and you seem to be rational, I¡¯ll justy it out for you. You have to choose between Dong Wan and the youngdy of the Yang family. There¡¯s no perfect solution to this. You can¡¯t have the best of both worlds. Don¡¯t even fantasize about it.¡± After a moment, the Dong¡¯s father continued, ¡°If you¡¯re willing to be a wealthy man or something, maybe there¡¯s some wiggle room. But if you want to seed within the system, then you must make a choice.¡± The Dong¡¯s father made it clear that, having multiple rtionships amongst the descendants of the noble families in Jingcheng, wasn¡¯t anything new. However, the issue was that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s choice was somewhat shocking and unconventional. But, if the children didn¡¯t mind and stayed persistent, Nie Zhenbang could consider dual citizenship if he was outside the system. However, if he intended to stay within the system, then this was totally uneptable. After contemting for a bit, Nie Zhenbang met Dong¡¯s father¡¯s gaze, responding solemnly, ¡°Dong¡¯s father, I chose not to make a choice this time because I didn¡¯t want to hurt Wan or An Na. I didn¡¯t want to hurt either of them. Therefore, I would rather they made the choice. I respect their decision. Before I knew the final oue, I took the risk of infuriating my grandfather and ran from the wedding.¡± They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, and no one can hide what they really feel. The Dong¡¯s father has seen many personalities throughout his life. Seeing Nie Zhenbang now, he felt a wave of ease. After a long silence, he sighed, looked at Dong Wan nearby, and quietly said, ¡°Girl, you¡¯ve grown up. I can¡¯t control you anymore. Seeing you suffering these days made me feel distressed. Whatever, you can go and discuss this with An Na. I¡¯m not going to intervene in this anymore.¡± PS: The fifth update, 15,000 words have been released. Brothers and sisters, only one day of extra support at the beginning of the month, only 13 monthly tickets today, Old Cai¡¯s heart has gone to rock bottom, so broken hearted, without a drive and go straight to bed. Chapter 271 - 270 – Taking on Elder Yang Head On_1 Chapter 271: Chapter 270 ¨C Taking on Elder Yang Head On_1 Trantor: 549690339 Upon hearing Elder Dong¡¯s words, a great weight lifted from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expressions. To be honest, even with a background like Nie Zhenbang¡¯s, and being the adopted grandchild of Elder Nan, it was still extremely stressful in front of people like Elder Dong. Nowadays, Elder Dong has given a verdict on the issue, clearly lightening Nie Zhenbang¡¯s load. Dong Wan at the side seemed very excited, her eyes sparkling. Her sense of relief was even more intense than Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. The old man¡¯s words moved Dong Wan greatly. Subsequently, Dong Wan murmured softly: ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry!¡± In this apology, there was immense heartache, expressing Dong Wan¡¯s frustration and guilt towards the Dong family. The old man looked somewhat worn out, waving his hand and saying, ¡°Alright, stop acting like a child. I¡¯m tired, I need to rest.¡± That was essentially him asking them to leave. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stood up, nodded and nced towards Dong Wan. Then he spoke, ¡°Wan, stay here with Elder Dong. I¡¯m leaving now.¡± After leaving the Dong family home, Nie Zhenbang got into his car. He had just started to drive out of West Hill, had just appeared on the highway when a Rolls-Royce parked by the road came into view. Its double yellow warning lights were shing. Yang An Bang alighted from the car. Having seen Yang Anbang, Nie Zhenbang slowed his car down and parked it beside the Rolls-Royce. He didn¡¯t care if they were upying the road. It was a private road anyways, very few civilian cars take this route, so he wasn¡¯t worried about causing a traffic jam. He slowly rolled down the windows. Seeing Yang Anbang¡¯s solemn expression, Nie Zhenbang knew something serious had urred. He then asked, ¡°Anbang, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Nie Zhenbang was well aware of Yang Anbang¡¯s ventures. With the Wal-Mart Group bing so significant presently, only a fool would be here this early. Quite evidently, Yang Anbang had deliberately waited here. It was definitely rted to his visit to the Dong family. Just as he had expected, Yang Anbang¡¯s expression wasplicated. He looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Anbeng, don¡¯t me your elder brother for not warning you. My old man blew his top today. He asked me to intercept you here. Come to our home with me once. Prepare yourself, the old man is quite angry this time.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and then asked, ¡°Are you going back? If you¡¯re not going, I will leave.¡± Starting his car, Nie Zhenbang led the way, after they passed the checkpoint at the outskirts of West Hill, he turned his car towards the Yang family home. The reason was clear. His return wasn¡¯t a secret as he had taken the public route. Anyone who wished to track him probably already knew. His itinerary, too, was not a secret. The first ce he visited in Jingcheng was Dong¡¯s home. This inevitably infuriated the Yang family, especially the old man from the Yang family. Regardless, the Yang family¡¯s reputation had suffered a heavy blow from this escape. Initially, the Nies had preferred the Yangs. When Nie Zhenbang fled from his wedding, it was a direct blow to the Yang family¡¯s dignity. And the first thing he does after his return is to visit the Dong family. No matter the purpose, it infuriated the Yangs once again, after all, even the most patient people have their limits, let alone Elder Yang. When Nie Zhenbang arrived at the Yang household, the scene was as if they were preparing for battle. Elder Yang took the main seat in the living room. Beside Elder Yang was Grandma Yang, and next to her was Yang Shengli. At the back stood Yang Anguo, Yang Anbang, Yang Anjun in a row. Of them all, Anna was nowhere in sight. The positions were clear. Elder Yang and Grandma Yang were Nana¡¯s grandparents, Yang Shengli, the birth father. Behind them stood her three brothers. They were the closest to Nana. Like a three-course gavel, the moment Nie Zhenbang walked into the living room, he immediately felt the gaze of everyone present on him. Standing in the living room, Nie Zhenbang did not sit down. He bowed and greeted, ¡°Good day, Grandpa Yang, Grandma Yang, Uncle Shengli.¡± Elder Yang snorted coldly, clearly dissatisfied. Beside him, Grandma Yang was the first to speak, ¡°Zhenbang, what¡¯s going on? You tell me, this child of ours, our Nana was so adamant about marrying you. But you, first you flee the wedding and now you¡¯ve shown up at the Dong family¡¯s doorstep. This has really upset Nana.¡± Yang Anguo¡¯s attitude at the moment was not very pleasant either. In the political arena, to some extent, Nie Zhenbang was also a rival. A marriage alliance would not do him good either. Among the children of the noble families, those who entered the system and were somewhat capable, all aimed for the top. Yang Anguo was no exception. At this moment, he snorted coldly, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, what you¡¯re doing is quite unkind and dull. Are you perhaps taking us, the Yang family, for easy prey?¡± First, the olddy spoke out, and then Yang Anguo expressed his stance. It seemed that the Yang family hade prepared. These words must have been instructed by Elder Yang. After all, when said by Yang Anguo, it had a totally different meaning than when spoken by Elder Yang. If Elder Yang said it, it would appear as if the Yang family was oppressing Nie Zhenbang, giving off the impression that they were forcing Nie Zhenbang to marry Yang Anna. But now, spoken from Yang Anguo¡¯s mouth, it portrayed him as a caring older brother. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed upon hearing this, then looked at Elder Yang and said, ¡°Grandpa Yang, my choice does not bear any meaning of disrespect towards the Yang family. On the matter of marriage, my stance is to let Dong Wan and Anna choose. Regardless of the oue, I will not partake in making the choice. Even if it costs me my political future, I still hold this stance. Because between Dong Wan and Anna, I do not want to harm either of them. This is my answer.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Grandpa Yang abruptly stood up,shing out angrily, ¡°You say you don¡¯t want to harm either of them, but have you ever thought that your current actions are harming our Anna? Giving up your political future, Nie Zhenbang, you are truly a hopeless romantic. It¡¯s ridiculous and absurd.¡± ¡°If your capabilities remain as they are now, I truly cannot trust you with Anna. Based on your current behavior, I don¡¯t know how much suffering Anna would endure in the future if she follows you.¡± Grandpa Yang looked like he was ready to send him away. Nie Zhenbang was slightly taken aback by Elder Yang¡¯s words. They were profound and hit a nerve, echoing a love for beauty over power. This kind of thinking was indeed a big taboo in official circles, but Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care. In his previous life, he had endured hardship, and he didn¡¯t want to repeat the same mistakes. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s understanding of power was not inferior to anyone else¡¯s. The history of being abused by others in hisst life was not something Nie Zhenbang was willing to recall. If his own marriage was to be oppressed, hurting another woman, even if he got past it, it would affect his mentality. Consequently, Nie Zhenbang insisted, ¡°Grandpa Yang, no matter what you say, I will not make a choice. Even if this means I will stay at my current level forever, even if I get expelled from the party and removed from public office, my stance remains unchanged. Let me choose, I can¡¯t do it. Call me a hopeless romantic or indecisive, my attitude remains the same. Between Dong Wan and Anna, I will not choose one over the other. I respect their choices.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stubborn words and his defiant look, Yang Anbang was also stunned. The third child¡¯s courage was too great, he didn¡¯t even flinch at standing up to grandfather. Yang Shengli was also taken aback. The man his daughter valued was not just stubborn, he was extremely so. Grandpa Yang seemed to Have stood up abruptly again, pointing towards the door, he roared angrily, ¡°Get out! Get out right now! In respect of Old Nie, I will not make it difficult for you. Just disappear from here. Get back to the Northwest!¡± Nie Zhenbang seemed to ignore Grandpa Yang¡¯s words, as if they were not directed at him. He bowed deeply and said, ¡°Grandpa Yang, Grandma Yang, Uncle Shengli, brothers, I apologize for causing trouble. I will take my leave.¡± By the time Nie Zhenbang had left, Yang Anna had unknowingly appeared in the living room. Her eyes filled with tears, she whispered, ¡°I think Zhenbang is right. Regardless if he chooses me or Wan, we will both be thoroughly heartbroken. Especially Wan, who has given herself to him. Grandpa, I think what Zhenbang is doing is right.¡± Yang Shengli was a little puzzled and asked Elder Yang, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s going on today? What are you ying at?¡± The character of Elder Yang was very transparent to his own son. Despite his dislike for someone, at most he would just ignore them, never losing hisposure like today. Listening to Yang Shengli, Grandpa Yang nodded his head with satisfaction, praising, ¡°Shengli, you see through this point, very good. Among the second generation of the Yang family, in my view, only you are qualified to enter the Political Bureau.¡± Grandpa Yangughed and said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, this kid¡¯s bravery truly surprised me. With Old Nie still being angry, it is uncertain whether he can help him, yet he dared to provoke me. This indirectly proves the boy¡¯s deep affection for Miss Dong and our Anna. So be it, I don¡¯t care who it is anymore, I¡¯ll let Anna and that Dong Wan girl choose for themselves. I¡¯ve said it before, Anna¡¯s marriage is her choice. I will keep my word. You guys shouldn¡¯t intervene in this matter anymore. Let them decide everything.¡± Then, Grandpa Yang turned to Yang Anbang and said, ¡°An Bang, you and Nie Zhenbang are on good terms. The fact that he came back abruptly must not be solely for this reason. If you can help, then give him a hand. Also, about your marriage with that girl from Xiao family, it should also be put on the agenda. Don¡¯t think I will let you off just because you are not in the system.¡± Chapter 272 - 271: Be Mentally Prepared_1 Chapter 272: Chapter 271: Be Mentally Prepared_1 Trantor: 549690339 ¡°After leaving the Yang family, Nie Zhenbang started the car and hit the road once again. Returning to Beijing this time, Nie Zhenbang initially nned not to visit any family but to head straight back to Xibei after dealing with his business. However, the mishap at Dong Wan¡¯s house prompted him to visit the Dongs first and then the Yangs. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang decided to go home as well. He owned an exnation to his grandfather concerning his elopement. The car came to a full stop at the entrance of his home. After knocking on the door, a security guard opened it. Seeing that it was Nie Zhenbang, the guard saluted him. With a smile, Nie Zhenbang asked, ¡°Is my grandfather around, Brother Wang?¡± These people werew enforcement officers and servicemen assigned to his father. Despite their seemingly ordinary appearance, they were impressively skillful. Nie Zhenbang could feel the strength of others. In return, others were also aware of Zhenbang¡¯s might. They had respect for men of strength. The guard, Brother Wang, replied smilingly, ¡°Young Master is back. The Chief should be resting now. Please go inside.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and entered the yard. After his elder brother got married, he moved out. Zhenbang¡¯s father was in Yanbei, and his uncle also had a house at the army districtpound. Their aunts had all married and left, returning only once in a while. Hence, the Nie¡¯s courtyard seemed rather quiet and empty. As soon as Nie Zhenbang sat down in the living room, his grandfather came walking out from inside. Wearing a gray woolen shawl on his shoulders, the elderly gentleman looked a little frail. Nie Zhenbang promptly stood up in respect, ¡°Grandfather!¡± Waving his hand, Elder Nie looked at Zhenbang with a smiling reproach, ¡°So you know toe back? What happened? Can¡¯t hide anymore? You¡¯re a grown man who can¡¯t even face these issues. What¡¯s the use?¡± Looking at Nie Zhenbang, the old man continued, ¡°But your performance today wasmendable. Earning forgiveness from the Dong and Yang families will y an irreceable role in your future.¡± Upon hearing these words from his grandfather, Nie Zhenbang felt a warmth in his heart. With things that happened in the morning already reaching his grandfather¡¯s ears in such a short time, it was clear that he always kept an eye on him. Soon, Nie Zhenbang felt a bit awkward. He was known for his stubbornness and his obstinacy only increased when confronted. But his defenses would soften in a less aggressive environment, causing him to feel more self-conscious. Looking at his grandfather, Nie Zhenbang muttered quietly, ¡°Grandfather, I¡¯m sorry. This incident must have put our family in an awkward situation.¡± At this moment, Elder Nie slightly nodded his head. Although he had already forgiven Zhenbang in his heart, he made a point not to show it explicitly. He noticed that Zhenbang had started making decisions on his own. The traces of his folk influences were quite apparent in the way he thought and acted ¨C something Elder Nie found quite reasonable. Despite his grandfather being a capable and remarkable man, he had not got around to educating Zhenbang for long. Given this, Zhenbang¡¯s performance wasmendable. If another family member who was nurtured from a young age, like Jialei or Jiamin from the Nie family, were to face this situation, they would neither make such a decision nor have the courage to do so. Reflecting on this, Elder Nie voiced in a grave tone, ¡°Zhenbang, thinking about how far you¡¯vee, I considered some options for you. There are two paths you can take. The first one is to continue devoting yourself to Xibei and New Li City, though this option might require a bit longer time-wise. You¡¯re currently 24 years old. If the current trend of the government system persists, where ranks are shuffled after four years, you will have to stay in New Li City for four more years. The other path entails that I arrange for you to return to the Ministry for some toughening up, after which you can be repositioned.¡± Hearing his grandfather¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang fell into deep thought. His grandfather¡¯s attitude seemed unusually off that day. Nie Zhenbang contemted his grandfather¡¯s words. As it stood now, at the age of 24, he was an incredibly young deputy-level party and government leader. He had achieved this feat at such a young age, and it was unlikely for anyone to break this record. Internally, there were ns for provisions regting appointments of party and government leaders. Once officially implemented next year, advancing three ranks in a single year would be impossible. This achievement, being the youngest leader on record, seemed likely tost for a long time. Now, Nie Zhenbang has almost exhausted his aplishments in New Li City; further umtion won¡¯t guarantee his promotion. If he returns to the ministry, he would still be able to ascend the ranks in a few years. The oue at this moment would be the same regardless. However, the elder¡¯s goals are obviously not as such. But what exactly they are, Nie Zhenbang can¡¯t figure out. The elder¡¯s eyes are as deep as the ocean, revealing no trace of his intentions. Nie Zhenbang pondered for a while and began weighing his options. After some time, he decided to follow his instincts. Looking up at the elder, Nie Zhenbang calmly answered, ¡°I choose to stay in the Xibei.¡± Upon uttering these words, Nie Zhenbang felt liberating. He hadn¡¯t beenfortable during his ministry days. In contrast, he thrived in New Li City. This was a stark difference. Seeing the local residents of New Li City advancing towards a better life filled with hope, Nie Zhenbang felt a sense of fulfillment. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughts were clear, and his words were articte. He confirmed again, ¡°Grandfather, I have decided to stay in the Xibei and settle in New Li City. My aim is to make New Li City a model for the entire Xibei, or even the whole country. Not just economically, but also in terms of politics, social welfare, healthcare, education reform, and so on. I hope to have your support.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, a glint of satisfaction shed across the elder¡¯s face. After a moment of contemtion, he nodded and said, ¡°Good, with such ambition, I naturally support you. We, who rebelled and overthrew Jiang Guangtou, crave a prosperous country and a wealthy popce. In our lifetime, we have experienced war, struggle, and even the construction and economic development of our nation. We¡¯ve taken many detours and made many mistakes. Now, under the wise and brave leadership of the older generation and the outstanding abilities of President Yuan and Prime Minister Yun, our generation can no longer achieve the goal of a wealthy nation and a strong popce. It will be up to your generation.¡± He paused for a moment, his tone filled with admiration, ¡°Zhenbang, your choice pleases and satisfies me greatly. A true party member should be grounded at the grassroots level and not concern himself with personal gains or losses. A simple vige could produce a Deputy Premier. Your Deputy Prefecture-level city governs over 300,000 people and spans tens of thousands of square kilometers. I believe that this grounding is only temporary. Your current hibernation is meant for a broader and longer future path. This attitude ismendable.¡± The elder¡¯s words left Nie Zhenbang quite shaken. Today, the elder seemed out of character. Usually, he would never interfere in his descendants¡¯ work. The elder, or rather the Nie family, believed in aissez-faire management approach. This was vastly different from the Zhou family¡¯s nurturing strategy. The elder often had a hands-off attitude. But if someone at the local level threatened the core interests of his descendants¡¯ development path, he would step in. Today, however, the elder¡¯s unexpected talk left Nie Zhenbang surprised. What was the elder implying? Was it a final instruction or something else? Immediately after, Nie Zhenbang whispered, ¡°Grandfather, I understand. I will work hard. With you here, I believe I will seed.¡± At this moment, the elder waved his hand and replied calmly: ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯m getting old. I probably won¡¯t be able to see your sess. However, since you¡¯re prepared to nt your roots long-term in New Li City, just do it well. The saying, ¡®Heaven helps those who help themselves,¡¯ is not without reason.¡± After a pause, the elder returned to the topic of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s marriage. But this time, the elder was somewhat serious. In a solemn voice, he said, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss my health. I am well aware that it¡¯s deteriorating day by day. I don¡¯t know how much longer I can protect and guide you. Originally, I had high hopes for Old Yang. After all, his ties with the old leaders are deeper, and his rtionship with President Yuan is good. With him on your side, your future political career could have been smoother. But since you¡¯ve made this choice, I have nothing to say.¡± As he spoke, Elder Nie nced at Nie Zhenbang and said unexpectedly: ¡°Zhenbang, considering your character, and the rtionship between Dong Wan and Anna, I guess you wouldn¡¯t give up either of them. Plus the mysterious woman you ced in the Dynasty Club. At the provincial or deputy national level, there shouldn¡¯t be any major issues. But if your goal is that position, this will be an obstacle for you. From now on, you need to be mentally prepared for this.¡± Elder Nie used the phrase ¡®be mentally prepared¡¯ twice, which left Nie Zhenbang feeling rather unsettled. It sounded like the elder was giving him instructions for his deathbed. Nie Zhenbang nodded, stood up, and said, ¡°Grandfather, I understand. You rest for a while. I¡¯ll go out and buy some groceries. Tonight, I¡¯ll personally cook dinner and have a drink with you.¡± Under the supervision of the health care doctor, the elder didn¡¯t drink. They had a casual dinner. The elder¡¯s spirits seemed lower than before. After watching the daily news at seven o¡¯clock and catching up with politics, he retired to his room to rest. At this point, the health care doctor also apanied the elder to his room. After a while, he came out and looked at Nie Zhenbang. Surprisingly, he sat down and said, ¡°Third young master, since the eldest young master got married, the leader¡¯s spirits haven¡¯t been as high as before. People age. All functions of the body are starting to degenerate overall. You should prepare yourself mentally.¡± PS: I¡¯m sorry, the update iste. Today the senior leader inspected. The moment he arrived, he reprimanded us and we had a banquet at noon. We had a meeting in the afternoon. The day was lost without writing a word. The second update is here. Before twelve tonight, there should be one more. Chapter 273 - 272 The Ministry is Very Powerful_1 Chapter 273: Chapter 272 The Ministry is Very Powerful_1 Trantor: 549690339 The words of the health doctor, however, shocked Nie Zhenbang. As the dedicated health physician for the old patriarch, he held sole responsibility for the patriarch¡¯s health, and there was no question of divided loyalty. And, fundamentally, every health doctor needed to bemitted for life. Moreover, whether he could ever serve as a health doctor again remained to be seen. Given that even Doctor Lin said that the old patriarch¡¯s health was probably not so good, Nie Zhenbang also asked, ¡°Uncle Lin, can you tell me the truth, how much longer can the old patriarch endure?¡± Predicting life and death was something that doctors were least willing to do, let alone when the person in question was of such special status. The patriarch¡¯s importance to the Nie family and the Nie n required no exnation. He was a guiding figure. Predicting the patriarch¡¯s prospects was even more difficult. Doctor Lin slightly shook his head and forced a bitter smile, ¡°Third Master, I am just an ordinary doctor, don¡¯t trouble me with such matters. In any case, you should be prepared for the worst in the next one or two years.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. He understood Doctor Lin. If it was within one or two years, it meant that at least for the next two years, there would be no major problems with the old patriarch. Two years were more than enough for him toplete his entire n. The next morning, without exchanging any words throughout the night, Nie Zhenbang took his documents to the State nning Commission. At this time, themission had not changed its name to the State Reform and nning Commission, nor had it be the well-known Development and Reform Commission ofter generations. However, at this time, a project for building branch airports had to first obtain approval from the State nning Commission. Nie Zhenbang was no stranger to the State nning Commission. His father, Nie Guowei, had retired from here in his previous life. This was also where Nie Zhenbang was starting this time. To Nie Zhenbang, entering the State nning Commission Office Building was like walking into his own home. There were absolutely no obstacles to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n from themission¡¯s side. They agreed with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approval documents without any hesitation. Walking out of the State nning Commission Office Building, Nie Zhenbang felt refreshed. Up next, as long as he could pass the review of the Civil Aviation Administration of China and obtain approval, he would submit the entire report to the State Council for final approval, and then everything would be settled. The Civil Aviation Administration of China was a deputy bureau-level unit subordinate to the Ministry of Transport in Huaxia. It was located on the outskirts of Dongcheng in Jingcheng. This was the office location of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. A brand new twenty-story building with its roof designed in the shape of a soaring eagle represented the identity of the Civil Aviation Administration of China. When Nie Zhenbang arrived here, his car was filled with special passage permits, which allowed Nie Zhenbang to park directly under the office building of the Civil Aviation Administration. With his documents in hand, Nie Zhenbang walked into the office building and went straight to the floor indicator desk next to the lobby, where he saw the sign of the Airport Construction nning Division. Not just any local government in the country could decide to build a branch airport if they had the money. Air traffic was not like ground traffic. If the road here was congested, you could build your own road, do your route design and nning, and get to work as long as you had the funds. Air traffic, on the other hand, was relevant to national airspace security. If there was no unified management and coordination, it would be chaotic in the sky, and countless nes could collide. Once such incidents happened, it would not mere few lives lost. Moreover, the construction of branch airports was integrated into the national civil aviation system. Matters such as which flights to offer, how many airlines to settle in, all these needed unified nning and coordination. He took the elevator directly to the sixth floor. Here, is where the Airport Construction nning Division¡¯s office was located. As he walked down from room to room and saw a particr office in front of him, Nie Zhenbang murmured, ¡®This is the ce.¡¯ He then walked up, knocked on the door, upon which a voice from inside the office said, ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang entered, a man around thirty was sitting at his office desk. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, the man furrowed his eyebrows and immediately asked, ¡°May I help you with something?¡± Nie Zhenbang, however, was being extremely low-key at this moment. In the Civil Aviation Administration, he didn¡¯t have many acquaintances. If he needed help, given the poprity of the Dynasty Club, Zhenbang would just have to call out in the club¡¯s main hall and there would surely be several people with connections to the Civil Aviation Administration who would step forward. Yet, as the saying goes, money debts are easy to repay, but debts of favor are harder. Nie Zhenbang did not want to owe too many favors for this matter. Especially since everyone involved was part of the Jingcheng scene, who knew what kind of hefty price he might have to pay in the future. Hence, he hade here discreetly, alone. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, having already secured approval from Xibei Civil Aviation Administration and the State Reform and nning Commission, this was just a routine matter. Naturally, he believed that if he could handle matters by himself, there was no need to owe anyone any favors, which was why he hade alone. Listening to the man¡¯s questions, Nie Zhenbang also showed a smile, entered the office, promptly took out a soft pack of Huaxia cigarettes, handed one pack to the man, and said with a smile, ¡°Comrade, let me introduce myself. I came from the Xibei Autonomous Region. This time, considering the inconvenient transportation in our city, we want to build a branch airport following our report to and approval from the Autonomous Region. Here is the approval document from our Autonomous Region¡¯s nning Commission and Xibei Civil Aviation Administration¡­¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could finish speaking, the man seemed to be a tad impatient. ¡°Comrade, you must be from your city¡¯s Beijing office, aren¡¯t you? The leaders of your city, they¡­ Who does things like this? Such a big matter, and they send an ordinary staffer, with this attitude ¨C I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not going to go well. This is what you should do: run to the State Reform and nning Commission first. For this matter, it¡¯s not only about our agreement, the nationalmittee needs to approve it as well. As soon as you get their approval, you cane back to us.¡± The man¡¯s expression then revealed a hint of contempt as he sneered quietly: ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such an arrogant prefecture-level city before. For such a major matter as building a branch airport, they simply send an ordinary staff member from their Beijing office. Heh, and they¡¯re hoping to get approval from the State Reform and nning Commission. They better wait for two years.¡± It was no surprise that Nie Zhenbang, who was only 24, even though he came off mature and venerable, could be mistaken for a regr staffer due to his age. It waspletely understandable. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t take it to heart. Being judged based on appearance wasn¡¯t anything new to him. Although the man¡¯s manner of speaking was rather blunt and not quite pleasant, it was, after all, eptable to him. Then, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°Comrade, we¡¯ve already received the approval letter from the State Reform and nning Commission. Please take a look at it. Now, all that¡¯s left is the approval document from the Civil Aviation Administration.¡± Despite Nie Zhenbang¡¯s courteous tone, the man found his words abhorrent. What on earth did he mean? The man had just stated that it would take at least two years for them to get approval from the State Reform and nning Commission, yet here they were, presenting an approval letter in a blink of an eye, leaving the man little room to save his face. The man¡¯s face darkened at the sight of the various approval documents on the table. He immediately pushed back the pack of Huaxia cigarettes and said with apparent sarcasm, ¡°Oh, who would¡¯ve thought? Comrade, you¡¯re ratherpetent, aren¡¯t you? Times are tough in Xibei. These top-quality cigarettes, I won¡¯t take them. You can take them back. Register here and leave these documents. After reviewing them, we¡¯ll report to the partymittee of our bureau. Come back in one week and then you can ask about the oue.¡± Having heard the man¡¯s words and sensed his attitude, Nie Zhenbang frowned. He knew well enough that within this bureaucratic system, such words and tones often served as flippant dismissals. He had never really believed in words like ¡®we¡¯ll review¡¯, ¡®we¡¯ll study¡¯, or ¡®ask for the newster¡¯. They¡¯d already received explicit approvals. Moreover, the project document for the Kuli Airport clearly detailed the airport¡¯s condition. If they were genuinely reviewing it, it would only take a few minutes. Was there a need to do an on-site inspection for ¡®research¡¯? If they were doing an inspection, so be it. Nie Zhenbang would ept that. He didn¡¯t mind if everything was conducted as per the usual procedures. However, judging from the man¡¯s tone, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have to guess what the official response would be when he checked back in seven days. It¡¯d probably be the same old line, ¡®we are still studying it.¡¯ The problem was, there was nothing they could do about it. With such thoughts, Nie Zhenbang held back his annoyance and said with a smile, ¡°Comrade, could you make an exception for us? Look, I¡¯vee from Xibei, a long way from here. Going back and forth, it¡¯s not easy you know. Can you amodate us? Maybe we could handle this as an exceptional case. Comrade, what¡¯s your surname? How about tonight we go to the Capital Restaurant together for a meal?¡± Just as he had finished speaking, someone outside rang out in a screeching voice: ¡°Oh, Old Hu, another dinner invite? The Capital Restaurant, not bad. However, nowadays Old Hu doesn¡¯t go to the Capital Restaurant. He might reluctantly go to the Great Tang or the Dynasty Club.¡± Looking in the direction of the voice, a man in his thirties or forties walked in from outside. After ncing at Nie Zhenbang, he addressed the man in front of the desk, ¡°Old Hu, processing approval for an airport project? Does the leader of their areack manners, by sending just a small-time staffer? They obviously don¡¯t take us seriously.¡± Continuing on, the man said, ¡°Comrade, let me introduce you. This is our Director Hu of the nning Department. It¡¯s entirely up to him whether your local airport gets approval. I advise you to return first and have your leadere personally.¡± (To Be Continued¡­ If you like this novel, please go to to vote and support it. Your encouragement is my biggest motivation.) Chapter 274 - 273: Nie Zhenbang’s Layout_1 Chapter 274: Chapter 273: Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Layout_1 Trantor: 549690339 Hearing the man¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also furrowed his brow. It was said that the people at the Ministry¡¯s office were aggressive. This time, Nie Zhenbang truly witnessed it. However, Nie Zhenbang was clear that concerning the airport approval, unless special procedures were followed, ording to the normal procedure, it would take about a week to half a month, which is a normal period. As for the two people in front of him, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t particrly care. The reason being, they were of too low a stature. If he were to show his identity and background, they wouldn¡¯t dare behave arrogantly, considering it amendable disy of tolerance. For Nie Zhenbang, unting one¡¯s identity whenever something happens is, in fact, a sign of ipetence. Consequently, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile: ¡°Your criticism is fair, leaders. Next time, I will have our supervisors present. For this asion, I kindly ask you to overlook some difficulties. Could you assist by overseeing the Northwest impoverished area? Funds there are limited. It isn¡¯t easy for us to step out and request help. Please put yourselves in our shoes as we¡¯re working in such remote areas. I¡¯lle back in seven days, so as not to disturb you any further.¡± As he left the office, faint deridingughter could be heard from behind, ¡°Old Hu, are you really helping them? What¡¯s so big about the Northwest? What¡¯s the big deal about the remote areas? Can you really show off just because you¡¯re from the Ministry¡¯s office? I¡¯ve never seen such audacity before. This time, we must drag them for about ten days to half a month to make them know our worth.¡± Old Hu shook his head and said, ¡°Hehe, Old Huang, let it be. Leaders from the bitter cold area of the Northwest are not in an easy situation either. If we can amodate them, let¡¯s do so. The fact that they received the National Development and nning Commission¡¯s approval suggests that they must have some pull. Let¡¯s first look at the actual materials before making a judgment.¡± Hearing their conversation brought a smile to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. This Old Hu didn¡¯t appear to be as indifferent as he seemed. After leaving the Civil Aviation Administration building, Nie Zhenbang took out his mobile phone and dialed Liu Kun¡¯s number. As soon as it was connected, deafening music red from the other end. After a while, the music quieted down, and Liu Kun¡¯s voice came through the speaker, ¡°Hey third brother, you¡¯re calling me during the day. What¡¯s up? Is there a problem with the Farmer Welfare Company? What is Liang Bochao doing? If he can¡¯t even handle this much, then he shouldn¡¯t be the CEO.¡± Liang Bochao was a professional manager engaged by Liu Kun to manage the Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s daily operations and production. If we look at it this way, Kun entrusted the Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s operations to Liang. Liu Kun was not worried that others would not do their best. Besides, a sry in excess of a million, together with the Farmer Welfare Company¡¯s dividend stocks, was more than enough to secure Liang Bo Chao¡¯s dedication. Nie Zhenbang chuckled and retorted, ¡°You boy, you¡¯re enjoying life too much. With the music so loud, are you partying during the day? Don¡¯t worry, your Farmer Welfare Company is being looked after by Liang Bochao. I¡¯m back in Jingcheng. Let¡¯s meet up.¡± Clearly enthused by the news, Liu Kun became excited. If third brother was back in Jingcheng, the conflict between Dong and Yang must¡¯ve been resolved. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be so rxed. Liuughed, ¡°Third brother, tell me where you are. I¡¯lle pick you up. Some friends are singing karaoke right now. It would be great if you could join.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, you kid, stop pretending to be polite. Tell me where you are, I¡¯ll head there myself.¡± Nie Zhenbang also beganughing. Once he learned Liu Kun¡¯s location, he headed towards a newly opened nightclub-like KTV in the West City District named ¡°People¡¯s Heaven¡±. Located in West City District¡¯s bustling business area, it spanned six floors, each one rented entirely by ¡°People¡¯s Heaven¡±. In the middle hung a giant neon sign, extending from the first floor right up to the sixth. The four characters ¡°People¡¯s Heaven¡± was strikingly prominent. When Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car pulled up, the security guard at the entrance quickly came over to guide Nie Zhenbang into parking his car. They hurriedly opened the door for him. This service surprised Nie Zhenbang a bit. Evidently, Jingcheng was filled with influential people. The proprietor of People¡¯s Heaven, who paid such meticulous attention to detail, was clearly doing something right. It was normal for a ce of this magnitude to be run so well. Walking into the golden hall, a line of young women clothed in red, high-slit cheongsams had already lined up to greet him with their hands folded around their stomachs, simultaneously bending forward slightly, saying, ¡°Good afternoon, esteemed guest.¡± Then, a young hostess with a gentle voice approached and asked with a smile, ¡°How many are you, sir?¡± Nie Zhenbang looked around, impressed yet again. The poprity of People¡¯s Heaven was not for no reason. The quality of the staff here was clear. In the lobby, there were at least a dozen hostesses. Each one was about 1.7 meters tall, had a well-built body, and fair skin. The high slit of their cheongsam would reveal the pure white skin of their thighs with every step they took, providing a strong stimulus and a sense of pride to its customers. The proprietor had a clear grasp of customer vanity. Upon entering, customers would immediately feel rxed. Nie Zhenbang nodded slightly and said, ¡°I¡¯m meeting someone, room number 5088.¡± The greeter was slightly taken aback, but quickly adjusted. Above the fifth floor were where thepany¡¯s privileged customers were entitled to. His tone and demeanor became more respectful, and he promptly greeted with a smile, ¡°Sir, please follow me.¡± Taking the elevator directly to the fifth floor, the greeter led Nie Zhenbang to the door of private room 5088. After knocking, he opened the door and gestured for Nie to enter. The somewhat dim lighting inside the room took Nie a bit by surprise. At this moment, Liu Kun, Zhao Xinglong, Li Hua, and a young man unfamiliar to Nie were seated in the room. They each had two young women, dressed extremely attractively and mmed up, by their sides. Some were voluptuous, others had sweet, charming faces. It was a dazzling disy of beauty. Liu Kun was particrly tasteless. One of the women beside him was wearing a white strapless top. The other wore a ck cutout shrug. Their chests were full and abundant, subtly revealed. The moment Nie entered, the music in the room stopped. All four men stood up. The women, who were worldly and experienced, realizing the significance of the asion, also stood. They knew the man with the calm demeanor before them was extraordinary. Liu Kun burst into heartyughter, ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯ve missed you. Where¡¯s the manager? Get me all the girls in this ce.¡± Zhao Xinglong also came forward, ¡°Third Brother, I must congratte you first. It looks like things have been settled.¡± Nearby, Li Hua also said with a smile, ¡°Third Brother, let me introduce Ning Zhiyuan from Jiangbei Province.¡± This wasn¡¯t exactly a private gathering, but it wasn¡¯t as uninhibited as in Wang Dynasty, a private club. They needed to mind their public image. That brief introduction was all they needed. In Jiangbei Province, only Ning Shouchang, the Deputy Secretary and Governor of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee, had the surname Ning. As for other leaders with the same surname in Jiangbei Province, Nie didn¡¯t think they would be impressive enough to warrant the attention of men like Li Hua. Ning Shouchang and his son had interesting names. Ning Shouchang¡¯s suggested conservatism, while Ning Zhiyuan¡¯s suggested tranquillity and distance ¨C both very bookish. Nie had heard of Ning Shouchang. Despite his name suggesting conservatism, he was actually a pioneer of the reformists. Jiangbei Province had been gradually catching up with South of the Yangtze River and Yuedong,rgely due to his efforts. More importantly, when Nie thought of Jiangbei Province, he remembered Li Guohua, who was based there. Immediately, Nie said with augh, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Brother Zhiyuan.¡± At this moment, Ning Zhiyuan also extended his hand with a smile, ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯ve long admired you from afar but never had the pleasure of meeting you. I¡¯m the host this time and I insist you join us for a casual meal at the Wang Dynasty.¡± No sooner had Ning Zhiyuan spoken, Li Hua and Liu Kun burst intoughter. Beside them, Zhao Xinglong said with a smile, ¡°Ningzi, you didn¡¯t know? Wang Dynasty is owned by Third Brother. He¡¯s the big boss. He should treat us.¡± Zhao Xinglong then spoke again, unabashedly, ¡°Third Brother, actually, we¡¯ve invited Ningzi here with the purpose of dealing with that bastard Li Guohua. This jerk has messed with us too much. If we don¡¯t teach him a lesson, he¡¯ll think we¡¯re pushovers.¡± After the incident at Wang Dynasty, Li Guohua didn¡¯t just swipe at Nie¡¯s face, he also insulted the entire group. Nie might not care, but it didn¡¯t mean that others felt the same, especially individuals like Zhao Xinglong and Liu Kun who weren¡¯t part of the official circle. They were fearless. Though they might not be able to bring Li Guohua down, they could certainly make him miserable. At this moment, Ning Zhiyuan said with a modest smile, ¡°Speaking of Li Guohua, he is quite talented. He returned from studying abroad and was promoted from a regr division to a deputy department level in less than three years. He¡¯s now the vice mayor of Ningjiang City in Jiangbei Province and has brought in quite a lot of foreign investment firms. In the province, he¡¯s highly regarded by Liu Chunwang. Taking him down won¡¯t be easy.¡± Nie Zhenbang would never act just to annoy Li Guohua. If he were to act, it would be to deliver a fatal blow. After hearing Ning Zhiyuan¡¯s words, Nie was intrigued, ¡°Ningzi, are you saying all thepanies that Li Guohua brought in are foreign?¡± PS: I don¡¯t n to continue this chapter today, but I still hope for your votes and rmendations. I hope today¡¯s four updates will garner enough support. Will continue soon. If you like my work, please visit and vote for it. Your support is my greatest motivation. Chapter 275 - 274: Sudden Mishap_1 Chapter 275: Chapter 274: Sudden Mishap_1 At the mention of such a sensitive topic, not only did Ning Zhiyuan¡¯splexion change, but so did everyone else¡¯s. Liu Kun stood up at this moment with some understanding: ¡°Alright, alright. Everyone go out.¡± Any person possesses a curiosity for gossip, even thesedies. Especially those whoe to this paradise on earth and can go above the fifth floor, all of them are remarkable people in terms of status and identity. Thesedies always have hopes that perhaps, if they catch the eye of some tycoon or young master who can sponsor them on a long-term basis, wouldn¡¯t that be much better than having to sell smiles every day? Upon Liu Kun¡¯s words, severaldies became disheartened and stood up, sulking, ¡°Kun¡­¡± The coquettish tremor of their voices made Liu Kun shudder from head to toe. This seductive creature was truly something. Nevertheless, Liu Kun was able to distinguish the gravity of the matter at hand. He grabbed thedy¡¯s voluptuous behind, gave it a light spanking and said, ¡°You little devil, be obedient. Step out for a bit, the big boys have serious business to discuss. Tonight, it¡¯ll be just you and me for three hundred rounds.¡± Once their private room was left to them alone, Ning Zhiyuan seriously said: ¡°I haven¡¯t paid much attention to this issue. As you¡¯re aware, we spend more of our time overseas and in Jingcheng. Unless someone is interested in getting into the system, we don¡¯t usually concern ourselves with these matters.¡± Sitting nearby, Zhao Xinglong finally understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s implications. Zhao Xinglong, himself having a Western education background, was particrly sensitive to this. Promptly, he looked at Nie Zhenbang and said: ¡°Third brother, do you mean we can use this as a breakthrough to trap Li Guohua?¡± Nie Zhenbang seemed cid at the moment. He had temporarily been thrown into chaos due to marriage issues recently. First, he was yed by Li Guohua at the Dynasty Club, and then Zhou Chen, who was stationed in New Li City, added to the confusion. Now that the marriage issue had been somewhat alleviated, even though it was not yet settled, neither the Dong family nor the Yang family would pay much attention to it. Nie Zhenbang finally got some relief. Not striking back at such a time wasn¡¯t his style. Subsequently, he smiled and said, ¡°Not sure about trapping him, but we definitely can¡¯t let him coast through easily. With Li Guohua being woefully unupied these days, let¡¯s keep him busy if he has nothing to do.¡± Aside, Li Hua frowned: ¡°Third brother, the issue isn¡¯t that big, but Jiangbei Province has traditionally been within the Li family¡¯s sphere of influence. Ning Zhiyuan¡¯s father bing the governor was a stroke of luck. If we confront Li Guohua, I¡¯m afraid we might not be able to pull it off alone.¡± Speaking of it, Ning Shouchang¡¯s assumption of the office was quite dramatic. Initially, during the selection of a governor candidate for Jiangbei Province, various forces were vying. Jiangbei Province, after all, was a major economic province with prime location and strong economic power. Thepetition for the top party and government positions was always intense. Although Jiangbei was traditionally dominated by the Li family, it doesn¡¯t mean other forces wouldn¡¯t try to intervene. Politics has always been a form of art wherepromise and counterpromise shed. Amid the dispute, Ning Shouchang, the deputy governor without any backing suddenly rose to power taking advantage of the situation. And now, Ning Zhiyuan frequently mingles in Jingcheng, probably with an intention to find some backing for his father. Without a doubt, the Nie Family was very appealing. Nie Family patriarch was fit and healthy and had a vastwork. He was highly respected in both the military and the local government, making him one of the few remaining big shots. The second generation of the Nie family, one in the military and one in politics, although not as prosperous as the patriarch, could still barely maintain the power and influence of Nie Zhenbang. The third generation, which includes the three brothers of Nie Zhenbang, was also outstanding. Sometimes, the neers in a family can also determine the family¡¯s status. Now, Nie Zhenbang was pondering. Ning Shouchang¡¯s current position was indeed enticing to the Nie family. Consequently, Nie Zhenbang hesitated: ¡°This matter can¡¯t be rushed. After all, the transfer of provincial and ministerial officials involves various trade-offs. The rigorouspetition involved here is clear to all, I don¡¯t need to say more. It¡¯s better to go slow. Ningzi, just keep this in mind and be aware of it. There¡¯s no need for any action. Inform me as soon as there¡¯s any news.¡± Jiangbei Province, Nie Zhenbang was now thinking. Figuring out how to nt someone in Jiangbei was a challenging task. This wasn¡¯t something that could be arranged on a whim. Even President Yuan might not dare to guarantee such a thing. Moreover, the person to be nted must be chosen carefully. At present, Liu Kun¡¯s father was a suitable candidate. If handled properly, appointing Liu Kun¡¯s father in Jiangbei Province would greatly boost the Nie faction¡¯s development in Jiangbei. Moreover, it could bog down Li Guohua. Now, Li Guohua had already seen himself as the biggest opponent of his life, so much so that he had begun to suppress him at this current level. More importantly, Li Guohua was able to appoint Zhou Chen as the acting mayor of New Li City. This proved that his decision was supported by the Li family. Better to be safe than sorry. For a family like the Li¡¯s, they had reached an extreme precautionary measure. Although it indirectly proved that Li Guohua was afraid of himself, without giving him some lessons, it is likely that he wouldn¡¯t have much peace. At this thought, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He nced at the number, and was taken aback. It was from the Dynasty Club. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang gestured for silence and picked up the phone. On the other end, he heard Dong Wan¡¯s voice: ¡°Zhenbang, are you busy? If not,e over to Dynasty. Anna and I want to see you.¡± Upon hearing Dong Wan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t hesitate at all and immediately said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right over.¡± When he hung up, Liu Kun and the others came over. Liu Kun was particrly concerned and asked, ¡°Third Brother, is there something wrong?¡± Standing nearby, Zhao Xinglong echoed, ¡°Exactly, Third Brother. If there¡¯s a problem, just say it. We brothers have some pull in Jingcheng.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled slightly but shook his head, ¡°Stop guessing guys, Dong Wan and Anna are looking for me. You guys y at the Dynasty Club for a bit and I¡¯ll host a dinner for us brotherster tonight.¡± Upon hearing Dong Wan and Anna¡¯s names, everyone had a knowing smile. Liu Kun sat down and immediately said, ¡°Third Brother, you go ahead. We¡¯ll hang out here for a bit, then meet up at the Dynasty Club at seven tonight.¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled at Liu Kun¡¯s words and jokingly said: ¡°Take it easy, don¡¯t wear yourself out.¡± Walking out of the doors of the Paradise Pavilion, Nie Zhenbang got into his car. It was clear that Dong Wan and Anna wanted to talk about the engagement. After today, they likely already had a conclusion. The car was parked in the underground garage of the Dynasty Club. He took the private elevator direct to the ninth floor, and as soon as he stepped out, he saw Dong Wan and Anna in the living room seated on the sofa. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang enter, Dong Wan stood up with a smile and poured him a cup of tea which she ced on the coffee table. This made Nie Zhenbang somewhat emotional. Anna didn¡¯t have Dong Wan¡¯s maturity when it came to these small details. At that moment, seeing Nie Zhenbang epting the tea cup from Dong Wan, Anna suddenly grumbled under her breath, ¡°Sister Wan, I feel like you and Brother Zhenbang are a better match. Should I step back?¡± In this life, Yang Anna¡¯s feelings for Nie Zhenbang weren¡¯t as strong as in her previous life. Back then, she felt deep guilt and when she saw Nie Zhenbang alone and helpless, her feelings intensified. Now, Nie Zhenbang is healthy and has several women around him. Suddenly seeing the harmony between Nie Zhenbang and Dong Wan made Anna feel like something was off. The jealousy was amplified. Hearing Anna¡¯s words, both Nie Zhenbang and Dong Wan were taken aback. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was shocked. He couldn¡¯t say that he didn¡¯t have deep feelings for Anna, but he also couldn¡¯t say that his feelings for her were purely out of guilt andpromise. He knew himself well and knew that he had to have feelings for Anna to be having such a tough time deciding. If not, he would have chosen Dong Wan without hesitation. Dong Wan was silent for a while before suddenlyughing, ¡°What are you talking about? Didn¡¯t we agree on this before? Are you changing your mind?¡± Dong Wan could very wellprehend what Anna was feeling. Women are very emotional, and maybe what just transpired had moved Anna. Being raised in a sheltered family, Anna was immature in many aspects, like her social skills and dealing with family affairs. Given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status, background, and family lineage, he needed someone who could assist him with his career. This was something Dong Wan had rity on. Her personality didn¡¯t fit, but Anna had potential. At this moment, under Dong Wan¡¯s pressure, Anna seemed a bit aggrieved. She muttered, ¡°Sister Wan, that¡¯s not what I meant. Honestly, I just feel like you¡¯re a better match. Plus, I have a foreign education background which could impact Brother Zhenbang¡¯s final sess.¡± Hearing Anna¡¯s words, both Nie Zhenbang and Dong Wan fell silent. Anna wasn¡¯t ignorant about these things. She just often overlooked such details because of herissez-faire nature. Dong Wan, seeing the atmosphere turning heavy, lightened it by saying, ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s not talk about this right now. Let¡¯s discuss something else.¡± Then, she looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, I, Anna, and Li Xue were just discussing and we all thought it would be nice to visit your hometown of Tang City, to see where you grew up, to meet your grandparents and¡­ your mother!¡±(To be continued. If you like this story, please visit to vote and seal your support. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 276 - 275 Fear of Going Home_1 Chapter 276: Chapter 275 Fear of Going Home_1 Hearing Dong Wan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was also somewhat shocked. It seemed that both in his past and this life, he had never really thought about these things. In his past life, Nie Zhenbang was a cripple, entirely immersed in the numbness of alcohol and never thought about these matters. In this life, he has been constantly striving and working hard, seemingly forgetting again. If today, Dong Wan hadn¡¯t mentioned these things, Nie Zhenbang might not have necessarily thought of them. Thoughts surged like a tide, it seemed like Nie Zhenbang had returned to his childhood days, back to the times of practicing Shape-Intent Fist in his yard in freezing winters and sweltering summers. It seemed like he remembered again, when he would ck off during training, how his little hand would be smacked with a ruler by his grandpa. It seemed as if he saw again, his grandma shielding him and scolding grandpa. It seemed as he witnessed again, his grandma, grandpa and mother perishing in the great disaster, protecting him. At this moment, there were tears in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes. Suddenly, a crisp p echoed in the living room. Seeing Nie Zhenbang p himself, both Dong Wan and An Na were taken aback. An Na even held onto Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arm, anxiously asking, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, what¡¯s wrong with you? Don¡¯t scare me, okay?¡± Dong Wan also gently asked, ¡°Zhenbang, what¡¯s wrong? Why did you suddenly hit yourself?¡± This was the difference between a girl and a mature woman. An Na, the young girl, first thought about the act of hitting, while Dong Wan pondered the deeper meaning behind it. Nie Zhenbang,ughing in this moment, said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, it¡¯s just¡­ I feel, I have really been unfilial. It¡¯s been such a long time, from when I entered Jingcheng at sixteen, a full eight years. Yet, I have never visited my grandparents and my mother. I¡¯ve been unfilial; I deserve this p. Eight years, the amount of time it took to win the War of Resistance Against Japan. And I forgot something so important. Don¡¯t you think I deserve to be hit?¡± For a while, the atmosphere in the living room became heavy. Dong Wan didn¡¯t know what to say regarding Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. However, it was An Na who spoke up at this moment, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, don¡¯t me yourself. If grandma, grandpa, and mother knew that you were wholeheartedly serving the people and striving for our country to thrive, I believe they wouldn¡¯tin. They all love Brother Zhenbang and will surely forgive you. Just like how Grandpa has forgiven An Na.¡± At this moment, Dong Wan¡¯s hand rested on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder, soothing him in a low voice, ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t take on too much mental burden. As the saying goes, loyalty and filial piety can¡¯t coexist. You have both heart and mind for the people and the country. I think your grandparents and mother, looking down from the afterlife, would feel proud and honored for you.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s emotions weren¡¯t so great at the moment. Retiring to his room, he rested until evening, only getting up once Liu Kun and the others had arrived at the Wang Dynasty and called him up. Inside the banquet hall on the third floor of Wang Dynasty, after Nie Zhenbang had hosted the group for a Chinese meal, he returned to his room. Likely sensing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s dampened mood, Liu Kun, Zhao Xinglong and the others tactfully bid their farewells. Early the following morning, Nie Zhenbang was neatly dressed and up early. After performing a set of Shape-Intent Fist in the gym, the three women were all awake. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mood offst night, Li Lixue, Dong Wan, and Yang Anna had not disturbed him. Seeing the three of them up, Nie Zhenbang also walked out of the gym with a smile, pointing at the dining table and saying, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared breakfast for you all. Let¡¯s go eat.¡± Yang Anna was visibly excited about this. Being 21 years old, she still had the straightforwardness of a young girl. The four of them together left the building and took Dong Wan¡¯s Land Rover. Although the military license wasn¡¯t a top-tier one, it seemed to be enough. Dong Wan had always been very low-key. The distance between Tang City and Jingcheng was less than 200 kilometers. With the military license, the journey to Tang City was unhindered. This time, Nie Zhenbang opted not to drive. As the scenery outside the window gradually became familiar, Nie Zhenbang felt a bit nervous. It was as if he was experiencing the nervousness of being home again. Eight years. A full eight years had passed and the changes in Tang City had made Nie Zhenbang feel a bit unfamiliar. The original low, decrepit houses had been reced with new buildings. Following his memory, the car entered the old town area of Tang City. Under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s guidance, they stopped by the narrow alley near the Tang City Mechanical Factory No.2. The aged factory building appeared a bit dpidated. Unlike the vitality of the new district, the old city area, especially the old industrial area, seems somewhat deste and bleak. The streets are very quiet, with many elderly people gathering in parks by the side of the road for their own amusement. Nie Zhenbang got out of the car and before he could speak, Yang Anna said in surprise, ¡°Zhenbang, is this where you used to live? It¡¯s quite poor.¡± ¡°Anna, this was builtter. During the big earthquake, all of us orphans were temporarily living in tents. Many children were adopted. Later, I was also proposed to be adopted. But I didn¡¯t leave, and the factory where my mother worked arranged for me to return here. Back then, it was just a room of about ten square meters. I lived alone in a yard shared with other families from the factory,¡± Nie Zhenbang exined peacefully. Standing at the mouth of the alley, it seemed that Nie Zhenbang had already remembered the times when he yed here as a child. After his grandparents and mother met with idents, Nie Zhenbang became an orphan and became the object of ridicule by children in the factory district. Fortunately, Nie Zhenbang had great fighting prowess, and no one dared to provoke him. However, this also meant that Nie Zhenbang had very few friends as a child. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang got back into the car and said to Dong Wan beside him, ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯re headed to the cemetery.¡± Tang City Earthquake Cemetery This is a major cemetery for burials following the entire Tang City earthquake, which imed the lives of more than 240,000 people. The victims were ced in eight cemeteries in Tang City. Thanks to the specific names, addresses and units provided by the factory, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grandparents and mother were able to be buried here. His grandparents lie in a shared tomb, and his mother¡¯s tomb is next to it. As a group, they walked into the cemetery, following a cement path lined with lush pine and cypress trees. The path winds its way up the hills, where numerous tombstones were erected, lending an air of solemnity and reverence. Even Anna, who is usually yful, had quieted down. The cemetery always exuded a heavy air. Each person held a bunch of fresh flowers in their hand. Dong Wan had also prepared some fruit offerings. After passing two hills and arriving in between, this was the final resting ce for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rtives. Standing before the tombstone, he looked at the photo on it which was smeared with dirt. This was a photo salvaged from the ruins of their home. Vaguely, one could still make out what Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mother looked like when she was young ¡ª she had delicate features withrge, bright, and crystal-clear eyes. The photo was a bust shot of her standing at an angle, two braids resting on her shoulders, wearing a military cap on her head and a smile on her face. This pose seemed to be amon way for people of that era to take photos. This was the only photo they found. Standing in front of the tombstone, Nie Zhenbang knelt down and with a choked voice, said, ¡°Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, I¡¯mte! I¡¯m sorry! I am an unfilial son and grandson. I¡¯mte to visit you.¡± As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang took off the dragon pendant hanging around his neck, the object he valued most since childhood. At this point in time, the pendant, though now only representing its mary value to Nie Zhenbang, was still worn around his neck. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang solemnly ced the dragon pendant in front of the tombstone and sobbed, ¡°Mom, can you see? This is the jade pendant Dad gave you. I¡¯ve found Dad. I asked him, he didn¡¯t abandon you or us. Less than a month after you left, he went to Yanbei to find you. Unfortunately, he could not find us anymore. Mom, can you now rest in peace?¡± Standing beside him, Dong Wan, Anna, and Li Lixue were all silent. Just as Anna was about to speak, she was stopped by Dong Wan. Nie Zhenbang had to let it all out; this man bore too much, too heavily. Only in this situation, in front of his own closest rtives, could hepletely bare his soul. ¡°Mom, I have also entered officialdom now. I will always remember your teachings ¡ª to be upright in character and honest in conduct, to serve the people. I will remember, I always will. Mom, please be assured, I won¡¯t let you down,¡± Nie Zhenbang said quietly, as if he were muttering to himself or truly conversing with someone. After Nie Zhenbang had said all he wanted to say, under Dong Wan¡¯s lead, the three women suddenly knelt down. Dong Wan also said in a low voice, ¡°Grandma, Grandpa, Mother-inw, we¡¯vee to see you, too.¡± Dong Wan¡¯s words suggested that she already considered herself a member of the Nie family. Li Lixue also repeated the same lines. Yang Anna, however, was a bit embarrassed at this point. But under Dong Wan¡¯s gaze, she also repeated the words. At this point, Nie Zhenbang also said softly, ¡°Mom, can you see it? I brought my girlfriend home to see you today.¡± PS: I¡¯m speechless with five votes a day. Guys, you can cast monthly votes, really. Chapter 277 - 276 My Dad is the Mayor_1 Chapter 277: Chapter 276 My Dad is the Mayor_1 Just then, Yang Anna suddenly said, ¡°Mother Zhenbang. Each of us three is Zhenbang¡¯s girlfriend. I hope that didn¡¯t shock you, Brother Zhenbang is impressive, having three girlfriends. Do you think Sister Wan is qualified to be your daughter-inw?¡± Hearing Yang Anna¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brows, but soon rxed. Anna truly didn¡¯t feel she was fit to be the official wife. This problem was not easily solved. However, Zhenbang didn¡¯t mind, the affairs between the three women were always approached passively by him. The women themselves would have to resolve this. Dong Wan was slightly shocked at this moment. The information revealed in Anna¡¯s words was too much. This made Dong Wan also somewhat hesitant and worried. Previously, the three of them had agreed to let Anna be the openly acknowledged girlfriend. Now, Anna was willing to retreat behind the scenes, what to do now? Li Lixue felt the least pressure. Through her many years at the pce, she clearly understood that she could never be the official wife due to her status and identity. However, her expression was a bitplicated. Looking at the smiling image of her mother-inw on the tombstone, she felt a kinship. It seemed the deceased had a more tragic life than her. At least she could silently follow him, while the mother-inw had not seen her beloved man until her death. Nie Zhenbang stood up immediately, lowered his head with a somewhat heavy and depressed voice, ¡°Mom, Grandma, and Grandpa, I will be back to see you next Qingming. We are leaving.¡± Four of them walked out of the public cemetery. Unlike the heavy mood when they arrived, at this moment everyone was preupied, making the atmosphere a bit oppressive. Seemingly unable to withstand the atmosphere, Yang Anna spoke up, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, Sister Wan, Sister Li Xue, let¡¯s go to the township, since we¡¯re already in Yanbei, let¡¯s go see Uncle Nie and Ziyu.¡± This suggestion immediately received Dong Wan¡¯s approval. On the contrary, Li Lixue was a bit worried at this moment. With Dong Wan and Yang Anna¡¯s backgrounds, would she be kicked out if she went? Seemingly feeling Li Lixue¡¯s worry, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Very well, let¡¯s go see them together.¡± The distance from Tang City to the township was farther than Tang City to Jingcheng¡ªa distance of more than four hundred kilometers. At this time, the domestic highway system was just beginning to be built. The speed was not very fast all the way to the township by the national highway, averaging only around sixty kilometers per hour. After having lunch on the way, it was nearly eight o¡¯clock in the evening when they finally entered the urban area of the township. Yanbei Province, residential area of the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, the car paused at the entrance. After Nie Zhenbang had shown his special pass from the State Council, they smoothly entered thepound. Nie Guowei¡¯s residence was in Compound No.2. At this point, Nie Guowei, Ye Shuxian, and Nie Ziyu were all standing at the entrance, looking outside expectantly. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car stopped nearby, and the excited Nie Ziyu ran up immediately. ¡°Brother, I miss you so much!¡± Nie Ziyu seemed a bit bashful in this moment. This made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s oppressive mood better. He then smiled and said, ¡°Ziyu, you¡¯re so big but still so sticky. I don¡¯t know if your future boyfriend can handle it. There are guests here, and Anna is also here, aren¡¯t you scared of beingughed at?¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Nie Ziyu looked back and seeing Yang Anna¡¯s smiling face she was very unsatisfied, and pouted, ¡°Hmph! Yang Anna, you¡¯reughing at me again, do you still want to be my sister-inw?¡± Then, seeing Dong Wan beside her, Nie Ziyu¡¯s eyes became as curved as crescents, she squinted and said, ¡°Hi Sister Wan.¡± ¡°You child, you came to visit your mother¡¯s grave. Why didn¡¯t you tell us? Your father and I could¡¯vee with you.¡± Nie Zhenbang walked up, and Ye Shuxian also expressed her discontent. Unlike in his past life, at this point, the elderlies in both families had passed away, the family circumstances had declined, and Nie Guowei remained at the deputy hall level without any changes. Ye Shuxian held a lot of resentment towards her disabled son. But now, Elder Nie was still around, and her husband had be a department-level cadre. Nie Zhenbang was deemed as the sessor of the Nie family. Everything was going smoothly, and Ye Shuxian treated Nie Zhenbang like her own son. Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Mom, it was a sudden thought. Besides, the journey from Tang City to here is quite long, so we didn¡¯t inform you.¡± As for Nie Zhenbang bringing three girls home, Ye Shuxian and Nie Guowei didn¡¯t say anything. Bei Zhenbang was trustworthy in his actions, so there were no worries. The next morning, Nie Zhenbang got up early and performed a full set of Shape-Intent Fist. Nie Zhenbang also felt refreshed. Ever since he took over Lixian, his morning exercise had beenpletely neglected over the past few years. At this point, Nie Ziyu was hopping cheerily out of the house. She saw Nie Zhenbang, and immediately came over. She naturally linked her arm with Nie Zhenbang, and cooed, ¡°Brother¡­ Will you go shopping with us today?¡± Next to her, Yang Anna had a face full of anticipation. Dong Wan and Li Lixue were better, as they were rtively more maturepared to Yang Anna and Nie Ziyu. But even so, their eyes revealed a hint of anticipation. Reflecting on this, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat embarrassed. Over these years, it seemed that he had barely apanied these women on shopping trips. He supposed this could be considered negligence on his part. Soon after, Nie Zhenbang smiled and nodded, ¡°Sure. This is a good opportunity for us to observe the situation in the town.¡± A group of people left the provincial governmentpound splendidly. In the bustlingmercial area of the town, a massive six-storymercial building was highly conspicuous. With arge blue sign board, Wal-Mart Shopping za gave Nie Zhenbang and the others a familiar feeling. At this point, the Wal-Mart Group had been developing for close to eight years and was bing increasingly mature in all aspects. Stepping into the Wal-Mart Shopping za gave Nie Zhenbang a feeling of being back in the modern world. Inside the spacious hall, the human traffic was high, and the presence of many well-known international brands demonstrated the extraordinary status of Wal-Mart. The group of five, four women and one man, were all tall. The women were either sexy and charming, gentle and quiet, or cute and naive. The man was both handsome and elegant, exuding a sense of calmness and generous demeanor. As soon as these people appeared, they immediately attracted a lot of attention in the mall. At the entrance of the Chanel store, the women paused and looked at Nie Ziyu. Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Kid, did you see a dress you like? Go ahead and try it. I am treating everyone today.¡± The dress Nie Ziyu took interest in was a newly releaseddy dress from Chanel¡¯s spring collection. Its pink color was particrly beloved by young girls like Nie Ziyu. When Nie Ziyu came out after changing into the dress, Li Lixue did not hesitate to shower her withpliments, smiling and saying, ¡°Ziyu, the dress matches your temperament very well. Let¡¯s get this dress.¡± As she was speaking, Li Lixue turned to the saleswoman nearby, ¡°Miss, could you please wrap it up for us?¡± Without even asking for the price, she decided to purchase the dress. This boldness of Li Lixue was something the saleswoman had not seen before. However, given Li Lixue¡¯s financial power, she wasn¡¯t taking a stab in the dark. Li Lixue was the wealthiest among Nie Zhenbang¡¯s women. It wouldn¡¯t be a problem for her to buy not just a dress, but the entire shop. As soon as Li Lixue finished speaking, a coy voice came from behind her, ¡°Mr. Kang! I told you that such a beautiful dress would definitely be snapped up! You know Chanel dresses are never duplicated. Mr. Kang, I want it!¡± The woman¡¯s words triggered countless fantasies in Mr. Kang¡¯s mind. Right then and there, in front of everyone, Mr. Kangughed wickedly, ¡°Little temptress, after pampering youst night, you¡¯re asking for more already? You¡¯re really testing my patience. Tonight, I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t even stand.¡± His words caused Nie Zhenbang and the others to frown. This man was really inconsiderate of his surroundings, uttering such vulgar words in public. But before Nie Zhenbang could say anything, the man spoke arrogantly, ¡°Hey, girl, take off the dress right now. You¡¯re just a pauper, this ce isn¡¯t where you should be shopping. Get out of here, quickly.¡± Hearing these words, Nie Ziyu¡¯s face fell instantly. The princess of the Nie Family had never been insulted like this before. Immediately, Nie Ziyu changed her demeanor, and imitating the young woman¡¯s actions, she clung to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arm, cooing, ¡°Brother, I want this dress. I don¡¯t want anything else, just this one.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, the other woman¡¯s face changed and she raised her voice, ¡°Little girl, who do you think you are, imitating me?¡± Next to them, Mr. Kang had by now noted the appearance of Nie Ziyu and the others. Truth be told, the woman next to him was decent-looking. Butpared to Nie Ziyu and the others, she was somewhatcking. Seeing Nie Ziyu behave this way, Mr. Kang knew Nie Ziyu was mocking hisdypanion. However, as the saying goes, you must consider the dog¡¯s master before dealing with the dog. Wasn¡¯t she actually mocking him? Mr. Kang then chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Miss, the man you¡¯re with isn¡¯t that great. Why not go with me? As long as you keep mepany tonight, making me happy, not only will I buy you this dress, I¡¯ll buy the entire shop for you.¡± As soon as Nie Ziyu heard Mr. Kang¡¯s words, she dashed over, lifted her leg, and kicked him hard. This move made Mr. Kang curl up on the floor. Nie Ziyu had struck extremely harshly. Although it was not so severe as to incapacitate him, he would certainly be in pain for a while. At this point, Nie Ziyu even disdainfully said, ¡°Humph, you dare to talk to me like that? This kick is just a light punishment. If you behave rudely again, it won¡¯t be so light next time.¡± Meanwhile, Mr. Kang was enraged and humiliated by the incident. A woman had dared to y him for a fool. Furious, he yelled without considering or discerning anything, ¡°You whore, you dare to hit me? Do you know who my father is? He¡¯s the mayor. Today, if I don¡¯t handle you, then I, Yao Kang, will have no face to live in this town.¡± PS: Please support with monthly tickets, brothers and sisters. These days, without the support of monthly tickets, there seems to be no motivation to code. Please support with monthly tickets to keep the momentum going. (To be continued¡­) If you like this work, please vote and support us at . Your support is my greatest motivation. Chapter 278 - 277 Matters Escalate_1 Chapter 278: Chapter 277 Matters Escte_1 Nie Ziyu¡¯s fierceness, this was the first time Nie Zhenbang had ever seen it. In her past life, because the Nie family had fallen from grace, Ziyu was very low-key. After graduating from university, Ziyu spent her days mingling with the scions of Jingcheng¡¯s old rich families. Regrettably, at that time the Nie family wasn¡¯t the focus of everyone¡¯s attention; an elder uncle who had clearly distanced himself from the family held only the rank of lieutenant general and couldn¡¯t make others show more respect for Ziyu. As for her father, Nie Guowei, in her previous life he was only a deputy bureau-level cadre, so in Jingcheng, no one paid any attention to them. Nie Ziyu mingled within the circle of Jingcheng¡¯s famousdies, and Nie Zhenbang knew very well what Ziyu wanted to do. She hoped to find a suitable husband from a powerful and prosperous family. This way she could leave a glimmer of hope for the resurgence of the Nie family and maintain a bit of itsst remaining glory and face. At that time, apart from when she was alone and showed a sort of loneliness and haggardness, Ziyu always had a smile on her face at other times. This time, the Nie family¡¯s future and fate hadpletely turned around. Nie Zhenbang, however, had been away most of the time and didn¡¯t have much contact with Nie Ziyu. He never expected his little sister in this life to be so fierce. Looking at Yao Kang on the ground, Nie Zhenbang did not have any sympathy. To put it bluntly, Nie Zhenbang himself was the biggest prodigal son in Jingcheng. It¡¯s just that, after joining the system, it made him appear more restrained. However, the matter at hand was not rted to the system. What Yao Kang said not only disgusted the otherdies, but also irritated Nie Zhenbang. Was the jewel of the Nie family supposed to be insulted like this? It was only because he maintained his calm. If his younger brother was here, this kid would probably have broken bones by now. At the side, Yang Anna¡¯s face also darkened: ¡°Kid, I don¡¯t care who your father is, what did you just say? Apologize immediately. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being rude.¡± On normal days, Yang Anna and Ziyu didn¡¯t get along at all as both were schoolmates, both studying in junior high school together. However, er went to Yuedong and the other went to Australia, but their friendship remained intact. On regr days, these two women belittling each other is one thing, but this time, it¡¯s entirely a different matter. ¡°Apologise? Little girl, who do you think you are? You want me to apologise, do you think you¡¯re the governor¡¯s daughter?¡± Yao Kang gave Yang Anna a disdainful look. This person seems a bit interesting but at least he didn¡¯t hurl insults randomly. Immediately after, Yao Kang turned his head to Nie Zhenbang and Nie Ziyu and said, ¡°You wait here, if I Yao Kang don¡¯t make you pay, then my life is as good as a dog¡¯s.¡± However, Yao Kang never imagined that the real daughter of the governor had just pped him. ¡°Who are you calling a girl? You rascal. Why should we wait for you? You think you¡¯re someone important. Call someone over quickly. I don¡¯t want to see you disgrace yourself in front of me, it¡¯s annoying. Scram! We¡¯re just strolling in the mall, I¡¯d like to see what you can do to us out in broad daylight!¡± Yang Anna disdainfully retorted. Surprisingly, Dong Wan by the side grabbed Yang Anna¡¯s wrist and shook her head, saying, ¡°Anna, let¡¯s wait here. I¡¯m curious to see how much power a mayor¡¯s son really has.¡± Upon hearing this, Ziyu and the others were shocked. The impression Dong Wan always gave others was of being gentle, kind-hearted, and magnanimous. However, this time, Dong Wan¡¯s actions seemed somewhat strange. If it was for the sake of Ziyu, it would be impossible as Dong Wan hardly had any ulterior motives. Dong Wan is not the kind of woman who ys mind games in front of her own people, and moreover, she didn¡¯t need to. If she really wanted to win Ziyu¡¯s heart and rece Yang Anna as the legitimate wife, she could have agreed when in Jingcheng and Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t have said anything against it. Only Nie Zhenbang would go to the trouble of thinking about the deeper meaning of these words. The reason is simple: after having spent a long time in the system, Nie Zhenbang had unconsciously developed this habit where he had to ponder over what others said, no matter what they meant. Ziyu didn¡¯t care about all this. Hearing what Dong Wan said, Ziyu¡¯s eyes lit up. Originally, Ziyu was a little worried. After all, she was the first one to take action. If the matter escted, considering how strictly her mother disciplined her, Ziyu couldn¡¯t deal with it. Speaking of which, Ziyu was really envious of Zhenbang. Ye Shuxian never meddled in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s affairs. Instead, she not only didn¡¯t interfere, but also seemed to be somewhat indulgent and pampered him. Instead, her mother was incredibly strict with her. Now, with Dong Wan¡¯s backing, Ziyu was not afraid of being punished by her mother, Ye Shuxian. Straight away, Ziyu walked over to Dong Wan and intimately took her arm, and cooed, ¡°Sister-inw is the best, sister-inw really cares about me.¡± In the meantime, Yao Kang took out his mobile phone and dialed a number. As soon as the call was connected, Yao Kang¡¯s angry voice could be heard at the other end, ¡°Are you all dead? I¡¯m Yao Kang, get over here now, I¡¯ve been bullied.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang lookedpletely rxed, and intentionally asked in Tang City dialect, ¡°Miss, how much is this dress? Let¡¯s pay up.¡± The shop assistant, who had been watching themotion, hurried over as soon as she heard Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, and apologised, ¡°Sir, sorry, this is a new style from this year¡¯s Paris Spring International Fashion Week. It¡¯s the only piece in the whole Yanbei Province, with no other sizes avable. If you want it, it costs 18,800.¡± 18,800, the most popr auspicious number loved by Chinese people at this time. It greatly influenced the subsequent society, with price tags typically marked as 198, 998, 2998 and the likes. On the side, many onlooking customers gasped in shock. They knew the clothes here were expensive, but they did not expect that a single piece of clothing could be so expensive. In this day and age, 18,800 yuan is the equivalent of a national officer¡¯s sry for three to four years without eating or drinking, and it would take that long to umte this much money. What Nie Zhenbang did not expect was a sudden twist. Yao Kang, after recovering, also stood up. A morous coquettish woman by his side also helped him up, her face full of rage. Just as Nie Zhenbang was preparing to pay without hesitation, Yao Kang retorted angrily, ¡°This dress, I liked first, if you dare to sell it. I guarantee your store will closed tomorrow. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try.¡± However, Yao Kang seems to not quite understand the background of the Wal-Mart Group. Those who can work in the Wal-Mart Group and among the international luxury brands are not locally recruited. The Wal-Mart Group has a special luxury department. All luxury goods operations nationwide are through the head office in Jingcheng. The clerk was very apologetic when he heard Yao Kang¡¯s words: ¡°Sir, I¡¯m really sorry. Our rule is that if a customer wants to buy, we have to sell it. You¡¯re making it very hard for us. If these guestsin, I might lose my job.¡± Yao Kang¡¯s face turned grim, and he raised his hand dismissively. He had also heard of Wal-Mart group. It was a big background corporation. His previous words were just an empty threat. Immediately, Yao Kang spoke again, ¡°18,800 yuan, huh. I¡¯ll give 20,000, as long as it¡¯s for sale, whoever offers more should get it.¡± Upon hearing Yao Kang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang and everyone else started tough, especially Li Lixue. As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s financial and economic helmsman, she knows much better than Nie Zhenbang himself how much wealth he has. Just the shares in Wal-Mart alone would provide for generations of the Nie family. Comparing wealth with Nie Zhenbang was like trying to use a cleaver in front of Guan Gong or being a carpenter in front of Lu Ban. Li Lixue then said indifferently, ¡°Miss, we¡¯ll pay 100,000. Can we use cards here?¡± For majority of ordinary citizens in China, bank cards were still somewhat of a novelty. However,rge shopping malls like Wal-Mart had POS card machines. After all, for luxury items like these consumed in such ces, the costs can run into tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands. No one would bring a big suitcase of money, would they? Seeing Li Lixue take a card out of her purse and swipe it decisively, Yao Kang¡¯s face darkened. 100,000 yuan was not a big deal for Yao Kang, but buying a 100,000 yuan dress for a woman wouldn¡¯t be worthwhile. If Nie Zhenbang and others hadn¡¯t tried to buy it, Yao Kang probably wouldn¡¯t have been moved. Just at that moment, a group of uniformed police officers walked straight over from outside. The officer in the lead looked around forty, sweating profusely, it was only February, and the weather was still cool. This proved that the group must have been in a great hurry. Seeing Yao Kang, the man immediately said, ¡°Brother Kang, sorry we¡¯rete.¡± A nearly forty-year-old man calling a man in his twenties boss was a sight to behold. Now that Yao Kang had reinforcements, he became emboldened and pointed at Nie Zhenbang and others, pointing at them righteously, ¡°Officer Zhang, I expect these men and women are involved in prostitution charges. You guys should investigate it strictly and bring these criminals to justice.¡± Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t think that Yao Kang would dare to frame them so tantly, it went as far as using them of prostitution. The women¡¯s faces turned grave. Yang Anna was furious, ¡°You¡¯re the one who engages in prostitution, your entire family does!¡± Dong Wan was serious, ¡°You can¡¯t eat or say whatever you want. No matter what background your family is from, there is always a price to pay for such things.¡± Li Lixue was quietly worrying, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the special visit to the shrine, we should have brought Long and Tiger with us.¡± Nie Ziyu once again stepped forward, shouting angrily, ¡°Looks like we were too lenient with you just now. If I had known this would happen, I should have just thrown you out right from the start.¡± Upon hearing Nie Ziyu¡¯s words, the middle-aged cop¡¯s face changed and he nervously looked at Yao Kang. He whispered, ¡°Brother Kang, were you hit just now?¡± Yao Kang¡¯s face flushed, he had been kicked in that ce. If it gets out that he was impotent and dysfunctional, would he still have any dignity? Immediately, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°Officer Zhang, never mind all that. Arrest these people, I want to give them a taste of my own hospitality.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face looked rather grim. It was clear now, another typical case of a government official¡¯s son colluding with the system¡¯s officers. Nie Zhenbang stepped forward and said in a deep voice, ¡°Are you still police officers of the state? To me, you don¡¯t seem like police serving the people, but more like theckeys of a spoil child. If you want to arrest anyone, show your IDs first.¡± PS: I¡¯m sweating buckets, it¡¯s night time now and the monthly ticket only increased by four. Brothers and sisters, those who have monthly tickets, please support us. Chapter 279 - 278 Yanbei Provincial Committee is Very Passive_1 Chapter 279: Chapter 278 Yanbei Provincial Committee is Very Passive_1 Asking for identification is something that had never happened before for police officers like Captain Zhang. Ordinary civilians seeing a police officer would be like mice seeing a cat. Their powerful aura and uniform were enough to intimidate them. There was no need to check their IDs. At most, they¡¯d just show their police badge. But Captain Zhang, who had seen a lot of ups and downs and dealt with leaders, felt a strange sense of authority from the young man standing in front of him. He felt as if he was facing his chief. When he thought of Yao Kang standing next to him, he was no ordinary figure. His father was a member of the Zhuang City Municipal Committee and the Executive Deputy Mayor of the city government. It was said that his grandfather was a retired leader of the Yanbei Provincial Committee. No wonder Captain Zhang tried so hard to ingratiate himself with Yao Kang. A good word from Young Master Yao could help Captain Zhang the next time he negotiates with Yao¡¯s father. It could do more for him than any deeds. Soon, Captain Zhang took out his ID from his pocket and handed it to Nie Zhenbang. With a cold smile he said, ¡°It¡¯s clear enough. This ID is real. If you don¡¯t believe it, you canmend it to Ministry of Public Security for verification.¡± He then turned stern and asked, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with these people? If there¡¯s anything inappropriate about it, I would have to ask you toe with me to the police station for a questionning.¡± In this era, the credibility of the government and the police was incredibly strong. This was clear from the reactions of the onlookers. Nie Zhenbang thought for a moment, then nodded and said, ¡°Okay, we will go with you to the station.¡± Nie Ziyu picked up his clothes, and the group left the Walmart. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang and the others were naturally heading towards their car. On the other hand, Yao Kang was upset. The moment Nie Zhenbang agreed to go to the police station, a look of brutality shed across Yao Kang¡¯s face. He said, ¡°What are you guys nning to do? Run away? Just as I thought, you bunch of craps aren¡¯t any good. Kid, don¡¯t be arrogant just because you have a little money. There¡¯s a lot in this world that money can¡¯t solve.¡± At this moment, the idiot Yao Kang misinterpreted Nie Zhenbang¡¯s cooperation as fear and spoke without restraint. Nie Zhenbang just gave Yao Kang a cold look and said, ¡°Kid, watch your mouth. Don¡¯t just bark at every single thing. Troubles start with careless words.¡± At this moment, Captain Zhang was still maintaining a professional demeanor. He was a solid cop, and his demeanor was part of the reason why Nie Zhenbang was willing to cooperate. As for trying to curry favor? Nie Zhenbang understood that was normal as long as it didn¡¯t cross any lines and principles. ¡°Comrades, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate. If you drive your own car, wouldn¡¯t that be inconvenient? Let¡¯s have my men drive you instead,¡± Captain Zhang suggested again. The moment they saw the Land Rover vehicle and the military license te, both Yao Kang and Captain Zhang¡¯s expressions changed. Yao Kang even jumped up and eximed, ¡°Good, you guys have some nerve, impersonating a military vehicle! Captain Zhang, we should take thesewless people more seriously.¡± However, Captain Zhang was taken aback. As a professional police officer, he had previously worked in the traffic department and knew a thing or two about military license tes. Judging by the type of vehicle and the te number, this might just be a real military te. Immediately, Captain Zhang leaned over to Yao Kang and whispered: ¡°Brother Kang, these people seem to be not simple. The military vehicle might just be real.¡± Yao Kang¡¯s expression also changed. After a while, he said firmly: ¡°Old Zhang, I won¡¯t say much. I don¡¯t care whether they belong to a military background. On the territory of Zhuang City, my grandfather is here, what do you have to fear? It¡¯s necessary to teach these people a lesson. Captain Zhang, I heard that there is going to be a promotion of a vice chief in the city¡¯s public security bureau today, Captain Zhang, you are very likely to get it.¡± The implication was clear and had a threatening tone ¨C if Captain Zhang acted ording to his wishes, he¡¯d help fight for the vice chief position. If he did not, then that position was not guaranteed. Caught between his own future prospects and an unknown influential figure, Captain Zhang ultimately chose the former. However, he intentionally ignored the military vehicle. That way, if anything went wrong, he could im he was unaware of it. Immediately, Captain Zhang put on a serious face and said, ¡°Xiao Wang, Xiao Qin, take all these people and put them in the police car. We need to make a record when we get back.¡± The car soon drove into the office building of the Zhuang City Public Security Bureau. As soon as they entered the building, Captain Zhang¡¯s demeanor changed. He was no longer the upright man he appeared to be at first. He turned to Nie Zhenbang and his group, his face revealing a hint of a smile as he ordered in a deep voice: ¡°Xiao Qin, take the women to the interrogation room. And Xiao Wang, take this man to the second interrogation room.¡± Nie Zhenbang himself was gutsy and bold, without any fear, but he was a bit worried about Nie Ziyu and their party. His face turned stern and he furrowed his brows, ¡°What¡¯s going on, Captain Zhang?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you realize what¡¯s happening, kid? After I take care of you, it will be their turn. If you want to me anyone, me yourselves for crossing me.¡± At this moment, Yao Kang walked in from outside, looking extremely pleased with himself. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s countenance turned even grimmer, his eyebrows twitching in anger. This was a habit of his whenever he was furious. There¡¯s a limit to what one can endure. Yao Kang¡¯s consecutive insults sparked rage in Nie Zhenbang. He retorted, ¡°Wonderful, just wonderful. I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯re going to handle me.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang walked into the interrogation room. The officers and Yao Kang followed, and they shackled Nie Zhenbang. Yao Kang then approached with a stun gun, its electrodes sizzling. Up until now, everything had been tolerable. But Yao Kang, who was neither a policeman nor anything of the sort, was carrying out his own form of justice. Nie Zhenbang knew this wasn¡¯t right. The handcuffs were insignificant to him. He had the military training from his time in the Tiger Group, and with a flick of his wrist, the handcuffs came off. Nie Zhenbang sprang into action, lunging through the air and kicking Yao Kang square in the chest, sending him sprawling to the ground. His expression dark, he turned to the other officers in the room and growled, ¡°You receive your livelihood from the people, yet you fail to distinguish right from wrong and serve the wicked. This is unforgivable!¡± His attack on the two officers was even more ruthless, and they were knocked to the ground in seconds. Seeing this, thest officer hightailed it out of the room and locked the door from the outside. He began shouting: ¡°Help, someone help! Young Master Kang and Officer Wang have been taken hostage! Request immediate backup!¡± The moment his cries filled the air, all the officers sprung into action. How audacious, causing a ruckus even in the Public Security Team. Officers swiftly began to converge on the scene. Standing in the doorway of the deputymander¡¯s office, a middle-aged man watched everything unfold with a smirk. ¡®What a bunch of fools,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Anyone willing to cause havoc in a police station has to be a desperado or someone powerful.¡¯ This young man was brought in by Captain Zhang and Yao Kang; this wasn¡¯t clearly a major incident, or else the Criminal Investigation Department would have taken over. It was apparent that this was someone with a powerful background. Now, it remained to be seen just how influential this person was. Meanwhile, startled by themotion outside, Dong Wan and the other three girls knew they had to act. Dong Wan pulled out her cell phone and dialed a number: ¡°Brother, I¡¯m in Zhuang City, and I¡¯ve been taken to the Public Security Team at the local police station. Come and save us.¡± Upon hearing Dong Wan¡¯s words, Yang Anna also picked up her phone and dialed her father: ¡°Dad,e and save me. I¡¯m being bullied in Zhuang City and they¡¯ve locked me up at the Public Security Team. Please send someone, or you¡¯ll never see me again.¡± At the same time, Nie Zhenbang also dialed his father, Nie Guowei. Once he heard his father¡¯s voice, he said in a grim tone, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s me. Today, Ziyu, and I had a run-in with the son of a certain Mayor Yao in Zhuang City. We were taken to the local station by themanding officer of the Public Security Team. They were acting on Mayor Yao¡¯s personal vendetta against us. His son decided to take matters into his own hands and retaliate against me, but I¡¯ve overpowered him. Are you familiar with Mayor Yao?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words contained a hidden message, and Nie Guowei instantly understood what he was implying. If Mayor Yao were a close ally, part of their inner circle, Nie Zhenbang would handle the situation tactfully. Internal problems should be dealt internally. However, if Yao was part of an opposing faction, then this could be an opportunity. ¡°Zhenbang, wait there for a minute, I¡¯ming right away. As long as we have the moral high ground, we have nothing to fear,¡± Nie Guowei calmly replied. This confirmed that Mayor Yao was not part of their group. As long as they were in the right, they could escte the situation. Meanwhile, at Jingcheng City Military District, Dong Zhihua, themander of a mechanized infantry brigade in Langzhou City, immediately instructed, ¡°Adjutant Zhang, issue mymand. Order the helicopter squadron and a contingent of special forces to rush to Zhuang City Public Security Bureau, Public Security Team, and ensure the rescue of a girl named Dong Wan.¡± After the order, Dong Zhihua rushed to the general headquarters to report. Within ten minutes, Fang Dabao, themander of Yanbei Military Region, received a call from themander of the army group. He was informed that Old Dong¡¯s granddaughter was being held in Zhuang City. Fang Dabao immediately asked his secretary to prepare the car because he needed to go to the Provincial Committee headquarters. At this moment, Secretary Qin of the Yanbei Provincial Committee was in shock. He had just received a call from Yang Shengli, the Minister of Transport, exining that his daughter had been detained in Zhuang City Public Security Team and was in danger. If anything happened to her, it would shake up the upper ranks of Yanbei province. As he was getting up, Nie Guowei, the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Governor, walked in with a grave look on his face. ¡°Secretary Qin, I have to report to you. Just now, I received a call from my son, Nie Zhenbang. Both he and my daughter have been detained by the Zhuang City Public Security Team. Based on my son¡¯s ount, Yao Kang, the son of Yao Linshan, the deputy mayor of Zhuang City, is suspected of abusing his power for personal gain. I implore the Provincial Committee to take serious action. Of course, this is only one side of the story. If the problem lies with my son and daughter, I am willing to face disciplinary action from the organization!¡± PS: 20 votes so far, my brothers and sisters, if you have votes, please support Old Cai. Your monthly and rmended votes are my endless motivation for writing. Chapter 280 - 279: Investigate to the End_1 Chapter 280: Chapter 279: Investigate to the End_1 Secretary Qin Zhenmin was taken aback by Nie Guowei¡¯s words once again. ¡®What¡¯s going on today?¡¯, he thought to himself. ¡®First, the princess of the Yang family, and now, Nie Guowei¡¯s children are involved he was about to speak. At this moment, the secretary walked in from outside and whispered to him, ¡°Secretary Qin, Commander Fang of the military district is here. He seems to be in a hurry, it looks like there¡¯s an emergency.¡± As soon as Fang Dabao entered the room and saw that both the Secretary and the Governor were present, he breathed a sigh of relief. He promptly said, ¡°Secretary Qin, Governor Nie, a serious incident has urred. I just received a call from Commander Zheng, whomands the Jingcheng City Military District troops stationed in Langzhou City. The only granddaughter of Old Dong has been detained in Zhuang City. Commander Zheng also told me that Dong Zhihua, Old Dong¡¯s grandson, has urgently mobilized troops to rush over. I believe that our Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government must resolve this matter before the troops arrive, otherwise¡­ the consequences could be unimaginable.¡± Upon hearing Fang Dabao¡¯s words, a bitter smile appeared on Qin Zhenmin¡¯s face. He turned to Nie Guowei and asked, ¡°Old Nie, tell me the truth, are there any other individuals involved?¡± Nie Guowei nodded at this moment, ¡°This time, the daughters from the Dong and Yang families did indeed go out with my children. Aside from them, there is also a woman involved, the owner of the Jingcheng Dynasty Club.¡± Upon hearing this, Qin Zhenmin dared not take it lightly. The Yang family alone is headache-inducing enough, but now, it also involves the Dong family, the Nie family, and a mysterious club owner. The situation has escted considerably. Immediately after, Qin Zhenmin contemted for a moment, then spoke to Fang Dabao and Nie Guowei, ¡°Old Nie, Old Fang, you go ahead to the Zhuang City Public Security Bureau, Public Security Team, and take control of the situation. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± Nie Guowei sneered in his heart. ¡®This Qin Zhenmin, thinking he¡¯s got everything figured out, but making me take the lead. Would my children, the girls from the Dong and Yang families, still dare to make a fuss then? He¡¯s trying to downy this event. Nie Guowei is well aware of the rtionship between Qin Zhenmin and the retired old Secretary, Du Qingshui. But he hadn¡¯t expected things would get to this point. Then, Nie Guowei said calmly, ¡°Secretary Qin, I must decline. The incident involves my son and daughter. To maintain fairness and not to be used of bullying, I request to recuse myself from this matter. I trust the organization will provide a fair evaluation and exnation.¡± After Nie Guowei left, Fang Dabao immediately rushed to the Zhuang City Public Security Bureau. However, Qin Zhenmin called Du Qingshui and exined the entire situation. Qin Zhenmin then said in a low voice, ¡°Old Secretary, I¡¯m afraid that Lin Shan¡¯s career is over.¡± After a long silence, an old voice finally came through, ¡°Secretary Qin, please do as you see fit. I¡¯m sorry to put you in such a difficult position.¡± A retired provincial party secretary is like a de-feathered phoenix. Even if dissatisfied, there is little that can be done. At this moment, Du Qingshui saw things very clearly. If he could only just keep him out of trouble, that would be good enough. Qin Zhenmin nodded, sighed, and said, ¡°Old Secretary, I¡¯ll do my best.¡± At the Zhuang City Public Security Bureau, Public Security Team, the area outside was already crowded with police. A glimmer of joy shed across Captain Zhang¡¯s face. He thought, ¡®No matter what military background you have, in this local area, assaulting the police and kidnapping officers are serious crimes.¡¯ At the same time, Captain Zhang shouted, ¡°Listen up, you are already surrounded. Resistance is futile. The party¡¯s policy and discipline is leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist. I advise you toy down your weapons and surrender immediately. Otherwise, don¡¯t me us for not being polite.¡± Half an hour passed, and the atmosphere became unbearably tense. Captain Zhang couldn¡¯t bear it any longer and yelled to the people next to him, ¡°Break in. If they resist, shoot them on the spot. Ensure the safety of young Kang.¡± As soon as his words fell, a thunderous voice came from outside, ¡°Shoot to kill? Who gave you such authority? You¡¯re just the captain of the Public Security Team, do you have the right to decide the lives of others at will?¡± Captain Zhang frowned when he heard this. He was about tosh out, but when he turned around, he saw Fang Dabao in military uniform walking in, followed by a group of armed soldiers. On Fang Dabao¡¯s shoulder sparkled a dazzling general¡¯s star. He promptly saluted him, saying, ¡°Hello Commander, wee to inspect and guide our work. Report Commander, at present, we are negotiating with an extremely dangerous criminal and preparing to break in.¡± Fang Dabao frowned, realizing he needed to take a stand at this time. He well understood the personality of that madman from the Dong family. The Commander of the mechanized infantry brigade, a full colonel. This was not someone he wanted to provoke. If his soldiers arrived, it would indeed escte the situation. Immediately, Fang Dabao waved his hand, instructing the military area¡¯s security toon, ¡°Shi Guangrong, order your men to disarm these people immediately.¡± Then, he red at Captain Zhang, angrily saying, ¡°Well, you¡¯ve got guts. Using private punishments like that. Wait for your punishment.¡± Immediately afterwards, several cars pulled up outside the courtyard. The foremost was Secretary Qin, in charge of the Yanbei Provincial Party Committee. Following him were Xu He, the Director of Yanbei Public Security Bureau, Wang Nansheng, Secretary of Zhuang City Municipal Committee, and Chu Huazhang, Deputy Secretary of Zhuang City Municipal Committee and the Mayor. The heads of both the provincial and municipalmittees were surprisingly all present. This spectacle stunned every police officer outside. This time, it seemed like they have stirred up a ho¡¯s nest. Upon witnessing this spectacle, Captain Zhang felt as if his legs had turned to jelly. This time, he feared, he was done for. These people had powerful backgrounds. While everyone was staring in shock, the roar of helicopters was heard from the skies above. The doors of the helicopters were opened, and ropes were lowered one after another. Fully armed soldiers descended from the four helicopters, like celestial soldiers from the heavens. Qin and the rest of the party leaders might not be familiar with the origins of these soldiers, but Fang Dabao, as the Brigade Commander of Yanbei Military Sub-district and a Major General, was well aware. These soldiers were elite forces from a mechanized brigade within the military district. There were forty soldiers in total. From the size of the force, it seems that there were four elite special forces teams. Each soldier worebat attire, camouge helmets, and was fully armed. Fang Dabao didn¡¯t need to think twice to realize that their guns were real. Moreover, with authorization from their superiors, they wouldn¡¯t hesitate to fire. Things had escted. However, the head of the Dong family was highly shrewd by asking for authorization from the Head of the Mechanized Brigade before making a move, he barely crossed the central government¡¯s bottom line. And his rationale was plentiful. Themanding officer was a Major. He had an expressionless face and a cold look in his eyes. After scanning the crowd, his eyesnded on Fang Dabao, who was also in uniform. He stepped forward, saluted, and said, ¡°Sir, I am Major Liu Jian from the Jingcheng City Military District. I have been ordered to carry out a protection mission.¡± Fang Dabao also formally returned the salute and said solemnly, ¡°Major Liu, the target is already safe. Yanbei Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government leaders are all present. This is Secretary Qin of the Yanbei Provincial Committee. Major Liu, could you contact Colonel Dong?¡± People like Liu Jian, who converged from afar, undoubtedly would have a way to connect with each other. After seeing Secretary Qin and the others who now stood before him, Major Liu nodded, walked back, and after a short while, he returned, saluted, and said, ¡°Commander Fang, my superior asked me to convey his gratitude to you. He said that if there¡¯s a chance, he would like to invite you for a drink. We¡¯ll leave first.¡± Having said that, Major Liumanded in a deep voice, ¡°Return to base.¡± At this moment, Fang Dabao couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly. The head of the Dong family was quite an eminent figure. Even at this moment, he didn¡¯t forget to exert pressure. If the situation was handled well, it would soon be a dinner invitation. But if it was mishandled, it would probably not end with a meal. With the presence of the Provincial party Secretary and the Director of the Public Security Bureau, Dong Wan and the others gradually began toe out. Seeing Nie Ziyu, Secretary Wang Nansheng and Mayor Chu Huazhang were both shocked. Oh my, it even involved Governor Nie¡¯s daughter. Once Nie Ziyu saw Secretary Qin and the others, she started crying, ¡°Uncle Qin, hurry and save my brother. He was taken to another room by Yao Kang and others.¡± Her words sent a shockwave through all the leaders of Zhuang City. Governor Nie¡¯s daughter¡¯s brother is none other than the son of Governor Nie. That¡¯s Nie Zhenbang, a rising star in politics. At the age of 24, he is already a vice-ministerial level party and government leader with a limitless future ahead. If something happened to him, wouldn¡¯t the Nie family be furious? As soon as Nie Ziyu saw Nie Zhenbang in the room, she rushed towards him, sobbing, ¡°Brother, are you okay?¡± Nie Zhenbang simply smiled and replied calmly, ¡°Ziyu, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m okay.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang walked over to Secretary Qin and the others, smiling, he said, ¡°Secretary Qin, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble. Secretary Qin, I would like to report the Executive Deputy Mayor of Zhuang City, Yao Linshan, and his son Yao Kang. Just now, Yao Kang, a non-leader and non-state public official, ordered Captain Zhang of Zhuang City Public Security Bureau to take private action against me. In order to protect my own life, I had to fight back. I appeal to the Yanbei Provincial Disciplinary Commission to investigate Comrade Yao Linshan and conduct a detailed review of Yao Kang¡¯s source of ie.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Secretary Qin felt moved. Nie Guowei had a good son. He was calm, collected, and clear-headed. At this moment, he was thinking about dealing with Yao Linshan. This would no doubt significantly enhance Nie Guowei¡¯s influence in Yanbei province. But at present, Secretary Qin had no choice but to agree. With the Dong and Yang families around, coupled with Nie¡¯s family power, he wouldn¡¯t dare harbor any other thoughts. Therefore, Secretary Qin nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Nansheng, Mayor Huazhang, please handle Yao Linshan¡¯s case personally. The Provincial Disciplinary Commission will fully support you. No matter who is involved, or what person is implicated. Thoroughly investigate and never be lenient.¡± PS: I¡¯m really sorry dear friends. The leader came for inspection this afternoon, and then we went for dinner followed by a singing proposal. It¡¯s already now that I have returned. These are the drawbacks of being at work. After careful consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided to quit my job. After this month, I will officially quit. Brothers and sisters, please give me a bit of confidence and encouragement. Chapter 281 - 280: Approval Document in Hand_1 Chapter 281: Chapter 280: Approval Document in Hand_1 With the Secretary¡¯s personal approval, the Zhuang City Municipal Committee naturally didn¡¯t dare to ck off. On the spot, in front of the Provincial Department of Public Security, the Director of the Zhuang City Public Security Bureau suspended the duties of Brigade Zhang, who was suspected of disciplinary vitions, for investigation. As for the followers, they were directly fired from the police force. At the same time, the Zhuang City Municipal Committee convened an urgent Standing Committee meeting. At the meeting, Secretary Wang Nansheng of Zhuang City Municipal Committee emphasized Secretary Qin¡¯s personal approval and immediately established an official investigation group led by the Secretary of the Zhuang City Discipline Inspection Commission, with a Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission personally in charge. Regarding the investigation of Yao Linshan, it was very simple and swift. In this era, although the bank has not implemented real-name banking, various concealed deposits are difficult to investigate and obtain evidence. However, many officials in this era like to hide cash at home. After taking control of Yao Linshan, the investigation group thoroughly searched the house he had purchased in Zhuang City Lv Yuan District. Between the bathroom and kitchen, they discovered a hollowed-out hidden room, where they found 800,000 yuan in cash, 150,000 Hong Kong dors, over 30,000 US dors, three deposit books, and an assortment of gold jewelry. With this concrete evidence, Yao Linshan confessed to his corruption and bribery crimes. At the same time, during the interrogation of Yao Kang, who couldn¡¯t withstand the intense psychological onught, he confessed to coborating with Brigade Zhang to injure and rape a few girls using his father¡¯s privilege. The Provincial Party Committee and Government Office Building Currently, in the office of Nie Guowei, Secretary Qin was sitting on the sofa, while Governor Guowei was standing by his side with a smile. This scene was somewhat reflective for Nie Guowei. Yanbei might be the traditional sphere of influence of the Nie family, but it doesn¡¯t mean that everyone in Yanbei was a direct descendant of the Nie family. Central government wouldn¡¯t allow that. With President Yuan and Prime Minister Yun¡¯s wisdom, they would absolutely not allow the emergence of a family that only listens to familialmands instead of centralizedmands. The Jin City families, basically, when talking about the traditional spheres of influence of a family, they mean that the certain family has more cadres and consistently holds an advantage in the government of the province. It implies that they hold the most important positions most of the time. This is the true meaning of a traditional sphere of influence. Secretary Qin was not a part of the Nie faction. This was something Nie Guowei knew very well, and Secretary Qin was a sharp-witted man. Nie Guowei admitted that he was not Secretary Qin¡¯s match in terms of cunning. Fortunately, this was Yanbei Province where many deputy provincial leaders were from the Nie faction. This was what allowed him to maintain a kind of bnce. ¡°Governor Guowei, the facts behind the Yao Linshan case are clear now. It¡¯s shocking. In just three short years, a bureau-level official was corrupted and fell into such a state, with the embezzled funds amounting to several million yuan. Such a person should be resolutely suppressed and severely punished.¡± Secretary Qin pondered for a moment, then uttered this. Nie Guowei sneered at this moment. Secretary Qin was indeed good at ying the human game. Who didn¡¯t know that Yao Linshan was his old boss¡¯s son-inw? If he hadn¡¯t relied on you, the provincial party secretary, would he dare to be so arrogant and bold? But it was just a thought. Even though Yao Linshan was the leader¡¯s son-inw, who could do anything to him as long as Secretary Qin had no problems? It wasn¡¯t even possible to talk about him not supervising properly. ¡°Governor Guowei, after the Yao Linshan case, the position of Zhuang City¡¯s executive deputy mayor has been vacated. Do you have any suitable candidates on your end?¡± Secretary Qin slowly stated his stance. This was Secretary Qin¡¯s ultimate intention for his visit today. On this matter, Secretary Qin hoped that both the Nie and Dong Yang families would let go. For these families, this was a minor issue that could be a major issue. It¡¯s best to put a stop to it. Secretary Nie must speak up if he wants to let these people let go. With Nie¡¯s approval, there won¡¯t be any problem with the Nie family, and it¡¯s evident that the daughters of the Dong Yang families are listening from their son. Secretary Qin saw this, he personally made the effort toe over and give thisrge favor to Nie Guowei. After pondering for a moment, Nie Guowei also slowly said, ¡°I agree with Secretary Qin¡¯s opinion. Yao Linshan¡¯s case is just a special case. It has to do with individual corruption and not with the education of the party. I think this case can be transferred over to the prosecution.¡± Nie Guowei didn¡¯t pick up on what Secretary Qin was saying. But Secretary Qin just smiled and nodded in affirmation, ¡°Yes, I had the same idea. It seems like Governor Guowei and I are thinking the same thing.¡± In the official world, speaking in riddles is the most favorite method. Even though both the men¡¯s words didn¡¯t seem to match up, they were clear on their understanding. Secretary Qin offered Yao Linshan¡¯s position to Nie Guowei. For a moment, Nie Guowei naturally wouldn¡¯t have any suitable candidates. Nie Guowei¡¯s rxing proved that he will transfer Yao Linshan to the prosecution. This clearly signifies his agreement with Secretary Qin¡¯s proposal. This case will end here and it will not involve anyone else, so this position will definitely be Nie Guowei¡¯s in the future, Secretary Qin will not go back on his word. Without this sort of credibility, Secretary Qin could not have risen to his current position. Chapter 282 - 280: Approval Document in Hand_2 Chapter 282: Chapter 280: Approval Document in Hand_2 Hearing this, the matter seemed to be settled. Secretary Qin got up with peace of mind,ughing, ¡°Governor Guowei, I still have some things to attend to, so I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Once Secretary Qin left, Nie Guowei also processed several documents and viewed the data files brought in from below. After work, he specifically hurried home because Nie Zhenbang and others were returning to Jingcheng. This time, Nie Guowei personally cooked, which was a grand reception. At this moment, at the provincial party and government courtyard, things seemed to be clearly deteriorating. After the meal, Nie Guowei and his son Nie Zhenbang ducked into the study. When Ye Shuxian wanted to take care of washing the dishes, Dong Wan and Li Lixue took it upon themselves to do it instead. The two women were conscious and proactive in front of their future mother-inw. In the study, once Nie Zhenbang had brewed a pot of premium Longjing tea for himself and his father, he started to speak, ¡°Dad, there¡¯s something I want to discuss with you. You can consult Uncle about it, and if you can handle it, there¡¯s no need to bother Grandpa.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s serious tone, Nie Guowei was startled, then asked, ¡°Zhenbang, what¡¯s so important?¡± Nie Zhenbang proceeded to ask, ¡°Dad, do you know about Jiangbei Province?¡± After repeating the situation with Governor Ning Shouchang of Jiangbei Province, he continued, ¡°Dad, a provincial level official, especially Ning Shouchang, is only 57 years old and is a powerful figure in the provincial ministries. If we can integrate such a person into the Nie family, it would be a huge boost for us in the government. Think about it, we have Secretary Liang in the north, Governor Guo in the south, plus Ning Shouchang and you. The Nie family holds four provincial ministerial-level officials. This is significantly advantageous to us.¡± Nie Guowei nodded in agreement, then said, ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯ll personally make contact with Ning Shouchang. I¡¯ll also speak to Grandpa. However, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s really what you¡¯re getting at.¡± Nie Zhenbang was quite satisfied with his father¡¯s words. Under his tenure as a ministerial-level official, Nie Guowei had indeed demonstrated his capabilities. Then, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Dad, I mean, could we arrange for a vice-ministerial candidate from the Nie family to take up a position in Jiangbei. The person I have in mind is Liu Kun¡¯s father. This way, he can provide mutual support with Ning Shouchang, which will aid in stabilizing Ning Shouchang¡¯s position in Jiangbei Province. Moreover, with this arrangement, I will be able to contain Li Guohua through Ning Shouchang. Dad, I have a premonition that Li Guohua is going to be my biggest obstacle in the future.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Guowei was taken aback. Some people think three steps ahead, but his son seems to be thinking ten steps ahead. After some thought, Nie Guowei shook his head and said, ¡°Liu Kun¡¯s father isn¡¯t quite suitable. He¡¯s a full ministerial-level official now. Sending him down to Jiangbei may be difficult to arrange. However, you don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯ll discuss this candidate with your uncle. It shouldn¡¯t be too difficult to put someone there.¡± With Nie Guowei¡¯s approval, Nie Zhenbang felt relieved. With this arrangement, Li Guohua probably won¡¯t have such an easy time in the future. He doesn¡¯t ask for much, just hoping Li Guohua won¡¯t create any obstacles for him. Smiling, he then said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve been away for four or five days, I¡¯m nning to return to Jingcheng. I¡¯ll check on the approval status, and once I get the Kuli Airport clearance document, I¡¯ll return to Xibei.¡± Looking at his son, Nie Guowei also felt a bit emotional. From the moment he first found out he had a son, his initial reaction was shock and disbelief. Because Nie Guowei found it hard to believe that a reckless act in his youth had resulted in a son. But faced with the hard truth, he had no choice but to acknowledge it. Afterwards, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s continuous actions not only led to his own promotion, but also brought glory to the Nie family. Now, Nie Guowei rarely speaks to Nie Zhenbang as a father, but more as an equal. Professionally, his son was far more sessful and talented than him, so Nie Guowei naturally wouldn¡¯t interfere in his son¡¯s affairs. After some thought, Nie Guowei slowly said, ¡°Zhenbang, what are your thoughts on marriage? You¡¯re now a deputy department-level official. It¡¯s about time to consider the issue of marriage, regardless of your age. Marriage will be an important factor determining your promotions.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, this matter was something his grandfather had discussed with him before. Nie Guowei¡¯s words were just a repeat of previous talks. However, Nie Zhenbang could feel Nie Guowei¡¯s care for him in his words. Following, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Dad, Grandpa has brought this up with me too. Grandpa¡¯s inclination is that I¡¯m only 24 years old. Due to age considerations, the Central Party wouldn¡¯t promote me within the next three years. I promise, within three years, I will resolve the issue of marriage.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Nie Guowei chuckled and nodded approvingly. A deputy department-level official at 24, Nie Zhenbang had broken records. Going at this rate, he¡¯s likely to continue breaking records. This was his son after all, and Nie Guowei felt a sense of pride. Nodding, he said, ¡°I was just speaking my mind. I understand my capabilities and my opportunities for promotion aren¡¯t really that great anymore. Now, I¡¯m just waiting for my retirement so I can help you raise children. You should get some rest, remember to be cautious when driving on your trip tomorrow.¡± The journey from Zhuang City to Jingcheng is nearly three hundred kilometers. The next early morning, Nie Zhenbang and the others were prepared to depart. This time, Nie Ziyu wanted to return to Jingcheng with them. That little girl was hanging around Yang Anna again. Thankfully, the car was big enough that seating three people in the back wasn¡¯t too cramped. After more than four hours, the car entered Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang directly drove to the Dynasty Club. Just as he arrived back in Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pager started buzzing. The youngsters from Jingcheng¡¯s prestigious families had very good sources of information. If one person knew, everyone knew. First, Liu Kun¡¯s call came, ¡°Three, you¡¯re not fair. You have such a good thing but didn¡¯t tell us so we could show our support. Today, you¡¯re the host at the Great Tang. I have good news to tell you.¡± Good news? Nie Zhenbang was taken aback, what good news was there? This guy was keeping him in suspense now. Just as he hung up, the pager rang again. As soon as he picked up, Yang Anbang¡¯s voice came through, ¡°My younger brother, such a big matter happened and yet you didn¡¯t inform me. This happened on my turf and my dad gave me a serious ticking off. Kid, you don¡¯t seem to take your brother-inw and uncle seriously.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Second brother, why am I being criticized as soon as Ie back? Alright, I admit my mistake, I¡¯ll ept my punishment. Today, I¡¯ll host a banquet at your Great Tang, is that okay?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yang Anbang alsoughed heartily and said, ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you know better. Considering your sincere acknowledgment of your error, I won¡¯t keep you in the dark any longer. I have imed the approval for you.¡± These words surprised Nie Zhenbang, he hadn¡¯t expected to receive the approval so quickly. It looked like Yang Anbang was the one that helped him and judging by Liu Kun¡¯s secretive manner, the ¡®good news¡¯ was likely regarding the Kuli Airport approval. However, for Nie Zhenbang, this was indeed a significant breakthrough and a matter of great joy. With the airport, New Li City and Bazhou now had wings to take off. Chapter 283 - 281 Development by Plunder_1 Chapter 283: Chapter 281 Development by Plunder_1 Urumqi Airport Nie Zhenbang wore a thin dark jacket with a white shirt underneath, and his hair was cropped short as usual, making him look sharp. His attire lent Nie Zhenbang a mature appearance. On the surface, he looked nothing like a 24-year old young man but rather a man in his thirties. In the world of bureaucracy, such maturity added favorably to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s persona. Some bureaucrats in their thirties appeared to be in their twenties, and this could make them appear unreliable, affecting their chances of promotion negatively. After returning from Yanbei to Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang held a banquet at the Tang Dynasty Club, owned by Yang Anbang. He invited Yang Anbang, Liu Kun, Zhao Xinglong, Li Hua, Ning Zhiyuan, Guo Ming, Liang Ligui, and Li Wen*GE. This represented Nie Zhenbang¡¯s circle of connections, either closely rted to the Nie family or directly under his wing. Regarding the airport approval, in fact, as soon as Nie Zhenbang went to the Civil Aviation Administration, Yang Anbang was aware. His father was currently the Minister of Transportation and the Civil Aviation Administration was under his jurisdiction. Furthermore, Yang Anbang remembered very well his father¡¯s instructions to him. Therefore, when Nie Zhenbang went to Yanbei Province, Yang Anbang personally helped him get the approval. At the same time, Yang Anbang also expressed his desire to invest in the airport. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t reject this. He would decide based on the situation. If the Bazhou City Committee needed funds, Nie Zhenbang would not reject investments from the Wal-Mart Group. Moreover, he agreed with Yang Anbang that if there was ack of funds, the Wal-Mart Group would be considered first. This way, Nie Zhenbang managed to survive a precarious situation. During the following days, Nie Zhenbang stayed in the Dynasty Hotel for a few days and, after confirming a romantic rtionship with Li Lixue, Dong Wan, and Yang Anna, he devoted most of his time to business, thuspromising the time he spent with them. During these few days, Nie Zhenbangmitted to his role as a boyfriend seriously. He then spent another two days with his grandfather. After all, Doctor Lin¡¯s words were absolute. Today, his grandfather¡¯s health was deteriorating day by day. Every day spent with him was precious. As a grandson, having the chance to spend time with him was a good thing. Nie Zhenbang did not want to have any regrets in the future. Stepping out of the airport, his assistant Yi Jun and driver Xiao Wang, who had received Nie Zhenbang¡¯s call earlier, were already waiting for him. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yi Jun rushed to greet him and took his briefcase, asking excitedly, ¡°Secretary, did it work out?¡± In the eyes of the officers in Xinli City, any work that required a trip to Jingcheng would almost certainly get done as long as Secretary Nie Zhenbang was handling it. Nie Zhenbang looked at Yi Jun and pretended to put on a serious face, ¡°Xiaoyi, why are you so impatient even though we haven¡¯t seen each other for only half a month?¡± Xiao Wang drove out of the Urumqi Airport parking lot. Looking at the rearview mirror, he joked, ¡°Mr. Secretary, Brother Yi has been quite busy recently.¡± Hearing Xiao Wang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang frowned. If he was worried about anything, it had to be Zhou Chen. Xiao Wang, as an individual, was known well to Nie Zhenbang. This driver seldom talked. Having driven for him for so long, the number of times he initiated conversations was pitifully few. Thus, hisment now was somewhat suspicious. How could Yi Jun have any pressing matters while he was away? Immediately, Nie Zhenbang looked at Yi Jun and asked, ¡°Xiaoyi, what¡¯s going on? Has the city been very busytely?¡± At this moment, Yi Jun gave Xiao Wang a stern look, ming him. Nevertheless, he dared not lie in front of Nie Zhenbang. Yi Jun was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personality. As an subordinate, you could make mistakes as long as they were for the good of the people and not for personal gain. In such cases, Secretary Nie would protect you. However, if you lied or sought personal benefits, you would undoubtedly face severe consequences. Immediately, Yi Jun nodded and said, ¡°Secretary, during your absence, Mayor Zhou has been very active. Less than three days after you left, Mayor Zhou organized a business delegation to visit us. After inspecting the Xinli Development Zone, severalpanies signed investment agreements with Mayor Zhou. Now, we have already entered the stage ofnd acquisition and development.¡± The agreement was most likely signed in the name of the Xinli City Government rather than Zhou Chen. Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised to learn that Zhou Chen had attracted investment. What did that mean? Beside him, Yi Jun paused before adding, ¡°Secretary, Mayor Zhou¡¯s prestige has increased significantly among the city¡¯s officials. I am afraid that¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang waved his hand, indicating that as long as Zhou didn¡¯t overstep his boundaries, he would not interfere with him. Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Xiaoyi, don¡¯t be too concerned about others. Regardless, Deputy Mayor Zhou¡¯s efforts to develop Xinli City and attract investment show good intentions.¡± As for the petty tricks yed by several officials in Xinli City, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care. As long as he controlled the overall situation, anything else was trivial. At this time, it was unrealistically idealistic to hope to form an imprable Xinli City. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t even think about it. His example was clear ¨C the career advancements of Lin Weimin, Chen Le, and Yan Fengjiao were bound to stimte others. Zhou Chen was admirable, being young anding from a simr background. Now that he brought in so much investment, it was natural for many officials to align themselves with him. This was human nature. At this point, Nie Zhenbang reminded again, ¡°Xiaoyi, don¡¯t spread rumors that might disrupt the unity and stability of our team.¡± Yi Jun nodded, a feeling of warmth spreading over his face. Secretary Nie was treating him like a true confidant. After a journey of nearly seven hours, the car finally arrived in Bazhou City. Nie Zhenbang immediately said, ¡°Xiao Wang, first go to the city governmentpound.¡± Visiting the city governmentpound meant most likely paying a visit to Mayor Ding Aiguo of Bazhou City. Ever since hisst falling out with Liu Wenqing, Nie Zhenbang had distanced himself from him. It was only expected. Having been stabbed in the back once, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t look for more trouble. It wasn¡¯t in his nature. Even though it was already ten o¡¯clock at night, Ding Aiguo wasn¡¯t resting. As soon as Nie Zhenbang walked in, Ding Aiguo led him to his study. After Ding Aiguo¡¯s wife poured a cup of hot tea for Nie Zhenbang, she tactfully excused herself. Ding Aiguo smiled at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°I received news today that you¡¯re back northwest. I predicted you woulde.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Mayor, I couldn¡¯t wait. As soon as I received the approval, I hurried over to bring you the good news.¡± The rtionship between the two was well-defined by Ding Aiguo¨C a blend of mentor and friend. Unlike Liu Wenqing, who was extremely utilitarian, Ding Aiguo had a schrly air about him. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Ding Aiguo beamed. Although Ding Aiguo and others believed in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ability to obtain the approval, it wasn¡¯t as simple as having money. The impact of a branch airport on a region and the massive support required from all quarters was immense. With the airport now a reality,bined with the under-construction railway that will run through Bazhou City, the city¡¯s transport connectivity will be transformed. The impact on Bazhou¡¯s future development was colossal. After a moment of silence, Ding Aiguo nodded, ¡°Good, good. With this airport, Bazhou gets the wings to fly high.¡± After discussing the airport construction and rted highway projects with Ding Aiguo, Nie Zhenbang took his leave. After a night¡¯s rest in Bazhou, Nie Zhenbang rose early the next day, well before seven. After the establishment of Xinli City, the distance between it and Bazhou had been reduced to just 30 kilometers. Once the government office of Ku City would have fully moved, the distance between Ku City and Xinli¡¯s development zone would only be 15 kilometers. In addition, the national highway connecting Bazhou to Xinli City is under expansion. Whenpleted, it would take no more than forty minutes from Xinli City to Bazhou. Before eight-thirty, they had entered the development zone of Xinli City. Seeing walls built up in many areas, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but admire the pace of Xinli City¡¯s progress¨C it was astonishing. In just half a month, several new businesses had opened up. Nie Zhenbang suddenly told Xiao Wang, ¡°Xiao Wang, let¡¯s go see the businesses that Deputy Mayor Zhou has introduced here.¡± Xiao Wang replied with a hum as they veered off Pear City Avenue and onto Unity Road. They pulled over in front of a wastnd under just a hundred meters away. This left Nie Zhenbang somewhat puzzled¨C it was rather peculiar of Zhou Chen to have brought an investor to such a location in the first ce¨C a location not yet fully developed. Looking up at a sign hanging over the walled emptynd, reading Changye Chemical Industry Northwest Co., Ltd. Xinli City Production Base Project Department, Nie Zhenbang frowned. It was a chemical industrypany, a choice not really in line with the development direction of Xinli City. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯tment. Shortly after, they left for the next location, which was at the outermost edge of the development zone. Here, a range of undting hills, one of the few in Xinli City, sprawled before them. But now, where there once was grass-coverednd, there was a different sight. A fewrge bulldozers were parked nearby, the entire hill had been dug up, exposing bare earth. Next to it, several sheds had already been set up. Overhead, a sign read Anchang Paper Industry Xinli City Co., Ltd. Production Base Project Department. A paper factory here? Wasn¡¯t this a typical example of exploitative development? It posed a massive environmental risk. Even more so, the irreversible damage caused to the groundwater could turn the area into a desert within a decade. Moreover, a paper factory was considered high-polluting. Nie Zhenbang had always strictly controlled and managed such businesses. With these thoughts in mind, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened. He instructed in a low voice, ¡°Xiao Yi, immediately call the otherrades in the city and get them here at once.¡± PS: 124 votes, 15 people rewarded, review tickets, rmendation tickets, a surge in all sorts of data. A heartfelt thank you for your support, brothers and sisters. I believe my resignation was worth it. Three updates for today, will try my best to write more tomorrow, working towards a burst! Chapter 284 - 282: The Collision of Thoughts_1 Chapter 284: Chapter 282: The Collision of Thoughts_1 Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yi Jun was also somewhat taken aback. Judging from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone and attitude, he seemed to be very discontented with this paper factory. This left Yi Jun somewhat confused. As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s secretary, Yi Jun could guess that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s anger was probably focused on the pollution and high energy consumption of the paper mill. However, deep down, Yi Jun did not quite understand why Nie Zhenbang insisted on sustainable development and environmental protection. From Yi Jun¡¯s point of view, it seemed that Nie Zhenbang had reached a level of near-obsession. In New Li City, many cadres share simr views with Yi Jun. In their perspectives, Zhou Chen¡¯s move is a clear show of capability. The more factories and businesses there are in the development zone, the better New Li City will develop. As for environmental protection, pollution emissions, and future matters, it seems that no one has given them much thought. This is a kind of collision of ideas. Despite his bewilderment, as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s secretary, he had no choice but to stand firmly on his leader¡¯s side. This is an attitude a secretary must have. As Yi Jun began making phone calls, the entire leadership of the New Li Citymittee hastened over. At that moment, Zhou Chen just started his work. Recently, Zhou Chen has epted the suggestion from his secretary, Zhou Wang and specifically consulted with his brother, who also agreed. Since Nie Zhenbang¡¯s prestigees from his political achievements, Zhou Chen also needs to create his own political achievements to stand a chance against Nie Zhenbang. Therefore, Zhou Chen had been working diligently recently. However, just as he started his work today, he received a call from Qu Feng, the secretary-general of the City Committee¡¯s Office. Nie Zhenbang had returned and was now waiting for the City Committee¡¯s leaders at Anchang Paper Industry in the development zone. When Zhou Chen heard about Anchang Paper Industry, his brows furrowed. What the hell was Nie Zhenbang ying at? Was he trying to make trouble for himself again? Zhou Chen sneered, swearing to himself, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. I¡¯ve been devoted to the development of New Li City, helping Nie Zhenbang gain achievements, and yet I¡¯m the one in the wrong?¡± Zhou Chen then stood up and ordered, ¡°Xiao Zhou, prepare the car. We¡¯re going to Anchang Paper Industry.¡± By the time Zhou Chen arrived at Anchang Paper Industry, four or five cars had already parked by the roadside. Members of the City Committee including the Minister of Propaganda, Yan Fengjiao, the secretary of the Development Zone, were all present. After Nie Zhenbang became the secretary of the City Committee, he appointed Yan Fengjiao as the Work Committee Secretary in the following personnel adjustment. Of course, Yan Fengjiao¡¯s position as the director of the Management Committee was given to the Party Secretary of Shengli Township, Leng Guohua. These people were now key figures and mainstays in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s New Li City system. Next to them, executive deputy mayor Bekri, deputy mayors Lin Weimin and Li Lin had all arrived on the scene; Zhou Chen was thest one to arrive as always. However, this time, Nie Zhenbang did not lose his temper. After all, Zhou Chen was notified at thest minute and he was presently outside, so there wasn¡¯t really an issue about him beingte. The moment he spotted Zhou Chen, Nie Zhenbang addressed him directly, ¡°Vice Mayor Zhou, I hear that this Anchang Paper Industry was personally introduced by you. I wonder if the environmental assessment of this paper mill has been passed. Also, why choose to set up the factory in such a location, as this will pose a huge challenge for the future discharge of pollutants. Furthermore, what¡¯s the story with the chemical industry? The introduction of so many high-pollution enterprises at once will cause an unpredictable loss to New Li City¡¯s environment.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhou Chen seemed indifferent. What¡¯s all this talk about high pollution, emissions control, and cares for these matters? Both enterprises were personally introduced by Zhou Chen. ording to his promise, every rted procedure would be assisted entirely by the New Li City government. With Zhou Chen¡¯s directive, everything naturally went smoothly. After all, the head of the Environmental Protection Bureau wouldn¡¯t dare disregard the Deputy Mayor¡¯s face, would he? Immediately after, Zhou Chen responded in a deep voice, ¡°Secretary Nie, what do you mean by this? When the factoriese in, they will definitely have their own detailed nning measures. The attitude of our citymittee and city government should be to provide good logistical support for these entrepreneurs. If you scrutinize everything like this, I¡¯m afraid that even with a hundred years, the development zone of New Li City wouldn¡¯t have achieved what it has today.¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s tone was also not very friendly. As far as he was concerned, Nie Zhenbang was deliberately targeting him everywhere, clearly downying his achievements and out for revenge. Under such circumstances, Zhou Chen would not give in. Since Nie Zhenbang was going to take it personal, let him. Zhou Chen didn¡¯t care; after a few rounds of this, Zhou Chen¡¯s prestige would be gone. Next to him, Deputy Mayor Bekri also spoke: ¡°Secretary, could it be that severe? There are chemical factories and paper mills in many other ces too.¡± Bekri did not quite understand the implications of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, although he was currently in a hostilepetition with Zhou Chen. But that did not mean he waspletely unprincipled. On this issue, Bekri did not think that Zhou Chen was wrong. Hence, he voiced his doubts. Nie Zhenbang paused, and at this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt a sudden realization. He looked around at Lin Weimin, Yan Fengjiao, Leng Guohua, and others around him. Even though his direct subordinates hadn¡¯t spoken out to refute him, judging from their expressions, they probably shared the same sentiments. It was evident that this was why after Zhou Chen¡¯s introduction of thesepanies, not a single person in the city hade forward to oppose it. In the end, it was all about a change in mindset. At this point, the mindset among the leaders was quite simple; boosting the economy and promoting development were the main themes and priorities. As for pollution, environmental destruction, and ecological bnce, they were considered insignificant, no one cared about those things. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s concept of sustainable development might receive praises from Secretary-General Yuan and Premier Yun, and approval from the central government¡¯s leadership, but it didn¡¯t mean it could work at the grassroots level. In this era, pioneers were rare. At least, New Li City didn¡¯t have such an extraordinary individual. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression darkened, he said sternly, ¡°Comrades, we need to push for economic development. But my premise is that we do so without destroying the local environment. This includes Dragon Hua Mining as well; don¡¯t you remember the agreement that Long Hua Mining had signed with our city expressly included a use about environmental restoration?¡± After a pause, seeing a thoughtful expression on everyone¡¯s faces, Nie Zhenbang said again, ¡°Development should note at the expense of consuming the living space of future generations. This is the concept of sustainable development. I am not disagreeing with Deputy Mayor Zhou¡¯s introduction of these businesses. Nor am I saying it¡¯s wrong. What I mean is rather simple ¨C strict environmental assessment. Any business that wishes to establish itself in New Li City mustply with our city¡¯s rules. I don¡¯t want to pursue development at the expense of the environment. I don¡¯t want to see our city¡¯s green mountains and rivers turn into a desert, polluted with smog in ten or twenty years. By then, we would be med by the public.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang looked at Zhou Chen and said, ¡°Deputy Mayor Zhou, would you pleaseplete the environmental impact reports for these two enterprises again? We can regard them as enterprises of New Li City only after they are formally approved by the environmental assessment. Otherwise, I¡¯m firmly opposed.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude was filled with a sense of assertiveness that left no room for doubt. Zhou Chen could obviously feel that Nie Zhenbang, after his trip to Jingcheng, seemed less gentle but more assertive than before. After Nie Zhenbang¡¯s departure, all his direct subordinates, like Yan Fengjiao, Lin Weimin, Leng Guohua, and Li Lin, left one after another. With aplex expression on his face, Deputy Mayor Bekri looked at the ground-breaking Anchang Paper Industry and soon drove away. At this moment, Bekri felt a turmoil in his heart. He understood what Nie Zhenbang meant. Development in New Li City was bound to take a different path aspared to other ces. This thought also excited Bekri. From Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude towards Zhou Chen, Bekri seemed to see a glimmer of hope. Back in his office, Bekri immediately instructed his secretary, ¡°Go to the archives and bring back all of Secretary Nie¡¯s speeches in the past two years, also, get me the business data fromst year.¡± Being able to reach the current position wasn¡¯t a work of a fool to Bekri. He felt, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude was definitely one to be pondered upon. If used well, it seemed like it could be a possible turning point. Bekri spent the entire morning studying Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speeches and analyzing the corporate data of New Li City. He discovered an issue. In those investment projects in New Li City, Farmer Welfare Company, and some other agriculturalpanies had the lowest barriers and received the most support. Contrarily, for highly pollutingpanies in the paper-making, pharmaceuticals, and mining industries, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude was quite rigid. Previously, a paper-makingpany had undergone two revisions in its environmental pollution control approach. Upon seeing this, Bekri gasped; it was truly the path of sustainable development. This ran counter to the conventional mindset. He wondered if anyone else at the city level could appreciate and grasp Nie Zhenbang¡¯s forward-thinking approach. If he could take the initiative, would he feel differently to Nie Zhenbang? The thought of this set Bekri¡¯s heart aze. If he could gain Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approval, then turning the tables at thest moment wasn¡¯t impossible after all. At this moment, Bekri couldn¡¯t sit still anymore. He immediately stood up and said to the outside, ¡°Shao, stay here for a while, I¡¯m going to the Municipal Party Committee.¡± (To be continued. If you like this novel, please vote for it on . Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 285 - 283: Bekri’s Bet (Four more updates, the first one) _1 Chapter 285: Chapter 283: Bekri¡¯s Bet (Four more updates, the first one) _1 Nie Zhenbang returned to his office and immediately got busy again. These past ten or so days, a lot of documents had piled up on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk that needed to be processed. As for Zhou Chen¡¯s matter, Nie Zhenbang really didn¡¯t have much spare time to think about it. Concerning the two factories, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude is very clear and simple. It¡¯s not that Nie Zhenbang discriminates against these enterprises. After all, all kinds of enterprises are necessary in a country. If all local governments across the country share Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mindset, then these factories wouldn¡¯t have any space to survive. Obviously, that is not right. It¡¯s an ostrich¡¯s attitude towards problems. That¡¯s passive. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s requirements are simple: as long as these enterprises can pass the environmental assessment and reach the qualified pollution emission standards, other things are not a problem. On the side of Xinli City, after the renovations of the elementary and secondary school buildings in Li County have beenpleted, this year, the focus of Xinli City¡¯s education is mainly on two aspects. One is to repair and renovate the school buildings in the original Yun County and the newly incorporated towns of Dafeng, Red g, and Chetai. Any buildings that are deemed hazardous will be demolished and rebuilt. With Xinli City¡¯s current fiscal situation, this investment is not a problem at all. The other key work is to eradicate illiteracy among the city¡¯s young and middle-aged poption and to implement nine-yearpulsory education. At the top of the document, Nie Zhenbang endorsed his opinion, ¡°Agree, and please let the relevant leaders of the municipal government review it, and let the municipal educationmission spearhead the responsibility. The finance department shall not set up any obstacles or barriers, and must ensure the safety of all primary and secondary school students¡¯ learning environment fully. The final sign off is Nie Zhenbang.¡± Having set aside the document with his response, Nie Zhenbang picked up another. Outside, Yi Jun walked in and whispered into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ear, ¡°Secretary, Mayor Bai is here.¡± Bekri? On hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang hesitated. Just that morning, Bekri had questioned him about Zhou Chen¡¯s investment attraction issue. It was only half a day, and Bekri had taken the initiative toe over. What did this mean? Nie Zhenbang started pondering. Could it be that he hade to apologize? Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang nodded immediately, ¡°Please let Mayor Bai in.¡± As he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang seemed to feel that this was somewhat inappropriate. He stood up personally and said to Yi Jun, ¡°I¡¯ll go myself.¡± This is where Nie Zhenbang differs from other scions of Jingcheng. Jingcheng¡¯s scions, in terms of their abilities and backgrounds, those who truly want to enter the system are not stupid. However, these people all have amon problem ¨C they like to show off the air of arrogance and reserve nurtured from growing up in such top-tier families. This is the so-called noble aura. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, this is pure nonsense, a group of people who don¡¯t understand how to respect talents and learn from others. The biggest difference with Nie Zhenbang is that while having everything that scions can have, he also maintains a public style, which is closely associated with his sixteen years of civilian life. Nie Zhenbang stopped at the door. Respecting talents and learning from others is good, but one must capture a measure and grasp a sense of distance. Excessive servility will make one seem tock authority and presence, but if one is too distant, it will make others feel elusive. This measure is hard to grasp. Nie Zhenbang, however, handles it quite well. Standing by the door, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Bai has arrived, pleasee in quickly. Xiaoyi, in the future, when Mayor Baies to my office, you don¡¯t need to report. As long as there are no other people in my office, he cane in directly.¡± Bekri was somewhat moved, although he was aware that perhaps this was a gesture made by Nie Zhenbang. However, after all, it showed a certain attitude. Ordinary people might not even make such a gesture. In the bureaucratic world, sometimes, it is exactly such a gesture that is needed. Upon entering Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office and sitting on the sofa at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s invitation, Bekri, with the green tea handed over by Nie Zhenbang, also said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Secretary, I came here this time to apologize to you and to learn.¡± This made Nie Zhenbang somewhat stunned. He knew Bekri might havee because of the matter in the morning, but hearing Bekri utter these words made Nie Zhenbang somewhat surprised. After all, Bekri is also a member of the municipal partymittee and the executive deputy mayor. Speaking like this puts him in a subordinate position. Without waiting for Nie Zhenbang to speak, Bekri, after a brief moment of rumination, continued, ¡°Mr. Mayor, in the development of Xinli City, there are many things that we have failed toprehend and implement ording to your intentions. This time, I have specifically researched the various data and information of Xinli City over the past year. I feel that your direction and thinking for the development have left us far behind. In terms of learning, we have not been able to keep up with you. Please criticize and guide us, Mr. Mayor.¡± For the form of address, Bekri skipped using ¡°Secretary¡± and specifically used ¡°Mayor¡±. Formerly, Nie Zhenbang was Bekri¡¯s immediate leader when he was the head of Li County Government. This form of address indicated Bekri¡¯s stance ¨C Zhou Chen was not a mayor that Bekri acknowledged. Nie Zhenbang was also pondering at the moment, the difference in thinking, this wasn¡¯t solely because of the other officials in New Li City. Such a thing, even if it were to ur in developed coastal areas in the east, not everyone could understand and perceive his foresight. This was a limitation in thought, something that could not be changed in a short period. Under the national trend of trading environment for development and resources for growth, the officials of New Li City could manage to act steadily and prudently, which was quite good. However, after this incident, Nie Zhenbang had firm some ideas in his mind. He looked at Bekri and said, ¡°Old White, the change in the concept of thought is not a simple issue. My path is too advanced. I can understand your ideas. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang looked at Bekri calmly and said, ¡°Old White, the Two Sessions of New Li City will be held soon. Do you have any ideas about the People¡¯s Congress?¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Bekri was delighted. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were very clear ¨C he was being asked about his thoughts on the People¡¯s Congress. Wasn¡¯t this an indication of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intent? However, Bekri was also hesitant. In the system, overthrowing the leading candidate appointed by the leaders at the People¡¯s Congress would certainly mean that the individual would lose face and have to resign. But what about the other officials, especially the elected person? They would surely be pushed into the spotlight. If the leaders¡¯ faces were lost, would there be room for his own promotion in the future? At this thought, Bekri decided to answer in an ambiguous manner: ¡°Sir, regarding the People¡¯s Congress, I have visited several towns and municipal agencies recently and have fully heard many suggestions and opinions from the People¡¯s Congress representatives. As for this, my meaning is to follow the guidance of the superiors.¡± Nie Zhenbang frowned at these words. Bekri was too cautious and slippery in his actions. This statement was essentially a non-answer. However, some information could be gleaned from it ¨C why was he, the executive deputy mayor, going to towns and listening to the suggestions and opinions of the People¡¯s Congress representatives during this critical period of the People¡¯s Congress? Moreover, he agreed to follow the superiors¡¯ guidance but did not say he would strictly obey the organization¡¯s arrangements. This topic was worth exploring further. Who were the ¡°superiors¡± ¨C Nie himself, or the Bazhou Municipal Committee? It was hard to tell. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang decided to press Bekri further and said with a smile, ¡°Old White, it¡¯s good that you have this idea. The leadership of the City Party Committee and the City Government and I all agree with your approach. You should also think about it and be mentally prepared. If you have any ideas, Mayor Bai, you cane to me at any time.¡± Aftering out from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, Bekri was also hesitating. The attraction of the Mayor¡¯s position, the temptation of being at deputy department level, was undoubtedly huge for Bekri. However, Bekri was not a fledgling youngster. For this election, not to mention that certainly there would be leaders from the citying down to boost morale, it was also about the prestige of the Bazhou Municipal Committee and the Autonomous Region. If the mayoral candidate rmended by the superior was not elected at the People¡¯s Congress, it would undeniably be a p in the face to the leaders above. The high-ups would definitely not allow such a thing to happen. Considering Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rtionship and background here, with the support of Mayor Ding of the city and the Party Secretary of the Autonomous Region, and even the Deputy Officer in Jingcheng treating him differently, this attested to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background. Even Jiang Zhenquan had summoned Nie Zhenbang several times privately, and Vice Premier Tao from the State Council had personally asked to meet him. Bekri regarded all these as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background. Hesitating for a moment, Bekri made up his mind. Life offers few chances to take risks. If he did not seize this opportunity, he might not get another one. Zhou Chen wouldn¡¯t remember this favour, and the Municipal Committee wouldn¡¯t think that he had made a contribution. As long as he could follow Nie Zhenbang closely in the future, Bekri was not worried about anything else. If the sky were to fall, Nie Zhenbang would be there to hold it up. As for the matter of the People¡¯s Congress, he couldpletely y the victim. If Nie Zhenbang fell, he would be willing to retire happily. With this in mind, Bekri immediately picked up the phone and dialed the office number of Mi Fugui, the secretary-general of the municipal government: ¡°Secretary-General Mi, it¡¯s Bekri. Could you arrange for me to visit the Municipal Bureau of Retired Veteran Cadre tomorrow to show care andfort to the retiredrades and veteran cadres? As for the matter involving reporters from the city¡¯s TV station and New Li Daily, I will contact Minister Yan myself.¡± Though Bekri did not explicitly agree with Nie Zhenbang, he showed through his actual actions that he had epted his proposal. Under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s guidance in these two days, Yan Fengjiao was doing her best to manage the situation, with major propagandistic organs like New Li Daily and New Li TV Station carrying news everyday about Bekri inspecting various units, visiting various towns, checking on the work at Farmer Welfare Company, or paying respects to the local stationed troops in New Li City. For a while, the officials in New Li City also started to act upon hearing the news. At this critical period when the People¡¯s Congress was being convened, Bekri¡¯s high-profile activities inevitably made anyone with discerning eyes start thinking. PS: I, Old Cai, do not have a stockpile, so for today, Sunday, I will temporarily hang a marker for a four-chapter explosion. If things go well, a five-chapter soon is also a possibility. With so much love and support from brothers and sisters, I must repay it. In short, I will repay the support of various votes from all the brothers and sisters through explosions. Cast your monthly tickets and rmendation tickets, dear brothers and sisters! Chapter 286 - 284 High Officials Take Charge_1 Chapter 286: Chapter 284 High Officials Take Charge_1 During these days when Bekri has been attending various functions and meetings with great prominence, inside the office of Liu Wenqing, the Secretary of Bazhou Municipal Committee, situated in the governing building of Bazhou Municipal Committee. At this moment, Liu Wenqing was holding a phone handset, his face ashen, nodding incessantly. From the handset, Chairman Tieli¡¯s furious roar and yelling came through: ¡°Liu Wenqing, what are you doing? Can¡¯t you control the people below you? You should know that I already know about the situation. Go and check out the reports on the recent leaders¡¯ activities from Xinli City Television Station and Xinli Daily. See for yourself, ask Nie Zhenbang what he intends to do. Does he want to overturn superior resolutions? How audacious! Ask him if he still wants his position, if he doesn¡¯t want it, he¡¯d better get out of here.¡± Liu Wenqing unconsciously moved the handset a little away, pressing it against his ear, listening to Chairman Tieli¡¯s roar ¨C it was quite unbearable. After Tieli had vented his anger, Liu Wenqing quickly said, ¡°Rest assured, leader. I will go to Xinli City immediately and personally preside over it to ensure the sessful convening of the People¡¯s Congress Conference.¡± After Tieli hung up, he sat down and was irritated by the situation in Xinli City. In particr, this matter had beenmunicated down from the top, making Tieli feel prickly all over. It was a clear disy of his ipetence. How would his superiors assess him in the future? Although Tieli knew that given his own status, he could only be a retired vice-national level, he, like anyone else, aspired to that rank. In deep thought, Tieli gave instructions to his secretary: ¡°Adil, make a note for the 26th of February. The People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference of Xinli City will be held then. We will go to Xinli City on the 25th.¡± Meanwhile, in Xinli City, after receiving Tieli¡¯s call, Liu Wenqing had Secretary-General Li Qingde of the Municipal Party Committee Office notify the Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government that Secretary Liu would arrive in Xinli City the following day. This notification immediately kept all the leaders of the Xinli City Party Committee busy. Today was already February 24th and in just two days, the People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference of Xinli City would be convened. At this point, Liu Wenqing¡¯s arrival indicated an unusual turn of events. In the area that multiples Xinli with Ku City. After the towns of Dafeng, Red g, and Chetai were incorporated into Xinli City, the distance between Xinli City and Bazhou had been reduced by nearly 20 kilometers. Underneath thepletely new entrance gate of Xinli City¡¯s Development Zone, Nie Zhenbang, along with the leadership of Xinli City¡¯s four teams, stood there. Party Secretary Nie Zhenbang was at the forefront, with Zhou Chen, the acting mayor of Xinli City, at his left, and Huang Wei, chairman of the Xinli City CPPCC, on his right. Nie Zhenbang himself held the title of director of the Standing Committee of Xinli City People¡¯s Congress. On the side, Xie Yi, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee; Chen Le, Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee; Bekri, Standing Deputy Mayor, and others were already standing behind. Beside them, a Toyota Prado off-road vehicle, avable for them, was parked, its police lights shing. At this moment, all the leaders were silent. Nie Zhenbang looked serious. He nced at Zhou Chen, whose face couldn¡¯t hide his smugness. Nie Zhenbang felt a bit disgusted. Zhou Chen attached too much importance to the role of rtionship backgrounds. This had inadvertently put him at a disadvantage. Apart from the vendettas between the two, Zhou Chen, though not necessarily an able worker, was not a corrupt official who pocketed money either. Zhou Chen, just like most descendants of influential families, wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. If at most, he was guilty of using public funds for personal entertainment. However, at the same time, Zhou Chen, being a man with extensive connections, was good at attractingpanies. Without considering the environment and resources, he would make the right choice. Unfortunately, it was a mistake for Zhou Chen to have a vendetta with him, and it was a mistake that he came to Xinli City with impure motives. Moreover, Zhou Chen, being from a prestigious family himself, held different views from Nie Zhenbang. It was unrealistic to expect Zhou Chen to agree with his views and Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t think too much about it. Therefore, sending Zhou Chen away was something Nie Zhenbang had to do. Ahead, a convoy led by police cars came slowly. Liu Wenqing¡¯s official car also stopped at the ce. Nie Zhenbang and the rest of the Xinli City leaders walked towards them. At this point, since they had not yetpletely fallen out, Nie Zhenbang still had to go and greet Liu Wenqing. As the car window was lowered, Liu Wenqing looked cold, fully demonstrating the authority and dignity of a prefecture-level city¡¯s Party Secretary. He nodded slightly and then said, ¡°Everyone is here; go back. Comrade Zhou Chen, get in the car.¡± Watching Zhou Chen getting into Liu Wenqing¡¯s car with a smug expression on his face, Nie Zhenbang gave a coldugh. Tieli had really gone to great lengths over Zhou Chen¡¯s matters. Today, Liu Wenqing came to takemand personally, putting on such an act. It was to make clear to the leadership of the Xinli City Party Committee that acting Mayor Zhou Chen was highly esteemed by the city. Seeing theplex expression on Bekri¡¯s face next to him, Nie Zhenbang immediately said, ¡°Old White, let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°Secretary, this time¡­¡± Bekri began as soon as he entered the car. This time, Nie Zhenbang was driving himself. Bekri sat in the passenger seat while their driver Xiao Wang and Yi Jun were sent off to Bekri¡¯s car. It was best that fewer people knew about what was happening. Listening to Bekri, Nie Zhenbang knew that Bekri was a bit nervous now. After all, they were going against a city party secretary of the prefecture level and a departmental-level leader who might even be a deputy ministerial-level leader soon. Meanwhile, one of them was only at the division level, only reaching that because of Xinli City¡¯s elevation to sub-departmental city. One could say one was in the skies while the other on the ground. It would be strange not to be afraid. With that said, Nie Zhenbang reassured him with a smile, ¡°Old White, you need not worry. I believe that the public¡¯s judgment is unclouded. We shouldn¡¯t try to overthink what the higher-ups want. Since Secretary Liu called Vice Mayor Zhou over there, we¡¯ll just let them be. We strive to be upright in our ways and earnest in our deeds. Surely they can¡¯t dismiss us? Old White, I believe that Secretary Jiang of the Autonomous Region and Mayor Ding of the city would still trust us.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words did soothe Bekri. Nie Zhenbang subtly expressed that no matter what Liu Wenqing does, didn¡¯t Nie Zhenbang still have the support of the first one inmand at the Autonomous Regional Party Committee? In reality, Nie Zhenbang was putting on a facade. However, people like Bekri believed him. If Secretary Jiang didn¡¯t have a connection with Nie Zhenbang, why would he meet with him twice? With these thoughts, Bekri also smiled in reassurance. ¡°Secretary Nie, hearing you say that, reassures me. I trust the organization, and I trust you, Secretary Nie. Moreover, I firmly believe that the people will elect a true people¡¯s mayor for Xinli City.¡± The car drove directly into Xinli City Party Committee office building, the originally decrepit Li County Party Committee office building had only two months left marking the end of its historical significance. The new City Committee and Government office buildings had already been established. Now, most of the building¡¯s interior decorations were also nearly done; the instation andyout phase for the office desks, chairs, and telephones had begun¡ªall managed by Secretary Generals Qu Feng and Mi Fugui, the ¡®stewards¡¯ of the citymittee and government. Almost all their time was upied at the new citymittee and government building. In the small meeting room of the Xinli City Party Committee. Usually, this would be the location for Xinli City Standing Committee meetings. At the moment, it felt as if they were holding an erged meeting of the Xinli City Party Committee. The secretary of the Bazhou City Party Committee, Liu Wenqing, sat in the central seat, with the secretary of the Xinli City Party Committee, Nie Zhenbang, to his left, and acting Mayor Zhou Chen to his right. Following them, the Standing Committee members including Xie Yi, took their respective seats. After them, the members of Xinli City Committee, other deputy leaders of the municipal government, and heads of various municipal agencies sat towards the back. Some had merely pulled over a stool to secure a spot at the edge. There was no choice; therge meeting room of Xinli City Party Committee was not suitable. The City Committee auditorium would be too vast. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang and the others believed that Liu Wenqing would only summon the leading cadres from Xinli City Committee and the municipal government for a small-scale meeting. Who knew that Liu Wenqing would turn it into an erged City Committee meeting. After surveying those present, Liu Wenqing spoke up, ¡°Comrades, the reason for my visit to Xinli City this time is specifically for Xinli City¡¯s People¡¯s Congress political consultation meeting.¡± Liu Wenqing was straightforward and did not mask his purpose ofing to Xinli City. He directly stated that he came to facilitate the election in Xinli City, which left the leading cadres of Xinli City taken aback and a bit surprised. ¡°Comrades, Xinli City is the first sub-department-level city in the history of our Xibei Autonomous Region, and it is also the youngest city. The Central Party, the State Council, Secretary General Yuan and Premier Yun all attach great importance to the construction and development of Xinli City. This time, it¡¯s a critical period for Xinli City to elect the first mayor of Xinli. I hope, and I believe, that the leading cadres of Xinli City and the deputies of Xinli City¡¯s People¡¯s Congress are thoughtful, politically aware, and consider the overall situation,¡± Liu Wenqing continued, highlighting the importance of Xinli City at the central level. Moreover, Liu Wenqing made it clear that they should be politically aware and consider the overall situation. It implied that the deputies to Xinli City¡¯s People¡¯s Congress, if they did not vote ording to the wishes of the higher-ups, would be people who disregarded the overall situation. This caused Nie Zhenbang to furrow his brows. After a brief pause, Liu Wenqing spoke again, ¡°Comrades, the first Xinli City People¡¯s Congress is about to convene. It has received great attention from the Autonomous Region¡¯s leaders. Before my departure, I received a call from the Autonomous Region government. Chairman of the Autonomous Region, Comrade Tieli ? Mehmet, will arrive in Xinli City tomorrow and will attend the first session of Xinli city People¡¯s Congress taking ce the following morning at nine.¡± Hearing Liu Wenqing¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even further. It seemed that Li Guohua was adamant about getting Zhou Chen elected. For a sub-department-level city¡¯s election, having the Minister of Organization or the Deputy Secretary of the City Committee to preside it is almost considered risky. Now, even the City Party Secretary showed up which was already a big deal, however having a provincial ministerial-level official preside over it was taking Nie Zhenbang off guardpletely. (To be continued. If you like this novel, please visit to vote for rmendations and monthly votes. Your support is my biggest motivation.) Chapter 287 - 285 The National Congress Commences_1 Chapter 287: Chapter 285 The National Congress Commences_1 Nie Zhenbang had a glum look on his face, other municipalmittee leadership, various deputy leaders of the municipal government, the first and second leaders of the city¡¯s various departments were all stunned. This was a big deal. The fact that the president of the autonomous regional government came to Xinli City showed how seriously the region was taking this People¡¯s Congress meeting. The reason why it was so important, was most likely rooted in the mayoral election. However, the performance of the officials of Xinli City was impable, all of which were seen by Liu Wenqing. With both himself and Chairman Tieli present, Liu Wenqing was quite pleased with this effect. He was curious about what tricks Xinli City¡¯s People¡¯s Congress representatives might dare to employ. After saying these things, Liu Wenqing concluded: ¡°Comrades, I believe that the Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government are mindful of the bigger picture. Everyone should go back and mobilize well, and we must ensure the sessful convening of the first People¡¯s Congress meeting in Xinli City.¡± In the evening In the old division-grade tower of the Xinli City governmentpound Although Nie Zhenbang was promoted to the secretary of the Municipal Committee, he did not move to the Municipal Committee residential area. A new area was being developed near the Municipal Committee and Government offices, not only had office buildings been erected, but a small district of nearly two hundred acres was under construction behind the office buildings. Implementing some measures from the housing reform system, Nie Zhenbang had cancelled the unit distribution. Adopting a system where property rights belonged to individuals and a part of the funding came from the unit and another part from the individual, this results in higher job satisfaction for municipalmittee and government workers and their families. After all, these houses will eventually be their own. As for Nie Zhenbang and the other municipalmittee leaders, of course, they had small vis. Of course, the ownership of these vis still belonged to Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government, just like before. At this moment, inside Nie Zhenbang¡¯s dormitory in the division-level tower, the room felt somewhat smoky. Nie Zhenbang sat in the main seat of the sofa, Bekri, the executive deputy mayor, Deputy Mayor Li Lin, and Lin Weimin were on the right. To the left were Secretary Chen Le of the Political and Legal Committee, Propaganda Minister Yan Fengjiao, along with Fan Zhenming, Leng Guohua, Tai Jiantao, Wei Chenglin, Yi Jun, Huyan Apo, Wei Qiang and Li Yan. They all moved stools and lounged on the sofa. In addition to Yan Fengjiao and Li Lin being female, the rest were all grown men, and everyone was smoking. The entire house felt like it was on fire. The special panda cigarettes provided by Secretary Nie were good ones that money couldn¡¯t buy. Since everyone was here, naturally, they wanted to savor it. Nie Zhenbang frowned. At this moment, with Tieli personally present and Liu Wenqing stationed in Xinli City before the conference, Liu Wenqing consecutively met with retired senior leaders, old cadres, and received several cadres under the introduction of Zhou Chen. The purpose was abundantly clear. It was to secure a smooth election for Zhou Chen. Under such circumstances, he must make his position clear. Either to let Zhou Chen be elected or to take down Zhou Chen. Now, all of these people are watching him, and more importantly, his stance will directly affect Bekri¡¯s confidence. Then, Nie Zhenbang looked around at everyone and said solemnly: ¡°The attention and importance given by the provincial and municipal leaders are also a test for us. But, I think everything should still be based on public opinion. I believe the organization can see the will and sentiment of the 300,000 people in Xinli City.¡± Upon Nie Zhenbang¡¯s remark, Chen Le took the lead in expressing his position: ¡°Secretary, please rest assured that I will definitely obey the arrangements of the organization.¡± For Chen Le, there wasn¡¯t much pressure, even if Bekri were elected, Chen Le would at most bear a co-responsibility, nothing more. Seeing that Bekri was still uncertain, Nie Zhenbang said again: ¡°Old White, don¡¯t be so serious. Rx a bit. I believe you are capable enough for the position of mayor.¡± As soon as the words came out, the whole ce fell silent, but Bekri was very excited. Nie Zhenbang had always been ambiguous all along, which was the reason for Bekri¡¯s hesitation. Everyone knew that opposing the intentions of the provincial and municipal leaders would bear a tremendous responsibility. If Nie Zhenbang does not state his position, Bekri will not dare to make this decision. Now that Nie Zhenbang has said it, Bekri has also been reassured. If anything happens, Nie Zhenbang is sure to take the main responsibility. With Nie Zhenbang taking the lead, Bekri is also willing to take a risk. Then, Bekri also nodded and said: ¡°Secretary, I will follow your guidance. There are in total three hundred and seventeen representatives of Xinli City People¡¯s Congress. Based on my preliminary calctions, I am confident of securing around a hundred votes.¡± Since things were put up on the table, Bekri also gained courage. Those present were Nie Zhenbang¡¯s confidants who had been incorporated into the system after he arrived in Xinli City. Bekri was one of theter ones to join, so he was very clear that he had to rify his stance. It looked like Bekri has been nning for a long time. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have gotten the support of so many People¡¯s Congress representatives. Next to him, Li Lin also said slowly: ¡°I estimate that I can pull in about thirty votes if I start making connections tomorrow.¡± At this moment, disregarding other factors, the people under Nie¡¯s leadership were all speaking frankly. Feng Jiao Yan, Fan Zhenming, and Li Yan were among thest to arrive. However, these three had been frequently visiting the Development Zone and the entirety of Xinli City, especially the former Yun County. All things considered, the three of them could probably garner about fifty or so votes. At this moment, Lin Weimin also spoke out, ¡°On my end, I could try and get about thirty votes.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang stood up, his face somewhat serious. ¡°That¡¯s about it. All in all, we¡¯ve gathered around two hundred and ten votes. Chen Le might also be able to pull in another twenty or thirty votes. Even if there are some ovepping votes, it¡¯s still enough to surpass the majority. This decision is final. In the next two days, you all shouldn¡¯t have any further contact. With Liu Wenqing holding down the fort in Xinli City and Chairman Tieliing tomorrow, any suspicious movement on our part might give them ammunition against us. We¡¯ll proceed ording to this n. If anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll take the fall.¡± Late in the afternoon the next day, Chairman Tieli of the Xibei Autonomous Region finally made his appearance in Xinli City. Liu Wenqing, with Nie Zhenbang at his side, and other leaders of the Xinli City Committee were all waiting by the junction between the Xinli City Development Zone and Ku City. Under the guidance of a traffic control vehicle from the Bazhou City Public Security Bureau, Chairman Tieli¡¯s car slowly pulled over to the side of the road. Liu Wenqing led the Xinli City group to greet them. The car window slowly rolled down, and Chairman Tieli, with a stern expression, surveyed the group. He then calmlymanded, ¡°Secretary Wenqing, get in the car. Everyone else, let¡¯s head to the Xinli Hotel.¡± Considering that it was alreadyte in the afternoon, and virtually everyone had already gotten off work, Chairman Tieli naturally didn¡¯t demand they head over to the citymittee. At the Xinli Hotel, a banquet had been prepared. As per Nie Zhenbang¡¯s instructions, the banquet was arranged at the standard of 20 yuan per person. Including Chairman Tieli¡¯s entourage, Liu Wenqing¡¯s apanying leaders, and the leaders of the Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government, a total of twenty tables were set up. The leaders from Chairman Tieli¡¯s group, the autonomous region, and the citymittee were all arranged in private rooms. In Xinli City, only Nie Zhenbang, Zhou Chen, and the chief of the People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference, Huang Wei, had the privilege of staying here. However, they were still seated at the end of the table. With the presence of high-ranking officials, everyone became very rxed. After the meal, Chairman Tieli quickly headed off to rest in the small number one courtyard of the citymittee¡¯s guest house. However, at that moment, Chairman Tieli had held consecutive meetings with the Political Consultative Conference¡¯s chief, Acting Mayor Zhou Chen, the deputy director of the Standing Committee of Xili City People¡¯s Congress, and other leaders. The meaning of this was clear: Chairman Tieli hade to lend Zhou Chen his support. Nie Zhenbang simply smiled at Chairman Tieli¡¯s tactics. In the atmosphere leading up to the election, Chairman Tieli¡¯s actions were, undoubtedly, the correct course of action. However, Chairman Tieli had greatly underestimated his influence in Xinli City. The next day, at 9 AM, in the Great Hall of the Xinli City Municipal Committee, arge red banner hung over the stage, reading ¡°The First Meeting of the First People¡¯s Congress of Xinli City .¡± Chairman Tieli sat upright in the middle of the tform. To his left was the Secretary of the Bazhou City Committee, Liu Wenqing, and to his right was Wu Xiaofei, the Secretary-General of the Autonomous Region Government. Nie Zhenbang was seated next to Liu Wenqing, and to his right was the Secretary-General of the Bazhou City Committee, Li Qingde. The other leaders of Xinli City were also seated on the tform. Firstly, among the majestic strains of the national anthem, Chairman Tieli, as the highest ranking official attending the meeting, solemnly dered the opening of the inaugural session of Xinli City¡¯s People¡¯s Congress. The Congress boasted 317 representatives from Xinli City, and 313 of them were in attendance. Thisplied with the procedures of the People¡¯s Congress. The Congress followed by electing its presidingmittee members. Afterward, as the City Committee Secretary and former mayor, Nie Zhenbang represented the Xinli City Government and made his way to the podium. First, Nie Zhenbang slightly nodded towards the tform and the audience. Then he dered, ¡°Respected Chairman Tieli of the Autonomous Region, respected Wu Xiaofei, Secretary-General of the Autonomous Region Government, and respected Secretary Liu Wenqing of the Bazhou City Committee. Leaders,rades, in the past year, the economic construction and development of Xinli City have achieved eye-catching results. In terms of culture, education, healthcare, transportation development, and other areas, there have been dramatic transformations.¡± Last year, our city¡¯s GDP growth rate reached 41.2%¡­ this figure, in fact, includes Yun County. In actuality, Xinli¡¯s real growth rate was 95.7%. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s government work report was unanimously approved and received positive reviews from the representatives present, and the report was unanimously passed after deliberation. As Nie Zhenbang stepped down, all the representatives knew that now, the highlight of the People¡¯s Congress meeting, was about to begin. Hello, everyone, I am Cai Jin¡¯s wife. In the past few days, Cai Jin has been visiting various leaders in order to maintain his business establishment. He¡¯s beenworking and just got a call at five this afternoon and had to go out again. Therefore, there will be no updates today. He wanted me to apologize to all of you on his behalf. (To be continued. If you like this story, please show your support by voting and subscribing on . Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 288 - 286 Election Results_1 Chapter 288: Chapter 286 Election Results_1 Indeed, just after the discussion of the government¡¯s work report concluded. The Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the Xinli City People¡¯s Congress had already stood up. As the host of the meeting, Deputy Director Shi was considered a semi-retired figure, approximately sixty years old, giving off an aura of an elder with unwavering determination. Surveying the crowd, Deputy Director Shi said in a deep voice, ¡°Our next item for discussion is the election for Mayor of Xinli City. This time we have two candidates. The first is our Deputy Secretary and interim Mayor Zhou Chen. Since he took office in Xinli, Zhou Chen has achieved dazzling sess in economic development and construction, repeatedly attracting renowned enterprises to settle in Xinli. I believe that under Zhou Chen¡¯s leadership, Xinli will undoubtedly achieve even more noticeable results.¡± After a pause, Deputy Director Shi continued, ¡°Our other candidate is our current Deputy Mayor Bekri. Bekri has served as Deputy Mayor for many years, shouldering his responsibilities diligently. I believe that Bekri is very capable. I hope that our city¡¯s representatives will follow their hearts and elect a leader of development for Xinli.¡± Bekri¡¯s face darkened. From Deputy Director Shi¡¯s introduction, it emanated the fact that he was just a runner-up, and his role was akin to that of a ¡®tuition partner¡¯ for the Crown Prince. This was evident from Deputy Director Shi¡¯s introduction. His presentation of Zhou Chen was extremely detailed, filled with adtion and praise. When it came to himself, it was merely a cursory mention. The prioritisation was clear to all. Suchnguage was also a hint to the representatives present. If it weren¡¯t for his own participation, which ording to procedure required a second candidate to stand for a fair election, this election would have be a one-man show for Zhou Chen. At this moment, after Deputy Director Shi finished speaking, Chairman Tieli gave a signal to Liu Wenqing, who responded with a nod of understanding. Tieli¡¯s intent was clear to Liu Wenqing, which was to garner support before the election, using his authority and position as party secretary to show the delegates of Xinli City People¡¯s Congress the determination and intent of the higher-ups. Although it would be most appropriate for Nie Zhenbang to take the lead, it was clear that Nie Zhenbang would not cooperate. And it would be too presumptuous for Tieli, as chairman of an autonomous region and a senior official, to meddle in the election of a deputy department-level city. This would make him aughingstock if the news spread. As such, it was most fitting for Liu Wenqing to step forward. As he rhythmically tapped his fingers on the table, Nie Zhenbang frowned upon seeing it. Liu Wenqing was clearly trying to rally support for Zhou Chen. Indeed, Liu Wenqing then announced loud and clear, ¡°The partymittees and governments of the autonomous region and Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government are paying close attention to the mayoral election. As the first deputy department-level city in Xibei Autonomous Region and a reform experiment zone of the State Council, the mayor of Xinli not only rtes to the city¡¯s future but its development as well. I hope the representatives of the Xinli City People¡¯s Congress choose a mayor who fits the needs of Xinli¡¯s development, based on what they believe to be right.¡± As his words fell, Nie Zhenbang chuckled, ¡°Let me also say a few words. Emperor Li Shimin of the Tang Dynasty once quoted a phrase from ¡®Xunzi ? Duke¡¯, ¡®The ruler is the boat, themon people are the water, the water can carry the boat, but it can also capsize it.¡¯ At the outset, Nie Zhenbang cited this story. On one hand, it showcased Nie Zhenbang¡¯s extensive knowledge, and on the other hand, it subtly reminded all the delegates that the decisive power was in their hands. His statement was effective. Nie Zhenbang looked around at everyone and continued, ¡°The economic construction and development of Xinli rte to our city¡¯s future. As a reform experiment zone for the central government¡¯s sustainable development strategy, the road we have taken in Xinli is uncharted. Our approach to reform and development is different from other areas of the country. In the mayoral election, my stance is to uphold the will of the people, respect the results of the election, and support political transparency and openness. I believe that the delegates of Xinli City People¡¯s Congress and the 300,000 residents of Xinli will definitely choose a suitable leader.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words upset Chairman Tieli. Nie Zhenbang was really too tactless. To put it harshly, Nie Zhenbang was openly challenging the authority of the higher-ups. This was an act of disobedience to the leadership. Moreover, everyone could understand the meaning of his words. Generally, if he agreed with the higher-ups, Nie Zhenbang should have prefaced his statement with, ¡°I agree with so-and-so secretary¡¯s words.¡± However, Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t done so, indicating his views differed from Liu Wenqing¡¯s. More importantly, the phrase cited by Nie Zhenbang, ¡®Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it¡¯ could be interpreted as a subtle reminder to respect the will of the people. Nie Zhenbang looked at Tieli without fear. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had made up his mind. The fact that Li Guohua had ced Zhou Chen under his administration was clearly not just about dividing the credit. Nie Zhenbang would not have minded if it were another faction. But Li Guohua? Nie Zhenbang sneered. It was clear this man saw him as his biggest enemy. Despite Zhou Chen¡¯s current low-key demeanor and efforts to attract investment, he affirmed that once Zhou Chen secured this position, he would surely create obstacles for him. Xinli City is a reform experiment zone, and the sustainable development strategy of Xinli City, which Secretary General Yuan and Premier Yun are concerned about, could potentially impact economic development and reform. In other words, it¡¯s an experimental field. If done right, it may even be promoted nationwide. For this reason alone, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t allow Zhou Chen to be elected and cause a disturbance for him. Subverting the instructions and intentions of the superiors is a grave sin in the world of officialdom. Nie Zhenbang was not ignorant of this, nor was it a momentary impulse. What¡¯s done is done. Nie Zhenbang has never regretted his actions. Moreover, since you, Li Guohua, can remotelymand so many people, would I, Nie Zhenbang, capitte here, out of fear? As the saying goes, even the strongest dragon cannot suppress a local snake. Presently, he is the local snake in Xibei, and Li Guohua, at most, is a dragon crossing the river. There was even less reason to retreat when he let a snake in. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words echoing, the People¡¯s Congress election formally began. On the side, the prepared staff distributed the ballots to the representatives of the People¡¯s Congress one by one. In front of the podium, there was a delicate ballot box. After a few minutes of careful consideration and selection, Nie Zhenbang himself was the first to stand up and cast his sacred vote into the ballot box. The ballot used an anonymous voting method, so the People¡¯s Congress representatives below could vote more freely. Tieli looked pale watching people cast ballots. Tieli was very confident and believed that under his leadership, the People¡¯s Congress representatives of Xinli City could see the situation clearly. However, at this moment, Tieli¡¯s phone suddenly rang. After Tieli¡¯s secretary picked up the phone, he whispered to Tieli from behind, ¡°Chairman, it¡¯s Secretary Jiang on the line.¡± As soon as he answered the phone, Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s voice came over, ¡°Hehe, Comrade Tieli, I heard that you¡¯ve gone to Xinli City.¡± Tieli was also stunned at the moment. Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s call didn¡¯t seem to be a casual one. To call at such a crucial moment, what did he mean? Although puzzled, Tieli responded with a smile, ¡°Secretary Jiang, I am in Xinli City at the moment. As China¡¯s first reform experimental zone and our Autonomous Region¡¯s first National Economic and Technological Development Zone, Xinli City is highly valued by the nation. As such, I am here to supervise.¡± On hearing Tieli¡¯s reply, Jiang Zhenquan gave a coldugh. It was no secret in the Xibei Autonomous Region that Li family backed Tieli. He, on the other hand, was from the Yang family faction. Consequently, Jiang Zhenquan said with a smile, ¡°Chairman Tieli, just before your call, I received a call from Vice Premier Zhao of the State Council. The State Council and the National People¡¯s Congress attach great importance to this election in Xinli City. It¡¯s a new attempt at reform that requires us to fully respect the public opinion and the choices of the people. In addition, Comrade Gu Weiguo, the Vice Chairman of the National People¡¯s Congress, is preparing to fly to Xibei. Comrade Tieli, my suggestion is that you hurry back to receive him together.¡± Tieli was shocked. He knew from his mentor that Vice Premier Zhao and Jiang Zhenquan were from the same faction. However, this implied that the Yang family was endorsing Nie Zhenbang. Could Nie Zhenbang be a member of the Yang family¡¯s faction? But Gu Weiguo was part of Dong family¡¯s faction. How had they also be involved? Despite his doubts, Tieli didn¡¯t dare to dy. He stood up and said, ¡°Comrade Wenqing, I just got a message that I need to rush back to Urumqi immediately. I¡¯ll leave Xinli City¡¯s matters to you.¡± Watching Tieli leave, Liu Wenqing was shocked. Evidently, Nie Zhenbang was the one orchestrating things, as he confidently watched from the side. Observing Nie Zhenbang, who looked as firm as a mountain, Liu Wenqing feared he had made the wrong choice. Although many people saw Tieli¡¯s departure, they simply thought Chairman Tieli had to go and attend to some business. They didn¡¯t know that Tieli was going back to Urumqi. Half an hourter, the voting was over. Now came time for counting and calling the votes. Under the supervision of the vote counters and overseers selected for the Standing Committee of the Xili City People¡¯s Congress, the ballot box was opened in front of all the People¡¯s Congress representatives and city leaders. With the oversight of the supervisors, the vote calling began. Looking at the vote counts for the two candidates on the ckboard, Liu Wenqing could tell that Zhou Chen had lostpletely. Only two hundred ballots had been called, but Bekri had received one hundred and sixty votes, whereas Zhou Chen had miserably received only forty. The oue of the election was no longer a mystery. Chapter 289 - 287 Autonomous Region Investigation Group_1 Chapter 289: Chapter 287 Autonomous Region Investigation Group_1 ¡°Bekri!¡± When the poll announcer called out thest vote, the room fell into silence. The result of the election was clear, without any suspense left. Out of the 313 People¡¯s Congress representatives present, Bekri received a total of 247 votes. There were three abstentions, which meant Zhou Chen only received 63 votes. It was a crushing defeat. As the host, Deputy Director Shi was taken aback for a moment. He then picked up the election results and walked towards the podium. In this situation, announcing the election results was not his duty. Whether or not Liu Wenqing of Bazhou Municipal Committee was present, it would be more appropriate for Nie Zhenbang, Secretary of Xinli City Party Committee and Director of its Standing Committee, to make the announcement. Liu Wenqing felt a thousand emotions as he received the election results from Deputy Director Shi. The sudden departure of Tieli inevitably gave a sense of things being left unfinished. He had to decide whether to continue as directed by Tieli or to seize the moment and settle things peacefully while preserving his rapport with Nie Zhenbang. Liu Wenqing was in a difficult position. Liu Wenqing could now guess that Tieli¡¯s departure was undoubtedly rted to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s operations. Nie Zhenbang seemed to have aplicated background. At this moment, Liu Wenqing made his decision and picked up the election results, announcing loudly, ¡°I dere the results of the election for the Mayor of Xinli City People¡¯s Government at the first session of the first Xinli City People¡¯s Congress. The incumbent city government¡¯s executive deputy mayor, Comrade Bekri, has received 247 votes in this election. The entire election process was in ordance with electionws. I now dere that Comrade Bekri is officially taking office as the Mayor and Secretary of the Party from the City Government.¡± Vice Chairman Gu Weiguo of the National People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee made a fleeting visit to Xibei Autonomous Region. He stayed in Xibei overnight before returning to Jingcheng. At the moment, Tieli was in his office on the phone. The results of the election were out, and as expected, Zhou Chen had lost. This was Tieli¡¯s first faction action since joining the Li family, and it ended in failure. Tieli was somewhat uneasy and worried about whether he could still get the support from the Li family. His ethnic identity meant that Tieli could never reach the top. This was a disadvantage but also an advantage because Tieli had the opportunity to aspire to a high-ranking vice-nation-level position. ording to the domestic system, there would always be a few minority leaders in the vice national level each term. This was an unwritten rule and also where his advantagey. ¡°Chief, I¡¯m really sorry about this,¡± was Tieli¡¯s first line of apology. The person on the other end of the line was a key figure in the second generation of the Li faction ¨C father of Li Guohua, eldest son of the Li family, and current Politburo member and Secretary of the Hucheng Municipal Committee, Li Jiangshan. Jiangshan paused before responding, ¡°Comrade Tieli, don¡¯t be discouraged. I find this incident rather positive. Regarding this election, I think Xibei can form an investigation team to examine it thoroughly.¡± At this moment, Jiangshan was not the least bit angry. On the contrary, he was quite pleased. He saw Zhenbang¡¯s move as immature. It was a perfect opportunity to take a swipe at Zhenbang and the second generation of the Nie family ¨C Guowei and Guodong, who were merely passable. Once they suppressed Zhenbang of the third generation, it would not be easy for the Nie family to rise again. Meanwhile, in Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang sat on the sofa, head lowered, while facing a visibly irritated Jiang. ¡°Bang!¡± Jiang Zhenquan mmed his palm on the table and barked, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, how bold of you. Overturning the superior¡¯s intention, overturning the candidate appointed by the superior, just what are you trying to do?¡± It was true that Zhenquan belonged to the Yang faction, and quite directly at that. He was personally promoted by Elder Yang during thetter¡¯s many working years in Xibei. Zhenquan was now aware of the situation between Zhenbang and the Yang family. But, despite the courtesy extended, what Zhenbang had done was audacious. No matter how far the issue escted, even reaching the central authority, both Secretary Yuan and Premier Yun would likely take issue with Zhenbang. The principle of the party was simple ¨C obey the leadership of the party organization. But Zhenbang¡¯s move didn¡¯t even take the superior into consideration. Regardless of how powerful his backing was, it was a grave taboo. This was also the reason for Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s fury at this moment. However, Nie Zhenbang did not dare to talk back to him now. Even though he had the support of the Nie family behind him, and even though he knew Jiang Zhenquan, who hailed from the Yang family, would not quarrel with him. But if he talked back, the situation would change. Moreover, the rtionship between Jiang Zhenquan and the Yang family was a symbiotic one, based on mutual interests. If Jiang Zhenquan was firm, the Yang family would have topromise with him regarding Nie Zhenbang¡¯s affairs. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude, Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s anger subsided considerably. Then he waved his hand and said, ¡°You go first. Also, the Xibei Autonomous Region partymittee, government, and People¡¯s Congress are preparing to form a joint investigation team, and the Autonomous Region¡¯s discipline inspectionmission will also send an investigation team to Xinli City. You must prepare yourself mentally. You have no sense of propriety.¡± As soon as he stepped out of Jiang Zhenquan¡¯s office, the secretary of Li Yifeng, who had been waiting for a while, looked at Nie Zhenbang with aplex expression. The recent upheavals in the Xibei Autonomous Region had been caused by Nie Zhenbang, shocking the entire region. This was big news. A deputy departmental-level city had overturned the decisions of the autonomous regional government and superior partymittee. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, the secretary felt a tinge of regret. ¡°Secretary Nie, hello, I am Secretary Li¡¯s secretary, Secretary Li wishes for you toe over, please.¡± The secretary said politely to Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang was a little downcast at this time. The Xinli City People¡¯s Congress election incident was now the biggest news event in the entire Xibei region. Tieli, on the other hand, had held sessive meetings with Lin Haikun, the Executive Vice Chairman, and other standingmittee members of the Autonomous Region. As for himself, he had been reprimanded by Jiang Zhenquan, and it seemed that an investigation team would soon be dispatched. Moreover, Li Yifeng had also taken the initiative to meet with him. Thinking of Li Yifeng, Jiang Zhenquan was clear that in the two years he had been in Lixian, Li Yifeng had never actively sought him out. This was the first time, highlighting the severity of the situation. As of now, Jingcheng had sent no news, suggesting that neither his own family nor the Li family wished to make matters diverse. However, Nie Zhenbang still felt a heavy heart. Upon entering Li Yifeng¡¯s office, Li Yifeng¡¯s face proved to be very serious. Before Nie Zhenbang could say anything, Li Yifeng gestured for him to sit down and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you have been too impulsive this time.¡± Li Yifeng, after all, is a disciple of Elder Nie and considered a true member of the Nie clique. Hence, his speech was more casual and less formal. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Li Yifeng sighed, ¡°Zhenbang, this time, the old man is very angry. He even called me purposely. You¡¯re usually a reliable person, steady and calm in your actions, and not the kind to be politically naive. In fact, you¡¯ve handled several incidents very ably, earning the old man¡¯s praise and attention. Even Elder Nan, and Secretary General Yuan have spoken highly of you. So why did you lose your head this time? Is it not exceedingly difficult to overturn the decision of higher-level leaders? By doing this, you¡¯re endangering your political future.¡± Taking a pause, Li Yifeng continued, ¡°Zhenbang, tell me, even after electing Zhou Chen, your subordinates could easily have rendered him powerless, leaving him to just wear the title of mayor. Was it necessary to resort to such radical means?¡± Nie Zhenbang remained silent, making noment or taking any stand. Being a man means having principles, and he had believed this in the past. But now, looking at Zhou Chen and following the guidance of Li Guohua, it seemed that things could only get worse and even potentially undermine Xinli City¡¯s sustainable development strategy. This was what Nie Zhenbang could not allow. If it was just him, he would have gradually changed the mindset of the city¡¯s officials leading Xinli City to be a model city. However, Zhou Chen and his development ideas were undoubtedly resonating with a considerable number of the current cadre. Therefore, even if Xinli City were to develop very well, it wouldn¡¯t be the sustainable development strategy that Nie Zhenbang held in his heart ¨C this was why he was intent on removing Zhou Chen. ¡°The situation in Xinli City is as good as can be for now. Things that have been done can¡¯t be undone. Bekri¡¯s appointment will be issued soon. However, I have suggested to the autonomous region¡¯s partymittee that they should send an investigation team to scrutinize you thoroughly. You need to be mentally prepared,¡± Li Yifeng said again. This remark left Nie Zhenbang stunned. He had originally thought that the proposal for the investigation team was either from Tieli or from Jiang Zhenquan. He had not expected it to be from Li Yifeng. However, thinking about it, Nie Zhenbang understood. By holding the power of investigation, they could ensure the utmost fairness and justice of the investigation team. In this way, it was, in fact, an indirect way of protecting Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang then stood up and said, ¡°Secretary Li, I understand. If there¡¯s nothing else, I will return to Xinli City.¡± Nie Zhenbang returned to Xinli City from Urumqi, and the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Organization Department officially issued documents. They appointed Bekri as a member of the Xinli City Committee, the Standing Committee, and the Deputy Secretary of the City Committee, thereby fully equipping Bekri as the Mayor. Meanwhile, Zhou Chen was relieved of his duties as a member of the Xinli City Committee, the Standing Committee, and Deputy Secretary of the City Committee. The Standing Committee of Xinli City People¡¯s Congress also rmended that Zhou Chen be relieved of his duties as the Deputy Mayor of Xinli City. Now, Zhou Chen could no longer stay in Xinli City. Chapter 290 - 288: Is This Considered Double Regulation? _1 Chapter 290: Chapter 288: Is This Considered Double Regtion? _1 It was inevitable that Zhou Chen would be transferred. As a deputy mayor, he was voted out during the People¡¯s Congress, a humiliation that had urred in many ces in China. Zhou Chen naturally couldn¡¯t stay any longer. With Zhou Chen¡¯s departure, the joint investigation team from the Autonomous Region Party Committee, Government, and Provincial People¡¯s Congress officially moved in to Xinli City. This time, the investigation team acted independently. In Xinli City, they did not meet with any local leaders, ept any hospitality, or hold any form of meeting. They werepletely isted from the local leadership team in Xinli City. Their only objective was to not be influenced by Xinli City, and to seek a fair and just investigation. In the office building of the Xinli City Committee, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, the secretary¡¯s office, seemed somewhat cold and cheerless. However, everyone knew that the new office building was about to be put into use. This ce had be transitional and the local officials of Xinli City naturally wouldn¡¯t care. At the moment in the office, Bekri sat on the sofa with a slightly solemn expression. He looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Secretary, the investigation team from the autonomous region is not receiving anyone, and ispletely independent. They¡¯re living in the guest house of the People¡¯s Armed Forces Department. They have been meeting with quite a few People¡¯s Congress representatives these days. They imed it¡¯s to understand the situation, but it seems like something bad ising.¡± After sessfully being elected as the mayor of Xinli City People¡¯s Government, rather than feeling triumphant, Bekri was on edge due to the immense pressure from both the provincial and city levels. Now, the behavior of the investigation team from the autonomous region made Bekri extremely nervous. Hearing Bekri¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also smiled. His demeanor was calm and rxed. Although he had been scolded by Jiang Zhenquan and Li Yifeng, and knew that the political immaturity was evident in this incident, Nie Zhen had no regrets. He believed if he didn¡¯t show perseverance and courage, he would eventually be corrupted, unable to make any significant changes or promote the rise of the city. Although Nie Zhenbang knew the situation was serious, he did not show it in front of Bekri. As the leader, the soul of the circle, Nie Zhenbang could absolutely not fail. He then smiled and said, ¡°Old White, don¡¯t worry. You have to believe that truth can defeat all. We do right and sit straight, what should we be afraid of? Let the investigation team ask their questions. Their main concern would be asking if we had been pulling strings behind the scenes. Why are you worried about this issue?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words relieved Bekri quite a bit. Regarding the voting issue, Bekri was still confident. Including himself, none of the people in Nie¡¯s entity clearly mentioned pulling strings, nor promised any benefits to anyone. Thus there was no issue of graft. If there were no loopholes, it was in line with the organizational procedures and regtions. Then, his position as a mayor would be secured. The document from Bazhou City Committee was clearly showing their attitude. They had epted this. Just at that moment, the door was suddenly pushed open from the outside. A few men dressed in dark suits walked in with serious faces, looking at Nie Zhenbang and Bekri. The man leading them, a middle-aged man who seemed to be around forties, looked at the two of them, and finally said, ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, right? We¡¯re from the Autonomous Region Discipline Inspection Commission. To introduce myself, I am Xiong Rongguang, the director of the First Division of the Autonomous Region Discipline Inspection Commission. Nie Zhenbang, pleasee with us.¡± Xiong Rongguang. Bekri had heard of the name. He was considered a famous figure on the battlefield of the Autonomous Region Discipline Inspection Commission. Many department-level officials in the autonomous region had fallen into his hands. ording to some spections, this man could possibly be the deputy secretary of the Autonomous Region Discipline Inspection Commission and enter the ranks of department-level officials. Nie Zhenbang frowned. Although he had received the news from Li Yifeng that the investigation team wasing, and had informed the people under him, Nie Zhenbang did not expect the Commission for Discipline Inspection to also get involved, and to abruptly take him away. This would inevitably shake up Nie¡¯s entity. However, intending to exin, he realized it was impossible. After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang decided to let these matters go. He saw this unexpected event as a test for his people. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also stood up and asked, ¡°May I ask Director Xiong, why does the Commission for Discipline Inspection want to see me?¡± Before Xiong Rongguang could say anything, another staff member beside him darkened his face and said sternly, ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, don¡¯t ask questions you¡¯re not supposed to ask. Don¡¯t you understand the working procedures and regtions of the Commission for Discipline Inspection? What is it about? Don¡¯t you already know in your heart?¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang frowned andughed loudly, ¡°Comrade, don¡¯t try to scare me with the Commission¡¯s procedures. Is this a double regtion? Then, as the party concerned, do I have the right to know the ins and outs of this matter?¡± Xiong Rongguang frowned. His subordinates were used to being arrogant. When they went to local areas, officials were afraid of them, which cultivated their domineering attitude. Every official had no fear in front of them. But this time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s case was different. Therefore, Xiong Rongguang alsoughed and said, ¡°Secretary Nie, sorry, my subordinates are unreasonable. We¡¯re here to consult you regarding the election of the Xinli City People¡¯s Congress, not to put you under double regtions. We hope you can exin the issue to us.¡± Following the people from the Autonomous Region¡¯s Inspection Committee, he walked out of the citymittee¡¯s courtyard. Along the way, many workers saw him and stopped their tasks, appalled. The reputation and terror instilled by the Inspection Committee were still very potent. In the guesthouse of the Xinli City Armed Forces Department, a room had been cleared. As soon as he entered, Xiong Rongguang signaled Nie Zhenbang with a wave of his hand and gestured him to sit down, ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, please sit.¡± Xiong Rongguang pondered for a moment as if organizing his thoughts. After a while, he slowly said, ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, about this Xinli City People¡¯s Congress meeting, the issue of the mayoral election. Do you have anything to exin? In addition, why did Comrade Bekri be one of the mayoral candidates, do you have anything to supplement for the defeat of Comrade Zhou Chen?¡± Upon hearing Xiong Rongguang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang appeared somewhat rxed. Then, heughed, looked at Xiong Rongguang, and nonchntly said, ¡°Director Xiong, based on your inquiry, it seems a bit like double regtions. Responding to questions at a specified time and location.¡± With a single sentence, Nie Zhenbang made Xiong Rongguang somewhat embarrassed. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care and continued, ¡°Director Xiong, on this matter, my attitude is very simple and clear. This was entirely driven by the people¡¯s own will; in Xinli City, no one, including me, knew why Comrade Bekri was elected and why Comrade Zhou Chen lost.¡± As Nie Zhenbang and Xiong Rongguang were conversing, in a courtyard of the citymittee¡¯s guesthouse, Bekri sat at the main seat. Beside him were Chen Le and Yan Fengjiao, and further away were Nie Zhenbang¡¯s loyal adherents in Xinli City. The living room seemed somewhat grim at the moment. Despite Bekri having the highest position, a True Deputy Bureau level cadre, he was considered the least experienced among Nie Zhenbang¡¯s loyalists. Besides, there were Lin Weimin, Chen Le, and Yi Jun, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s loyal followers. After surveying everyone, Chen Le was the first to speak, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t frown. This morning, the Autonomous Region¡¯s Joint Investigation Team came to see me. They just inquired about Mayor Bai¡¯s election. I think this is just a set up by the Autonomous Region. The aim is to make us panic. I think we should just ignore it.¡± Chen Le, having a background in politics andw, was an expert in counter-investigation and interrogation. With a single sentence, he pointed out the crux of the situation. However, Lin Weimin had a different opinion and said in a grave voice, ¡°I think it¡¯s not that simple that they¡¯re pulling this stunt. Secretary Nie¡¯s arrest is a blow to all the cadres in the city. I¡¯m concerned that people with ulterior motives will use this.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Yan Fengjiao smiled and said, ¡°Weimin, don¡¯t worry too much. I think we can¡¯t panic. The People¡¯s Congress representatives have not been explicitly told. They won¡¯t find any evidence. It can only be attributed to public sentiment. Thus, the responsibility is minimal. If we panic, I¡¯m afraid we will be vulnerable. I think we should stay steady, work well as if nothing has happened. This is the best way to help Secretary Nie.¡± Yanbei Province, Northriver Sanatorium After the onset of spring, with the weather slowly warming up, many senior leaders and veteran cadres began toe for recuperation. At this moment, two elderly individuals were slowly walking on the seashore of Northriver. A few guards followed at a distance, with special health doctors not far away. ¡°Old brother, this time, Boy Zhenbang is confused indeed. I don¡¯t understand why his political acumen is so clear yet he¡¯s so muddled on this minor matter. Considering his deceased grandfather, was there something wrong in his upbringing to have him be this way?¡± Another old man, looking at the sea, slowly said. If there were someone else present, they¡¯d be shocked because these two elderly individuals were Elder Nan and Elder Nie. Elder Nie¡¯s health seemed to be worsening, his breath shortening with every step. Spotting a chair nearby, he slowly moved to sit down. He said, ¡°Old Nan, I feel that Zhenbang was inadvertently sessful. Maybe it¡¯s a blessing in disguise.¡±(To be continued. If you like this story, pleasee to and show your support by voting. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 291 - 289 Transfer from Xinli_1 Chapter 291: Chapter 289 Transfer from Xinli_1 Elder Nie¡¯s words had startled Elder Nan who then replied with a smile: ¡°Elder Nie, you think too far ahead. In terms of educating our children and grandchildren, Old Li is nowhere near your standards.¡± The ¡°Old Li¡± Elder Nan referred was Li Guohua¡¯s grandfather and Li Jiangshan¡¯s father. Unlike the Nie family¡¯s strict discipline, the Li family adopted a more nurturing approach, leading to differences in the approaches of Nie Zhenbang and Li Guohua. Nie Zhenbang relied on his own efforts to develop local government, garnering political achievements and hence capital for promotion. Meanwhile, Li Guohua preferred to leverage his ownwork and tactics. This was why Nie Zhenbang was driven to such a dire situation by Li Guohua. Ultimately, this led to a significant error where the People¡¯s Congress missed the allocated time for the election. This was a significant taboo. Being Secretary of the Municipal Committee, he was responsible for assuring this regardless, as higher level leaders didn¡¯t care about public opinion. Failure to secure the election was the greatest mistake. How could one be a Secretary if they couldn¡¯t even manage people? After a pause, Elder Nan slowly asked, ¡°Elder Nie, what do you suggest?¡± Looking into the distance, Elder Nie stayed silent for a while before finally stating, ¡°Transfer him out.¡± What a brave decision to cut off one¡¯s own arm. At this moment, Elder Nan had to admire the wise and decisive action of his older brother. Nie Zhenbang would be fine continuing in Xinli City with the support of their generation. However, it was apparent that Elder Nie was nning for his future. He knew his own health situation. How much longer could he live? One year? Two? After he was gone, it was uncertain if the Li family would cause trouble over this issue again, leaving Nie Zhenbang in a passive position. But if Nie Zhenbang transferred now, at least this matter would have a conclusion. In the future, the Li family wouldn¡¯t be able to use this issue against him again. Thinking of this, Elder Nan also subtly smiled, ¡°Any ideas for the new location?¡± Elder Nie gently shook his head, a hint of a smile appearing on his face. ¡°Not yet. It¡¯s not easy finding a suitable ce these days. I think we should revisit this in a few months.¡± At this point, a trace of fortitude appeared on Elder Nie¡¯s face. Both Nie and Nan were veterans from the war era. They didn¡¯t exude an aura of violence but they were definitely relentless and decisive. Seeing Elder Nie like this, Elder Nan hesitated a moment before saying, ¡°Elder Nie, you can give up the Tieli case. With the introduction of the new leadership core, it¡¯s inappropriate for our generation to continue participating. Let me handle this matter. After all, Zhenbang is my godson. This time, Old Li¡¯s actions went too far. It¡¯s nothing more than bullying the weak.¡± The two old men, respected characters whose every move could make the entire Huaxia tremble, were chatting at the Beihe nursing home. No one knew their ns. Elder Nie would never reveal Nie Zhenbang¡¯s next steps until confirmed. Meanwhile in Xinli City, after questioning Nie Zhenbang for a night, the Xibei Autonomous Region Discipline Inspection Commission decided to release him straightforwardly. For Nie Zhenbang and the Xibei Autonomous partymittee and government, they had the strong support of Jiang Zhenquan and Li Yifeng. Tieli was temporarily unable to take action against Nie Zhenbang. Two monthster, the Central Organization Department issued a document to dismiss Tieli from the post of chairman of the Xibei Autonomous Region Government, and Adiljan Ehmet was appointed as the chairman. This move had left the bureaucrats of the Xibei Autonomous Region dumbfounded. How influential was Nie Zhenbang? There was no punishment for him, and he had even managed to get Tieli dismissed. Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. With the hindrance of Zhou Chen gone, the entirety of Xinli City was united as one. At the spring Canton Fair, Xinli City emerged with a brand-new appearance. This time, with previous experiences aiding in preparation, contracts worth nearly three hundred million yuan were signed, not from influential figures, but from bona fide private individuals. The construction of Kuli Airport had been prepared four months ago, and construction officially began after an extravagant groundbreaking ceremony. Furthermore, in May, the Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government officially moved to their new office. As the development of Xinli City deepened, Yun County¡¯s economy was also rapidly developing. In October, Nie Zhenbangpleted his studies at the Autonomous Region party school. Upon receiving hispletion certificate, the Wal-Mart Hotel officially opened for business. Standing at 21 stories tall, the Wal-Mart Building had now be andmark in Xinli City. The new office building of Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government was a nine-story building, its design simr to that of the People¡¯s Congress Hall. The Municipal Committee and Government offices are divided ording to the central axis of the main office building, with the left side serving as the office area for the Municipal Committee, and the right for the City Government, At the very top floor, outside a door with a signbelled ¡°Secretary¡¯s Office¡±, was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office. Unlike his narrow previous office, the new office measured more than two hundred square meters. Upon entering, there was a vast office, about forty square meters in size, which served as the office of Secretary Yi Jun. Nearby, a set of sofa and coffee table beckoned, specifically for officialsing in for orientations or reports. Pass this, one would then enter Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office proper, a one hundred square meter space furnished with arge desk andrge chair. It encapsted the magnanimity of the current Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government. Behind the chair, a row of bookshelves bore an array of weighty tomes. Nie Zhenbang did not keep these books for appearances, he often flipped through them. To the side of his office, there was a door leading to a bedroom with an attached bathroom and utility room which could be used as a kitchen for convenience during long work hours. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was sitting in his chair with reports of Xinli City¡¯s economic data from the past eleven months spread out on his table. Xinli City¡¯s performance this year outmatchedst year¡¯s, with the growth rate still maintaining above eighty percent which, for Xinli City was a much tougher achievement than the previous year. Suddenly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mobile phone on the table rang. He answered it and heard his grandfather¡¯s voice:B ¡°Zhenbang, are you busy?¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback; his grandfather had personally phoned him. It was more than half a year since theirst conversation, after the National People¡¯s Congress election. After the Congress meeting in March ended, there was the Canton Fair. Upon his return, several investors signed agreements,nd was requisitioned, the Kuli Airport matter followed, then the relocation of the Municipal Government, renovation and reconstruction of primary and secondary schools in the former Yun County district, followed by party school studies. With all these sessive matters to attend to, Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t found the time to return to Jingcheng. ¡°Grandfather, why did you personally phone me? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Nie Zhenbang was somewhat puzzled. If it were a matter concerning his grandfather¡¯s health, he wouldn¡¯t personally call. Plus, his grandfather sounded full of vitality over the phone, not at all like someone ill. At this moment, Elder Nie didn¡¯t beat about the bush and said directly, ¡°Zhenbang, this time, I¡¯m considering transferring you out. Prepare yourself mentally. You have half a month to think and arrange matters in Xinli City. If you have any problems, you can ask Li Yifeng to solve them. Then, return to Jingcheng.¡± After saying this, Elder Nie didn¡¯t leave any room for Nie Zhenbang to respond and promptly hung up the phone. Hearing his grandfather¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was in a stupor. ¡®Transfer you out,¡¯ an obvious indication that he had to leave. Although Xinli city was far from reaching his envisioned goal and state, now, Nie Zhenbang started to ponder. His grandfather¡¯s words certainly held reason. Xinli City was the first stop in his career, a crucial period. From the fact that his grandfather suggested he seek Li Yifeng¡¯s help with arranging things, it was apparent his grandfather knew this. However, forcefully having him leave, there probably were still aftershocks from his erroneous vote in the NPC elections. Since being criticized by Li Yifeng, Nie Zhenbang understood this point could pose a major problem for him. His grandfather¡¯s current actions were likely aimed to solve this blemish At this thought, Nie Zhenbang immediately pressed down on the phone on his table and said, ¡°Xiaoyi, inform Chen Le and Weimin. Let¡¯s get together at my house tonight.¡± After knocking off from work, Nie Zhenbang, unusually, did not put in overtime and personally cooked a luxurious dinner. Bekri, Xie Yi, Yan Fengjiao, Lin Weimin, Li Lin, Chen Le, Fan Zhenming, Li Yan, Yi Jun, Huyan Apo and others had all gathered there. Looking at everyone, Nie Zhenbang smiled slightly and said, ¡°This afternoon, I received some news. I¡¯m afraid¡­ I can no longer continue my tenure in Xinli City.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, everyone was shocked. Nie Zhenbang yed an indispensable role in Xinli City. Suddenly hearing these words from him, everyone appeared incredulous. Seeing their expressions, Nie Zhenbang seemed very open-minded. A faint smile remained on his face from beginning to end, ¡°Why the long faces? All good things muste to an end. You should be congratting me.¡± Looking around at everyone, he slowly said, ¡°Let¡¯s get back to business. After I leave, Xinli City¡¯s development path and policy must not be changed. Xinli City is the country¡¯s experimental ground in sustainable development strategy, and ys a pivotal role in the formtion of national policies. I hope that everyone here can work together to ensure the continuity of these policies.¡± After pausing for a moment, Nie Zhenbang added, ¡°Before leaving, we should properly discuss some arrangements for after my departure.¡± At this point, everyone involuntarily pricked up their ears. From Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, they all understood that this time, there might be opportunities for everyone¡¯s advancement. Chapter 292 - 290: Where the People’s Hearts Are Heading_1 Chapter 292: Chapter 290: Where the People¡¯s Hearts Are Heading_1 Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment then said once more, ¡°After my departure, I n to nominate Xie Yi as my sessor, Feng Jiao will be recing Xie Yi¡¯s position, and Sister Li Lin, you¡¯ll take over Feng Jiao¡¯s role.¡± Essentially, this statement solidifies the general blueprint for Xinli City¡¯s future. Xie Yi works as a Partymittee secretary, Yan Fengjiao advances, bing deputy secretary of the Partymittee exclusively, Li Lin takes over the role of minister of the Party Committee Propaganda Department, thus bing a Standing Committee member of the Xinli City Party Committee. This way, Lin Weimin steps up to be executive deputy mayor, after Bekri bes mayor. In the Standing Committee of their sphere of influence, they have Xie Yi, Bekri, Yan Fengjiao, Lin Weimin, and Chen Le as the five key pirs, in addition to the inevitable fact that the Secretary-General of the Party Committee Office will also stem from their sphere. Thus, controlling Xinli City will be an absolute non-issue. This decision from Nie Zhenbang is one made after careful consideration. Understanding this, the ideal path would be for Bekri to step up as Partymittee secretary, Xie Yi recing the mayor, however, realistically speaking, Bekri¡¯s ethnic identity sometimes poses a drawback. Were he in the maind, it wouldn¡¯t pose as much of an issue, but out here in the Northwest, his identity bes a limitation. This arrangement could save the trouble of having to hold another election. Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment then repeated saying: ¡°Comrades, the achievements of Xinli City are not only derived from development, what the state appreciates more, is Xinli City¡¯s attempt and exploration in the path to sustainable development. I hope, whether it is now or in the future, everyone will keep this in mind. Do not resort to vanity projects for political achievement, creating a mere facade¡ªdecades from now, we have to leave our descendants in Xinli City with a livable environment and space. Should you struggle with any issues, do not hesitate to give me a call.¡± As the meeting proceeded into thetter half, everyone¡¯s spirits were dampened. The news of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s departure struck everyone. At this point, Bekri became somewhat uneasy and worried. He looked towards Nie Zhenbang and started: ¡°Secretary Nie¡­¡± Before he could finish, Nie Zhenbang gestured him off and said: ¡°Old White, don¡¯t worry. I know what you¡¯re going to say. The issue with the People¡¯s Congress election has long passed. You had nothing to do with it, rest your heart.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang turned to look at Yi Jun and continued, ¡°There is another matter where I believe that Comrade Leng Guohua could fill the position vacated by Sister Li Lin. Regarding the position of Director of the Development Zone Management Committee, I believe Yi Jun is suitable for the role. Mm, as for Xiao Wang the driver, let Chen Le arrange something.¡± As long-standing secretary and driver, their positions needed to be dealt with. As the level of intimacy and closeness with the secretary is generally iparable, when leadership is repositioned, they typically either get demoted to serve as a party or government leader or continue to apany the leader. Either of these arrangements ismon. It typicallyes down to how the leader decides and the individuals¡¯ personal choices. Some secretaries, who feel their age hase and their capacity for advancement isn¡¯t promising anymore, typically choose demotion. While some, having seen the limitless potential of their superiors, stay on the path with their leader, which is also a shortcut to promotion. As soon as Nie Zhenbang insinuated that he may be demoted, Yi Jun boldly said in front of everyone, ¡°Secretary, I don¡¯t want to be demoted¡­I¡­I want to go with Secretary.¡± Nie Zhenbang listened and was bewildered for a moment, as he was yet unsure about his next move. Thus, why Nie Zhenbang had initially nned to leave Yi Jun behind. Seeing Yi Jun¡¯s resolute demeanor, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Little Yi, since you¡¯ve made up your mind, let¡¯s hold off on this matter. For now, I¡¯m unsure where I¡¯ll be heading. If it¡¯s a ministry, you will have to be assigned to a local office.¡± The following day, Nie Zhenbang drove to Urumqi, and after reporting to Li Yifeng for the entire morning. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t stick around Urumqi and headed straight back to Bazhou City instead. Currently, the secretary of Bazhou City Committee is still Liu Wenqing. Last time, Liu Wenqing didn¡¯t climb up the ranks with the help of the prevailing winds. Once involved in such factional struggles, Liu Wenqing was like a small boat at sea, unable to withstand the winds. This is why he wasn¡¯t dealt with¡ªbecause higher authorities didn¡¯t care about him whatsoever. At this moment, Liu Wenqing was fully awake, disying a profound change in his stance toward Xinli City. Right now, Liu Wenqing¡¯s secretary, Feng Dayong, came in and whispered, ¡°Secretary, Secretary Nie from Xinli City is here.¡± Upon hearing Feng Dayong¡¯s words, Liu Wenqing was startled and quickly stood up. Ever since the People¡¯s Congress election, Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to speak to him. Even when he had to report for work, it was done in a strictly business sufficient manner. The once friendly interaction between the two was gone, now Nie Zhenbang hade of his own ord, shocking Liu Wenqing. Standing up, he said, sounding somewhat excited, ¡°Please let him in.¡± Walking into Liu Wenqing¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang took the initiative and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, I just returned from Urumqi. I came here today because I wanted to report some matters to you.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude, as always, was low-key and humble. This gave Liu Wenqing a bittersweet feeling. Yet, after the incident of People¡¯s Congress election, Liu Wenqing didn¡¯t dare to act pompously any longer. He personally poured a cup of hot water for Nie Zhenbang and chuckled, ¡°Secretary Nie, feel free to speak your mind. The municipal government and the Partymittee has always been fully supportive of Xinli City.¡± ¡°Secretary Liu, I¡¯ve received news from home that I might be transferred.¡± After a brief hesitation, Nie Zhenbang wasted no time and arrived directly at his point. This statement left Liu Wenqing extraordinarily surprised. Logically speaking, if Nie Zhenbang was to be transferred, he should be the first to know. But now, with the Autonomous Region Organization Department and the City Committee not having any news, it indicated that Zhenbang¡¯s transfer was executed from higher up. The context of this made Liu Wenqing somewhat sigh inment. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Liu Wenqing also clearlyprehended that Zhenbang took the initiative to approach him regarding this matter, probably in preparation for making personnel arrangements in Xinli City. Immediately after, Liu Wenqing also smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, just let me know whatever it is. My stance remains the same as always, prioritize the opinions of the Xinli City Party Committee.¡± In response, Nie Zhenbang elucidated his ns before leaving, to which Liu Wenqing agreed almost instantly without any hesitation. Liu knew well enough to return the favor. Given Zhenbang¡¯s meticulous and thoughtful way of doing things, Liu understood that Zhenbang certainly had a backup n. Rather than offend Zhenbang again, it was better to agree. With the validation from both autonomous region and Bazhou City leaders, the personnel adjustments in Xinli City was rapidly implemented. The Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Organization Department swiftly issued the official appointment and dismissal documents. Everything was going as per Zhenbang¡¯s arrangements. At the Xinli City Party Committee and Municipal Government¡¯s main hall, the Standing Committee of the City Party Committee, and Minister of the City Party Committee¡¯s Organization Department, Fang Gushan arrived solemnly and announced to the entire leadership of Xinli City: ¡°ording to the decision made by the City Party Committee¡¯s Standing Committee, after careful consideration by the City Party Committee¡¯s Organization Department, the following changes have been decided: Comrade Nie Zhenbang will be relieved of the roles as Secretary, Standing Committee member, and Committee member of Xinli City¡¯s Party Committee, for a new appointment. Appointing Xie Yi, deputy secretary of Xinli City¡¯s Party Committee to serve as a member, Standing Committee member, and secretary of Xinli City¡¯s Party Committee. Feng Jiao will be a member of the City Party Committee¡¯s Standing Committee and a full-time deputy secretary, relieved from the role of Minister of City Party Committee¡¯s Propaganda Department. Li Lin will serve as a member of the City Party Committee¡¯s Standing Committee and Minister of the City Party Committee¡¯s Propaganda Department. It is proposed that Guohua will assume the role of Deputy Mayor of Xinli City People¡¯s Government.¡± With this announcement, the whole room full of cadres started buzzing with discussion. The news came too abruptly, with no one expecting that Nie Zhenbang would leave suddenly at this moment. Originally, many cadres believed that Zhenbang would leave after the People¡¯s Congress elections. However, Zhenbang stayed put without any changes. It was precisely when everyone thought Zhenbang would not budge that he suddenly left. Seeing the leaders below fueling the discussion, Nie Zhenbang stood up and waved his hands down, announcing, ¡°Comrades, please quiet down. It seems this is going to be myst speech. As an official in Pear County, we¡¯ve experienced and ovee two years of challenges and changes together, leaving us with unforgettable memories. Xinli City will always remain deeply engraved in my mind. I hope that all leaders in the city, under the leadership of the newmittee, can pragmatically forge ahead to build a better Xinli City.¡± Following that, as the newly appointed Secretary of the Party Committee, Xie Yi also expressed his thoughts and feelings. As Nie Zhenbang concluded the meeting, he tidied up his things. His furniture and luggage had already been sent ahead, leaving him unburdened. With Fang Gushan walking in the middle, Xie Yi on the right, and Nie Zhenbang on the left, they stepped out of the Xinli City Party Committee¡¯s main hall. The scene before their eyes left Zhenbang stunned. At the moment, outside the main hall, there were nearly tens of thousands of people gathered. Many of them were still dressed in their work clothes, with heavy coats wrapped over the outside. Today¡¯s sky was a bit gloomy with strong winds. As soon as they saw Nie Zhenbange out, all the masses took a step forward, and a voice shouted from the crowd: ¡°Secretary Nie, don¡¯t go.¡± With this shout, tens of thousands of people, including police officers who rushed over to maintain order and perform their duties, shouted: ¡°Secretary Nie, don¡¯t go. Xinli City can¡¯t do without you.¡± Among the crowd, there were workers, teachers, doctors in white coats, ordinary residents, as well as regr cadres from Xinli City. People of all ages, each showing a look of anticipation and regret. Standing by, Fang Gushan felt deeply moved. The phrase ¡°serve a term in office, benefaction to one ce¡± sounds simple, but truly living up to it is extraordinary. In this context, Nie Zhenbang is an example. In just two years, he managed to transform a nationally recognized poverty-stricken county into a deputy department-level city¡ªthergest city in Bazhou City. Even the city¡¯s development, the economic level, andmercial development surpassed Ku City where the Bazhou City Party Committee and Municipal Government were located. This was a miracle. At this moment, there was no envy in Fang Gushan for this honor. Zhenbang truly deserved it. Immediately after, Fang Gushan whispered to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Zhenbang, you handle this, I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Chapter 293 - 291: A Send-off from Everyone_1 Chapter 293: Chapter 291: A Send-off from Everyone_1 In such a scene, there could only be one protagonist, and that was Nie Zhenbang. It was what Nie Zhenbang deserved as he transformed a notably impoverished county into what it was today after taking office in Xinli. People¡¯s hearts were not made of stone, and the eyes of themon people were sharp. Below, the crowd that had rushed over upon hearing the news once again began to shout: ¡°Secretary Nie, please don¡¯t go. If you leave, what will happen to our Xinli?¡± These words made the newly appointed leaders of Xinli City¡¯s Municipal Committee somewhat embarrassed, yet at the same time touched. To be an official up to the level of Secretary Nie was to be without regrets in life. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes too were somewhat moist. The people of Xibei were simple; a small amount of effort could make them infinitely grateful and wholeheartedly give back. At this time, even more citizens who had heard the news had gathered. In the square in front of the Municipal Party Committee and Government building, almost twenty thousand people had gathered, whose density was fortunately lessened by the spaciousness of the square. Over here, Qu Feng, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee Office, ordered his staff to temporarily bring out a set of audio equipment from the hall for quick instation and testing. Once done, Qu Feng handed the microphone to Nie Zhenbang. Upon receiving the microphone and contemting in his heart what to say, Nie Zhenbang then stood up and said: ¡°Fellow townsfolk, please everyone be quiet.¡± In Xinli City, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s charisma was unrivaled. At this moment, even Mayor Ma of Muli Township probably could not match Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current aura and charisma. With everyone quieting down, Nie Zhenbang then smiled and said: ¡°Fellow townsfolk, this time, I have been promoted. Or aren¡¯t you all willing to see me getting promoted?¡± Whether he had been promoted or not, Nie Zhenbang himself wasn¡¯t even sure. He didn¡¯t even know where his next posting would be after leaving office. However, saying it this way, and doing so in a joking manner, significantly lightened the current solemn atmosphere. Yes, they thought. Secretary Nie had a promising future. They certainly couldn¡¯t hamper Nie¡¯s career for their own selfish gains. Seeing that everyone¡¯s attention had shifted to his future, Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°Fellow townsfolk, let me introduce the new leadership of Xinli City¡¯s Municipal Party Committee.¡± After introducing each of the newly appointed Standing Committee members of Xinli City, starting with Xie Yi, Nie Zhenbang then said: ¡°Fellow townsfolk, have you seen? These are the new leaders of our Xinli City. Only I will be missing. Do you all still feel worried? The development of Xinli City cannot be supported by me alone. Now, even though I am leaving, I believe that all of us, the people of Xinli City, will unite and follow the leadership of the Municipal Party Committee and Government to build an even better Xinli City. Everyone, don¡¯t you agree?¡± After finishing, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand and said: ¡°Fellow townsfolk, please disperse. We all have work and lives to attend to. Xinli is like my second hometown. No matter where I go, I will always remember Xinli City. In the future, if there¡¯s anything you need help with, you can stille to me.¡± The new Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government¡¯s family residential area, number one courtyard. This was a two-story vi, circled by a yard. It had a mixed feel of Chinese and Gothic architecture style. It was just past four in the morning. At this moment, the lights in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s living room were brightly lit. All members of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee of Xinli City were present, even Xie Jiuda, the Minister of the Organization Department, and Wang Shengdong, the Minister of the People¡¯s Armed Forces Department were already here. Yi Jun stood silently on the side. The atmosphere was somewhat heavy. Just then, Nie Zhenbang emerged from his room carrying a suitcase. He had arrived with just one suitcase, and he was leaving with the same. Over two years, Xinli City had be prosperous, yet Nie Zhenbang left exactly as he had arrived. Looking at everyone, Nie Zhenbang thenughed and said: ¡°Why are you all here? You all still have work tomorrow, go back and rest. Just let Xiaoyi and Xiao Wang take me to the airport.¡± As the newly appointed Municipal Party Secretary, Xie Yi also stood up at this moment and said to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Secretary Nie, please allow us to see you off onest time.¡± The car moved into the night, leaving the City Municipal Party Committee and Governmentpound. Under the dim streetlights, everything felt incredibly quiet. It was still the number one car of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee. The car drove onto Xinli Avenue. About two kilometers out, under the streetlights, arge crowd had already gathered, prompting Xiao Wang to stop the car. At this moment, Yi Jun, who was sitting in the passenger seat, turned back and whispered to the resting Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Secretary, look ahead.¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang opened his eyes and raised his head. At this moment, the spacious Xinli Avenue waspletely blocked by people. In this frigid winter, the night temperature in Xinli City was already below zero or even in the double digits. Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t expected that even though he had chosen to leave at night, specifically to avoid letting the people know, they had all still arrived. At the front, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sharp eyes spotted the retired officials of Xinli city concentrated together, with Mayor Ma of Muli Township conspicuously among them. Upon seeing this, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t stay seated any longer. No matter how the people of Xinli City had found out or who had secretly informed them, pursuing the matter now had no meaning whatsoever. Mayor Ma, despite being in his eighties, had stayed up all night to be present. Upon realizing this, Nie Zhenbang immediately got out of the car. Behind him, the others in the car, including Xie Yi and other leaders of the Xinli City Municipal Committee, also got out. Nie Zhenbang strode forward to shake hands with all the retired officials, then sped Mayor Ma¡¯s calloused hand tightly, emotionally saying, ¡°Mayor Ma, respected leaders, fellow vigers, I¡¯m humbled by your decision to bid me farewell in the middle of the night. It fills my heart with guilt.¡± As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice faded, Mayor Ma responded with a heartyugh, ¡°Secretary Nie, you¡¯re being too modest. Your contributions to Xinli City are well acknowledged by all its residents. Seeing you off is simply what we ought to do.¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival, the crowd spontaneously parted to let him through. Among these individuals, some entire families hade. In some cases, men were carrying five- or six-year-old children, wrapped up inrge coats, with their wives standing by their sides. In the crowd, Nie Zhenbang spotted teacher Zhu from Tagou Township and many businessmen who had invested in Xinli City. ¡°Mayor Ma, please go back. It¡¯s freezing cold out here, and you need to take care of your health. I promise to visit you,¡± he said, turning to Xie Yi, ¡°Secretary Xie, please arrange a car to take our elderly leaders back. An elderly person in a house is like a treasure. Our esteemed former colleagues are the treasures of Xinli City; we must care for and cherish them.¡± As for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s dealings with the elderly officials and retirees, no one could have anyints. In the past two years, these individuals had seen significant improvements in many aspects of life. The creation of a university for the elderly provided a haven for them in their retired, idle life. Naturally, all retired officials and leaders of the city felt grateful towards Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang went on to the likes of Zhu Lufeng, the head of the Farmer Welfare Company, and the head of the Longhua Mining. Several dozen owners of businesses invested in Xinli City were also present. Seeing the look of worry in their eyes, Nie Zhenbang smiled subtly. He knew exactly what concerned these businessmen. The one thing they dreaded the most was a change in administration. A change in administration meant that previous rtionship advantages could have been wasted. The saying ¡°a new lord rules with new favours¡± holds true in business as well. What they worried about was the direction of Xinli City¡¯s economic policy in the future. Then, Nie Zhenbang stepped forward and said with a smile, ¡°Dear business owners, thank you for thinking so highly of me, Nie Zhenbang. I¡¯m sorry for causing such a disturbance in the middle of the night. Here, I will make a statement for your reassurance. The economic policy of Xinli City will not change. I assure you that you can proceed confidently in advancing your businesses. On behalf of the new Xinli City Municipal Committee and Government, I thank you for your support in Xinli City¡¯s economic construction.¡± Along the way, Nie Zhenbang found his eyes welling with tears. Tens of thousands of people, almost all the residents of Xinli City, had gathered here. Starting from the Xinli City development zone, along the almost two-kilometer road, people lined both sides. The silence at that moment was louder than any word. As Nie Zhenbang walked alone, the crowd left ane clear for his vehicle, which slowly followed behind him. The two-kilometer journey, though not long nor short, took an hour toplete. At the journey¡¯s end, Nie Zhenbang turned back to silently look at the crowd. He deeply bowed in gratitude before opening the car door. Just as he was about to get into the car, everyone called out in unison, ¡°Secretary Nie, we wish you all the best on your journey.¡± The voice echoed in the silent night, ringing loud and clear. Tens of thousands of people, without any rehearsal, echoed as one. At that moment, there was no pushing, no jumping the queue, not even a police officer maintaining order. Still, everyone behaved with utmost decorum. This scene touched even the likes of Xie Yi and others. The members of the Standing Committee of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee all woreplex expressions, filled with envy, surprise, and, most of all, admiration. They thought to themselves, to achieve what Secretary Nie had as an official was truly noteworthy. Once again, Nie Zhenbang deeply bowed. Raising his head, he tried to hold back his tears, smiling and waving onest time. As he entered the car, he instructed the driver, Xiao Wang, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Xiao Wang!¡± Chapter 294 - 292 Major Marriage Matters_1 Chapter 294: Chapter 292 Major Marriage Matters_1 Upon returning to Jingcheng again, Nie Zhenbang feltpletely different this time. Previously, whenever Nie Zhenbang returned, he felt like a guest. However, this time, it felt likeing home. This time, he did not notify Anna, Dong Wan, or Li Lixue. Outside the airport, Nie Jialei saw Nie Zhenbang, waved his hand, and revealed a slight smile. The rtionship between the brothers has improved a lotpared to before. After the burden of being the Nie family¡¯s sessor was lifted, Nie Jialei had changed a lot. ¡°Younger brother, this time, you were really too impulsive as per Jingcheng¡¯s saying, you are fine china, what¡¯s Zhou Chen? He¡¯s not even a y pot. Although, Zhou Chen is finished in the system. But you¡­¡± On the vehicle, Nie Jialei expressed his concern. Nie Jialei, the elder brother of the Nie family, still has his aura and demeanor even though he¡¯s no longer the heir. Nie Zhenbang merely smiled. He did not counter what Nie Jialei said regarding the missed vote in the National People¡¯s Congress. Such a situation is indeed the epitome of taboo in politics. Put simply, this could be extended to the principle of party loyalty ¨C abel of disobedience to organizational leadership is nailed without a doubt. To put it mildly, it was a disy of a City Party Secretary¡¯s ipetence. But Nie Zhenbang¡¯s principle remains. A man¡¯s life is short, with only a few decades of heat and chill. He will take action and also refrain from taking any. For minor matters, Nie Zhenbang can turn a blind eye. But on fundamental issues, Nie Zhenbang will neverpromise. He has no regrets about this affair. Even if Elder Nie brought him back to Jingcheng directly, or the development of New Li City has not reached his ideal state, or the officials of New Li City have not fully grasped his development philosophy, or the essence of sustainable development, despite the many anxieties and things he can¡¯t let go, Nie Zhenbang still says that he has no regrets. If given another chance, he would still make the same choice. Then, looking at Nie Jialei next to him, he said, ¡°Elder brother, let¡¯s not talk about this matter. Even if I have to choose again, I think, I would still do the same.¡± Seeing the determined look on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face, Nie Jialei was somewhat startled. Perhaps it was because of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stubborn and persistent character that he was so outstanding. Nie Jialei knew himself too well. He was steady butcked aggressiveness. Or rather, in terms of courage, he was far behind Nie Zhenbang. Perhaps out of modesty, the car Nie Jialei drove did not bear a military license but a civilian one. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Nie Jialei asked again, ¡°Zhenbang, this time, grandfather has made a lot of effort for your issue. Do you know why he transferred you back to Jingcheng?¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprised expression, Nie Jialei also showed a slight smile and felt a little bnced. Heughed and said, ¡°I feel bnced now, I thought you understood everything.¡± After speaking, Nie Jialei continued seriously, ¡°The reason why you were transferred back at this time is to show a certain attitude and can also be considered a punishment for the missed vote in the National People¡¯s Congress. This way, no one will bring up this issue in the future. If it¡¯s not handled now and postponeded the transfer until after the incident, it would be meaningless. This matter could be a time bomb on your career path. Do you understand?¡± Upon hearing Nie Jialei¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was also surprised. Honestly, he had guessed many reasons for returning to Jingcheng but never thought of this one. Now it seems, the elder is indeed shrewd. The car stopped directly at the gate of the old man¡¯s yard. The moment he entered, the grandfather came out of the living room. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, the old man¡¯s expression was calm. He remained silent for a moment, nodded his head, and simply said, ¡°You¡¯re back. Now rest for a few days.¡± He sat at home for a few hours and chatted with his grandfather. As his grandfather got a bit tired, he went to rest, and Nie Zhenbang then left the house. He went straight to the Dynasty Club, and as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he saw Anna standing at the door. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Anna hurriedly pounced on him, tightly hugged his neck, and pouted, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, why did you suddenlye back? You didn¡¯t even call us. Wan, Li Xue, and I thought you would only be back in a few days.¡± Hearing the noise here, Dong Wan and Li Lixue also came out. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, both of them revealed joyful expressions. After the four of them sat down in the living room, Dong Wan looked at Nie Zhenbang and dered, ¡°Zhenbang, we three have discussed already. ording to our previous agreement, Anna is the only one who can marry you.¡± Upon hearing Dong Wan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback, then became very formal and serious, ¡°Wan, Lixue, Anna, originally, I didn¡¯t deserve to say anything. But, since we¡¯vee this far, you can say that I am fickled or whatever, I admit. Please believe me. I truly love you all.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°I swear, all three of you hold the same importance in my heart. If I break this vow, may I die in a horrific way!¡± Right after he finished speaking, the three women, visibly moved, stood up. Anna even threw herself into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arms, putting a finger over his mouth as she whispered, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, I won¡¯t allow you to say such things.¡± After sitting upstairs for a while, Yang Anna got up and left. She had to discuss this matter with her grandfather. After all, Nie Zhenbang had made his intentions clear. This was a gesture that had to be made. Now, only the Yang family¡¯s proposal would make this engagement seem appropriate. After the three of them had a lovely dinner on the ninth floor, Nie Zhenbang went downstairs too. Now that he was back in Jingcheng, he naturally had to get in touch with Liu Kun, Li Hua, and Zhao Xing Long. As soon as he reached the tea art club on the fourth floor, Nie Zhenbang saw Liu Kun and the others and walked over with a smile. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Zhao Xing Long, who was seated in such a position as to see him first, stood up and greeted with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re back in town, third brother?¡± At a teak art tea table made of rattan, a tea service attendant was brewing tea. Li Wenge, Zhang Xu, Li Hua, Zhao Xinglong, Liu Kun, Ning Zhiyuan, Guo Ming, Liang Ligui, and others were present. There were also two young men Nie Zhenbang had never seen before. These people were figures in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s circle. As for Yang Anbang, he didn¡¯t really fit into this circle. Zhang Xu also stood up and,ughing, said, ¡°Third Young Master, Zhou Chen is just asking for trouble. To my mind, you were too lenient with him. You should have challenged him to a duel using our methods.¡± Next to him, Liu Kun stood up and,ughing, introduced Nie Zhenbang to the others, ¡°Third Brother, let me introduce you to Liu Bin, Liu¡¯s brother from the Military No.1pound. He currently works at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. And Hu Baoguo, whose grandfather was a founding general of our Huaxia. Like us, these guys are out there hustling.¡± Nie Zhenbang trusted Liu Kun, despite some previous friction overmittee matters. Having Liu Kun¡¯s introduction meant these two were on the same path. Nie Zhenbang extended his hand and introduced himself, ¡°Liu Brother, nice to meet you. We are friends from now on.¡± Without waiting for Nie Zhenbang to speak, Hu Baoguo stood up and said with a grin, ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯ve heard a lot from Kun about the gorgeous women and girls here. Now I¡¯ve finally experienced it for myself. From now on, you¡¯ll find me here every day.¡± Everyone burst outughing at this. Not all scions chose to work within the system. Some, like Liu Kun, Zhao Xinglong, Yang Anbang, and Li Hua, opted for business. Baoguo, it seemed, appreciated a good-looking woman. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed: ¡°Haha, if you like beauties, Baoguo, just remember this: no coercion in Dynasty Club. That¡¯s the only rule. As for whether you can win a beauty¡¯s favor, that¡¯s up to you.¡± After receiving Yang Anna¡¯s message, the Yang family acted quickly. The next day, Elder Yang went to see the Nie family with Yang Shengli. After almost an hour of discussion, the engagement date of Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anna was set for three dayster. Three dayster. The Nie¡¯s family courtyard was bustling again, just like it was almost a year ago. At this point, guests from both the Nie and the Yang families were already waiting inside. When Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anna walked hand in hand into the living room, both elders looked pleased. They were especially happy and immediately announced, ¡°Since this is an engagement, let¡¯s keep things simple. From today onward, both of you are acknowledged as engaged. Zhenbang, in the future, you should amodate An Na more.¡± The ceremony waspleted once the engagement rings were exchanged. ording to Elder Yang¡¯s n, the engagement wasn¡¯t grandiose. Only close rtives of both families attended the ceremony. At this point, both Elder Nie and Elder Yang stood up simultaneously and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang,e with us.¡± PS: There¡¯s another chapter tonight, please vote for me. (To be continued. If you like this book,e to and vote for it. Your support is my biggest motivation.) Chapter 295 - 293 New Position_1 Chapter 295: Chapter 293 New Position_1 When the two elders said this, the Nie family didn¡¯t seem too surprised. However, the scions of the Yang family were full of astonishment. It just seemed that Nie Zhenbang was being taken extremely seriously. It¡¯s only expected that the Nie family would take him seriously but now, even their own grandfather was doing the same. However, despite their envy, the scions of Yang family were well educated by Elder Yang. The Yang family, with numerous siblings and their offspring, had never had any improprieties. This was all thanks to their elder. Inside Elder Nie¡¯s study, the moment they stepped through the door, the two elders settled in chairs at the side. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Elder Nie said with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, it¡¯s safe to say you have had a hundred reasons not to want toe back this time.¡± As soon as Elder Nie finished his remarks, Elder Yang listened attentively. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s capabilities had been confirmed after his work in the Central Committee and Lixian County, there was no doubt about them. Politically, Elder Yang was generally satisfied. As for the issue with the People¡¯s Congress skipping the ballot, as they stood at the level of Elder Yang and others, they saw it much more clearly. On the surface, Nie Zhenbang hadmitted a major taboo. However, thinking about it from another perspective, this mishap demonstrated his young, impulsive, and immature side. Had he been wlessly politician-like, he might have be a target for collective attack. Now, this incident, surprisingly hits the mark and has relieved him of considerable pressure. Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment. Before his return to Jingcheng, he was in the dark, but the exnation from Nie Jialei helped clear things up for him. Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Grandfather, Grandpa Yang. If we look from the development perspective of Xinli, I¡¯m reluctant indeed. Xinli is at a crucial period in its development. I feel that Xinli has not yet reached my ideal state,ing back now, it¡¯s hard for me to understand. However, considering the period of the People¡¯s Congress elections, I think my grandfather¡¯s approach is correct. This is like he¡¯s cleaning up my mess.¡± Elder Nie was pleased with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s straightforward exnation and, seemingly satisfied, nodded and said, ¡°Zhenbang, your next assignment should be deputy director of the Fifth Inspection Division of the Central Disciplinary Committee. It¡¯s roughlyteral move, considering you¡¯ve made a mistake. There is no way your rank can be promoted. You should leave now to get prepared. You will be reporting to the Central Disciplinary Committee office tomorrow.¡± Upon hearing Elder Nie¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. He initially thought he would be appointed as a deputy mayor in some coastal city in the east, or a standing deputy mayor. After all, his reputation for developing the economy had already been established. Even if he were being transferred, he should remain in the local party and government leadership ranks. To his surprise, he was being sent to the Central Disciplinary Committee. After Nie Zhenbang had left, Elder Yang contemted thoughtfully. He admired Elder Nie¡¯s strategy. On one hand, it silenced any argument from the Li family. Should they bring up this matter in future, Nie Zhenbang had already been punished. On the other hand, working at the Central Disciplinary Committee meant dealing with the dishonest and corrupt officials most frequently. It is incredibly difficult to extract evidence from these people. Through this experience, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s political acumen would mature significantly. Elder Yang then smiled and said, ¡°Old leader, your tact is just as sharp as it ever was.¡± In their youth, Elder Nie was more senior and held higher positions than Elder Yang. However, Elder Yangter surpassed him. Still, when in private, they kept their original mode of address. When nobody was around, Elder Yang still habitually referred to Elder Nie as ¡®the old leader¡¯. In reality, this was nothing more than a respectful title. Regardless of the past or present, Elder Nie has never been Elder Yang¡¯s direct superior. Hearing Elder Yang¡¯s words, Elder Nie waved his hand and shook his head, saying, ¡°Old Yang, to tell you the truth, my health, I reckon, won¡¯t hold up for a very long time. You are well aware of the second generation of the Nie family. Neither Guodong nor Guowei have much potential for getting into the Political Bureau. As for the Xiao family, they¡¯re not even worth mentioning. The Eldest, Guoping and her spouse, are too engrossed in their academic pursuits. The Nie family line is discontinuing. In the future, we will have to rely more on your support.¡± Nie Zhenbang, having served for so many years, had a fair understanding of the workings of the Central Disciplinary Committee. Since the announcement from the central government earlyst year, the Central Disciplinary Committee and the Central Supervision Department had been working in the same office. The real power and influence of Central Disciplinary Committee now were much greater than before. Aside from several departments including the Office, Comprehensive Supervision Room, Law and Regtion Room, Supervision and Inspection Room, Law Enforcement Supervision Room, the most important were the First to Seventh Rooms of the Disciplinary Inspection and Supervision inside the Central Disciplinary Committee. The First Room was responsible for liaising with the Party, People¡¯s Congress, the Political Consultative Conference, the Ministry of Politics and Law, Science and Education, Culture and Health, Sports and universities system. It was responsible for carrying out pre-investigation of disciplinary issues involving vice-ministerial level cadres and other cadres as confirmed by the Standing Committee of the Central Disciplinary Committee, and to handle cases of vition of party discipline. They guide, urge, and supervise the investigation of cases handled by the disciplinary inspection and supervision organizations they connect with and cases that are concerned by the provincial Disciplinary Committee and Provincial Supervision Office; ept reports on disciplinary issues and major case clues of vice-ministerial and higher-level cadre of the connected units from both inside and outside of the party; and supervise and inspect the implementation of the party line, policy, nationalws, regtions, resolutions, andmand situations, and the construction of party style and honest administration. The Second Room was responsible for the disciplinary inspection and supervision work of major enterprises directly under the Central Government and some departments directly under the State Council. The duties of the Third Room are roughly the same as those of the Second Room. The rest, Room Four, Five, Six, and Seven, are all responsible for the discipline inspection and supervision work in other provinces across the country. Early the next day, Nie Zhenbang had already arrived at the Central Disciplinary Committee. Today, Nie Zhenbang dressed very formally and traditionally. A ck jacket, with a deep-colored woolen coat on the outside. His leather shoes were brightly polished. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s impression, the staff of the Discipline Inspection Committee always struck him as very traditional and stringent, not the kind to indulge in idle chatter. However, seeing several staff membersing and going in the office building, some of them asionally whispering andughing, Nie Zhenbang found himself slightly amused. After finding the floor of the Disciplinary Committee¡¯s office on the floor guide in the lobby, he went straight up and stood in front of the director¡¯s office door. He took a deep breath and then knocked on the door. A voice from inside said, ¡°Come in.¡± Nie Zhenbang entered, and upon seeing him, Huo Qiuyuan, the director of the Central Disciplinary Committee¡¯s office, had already stood up. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t recognize him, but he recognized Nie Zhenbang. Comrade Ouyang Xia, the standing deputy secretary of the Central Disciplinary Committee, had personally instructed him. Naturally, Huo Qiuyuan didn¡¯t dare to neglect him. ¡°You must be Comrade Nie Zhenbang, who is here to report for duty. Please have a seat.¡± As he spoke, Huo Qiuyuan got up, poured a cup of hot tea for Nie Zhenbang, and then returned to his seat with a smile. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also replied with a smile, ¡°Director Huo, you are too kind. We are colleagues now. I¡¯m still quite ignorant about the work of the Disciplinary Committee, so I¡¯ll need your support and help in the future.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Huo Qiuyuan alsoughed, finding it rare to encounter such an unassuming cadre in Jingcheng, a ce filled with connected and influential officials. He nodded and said, ¡°Director Nie, you are too polite. Now that you have arrived, let¡¯s discuss your work arrangements.¡± When it came to work matters, Huo Qiuyuan¡¯s expression became serious: ¡°Director Nie, ording to the arrangement of the Central Organization Department and the resolution of the Standing Committee of the Central Disciplinary Committee, you will serve as the deputy director of Room Five of the Central Disciplinary Committee. The main responsibility of Room Five is to supervise the discipline inspection work in six provinces and cities: Jiangbei, the South of the Yangtze River, Minzhou, Hucheng City, Pke, and Ludong. At present, Director Guo, in charge of Room Five, has been resting and recuperating due to health reasons. This time, by reassigning you to Room Five as deputy director, you are actually in charge of the full operations. During Director Guo¡¯s absence, you will need to shoulder the responsibility for Room Five.¡± Upon hearing Director Huo¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t show any surprise. The situation in Room Five seemed custom-fitted for him, most likely carefully arranged by Elder Yang and Elder Nan. Although his rank hadn¡¯t been elevated, in reality, he was tasked with duties typically assigned to a department-level cadre. This was somewhat of a disguised promotion, even though the official rank remained that of deputy department level. With these thoughts, Nie Zhenbang stood up, looking at Director Huo, ¡°Director Huo, please rest assured, and so should the organization. I will certainly do my job well and take good care of discipline inspection.¡± Although Huo Qiuyuan was only a department-level official, he represented the organization, so it was proper for Nie Zhenbang to say so. The office of Room Five is located on the seventh floor of the Central Disciplinary Committee Building. The name ¡®Room Five¡¯ doesn¡¯t mean they only have one office. In fact, among the various departments, bureaus, and offices under the Central Disciplinary Committee, the discipline inspection rooms have the most staff members. Room Five upies about one-fourth of the total area on the seventh floor. In total, there are eight offices. Apart from the director¡¯s office and the deputy director¡¯s office, there are six more offices, dividing into six groups, each corresponding to one of the provinces or cities supervised by Room Five. Now, with Huo Qiuyuan¡¯s arrival, all twenty-odd staff members of Room Five have gathered in one office. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, who is so young, many people were surprised. PS: A bonus update for the red reward from Brother tn6495, mighty brother! Chapter 296 - 294 First Control of Five Rooms_1 Chapter 296: Chapter 294 First Control of Five Rooms_1 Huo Qiuyuan, as the Director of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Office, was also a leader of the Commission. He, therefore, held a certain deterrence over the general staff of each department. At this moment, seeing the expressions of the crowd, Huo Qiuyuan inwardly chuckled. Such reactions were quitemon. Even he himself had been surprised when he first saw Nie Zhenbang¡¯s resume, a deputy department-level cadre in his mid-twenties. He was given charge over a department, and carried enormous discipline inspection authority, overseeing wealthy coastal provinces in the east. This was proof of just how favored Nie Zhenbang was among the higher-ups. However, after seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s resume, Huo Qiuyuan was at ease. Zhenbang had been with the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League for two years, sharing a close rtionship with Comrade Mu Dingjian, the current first secretary of themittee. Undoubtedly, he also had a close rtionship with Comrade Shao Weimin, who was a popr candidate for the next general secretary. Zhenbang had spent two years in Xibei, transforming a national-level poverty-stricken county into a deputy department-level city. The rate of economic growth had reached an astonishing 80 percent and above. For three consecutive years, he had been featured on ¡°Daily at Seven¡±. This achievement alone was enough to prove Nie Zhenbang¡¯s capabilities. A long-time Beijing resident and unlike general local officials, Huo Qiuyuan had some insight into these matters. Among the offspring of powerful families in Jingcheng who had chosen official careers, many had connections and backgrounds. However, no one had achieved the level Nie Zhenbang had. Having the support from the top and maintaining a yearly economic growth rate of around thirty percent was considered normal. But achieving this level was not something that could be solved simply by leverage of background, it required abilities. This was the fundamental reason why Huo Qiuyuan dared not underestimate Nie Zhenbang. Backgrounds could force people to feign obedience on the surface. But real talent was what earned their sincere respect. ¡°Ahem! Everybody please pause. The announcement about the Fifth Department should have been made by Director Guo. However, due to health reasons, Director Guo has been resting and recuperating. Temporarily, it has fallen upon me to fill the gap,¡± said Huo, shifting position to reveal Nie Zhenbang. He then smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯d like to introduce you all to Nie Zhenbang. He was the former permanent member of the Bazhou Municipal Committee in the Xibei Autonomous Region and the Party Secretary of New Li City. Now he¡¯s been transferred to be the executive vice director of our Fifth Department, taking overprehensive duties during the absence of Director Guo.¡± Pausing for a moment, Huo Qiuyuan¡¯s expression became more serious, ¡°I hope that all of you will adjust your attitudes, actively cooperate and support Vice Director Nie¡¯s work, and take the achievements of the Fifth Department to a higher level.¡± As Huo Qiuyuan¡¯s words faded, a middle-aged man in his early forties immediately stepped up, saying with a smile, ¡°Rest assured, Director Huo. The entire staff of the Fifth Department will go all out to support Vice Director Nie¡¯s work.¡± But as Nie Zhenbang observed this man, he could clearly detect the awkwardness beneath his words. Meanwhile, Huo Qiuyuan merelyughed andmented, ¡°With Vice Director Wang giving such assurances, I believe therades of the Fifth Department understand what¡¯s expected of them.¡± Turning to Nie Zhenbang, Huo Qiuyuan introduced, ¡°Director Nie, let me introduce you. This is Vice Director Wang Hongyuan. Old Wang is a seasoned discipline inspector and will certainly be of great help to you. Director Nie, I need to leave now. I have other matters to attend to. But, remember, we are all colleagues and if you need any help, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me.¡± Once Huo Qiuyuan had left, Wang Hongyuan walked over with a smile and said, ¡°Director Nie, let me introduce you to some of therades of the Fifth Department.¡± The first one, a man who looked around thirty years old and was about 1.81 meters tall, had a burly figure. Nie Zhenbang smiled as their gazes crossed, a silent understanding passing between them. Things were getting more interesting. He hadn¡¯t expected to find Liu Bin in his own department. At this moment, upon seeing Liu Bin, Nie Zhenbang had figured it out. Liu was only in his thirties and had just be a department head. Although this was already an impressive achievement, it proved the weak presence of the Liu Bin family within the governmental structure. Therefore, it was normal for Liu Bin to venture into his sphere. Unaware of the underlying implications, Wang Hongyuan introduced with a smile, ¡± This is Liu Bin, head of the first division of our Fifth Department. The position of the head of the second division is currently vacant.¡± Next, Wang Hongyuan introduced Nie Zhenbang to the heads of the other divisions: Tan Xiongbin from the third division, Xu Hongzhuan from the fourth, Huang Lasheng from the fifth, and Gao Wei from the sixth. As for the other general staff, there was no need for Wang Hongyuan to introduce them. As a leader, controlling the people in theyer underneath is enough. If every person needed to be known, wouldn¡¯t the prime minister have to meet everyone in the nation? Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office was arranged inside the director¡¯s office, while the vice director¡¯s office was upied by Wang Hongyuan. It wasn¡¯t usible to ask Wang Hongyuan to move out. Moreover, everyone in the Fifth Department, and even everyone in the entire Central Commission for Discipline Inspection was aware of Director Guo¡¯s health condition. Although it was said that he was on medical leave, the fact was that he was suffering from cancer and had little chance of returning to his post. Consequently, Nie Zhenbang had to upy the director¡¯s office. Initially, he had disagreed, but under Huo Qiuyuan¡¯s arrangement, he reluctantly consented. Had he rejected, he would have appeared pretentious. Director Guo¡¯s office was very simple, with white walls and a small rest room inside, equipped with a single bed. It seemed like a ce for leaders to take a nap during the day. A simple office desk certainly can¡¯tpare with the grand and luxurious office in New Li City. Behind the desk, a row of bookshelves stood. Most of the books on them were rted to discipline inspection. Many of them were internal materials, all kinds of ¡°Discipline Inspection Cadres Work Manual¡± and discipline inspection regtions. There were also somerge legal textbooks. Civilw, criminalw, it has everything. As a discipline inspection cadre, the most encountered people are national cadres who vite thew, abuse power, and receive bribes. To deal with these people, without a thorough knowledge of thew, it is absolutely impossible. Nie Zhenbang sat in front of the desk, sorting out his thoughts and nning the next step. In New Li, Yi Jun was waiting for him. Now it seemed that it was unrealistic to transfer Yi Jun over. After all, department-level officials who work in ministries have no precedent for having secretaries. If he were to be demoted to another ce, that would be better, but now? The only option was to arrange something here. Nie Zhenbang then called Xie Yi from New Li City. In the phone call, after exining his current position and situation to Xie Yi, and instructing Yi Jun¡¯s work, Xie Yi immediately stated that he nned to let Qu Feng take up the post of Deputy Mayor of the City Government and to promote Yi Jun to the Secretary of the New Li City Committee¡¯s office. His words made Nie Zhenbang very happy. Despite his transfer from New Li City, Xie Yi still went through with this, giving him face. After exchanging pleasantries, Nie Zhenbang hung up the phone. Immediately after, Nie Zhenbang got up, turned to the bookcase, and pulled out a book titled ¡°Questions of Discipline Inspection Cadres Work¡±. The book had a white cover with the title in bold red letters. Below the title, a small row of characters indicated that it was authored by Ouyang Xia. In the middle of the cover was a shy red national emblem. Below, there was a note indicating that it was internal material from the Central Discipline Inspection Commission. To effectively carry out the work, you must first understand the workflow of the Disciplinary Committee. This is a necessary process. In the officialdom, what really impresses people is not your background or qualifications, but your real ability to get things done. As the de facto leader of the Fifth Office, if he was clueless about discipline inspection work, wouldn¡¯t that be belittling himself? Nie Zhenbang obviously wouldn¡¯t do that. Therefore, studying was a must. Just as he opened the first chapter of the book, a knocking sound came from outside the room. Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Come in.¡± The door was pushed open. In front stood Liu Bin and behind him followed Gao Wei, the 24-year-old Director of the Sixth Division. As soon as he entered, Liu Bin smiled and said, ¡°Third Brother, who would have thought you¡¯d also end up in the Discipline Inspection Commission? And you¡¯re even my superior now. Things are going to be easy for us now.¡± Hearing Liu Bin¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also started tough and replied, ¡°Bin, you¡¯reughing at me. With your background, who in the Discipline Inspection Commission would dare to mess with you? Aren¡¯t they afraid you¡¯ll bring your men and beat them up?¡± At this, all three of themughed. The prodigal sons of powerful families have their own circles, distinct from ordinary bureaucrats. Of course, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were just a joke. Having a powerful background doesn¡¯t mean one can use it freely. For example, Liu Bin. If he wants a promotion, his military background is not too significant. But if someone dared to make a move against him, things would be different. Then, Liu Bin pointed to Gao Wei and said, ¡°Old Three, let me introduce you. This is Gao Wei. His father is Gao Chu, the director of the Central Office. His uncle and my father served in the same army unit. My father was the chief, his uncle was the deputy. We got acquainted because of this. It¡¯s frustrating topare oneself to others. He¡¯s six years younger than me, but he¡¯s already a bonafide director-level official on par with me.¡± At this point, Gao Wei came forward with a smile, rubbing his hands, ¡°Bin, you can¡¯t say that, Third Brother is only a few months older than me, but now he¡¯s already deputy bureau level. How can wepare?¡± He then offered his hand to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Third Brother, nice to meet you, I would like to invite you to dinner tonight, a wee and settling in meal.¡± Nie Zhenbang readily agreed at this. They all were from the same office, middle-level cadres, and shared a simr background. It was easy tomunicate with them. If they were managed properly, then the Fifth Office was also managed. Then heughed and said, ¡°No need for all that trouble. I think I¡¯ll do the inviting. Let¡¯s also invite Kun and the others. We can gather at the Dynasty tonight.¡± As his words ended, Liu Bin on the side smiled and said, ¡°Old Three, concerning the choice of the Director of the Second Division, I think you need to make a decision as soon as possible. Your parachuting in here has made Wang Hongyuan somewhat annoyed.¡± PS: Rmend the new book ¡°Genius Fortune Teller¡± Book Number: 2279798 Straight talk, one prediction worth a thousand gold Young Ye Tian identally receives a fortune teller¡¯s inheritance, exploring the boundaries of Heaven and Man, understanding the changes of the past and present, continuing the lost arts of the sages Chapter 297 - 295: Struggle is Everywhere_1 Chapter 297: Chapter 295: Struggle is Everywhere_1 As Liu Bin finished his words, beside him, Gao Wei nodded as well, ¡°That¡¯s right, third brother, what Bin has said is correct. Your arrival has entirely disrupted Wang Hongyuan¡¯s ns. A position he thought was in the bag was snatched away by you, third brother. Wang Hongyuan is now in his mid-forties. This time, it was not easy for him to get the opportunity to move half a step up to the regr Department level position. But he got intercepted by you, third brother. He must be very ufortable with that.¡± Liu Bin also nodded, ¡°Old third, in terms of post, you are the senior, in terms of age, I am slightly older. You should also understand my temperament; I can¡¯t call you third brother. From now on, I will call you old third. Wei Zi is right. Wang Hongyuan is not simple, Xu Hongzhuan and Huang Lasheng are his people, Tan Xiongbin¡¯s attitude is also ambiguous. I see that you should arrange the position of Bureau Two as soon as possible. This will be a great advantage for you to control Division Five.¡± Nie Zhenbang was happy at this moment, he hadn¡¯t expected that there would be two sons of major families congregated in Division Five. To Nie Zhenbang, dealing with people within the circle, as long as they weren¡¯t like Zhou Chen, was always pleasant. Furthermore, based on their way of talking and thinking, they did not seem brainless. On the contrary, their political awareness was sharp. These two could be his own dependable strong arms in the future. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang also started considering in his mind, about the appointment of the head of Bureau Two. Regr Department level staff. Currently, in his ns or, in his system, the appropriate people were not many. Yi Jun is considered one, but he had already arranged for Yi Jun. Therefore, he can¡¯t readjust him. After thinking for a bit, a candidate emerged in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind. Zheng Gensheng, the deputy director of the Youth League Central Committee¡¯s Spiritual Civilization Office. He is the earliest one who followed him. These years, without his support, although Zheng Gensheng has made achievements and is capable, he is still stuck in the same ce. This should be impossible. There is only one exnation for such an oue, it is that there is no one to promote Zheng Gensheng from the back. This indirectly implies, after he left, Zheng Gensheng did not attach himself to any other faction. Such a person is trustworthy. Soon after, Nie Zhenbang also nodded, ¡°Hmm, I have a little idea about the candidate for Bureau Two in my mind. You can rest assured. Old Liu, Wei Zi, both of you, assist me to get a firm control of Bureau One and Bureau Six, then I will have less to worry about. You two can go out first. Tonight, let¡¯s get together at the Dynasty.¡± After Liu Bin and Gao Wei left, Nie Zhenbang picked up the phone thoughtfully. Nie Zhenbang has a good memory, even though he left the Youth League Central Committee for more than two years, he still remembered the phone number clearly. A call went through after a while, a familiar voice came from the other end of the call. It was Zheng Gensheng. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang spoke with a smile, ¡°Old Zheng, do you still remember me?¡± On the other end, Zheng Gensheng was struck dumb. Feeling a bit shocked, slightly unbelieving, after a while, he still couldn¡¯t confirm, his voice was slightly trembling, ¡°You, you are the young master?¡± At this moment, Zheng Gensheng was filled with hours of excitement. After working under the young master in the Youth League for a while, when Nie Zhenbang was transferred out of the Youth League to take up a post in Xibei, Zheng Gensheng remembered the words Nie Zhenbang had said. Even though he waited for more than two years and didn¡¯t wait for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s call, Zheng Gensheng still persisted. This time, when Nie Zhenbang got transferred back to Jingcheng, just as Zheng Gensheng was feeling disappointed, he suddenly received a call from Nie Zhenbang. The ups and downs of life, receiving the call at the most disheartened moment, felt a bit like a drama. ¡°Haha, it¡¯s been more than two years, Old Zheng, you still remember me, I¡¯m a little embarrassed. No more bullshit, Old Zheng, I am now transferring to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, to serve as the head of the Fifth Division of Discipline Inspection and Supervision. Old Zheng, would you be interested toe and work with me? Presently, Bureau Two of Division Five is missing a Director. Given your qualifications, capabilities, and rank, I think you are quite suitable for this job.¡± Nie Zhenbang directly stated his intentions without any ambivalence. On the other end of the call, Zheng Gensheng was somewhat ted. Working at the disciplinarymittee, this is the best ce to score achievements. Although, working at the disciplinarymittee is not easy. Most of the time, it¡¯s a political post after politicking. But, with the support from a person like Nie Zhenbang, Zheng Gensheng didn¡¯t worry about these things at all. Immediately, without any hesitation, Zheng Gensheng agreed, ¡°Third Master, there are no issues on my end. As soon as the transfer orderes, I can report over immediately.¡± After finalizing with Zheng Gensheng, Nie Zhenbang then called Huo Qiuyuan. Being new here, he was not familiar with the personnel organization within the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and other aspects. The matter of transferring Zheng Gensheng, could only be arranged for Huo Qiuyuan to handle. As soon as the call was answered, Huo Qiuyuan¡¯s heartyughter came through, ¡°Haha, Director Nie, calling me over, is there anything you need my assistance with?¡± The nature of Huo Qiuyuan¡¯s job is simr to the Secretary-General of the citymittee. In the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Huo Qiuyuan is like the housekeeper. He is also in charge of the affairs of the Bureau of Retired Veterans Affairs. Nie Zhenbang had just reported for duty, and called immediately. It was clear that he had something on his mind. Huo Qiuyuan was still able to guess this. Nie Zhenbang did not intend to be secretive and preferred straightforwardness in this matter. Immediately then, Nie Zhenbang also burst outughing. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang humbled himself. Smiling and saying: ¡°Hehe, Director Huo, there is indeed something I need your help with. The position of the Head of the Second Department of our Fifth Division has been vacant for a while, hasn¡¯t it? I have a suitable candidate in mind ¨C Comrade Zheng Gensheng from the Youth Civilization Office of the Central Committee. Thisrade has served as a deputy bureau-level cadre for many years and has a lot of work experience in this area, with rich qualifications. I¡¯m wondering, could I trouble Director Huo to assist in transferring Comrade Zheng Gensheng over to our side to serve as the Head of the Second Department?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Huo Qiuyuan was startled for a moment. This was a very normal request, and it would indeed have been strange if Nie Zhenbang had not made it. Immediately then, Huo Qiuyuan also smiled and said, ¡°Is that so? Director Nie, rest assured. I¡¯ll arrange it, and my estimation is that Comrade Zheng Gensheng can report to your side the day after tomorrow at thetest.¡± While Nie Zhenbang and Huo Qiuyuan were on the phone, Xu Hongzhuan and Huang Lasheng, in Vice Director Wang Hongyuan¡¯s office, wore faces of indignation. Huang Lasheng, around thirty-six or seven years old, considered himself Wang Hongyuan¡¯s direct subordinate. If Director Wang were promoted, wouldn¡¯t he also be lifted high with the rising tide? Yet now his potential advancement had been hampered by Nie Zhenbang, his anger was understandably palpable. ¡°Director Wang, will you really just grin and bear this? After Director Huo left, I saw Liu Bin and Gao Wei hurriedly running to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office as if eager to show their loyalty. In the Division, Tan Xiongbin has always been nomittal. I think we should swiftly prepare and arrange for the Head of the Second Department position. Otherwise, if Nie Zhenbang ims it, it will be toote,¡± said Huang Lasheng, expressing his concerns. Wherever there are people, there are gangs. Wherever there¡¯s an officialdom, there¡¯s struggle. Different are the objectives, sizes, and reasons for the struggles. Some struggle for status, some for the interests and futures of their subordinates. Some struggles are invisible, like the gentle showers of spring, continuous and unending. These kinds of struggles are generally benign, both sides adhering to a bottom line, not letting things get out of hand. But some struggles are fights to the death, where a slight misstep could lead to irreversible ruin and eliminate any chance of aeback. At this moment, the struggle between Wang Hongyuan and Nie Zhenbang was one of these invisible struggles, and the issue of the Head of the Second Department would directly determine Tan Xiongbin¡¯s attitude and inclination. If he were to lose this position, even if he still had Division Heads like Xu Hongzhuan and Huang Lasheng by his side, his influence would undoubtedly be reduced a notch. Immediately then, after a moment¡¯s consideration, Wang Hongyuan slowly said, ¡°You two go on back first and make sure to do your own work well. When ites to other matters, don¡¯t worry about what you do not need to worry about. Priorities and personal interests must be correctly discerned. As for this matter, I will make my own ns.¡± Watching Xu Hongzhuan and Huang Lasheng stand up to leave his office, Wang Hongyuan picked up his phone to call Cai Liqiang, the Minister of the Organization Department of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Right after the connection was made, Wang Hongyuan smiled and said, ¡°Minister Cai, I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you. This is Old Wang from the Fifth Division of Disciplinary Inspection. Yes, I wanted to suggest a candidate for our vacant department head position in the Second Department of the Fifth Division to Minister Cai. Do you have time for dinner tonight? We can talk and eat at the same time, what do you think?¡± After hearing Wang Hongyuan¡¯s intentions, Cai Liqiang gave a light smile. This Old Wang really thought highly of himself. It seemed, he had not given up hope for the position of the Head of the Fifth Division. He aimed to secure the loyalty of his subordinates to sideline Nie Zhenbang. While the idea was good, the reality might be cruel. Immediately then, Cai Liqiang lightly smiled and said, ¡°Old Wang, there¡¯s no need for dinner. Just before you called, Old Huo had already brought up this issue with me. The candidate has already been decided.¡± After pausing for a moment, Cai Liqiang decided to give Wang Hongyuan another reminder. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s backing was not something he, Old Wang, couldpete with. Vice Secretary Ouyang Xia personally appointed and transferred Nie in here, and he was properly arranged for straightaway. It could be said that he was fully escorted and protected. Then, Cai Liqiang whispered, ¡°Old Wang, there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure whether I should say or not. The ability of Comrade Nie Zhenbang has been affirmed. Although he is new to the Commission for Discipline Inspection, it¡¯s precisely why he needs the support of oldrades like you. You should keep your positioning urate.¡± Wang Hongyuan didn¡¯t know what he was thinking. After hanging up the phone, he chuckled bitterly to himself. Nie Zhenbang has backing? so what? There¡¯s no chance he willpromise at this point. It must be decided after a proper contest. Chapter 298 - 296 The Depth of the Disciplinary Committee_1 Chapter 298: Chapter 296 The Depth of the Disciplinary Committee_1 However, as much as he nned, Wang Hongyuan was not naive. The recent conversation with Cai Liqiang provided him with invaluable information. Nie Zhenbang was no ordinary man, as Ouyang Xia, the Standing Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, personally selected him. From the moment young Nie Zhenbang stepped into the Discipline Inspection Commission, he immediately seized the position of Section Chief II. This alone was proof of his exceptional shrewdness. Despite his reluctance, Wang Hongyuan paused for a moment and then decided to pay a visit to Nie Zhenbang. On one hand, his proactive approach could be seen as a stratagem. On the other hand, as the old military aphorism says, ¡°know the enemy and know yourself, then you can fight a hundred battles without disaster¡±. Understanding his opponent before formting a specific n was Wang Hongyuan¡¯s true intention. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was in his office, reviewing a booklet penned by Ouyang Xia. It might seem like trivial material at first nce, but it actually contained critical points to note in the operation of the Discipline Inspection Commission. In general, whenever the Discipline Inspection Commission needed to step in or intervene, in most cases, the case was already exposed. What they feared the most at this point was the destruction of evidence by the involved parties; this evidence might include documents, financial ounts, or even individuals themselves. These materials were far more useful for Nie Zhenbang than any ancient literature or legition. Derived from practical experience, they offered great value in terms of getting a handle on his new job. At this moment, there was another knock on the door. He wondered who it could be at this hour. Could it be Tan Xiongbin or another section chief? As he pondered, he called out, ¡°Come in.¡± The door opened, allowing Wang Hongyuan¡¯s head to appear. He grinned, saying, ¡°Director Nie, hello. I hope I¡¯m not disturbing you.¡± Wang Hongyuan then walked in,ughing. ¡°Director Nie, considering that you¡¯re new here and probably not very familiar with our Section V, I thought I¡¯de and brief you on the basics of our section,¡± he exined. Nie Zhenbang knitted his brow for a moment. Wang Hongyuan was indeed no simple man. On the surface, a middle-aged man addressing a younger one so respectfully seemed admirable. Nevertheless, respect is not necessarily shown through words, this has always been Nie Zhenbang¡¯s belief. While Wang Hongyuan had knocked, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t actually invite him in. It would have been fine if they were familiar, but today was his first day on the job, so Wang Hongyuan¡¯s action felt overly presumptuous, even somewhat condescending. From this perspective, Wang Hongyuan¡¯s respect seemed extremely limited. His polite form of address seemed hypocritical. If he had addressed him as you instead, Wang Hongyuan would have appeared more genuine. The second detail was that Wang Hongyuan supposedly came to report the basic situation, but he specifically pointed out that Nie Zhenbang was not familiar with it. Even if this were true, such tant exposure seemed somewhat disrespectful. Externally, Nie Zhenbang courteously stood up, gestured for Wang Hongyuan to take a seat, poured him a hot cup of tea, then sat down and said, ¡°Deputy Chief Wang, even if you didn¡¯te to me, I had nned to find you. You are an experiencedrade and a leader in Section V. I hope you will continue to assist me in my work.¡± Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t naive either, having served several years on the bureaucraticdder, had taught him well with words. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Wang Hongyuan¡¯s smile faltered a bit, revealing some embarrassment. Dealing with Nie Zhenbang was not easy. Usually, the iing leader would ask their deputy for support or assistance, which might be a formality, but it also showed their humility. However, when one asks for help, it reminds others of their status. Although they were both deputies, Nie Zhenbang was the standing deputy while he was not. Nie Zhenbang was in charge of the entire Section V, making him his superior. There was no doubt about it. At this moment, Wang Hongyuan awkwardlyughed and said, ¡°Deputy Director Nie, of course. I think it would be best if I gave you a brief description of Section V.¡± Hearing Wang Hongyuan changing his mode of address and calling him ¡®Deputy Director Nie,¡¯ Nie Zhenbang sneered internally. This was simply a reminder that he was just a deputy director, and they held the same rank. But Wang Hongyuan seemed to forget that while he was merely a deputy director, Nie Zhenbang was the standing deputy director, in charge of the entire operation. Although their ranks may be the same, their responsibilities differed greatly. For such a minor issue, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t feel the need to argue with Wang Hongyuan. He simply smiled and said, ¡°Deputy Director Wang, please start with the situation of the six provinces.¡± The power of the Discipline Inspection Commission Section V was indeed immense. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first impression after listening to Deputy Director Wang¡¯s introduction. Their department was responsible for the disciplinary inspection work in six provinces and cities, in charge of investigating major allegations and cases of misconduct against officials above the department level in these regions. For any misconduct case against officials above the deputy national level in these six provinces and cities, they would conduct preliminary investigations once the charges were confirmed by the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. In other words, if it was a report letter from these six provinces and cities, generally, if it involved officials at or above the department level, the Fifth Discipline Inspection Team would need to be sent to the local area for investigation. Of course, unless it was a major case, generally, with mainly, usations against department-level and below officials would essentially be referred to the local Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission or Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission for handling. However, even so, this illustrates the enormity of the powers held by the Fifth Discipline Inspection Team. If there were a deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection leading the team, officials at the provincial level would likely be fearful and apprehensive. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°Deputy Director Wang, with great poweres great responsibility. The more so, the more cautious we should be in using our power, ensuring the integrity and purity of the cadre team at the same time. We should also be careful not to let a single bad person slip away, nor to wrong a single good person. This is the quality we, as discipline inspection cadres, should possess. Let¡¯s call it a day today. We will have plenty of time tomunicateter. If there¡¯s nothing else, Deputy Director Wang, you can go ahead with your work.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words caused Wang Hongyuan¡¯s facial expression to twitch again. This guy was really tactless, showing such disrespect. After work, Nie Zhenbang stood up and stretched his body to rx. Working in a ministry was entirely different from his previous posts at the local level. Even in a department like the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, it was rather rxing when there was no work to be done. After meeting up with Liu Bin and Gao Wei, the three of them each drove to the Dynasty Club. On the way, Nie Zhenbang specially made a call to Zheng Gensheng. When the car was parked in the parking lot, Nie Zhenbang saw that Zheng Gensheng was already standing at the entrance of the Dynasty Club from afar. He walked over directly. Nie Zhenbang said something to the two security guards by his side and walked into the lobby with Zheng Gensheng. After finding a private room in the Chinese restaurant on the second floor, Liu Bin and Gao Wei came in from outside. Nie Zhenbang then introduced with a smile, ¡°Brother Bin, Wei Zi, let me introduce to you, Old Zheng, my colleague when I was working at the Communist Youth League. Now, he was transferred to be the head of the Second Department.¡± Nie Zhenbang then turned to Zheng Gensheng and said, ¡°Old Zheng, these two are Liu Bin and Gao Wei. Liu Bin is the head of the First Department and Gao Wei is the head of the Sixth Department. From now on, the work of the Fifth Department will rely on you three.¡± Among the three, Liu Bin was someone Nie Zhenbang had met and left a good impression. As for Gao Wei, although they hadn¡¯t met, the fact that he could be with Liu Bin was proof of his trustworthiness. As for Zheng Gensheng, he was even more than a trusted confidant. Naturally, Nie Zhenbang had no reason to hide anything from them. Beside them, Liu Bin pondered, ¡°Third Brother, we three helping you is not a problem, but the waters in our Commission for Discipline Inspection are pretty deep.¡± After a pause, Liu Bin looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Third Brother, there are four deputy secretaries in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Apart from Deputy Secretary Ouyang Xia, there¡¯s also Deputy Secretary Zeng Youjie, Deputy Secretary Liu Wei, and Deputy Secretary Gong Jinnian. Now, everyone ispeting with each other behind the scenes.¡± Next to them, Gao Wei snorted and said, ¡°Third brother, in my opinion, what discipline inspection? Nowadays, local governments are most keen on burying information. So-called discipline inspection, in my view, is just aboutparing backgrounds. The real vitions and the evidence often have to wait until after the political struggle is over to be decided. I don¡¯t want to do this kind of work in the discipline inspection anymore. I¡¯m thinking of trying something different.¡± What Gao Wei said was quite credible. After all, Gao Wei¡¯s father, Gao Chu, was the Director of the Central Office, a position that had ess to Secretary General Yuan. Moreover, although his words were coarse, they did hold a certain degree of truth. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t think so. In his view, his purpose in joining the Commission for Discipline Inspection was different. Nie Zhenbang believed that the Grandfather and Elder Nan wouldn¡¯t have gone to such lengths for Secretary General Yuan to personally arrange for him to join without a reason. If they really just wanted him to coast along, it would lose the significance of being trained in the Commission for Discipline Inspection. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang said solemnly, ¡°Wei Zi, what¡¯s the rush? What you said was before, now I am here. If we brothers unite, work together, we can give the country a politically clear and honest team.¡± At that moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone suddenly rang. He took it out and saw that it was a call from Huo Qiuyuan. As soon as he picked up, Huo Qiuyuan said in a serious tone, ¡°Director Nie, there¡¯s an emergency. Secretary Ouyang would like you toe over immediately.¡± PS: I highly rmend the new book ¡°Skyward Official Road¡± by Yushi Dafu, it¡¯s another masterpiece following ¡°Stepping Up to the Blue Sky¡±. Chapter 299 - 297 The First Case_1 Chapter 299: Chapter 297 The First Case_1 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice was loud, and the quality of the call from the first generation analog mobile phone was quite clear in a ce like Jingcheng. Upon receiving a summons from Secretary Ouyang Xia, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare to dy. Hanging up the phone, he promptly stood up. Liu Bin beside him remarked in a solemn voice, ¡°Looks like there¡¯s a case, and a big one at that. We should go together. We could lend you a hand if necessary.¡± Although Zheng Gensheng¡¯s organizational rtionship hadn¡¯t been transferred yet, it was only a matter of time. After this call, once Nie Zhenbang left, the remaining three wouldn¡¯t much enjoy their meal, after all, Nie Zhenbang was the protagonist. The foursome set off immediately and headed directly to the central disciplinarymittee¡¯s administration building. At this moment, it was after office hours, but many officers in the building still had their lights on, a testament to the number of people working overtime. They took the elevator directly up to the eleventh floor, where the high-level officials of the central disciplinarymittee had their offices. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first visit to Deputy Secretary Ouyang Xia¡¯s office. Being a high-ranking official of equivalent level, Nie Zhenbang took a deep breath before knocking on the door. Shortly after, the door opened and Huo Qiuyuan greeted Nie Zhenbang in a low voice, ¡°Director Nie, pleasee in.¡± As he walked into Ouyang Xia¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang respectfully greeted, ¡°Secretary Ouyang¡­¡± Ouyang Xia appeared around sixty with some grey hair, but his eyes were sharp. His thick-set nose gave an impression of inherent authority. A coat hung aside due to office heating. Ouyang Xia wore thermal underwear inside, a white shirt outside, furtheryered with a grey knitted vest. Ouyang admired Nie Zhenbang¡¯s demeanor. No wonder Elder Nan and Secretary General Yuan thought so highly of him, a descendant of the Nie family. He motioned for Nie Zhenbang to sit across him. Ouyang Xia threw a document across the table, ¡°Take a look, it¡¯s from an oldrade of mine in Ludong Province.¡± The letter was from Dameng county, Dongmeng region, Ludong Province, a familiar ce to Nie Zhenbang, known for historical significance. Opening the letter, the first line deeply moved Nie Zhenbang ¨C ¡°To the leadership of the Central Disciplinary Inspection Commission, I am an old soldier from Dongmeng Mountain area. I wonder if this world still belongs to our party.¡± Having finished reading, Nie Zhenbang was shocked. Although he had heard of such incidents from media in his past life, this direct experience was a first. A meritorious veteran of the resistance against Japan, the liberation war, driven to desperation, was like a p in the face for Nie Zhenbang and Ouyang Xia. ¡°Have you finished reading, Nie? This case falls under your fifth department¡¯s jurisdiction. Do you have the confidence toplete it?¡± Ouyang Xia¡¯s long-standing position in the field of discipline inspection exuded an imposing aura. Nie Zhenbang stood up and replied in a serious tone, ¡°Secretary Ouyang, we promise toplete the mission.¡± Ouyang Xia appreciated Nie¡¯s straightforward and resolute attitude. Such a spirit was required in disciplinary investigators who, if squeamish, would be unfit to handle any serious cases. Nodding in satisfaction, Ouyang Xia ordered, ¡°Nie, for this investigation, I wish to bypass the Ludong Provincial Committee and Ludong Provincial Disciplinary Committee. After all, we are investigating a county-level unit. Doing so can avoid giving the impression of mistrust in the local government. Your investigation team must quietly gather evidences. You should contact the Ludong Provincial Disciplinary Committee when you have sufficient evidence. For the Ludong Provincial Committee side, I¡¯ll handle the coordination. Understand? If so, organize a team right away. Set off for Dameng County early tomorrow.¡± Nie Zhenbang was somewhat excited. After all, this would be the first case under his supervision since taking up the position, and it was not a big case which was more suitable. For Nie Zhenbang, a big case being the first would be challenging to manage without experience. However, this was an opportunity to get hands-on experience. Immediately, he assured Ouyang Xia, ¡°Secretary Ouyang, rest assured, I¡¯ll assign apetent team to form an investigation group. We¡¯ll reach Dameng County by tomorrow evening.¡± Upon returning to his office, the three people sitting on his office sofa drinking tea all stood up, their faces filled with confusion as they looked at Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang ced the materials on the table and pulled up a stool to sit down. He then announced, ¡°Comrades, we have a case.¡± Speaking, Nie Zhenbang exined, ¡°In Dameng County of Ludong, an old revolutionary area that is categorized as a national-level poverty-stricken county, Secretary Ouyang received a whistleblowing letter with real-name disclosure. The whistleblower is an old veteran of the Anti-Japanese War. The incident is amon tale of a county party secretary¡¯s son raping the old soldier¡¯s granddaughter. The girl, overwhelmed with despair, hanged herself. When the old soldier sought justice, he was beaten. The whistleblowing letter also enclosed evidence of the county party secretary¡¯s arrogance and tyranny. Meanwhile, the old soldier had been detained, imprisoned, and brutally beaten up and threatened multiple times by the local public security bureau. His house was dismantled under various pretexts by the local government, and now, the old man is renting a ce in Dameng county town. In the past year, the old soldier has visited several ces and conducted investigations. ording to the materials, the county party secretary¡¯s son has victimized at least a dozen young girls. Regardless of the truth, at least, we have to go there in person. Secretary Ouyang has already issued an order. We are to assemble an investigative team overnight and set off first thing tomorrow. If this is true, we have to ensure that the perpetrator is held ountable and put behind bars.¡± Nie Zhenbang paused, and then looked around at the three men, ¡°This time, I¡¯ve decided to tag along. I¡¯m inexperienced in disciplinarymittee work, so I¡¯m taking this opportunity to learn. Old Zheng, why don¡¯t youe with me, and let Liu Bin manage the organization-rted issues.¡± Seeing the case details, Gao Wei was somewhat taken aback. He could imagine an aging veteran tirelessly seeking justice for his granddaughter, gathering evidence, and petitioning everywhere. Gao Wei nodded and said, ¡°Normally cases like this are transferred to the provincial disciplinarymittee. But this time, Secretary Ouyang is personally overseeing it. It seems that this case has infuriated Secretary Ouyang.¡± Liu Bin, sitting beside him, also nodded, ¡°Wei Zi, I guess you don¡¯t know. Secretary Ouyang began his career in Dameng County several decades ago. So, it¡¯s no wonder he¡¯s so angry.¡± Gao Wei nodded at that moment and said, ¡°Third Brother, the cases in Ludong fall under our Division Six¡¯s responsibility. I think the three of us, plus the four clerks from our Division Six, a total of seven people, should go.¡± Hearing Gao Wei¡¯s proposal, Nie Zhenbang nodded. Though Gao Wei was young, he was very experienced in disciplinary work. Seven people were just right ¨C more would be too conspicuous, fewer might miss out on something or be overwhelmed by the workload. With seven, they could focus on the investigation without drawing undue attention. Nie Zhenbang then spoke calmly, ¡°Alright, I agree with the headcount. Wei Zi, you should go contact them and arrange our flight to Lu Quan City. I¡¯ve assured Secretary Ouyang that we will reach Dameng County by tomorrow evening.¡± Gao Wei was evidently more familiar with the process of case investigation than Nie Zhenbang. Immediately, he made a call to Jingcheng City Airport. Once he had confirmed Nie Zhenbang and the others¡¯ identity information, he booked seven ne tickets. As for his four subordinates, their ID numbers were already on file at the airport, so there was no need to ask. After finishing these arrangements, Gao Wei called his four teammates, instructing them to pack their belongings and meet at the airport early the following day. The next day, Nie Zhenbang woke up early. While this was indeed his habit, he also felt a tingling sense of excitement. After all, this would be the first time for him to handle a case. When Nie Zhenbang reached the airport around eight o¡¯clock, Gao Wei and Zheng Gensheng, along with four young men, were already waiting there. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Gao Wei and the others greeted him. Gao Wei introduced the four men, ¡°Director Nie, let me introduce you to ourrades: Xiao Song, Xiao Zhao, Bai, and Xiao Zhang from our division. They are all seasoned disciplinary inspectors with rich experience in handling cases.¡± In official settings like this, Gao Wei knew how to maintain propriety. Naturally, it was not the time to call Nie Zhenbang ¡°Third Brother¡±. Addressing him as ¡°Director Nie¡± was the most appropriate. Nie Zhenbang shook hands with each of the four men, and then asked, ¡°Is everyone ready? I won¡¯t waste any more time with pleasantries. I¡¯ll let you in on something, don¡¯tugh ¨C this is actually my first time investigating a real case. This time, primarily, I will be learning from you all and Director Gao, while Director Zheng and I are here to learn. Let¡¯s go.¡± After exchanging their boarding passes, the ne took off at half-past eight. After a little more than an hour, the nended at Lu Quan Airport in Ludong Province. When they stepped out of the ne, Nie Zhenbang checked the time. Since there was still approximately an eight-hour drive from here to Dameng County, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want to dy further. He said to Zheng Gensheng, ¡°Director Zheng, get us a charter van. If we take the bus, I¡¯m afraid we might not make it in time.¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, we have thest nine days left. Currently, we are ranking 17th in the monthly ticket ranking and 6th in terms of monthly tickets in our category. We could achieve such results this month thanks to your support. As the Chinese saying goes, ¡®Thest leg of the journey is the hardest.¡¯ Let¡¯s not overturn our boat in the gutter just before the finish line. Please cast your monthly votes to support us. Let¡¯s maintain this advantage till the end. We thank all the brothers and sisters. Chapter 300 - 298 Tears of the Old Soldier_1 Chapter 300: Chapter 298 Tears of the Old Soldier_1 ¡°A few bosses, are you going on a trip to Dameng County?¡± As the vehicle left the airport, the driver of the nine-seat business car from FAW suddenly started talking. This statement left everyone momentarily stunned. The quickest to respond, Gao Wei, chuckled and said, ¡°Old driver, good eyesight. Nowadays, life isfortable, the people are stable. We¡¯re among the first to prosper, taking advantage of the end of the year. A few friends and brothers came out for a spin. We¡¯re heading to Dameng County, the old revolutionary base, for a visit, to pay homage to the revolutionary martyrs, to experience the ces where revolutionary ancestors fought and lived. It¡¯s kind of a learning experience. Additionally, this is also a business opportunity inspection. Maybe we can consider making some investments in Dameng County.¡± This Gao Wei, a native of Jingcheng with a smooth Beijing ent, could keep talking for half a day if needed. At this moment, the old driverughed and said, ¡°Young man, within our Ludong, Dameng County has quite a reputation. Touring is fine, but investment¡­hehe.¡± [The implication in the driver¡¯s words caught Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attention, and he immediately asked, ¡°Old driver, from your tone, it doesn¡¯t seem like Dameng County has a good reputation. It was a revolutionary base and firmly supported the Revolution, how could it be unfit for investment?¡± When it came to these matters, it seemed like the old driver was unwilling to delve further. After a while, he shook his head and said, ¡°Ah, this Dameng County. It¡¯s infamous in Ludong. Countless bosses got stuck and couldn¡¯t get out. You guys, be careful. You¡¯re young, making a fortune isn¡¯t easy.¡± From the driver¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang and Gao Wei exchanged a nce. It seemed that Dameng County was quiteplex. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t believe in the term ¡°investment ck hole¡±, a term which implies that what seems like a fat slice of meat turns out to be poison. It appeared that the county leadership team of Dameng County might be as corrupt as old soldier Zhang Changgeng said. The entire county of Dameng might be rotten. For a moment, everyone fell silent. Gao Wei¡¯s staff began to conserve their energy. After a simple roadside meal, they finally entered Dameng County around four-thirty in the afternoon. The sight of the entire county left Nie Zhenbang stunned. This ce was extremely backward. The entire county only consisted of two or three streets. There were not many pedestrians, it seemed somewhat deste and quiet. They found a small inn called the Red Sun Guesthouse close to the bus station in Dameng County. Seven people, four rooms in total. Two in each room, and Nie Zhenbang got a single room. After they had settled in, Nie Zhenbang said to Gao Wei and Zheng Gensheng, ¡°Wei Zi, Old Zheng, gather the others for a brief meeting.¡± Inside Nie Zhenbang¡¯s standard room, there was no differentiation of ranking. Nie Zhenbang sat on a chair, with Gao Wei and Old Zheng sitting by the bed, and the others settled themselves. Looking around, Nie Zhenbang spoke solemnly, ¡°Comrades. Now that we¡¯ve arrived in Dameng County, this means that starting today, our work begins. Director Gao, you fourrades, including Xiao Zhao, are my seniors on the Inspectorate line, Director Zheng and I still have a lot to learn from you.¡± Nie Zhenbang paused before continuing, ¡°On this asion, since we are investigating Dameng County, we did not inform the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee and Dongmeng District Disciplinary Committee. Thus, our investigation is considered undercover. It should not be made public. Also, to prevent the Secretary of the Dameng County Committee from concealing and destroying evidence after being alerted, hampering the investigation, I hereby reiterate our discipline. Everyone has to remain highly alert and avoid startling the snake by hitting the grass.¡± After that, Nie Zhenbang turned to Gao Wei, ¡°Director Gao, do you have anything else you wish to add?¡± Although Nie Zhenbang led the investigation, Gao Wei was aware of his role. Despite Nie Zhenbang¡¯s abilities and connections, this was his first participation in a disciplinary inspection case. He was still in a learning phase. The real responsibility still fell on them. Immediately, Gao Wei took the opportunity to delegate tasks, ordering, ¡°Using this opportunity, let me assign tasks for tomorrow.¡± ¡°Xiao Zhao, Xiao Song, you two are our famous Zhao-Song duo from the Sixth Division. This time, you two will be responsible for finding the veteran who reported the issue. This is the address. Both of you, secretly find the whistleblower and bring him back. Record his statement and investigate based on the circumstances he described.¡± After a pause, Gao Wei turned to Xiao Zhang, ¡°Xiao Bai, you and Xiao Zhang are responsible for verifying the veteran¡¯s letter. Everyone, let¡¯s take action tomorrow.¡± No words were spoken that night. Dameng County was the embodiment of the impoverished, particrly difficult mountain areas in China in the early 1990s. There were a few deserted streets. Commercial activities were scarce and the economy was weak. There was no entertainment or amusement here. Once night fell, the streets were so empty you could practically catch a ghost. Chapter 301 - 298 Tears of the Old Soldier_2 Chapter 301: Chapter 298 Tears of the Old Soldier_2 The following morning, the moment Nie Zhenbang arose, Xiao Zhao and others were already up. Here, they did not act together, as if they were individuals without any connection. After having breakfast separately, Xiao Zhao and hispanions disappeared. At this moment, Gao Wei came over to Nie Zhenbang, smiling, ¡°Zhenbang, Old Zheng, today, let¡¯s all go for a stroll together.¡± Walking in the town of Dameng County, the outfits of Nie Zhenbang and the others stood out, not fitting in with the environment. The entire Dameng painted a picture of stagnation for Nie Zhenbang. Be it the ordinary folk or the government officials, smiles were rarely seen on their faces. It was as though everyone was constantly in a state of tension much like the people of the sixties or seventies. The walls surrounding the county government were painted white with lime. Red propaganda slogans were written on them: ¡°Rather shed blood than have an extra birth.¡± The other was even more despairing for Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Encourage birth control, encourage emigration, absolutely no more births.¡± Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang sighed deeply, turning to Gao Wei and Zheng Gensheng, ¡°Wei Zi, Old Zheng, judging from these slogans, we can infer the whole situation. The work style here in Dameng County seems quite brutal.¡± Gao Wei smiled lightly, pointing towards the Mongolian County Public Security Bureau not far from the county government, ¡°Zhenbang, look at that.¡± Following Gao Wei¡¯s pointed finger, another slogan was visible on the wall of the Public Security Bureau, ¡°Cracking down requires the people, and the people need a crackdown.¡± Looking at these slogans, Zheng Gensheng¡¯s facial expression turned serious. A ce, stagnant like a pool of dead water,cking dynamism or energy, either it was too severe or too heavily suppressed; in Dameng County, it was undoubtedly thetter case. Otherwise, how could the old soldiers have tolerable grief? These slogans also reflected the local government and party¡¯s leadership style; the concept of ¡°putting people first¡± was merely an empty phrase in their eyes. At this point, Nie Zhenbang lost the desire to continue exploring. He gestured dismissively, ¡°There isn¡¯t much more to see, who knows what other kinds of slogans we mighte across. Dameng County¡¯s problems aren¡¯t a day old but have been frozen for years now. Let¡¯s head back and wait for Xiao Zhao¡¯s report.¡± As soon as the three arrived back at the guesthouse, a door opened immediately, and Xiao Zhao came out, addressing Nie Zhenbang and Gao Wei, ¡°Director Nie, Director Gao, we¡¯ve brought the whistleblower back. Would you like to meet him personally?¡± As the saying goes, under a strong leader, there can be no weak soldiers. Xiao Zhao and his team¡¯s efficiency had taken Nie Zhenbang by surprise. After a pause, he collectively regained hisposure, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll meet this oldrade.¡± Upon entering the room, Xiao Song was presently taking notes at a table next to where an eighty-year-old man sat. The old man seemed somewhat nervous but was also brimming with excitement as he narrated his story. Nie Zhenbang looked over at the elderly man. His dark face covered in deep wrinkles, he wore a worn cotton cap on his head and a thick, dark cloth coat on his body. His hands naturally nestled together. His back was somewhat hunched, and his body involuntarily stooped. Yet, the old man¡¯s eyes were sharp. His deeply sunken eye sockets made his eyes seem profound; however, the asional intense hatred and stubbornness emitted from them revealed his obstinacy and determination. This was the spirit of a resilient old party member, a noble sentiment of the ruling party. These old revolutionaries had emerged from the era of war and chaos. They never submitted to the Japanese devil, nor were they intimidated by the reactionary faction of the Kuomintang. Today, nothing could overwhelm them either. These awe-inspiring individuals possessed unswerving loyalty and devotion to the party. They always believed in justice prevailing over evil and light outweighing darkness. On seeing Nie Zhenbang enter, Xiao Song stood up. With a gentle smile on his face, he introduced Nie to the old man, ¡°Grandpa Hong, allow me to introduce you to Director Nie of the fifth room of discipline inspection in our Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Ouyang Xia personally dealt with your report, and Director Nie came himself, assuring you and your granddaughter justice.¡± Upon hearing Xiao Song¡¯s words, the old man stood up, brimming with an unbelievable amount of zeal, carrying himself along despite his trembling steps. At this moment, Grandpa Hong made an astonishing move. He fell to his knees instantly. This scene shocked Nie Zhenbang. He rushed forward a couple of steps, supporting Grandpa Hong by his arm, ¡°Grandpa Hong, what are you doing? Upholding party discipline and nationalws, punishing corrupt officials, this is our duty as discipline inspectors. You shouldn¡¯t be doing this.¡± Although Grandpa Hong was of advanced age, he was still sharp and alert. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Grandpa Hong appeared-emotional, ¡°Ouyang Xia, Secretary Ouyang Xia, finally, I¡¯ve managed to bring you here. The sun will shine on Dameng County. Thank the party, thank the government.¡± Pausing briefly, Grandpa Hong gripped Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hands tightly, deeply moved, ¡°Director Nie, in my entire life, I¡¯ve never knelt down to anyone. Not the Japanese devils, not the Kuomintang reactionaries. But today, I kneel before you, not you, personally, Director Nie, but the party, the government. Director Nie, Feng Dabiao, county party secretary of Dameng County, and his son Feng Tianbao act above thew, rampaging the county with their tyranny. I plead with you, please eliminate this tumor causing distress to Dameng County. On behalf of the three hundred thousand fathers and fellow vigers in Dameng County, I thank you.¡± Nie Zhenbang found himself choking back tears. A man¡¯s knees are as precious as gold, even more so for an old soldier. The Independent Merit Medal on the table added to this heart-wrenching moment. Grandpa Hong had intentionally brought along his Independent Merit Medal, a sign of honor granted by the party and the state to its old soldiers. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang realized for the first time the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He determinedly nodded and reassured, ¡°Grandpa Hong, rest assured, I guarantee with my party¡¯s integrity. We will not wrap up until we¡¯ve turned a stone to reveal the water underneath. Please ept this tribute of a.new soldier to you.¡± Having said this, Nie Zhenbang stood at attention and gave a perfect military salute. Just then, a knock resounded from outside the door. PS: I apologize to my brothers and sisters, the update iste. I had some personal matters to attend to during the day. Here¡¯s the second update, pleading for monthly ticket support. In a while, around eleven, I expect the third update, please my brothers and sisters, cast a monthly ticket to support Old Cai, giving Old Cai a bit of encouragement. (To be continued. If you like this novel, you are wee to rmend votes and monthly tickets at . Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 302 - 299 Difficult Evidence Collection _1 Chapter 302: Chapter 299 Difficult Evidence Collection _1 Upon hearing the sound of knocking, everyone¡¯s expressions tensed up a little except for Nie Zhenbang and Zheng Gensheng. Gao Wei and the others, in particr, reacted as if they were facing a formidable foe. At this moment, Gao Wei deliberately positioned himself in front of Grandpa Hong. From the door, he could effectively obstruct the line of sight. He signaled to Xiao Zhao next to him, and Xiao Zhao also called out, ¡°Who is it?¡± Outside, Xiao Zhang¡¯s voice came, ¡°Brother Zhao, it¡¯s me.¡± Hearing it was Xiao Zhang and Bai, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. At this moment, Gao Wei stepped over to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side and whispered, ¡°Brother Nie, doing disciplinary work is sometimes like doing underground party work. If they have already entered the double regtion procedure, it¡¯s not as bad. They usually stay in the military district guesthouses or military hotels, ensuring the independence and fairness of the investigation. But covert investigations are the most dangerous. Those investigated might be desperate and take drastic measures. So, during such investigations, everyone has to be very careful.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. He understood Gao Wei¡¯s meaning, which was to impart wisdom. Disciplinary work is not as simple as gathering evidence and then transferring it. More important experience lies in how to ovee numerous obstructions and deceptions during the investigation process, to bring the corrupt officials to justice. The moment Xiao Zhang and Bai entered, they immediately closed the door. At the same time, one person stood by the door. Xiao Song stood up and drew the curtains of the guest room. Nie Zhenbang was very satisfied with these details. Nie Zhenbang was never a jealous person. The more capable his subordinates were, the more he liked them. That way, he could be more rxed. At this moment, Xiao Zhang spoke in a low voice, ¡°Director Nie, Chief, ording to several clues provided by Grandpa Hong. Today, Bai and I visited several victims¡¯ homes. Two of them have moved away with their entire family, and we have no idea where they went. One girl haspletely gone mad. It seems her family also feared us. They denied everything when we arrived. Also, three families didn¡¯t let us in at all. As soon as we mentioned this matter, they drove us out, iming it was all lies and their daughters were married. Someone deliberately spread rumors.¡± Upon hearing this, Gao Wei and Nie Zhenbang frowned. The clues seemed to havepletely stalled here. Grandpa Hong didn¡¯t possess substantial evidence, and the other victims were discovered through his thorough investigation and searches. As for Grandpa Hong¡¯s granddaughter, at the time, no evidence was left at all. The corpse was promptly cremated by Feng Dabiao and his son, and no residual evidence was left. As for other aspects, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t know how to pursue them. Any action required a reasonable cause; it¡¯s not possible to just disy your identity as a disciplinary officer and then demand searches and investigations. In this case, the disciplinarymittee would be supreme. Any leader could be investigated by the disciplinary officer if they didn¡¯t like them, wouldn¡¯t that create chaos? In impoverished areas, a woman¡¯s chastity is held in higher regard than life itself. Otherwise, Grandpa Hong¡¯s granddaughter wouldn¡¯t have taken her own life. Simrly, we can understand the families who vehemently deny the usations. Being vited by Feng Tianbao was a cmity that had to be endured in silence. This attitude further fueled Feng Tianbao¡¯s arrogance. After a period of silence, seeing the hopeful gaze and helpless look of Grandpa Hong on the side, Nie Zhenbang stepped forward and spoke softly, ¡°Grandpa Hong, do you have any other evidence?¡± Grandpa Hong shook his head, which disappointed Nie Zhenbang. But it was inevitable. As a retired veteran who didn¡¯t even receive a civil servant¡¯s retirement treatment or subsidy, let alone any benefits, being amon farmer and having gathered so much information was already quite impressive. After some contemtion, Nie Zhenbang decided to tell the truth. In front of people like Grandpa Hong, official rhetoric and titudes were fake and insincere. Grandpa Hong, at his old age, had seen through all sorts of people after years of running around for his granddaughter¡¯s case. At this time, lying and fooling him was just brushing him off. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want to hurt the feelings of an old veteran. He then said solemnly, ¡°Grandpa Hong, I will tell you the truth. The current situation of the investigation is a bit challenging. There is no direct evidence on your granddaughter¡¯s side. The other parties involved refuse toe forward to use Feng Tianbao. This case is somewhat tricky. However, please rest assured, Grandpa Hong. We will definitely find evidence and bring Feng Dabiao and Feng Tianbao, this father and son, to justice.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Grandpa Hong didn¡¯t show any disappointment. He knew perfectly well the situation. During all those years of making appeals, even the secretary of the Dameng Region Party Committee and the delegate of the Executive Office avoided him. Grandpa Hong understood that this problem couldn¡¯t be solved immediately. He then nodded and said, ¡°Comrade Nie, I thank you. You are sincere and not fooling an old man like me. I believe you. I will wait for you. I¡¯ll wait for an exnation from the state. When you can¡¯t resolve this, I will grab my Type 38 Rifle and kill this beast. Even the Japanese were terrified of my bay. I don¡¯t believe that I can¡¯t get justice for my granddaughter even if I sacrifice my old life.¡± Grandpa Hong¡¯s words startled Nie Zhenbang. This old man was fierce. At this time, gun control was not so strict. In some poverty-stricken remote mountainous areas, many households had hunting guns. It was quite normal for people like Grandpa Hong, who had lived through the Anti-Japanese War, to have a Type 38 Rifle at home. It would be pretty good if the old man didn¡¯t keep a submachine gun or a pistol. Dameng County, about 5 miles away from the county town, is part of the jurisdiction of Dongjiao Vige in Chengguan Town of Dameng County. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang, Zheng Gensheng and Xiao Zhang are here, while Gao Wei and Bai are heading to a more remote township. Dongjiao Vige, although close to the city, shares the same poverty. The whole vige is scattered around the outer edge of Dameng Mountain. Here, though not in deep forests, it¡¯s situated among hilly areas. Dongjiao Vige is dispersed along several small hills of two to three hundred meters. On the hillside, the family lives here. Their daughter is the one who had the incident three months ago, the one where their child went mad. The house is a trilogy of low mud huts. It¡¯s not bricked out of y but made frompressed mud walls. This type of house is quite low. Nie Zhenbang, being 1.83 meters tall, can touch the eaves of the mud wall when he walks underneath it. The light inside the room is very dim. The roof of the kitchen and utility room is covered with thatch and felt. Only one main room has been changed to have ck small tiles. In the middle, two bright tiles let some light in. Inside the house, Nie Zhenbang and his twopanions, all sit on stools. On the side, a man squats on the ground, dabbling incessantly with his pipe, billowing smoke through the room. Xiao Zhang, having worked in disciplinary inspection for two years, conducts his duties professionally. The family they were visiting, their surname is Ling. Looking at Old Ling squatting silently on the ground, Xiao Zhang understood that he was in ideological struggle, which was a good phenomenon. To investigate Feng Tianbao, this is the biggest breakthrough point. After all, the incident only happened two or three months ago. Many pieces of evidence are still there. Subsequently, Xiao Zhang slowly began, ¡°Old Brother Ling, please trust me, trust the government. We came here to investigate Feng Dabiao and his son. If you all be afraid and recoil, if you don¡¯t stand up, we won¡¯t have any evidence. How can we bring Feng Dabiao and his son to justice? Have you thought about whether more girls will be victimized if you don¡¯t stand up?¡± Xiao Zhang¡¯s words left both of Old Ling¡¯s husband and wife silent. Nie Zhenbang, on one side, abruptly stopped Xiao Zhang. In working ideologically, he was very experienced. Disciplinary inspection work was something he might need to learn, but in this domain, he was more adept than Xiao Zhang. In this situation, it was necessary to give Old Ling and his wife some room to consider and struggle. Pressing too hard might have the opposite effect. Then, Nie Zhenbang also smiled, saying, ¡°Brother Old Ling, let me introduce myself, my name is Nie Zhenbang, and I¡¯m Xiao Zhang¡¯s leader. I¡¯m the one who led the team this time. Old Brother Ling, I think your child, Ling Ya, isn¡¯t severely ill. She needs to be treated in time. If you agree, I can help you connect with a hospital in Jingcheng, and you both can take the child there for a consultation. Such a good child went mad, it¡¯s a pity.¡± His words touched the soft spot in the hearts of both Old Ling and his wife. To the rural couple, they may not understand much about the big principles. Who¡¯s injured, who isn¡¯t, they might not have a concept about these things. But hearing what Nie Zhenbang said, they couldn¡¯t refuse it. Looking at the man leading the group, with a warm smile on his face, Old Ling gritted his teeth and pointed at his wife, instructing her, ¡°Woman, bring Ya¡¯s underwear to the leader.¡± Hearing this, there was a gleeful expression on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. Xiao Zhang was even more excited, clenching his fists. The underwear meant there was evidence. There were sure to be some remnants left on it, such as body fluids, hair, and so on. With these and Ling Ya here, the breakthrough was open. Further excavation would not be a problem Nie Zhenbang then stood up and directed the person next to him, ¡°Old Zheng, contact Liu Kun immediately and tell him to make arrangements for the hospital. Have someone escort Ling Ya and her family to Jingcheng for treatment. We should move on to the next family to spread the word. This way, the weight of evidence will be heavier.¡± (To be continued. If you like this novel, you are wee to vote, donate at Qidian ). Your support is my greatest motivation!) Chapter 303 - 300: The storm is brewing_1 Chapter 303: Chapter 300: The storm is brewing_1 Over the past few days, the actions of Nie Zhenbang and his group had not gone unnoticed by the people of Dameng County. After all, it was hard to miss seven outsiders living in the Red Sun Guesthouse next to the bus station, leaving early and returningte, asionally apanied by a local or two. The oddities were first noticed by the owner of the guesthouse. Fearful, the owner assumed they had stumbled upon a criminal gang and immediately reported it to the local police station. Instead of springing into action, the police station started to quietly observe Nie Zhenbang and his group. To their surprise, they found that the group was investigating the Secretary of the County Party Committee, Feng Dabiao, and his son. This was promptly reported up the chain. In Dameng County town, in its fanciestmercial district ¨C which, in truth, is just the city center ¨C stands a six-story building with six frontages, strikingly noticeable with its bright white tiled exterior. This is the home of Feng Dabiao, the Secretary of the Dameng County Party Committee. Unlike other county leaders who reside in the countymitteepound, Feng Dabiao and his family moved here since the building was built. At this moment, on the third floor of the house, there is a single suite that stretches across the entire space, about 300 square meters in size. In the grand living room, Feng Dabiao¡¯s corpulent body is nestled in a leather couch from Yuedong. Feng Dabiao is around fifty-five years old, but not very tall, standing roughly 1.67 meters. His whole figure suggests a spread sideways. The fat on his face is consolidated, revealing in his eyes a trace of tyranny, the result of a long-standing control over Dameng County. ¡°Dad, the investigation team is here. They¡¯re surely here for me. I told you, that old dog Hong is out to get me, but you didn¡¯t believe me. Now what do we do?¡± Beside Feng Dabiao, a young man about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, also fat, is shouting in frustration. Both father and son have simr looks ¨C thick eyebrows and a tyrannical demeanor. Feng Dabiao became a father in his middle ages. At over thirty, he finally had a son, and his wife passed away early. Having raised this only son by himself, Feng Dabiao spoils him rotten, thus moulding Feng Tianbao¡¯s current character. In Dameng County, only his own son dared to speak to him like this. ¡°Enough! I told you not to cause trouble. You can¡¯t simply y around with someone of good family background. If you bump into a strong-willed one, you¡¯d surely kick up a fuss. With so many waitresses at the countymittee, you¡¯re not enticed and mess around outside instead. You have no right to shout. Your father isn¡¯t dead yet,¡± Feng Dabiao roared. Hearing his father¡¯s scolding, Feng Tianbao, albeit tyrannical, isn¡¯t foolish. He knows his power in Dameng County relies on his father being the Party Secretary. Should his father abandon him, Feng Tianbao wouldn¡¯t stand a chance. Therefore, Feng Tianbao obediently sat down at this moment. After watching his son sit down, Feng Dabiao said in a deep voice, ¡°Don¡¯t you know who Hong Qingshan is? He¡¯s an old soldier who fought the Japanese. Who knows, this old dog might have army friends who are generals. Making a move on him would be serious. As for now, there¡¯s no solid evidence, your matter wouldn¡¯t cause much trouble.¡± Though Feng Dabiao spoke casually, he was deep in thought. The sudden arrival of the inspection team, without any prior information, was abnormal. He was certain he could have received some information from the Dongmeng region or the county. Even from the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee, Feng Dabiao was confident he could¡¯ve gotten wind of something. However, the current situation allowed only one conclusion ¨C the inspection team came directly from the central government, the Central Disciplinary Committee? The mere mention of this term made the corner of Feng Dabiao¡¯s mouth twitch. He couldn¡¯t understand why the Central Disciplinary Committee would personally supervise a county official investigation. It clearly didn¡¯t conform to the normal process. Logically, even if they received aint letter, it should be transferred to the Provincial Disciplinary Committee for investigation. Upon this thought, Feng Dabiao decided to maintain the status quo. The more strained the situation, the moreposed he needed to be. By giving an impression of calmness and unfazed demeanor, it would suppress certain ill-intentioned people in the countymittee. Although he wielded immense power in Dameng County, he realized it wasn¡¯t imprable. There were those with ulterior motives within the political system, as Feng Dabiao knew all too well. Once a problem arises, people who previously ttered him wouldn¡¯t hesitate to stab him in the back. Such is reality. After pondering for a moment, Feng Dabiao turned to Feng Tianbao and said, ¡°Tianbao, didn¡¯t you nurture a group of people in society? Assign a few to probe these people¡¯s intentions. Don¡¯t reveal our connection.¡± Keeping a low profile was a good strategy, but it didn¡¯t mean Feng Dabiao wouldn¡¯t make a move. Under these circumstances, it was best to have Feng Tianbao¡¯s underlings do the work. If possible, Feng Dabiao wouldn¡¯t mind contriving an ident to free himself from all connections. Feng Tianbao, looking excited, immediately stood up. At this moment, what he needed was reassurance from his father. To him, no matter how big of a mess he made, Feng Dabiao would cover for him. In Feng Tianbao¡¯s mind, his father was the local emperor of Dameng County and he, the crown prince. ¡°Dad,e up with a n for me. If things get out of hand and someone dies, it wouldn¡¯t be good. Set some boundaries so I can gauge the situation.¡± Feng Tianbao looked both excited and confident. As for those few people, weren¡¯t they his for the taking? Feng Dabiao pondered for a moment before saying in a calm voice, ¡°You should decide on how to handle things, just remember one thing. Do not expose our identities.¡± After Feng Tianbao left, Feng Dabiao mulled over things before dialing his own powerful connection, Zhai Meixue, themissioner of the Dongmeng region. On the phone, Feng Dabiao shed his usual arrogance and spoke with great respect, ¡°Secretary Zhai, an investigation team hase to Dameng County. Are you aware of this?¡± Zhai Meixue, the Deputy Communist Party Secretary and Commissioner of Dongmeng, and the region¡¯s second most important person, was surprised to learn that an investigation team had been dispatched from higher up. This made Zhai Meixue think. After a while, he answered, ¡°Dabiao, this incident has no information from the regional level. I¡¯m afraid that the visitors might have ill-intentions. Stabilize your emotions and don¡¯t let it affect your bnce.¡± While Feng Dabiao and his son were making ns at home, at this moment a small roadside restaurant in Dameng County was filled. This restaurant mainly catered for travelers and merchants, offering them food and amodations. But at that moment, the only private room in the restaurant was booked. Inside the private room, the Deputy Secretary of the Dameng County Commission and Mayor, Wei Zhiguo, was sitting in the main seat. On his left was the rtively low-ranked Deputy Director of the Dameng County Public Security Bureau, Tang Yutian, and to his right was Zhuang Zhong, Director of the county government office. Another was Liu Yongjun, township head of Zhaozhuang. The highest position among the appointed officials present was just at departmental level. You can imagine to what extent Wei Zhiguo had been suppressed by Feng Dabiao in Dameng County. ¡°Mayor, I heard that a secret inquiry group has been sent from above this time. It seems that we may finally get an opportunity to turn things around. This time, it should be serious against Feng Dabiao and his son. These years, Dameng County has been rendered aplete mess by this father-son duo. It¡¯s high time we had a chance to breathe easy.¡± Liu Yongjun, the township head of Zhaozhuang, said with a look of excitement. As soon as he finished speaking, Zhuang Zhong, the director of the county government office, immediately poured cold water on their enthusiasm: ¡°Old Liu, don¡¯t get excited too soon. Investigation groups havee before, but what happened? All thunder and no rain. Ultimately, nothing came out of it.¡± Tang Yutian on the side also nodded: ¡°Director Zhuang is correct, Old Liu, it¡¯s too early to be joyous. The true identity of the investigation group is still unclear. Moreover, we don¡¯t know about their capabilities. If we show our hand prematurely, what if¡­¡± Tang Yutian didn¡¯t finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear enough. If they got truly involved andter found out that this secret inquiry group was just like any other investigation groups, they would be done for. Given Feng Dabiao¡¯s personality, it would be strange if he didn¡¯te after them. At that moment, Wei Zhiguo was also hesitant. Both sides had reasonable arguments. Tang Yutian and Zhuang Zhong were more conservative, leaning towards maintaining a low profile. Though Liu Yongjun¡¯s approach was aggressive, it did make some sense. If the investigation team was truly serious, then exposing their intentions would be worth it, as it would provide a significant breakthrough. But guesswork is just guesswork. The political system did not afford such risks. If the investigation team didn¡¯t take a firm stand, not only would their previous efforts be in vain, but they would also have to face the strong suppression from Feng Dabiao in the future. The chance of turning their fortunes around would vanish. After hesitating for a while, Wei Zhiguo also decided to choose a more conservative approach. Then he turned to Tang Yutian and said: ¡°Old Tang, you¡¯re with the Public Security Bureau. Do you have people at the Car Road Police Station? Take this opportunity to find out about this investigation group. This will help us n our next move.¡± Having said that, Wei Zhiguo added, ¡°Old Tang, make sure your subordinates are smart about this. They can¡¯t let Feng Dabiao¡¯s people find out. We must be careful at this moment.¡± While the two powers in Dameng County were secretly nning and preparing to test the waters, all members of the investigation team were gathered in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s single room at the Red Sun Guesthouse near the bus station. Little Zhao, representing the Sixth Department, reported on their progress in the recent days. ¡°Director Nie, Director, we¡¯ve achieved significant results this week. In addition to collecting direct evidence of Feng Tianbao¡¯s rape of local women, we also obtained testimonies from four victims. At the same time, we discovered that Feng Dabiao and Feng Tianbao have six private, six-story buildings next to the Dameng County Department Store. Given Feng Dabiao¡¯s family rtions and sry level, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to afford these buildings. In this regard, I suggest that we can make this an entry point.¡± Little Zhao¡¯s report was very organized and straight to the point. Gao Wei thought for a while and said, ¡°Director Nie, Old Zheng, I suggest we leave immediately. Dameng County is not like a developed city with many transient residents. We¡¯ve been here for so long, to avoid startling the snake, we should leave temporarily. With these pieces of evidence, we can go directly to ourrades in the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee.¡± Despite his young age, it can be seen from Gao Wei¡¯s words that he has rich experience in disciplinary inspection work. Unfortunately, Gao Wei was not aware that there was already a storm brewing in Dameng County. PS: Unconsciously, this is already the 300th chapter. The shortage of monthly tickets for Old Cai is somewhat embarrassing. From yesterday to now, only one ticket has been received. Please support with a monthly ticket. Brothers and sisters, we mustn¡¯t rx. There are still 8 days left, and we need to maintain our position in the top six of the category. It¡¯s not easy. Chapter 304 - 301 Splitting Forces into Two Paths_1 Chapter 304: Chapter 301 Splitting Forces into Two Paths_1 Gao Wei¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang knit his brows. Although Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have much practical experience in disciplinary inspection work, it didn¡¯t mean that he was dumb. As soon as Gao Wei said this, Nie Zhenbang understood. For a destitute county like Dameng, aside from the asional tourists visiting during holidays, the number of outsiders was pitifully small at this time. In general, they would only stay for two or three days, visit some revolutionary memorial sites, and leave. People like their group who stayed for a full week would certainly attract attention. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang spoke up: ¡°Gao Wei is right. If we stay too long, we might alert Dameng County. If our enemies are prepared, then that¡¯s not good. Old Zheng, you and Bai go to the station and see if you can still buy tickets. If not, renting a car will do. In any case, it¡¯s better to leave sooner thanter. We should leave Dameng County as soon as possible.¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s instructions, Zheng Gensheng and Bai also stood up. As for being assigned to do auxiliary work by Nie Zhenbang, Zheng Gensheng had noints or thoughts. In the two years he worked at the Central Committee, he was clear about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character who was absolutely thorough when it came to work. Besides, working in disciplinary inspection not only required familiarity with the business, but also with the entire process. This would greatly benefit his appointment as the director of the second department. Lu Sanxi was a famous figure in Dameng County. On the streets, he was known as Brother Xi or Master Xi. This alone was enough to prove his power in the underground forces of Dameng County. However, while he seemed powerful and domineering in public, the reality was only known to Lu Sanxi himself. Without the support of Feng Tianbao, Mr. Bao, he would be nothing in Dameng County ¨C less than nothing. He was well aware of his role as a doorman under Mr. Bao and a dog of Feng Tianbao. ¡°Brother Xi, do we really need you to take care of such a trivial matter? It¡¯s just a few outsiders. Me and Liu Hou can handle it,¡± a man with a thin scar on his left cheek said disdainfully. Lu Sanxi nced dismissively at the man named Scar. This guy was one of his confidants. Despite his small stature, he was tenacious and daring. However, Lu Sanxi was uneasy as Scar acted recklessly without much thought, the ssic role of a brute. ¡°Shut up Scar, it¡¯s not as simple as you think. These outsiders are suspicious. Mr. Bao has personally instructed us about this. If you mess it up, you can pack up and leave Dameng County,¡± Lu Sanxi denied anything in front of his trusted subordinates. The fact that he was under Mr. Bao¡¯s support was well known to many people in the gang, something Lu Sanxi took pride in. He boasted about his ability to got Mr. Bao¡¯s support, something others coveted. At that moment, Lu Sanxi squinted his eyes and said in a low voice, ¡°Here theye. Scar, you and Liu Hou follow them and stir up some trouble. Get these two guys to the police station, it will be easier for us to deal with them.¡± Following Lu Sanxi¡¯s finger, at the entrance of the bus station, two men dressed differently from the local people of Dameng County stepped into the ticket hall, one after the other. These two were Zheng Gensheng and Bai. The bus station of Dameng County was primarily for local short-distance buses. There were very few buses to Lu Quan City. ¡°Director Zheng, I¡¯ve just asked. There are no more buses to Lu Quan City at this time. There is one every two days, and one left this morning. If we want to get to Lu Quan, we may have to wait until the day after tomorrow,¡± Bai reported aftering out from the ticket window. Bai was a cunning person and, although Zheng Gensheng wasn¡¯t directly his superior, he was nevertheless a director. It was always good to build a good rtionship just in case he got transferred under Zheng Gensheng. Hearing Bai¡¯s words, Zheng Gensheng pondered. Nie Zhenbang was one for decisive action. Two days was too unpredictable, so renting a car was the best option. ¡°Bai, we can¡¯t wait. We need to rent a car. Let¡¯s go and check if there are any private cars avable. We don¡¯t have to go straight to Lu Quan, going to the Dong Meng region will also do for now.¡± As soon as they stepped out of the bus station, a man walked toward them. At the moment they were about to cross paths, the short man bumped into Zheng Gensheng. The man let out a cry and fell to the ground. Next to him, another slender man ran over. Instead of helping the man up, he bellowed, ¡°Are you fucking blind? Can¡¯t you see where you¡¯re going?¡± Being scolded like this made Zheng Gensheng hesitate. Whileing out, he had indeed not noticed anyone as he was concerned about renting a car. Hearing the man¡¯s curse, Zheng Gensheng was stunned. Meantime, Bai boy stepped forward and said, ¡°What¡¯s your problem? Who are you cursing at? It isn¡¯t entirely our fault that we bumped into you. You weren¡¯t looking where you were going either, were you? There is no need to curse.¡± Director Zheng waved his hand, signaling Bai not to say too much. At this time, in Dameng County, it was not appropriate for any matter to escte. Then, he smiled and said, ¡°My apologies,rade. I was distracted and didn¡¯t notice. I hope I didn¡¯t hurt you.¡± These two men were Scar and Six monkeys. To uncover the truth, Scar had made sacrifices and personally took to the field, even ying out this scene. Sitting on the ground, Scar kept clutching his waist, feigning agonizing pain, gritting his teeth as if truly in great pain. He groaned, ¡°Ouch, I might have twisted my waist. How unlucky can I be? An apology won¡¯t solve this. Not eptable.¡± Upon hearing Scar¡¯s words, Director Zheng and Bai exchanged nces. Seems like they ran into extortionists. Under normal circumstances, they could have called the local countymittee or government, and all problems would be solved. But for a secret investigation, they didn¡¯t enjoy such privileges. Moreover, to avoid making a scene they sometimes had to swallow their anger. After a pause, Director Zheng said in a low voice, ¡°What do you want us to do then? How about going to the hospital for an examination?¡± Director Zheng was indeed cunning, but having worked in the Central Committee since graduation, he was good at politics and getting around the system. However, when it came to dealing with these local thugs, Zheng didn¡¯t have much experience. That¡¯s why he and Bai came out to gain some experience. As the director of the second division, he would inevitably have to lead investigations in the future. If he knew nothing about these tricks, how could Zheng lead the second division? No sooner had he finished speaking than Scar groaned even more dramatically. He moaned incessantly, as if he had broken a limb. Looking at Zheng¡¯s tolerance, it was easy to suspect that these foreigners had ulterior motives. Scar then said through gritted teeth, ¡°Hospital? I can¡¯t be bothered with that ce. It¡¯s a hassle just to queue. I won¡¯t go to the hospital. You figure out how topensate me. I¡¯ll just rest at home for a few days.¡± At this moment, Bai stepped forward and looked at Six monkeys and Scar saying, ¡°It¡¯s tough for all of us out here. Consider sparing us some leniency. Everyone faces difficulties. My boss and I are just tourists. Here¡¯s one hundred yuan inpensation, let¡¯s let bygones be bygones. Please show us some mercy.¡± A hundred yuan was not a small sum. At that time in Ludong Province, even the monthly ie of an average worker in the provincial capital, Lu Quan City, was only about three hundred. In Dameng County, apart from state employees and thoseboring outside, not many people made that much money. But Scar, fuming, jumped to his feet, ¡°A hundred yuan? You think you¡¯re dealing with beggars? I¡¯m telling you straight. Unless you give me two thousand yuan, you¡¯re not going anywhere. Six monkeys, call the police, call the police.¡± Upon hearing these men¡¯s tant words, Bai¡¯s heart thumped in anxiety. ¡°Director Zheng, these people mean ill,¡± he whispered, walking over to Zheng. ¡°It seems like they¡¯re feigning extortion to probe us. Looks like we¡¯ve been exposed.¡± Upon hearing Bai¡¯s words, Director Zheng quickly realized that these men were prepared. After all, street thugs wouldn¡¯t dare call the police if they were just extorting money. They¡¯d usually avoid the police.¡± However, from their actions, Zheng felt somewhat reassured. They probably wanted to investigate the identities of him and his team. This indicated that they were not certain about their identities and objectives. If they were certain, why would they need to probe? Just a phone call from Feng Dabiao could get his team under control. With this thought in mind, Zheng told Bai, ¡°Bai, go back to the guesthouse and pack up first, thene back to find me. It seems like we¡¯ll have to bite the bullet and pay.¡± Understanding Zheng¡¯smand, Bai nodded and hurried back to the Red Sun Guesthouse. As soon as Bai stepped in and saw everyone in Director Nie¡¯s room, he didn¡¯t hesitate to report, ¡°Director Nie, the situation doesn¡¯t look good. Feng Dabiao¡¯s men have begun to take action. A few hooligans used the ¡°Touch-Porcin¡± ruse, and now they have brought Director Zheng to the Car Road Police Station. Director Zheng told me to report back.¡± Upon hearing Bai¡¯s words, Gao Wei¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, while Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face hardened. He said in a grave voice, ¡°Wei Zi, it seems Feng Dabiao is trying to probe us. Have Xiao Zhao and Xiao Song rent a car and head to Ludong Province overnight, contact the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee. You and I will go to the police station. We¡¯ll split our forces to buy time for Xiao Zhao and the others as much as possible until Feng Dabiao confirms our identities. Bai, you and Xiao Zhang switch to another guesthouse and stay in contact.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang already stood up. At the moment, Gao Wei showed no fear. For any regr official in an investigation like this, they might fear danger. But given Gao Wei¡¯s background, and that of his brother, they were never afraid of such things. PS: More votes for the month are needed. Brothers and sisters, every single vote, every rmendation support, is endless motivation for Old Cai to type. (.) Chapter 305 - 302 Opportunity Comes_1 Chapter 305: Chapter 302 Opportunity Comes_1 Xiao Zhao and his colleagues are seasoned city inspectorate workers, not rookies fresh out of school. At this point, there were two of them, making them less conspicuous, while they had someone watching each other¡¯s back. This was the most suitable arrangement. Not wanting to waste any time, the two were the first to go downstairs. They didn¡¯t even check out of the house to get their deposit back. They had simply left the vicinity of the bus terminal. As for hiring a car, Nie Zhenbang was not worried. With their experience, it was no issue at all. They waited for around ten minutes, assuming the two had already traveled far. Only then did Nie Zhenbang turn to Gao Wei and say, ¡°Wei Zi, let¡¯s go together and meet this so-called Feng Dabiao.¡± Gao Wei also startedughing at this point. Among the scions of Jingcheng, there¡¯s a saying: ¡®With Nie Zhenbang, there is never loneliness.¡¯ This saying is rather controversial. Some say that it¡¯s because Nie Zhenbang can stir up trouble, while others say that following Nie Zhenbang can lead to wealth. If nothing else, isn¡¯t that what happened to Liu Kun, Yang Anbang, and Zhao Xinglong? They¡¯ve all made it big. Now, in Gao Wei¡¯s view, there¡¯s also the saying that being with Nie Zhenbang makes being an official far more interesting. Immediately, Gao Wei instructed Xiao Zhang and Bai who were standing nearby, ¡°Xiao Zhang, you two wait here for about an hour and then go to the Yin Fu Guesthouse on Victory Road. If anything goes wrong, contact Director Liu in Jingcheng immediately. Do you understand?¡± This method was one Gao Wei often used in the past. As a city inspectorate veteran, he had experienced dangerous situations before and knew how to handle them. By the time they arrived at the Car Road Police Station, the two-acre station was eerily quiet. A two-story building was the working ce of the station. Upon entering, a spacious courtyard with two residential buildings in the back and a parking lot in between, where two old model 212 jeeps were parked. That should be the police cars of the Car Road Police Station. On the side, the door of each office was tightly closed. As they looked from room to room, in the office on the first floor near the staircase, a few men in auxiliary police uniforms were gathered ying poker. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang frowned. If this were in Xinli City, such people would have already been dismissed. But now, his status had changed. As a disciplinary officer, if he overstepped his limits and interfered with the Public Security Bureau¡¯s affairs, it would inevitably give others the impression that he was overreaching. At this time, Nie Zhenbang and Gao Wei were noticed by the people inside. After a while, a man in a military camouge uniform came out of the office. His uniformcked insignia like shoulder patches, and he wore a red armband on his arm reading ¡°Auxiliary Police¡± above the name of the local police station. The Auxiliary Police was unique to this era. After the economic reform, in order to address issues of insufficient police force with the economic development and the social security problem, local police stations and bureaus started recruiting auxiliary police officers. This was the precursor of the auxiliary police inter generations. Of course, the main requirement to be an auxiliary policeman was to be strong and brave. Who¡¯s the bravest? Street thugs, of course. As such, the quality of auxiliary police officers can be imagined. ¡°A mixed bag¡± is an objective evaluation of them in this era. ¡°What are you two doing sneaking in here?¡± asked the auxiliary police officer, a young man of about 21 or 22, eyeing Nie Zhenbang and Gao Wei sternly. People at the police station generally had this kind of attitude. This was inevitable since they were dealing with ordinary people who sometimes fouledw and order. If theycked a bit of intimidation, they would not be able to get anything done. Nie Zhenbang took no offense at this and said with a smile, ¡°Comrade, we¡¯re here to find a friend. He identally hit someone and got brought up to the station. We just want to see what¡¯s going on.¡± Upon hearing this, the young man¡¯s face changed. Symbols, the man in charge on duty, had personally received the one brought in. He had even seen Scar, Master Xi¡¯s main henchman, nearby. That meant trouble. Everyone knew, in Dameng County, a local police head¡¯s words might not work, but Master Xi¡¯s always did. He pointed out the way to them, ¡°Follow the stairs to the second floor. The interrogation room is at the far end on the east side. Go ahead. Let me tell you, as outsiders in Dameng County, don¡¯t make trouble. If you offend someone you shouldn¡¯t, you won¡¯t even know how you died.¡± The words of the auxiliary police stunned both Nie Zhenbang and Gao Wei, and Nie Zhenbang did not look too pleased. The implications suggested that this was not the first time such a situation had urred. Feeling somewhat heavy-hearted, Nie Zhenbang could now understand why the driver on the way here had such a bad impression of Dameng County. As they approached the interrogation room on the second floor, they could hear a roar from inside: ¡°Do you see the eight words on the wall? ¡®Honesty will lead to leniency, resistance will lead to hardship.¡¯ Now, if you confess, you will still be in time. Don¡¯t refuse the drink offered to you.¡± Then, Zheng Gensheng¡¯s voice could be heard: ¡°What are you trying to do? I told you, I¡¯m just a person from another city who came here to invest. At the entrance of the station, I just identally bumped into this person. It can barely be called a hit. I wasn¡¯t careful. But he still insisted that Ipensate him two thousand yuan. Now, I can pay, alright?¡± ¡°Two thousand, you must think we¡¯re fools. I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t y any tricks or games. We¡¯ve already fully investigated your matters. So tell us, what is your purpose in Dameng County? Why did you repeatedly contact those families? What is your real purpose, and how many of you are there? Where do youe from?¡± In the interrogation room, a middle-aged man sternly spoke. Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised to hear these words. It seemed that the people in Dameng County had really done their homework well. Zheng Gensheng was also stunned. However, he definitely couldn¡¯t spill the beans. If he confessed, Feng Dabiao could inevitably be desperate. So Zheng Gensheng said in a low voice, ¡°What are you talking about? I don¡¯t understand. I¡¯m just a foreign merchant who came here to travel.¡± Zheng Gensheng deliberately spoke these words in Mandarin with a strong ent from his hometown, which sounded somewhat convincing. As his words fell, a voice within the room scoffed, ¡°Hmph, you won¡¯t shed a tear until you see the coffin. Li, teach him a proper lesson. Show him who¡¯s boss.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but bristle. The meaning of these words was very clear: they were obviously preparing to torture a confession out of Zheng Gensheng. It didn¡¯t matter that Zheng Gensheng was one of his own men. Even if it were a stranger in this situation, Nie Zhenbang would have stood up and spoken out. Turning a blind eye was not his style. Nie Zhenbang and Gao Wei then pushed open the door of the interrogation room. Seeing Zheng Gensheng strapped to a chair, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brow and sternly said, ¡°Comrade, what serious crime did my friendmit? Just hit someone at the station door? Even if it is a matter of negotiation andpensation, it should be a civil dispute right? Is it necessary to use handcuffs and treat my friend the way you would treat a criminal?¡± As soon as they saw Nie Zhenbang and Gao Wei, the man in charge looked delighted. He hadn¡¯t taken any action yet, but these people hade to his doorstep. The station chief then gave a signal to the several police officers around him, and said in a low voice, ¡°Arrest them all.¡± On hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. Without any reason or evidence, they just wanted to arrest people. This was an abuse of power and a disregard for the statew. It seemed that the officials in Dameng County considered it their backyard, which was outrageous. At this point, Nie Zhenbang was not going to surrender easily. Given what these people had done, if he allowed himself to be subdued, who knows what they could do. It¡¯s better to take control directly. Since Xiao Zhao and the others had already left and would be back by tomorrow morning or even tonight, everything would be fine if he just held on until then. Moreover, since they had been exposed now, there was no need to conceal anything further. Nie Zhenbang immediately countered. With his skills, the few people in the interrogation room were definitely no match for him. In the blink of an eye, Nie Zhenbang had subdued the station chief and three interrogating officers. However, their loud shouts did attract the attention of the police and public security team downstairs. Although Nie Zhenbang was powerful, he was up against uniformed officers. So their effective moves didn¡¯t work here. Caught off guard, shouting was a normal reaction. Nie Zhenbang then said, ¡°Wei Zi, help Old Zheng unlock his handcuffs. Tie all these people up. Today, we¡¯re going to y the role of kidnappers.¡± At this point, seven or eight public security officers and a few policemen had surrounded the room. The leading deputy station chief shouted, ¡°Who are you? Release the hostages immediately, otherwise nobody can save you.¡± ¡°Stopining. We¡¯ll let him go when it¡¯s the right time. Even if you came here, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference, let alone Feng Dabiao.¡± Gao Wei¡¯s face darkened as he spoke. Nie Zhenbang then barricaded the interrogation room¡¯s door with several tables, ordered Gao Wei to pull down all the curtains, and said, ¡°Wei Zi, looks like we¡¯re going to steal the limelight again.¡± Just when Station Chief Feng and his men were taken hostage, Feng Tianbao received the news. His face lit up with joy. He rushed to the Dameng County Committee Office, his father¡¯s office. His face excited, Feng Tianbao said, ¡°Dad, our chance hase. These guys dared to kidnap a police officer. Should we directly¡­?¡± Feng Tianbao nonchntly made a throat-cutting gesture. Hearing his son¡¯s words, Feng Dabiao fell into deep thought. PS: Thank you for all your support, it¡¯s currently ranked fifth with 842 votes, and I hope it can remain in its position. If you can, please support the story by the end of the month. If it can remain in the top five, there will be a major update at the end of the month! Major update! (.) Chapter 306 - 303: Fearless Because of Solid Backing_1 Chapter 306: Chapter 303: Fearless Because of Solid Backing_1 At his son Feng Tianbao¡¯s suggestion, Feng Dabiao sighed at the increasing ruthlessness of younger generations, but was also tempted. As his beloved son pointed out, this was indeed a rare opportunity. From the behavior of these people, it was evident that the investigation group had left no room for doubt. As for which level the investigating group belonged to, Feng Dabiao guessed that it was very likely from Jingcheng. This made Feng Dabiao somewhat proud. A county party secretary, able to attract the attention of central investigators ¨C it was an honor for him. If Nie Zhenbang knew that Feng Dabiao was not fearful, but had such notions instead, he would undoubtedly be infuriated. Regarding the investigation group, Feng Dabiao had a clear understanding. If the other party had revealed their identities, regardless of their authenticity, Feng Dabiao would not have been able to harm them. However, Nie Zhenbang had made a choice under uninformed circumstances ¨C tounch a surprise attack on the police, holding them hostage. This provided Feng Dabiao with an excuse. In the face of such a situation unknowingly, Feng Dabiao, as the county party secretary, could naturally ask his subordinates to storm in, rescue the hostages, and even gun down these people if necessary. Deep in thought, Feng Dabiao was also hesitant at this moment. This matter was rted to his future prospects. Realizing that he was at a life and death juncture, the punishment for his deeds would outweigh his life a hundredfold, he was in a desperate situation and could not care less. Since they wanted to send him to Yama, he would let them go ahead to wait for him. Feng Dabiao, having made up his mind, also nodded: ¡°Alright. Bao, proceed as you suggested.¡± Having made up his mind, Feng Dabiao¡¯s face depicted a mix of desperation and determination. As the paramount figure in Dameng County, Feng Dabiao was undoubtedly the local emperor. His domineering aura as the ruler was slightly palpable. With a somewhat grim face, he then picked up the phone on the table and connected to Feng Dajun, the Standing Committee member of Dameng County Committee, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, and concurrently the Director of the Public Security Bureau. Feng Dajun and Feng Dabiao. From their names, it was clear they were cousins. Generally, family members with such close kinship should not hold office in the same ce. However, Feng Dabiao somehow managed to keep Feng Dajun stationed in Dameng County via the East Mongolian organization department. On the other end, Feng Dajun, who had answered the phone, did not wait for Feng Dabiao to speak. He began, ¡°Big brother, something big happened. Just received news. That bastard Fu Yingcheng from Car Road Police Station has offended someone. He has been taken hostage. What should we do?¡± Feng Dabiao frowned at the earthynguage, solemnly saying, ¡°Dajun, how many times have I told you? Lose that ruffian ent. You¡¯re not that delinquent from fifteen years ago. You¡¯re now a member of the countymittee, the leader of the Dameng County Legal Battle Line. Act and speak professionally. Why don¡¯t you ever listen?¡± Towards his cousin, Feng Dajun was quite intimidated. Over the phone, Feng Dajun chuckled awkwardly, speaking in a much lower tone, ¡°Hehe, well, big brother, you know me. I barely graduated middle school. Now, I have changed a lot in front of my subordinates. I just got anxious. Because it¡¯s you, don¡¯t criticize me. What are we going to do about this? I¡¯m in quite a dilemma.¡± Hearing the phrase ¡°quite a dilemma¡±, Feng Dabiao was taken aback. He did not expect this semi-illiterate cousin of his to use idioms now. However, this also reflects that the youngster was learning. Yet, hisst words also unveiled Feng Dajun¡¯s ipetence. If he were reallypetent, a professionally trained Political and Legal Committee Secretary, someone who had worked on the public security line for years, would never panic in such situations. Openly assaulting the police and taking them hostage, it was of the most severe nature. Without a proper reason, it would mean capital punishment. Taking just this into ount, without knowing Nie Zhenbang and the others¡¯ real identities and backgrounds, the best solution for Dameng County Public Security Bureau would be to deploy sophisticated forces to deal with the situation, rescue the hostages, and control the criminals. This guy, however, was asking what to do directly. Feng Dabiao hesitated for a moment, then solemnly ordered, ¡°Dajun, I also heard about this incident. Their actions were heinous and the circumstances severe. It has had a huge impact on the county¡¯s public security and economic development. The countymittee and government attach great importance to this. Yourades in the Political and Legal Committee must also act ¨C show courage and spirit, determinedly suppress this bad style and contempt for the state. The countymittee and government authorize you to open fire if necessary. Otherwise, it would mean your ipetence, the ipetence of the Dameng County Public Security Bureau. Remember, don¡¯t humiliate the countymittee and government.¡± Feng Dajun was unaware that at this moment, his cousin had sold him out. Once the perps were killed, when questions were raised afterwards, Feng Dabiao could im ignorance. All the orders were given by Feng Dajun. The higher-ups could only swallow their anger, and if responsibility was to be sought, it would be borne by Feng Dajun. At this time, in the office of the county mayor in Dameng County Government, Mayor Wei Zhiguo was staring out of the window. Dameng County was rather small, furthermore, Wei Zhiguo also had his trusted subordinate Tang Yutian within the public security system. Wei Zhiguo had been aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions almost immediately after they started. At this moment, Wei Zhiguo was confused. Logically speaking, as long as they revealed their identities, Feng Dabiao would definitely not dare to act further ¨C at most, he would destroy evidence only. But now, under these circumstances, were these people truly fearless of death, nning to take themselves down with them? ¡°These people are not simple. Yutian, inform Zhuang Zhong and Yongjun about the current situation; it¡¯s increasingly murky. It¡¯s better if we just stand by for now. I can no longer see through the situation. What is the head of this investigation team trying to do? They have even resorted to such devious tactics.¡± Wei Zhiguo said intensely. At this moment, if Nie Zhenbang heard his method of attacking the police being described as a devious tactic, he would probably feel so ashamed that he¡¯d want to bash his head against a wall. Looking at Zheng Gensheng, Nie Zhenbang also chuckled, ¡°Old Zheng, you¡¯re not hurt, are you?¡± Zheng Gensheng shook his head and said, ¡°Director Nie, you shouldn¡¯t havee. If I were here alone, the worst they could do is beat me up, there¡¯s definitely no threat to my life. But now, our situation is different. What if they don¡¯t listen to our exnations and directly treat us as criminals? We would be wronged.¡± Next to them, Gao Wei hesitated for a moment. As a seasoned inspector, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current approach was undoubtedly inappropriate, giving others an excuse to harm us indirectly. Putting their own lives at risk was a small matter, but hindering the investigation was a major issue. Then, Gao Wei also whispered, ¡°Brother, Old Zheng is right. By doing this, we have indeed exposed ourselves to danger. Although they know who we are, they can pretend not to, and mistakenly kill us.¡± In other words, what Gao Wei said was serious despite their shallow rtionship. Although they are from respected families and sharemon beliefs, the actual interaction and availing were quite recent. In the past, they only knew of each other, but didn¡¯t have any contact. Nie Zhenbang maintained hisposure and nodded after a moment of silence, ¡°Wei Zi, I understand your concerns and Old Zheng¡¯s. I have two main reasons for daring to do this.¡± Nie Zhenbang held up two fingers and continued, ¡°First, if we reveal our identity, that we are the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection investigation team, what do you think Feng Dabiao would do next?¡± Silence. Both Gao Wei and Old Zheng were quiet. Clearly, representing the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection was imposing enough to intimidate some officials, provoking fear. This was proof of how dauntingly powerful they were. There was no need to think about it. Upon learning our identities, the first thing Feng Dabiao would definitely do was to ce us under surveince. He has reasonable grounds after all. It can¡¯t just be taken at face value that since we imed to be from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, we are. Who would believe it without a Ludong Province official nearby? Then, Feng Dabiao would surely destroy evidence of his vition ofw and discipline. Without evidence, it would be a waste of time. Although doing this is risky, it can mislead Feng Dabiao. Yet, both Zhang Xu and Gao Wei felt that the price was too high ¨C Director Nie was gambling with their lives. Nie Zhenbang then chuckled, ¡°I think this is the best chance to mislead Feng Dabiao. In this way, he will be overconfident and careless. That¡¯s exactly what we need, his carelessness. Second, the reason I dare to take this gamble is because, given what the troops in Dameng County are capable of. Even if we don¡¯t have the hostages, if I insist, as long as they don¡¯t bomb the building, it¡¯s not a problem to hold out for three days.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zheng Gensheng was stunned, and Gao Wei felt a sense of defeat. Brother Nie¡¯s words were not just bluffing. Almost everyone in Jingcheng¡¯s prominent families knew that Nie Zhenbang had once disappeared for three years. Few people knew where he went during those three years. However, they have heard some things from the likes of Zhang Xu. Given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s capability, this group of people was indeed only worthy of being called ¡°small fry¡±. Gao Wei was rather vexed, only Nie Zhenbang could pull this off. Gao Wei suspected that during those three years that Nie Zhenbang disappeared, he must have been in the army. Perhaps even in some secret unit, honing valuable and solid skills. Evenpared to the guards in the Forbidden City in Jingcheng, he was not inferior. Gao Wei admired this skill. However, he knew that it was not something everyone could learn. If they tried, they wouldn¡¯t even know how they died. This skill could not be replicated. Just then, sirens rang out wildly outside. The Dameng County Public Security Bureau had finally responded. Peeking through a corner of the curtain, the police hadpletely surrounded the entire station building. There were even quite a few police officers holding guns, pointing towards where they were. At the same time, a loudspeaker was set up, and a rough voice shouted, ¡°Listen up, you inside! You¡¯re surrounded. Surrender immediately and drop your weapons. The Party and the government will be lenient with you. If you resist to the end, we will suppress you decisively!¡± As soon as the voice fell, Gao Wei cursed: ¡°Who the hell is this? Trying to suppress us locally, who does he think he is? If this were a real hijacker, one of the hostages would likely be killed.¡± PS: Seeking support for a monthly vote. I persisted for only one night, and already the novel by Chen Fengxiao has surpassed mine. I¡¯m overwhelmed. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, pleasee to to cast your votes, and your monthly vote. Your support is the biggest motivator for me.) Chapter 307 - 304: On the Edge of Life and Death_1 Chapter 307: Chapter 304: On the Edge of Life and Death_1 The one calling out was Feng Dajun, a standing member of the Dameng County County Committee, Secretary of the County Political and Legal Committee, and head of the County Public Security Bureau. At this moment, authorized by his older brother Feng Dabiao, Feng Dajun was brimming with confidence. One can imagine how dazzling the glory that woulde from capturing these audacious robbers would be, it seemed as if his promotion was not far off. With two county officials in one family, the Fengs would undeniably be the leading family in Dameng County from then on. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang stood up. In the interrogation room, he had found a dozen three-inch nails. He did not want to consider why they were in the interrogation room. In these days, forced confessions through torture were not an unusual urrence. Even the rumored practice of beating suspects before interrogating them had happened in many ces across the country. Seeing Nie Zhenbang holding the nails, Gao Wei was somewhat curious and asked, ¡°Brother, what are you nning to do?¡± Nie Zhenbang seemed rxed, opening a small gap in the curtain, and smilingly said, ¡°Give these people a warning.¡± Having said that, he poked a hole in the window ss. Below, Feng Dajun and his men were startled by the sound of breaking ss. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang tossed out the nail in his hand, immediately followed by another. Below, with two loud bangs, a nail was stuck in the loudspeaker, and next to it, the roof light of a new Santana police car shattered. Once this move was revealed, the whole ce went silent. Nie Zhenbang carefully adjusted the curtain carry, then weighted it. Nowadays, Nie Zhenbang did not believe that Dameng County would have any snipers, but precautions must be taken just in case. After all, being careful is always necessary. Gao Wei, on the other hand, was so surprised that his mouth fell open. After a long while, he said, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re awesome! What is this, kung fu?¡± Nie Zhenbang casually smiled. It was not kung fu at all. The nail was so long and thick that it wasn¡¯t much different from a dagger. Besides, when they were practicing shooting needles, the requirements were higher. Nie Zhenbang then said with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s the same as throwing a flying knife. If you train for two or three years, you¡¯ll be able to do it.¡± Nie Zhenbang had his own ideas. Recklessly firing guns was bad for both him and Dameng County. The guns in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hands would only be used as ast resort in a dangerous situation. The throw he just executed carried a hidden warning, showing these people below that he poses a threat and to not rush up recklessly. Sure enough, facing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s move, Feng Dajun was shocked as well. Feng Dajun was not professionally trained. He was just a street thug at heart. The looming danger startled Feng Dajun. If it were before when he was still a thug, Feng Dajun might have rushed up to fight. However, with a higher position and more women, he had grown afraid of death. After hesitating for a while, Feng Dajun looked somber and asked his people, ¡°What should we do? The robbers are so audacious that they even dare to attack us. What should we do?¡± Some deputy directors under Feng Dajun were rather typical sycophants who enjoyed eating, drinking, and having fun. Tang Yutian, on the other hand, had more experience in these matters. At this moment, the executive deputy director stepped forward and said, ¡°Director Feng, I think it¡¯s dangerous here. We should retreat a little. These people seem to be experts. They are currently at their strongest and have just entered. We must tread cautiously to avoid unnecessary harm.¡± Another deputy director echoed, ¡°Yes, Director Feng, for now, let¡¯s y psychological warfare with these robbers to test their patience. We can oust them. When they are tired, we can strike unexpectedly.¡± To distinguish between Feng Dabiao and Feng Dajun in Dameng County, Feng Dajun was generally referred to as Director Feng even when he was the only one present. This was because referring to both officials as Secretary Feng would have been confusing sometimes. Feng Dajun looked at the building, feeling rather fearful of the nails that had just been thrown down. If it had hit him in the eye, he would have been blinded. He was not willing to take such a risk. These criminals were desperate, and his life was too valuable to be risked. After thinking for a while, Feng Dajun nodded and said, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll do as you suggest. Order the criminal investigation team to keep a close watch. We¡¯ll go back and hold a brief meeting to discuss our strategy.¡± Any so-called brief meeting was nothing more than an excuse to ck off. With roughly 12 hours left until nightfall, Director Feng and his men were certainly not going to stick around. At the break of dawn It was the most exhausting time of day for most people. At this time, Feng Dajun arrived once again. After a refreshing afternoon and a few hours rest at his girlfriend¡¯s house, Feng Dajun was full of energy. Standing aside, he waved his hand, and several policemen began to approach the building in preparation for a surprise attack. At that moment, two more nails were thrown down, shattering car windows. The sound was particrly harsh in the quiet night. Chapter 308 - 304: On the Edge of Life and Death_2 Chapter 308: Chapter 304: On the Edge of Life and Death_2 Immediately after, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice came out: ¡°Six in front, eight in the back, I¡¯m warning you again. Don¡¯t try to test my patience. If you take any action, next time, I might not be just shooting ss. Also, if anyone dares to move, we aren¡¯t going to guarantee the safety of the hostages. Now, someone qualified to be in charge,e out.¡± As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice fell, everyone looked at Feng Dajun. At this moment, he was the highest-ranking person present, and, he was also the cousin of the county party secretary, so his word carried weight. Taking the megaphone handed to him by his subordinate, Feng Dajun said sternly, ¡°Listen up, you criminals, you¡¯re surrounded by us. Resistance will only lead to a dead end. I advise you to surrender immediately. Don¡¯t harbor any lucky thoughts.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang, however, said sternly, ¡°Enough with the nonsense. Now, we need food and water. For seven people. Send someone over with them. Otherwise, we¡¯ll start killing hostages.¡± Nie Zhenbang, with his years of military experience, was assertive and had an aura of danger. Right now, acting as a bandit, he seemed quite convincing. Feng Dajun did not hesitate at this moment, negotiation was good, he first arranged for a quick-witted police officer to go up, check out the situation inside the house, and then make arrangements based on that. Soon, the prepared food and water were sent up. But at that moment, a man in casual clothes drove up in a ck car, parked nearby, got out, and walked unhindered to Feng Dajun¡¯s side. After whispering a few words, he turned around and left. At this moment, Feng Dajun¡¯s face changed. He said in a low voice, ¡°Comrades, just now, I received instructions from the countymittee secretary, Feng. At all costs, we must subdue these three vicious bandits. I believe that with your outstanding qualities, saving the hostages is definitely possible.¡± With that, Feng Dajun turned his head and instructed the people next to him, ¡°Also, notify the county hospital. The ambnce team should be on standby, ready to rescue the wounded at any time.¡± Just now, Feng Dabiao had issued a death warrant. These people, regardless of whether they surrender or not, must be killed, and they cannot see tomorrow¡¯s sun. While Nie Zhenbang was in a standoff on this side, on the rugged mountain road leading to Dameng County, three off-road vehicles were winding through the dark night. In the leading Toyota off-road vehicle, a man in his forties had a serious face. From under his silver-framed sses came forth a stern countenance. His light-colored striped shirt, red tie and dark suit made him look very serious, very orthodox. The middle-aged man was the director of the third room of Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee, He Weimao. He Weimao¡¯s rank was high but carried a deputy hall-level treatment. At this moment, He Weimao¡¯s face was somewhat gloomy. Beforeing out, the secretary of the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee, Mr. Huang, was quite angry. The move of the Central Disciplinary Committee made Secretary Huang somewhat dissatisfied, as it was clear that they didn¡¯t trust the abilities of the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee. Bringing emotions into the matter was naturally not good. Behind, the two vehicles were upied by Fan Mengshui, the secretary of the Disciplinary Committee of the East Union region, and Yang Gang, the first deputymander of the East Mongolian Military Region. ¡°Comrade Zhao, this time the task force is led by Director Nie from your Discipline Inspection and Supervision Office Five? Never heard of him,¡± said He Weimao lightly at this moment. Not a few people in the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee were displeased with the actions of the Central Disciplinary Committee. If you don¡¯t trust us, why are youing to us now? If you have the ability, investigate and close the case yourself. Working in discipline inspection for so many years, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s name was totally unfamiliar. Zhao knew that the people from Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee had some grievances against them, but there was nothing he could do. Could he tell these people that it was Deputy Secretary Ouyang Xia, who personally decided on it? If he said it, not only would it not exin anything, it would give people a sense of oppression by power. Zhao, an old man in the disciplinarymittee for many years, understood this clearly. ¡°Director He, maybe you don¡¯t know. Director Nie was newly transferredst week. He used to be a standingmittee member of the Municipal Committee of Bazhou City in the Xibei Autonomous Region, Secretary of Xinli Municipal Party Committee, and a deputy hall-level official. He is now serving as the executive deputy director of our office five, in charge of theprehensive work of Office Five.¡± Zhao introduced with a smile. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s name, He Weimao was taken aback. This name was also familiar. Xinli was featured multiple times in ¡°Daily at Seven¡±. Naturally, Nie Zhenbang was also considered a bigshot and celebrity within the system. Unexpectedly, the youngest deputy hall-level official in Huaxia¡¯s history has been transferred to the disciplinary line. Immediately, He Weimao turned on the reading light inside the car, nced at his watch, it was already past eleven. They were still nearly fifty kilometers from Dameng County. With their current speed, they probably wouldn¡¯t arrive until around twelve fifty. After pondering for a moment, He Weimao said in a low voice, ¡°Xiao Zhou, speed up the car, put the police light on, pull the siren. This way, the road will be easier to travel.¡± Next to him, Zhao was relieved. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s name was indeed influential. He and Xiao Song had set off around eight-thirty in the morning and arrived at Lu Quan City and the Ludong Provincial Disciplinary Committee by three in the afternoon. However, they didn¡¯t leave until four o¡¯clock. They should have arrived by eleven-thirty, but it was already forty after eleven and they were still on the road. The longer the time dragged on, the more dangerous it became for Director Nie and the others. Now, Zhao finally breathed a sigh of relief. Twelve thirty-five Feng Dajun was running out of patience. His cousin had already issued a death order. At this point, action was inevitable. If he himself was not willing to act, then his cousin Feng Dabiao would start acting against him. Immediately, Feng Dajun said in a deep voice, ¡°Load the bullets, synchronize your watches. In three minutes, split into two groups, one in front and one behind in a pincer move. The other side has only one handgun, go all in one breath and charge in. I authorize you to shoot and kill the bandits directly!¡± (.) Chapter 309 - 305: Dual Regulation Investigation_1 Chapter 309: Chapter 305: Dual Regtion Investigation_1 ¡°Third Brother, they¡¯re closing in. What should we do? They¡¯re pincering us¡ªquite a ruthless move. It seems they are intent on killing us,¡± Gao Wei said anxiously. The police werepletely in the dark. In their eyes, he and hisrades were not members of an investigation team, but fully-fledged robbers. Their audacity knew no bounds, holding the station¡¯s police officers hostage like desperate criminals. While the leaders on the front line of Dameng County¡¯s legal battle were bootlickers, they had somepetent subordinates. For example, Tang Yutian, a nickel and dime graduate, was a highly professional police officer. Feng Dajun might be domineering, but he wasn¡¯t stupid. The Public Security Bureau¡¯s affairs had to be dealt with by someone. Those who were truly skilled and learned were naturally the best for the job. At this moment, the main attacking forces under the building were mainly police officers of strong military quality. Some were former reconnaissance soldiers transferred to local authorities. Some were from police academy backgrounds. They all had impressive skills. Through a slit in the curtain, Nie Zhenbang smirked. These men were covering each other, coordinating, and moving in an orderly manner. They were clearlyyered, not incredibly sharp, but at least they were tacticallypetent. Right now, if it was Nie, Qin Lang, and that punk Xiong Changgui inside, these guys¡ªeven the elite troops of Ludong Province Military Region¡ªwould be futile. At this point, Nie Zhenbang had to be careful and asked solemnly, ¡°Wei Zi, have you used a gun before?¡± Gao Wei was taken aback, then nodded, ¡°I have. When I was in Jingcheng, there was an indoor shooting range in Great Tang. Xing Long, Bin, and a few others went there to experience it. I fired a few shots.¡± Nie Zhenbang was resolute at this moment. He still had ten iron nails in his hand¡ªthey were as useful as a gun. He promptly tossed his gun to Gao Wei and said gravely, ¡°Wei Zi, if your life is threatened, open fire. Leave the rest to me.¡± After he spoke, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ears perked up. Suddenly, he leapt to the side of the ss window. He seemed to be counting under his breath. A few momentster, there was a rustling noise from the window. Just as a bump appeared in the curtain, Nie Zhenbang acted swiftly, grabbed the police officer¡¯s wrist and caused the gun to fall to the floor. Nie Zhenbang looked at this person, presented his work badge and said in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t resist. I don¡¯t want to hurt people.¡± As soon as his voice fell, gunshots sounded from outside. Bullets pierced through the windows and hit the walls. The people below, unaware of the situation inside, began suppressing fire. At this moment, He Weimao¡¯s car had just entered Dameng County, and the silent night was broken by the sound of gunfireing from the northwest. Upon hearing this, Xiao Zhao straightened up instantly, and He Weimao¡¯s face tightened. If something happened to the Central Discipline Inspection Committee¡¯s investigation team, it would spell disaster. He Weimao ordered solemnly, ¡°Sound the rm and head towards Car Road.¡± At this moment, Feng Dajun was shouting in frustration at the foot of the building: ¡°What¡­what¡­what the hell are you all doing? You can¡¯t even handle two bandits. I¡¯m giving you ten minutes to get in there, kill them at all costs. If you can¡¯t do it, pack up your things and get the hell out. The Public Security Bureau doesn¡¯t need idiots.¡± As soon as the words fell, the sound of rms came from outside, and three off-road vehicles parked by the roadside, which made all the police officers from Dameng County freeze. Next to Feng Dajun, the executive deputy director of the Public Security Bureau looked at the car and came forward to whisper, ¡°Director Feng, these are military vehicles from the Dongmeng Military Sub-district. It seems the whole region has been rmed.¡± The first to step out of the car was He Weimao. Immediately after that, Fan Mengshui, Secretary of the Dongmeng District Disciplinary Committee, and Yang Gang, Deputy Commander of the Dongmeng Military Sub-region, got out of the car one after another. Fan Mengshui looked at Feng Dajun. His gaze was stern, his expression gloomy, and furiously said, ¡°Feng Dajun, what the hell are you doing? Shooting so recklessly in the middle of the night. If you fired a missile and identally hurt the surrounding residents, could you bear the responsibility? Call off your troops immediately.¡± Upon seeing Fan Mengshui, Feng Dajun somewhat understood. That¡¯s why his cousin Feng Dabiao gave him a death order to kill the people inside, ready to leave no evidence or counterproof. They wanted to eliminate this one level, then destroy all evidence. By the time they would investigate, it would be toote. Then, Feng Dajun quickly said, ¡°Reporting to Secretary Fan, there are three robbers in the station who have taken ourrade Fu Yingcheng, director of the Car Road Police Station, hostage. We are organizing police manpower for a full-scale rescue.¡± He Weimao¡¯s face changed; these people¡¯s ability to distort the truth was really too strong. Even in this situation, they could still speak such lofty words. However, the credibility of the Central Disciplinary Committee had to be maintained. If it got out that the staff of the Central Disciplinary Committee had be hostage-taking criminals, that would be a catastrophe. Immediately, He Weimao¡¯s face darkened, and he roared, ¡°What criminals! Did you question their identities? Did you give them a chance to exin themselves? Hmph, it seems to me that they had no other choice. Immediately cease all operations. Everyone, surrender your weapons and stand by here. They are not any criminals, they are the task force from the Central Disciplinary Committee. It was fortunate that our superiors were sharp, otherwise, you would have caused a great disaster.¡± As He Weimao spoke, the responsibility shifted to Dameng County, and the nature of the situation morphed into subordinates intentionally ignoring identities. Although the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee was extremely dissatisfied with the arrangement of the Central Disciplinary Committee, especially the secretary of Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee, who felt that the Central Disciplinary Committee was making a fuss over a minor issue. But discontented as they were, they still had to maintain the authority and respect of their superiors. If it was revealed that the undercover group of the Central Disciplinary Committee was mistaken as criminals, the Central Disciplinary Committee would lose all face. Feng Dajun¡¯s expression changed, even though it was clear that the people who came with Fan Mengshui must be of extraordinary status. But upon hearing this, Feng Dajun couldn¡¯t help but ask: ¡°Excuse me, you are¡­¡± Yang Gang walked up and angrily dered, ¡°Feng Dajun, watch your tone, this is Director He of the Third Division of the Provincial Disciplinary Inspection Committee. How dare you speak like that.¡± Then, Yang Gang stepped forward, scanned the crowd, and ordered sternly, ¡°I am Yang Gang, deputymander of the Dongmeng District Military Division, I order, everyone immediately disband.¡± As Yang Gang¡¯s orders came down, soldiers from the Dameng County Armed Department stationed in Dameng County had also arrived. Two military vehicles were parked aside, fully armed soldiers with loaded rifles jumped down from them. This disy of force was only to be expected. If the people of the Dameng County Public Security Bureau dared to make a move, they would face serious consequences. Seeing all this from the upper floor, Nie Zhenbang let out a smile, then turned to Old Zheng and Wei Zi, and said, ¡°Old Zheng, Wei Zi, pack up, ourrades from the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee are here. Take this opportunity, while Feng Dabiao is still taken aback to do the Double Discipline on him immediately. Let¡¯s start the public investigation immediately.¡± Under the stare of the fearsome soldiers, police officers from the Dameng County Public Security Bureau gradually withdrew, standing nearby, waiting for their next instructions. At the same time, Nie Zhenbang and hispanions came out. Seeing He Weimao and others, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t wait for them to speak. He stepped forward with a smile on his face, stretched out both hands, seeming very enthusiastic while shaking hands with He Weimao, ¡°You must be therades from Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee, let me introduce myself, I am Nie Zhenbang, the standing deputy director of the Fifth Division of the Central Disciplinary Inspection Committee. This time, we must thank you. If you hadn¡¯t arrived just in time, we probably would have been in trouble.¡± Having known Nie Zhenbang¡¯s identity, He Weimao cooled down his original anger, and replied with a smile, ¡°Director Nie, don¡¯t be courteous. You are our superior leader, supporting your work is our unavoidable duty. We werete in arriving, causing some panic among the leaders, that¡¯s our responsibility. He Weimao, director of the Third Disciplinary Inspection Division of Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee. Our Secretary Huang has instructed us to fully cooperate with the work of the superior leaders. We will thoroughly investigate the issues in Dameng County.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed at this moment, saying, ¡°Director He, I really feel sorry. We also had no choice but to proceed undercover. The assignment on Dameng County case was directly given by secretary Ouyang Xia. We have to strictly execute it. I¡¯ll invite Director He for a drink after this.¡± Then, under the introduction of He Weimao, Nie Zhenbang shook hands with Fan Mengshui, the secretary of Dongmeng District¡¯s Disciplinary Committee, along with deputymander Yang Gang. At that moment, He Weimao began to contemte. He never expected that this case was personally supervised by Ouyang Xia. As an employee of the Disciplinary Committee, he knew very well who Ouyang Xia was, the first deputy secretary of the Central Disciplinary Committee, a bona fide high-level official. Given this, He Weimao quickly adjusted his ns. This time, he has to fully coborate with the Central Disciplinary Committee¡¯s team; otherwise, Ouyang Xia¡¯s fury is not something to be taken lightly. After the pleasantries, Nie Zhenbang decided to get to the point, ¡°Director He, Secretary Fan. Eight days ago, we conducted the first round of undercover investigation, and we have obtained some evidence. Based on the leads provided by the whistleblower, we can confirm now. Feng Tianbao, the son of Feng Dabiao, the secretary of Dameng County Committee, is suspected of rape, intentional homicide, intentional injury, and organization of mafia-like gangs. At the same time, Feng Dajun, Feng Dabiao, and others are suspected of using their official positions for their rtives¡¯ benefits. I suggest. Immediately implement the Double Discipline on Feng Dabiao, and other members of the Dameng Countymittee.¡± He Weimao and Fan Mengshui nced at each other. The investigation has advanced to this stage. There was no further need for investigation and evidence collection; it was inevitable to proceed with the procedure. However, both of them hadn¡¯t expected Nie Zhenbang to be so decisive inunching the operation that night. But right now, Nie Zhenbang represents the Central Disciplinary Committee, the central leadership. Immediately, He Weimao nodded and said, ¡°Alright, we will proceed as Director Nie instructs.¡± By now, the staff Nie Zhenbang brought with him had all arrived. With the addition of some under He Weimao, they had enough manpower. Nie Zhenbang sufficed himself without further ado, he immediately made the arrangements, ¡°Director He, I suggest this. I will personally go to Feng Dabiao, with Director Gao and one of our members. The others split up into groups. Carry out the double discipline on other involved officials simultaneously. The matter of the venue, I would like to ask Commander Yang to help out.¡± PS: The third release, this is an advance chapter. Just came back, went back to my old home in the afternoon. The house there needs some renovation. Still, the old rule, if we could stay in the top five by the end of the month, there will be a massive release. If we make it to the top six, a small release. Brothers and sisters, it all depends on you now. (.) Chapter 310 - 306: Delivered Materials_1 Chapter 310: Chapter 306: Delivered Materials_1 Nie Zhenbang is quite courteous when he¡¯s not angry. At this moment, Yang Gang also smiled and said, ¡°Director Nie, rest assured, beforeing here, our Secretary He has emphasized that we must fully cooperate with the work of the superior leaders in the Dongmeng region. I¡¯m here to serve all of you. Arranging the venue is my job. I will immediately go to the Dameng County Armed Department to arrange it. Afterwards, the leaders can directly use it.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, then said, ¡°Director Gao, Xiao Zhao, let¡¯s go.¡± At the entrance of the Dameng County Department Store, it is called a department store, but it¡¯s merely a four-story building. Moreover, the actual business area onlyprises the first and second floors. Adjacent to it, an eye-catching six-story building stood. Nie Zhenbang and hisrades had already investigated that this was the domicile of Feng Dabiao, the Party Secretary of Dameng County. They went straight to the back of the big building, where there was a staircase leading directly to the third floor. The entrance to the staircase on the first floor had a small iron door, which was not locked at this moment. Nie Zhenbang and his twopanions went straight up to the third floor. Without needing anyone to guide them, Xiao Zhao went up and knocked on the door, asking in a deep voice, ¡°May I ask if this is Secretary Feng Dabiao¡¯s home?¡± After a while, the thick door opened, and the person standing at the door was Feng Dabiao himself. Feng Dabiao had sharp eyes, and even at this moment, a touch of fierceness appeared on his face. His gaze swept over the three of them and finally rested on Nie Zhenbang. Feng Dabiao said in a deep voice, ¡°You must be the leader of the investigation team.¡± In response to Feng Dabiao¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, Nie Zhenbang selectively chose to ignore it. He then calmly said, ¡°Secretary Feng is well-informed. Although we meet for the first time, the name I have heard most these days is Feng Dabiao. Allow me to introduce myself, Nie Zhenbang, Deputy Director of the Fifth Department of Discipline Inspection and Supervision of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s introduction, Feng Dabiao¡¯s pupils shrank for a moment. Even though he had already guessed this oue, hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s definite confirmation, Feng Dabiao was still somewhat shocked. Suspecting something is one thing, but ascertaining it is another. Suspicion contains a lucky mentality, but certainty meansplete despair. Feng Dabiao walked over, which made Gao Wei and Xiao Zhao somewhat nervous. Gao Wei even stepped forward, standing in front of Nie Zhenbang. This detail made Nie Zhenbang feel warmth in his heart. Then Nie Zhenbang waved his hand and said, ¡°Wei Zi, there¡¯s no need. I believe Secretary Feng is not someone whocks intelligence and reason.¡± At this moment, however, Feng Dabiao had already walked up to Nie Zhenbang and said in a deep voice, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, is it? I do regret not giving the order to kill you directly. Otherwise, there wouldn¡¯t be so many problems.¡± Feng Dabiao was indeed intimidating. The murderous aura he conveyed made Gao Wei and Xiao Zhao feel uneasy. They had been infiltrating under the cover of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and if something happened to them, Feng Dabiao could feign ignorance and push away all responsibilities. This way, there would be no clues left, and Feng Dabiao could destroy any evidence. Therefore, there wouldn¡¯t be any issues. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was looking at Feng Dabiao. This man was emanating a chilling murderous aura. He must have killed someone before. Butpared to Nie Zhenbang, he was not afraid. He calmly said, ¡°Feng Dabiao. You should be d that you didn¡¯t issue such amand. If you had, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d be dead by now.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang turned his head and said, ¡°Wei Zi, announce the resolution to Feng Dabiao.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Gao Wei nodded, took out a document from his bag, and handed it to Feng Dabiao, saying, ¡°Feng Dabiao, ording to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection¡¯s regtions, you must obey and cooperate with the organization from now on. You are required to provide a reasonable exnation on your son¡¯s suspected rape, intentional injury, intentional manughter, organization of a mafia-like gang, and possible perjury charges at a designated ce and time. This means that from now on, you¡¯re under the ¡®double regtion.¡¯ Ever since he chose this path, Feng Dabiao had been indifferent to life and death. Everyone has to face death eventually, that¡¯s an inevitablew. He deserves a million deaths for what he has done. Therefore, Feng Dabiao didn¡¯t show any regret or despair at this moment. Feng Dabiao was cooperative and held out his hands. Gao Wei and Xiao Zhao walked over, one on the left and the other on the right, gripping Feng Dabiao¡¯s arms. This was a precaution in case the suspect attempted to escape. By the time Nie Zhenbang arrived at the guesthouse of the Dameng County Armed Department in his car, the guesthouse had beenpletely cleared. The entire ce had been rented by the third-level disciplinarymittee. There was a sentry post set up at the main entrance, and security was guaranteed by round-the-clock guards. All the rooms on the first floor were cleaned. Apart from the ten or so rooms reserved for rest, four rooms were converted into interrogation rooms. Everything in the room was cleaned out, including toothpaste, toothbrush, and even theb. In the empty room, there were only one table and three chairs, making it look quite spacious. Chapter 311 - 306: Delivered Materials_2 Chapter 311: Chapter 306: Delivered Materials_2 The second floor was where the cadres under investigation resided. Feng Dabiao, as the highest-ranking cadre in this Dameng County case, was specifically arranged to stay in a room at the very corner. Inside the room was a single bed and absolutely nothing else. Even the ss mirror had been removed, and any sharp objects such as wall nails were thoroughly cleaned out. Nie Zhenbang understood this aspect very well. In terms of the Disciplinary Committee¡¯s work, when dealing with cadres being investigated, sometimes, in order to save the bishop by abating the pawn, cases of suicide were not unheard of. Once a person died, all the leads would be cut off. So this was one method to prevent suspects frommitting suicide. At the same time, the next day, the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee sent quite a number of people over to participate in the entire case¡¯s interrogation process. This time, Nie Zhenbang moved quickly. The same night, the Feng brothers ¨C Feng Dajun and Feng Dabiao ¨C and the leadership group of the Dameng County Committee, including a deputy secretary, an organizational minister, a countymittee director, and several leaders of county bureaus, had all been suspended for investigation. At the same time, under the coordination of Fan Mengshui, secretary of Dongmeng District Disciplinary Committee, Feng Tianbao and others were also put under investigation by the Public Security Bureau. To ensure the fairness of the investigation, some auxiliary personnel, including those from the public, procuratorial, and judicial branches, were transferred from other cities in Ludong Province. In an office on the first floor of the guesthouse, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk was piled with numerous materials. These were all the testimonies recorded over the two days. Not everyone was tough and defiant. Diversity existed even among the offspring of dragons, let alone amongmon people. Every official and cadre had a different personality and a different perspective on things. Some people resisted fiercely while others tried to put on a good performance in hopes of having an opportunity to make up for their crimes and thus receive lenient treatment. At that moment, Gao Wei and Zheng Gensheng walked in from outside. Since there were no outsiders present, they both seemed rxed. Gao Wei even sat down on the sofa with a plop, while Zheng Gensheng poured two cups of boiled water from the kettle next to him. After taking a sip to soothe his throat, Gao Wei couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°I¡¯ve talked myself hoarse. Feng Dabiao is like a rock in atrine pit, smelly and hard. He really thinks refusing to confess means he won¡¯t get into trouble. Doesn¡¯t he know about the fact principle in thew?¡± Next to him, Zheng Gensheng nodded in agreement, ¡°Mr. Wei, you¡¯re right. These past few days, all Feng Dabiao does is eat and sleep. Even in the inquiry room, he just sits with his arms crossed and rests with his eyes closed,pletely ignoring our questions. He¡¯s very good at counter-interrogation and counter-investigation. I think he¡¯s ready to remain silent until the end. Maybe we should start the next procedure and apply to investigate and audit Feng Dabiao¡¯s residence and property.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows twisted into a frown. Feng Dabiao¡¯s performance hadpletely exceeded his expectations. Moreover, Feng Tianbao, his son, was also very cunning. For his own lighter offenses, Feng Tianbao admitted easily, but he denied everything that involved his father. The greatest problem at the moment was banking ounts. In this era, there was no system of real name registration, and most of the ounts were anonymous. This made investigation extremely difficult. ¡°Wei Zi, Old Zheng, Feng Dabiao is an old hand, a seasoned yer in the officialdom. In the eyes of most cadres, the Disciplinary Committee is to be feared. But in Feng Dabiao¡¯s eyes, we are nobody. He¡¯s neither afraid nor worried. That¡¯s why he¡¯s ignoring everything. That¡¯s the real problem,¡± Nie Zhenbang began to analyze at that moment. Although Nie Zhenbang had been working with the Disciplinary Committee for a short time, he was unfamiliar only with their working methods and procedures. He was notcking in ability himself. After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Wei Zi, right now, we and Feng Dabiao are in a contest of patience. It¡¯s a protracted battle. Every person will have ws, it¡¯s just that we haven¡¯t found a way to break through to Feng Dabiao yet. Upon careful thinking, it was indeed the case. The information prepared by Grandpa Hong only skimmed the surface. It was sufficient to deal with Feng Tianbao, but in this era, guilt by association was not popr. Just because Feng Tianbao was in trouble didn¡¯t mean that Feng Dabiao was guilty. These were two different concepts. Now, what Feng Dabiao and the others were waiting for was an opportunity. If Feng Dabiao coulde out unscathed, it would be difficult for the Dongmeng district to adjust his work. After all, if even the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection had verified that he was innocent, adjusting his work would be seen as superior-level retaliation. As long as Feng Dabiao was in office, in the position of countymittee secretary, it would be very easy for Feng Tianbao to get out of prison after his sentence. That was their n. Gao Wei pondered for a moment and then nodded in agreement, ¡°Old Nie, that¡¯s a good point. In my opinion, we still need to find a breakthrough with others. It¡¯s obvious that these people haven¡¯t told theplete truth. They still harbor some illusions about the Feng family and are scared of their retaliation.¡± At this moment, when the audit investigation of the Disciplinary Committee had been deadlocked, a group from Dameng County, with Wei Zhiguo at the helm, gathered together. They were in the same small restaurant in the suburbs, where a few people from Wei Zhiguo¡¯s faction were all present. Zhuang Zhong, who was sitting next to them, could not suppress his anxiety. He looked at Wei Zhiguo and said, ¡°Mayor, it¡¯s time. Our evidence is thest straw that will crush Feng Dabiao.¡± At this moment, Tang Yutian also felt deeply moved, expressing his agreement by nodding his head. In a deep voice, he said, ¡°Mayor, Director Zhuang is right. Now, the Disciplinary Committee is only investigating small trivial matters. I think it¡¯s time for us to y our trump card. If we continue to be cautious and prudent, we will miss our opportunity. Opportunities are fleeting.¡± Wei Zhiguo¡¯s brows were tightly knitted. He was still hesitating about who would have thestugh between the Disciplinary Committee and Feng Dabiao. After a moment of silence, Wei Zhiguo clenched his fist. He decided to take a gamble. His indecisiveness was a personality w; if he were half as assertive as Feng Dabiao, he probably wouldn¡¯t feel this desperate. Right now, Tang Yutian¡¯sst sentence had given Wei Zhiguo enough confidence. After a moment of contemtion, Wei Zhiguo stood up and said, ¡°Alright. Submit our materials. Yutian, you take care of this. Make sure the Disciplinary Committee doesn¡¯t realize it¡¯s us. Everything should be done discreetly. We¡¯ll see how they react next.¡± Wei Zhiguo¡¯s words infuriated Tang Yutian. Even in this dire situation, Wei Zhiguo was still indecisive. But Tang Yutian didn¡¯t want to criticize his leader. He nodded and said, ¡°Mayor, rest assured. When I handle things, you can be at ease. I¡¯ll make sure everything is handled properly.¡± It was a little past nine in the evening. At the moment, in the inquiry room on the first floor of the Armed Department Guest House, Nie Zhenbang was personally present, facing a seemingly unresponsive Feng Dabiao. Nie Zhenbang suddenly pped the table, yet Feng Dabiao didn¡¯t react at all, as if he wasn¡¯t the one being addressed. For such a person, unconventional methods might be required. Getting up, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Feng Dabiao, I admit, I underestimated you. However, my patience has its limits. So, you can forget about resting today.¡± Saying that, Nie Zhenbang turned and ordered, ¡°Xiao Zhao, remove Mr. Feng¡¯s chair. He seems a bit toofortable. Starting today, he is to be interrogated for eight hours every four hours, no sleep, no sit-downs. We¡¯ll use a fatigue bombardment strategy. I want to see whether your physical strength or mental resilience gives out first.¡± Just as he finished speaking, a knock was heard from outside. A beaming Gao Wei entered the room and walked straight over to Nie Zhenbang. He leaned over and whispered in his ear, ¡°Nie, we have a breakthrough. It seems someone in Dameng County is getting anxious. They¡¯ve actively sent us some materials.¡± PS: Sweat, the 24-hour subscriptions dropped drastically. Could it be that this plot is just unbearable? Okay, I¡¯ll adjust it. I¡¯ve been tied up with mundane affairstely. Please understand. (.) Chapter 312 - 307: Breakthrough_1 Chapter 312: Chapter 307: Breakthrough_1 Getting restless? Upon hearing this news, Nie Zhenbang gave a slight nod, then turned to Xiao Zhao beside him and instructed, ¡°Xiao Zhao, you and Xiao Song will take over the interrogation here. I will arrange for manpower to coverter shifts. Since Feng Dabiao is ying tough, let him y all the way until he willingly speaks.¡± This fatigue-bombing approach to interrogation is mostmonly used within the public security and disciplinarymittee systems. Mental torture tends to be far more painful than physical. In extreme fatigue, when even the eyelids are fighting to close, but sleep is forbidden, the agony is immense. At such times, those with weaker will are likely to seek escape. Suicide is often their first thought. Yet even suicide isn¡¯t an option, and with a desire for death, other considerations no longer matter. In the end, everyone longs for relief. To obtain it, the best way is to actively confess and admit to all deeds, thereby seeking an end to the ordeal. This fatigue-bombing style of interrogation is a form of torture for the suspect. The reason it was gradually abolished inter years is because of this. However, at present, it is an infallible magic weapon. Coming out of the interrogation room, Gao Wei and Zheng Gensheng approached him. Gao Wei said, ¡°Director Nie, this was just handed over to us by a soldier from the Armed Department. A middle-aged man specifically asked them to pass it to us. See if it could be what we discussed earlier.¡± With the Feng Dabiao case, during the undercover investigation, Nie Zhenbang had already determined that Dameng County could not be an absolute aplice. If it were so, Dameng County would have be Feng Dabiao¡¯s personal kingdom, something the party and the country would never allow. The situation in Dameng County is that some people are suppressed and dare not resist or move. If we take sweeping measures and appear overwhelming, it will certainly resonate with many and stir their hearts. Unlike the investigation team, these people have been stationed in Dameng County for many years and are very familiar with Feng Dabiao and others. As long as they are willing, obtaining one or two crucial pieces of evidence is not a problem. It seems that Nie Zhenbang guessed right. Unwrapping therge envelope wrapped in brown paper, several photos inside show a man and a woman who seem very intimate. The appearance of the man is very familiar to Nie Zhenbang and others; it is Feng Dabiao. The appearance of this woman, however, has delighted Nie Zhenbang and the others. It seems that this woman is likely to be key to solving the case. It¡¯s very likely that all of Feng Dabiao¡¯s criminal evidence is hidden with this woman. Underneath the photos, there¡¯s a note attached. The handwriting is messy and irregr. From one look, it¡¯s clear that it was written with the left hand, and deliberately so, to avoid revealing the writer¡¯s identity. The careful caution of these people surprises Nie Zhenbang a bit. The current scene is like conducting underground intelligence work. Underneath the note, there is also a tape. This item is a luxury at this time, in an era when video machines are rare, yet they own a camera extravagantly. This is enough to prove that these people are not ordinary; ordinary civilians can¡¯t afford this. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang promptly arranged, ¡°Old Zheng, immediately contact Secretary Fan from the Dongmeng District. Ask him to immediately dispatch people to search this woman¡¯s residence.¡± Saying so, Nie Zhenbang held up the video tape in his hand and said, ¡°Wei Zi, let¡¯s go. Call Director He from the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee and Secretary Fan from Dongmeng toe along, let¡¯s see what¡¯s on this tape.¡± Here at the Armed Department Guest House and with the arrangement of the Dongmeng District Disciplinary Committee, all kinds of equipment are readily avable. With the development of the times and the advancement of technology, evenputers are gradually beginning to be popr in big cities. Even in a ce like Dameng County, some electronic equipment is provided. Video machines are an absolute necessity. Although they may not be necessarily utilized for the entire case, it¡¯s always better to have. At this moment, it¡¯s being put to use. Upon receiving Nie Zhenbang¡¯s notice, He Weimao now has a smile on his face as he walks in. The Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee is merely assisting in this case. Frankly speaking, He Weimao currently cannot wait to see Nie Zhenbang make a fool of himself. Things have their urgencies. For example, at life-threatening situations, that¡¯s a major and urgent issue and cannot be dyed. He Weimao can clearly stand with Nie Zhenbang. After all, if anything happened to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection team here, the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee would be partly to me. But now, with the investigation in the hands of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Nie Zhenbang, He Weimao is quite at ease. Everyday, aside from paying attention to the progress of the case, he does not make any other movements or activities. Seeing Nie Zhenbang walk into the office, He Weimao also smiles and says, ¡°Director Nie, have you found any new clues?¡± While they were talking, Fan Mengshui and Zheng Gensheng hurriedly walked in as well. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, he understands very well what He Weimao and Fan Mengshui meant ¨C that they will fully cooperate. But to get any substantial help from these old foxes, unless he asks for it, they won¡¯t take the initiative. At this moment, all these people are waiting tough at him. ¡°Just a moment ago, I received some materials. Among them, there was this tape, and I was curious about how such a thing could exist. So, I specifically invited you two here so we can all watch it together and see what it is about.¡± After starting the video yer and the TV, and putting the tape inside, after about half a minute, the snowke dot disappeared, and was reced by the main road of Dameng County¡¯s county town. The filming location was chosen well, probably from the fifth floor, and the skill of the filming crew was impressive. There were no picture shakes or noises. In the frame, the entire county town of Dameng County was in full view. On both sides of the street, every dozen meters or so, a vibrant g was erected. The weather in the frame was good. The time was probably around 8 o¡¯clock in the morning. On the street, policemen in uniform were constantly patrolling. Judging from the scene, it appeared to be a major celebration in Dameng County. As time went on, the crowd in the frame gradually increased. The camera slowly moved to reveal an open space ahead; the entrance to the county government office of Dameng County, which was essentially a small square. At the same time, the lens slowly zoomed in and the image became clearer. At this moment, on the square, formations started to gather, with the police formation at the front followed by the militia formation. Then came formations representing the health system, government organs, taxation, industrial andmercial, etc., all wearing clothes representative of their respective images. Meanwhile, on the road, a 212 open-top jeep came to a halt, and the plump figure of Feng Dabiao appeared in the frame. In front of Feng Dabiao, there was another open-top jeep and surprisingly, the man in it was Feng Dajun. At that moment, Feng Dajun saluted in a not so standard military manner and shouted, ¡°Comrade Secretary, the review ceremony for National Day in Dameng County is ready for your inspection.¡± After speaking, Feng Dabiao appeared imposing in the frame, fully disying the demeanor of a leader. He waved his hand like a leader of the party and the country and dered, ¡°Begin.¡± Then, the majestic sound of the inspection march music was heard. The jeep moved slowly, and Feng Dabiao waved while saying, ¡°Comrades, hello. Everyone has worked hard.¡± The responding catchphrase was naturally those two familiar lines: ¡°Hello leader. Devoted to serving the people.¡± Upon seeing this, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. The pomp and circumstance surpassed even Elder Nan¡¯s military parade back in the day. However, aside from the humorous aspect of the frame, it was also enough to prove Feng Dabiao¡¯s arrogance in Dameng County. Such a wasteful event was not something apetent county party secretary should do. The video continued, and after the inspection waspleted, Feng Dabiao and his entourage returned to the podium set up at the entrance of the county party building. Meanwhile, the members of each formation began to pass before the podium one after another, presenting their salutes. Upon seeing this, both He Weimao and Fan Mengshui couldn¡¯t bear to watch any further. This tape was simply a disgrace to the Dongmeng District and a stain on Ludong Province. Immediately, He Weimao, his face pale, stood up and said, ¡°Outrageous, ridiculous! What virtues and abilities does Feng Dabiao possess? What right does he have to inspect? What right does he have to create such a grandiose spectacle in the county town? Is Dameng County a strong economic county in the province? Or is Dameng County saying that it has escaped poverty, been well-fed, and is ready to strive for a moderately prosperous life? This man needs to be severely punished.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, He Weimao seemed to remember his own position; there was a leader of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection present. Immediately, He Weimao came forward and said, ¡°Director Nie, this tape is simply shocking. This is utterly reckless; such officials must be sternly dealt with. I urge Director Nie to consider this seriously. From what I can see, this person is simply unfit to be an official.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled inwardly, fearing that the two of them would make observations from the sidelines. What was needed was their current attitude. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Director He, I wholeheartedly agree with your opinion. By peeking into the center of things, I can see the essence. This tape may seem amusing, but its deep-seated implications are worthy of our reflection. Such a person must be dealt with severely. If we continue to retain this kind of person in our ranks of party members and cadres, it would be an insult to us.¡± Having said that, Nie Zhenbang continued to spill the beans, ¡°Director He, Secretary Fan, one more important clue that came with these materials: ording to the information shown, Feng Dabiao has a mistress here. I estimate that the final breakthrough may very well be this mistress. In fact, when Feng Dabiao was epting bribes, this woman even served as his spokesperson. I believe it is necessary to immediately arrest this woman.¡± (To be continued. If you like this work, pleasee to and vote for it. Your support is my greatest motivation). Chapter 313 - 308: Ludong’s Number One Greedy _1 Chapter 313: Chapter 308: Ludong¡¯s Number One Greedy _1 ¡°Hmm, I agree with Director Nie¡¯s judgement on this. Secretary Fan, from what I see, you might want to consider immediately assembling apetent team to take control of this woman.¡± At this moment, He Weimao also abandoned his passive spectator-like attitude and became involved in the investigation and examination of the case. Meanwhile, Gao Wei personally led a team, and with the cooperation of several local policemen, a nighttime search was conducted on the home of Feng Dabiao¡¯s mistress, the vice president of Dameng County People¡¯s Hospital, Liu Hongmei. Looking at the three police officers standing at the door, as well as two stern looking men in dark suits, Liu Hongmei had a bad premonition. In Dameng County, Liu Hongmei was a legendary character. At the age of neen, after graduating from the medical major in Dongmeng District Health School, she was assigned to Dameng County People¡¯s Hospital as an ordinary doctor. But, due to a fortuitous encounter, she met the then Deputy Secretary of the County Party Committee, Feng Dabiao. At that time, Feng Dabiao had just lost his wife and was heartbroken, staying in the hospital for recuperation. Seeing Liu Hongmei¡¯s youthful and spirited appearance, Feng Dabiao was infatuated. He relentlessly pursued Liu Hongmei. As a recent graduate, Liu Hongmei was no match for Feng Dabiao¡¯s scheming. After a few ploys, Liu Hongmei was coaxed into his bed while in a half-drunk half-awake state, and she became Feng Dabiao¡¯s mistress. Ever since he hooked up with Liu Hongmei, Feng Dabiao¡¯s career has been on the rise. He quickly became the County Party Secretary with significant power. Meanwhile, Liu Hongmei also rose quickly, and by the age of thirty, she had be the Vice President of Dameng County People¡¯s Hospital. After all, Liu Hongmei had seen the world. Although she was somewhat scared by the scene, she forced herself to remain calm: ¡°You are¡­?¡± Gao Wei had already walked over by this point, sizing up Liu Hongmei. She was about 1.7 meters tall, having a slender and well-proportioned figure. Even more importantly, she had a curvy body and a defined waist. Just standing there, she radiated an allure. Her tantalizing eyes, glowing skin and teasing smirk exined why Feng Dabiao was so infatuated with her to the point of confiding in her. She was indeed a seductress. Gao Wei pondered for a moment before speaking: ¡°Comrade Liu Hongmei, right? We are from the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee. We¡¯re here to inquire about some matters. Here are our work cards and search warrant.¡± Upon hearing Gao Wei¡¯s words, Liu Hongmei briefly lost focus. She had not expected them to be from the disciplinarymittee. Aftering out of the daze, Liu Hongmei moved aside to make way and said to Gao Wei and the others, ¡°Pleasee in.¡± Once inside Liu Hongmei¡¯s house, Gao Wei did not say much. Inquiring about the circumstances was just an excuse. The main objective was to search for evidence ¨C cash, gold, passbooks and ount books. These were what Gao Wei and his team were mainly interested in. As for the rtionship between Liu Hongmei and Feng Dabiao, it¡¯s trivial. One was widowed, and the other single; can you me them for having an improper rtionship? There was nothing incriminating or problematic in this regard. The search was aplete professional task for Gao Wei and his team. They started with the bedroom, not missing any corner. However, no abnormalities were discovered until they reached the bathroom. Suddenly, a staff member from the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee came out of the bathroom with an excited look on his face, ¡°Director Gao, we¡¯ve found something.¡± Upon hearing this, Gao Wei stood up, turned to a police officer next to him, and said, ¡°Comrade, please keep an eye on Liu Hongmei.¡± Entering the bathroom, a police officer was tapping on the bathroom wall, saying, ¡°Mr. Lu, Director Gao, take a look. This wall appears to be normal on the surface, but judging by the distance visually, it seems to be artificially added. The length is not proportionate with the area of the bathroom. Also, the wall sounds hollow when knocked on. If my estimation isn¡¯t wrong, it should be a false wall.¡± ¡°A false wall?¡± reiterated Gao Wei, making an immediate decision, ¡°Smash it, open it and see what¡¯s inside.¡± Soon, an eight-pound hammer was brought over and with only a few hits, a hole was created in the wall. The sight inside left everyone present speechless. Through the hole in the wall, stacks of RMB were neatly arranged in an about thirty-centimeter-wide space. Next to it, there were plenty of pieces of gold, silver and jewelry. On top of these, there were stacks of passbooks tied together with a rubber band. At the very top, there was a ck-covered notebook. Seeing this, Liu Hongmei turned pale and stopped talking. She had long expected and spected this oue. However, she hadn¡¯t expected that the disciplinarymittee would trace it back to her so quickly. Gao Wei also had a look of joy on his face at this moment; at this stage of the case investigation, substantial progress had been made. At this point, essentially, the game was settled, and there was no possibility for Feng Dabiao to turn the situation around. Subsequently, Gao Wei said in a deep voice, ¡°Mr. Lu, arrange for a car, take pictures of all these illicit money and goods, and take them away. Liu Hongmei should also be taken back for immediate interrogation.¡± When arge truck full of illicit money and goods was dragged back to the Dameng County Armed Department Guesthouse, Nie Zhenbang, He Weimao and Fan Mengshui, who had heard the news, were already standing in the yard. As soon as Gao Wei got out of the car, a joyous look appeared on his face. He looked at the three of them and said, ¡°Director Nie, Director He, Secretary Fan. We¡¯ve found it. Preliminary estimate, just the cash alone, is as much as 600,000. This time, it¡¯s impossible for Feng Dabiao to deny any longer.¡± Hearing this news, both Nie Zhenbang and He Weimao¡¯s faces showed a touch of joy. Immediately, several staff members were assigned to check these illicit items. An hourter, Gao Wei walked into the office and looked at Nie Zhenbang and others who were waiting for the news. He joyfully said, ¡°Leaders, we have found out that this time, we have confiscated a total of 630,000 in cash, gold and jewelry worth 300,000, as well as 23 anonymous bankbooks with deposits ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands. The total amount reaches 3.18 million. In addition, there is a ck notebook, in which Liu Hongmei recorded the time of each bribe, who gave it, all are recorded. This time, Feng Dabiao has no room to refute.¡± More than 3 million. Upon hearing this figure, He Weimao sprung up, his face ashen. Embezzling more than 3 million, this is the first time in the history of Ludong Province. Feng Dabiao, undoubtedly the number one corrupt official in Ludong, a countymittee secretary from a nationally distressed county, had umted such arge fortune in just ten years. This was a severe p in the face for the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee and the Dongmeng District Disciplinary Committee. After a moment of silence, He Weimao turned to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Director Nie, this is a mistake and stain on our discipline inspection work in Ludong Province. Here, on behalf of the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee, on behalf of our Secretary Huang, I review to the higher leadership. Here, I have a request, I hope Director Nie can agree.¡± Hearing He Weimao¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t even need to think to understand He Weimao¡¯s intention. This time, such a big thing happened in Dameng County, the Central Discipline Inspection Commission conducted a covert investigation, bypassing the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee. If not much had been found, the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee would have been a bit better off. But now they have dug up the number one corrupt official in Ludong. The Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee¡¯s face was swept clean. It was gone. The Central Discipline Inspection Commission knew about it, but the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee remained in the dark. Isn¡¯t this clear proof of the ipetence and dereliction of duty of the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee? At this moment, if He Weimao were to take the power of investigation and prosecution into his hands, the nature would change, it would be a major corruption case in Ludong cracked under the guidance of the higher leadership of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission and the implementation of the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee. The nature would be different. In the officialdom, bnce is valued. Now that things have be clear, since my purpose has already been achieved, and the task assigned by Secretary Ouyang Xia has beenpleted, it is not so important who is leading in this. Since I am in charge of the Fifth Office and responsible for six provinces and cities including Ludong, there will be more opportunities to work together in the future. At this time, if I act too decisively and it is rumored that Nie Zhenbang, the director of the Fifth Office, does not give face to the subordinate, my future work will be difficult to carry out. On the contrary, if I agree to the request of He Weimao and others at this moment, leaving some face for Ludong Province and Dongmeng District, these people will certainly not, and dare not be biased. After all, I am watching here. But they have saved them a lot of face, which is to establish a friendship. This will make my future work much easier. With this thought in mind, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and nodded, ¡°Director He, what are you talking about? Even if you didn¡¯t say it, I would propose it. This case. We only came here after receiving a real-name report from Mr. Hong Qingshan. You all know, Grandpa Hong was a veteran, who was also the old squad leader of Secretary Ouyang Xia back then. Therefore, Secretary Ouyang was furious. Now that the matter is clear, specific interrogation and subsequent prosecution procedures still need to rely on the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee and Dongmeng District Disciplinary Committee toplete. I think, this case, can be arranged by Director He and Secretary Fan.¡± Since he was to give favors, Nie Zhenbang decided to give a bigger one, not only to the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee, but also to the Dongmeng District Disciplinary Committee. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, He Weimao and Fan Mengshui looked at each other, He Weimao immediately stepped forward, shook hands with Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Director Nie, thank the higher leadership, thank you for your trust in our Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee. Please rest assured, this case, we will definitely give Director Nie and Secretary Ouyang a satisfactory answer.¡± PS: These days, the 24-hour subscriptions have been dropping severely, and I¡¯ve been pondering over it. Ever since I started writing, my nerves have been on edge. It seems that I need to adjust my mentality. The stuff that is forced to churn out, no one is really reading it, huh? ( Chapter 314 - 309: Closing the Case and Returning to Beijing_1 Chapter 314: Chapter 309: Closing the Case and Returning to Beijing_1 He Weimao¡¯s words were quite tactful, yet the meaning was clear: the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee wouldn¡¯t intervene in this case. Everything would be done by the book, not cing Nie Zhenbang in a difficult position. After all, this is a case that Secretary Ouyang Xia was interested in. With the gathered material evidence and testimonies, especially the ount book written by Liu Hongmei, Feng Dabiao crumbled under immense pressure. He admitted to receiving massive bribes in the appointment and promotion of personnel in Dameng County, leading an utterly corrupt lifestyle. In addition, he was suspected of plotting to control the county by suppressing and framing other countymittee leaders. Meanwhile, the investigation into Feng Dajun had alsoe to light. During his tenure as the Standing Committee Member of Dameng County and the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, he privately ran entertainment venues, organized women to prostitute themselves, and epted bribes from local criminal organizations, serving as their protector. His actions had a terrible influence, sparking intense public anger. Feng Tianbao was used of raping women and girls, and deliberately killing innocent women, all under the protection of his father and uncle. In Dameng County, he organized a group of idlers to cause havoc and behave recklessly. Rted to this, many leaders involved in Feng Dabiao¡¯s case were implicated. After the case investigation was clear, they would be prosecuted in another ce. Secretary Huang of the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee reported this matter to Qi Quansheng, the Secretary of the Shandong Provincial Party Committee. Upon learning of the matter, Secretary Qi was irate. He immediately ordered all the suspects to be detained in Luquan City, the provincial capital, and a monthter, the Luquan City Procuratorate would prosecute the crime suspects in Dameng County led by Feng Dabiao. Feng Dabiao, Feng Dajun, and Feng Tianbao were sentenced to death in the first instance, and their political rights were revoked for life. The other suspects were sentenced to various terms, ranging from life imprisonment to imprisonment for more than five years. At the same time, Wei Zhiguo took over as Secretary of the Dameng County Party Committee and was appointed County Mayor. Deputy Director of the County Public Security Bureau, Tang Yutian was appointed as the Director of the Dameng County Public Security Bureau. As the case was resolved, Nie Zhenbang and others had already started packing up. Now that the case had been rified and Nie Zhenbang was returning to Jingcheng with a case report, the Ludong Provincial Disciplinary Committee still dared not show any favoritism in this case. Unlike renting a car when they first arrived, this time, a vehicle dispatched by the Ludong Provincial Disciplinary Committee. Amid the farewell of several main leaders of the Dongmeng District Party Committee and Office, and Fan Mengshui, Secretary of the Dongmeng District Disciplinary Committee, with the traffic guidance vehicle of the Dongmeng District Public Security Office leading the way. The fleet set out in grand style from Dameng County. Here in the Ludong Province, the preferred official car was Audi 100, specially dispatched from Luquan City for Nie Zhenbang and others, as Dongmeng District couldn¡¯t afford ten Audi 100s all at once with its economic strength. The convoy moved quickly with its warning lights shing. In one of the leading cars, which bore the license te QiA-00001, besides the driver, there were only Nie Zhenbang and He Weimao. At this moment, seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stern and cold expression, He Weimao felt a bit emotional. Originally, in He Weimao¡¯s view, Nie Zhenbang, being young and upying the position of deputy bureau-level cadre and holding substantial power as the Deputy Director of the Disciplinary Inspection and Supervision Office of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, seemed prospering. Both were engaged in disciplinary inspection work; He Weimao knew that this department was not like the Letters and Calls Office (also known as the Report Center), which could bepared. The various departments of disciplinary inspection and supervision had actual investigation and review power. Originally, He Weimao believed that Nie Zhenbang must be willful and proud due to his youth, and wouldn¡¯t let go of the credit at hand. Even though it was just a county case, it was a case personally supervised by Deputy Secretary Ouyang Xia, which, if done well, would have a different status in Secretary Ouyang Xia¡¯s eyes. However, Nie Zhenbang did let go. He had helped Dongmeng District and Ludong Province save face. This was why Ludong Province put on such a show to wee Nie Zhenbang and others. ¡°Director Nie, I¡¯m blessed this time thanks to you. This is the vehicle of Ji Zongdao, a member of the Ludong Provincial Party Committee and the Secretary of Luquan City Party Committee. This time, Secretary Qi used this car toplete the fleet. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have the privilege to experience Luquan City¡¯s No.1 car.¡± He Weimao expressed with some emotion, jokingly highlighted the importance of Ludong Province paid to Nie Zhenbang. Inmon perception, the No.1 car of a provincial capital city seems to be the vehicle of the provincial party secretary. However, it¡¯s not the case, usually, the No.1 car of a provincial capital city is basically the vehicle of the city party secretary. The provincial party secretary generally uses a car with an O license te. For instance, Qi Quansheng¡¯s official car number te is QiO-00001. Hearing He Weimao¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also smiled: ¡°Director He, saying so would embarrass me. You shouldn¡¯t underestimate yourself, Director He. Considering your position, I¡¯m afraid promotion is a certainty.¡± A trace of contentment appeared on He Weimao¡¯s face. Nie Zhenbang was right. This incident gave He Weimao a good deal of credit. After all, acquiring such a case from the hands of the Central Disciplinary Committee, Qi Quansheng¡¯s evaluation of He Weimao was quite good. This time, He Weimao might have a great chance of bing the Deputy Secretary of Ludong Provincial Disciplinary Committee because of this. On the surface, He Weimao was very modest, saying: ¡°Haha, Director Nie, you¡¯re well-informed. It isn¡¯t final yet, not dare to say, not dare to say. Until the official appointment is announced, anything can change.¡± Chapter 315 - 309: Closing the Case and Returning to Beijing_2 Chapter 315: Chapter 309: Closing the Case and Returning to Beijing_2 After saying that, He Weimao intentionally avoided the topic. It was somewhat awkward when it came to his own reputation. Being too modest gave people a feeling of pretense, but not being modest would generate an impression of arrogance. It was hard to strike a bnce. Avoiding the topic was, naturally, the best choice. Later, He Weimao said with a smile, ¡°Director Nie, Comrade Cao Zhian, Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of the East Mongolia Region, and Comrade Gu Bingyi, Commissioner of the East Mongolia Region Office, have both called me. Is Director Nie not nning to visit the East Mongolia Region?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s timelypromise had won the goodwill of the East Mongolia Region and Ludong Province. The concession merely returned the power of investigation to Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee. It was no significant harm to the case. For Nie Zhenbang, perhaps it was just a trivial matter. But for Ludong Province and the East Mongolia Region, it was a big deal. If Nie Zhenbang insisted on investigation, Ludong Province and East Mongolia would not object. But if the news got out that Ludong Province had a case that neither provincial nor city level could investigate, and only the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection could intervene, it would be a whole different scenario. Thus, Ludong Province and East Mongolia were very grateful to Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Director He, let it go. I have been out for over ten days. It¡¯s time to return to Jingcheng to report on my work. As for the East Mongolia Region, I¡¯d better not go. Let¡¯s go straight to Lu Quan City. Now that I¡¯m on the disciplinarymittee, I believe we¡¯ll have many opportunities to meet in the future. If we don¡¯t have business contacts in the future, I can still visit by myself. I trust that Director He will certainly wee me then.¡± Nie Zhenbang pondered briefly and then declined He Weimao¡¯s invitation. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, He Weimaoughed, nodded, and said, ¡°Haha, Director Nie is right. I also hope, and am willing, that there are no major incidents in Ludong, even across the nation. It¡¯s best for us, who work for the discipline inspectionmission, to have nothing to do.¡± The car moved smoothly towards Lu Quan, the capital city of Ludong Province. To get to Lu Quan City from Dameng County, it wasn¡¯t necessary to pass through the East Mongolia region where the county seat was located. The convoy set off at 9:30 in the morning and had arrived at Ludong Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Governmentpound by about 4 in the afternoon. The six-and-a-half-hour journey was a bit faster than by bus, but not much, because the road condition in Dameng County was not good for speeding. At this time, Secretary Huang of the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee had already been waiting at the side. As soon as Nie Zhenbang stepped out of the car, Secretary Huang greeted him: ¡°Director Nie, wee, wee. This time, you have given me quite a surprise.¡± Although his words were in jest, indicating that Secretary Huang didn¡¯t care much about, in his jokes, there was a touch of dissatisfaction. Right now, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Huang, I apologize for the sudden visit. I went straight to Dameng County withoutmunicating with therades in Ludong in time. It was a mistake on our part. Secretary Huang, you are a seasoned discipline inspector, and in front of you, I am like a raw recruit. I will need to learn a lot from you in the future.¡± Hearing this, Secretary Huang seemed quite satisfied and nodded. Nie Zhenbang praised Secretary Huang while lowering his own position, not mentioning that it was Secretary Ouyang Xia¡¯s decision. This approach greatly pleased Secretary Huang. Nie Zhenbang indeed was not a simple character to have achieved his current position at such a young age. As a veteran discipline inspector, Secretary Huang was well aware of the procedures. Without the leader¡¯s directive, Nie Zhenbang would not dare to make a move without informing him. The Disciplinary Commission at the district and city level could be disregarded, but the provincial level Disciplinary Commission had to be informed. Without localrades¡¯ cooperation, many tasks couldn¡¯t be carried out. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t mention that it was the leader¡¯s directive, this fully maintained the leader¡¯s prestige. Secretary Huang was very satisfied with this principle and method of handling affairs. Then, Secretary Huang also said with augh, ¡°Director Nie, please join us in our provincialmittee conference room. Secretary Qi and Governor Guan have been looking forward to your arrival.¡± Nie Zhenbang, He Weimao and Gao Wei entered the meeting room of the Ludong Provincial Party Committee, following Secretary Huang. Inside, the leaders of the Ludong Provincial Party Committee had already stood up. Qi Quansheng, the secretary of the Ludong Provincial Party Committee, was a typical Ludong man. He was tall and muscr, with thick eyebrows andrge eyes. His every movement was characterized by a certain boldness. His manner of work and speech gave others the impression of being swift and decisive. Qi Quansheng and Nie Zhenbang merely shook hands and nodded in a formalized manner. In response to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s goodwill shown in this case, the Ludong provincial government sent a luxury motorcade to greet him, showing they had gone to great lengths. The fact that Secretary Huang was personally sent to receive him fully demonstrated the importance that Ludong Province attached to the matter. However, as the secretary of the provincial partymittee, Qi Quansheng, a centralmittee member himself, could not be as courteous to Nie Zhenbang as if he were a subordinate. This was considered the highest level of reception. After everyone took their seats, Qi Quansheng took a nce around the room and loudly proimed: ¡°Comrades, this time, under the guidance ofrades from the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee has solved the case involving Feng Dabiao, secretary of the Dameng County Party Committee. Having read the case report submitted by Comrade Shou Zheng, I was shocked.¡± The meeting room fell silent. The leaders of the Ludong Provincial Party Committee were well aware of Qi Quansheng¡¯s style. Qi Quansheng was a difficult man to judge. Ludong province¡¯s economy had continuously reached new heights under his leadership, with their economic growth among the fastest in the country. This clearly showed his capabilities. Qi Quansheng himself was incorruptible, living a simple and clean life. But Qi Quansheng also had somewhat paternalistic attitudes. After a brief pause, Qi Quansheng continued: ¡°Comrades, with the deepening of reform and opening up. The continuous growth of economic level. The prevention and elimination of official corruption under the new circumstances is worth our deep thought. Dameng County, a county characterized by poverty across the province and the nation, yet it has produced the number one corrupt official in Ludong. This is a disgrace, a disgrace indeed. I propose that we take this case as a lesson, as an opportunity. We should carry out intensive political and ideological study. We should regard anti-corruption as a major task for the whole province. Implement President Yuan¡¯s instructions from the central party. We must strive for clean governance, transparent systems, and fair power.¡± Next, after Qi Quansheng¡¯s speech, He Weimao, representing the special case team, gave a detailed introduction of the Dameng case to the leaders of the Ludong Provincial Party Committee. Afterwards, at the Ludong Hotel, the provincial standingmittee team leaders hosted a special banquet for Nie Zhenbang and others. Qi Quansheng and others attended the banquet and toasted Nie Zhenbang before leaving quickly. Huang Shouzheng, the Secretary of the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee, apanied them throughout the entire event. After the banquet, under Huang Shouzheng¡¯s arrangement, Nie Zhenbang and his party hurried to Lu Quan Airport to catch the eight o¡¯clock flight back to Jingcheng. Early the next morning, Nie Zhenbang hurried to the office building of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission. As soon as he entered his office, Gao Wei had alreadye in, smiling, he said: ¡°Third brother, I finished the case files of Ludong Provincest night after working overtime. Please take a look.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, very satisfied with Gao Wei¡¯s performance. He understood that Gao Wei, as a scion of a prominent family, held a high rank like his father. Yet, in Gao Wei, Nie Zhenbang could see a unique temperament, demonstrating a focus on the system. He saw a person worth nurturing. Then, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said: ¡°Put it there, I¡¯ll take it to report to Secretary Ouyang.¡± But just at that moment, the door of the office was knocked twice, Liu Bin had alreadye in, looking at Nie Zhenbang and Gao Wei, and then said: ¡°Old Third, Deputy Secretary Liu just called, asking you toe to her office.¡± PS: The new week is also thest week of March, begging for monthly tickets and rmendation tickets. Brothers and sisters, perhaps everyone is a bit unhappy with the recent plot. But I promise, I am working hard to adjust, trying to bring better quality content to everyone. Please support me with your monthly tickets and rmendation tickets. ( Chapter 316 - 310 The Leader is Very Dissatisfied_1 Chapter 316: Chapter 310 The Leader is Very Dissatisfied_1 The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Deputy Secretary Liu, don¡¯t even think or consider it, there is only one Deputy Secretary named Liu in the entire Discipline Inspection Commission, that is, Deputy Secretary Liu Wei of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, behind which there is a parenthesis indicating (female). Hearing Liu Bin¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also began to ponder. After his appointment to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Secretary Ouyang Xia had always been the one to receive and arrange him. As for Secretary Zhuang Aiguo, there is no need to mention him. He is a leader of the party and the country. He is unequivocally the fifth-ranking leader at the central level. Being a person busy with numerous affairs, it naturally wouldn¡¯t be possible for him to pay attention to a deputy department-level official like him. The immediate superior in charge of supervision and discipline inspection is Deputy Secretary Zeng Youjie. Even though he is the direct leader, there has been little interaction between them as there have neither been huge cases nor any major issues. Deputy Secretary Ouyang Xia is the standing deputy secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission and also in charge of the Personnel Organization department. However, dealing with him is the norm. But Deputy Secretary Liu Wei, who is in charge of the logistics and propaganda of the Discipline Inspection Commission, is suddenly looking for him. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but wonder. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang immediately asked: ¡°Brother Bin, what do you think Deputy Secretary Liu Wei is looking for me for? Is it because of matters concerning Ludong Province?¡± Since Nie Zhenbang brought it up, although confounded at first, Liu Bin now feelspelled to speak up. Liu Wei has nothing to do with the corruption case in Ludong, as she is an official from Chubei Province. She had served as a worker in the Chuwu Auto City, the director of a workshop, the deputy secretary of the lotive factory Discipline Inspection Commission. Later, she was transferred to serve as deputy secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission and member of the standingmittee of Jiangbian District in Chuwu City, eventually rising to the position of deputy secretary of Chuwu City Discipline Inspection Commission and director of the Supervision Bureau. Looking at Liu Wei¡¯s career path, this woman has solely been working on the discipline inspection front, from an ordinary worker to her current status on this separate discipline inspection front. And she is a woman to boot. This is quite an anomaly. Moreover, it can be confirmed that this woman is definitely not a simple character. After pondering the personality and work style of Liu Wei for a while, Liu Bin slowly said: ¡°Old Third, it is hard to say. Comrade Liu Wei is usually quite low-key in the office courtyard. This time, her sudden seeking you out is hard to determine her real purpose.¡± On the side, Gao Wei wore a look of disdain. Among themselves, in their own circle, Gao Wei¡¯s true nature was revealed, not maintaining the calm and steady demeanor he would put on in front of others. ¡°Brother San, why do you care what she wants with you? Just go there once, and won¡¯t that solve the problem? This kind of woman, I suspect, might be going through menopause and looking for something to do. Brother San, are you afraid of her? As long as she can¡¯t grasp our handle, she can¡¯t quite cover the sky with one hand, can she?¡± At this moment, Gao Wei had a bit of a devil-may-care attitude. Nie Zhenbang and Liu Bin bothughed. Liu Bin even said,ughing: ¡°Wei Zi, you are so sarcastic. Dare you to say this in front of her face. I bet you would be packing your belongings and heading home.¡± At this moment, Gao Wei also joined in theughter: ¡°Brother Bin, do you take me for a fool? Insulting the leader in front of her face. Leaving everything else aside, this alone would get me in enough trouble. Stop teasing me.¡± The 12th floor of the Discipline Inspection Commission Office Building This is where the senior leaders of the Discipline Inspection Commission have their offices. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was standing at the doorway of Liu Wei¡¯s office. The signboard reading ¡°Deputy Secretary¡¯s Office¡± was pressuring Nie Zhenbang. Even though he¡¯d met officials of regr ministerial level and deputy national level, and even several members of the Political Bureau, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat nervous at this moment. Frankly speaking, it was the mystery that sparked fear of the unknown in Nie Zhenbang. After taking a deep breath, he straightened his dark woolen coat. His hair was meticulously groomed and his stature upright. This was Nie Zhenbang at his best. Three years in the military have made his demeanor and manner impably military-like, imparting a sense of strict and upright character. Knock, Knock! Following two rhythmic knocks on the door, a method that has been researched and analyzed by so-called workce elites and specialists ofter generations, a calm and steady voice echoed from inside: ¡°Come in.¡± Upon entering Liu Wei¡¯s office, which was neatly arranged, it could be seen that the decoration style and pattern of the entire Discipline Inspection Commission¡¯s offices, irrespective of the size of the official rank, were the same. From Secretary Zhuang¡¯s to the regr offices below, there was no extravagant or superfluous decoration. White walls, pure-colored tile floor, that was theyout of the office. Liu Wei¡¯s office, approximately sixty square metres in size, has a partitioned off section which acts as a reception area with a sofa and coffee table. Inside, there is a row of bookcases against the wall and arge office desk in the middle. At this moment, Liu Wei is sitting at her desk, engrossed in her writing. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang entering, Liu Wei did not intentionally act busy. Instead, she put down her work, looked up at Nie Zhenbang, and gestured towards the chair in front of her desk. She motioned for Nie Zhenbang to sit down and then slowly said, ¡°Nie, do you know why I called you here?¡± Nie Zhenbang was also sizing up Liu Wei at this moment. Liu Wei, about 57 years old, with neat short hair and metal-framed spectacles, exuded a solemn aura, perhaps due to her long-term work in disciplinary inspection. Dressed in a dark, feminine business suit, she sat upright in her chair, without any pretense. Yet, her presence exerted tremendous pressure. This pressure was a result of Liu Wei¡¯s position of authority and the powerful aura that came with it. Having met this famous irondy of the disciplinarymittee, who once intimidated the whole of Chubei Province, Nie Zhenbang indeed admired her to some extent. Then, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Vice Secretary Liu, I apologize for my ignorance. I am unsure why you asked to see me¡­?¡± Standing up to answer a leader¡¯s question is a disy of courtesy. Nie Zhenbang was impable in this regard. Internally, Liu Wei was quite satisfied with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s behavior. Initially, she seemed to have a decent impression of him. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s high-profile approach to work somewhat displeased her. When it came to formal titles, Liu Wei wasn¡¯t fussy. In local agencies and those below provincial level, it wasmon to omit ¡®Vice¡¯ in someone¡¯s title as long as the ¡®Chief¡¯ was not present. However, at Liu Wei¡¯s level, the title ¡®Vice¡¯ always needed to be included as it was considered appropriate. After a moment, she arranged her thoughts and then spoke with a stern tone, ¡°Director Nie, I heard about the case you are working on in Ludong. What were you doing? Investigating a case or staging a thrilling,plex version of a Hong Kong and Taiwan crime film? Nie Zhenbang, is your work model involved in risking the lives of therades cultivated by our party and leaving everyone in a precarious survival situation? People say that you have strong work abilities and impressive work methods. However, in this investigation, I haven¡¯t seen any abilities or standout traits of yours.¡± After a series of rhetorical questions, Liu Wei¡¯s voice had risen considerably. Even though it was a little grating, Nie Zhenbang had no choice but to listen. Unfortunately, he had to admit that he had been arbitrarily making decisions regarding his job in disciplinary inspection. For instance, in the Ludong Province case, he could have contacted hisrades from the Ludong Province Disciplinary Committee as soon as he obtained substantial evidence, while Dameng County was still unaware of the situation. With local support, they certainly would not have ended up in such a dangerous predicament. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang nodded his head, his earnest expression and attitude indicated that he understood. He said solemnly, ¡°Vice Secretary Liu, your criticism is correct. I was subjective in the investigation and did not coordinate well with the local disciplinary inspection authorities. I failed to contact the localrades promptly, which nearly resulted in a dangerous situation. I take responsibility for this. I ask the organization to discipline me. In future work, I will make sure to strengthen my professional learning.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Wei waved her hand. Indeed, it was not that big of an issue. However, she felt that Nie Zhenbang, despite his young age, held a high-ranking position. Based on his performance during this investigation, her impression was that Nie Zhenbang was promoted through family background and connections. Liu Wei loathed this kind of person whocked skills but held a high office. This bias might have been due to her own working experience. At this moment, having heard Nie Zhenbang speak and observed his manner and attitude, Liu Wei¡¯s opinion of him had already changed significantly. Moreover, since Nie Zhenbang had already admitted his mistake, she decided not to pursue the matter further. It wouldn¡¯t be gracious on Liu Wei¡¯s part to hold onto the issue, especially considering her status and authority. Then, Liu Wei waved her hand and said, ¡°All right, that¡¯s enough. Don¡¯t be so quick to ask for punishment. Nobody is born knowing everything and nobody is a genius. Instead of spending your time brooding over this, you should go back and examine past very good cases. Learn from the methods and experiences of your predecessors. That is what a party cadre should do.¡± After pausing, she continued, ¡°Okay. I have some other things to do. You can go back now. Reflect on what I said.¡± Nie Zhenbang was a bit puzzled at the moment. Was Liu Wei like an unpredictable menopausal woman? However, she was already over fifty years old, so she should be past menopause. Or, was she simply berating him for the fun of it? Nie Zhenbang began to ponder this. PS: Let¡¯s do a survey. On the book page, do you think we should quickly skip over the disciplinarymittee segment? Please help by casting your vote. ( Chapter 317 - 311: The Zhou Family has Fallen_1 Chapter 317: Chapter 311: The Zhou Family has Fallen_1 In the following period, Nie Zhenbang lived a rtively rxed life. This New Year, he was not as busy as in the past. After stepping down from the party and government leadership. Freed from New Year¡¯s inspection, New Year¡¯s visits and other tedious works. Nie Zhenbang managed to spend a peaceful New Year at home. During the Spring Festival, the scions of the ancient houses in Jingcheng gathered most frequently. Many who lived abroad returned. Those working within the system and holding offices all around the country returned as well. Moreover, many offspring from the militarypounds also returned to Jingcheng. At this moment, Jingcheng was the most lively. It was also the busiest time for social engagements. It was the same for Nie Zhenbang and his associates. Unlike Li Guohua and his associates who gathered at the Ivy Club, Nie Zhenbang and his group were concentrated in the Dynasty Club. Even Yang Anbang, who himself had opened the Tang Dynasty Club, ended up in the Dynasty Club. With the development of these years, various private clubs of different natures sprang up in Jingcheng like mushrooms after the rain. However, in Jingcheng, no one could challenge the positions of the Dynasty and Great Tang. Within the system, the Dynasty Club has be a hub for social connections, while the Tang Dynasty Club is more focused onmercial properties. Therefore, scions of Jingcheng¡¯s noble families generally stay in the Dynasty Club. The club¡¯s membership card is a symbol of status since the Dynasty Club is no longer providing membership services to the public. Unless rmended by five regr members or three ¡®white card¡¯ members, one cannot be a member. In her management, Li Lixue mastered this ¡®rarity sell¡¯ mode. On the 7th floor of the Dynasty Club, Li Lixue set up a tea bar like setting, withrge and luxurious private rooms with good sound instion, which assured the privacy of each space. This kind of ce was well received by the members of the club. After all, the main purpose ofing here was for entertainment, but sometimes a quiet ce was needed to discuss some matters. The arrival of the tea bar perfectly met this need of the customers. At this moment, inside thergest private room in the tea bar on the 7th floor were Nie Zhenbang and his associates. On his left were Yang Anbang, Liu Kun, Zhao Xinglong, Li Hua, Qian Jin, Liang Ligui and others. On the right were Li Wenge, Liu Bin, Gao Wei, Ning Zhiyuan, Guo Ming and more. Looking at it, on the left were those who were tired of the system¡¯s life, all dedicated to a life in business. On the right were those who had already entered the system. Li Wenge, this young man, couldn¡¯t resist his family¡¯s arrangement and now he held a small government post in the Department of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, advancing his career. Ning Zhiyuan and Guo Ming, now serving under their fathers, Ning Zhiyuan was Party Committee Secretary of a town in a county-level city under Jingzhou City, Jiangbei Province, which was the start of his political career. Guo Ming, on the other hand, has been made the Deputy-head of a county under Shaouzhou City, Yuedong. At this moment, there were no outsiders, even the waiter and the tea brewer had been asked to leave. In the middle, beside a set of exquisite tea set, Nie Zhenbang personally made tea, following the steps of the tea ceremony one by one. Although the movements seemed a bit clumsy, the meaning was different. ¡°Younger brother, you are really capable. This Wuyi Da Hong Pao mother tree, produces about two kilograms per year. Besides the special supply to the central government, about half a kilogram of tea leaves gathered each year can be considered a bountiful harvest. You managed to get these fine things. Impressive connections.¡± Under these circumstances, the person who could speak like this would only be Yang Anbang. The Yang and Nie families were very close. For one, Yang Anbang¡¯s fianc¨¦, the daughter of the Xiao family, Xiao Yali, was Nie¡¯s granddaughter. Also, Yang Anbang¡¯s sister was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s fianc¨¦e. Yang Anbang was both a cousin-inw and an uncle-inw. With this rtionship, he was much more rxed than the others. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Older Brother, I don¡¯t have that kind of ability, these tea leaves were all brought in by Lixue through her own channels. The prestigious Dynasty Club, if we don¡¯t have these kind of things, won¡¯t it be like smashing our own signboard?¡± After a round of jokes, Zhao Xinglong suddenly said, ¡°Third Brother, recently, the Zhou family has been very strange. Several brothers of the second generation of the Zhou family have returned. These past few days, they have gathered at the General Military Hospital. Zhou Chen and several younger generations of the Zhou family have also been staying there, even eating and living in the guest house of the General Military Hospital. It looks like the old man of Zhou¡¯s family might notst much longer.¡± After the discussion turned serious, everyone became solemn. When gatherings happen in the circle, it¡¯s not only for leisure. In fact, most of the time, they discuss matters within the circle. Whether to go into business or politics, those who have entered the circle need to understand the dynamics within it. Whose family is prospering, whose family is down on their luck, these are the things they need to work out. As soon as Zhao Xinglong¡¯s voice fell, Li Hua on the side also added, ¡°Xinglong is right. I heard some news, as my older aunt works at the General Military Hospital.¡± Li Hua¡¯s entire family is from the military system; his father is the General Staff Department, so it was only natural for his older aunt to work at the General Military Hospital. Seeing Li Hua¡¯s teasing manner, Li Wenge, who was sitting next to him, grumbled, ¡°Hua, you¡¯ve learned to speak in half-sentences now, haven¡¯t you? Just spit it out, we¡¯re all watching you.¡± Li Hua picked up a pack of special Panda cigarettes on the table and lit one. After taking a deep puff, he continued, ¡°My aunt works at the Military General Hospital and happens to be the head nurse in charge of the high-cadre ward. ording to her information, the old man of the Zhou family is unlikely to make it through. He has advanced-stage lung cancer. Now, all the members of the Zhou family have returned. I believe the Zhou family is facing a downfall.¡± Upon hearing the news ofte-stage lung cancer, Nie Zhenbang seemed to recall something. In his previous life, his memory did contain such an event. However, at that time, the Nie family had alreadypletely fallen, and Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care too much. Moreover, in his previous life, the Zhou family was in its heyday, and the death of the old man of the Zhou family did have an impact on the family, but not significantly. But now, things are different. This time, the Zhou family failed to hitch a ride with Elder Nan and the rtionship with Secretary Yuan also wasn¡¯t very good. Although they are now vassals to the Li family and have hopes of rising again, being a vassal is still being a vassal. The old man of the Zhou family was still alive and his reputation was significant. But once the old man of the Zhou family is gone, the little power and position held by the second generation of the Zhou family would simply be marginalized. No wonder the Zhou family is so tense. Considering what Zhou Chen had done to him in the past life and what he¡¯s doing this life, a hint of a smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. It was time for him to take action. As Nie Zhenbang pondered, Liu Bin voiced his opinion, ¡°The Zhou family is now purposely suppressing the news, but it¡¯s just a futile move. In Jingcheng, which family doesn¡¯t have its sources and information? It¡¯s not a small matter, but not too big. Now, all eyes are on the Li family.¡± Liu Bin maye from a military family, but his political awareness is unquestionable. It¡¯s a pity that his family doesn¡¯t have much of a foothold in the government, not to mention any influence. Otherwise, his achievements could be far more significant. Indeed, as Liu Bin said, the head of the Zhou family is the pir of the family. The sudden illness of the old man has thrown the Zhou family into disorder. They are trying to suppress the news. With the old man and without him arepletely different scenarios. But they didn¡¯t realize that in a ce like Jingcheng, it¡¯s impossible to keep the news secret. The Zhou family¡¯s action gives people the impression of fear and trepidation. Speaking bluntly, it makes the other families in Jingcheng look down upon the Zhou family. After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang stood up, his voice full of determination, ¡°If the Zhou family descendants were capable, then it¡¯s a different story. But just based on their current state, they are under expectation. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s realistic for them to expect much care from the Li family. In my opinion, the good days for the Zhou family havee to an end.¡± As all the families and circles in Jingcheng were discussing the Zhou family¡¯s situation, within the Li family of Jingcheng, in their vi at Xiangshan. At this moment, the old man of the Li family, the backbone of the second generation, along with Li Guohua, and several other younger members, were all seated in the study. ¡°Dad, the old man of the Zhou family fell ill so suddenly. Now, all the families in Jingcheng are watching us. If we don¡¯t lend a hand, I¡¯m afraid our reputation will be ruined in all the families in Jingcheng,¡± said Li Jianghe, Li Guohua¡¯s second uncle and the current Secretary of the Caiyun Province Communist Party Committee. Li Guohua¡¯s father, Li Jiangshan, the Municipal Committee Secretary of Hucheng, pondered, ¡°Jianghe, I think there are two sides to everything. To me, I believe that we can basically give up on the Zhou family.¡± Seeing that the old man didn¡¯t react, Li Jiangshan became more firm in his idea. He continued, ¡°The Zhou family has no sessors. That¡¯s a fact. Neither from the second generation or the younger ones, there are no outstanding figures. The help this can bring to our Li family is negligible. If we step in to support the Zhou family, we will also drain our own resources. This is a situation where we lose more than we gain and mustn¡¯t happen. As for the reputation issue, Jianghe, you really don¡¯t have to worry about it. As long as we don¡¯t fall, I believe we will notck followers.¡± Just as he finished speaking, the old man of the Li family opened his eyes and gave a final decision, ¡°Jianghe, did you understand your elder brother¡¯s words? You handle this matter. Your elder brother and I won¡¯t get involved.¡± PS: The third update is here. I¡¯m asking for your monthly ticket support. I¡¯m about to lose my position. It seems that I might not be able to keep the sixth ce in the city genre monthly ticket ranking. Brothers and sisters, can you support me? ( Chapter 318 - 312: Opponent? You are not worthy! _1 Chapter 318: Chapter 312: Opponent? You are not worthy! _1 The patriarch of the Li family hadn¡¯t spoken the entire evening. However, he made his stance clear with just one concluding sentence. Even though Li Jiangshan currently leads the Li family, the one truly in charge is still the elder patriarch. In domestic politics, it has always been a world governed by the elderly. It could be inferred that the Li family had now given up on the Zhou family. Li Jianghe, alone, simply could not carry such weight. At the guesthouse of the General Hospital of the Military Region The Zhou brothers had already gathered together. Zhou Mu, the head of the Zhou family and father of Zhou Chen, had a gloomy expression. Under the maneuverings of the Li family, Zhou Mu had already been transferred to serve as the standingmittee member of the provincial partymittee and vice secretary of the provincial government of Yuzhou Province. His younger brother, currently serving as the Minister of Agriculture, would also soon be dispatched to a local position. With two members of the Zhou family serving in high-ranking positions in two provinces, they were considered significant figures in Jingcheng. The Nie family was thriving, with the Nie brothers only holding top positions in a military region and at the province-ministry level. Yet, just as the Zhou family had notpletely risen to power, the patriarch suddenly fell ill with an incurable disease, throwing the Zhou family into chaos. ¡°Hiding it would be impossible,¡± Zhou Mu began after a moment of reflection.¡±There are many direct rtives of other families in the General Hospital of the Military Region. This news must have already spread far and wide. Now, we can only wait and see.¡± His tone was deeply dejected. At that moment, Zhou Chen¡¯s phone rang. Seeing the caller ID, Zhou Chen quietly eximed, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s Li Guohua.¡± If Li Guohua was calling at this point, it meant the Li family had reached a decision. At this moment, everyone in the Zhou family was hoping for good news. However, both Zhou Mu and his brother exchanged a look. The call had been made by the younger-generation Li Guohua, which gave them a sense of unease. After some time, Zhou Chen, looking somewhat dismayed, hung up the phone and said in a low tone, ¡°Dad, Uncle, Li Guohua said that his uncle, Li Jianghe, wille to visit Grandfatherter.¡± The moment they heard this, Zhou Mu and his brother understood. Given the stature and status of their patriarch, it would be only natural for the patriarch of the Li family to personally visit in such a situation, or at least for Li Jiangshan, the leading figure of the second generation of the Li family, to do so. However, the fact that Li Jianghe was chosen to do this spoke volumes. In the ensuing days, after the Li family made their statement, some of the ns in Jingcheng who had close rtions with the Li family sent representatives to extend their condolences to the Zhou family. However, without exception, all the representatives were of rtively lower standing in their respective ns. Meanwhile, President Yuan, Premier Yun, and other party and state leaders also sent their representatives to the Zhou family to convey their condolences. The patriarch of the Zhou family fell ill quite suddenly. There was always a health care doctor apanying him, and he had quit smoking. Hence, there were no noticeable symptoms at first. By the time it was discovered, it was already toote for him. After half a year in the General Hospital of the Military Region, he passed away on July 4, 1995, just three days after the party¡¯s birthday. The former member of the Central Political Bureau and Deputy Premier of the State Council, the patriarch of the Zhou family, was no more. At the same time, the sessor to the governor of Jiangnan Province was officially determined. A local candidate was sessfully elected. This signal was an unambiguous indication that the position earmarked by Agriculture Minister Zhou had been taken away from him. The Zhou family had beenpletely marginalized. The passing of the patriarch of the Zhou family changed the dynamics in Jingcheng. The Li family¡¯s stance further fuelled this momentum. Every family in Jingcheng, including the Yang and Dong families, began to make their moves. At this moment, the Nie siblings had gathered in the Nie family courtyard. Their eldest sister, Nie Guoping, as always, refrained from joining the family conferences. Nie Guodong appeared calm, with a ¡®rest and recuperate¡¯ kind of demeanor. Beside him, his second sister Nie Guorong was conversing with Nie Guowei. ¡°Guowei, the patriarch of the Zhou family¡¯s copse may be our opportunity,¡± Nie Guorong began after some consideration. ¡°Many ns have already begun to take action. It¡¯s clear that they are after the positions that the Zhou brothers held. I think we should also make a move this time.¡± As these words left her mouth, the Nie siblings fell into contemtion, especially Nie Guowei. Granted hecked talent and could, at best, be described as average in terms of governing ability. His intention on his position as the governor of Yanbei Province had been merely to not offend anyone and to tread carefully. However, after years of serving as an official, particrly after being tempered at the local grassroots level, Nie Guowei was no longer impulsive or indiscriminate in his thought process. Nie Guorong¡¯s statement held profound implications. Her older brother Nie Guodong had already reached the pinnacle of his career as themander of the Jingcheng City Military District. In terms of position, rank, and military title, there was no more room for promotion unless he became the Vice Chairman of the Military Commission. However, such a position couldn¡¯t be conferred at this stage; it would need to be at the Party Congress at the very least. As for Nie Guorong herself, she also held a provincial ministerial position, as did both members of the Zhou family. There was no room for negotiation and other families wouldn¡¯t think of making such exchanges. It seemed that Nie Guorong was asking for an official position for the Xiao family. The husband of Nie Guorong and the second son of the Xiao family, Xiao Zhenchang, had been the Major General of a certain army group in the Jingcheng City Military District for seven years without any promotion. One of the reasons was the Nie family¡¯s unwillingness to support him, especially due to the Xiao family¡¯s performance during the Nie family¡¯s crisis, which had left the patriarch somewhat displeased. After a moment of silence, Nie Guowei spoke up in a low voice, ¡°Second Sister, I think we should think this through in the long term. We have to consider our father¡¯s opinion. Even if we discussed this with our elder brother, it wouldn¡¯t be definitive.¡± Nie Guodong sighed at this moment. It was said that a mother could be honored through her son. However, in the Nie family, it was the fathers who were honored through their sons. Without such an outstanding son like Nie Zhenbang, Nie Guowei couldn¡¯t possibly have risen to his current status. Nevertheless, Nie Guodong understood that the children of prestigious families either flourished together or declined together. If Nie Guowei was doing well, then he would be doing well too, admitting to himself he had nothing to be jealous of. Just then, their father came out with the help of his health care doctor. As he had been feeling increasingly unwell, both Nie Guodong and Nie Guorong stood up and quickly approached to help him from Doctor Lin. After their father had settled down in his seat, he paused before instructing, ¡°Guodong, make some arrangements and transfer Zhenchang to the Xibei Military Region.¡± These words furrowed Nie Guorong¡¯s eyebrows. Seeing her reaction, Nie Guodong felt some disapproval towards his second sister. She was being shortsighted. Due to Xiao Zhenchang¡¯s close ties with their family, would those above allow him to get promoted in the Jingcheng City Military District? Absolutely not. Their father¡¯s words were clearly geared towards promoting Xiao Zhenchang. Meanwhile, their father continued, ¡°Guowei, I think we should set Zhenbang¡¯s wedding for New Year¡¯s Day. After the wedding, let him resign. Having weathered the trials at the Discipline Committee for a year, it¡¯s about time.¡± At the Dynasty Club, Nie Zhenbang who was frequently in Jingcheng after getting transferred back,menced a gathering of his quota. Liu Kun and Zhao Xinglong had just gotten back from Northwest Xinli city, and looked fairly travel-worn at the moment. Since it was a casual get-together, everyone was seated in the main hall on the first floor. There were performances from celebrities, both domestic and international, on the central circr stage, which was one of the special features arranged by Li Lixue to highlight the unique character of the Dynasty Club. ¡°Third Brother, the development in Xinli City is impressive this year. In the first half of the year alone, nearly 600 million was invested. Furthermore, the team under your leadership truly adheres to your policy of sustainable development. Now, there¡¯s a high demand for Xinli City to be upgraded to a prefecture-level city.¡± Liu Kun cheerfully brought up the topic. At the side, Zhao Xinglong joked, ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it; your team of bottom-rankers had no mercy when they fined Longhua Mining. Collecting over 10 million in mining pollution fees really shows their mercilessness.¡± At Zhao Xinglong¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help butugh. Over 10 million was not a pressure for Zhao Xinglong at all. At this moment, the door opened, and Li Guohua, among others, entered the room. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Li Guohua paused, and then greeted him with a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the young master of the Nie family? I heard you¡¯ve been posted in Jingcheng and epted a position on the Discipline Committee. Have you given up so soon? Ha ha.¡± By saying ¡°given up¡±, Li Guohua¡¯s intention was clear. On the political stage of Huaxia, those appointed to the Discipline Committee usually didn¡¯t have bright future prospects. The Discipline Committee was a position with great limitations; it was easy to offend people and inevitably became a target. Those who rose to the top were at most level-5 leaders. For those like Nie Zhenbang and Li Guohua who aspired to rise to the peak, epting an appointment to the Discipline Committee symbolized the loss of hope of attaining the top. Hence, Li Guohua mocked Nie Zhenbang this way. The remark made the scene awkward and silenced everyone present, because what Li Guohua had said was indeed logical. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang appeared calm. He got up and said, ¡°Li Guohua, have you always seen me as yourpetitor? Ha ha,petitor? You feel like you are at my level? You¡¯re not even close to it!¡± (.) Chapter 319 - 313 Military Department Visit_1 Chapter 319: Chapter 313 Military Department Visit_1 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words silenced the crowd. Li Guohua was also taken aback. Li Guohua always had an air of mboyant arrogance and a domineering manner. His aura invisibly influenced those around him, including his opponents. Thest time, it was also at the Dynasty, also at this ce. Guohua was thrilled by the way he had rendered Nie Zhenbang helpless with a minor trick. Now, upon encountering Nie Zhenbang again, Li Guohua seized the opportunity to speak harsh words intending to strike at Nie Zhenbang again. It was as if the two were young leaders and high achievers. The only reason Li Guohua wanted to hit Nie Zhenbang was to establish psychological superiority in their confrontation, making Nie Zhenbang instinctively fear and dread him. As a consequence, Nie Zhenbang would falter during future engagements. However, Li Guohua, who hade with full confidence, didn¡¯t expect Nie Zhenbang to retort with such a fieryment instantly, leaving Guohua stunned. Li Guohua didn¡¯t respond, but he understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. Among the domestic leaders, there are those with an overseas education, but most of them have been to the Soviet Union. There aren¡¯t any leaders with a Western background. At most, they have been to the West for a few months of exchange study¡ªthat itself would be quite exceptional. There are indeed inherent disadvantages and weaknesses for someone like him who has been studying and living abroad. Unless one has a strong family background, it¡¯s difficult¡ªeven to serve as a provincial or ministerial official. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s working at the Discipline Inspection Commission was unexpected, but he¡¯s still at a lower level, and his future prospects are uncertain. As Nie Zhenbang said, Guohua isn¡¯t really up to being his opponent. Li Guohua said nothing, but a follower disagreed. One of his followers, a hefty man weighing at least 190 kg and about 1.8m tall, scolded: ¡°Nie Zhenbang, who do you think you are, some big shot?¡± Zhao Xinglong came up to Nie Zhenbang as soon as these wordsnded and whispered in his ear: ¡°Third Brother, this man is Huo Yuangang from the military¡¯s logistics department of Huo Family.¡± The Huo family from the military department. Nie Zhenbang frowned, surprised that Huo¡¯s family had also joined forces with the Li family. The Huo family and Liu Bin¡¯s family are simr¡ªthey are pure military families. Although they aren¡¯t supremely influential, they have several connections and rtionships within the military. They are like regional dukes. Yet, they don¡¯t have any influence in the government. What the Li familycked was military connections, and the fact that these two families are now joining forces is indeed an ideal match. At this moment, as Li Guohua felt humiliated by Nie Zhenbang, Huo Yuangang couldn¡¯t wait to jump out ande to Li Guohua¡¯s defense. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang calmly asked: ¡°Li Guohua, is this also your view?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s behavior today somewhat confused Li Guohua. In their previous encounter, Guohua had managed to embarrass and belittle Nie Zhenbang with just a few minor tricks. But why was Nie Zhenbang so strong-willed today? With an embarrassed smile, Li Guohuaughed, ¡°Well-known Third Young Master in Jingcheng, are you too concerned about these things? Today, we came here to support your business. You¡¯re not going to refuse customers, are you?¡± At that moment, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat in awe of Li Guohua¡¯s ability to adapt and endure. His words had been harsh. Had somebody else been in his shoes, they wouldn¡¯t have the face to stay, but Li Guohua deftly shifted the topic as if it was business as usual. Just this calmness impressed Nie Zhenbang. What was even more praiseworthy was that under these circumstances, Li Guohua decided to stay¡ªa task beyond ordinary human capability. Nie Zhenbang then nonchntly replied, ¡°Of course, as a business, we wee everyone. However, Young Master Li, be careful with your wallet. The consumption at the Dynasty may not be affordable for everyone.¡± At that moment, Li Guohua casually smiled and said, ¡°No need for you to worry about that. If I came here, I¡¯m naturally confident.¡± Sitting in a booth not far from Nie Zhenbang and his party. As soon as Li Guohua and his group of five sat down, Huo Yuangang burst into anger and said, ¡°Brother Hua, why didn¡¯t you let me berate him just now? What¡¯s he¡ªa bastard is so arrogant.¡± ¡°Utilize restraint, Yuangang. Nie Zhenbang, from an unwanted bastard to the heir of the Nie family, represents an aplishment we cannot underestimate. If we were to resort to force, we would fall into an inferior position,¡± Li Guohua immediately replied. In his heart, Li Guohua didn¡¯t say everything. His rivalry with Nie Zhenbang is like a duel between two unmatched martial arts experts. On the surface, there seems to be no conflict, but in private, the mentalbat is extremely intense. Both want to suppress the other and secure an overwhelming victory advantage. Earlier, he intentionally mentioned the affairs of the Disciplinary Committee, but that was merely an unspoken rule. Although there¡¯s no explicit stiption that those in the Discipline Inspection line can¡¯t reach the top, it¡¯s a reality. In essence, it¡¯s an unspoken rule. Yet, Li Guohua didn¡¯t expect Nie Zhenbang¡¯s response to be so swift in finding a way to counterattack. He couldn¡¯t deny that his American background over the years has indeed been his Achilles heel; after all, it¡¯s another unspoken rule. Chapter 320 - 313 Military Department Visit_2 Chapter 320: Chapter 313 Military Department Visit_2 With that thought, Li Guohua snapped his fingers. A waiter had alreadye up to him. The service staff at the Dynasty Club were impable in every aspect. Be it their actions, expressions, or tone of voice, they all demonstrated a kind of respect for the guests. ¡°Sir, do you need anything?¡± ¡°Bring two bottles of Lafite, the ¡¯82 vintage will do,¡± Li Guohua said indifferently. Once he finished speaking, the nearby waiter nodded with a smile, ¡°Alright, sir. Two bottles of ¡¯82 Lafite. Please show me your membership card so I can make a note of it.¡± Having a membership card for the Dynasty Club was not a problem for Li Guohua. Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t be so petty as to refuse Li Guohua¡¯s card application. If he did that, people might think it was because Nie Zhenbang was afraid of Li Guohua, which would not be a good look at all. The waiter took the membership card, and in less than two minutes, he brought over a tray with two bottles of Lafite on it. He ced the membership card next to it, along with a small receipt. At that moment, Huo Yuangang curiously picked up the receipt and read the amount on it. He stood up in surprise and said, ¡°So expensive, are you making us suckers? A bottle of ¡¯82 Lafite for 200,000 each. Are you trying to rob us?¡± Much to Huo Yuangang¡¯s surprise, Li Guohua stopped him, saying, ¡°Yuangang, sit down. A defining characteristic of the Dynasty Club is its prestige. Otherwise, whye here at all? You might as well go to the Capital Restaurant. The Lafite is cheaper there.¡± On the surface, Li Guohua looked indifferent, but in reality, he was seething with anger inside. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tactic was downright ruthless. He knew full well he was fleecing Li Guohua, yet Li Guohua could do nothing but ept. Should he investigate other people¡¯s prices? Would he lose face that way? If word got out that the young master of the Li family couldn¡¯t afford two bottles of wine, wouldn¡¯t he be aughingstock? At that moment, the door to the Dynasty Club was suddenly pushed open from the outside. Standing at the entrance were two Russian security guards wearing displeased expressions. Apparently, they had already had some scuffle with two nearby soldiers. Two men dressed in military uniform stood at the door. This sight immediately drew everyone¡¯s attention. There were also active-duty military members in the Dynasty Club, like Zhang Xu, for instance. However, there had never been direct entries of men in military uniforms. These two were the first. Without waiting for the room to respond, the sharp eyes of the soldiers swept across the hall. One of them then sternly asked, ¡°Excuse me! Where is Comrade Nie Zhenbang? We are from the Huaxia People¡¯s Army General Political Department.¡± General Political Department! Upon hearing these words, everyone in the hall quieted down. The General Political Department, as the name implies, is responsible for dealing with political matters. It manages the party¡¯s work and ideological and political work throughout the army. As an eminent figure once said, the Political Department is the lifeblood of the entire army. If it involves the army, then it must be a serious vition of discipline. This falls within the scope of the General Political Department. Moreover, the two soldiers emanated an aura of murderous intent and gravity. They appeared well-trained. If they were to guess correctly, they should be directly under the General Political Department. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also puzzled. The Nie family had extensive connections in the military system. After all, his grandfather was once the second-inmand in the military. However, Nie Zhenbang had no ties to the military because on the surface, Nie Zhenbang had never served in the military. Despite his confusion, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°I am Nie Zhenbang. What can I assist you with?¡± At this moment, the two soldiers were sizing up Nie Zhenbang. After a moment of silence and a nce at each other, the same soldier who had been speaking said once more, ¡°Director Nie, I apologize for the intrusion. Do you have a quiet ce? We weremissioned to talk about something with you in private.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t hesitate and immediately nodded, ¡°Fine, follow me.¡± After leading the two soldiers up to the third floor of the Dynasty Club and into a private booth, Nie Zhenbang ordered the waiter to pour out two cups of green tea. He then smiled and said after, ¡°This is a private club, so it has unquestionable privacy and security. You can rest assured. Just speak freely. You need not have to fight with the retired Russian Special Forces of the Dynasty Club in order to see me urgently. What¡¯s the pressing issue? Just go ahead and say it.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang say this, the two soldiers seemed somewhat embarrassed. After all, they were on someone else¡¯s turf. However, perhaps because the issue was serious, they did not beat around the bush. One of the soldiers, staring at Nie Zhenbang, asked directly, ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, you served as a ck soldier for three years, didn¡¯t you?¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback at this question. His military service was personally arranged by his grandfather and approved and recognized by Elder Nan. Now, it was brought up by people from the General Political Department to cause trouble? That definitely wasn¡¯t the case. So, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t hesitate and promptly nodded in confirmation, ¡°Indeed, I served in the Northwest Military Region Tiger Battalion for three years.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang admit, one of the soldiers nodded with a smile, ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, we are here primarily at the special request of arade with whom you served in the Tiger Battalion. Because he specifically asked to see you.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang quickly stood up. Therades from the Tiger Battalion who had a close rtionship with him were either Devil Yao Yuan, Qin Lang or Xiong Changgui. The involvement of the General Political Department was certainly not good news. Nie Zhenbang understood that, although he was no longer in the military nowadays. Still, his family background was clear to him, as there was still a high-ranking official of the Jingcheng City Military District in his family. From his indirect and direct experience, he could see through the situation. He then asked in a deep voice, ¡°Comrades, is something wrong with Sun and Storekeeper?¡± Because he was anxious, Nie Zhenbang blurted out their nicknames. Seeing their confused expressions, he immediately added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, let me rify. Sun and Storekeeper are the nicknames I gave to Qin Lang and Xiong Changgui.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, one of the soldiers seriously said, ¡°No wonder Xiong Changgui kept saying he wanted to talk to the Crown Prince. Now I understand, your nickname is Crown Prince, right?¡± Hearing the soldier¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang felt a tightening in his chest. So, Xiong Changgui had run into trouble. How could this be? Such a humble and straightforward country boy, how could he get into trouble just like that? PS: I need your support with Monthly Tickets. The fire is licking at my rear. I¡¯m so tense. I¡¯m not calm anymore. ( Chapter 321 - 314: Hurrying to Jiangbei_1 Chapter 321: Chapter 314: Hurrying to Jiangbei_1 Kind-hearted, straightforward. This was the impression Xiong Changgui gave to himself. It seemed as if, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang found himself remembering the time when they were rookies in training and Yao Yuan was intimidating the team. That guy, standing in the yground, speaking Mandarin with a thick Southern ent, said: ¡°Instructor, why do you look down on us newbies? I¡¯llpete with you. Isn¡¯t it just tenps? I can also carry 40 kilos. I¡¯m used to running in the mountains anyway.¡± It seemed as if he could see that same teenager, now in tears in the tropical jungle. It seemed like the time before he left the army when Qin Lang shouted fiercely at him and the guy just stood silently beside him, clenching his fists. A rural young man who was extremely introspective and pent up his feelings. Nie Zhenbang could not understand how it could be Xiong Changgui who got into trouble. If it had been Qin Lang, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t be surprised. That guy could be such a goof sometimes: in the heat of the moment, capable of doing anything. But how could it be the shopkeeper? Comradery, the strong bond shared betweenrades thatymen can¡¯tprehend. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, the two soldiers were also somewhat touched. They didn¡¯t intentionally disturb Zhenbang then. After a moment of silence, when Nie Zhenbang calmed down a bit, the soldier who had been talking said gently: ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, please calm down. We¡¯ll talk about serious matters now.¡± Upon hearing the soldier¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also became calmer. His years of military life were not spent in vain; he was capable of making a rapid mental adjustment. Nie Zhenbang nodded, sat back down, took a sip from his tea cup, and regained his usualposure. Then he said: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I lost myposure. Please continue.¡± The leading soldier nodded, smiled kindly, and said: ¡°We understand. We are soldiers too; naturally we understand your feelings. To cut to the chase, this time Xiong Changgui has made a big mess. He¡¯ll definitely be taken to a military court. To put it bluntly, he¡¯s a dead man.¡± The soldier¡¯s words sank Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart again. The case had not been officially tried yet, but a death sentence was already dered by the military court. It was clear how huge a disaster Xiong Changgui had caused this time. Indeed, the soldier continued, ¡°Xiong Changgui, from Qianzhou City in Jiangbei Province, was home visiting. But he surprisingly started a revolt. He took a 64-type pistol and a 79-type submachine gun from the local police station. He took sixty bullets for the pistol and a thousand rounds for the submachine gun. He then killed three local police officers and the Secretary of the Cangshan Town Party Committee. Afterwards, he fled to the forest. Both the local armed police and stationed soldiers started to hunt for him, but they were all beaten back by Xiong Changgui. Six armed policemen got injured. At present, the local police have already reported to the military region. And they¡¯ve contacted your troops. But Xiong Changgui said that he wants to see you, otherwise, he will resist to the end.¡± Hearing the soldier, Nie Zhenbang had no doubt. He knew Xiong Changgui¡¯s military capabilities best. His stubbornness and refusal to admit defeat drove him to strive for excellence in all aspects. Even without his firearms, it¡¯s doubtful that they could take him down. Coming from the Northwest Military Region Tiger Battalion was no joke. Additionally, Nie Zhenbang had heard that, after he left, the Tiger Troop made multiple secret military invasions. Such practical experience is not something an ordinary soldier can match. With Xiong Changgui¡¯s abilities, even if he and Qin Lang joined forces, they may not be able to defeat him. Four lives, either policemen or leaders. This matter was serious enough to shock everyone. He¡¯d also resisted the army. Now Nie Zhenbang understood why they¡¯d made the call even without interrogation. Not to mention one Xiong Changgui, even ten Xiong Changguis would be executed. This behavior could not be described as normal. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said: ¡°Okay, when do we leave?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang, the two soldiers showed delight. Due to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status and background, they felt like they were walking on eggshells. If it were anyone else, they could give direct orders, but with Nie Zhenbang they didn¡¯t dare to use any coercive measures. Everything depended on Nie Zhenbang himself. The men had worried that he would refuse to go. If so, the loss would have been huge. Now Nie Zhenbang agreed readily, bringing relief to them. The soldier who had been speaking replied: ¡°The sooner, the better. Our military ne is ready and waiting. It¡¯s up to you now.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded his head and said: ¡°Let¡¯s go now.¡± Back in the hall, Nie Zhenbang gave instructions to Zhao Xinglong, Gao Wei and the others: ¡°Wei Zi, I believe there¡¯s another issue in Jiangbei. Alert Old Zheng and let him wait for my message. Xinglong, waive Li Guohua¡¯s bill. When Nie Zhenbang makes a promise, he keeps it. Last time, I said his consumption would be free from now. We must keep our word.¡± Zhao Xinglong nodded. In the circle of Jingcheng¡¯s nobility, this amount of money was not a big concern. The Third Young Master naturally didn¡¯t have to lose his credibility over this. At this moment, Gao Wei nodded seriously and replied: ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll inform Brother Zheng.¡± Following the soldiers out of the Dynasty Club, the three of them got into the military vehicle parked outside. The vehicle¡¯s siren red as it sped towards the military airport on the outskirts of Jingcheng. After more than two hours of flight, the ne arrived at Xiaxiang Military Airport in Qianzhou City, Jiangbei Province. At that moment, military vehicles were already waiting on the tarmac. Without any dy, they went straight to Cangshan Town in Xiaxiang County. There are many rivers in Qianzhou City, but only Xiaxiang County is a hilly region. The highest mountain in Qianzhou City is Cangshan, in Cangshan Town. By the time Nie Zhenbang arrived here, it was already past midnight. Yet, the town¡¯s government office building was brightly lit. At this moment, Major General Long Dianqin,mander of the Jiangbei Province Military Division, Secretary Xu Qi of the Qianzhou City Party, and several other deputy leaders, as well as the county party secretary and the county head of Xiaxiang county, were all gathered here. As soon as Nie Zhenbang arrived, two men in military uniform at the entrance stopped him. One of them, expressing a warm smile, promptly greeted him with a tight embrace. ¡°Crown Prince, your skin is fairer than it¡¯s been in years. I imagine your skills must be a bit rusty,¡± joked Qin Lang, his tone light. However, there was a trace of sadness in his voice. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t respond, he simply patted Qin Lang¡¯s shoulder and silently focused on the staircase. This incident had be too big. As Xiong Changgui¡¯s military superior, Yao Yuan had no choice but to be present. ¡°Changgui is done for this time. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have let him go home on leave. This is my fault. If I had returned in his ce, things wouldn¡¯t have escted like this,¡± said Yao Yuan, his voice filled with self-me and regret. Nie Zhenbang heaved a sigh, then patted Yao Yuan¡¯s shoulder. His tone was serious and formal as he said, ¡°Instructor, don¡¯t dwell on it. It¡¯s fate.¡± That night, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t meet with any local officials from Qianzhou City. The following morning, right after he woke, the secretary of Qianzhou City¡¯s party, Xu Qi hade over. Xu Qi, who seemed to be about forty years old, was considered one of the younger officials in these times. He seemed to have a promising future. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Xu Qi smiled and said, ¡°Director Nie, wee to Qianzhou City. We are grateful for your trouble.¡± Nie Zhenbang was also surprised. Xu Qi was able to get a quick update on the situation. Nie Zhenbang responded with a smile, ¡°Secretary Xu, no need to be so courteous. During this visit, let¡¯s put aside our official identities. I am just an ordinary person, a friend of Xiong Changgui¡¯s.¡± Xu Qi was taken aback, thenughed, ¡°Indeed, indeed. Your help on this matter is much appreciated, Director Nie.¡± The procession was quickly prepared. Everyone left together and drove directly to the foot of Cangshan Mountain. Yao Yuan, wearing sunsses, jumped out of the car. From his imprable expression, one could not tell what Yao Yuan was thinking. Pointing to Cangshan Mountain, Yao Yuan told Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, Changgui is in a region about two miles ahead. The whole mountain is filled with traps and mechanisms set by Changgui. Originally, Qin Lang and I were ready to take an action, but Changgui wanted to see you. It¡¯s his final wish before death. You should go up alone.¡± In others¡¯ eyes, Xiong Changgui was a vicious bandit. But to Yao Yuan, Nie Zhenbang, and their group, Xiong Changgui was arade-in-arms. What¡¯s arade? It¡¯s someone you can entrust your back to. This confidence came from life and death tests. They weren¡¯t worried that Xiong Changgui could harm them. If he did, it would mean that Xiong Changgui had truly gone mad. Nie Zhenbang nodded, and Qin Lang handed him a pistol. Nie Zhenbang shook his head andughed, ¡°Sun, I don¡¯t need this. You still don¡¯t understand the keeper¡¯s intentions, do you? I trust him. He won¡¯t hurt me.¡± As he made his way up the hill, Nie Zhenbang was surprised to find traps and mechanisms everywhere, in the bushes and between the trees. He hadn¡¯t anticipated that Xiong Changgui¡¯s military expertise had reached such a terrifying level. Perhaps even Yao Yuan wouldn¡¯t be a match for him in a battle. He carefully avoided one device buried in the road. It looked like a vine, but Nie Zhenbang knew it was attached to another lethal trap. Having walked about a mile up the hill and seeing traps and mechanisms everywhere, Nie Zhenbang figured he was getting close. He stopped and observed the surrounding forest for a moment, then called out, ¡°Keeper! I¡¯ve arrived, Xiong Changgui, you coward, you deserter! Your big brother, Crown Prince, is here! Come out and see me!¡± Following Nie Zhenbang¡¯s furious yell, the figure of Xiong Changgui, emerged from a dense bush up ahead. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Xiong Changgui couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and fell to his knees. PS: I would appreciate a monthly pass. Brothers and sisters, the situation is grim. Mine is a precarious existence. Making the top six means an award of 1000 RMB which is crucial for me as I approach full-time writing. Brothers and sisters, please help me maintain a top six ranking. To be continued¡­ If you like this novel, please visit to vote your rmendation and make a monthly donation. Your support is my greatest motivation. Chapter 322 - 315: Blood, No Tears (Requesting Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 322: Chapter 315: Blood, No Tears (Requesting Monthly Tickets)_1 Upon seeing Xiong Changgui kneel, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart sank. He understood Xiong Changgui¡¯s character well. This was a stubborn soldier born and raised in the countryside. But here he is, kneeling. Yet, this genuflection of his only stoked Nie Zhenbang¡¯s fury. His eyes fixed on Xiong Changgui, Nie Zhenbang roared, ¡°You¡¯re kneeling now! Now you know to kneel. Where were you earlier? You got guts, tavern keeper. Knew how to use a gun, didn¡¯t you? Used it well too. Even managed to kill your own countrymen. A headshot with each bullet, deadly with every shot. The skills that the country has taught you, well utilized indeed.¡± ¡°Crown Prince, don¡¯t¡­¡± Xiong Changguimented, ¡°I know, I know my sin is unforgivable. But these people, they deserved to die. They were all ready to bury me, my parents, and my sister. I had no other choice. No other choice!¡± Xiong Changgui wept bitterly. ¡°Men do not shed tears lightly.¡± Maybe this is true until their heart is truly broken. After seeing Nie Zhenbang, Xiong Changgui¡¯s tightly strung nerves finally rxed. Everybody has their vulnerabilities, their soft spots. Just then, Nie Zhenbang made his move. shing forward, a small stone materialized in his hand and flew out, hitting a camouged armed policeman about a hundred meters behind him. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened, his voice thundering, ¡°Get out of here. Go back and tell your Commander Long that this is a military matter. He should know better. If he still wants us to handle it, he should stop these antics.¡± As Nie Zhenbang finished, Qin Lang and Yao Yuan also came forward. Qin Lang grabbed the armed policeman and shouted, ¡°Coward! If we weren¡¯t here, were you nning to snipe the tavern keeper? You should count yourself lucky if you can recognize him in death.¡± ¡°Sun, stop messing around. Let him go. Leave the negotiation to you, instructor. This is an internal matter of our Xibei Military Region, and I do not want any furtherplications. Otherwise, I would not hesitate to pull strings,¡± said Nie Zhenbang gravely. Nie Zhenbang had never unted his connections or background in the army because he saw the army as pure and untainted, where status and family lineage should not be of relevance. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s anger was indeed triggered by the armed police from Jiangbei Province. If Xiong Changgui died in such an unclear manner, Nie Zhenbang would live his life in regret. Yao Yuan was momentarily stunned. He only found out about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s backgroundter. The nephew of Nie Guodong, the former Vice-Commander of Xibei Military Region, and current Commander of Jingcheng City Military District. The son of Governor Nie Guowei of Yanbei Province. The grandson of Elder Nie. The legitimate member of the crown prince faction. Upon realization, Yao Yuan nodded, saying in a deep voice, ¡°Leave it to me. If anyone elsees up, Qin Lang, you¡¯re authorized to arrest them for suspected espionage on a military secret, and take them back to the Xibei Military Region.¡± His words held great weight. Given his standing among the top brass in the Xibei Military Region, it would be risky indeed to cross him. Qin Lang, despite hiswless ways, nevermitted a grave error. This time, he nodded seriously, ¡°As long as they don¡¯t die, there won¡¯t be any issues, boss?¡± Yao Yuan paused for a moment and nodded again, ¡°Be mindful of the extent.¡± After the episode, the folks from Jiangbei Province dared not act impulsively. When the opposing Colonel had made his threat, further agitation would lead to the higher-ups washing their hands of the matter. Although they would have to bear responsibility, Jiangbei Province couldn¡¯t afford the consequences. The jungle regained its calm. Nie Zhenbang looked down at Xiong Changgui, feeling aplex mix of regret and anger. He finally broke the silence, his voice solemn, ¡°Changgui, have you ever thought about what your actions would mean for party discipline and statews? What about ourrades? What about the boss?¡± ¡°He is yourmander. He would not ignore such a grave matter involving his soldier. I reckon if he knew, he would have led his team here to apprehend you himself. You hold rank in the Tiger Group, and you¡¯ve been awarded numerous first-ss merits. Do you really think the country would abandon you?¡± ¡°Where would you put me? If you had called me, I could have helped you sort this out. Was it necessary for you to resort to such drastic measures? Do you realize that because of your rash act, four families have been destroyed, lives lost. How do you think others will feel? How could you ignore the training and trust the state has given you? You acted out of anger and revenge. Such behavior belongs towless men and vigntes, not to military men. Do you understand the honor and beliefs of a soldier? You don¡¯t deserve to be a soldier.¡± These unbroken line of questions shattered Xiong Changgui. Even though Nie Zhenbang himself was tormented inside, he knew where the line was. If everyone were like Xiong Changgui, where would the country¡¯s order and system be? Mistakes demand responsibility. This is not a childish fight. We are all adults and no one can shake off their responsibilities.¡± Xiong Changgui¡¯s face turned ashen. There was no worse sorrow than hopelessness. This was how he truly felt. As he looked at Nie Zhenbang, Xiong Changgui forced a bitter smile. In the solitude of the forest, his sour amusement seemed unbearably deste. For a moment he stayed quiet, then he whispered, ¡°Crown Prince, I understand. I am ready to pay for my actions. I have no regrets. I owe my training to the state and I will exin my actions to the state and to the people. If given another chance, I would kill these people again. Crown Prince, I have onest request. I know you can grant it.¡± Nie Zhenbang in this moment couldn¡¯t refuse, wouldn¡¯t refuse. He nodded in agreement, stating firmly, ¡°I swear, no matter what it is, I will fulfill it.¡± Xiong Changguiughed at this, a genuineugh. He then whispered, ¡°Do you know how my parents died? Our Xiaxiang County in Qianzhou City was undergoing a tourism development project. All over the county people were being relocated for the construction of new towns. Jiangbei province had earmarked nearly five billion funds for it. However, the relocation fund for our Cangshan Town-which has been dyed for two years- is still not in ce. My father, together with the vigers, nned to petition the city authorities about it. But they were intercepted by the local officials midway. My father was detained and then died mysteriously. My mother, after going to argue for his release, died after falling from the fifth floor of the police station. My sister died after writing me a letter. The neighbors told me that she was humiliated before she died. What could I do, Crown Prince? I am just a soldier.¡± In the Xibei Military Region, Xiong Changgui and hisrades held the rank of lieutenant, but in essence, they were still soldiers. It would only be after reaching the age of thirty that they would have the possibility to be transferred to other units to serve as officers. Listening to Xiong Changgui¡¯s story, Nie Zhenbang frowned deeply. ¡°Changgui, I understand that those who are killed must havemitted heinous crimes. But it is thew that should punish them. You sacrificed your life for this. Was it worth it? Rest assured, I will investigate this matter thoroughly. If I, Nie Zhenbang, break this promise, I am not worthy of being your brother.¡± The relocation funds were obviously misappropriated; otherwise there would be no reason for the dys in payments to the people. It was impossible. With a sum of five billion at stake, it wasn¡¯t just the matter of the town¡¯s party secretary, but likely involved several officials from Xiaxiang County, and even Qianzhou City. Regardless of whether Xiong Changgui had made this revtion or not, Nie intended to investigate. The fact that it involved Jiangbei Province, which was under his jurisdiction, simply increased his resolve. If he didn¡¯t investigate, wouldn¡¯t that be negligence? Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Xiong Changgui felt relieved. At this moment, he stood up and walked towards Nie Zhenbang, handing over two guns to him. He lowered his voice, ¡°Crown Prince, get me out of here.¡± As Nie Zhenbang walked down the hill with Xiong Changgui, everyone from Qianzhou City was on high alert, with numerous armed police and local police converging on the scene. Nie Zhenbang handed over the weapons in his charge to the local police of Qianzhou City, turned to themander of the Jiangbei Province Military Division, Long Dianqin, and the Qianzhou City Committee Secretary, Xu Qi, and said: ¡°Commander Long, Secretary Xu, I¡¯ve got the man. ording to the regtions of the military, Xiong Changgui will be taken back by the leading unit. Qianzhou City can send representatives to attend the military court hearing at the Xibei Military Region.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words silenced everyone in Qianzhou City. There was no disputing that Xiong Changgui was an active serviceman, and the local government didn¡¯t have the right to review his case. This was a fact. The team of people got in the vehicles, left Cangshan, and headed straight back to Qianzhou City. Originally, Yao Yuan and Qin Lang nned to take Xiong Changgui back to Xibei immediately. However, Nie Zhenbang proposed: ¡°Chief, let¡¯s rest in Qianzhou City tonight and leave tomorrow.¡± As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang turned his head to Xu Qi, the secretary of the Qianzhou City Committee, and said: ¡°Secretary Xu, do you have time? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to discuss with you.¡± Xu Qi was taken aback and curious, but he kept hisposure and smiled as he nodded, ¡°Director Nie, you¡¯re being too polite. Let¡¯s just talk at the military division¡¯s guesthouse.¡± Once they had checked into their amodations, Nie Zhenbang led Xiong Changgui into his room. He did not mince words, recounting the realities that Xiong Changgui had told him before turning to Xu, ¡°Secretary Xu, I can vouch for Changgui¡¯s honesty. He is not a liar. Moreover, I suspect that not only Cangshan but also other towns are probably involved in simr cases. My opinion is that I¡¯ll personally contact Secretary Sun Daliang of the Jiangbei Provincial Disciplinary Committee. Now it¡¯s up to you, Secretary Xu.¡± ( Chapter 323 - 316: Brother, walk well (Seeking monthly ticket)_1 Chapter 323: Chapter 316: Brother, walk well (Seeking monthly ticket)_1 At this moment, Xu Qi was also deep in thought. This situation was quite tricky. Whether it was a suspicion about Xiong Changgui or just an excuse, Xu Qi had not given these issues a thought. At this point, regardless of any reason Xiong Changgui might have, even a reason as big as the heavens would not spare him death. The old saying goes, ¡°When a man is at the point of death, his words are good.¡± The fact that Xiong Changgui surrendered without resistance when he saw Nie Zhenbang suggested that he was not the type to lie. In fact, it seemed beneath him to lie. Therefore, it was highly likely that his actions were a true representation of the situation. As for mass petitions, undoubtedly, they were illegal. Local governments maintain stability and their reputations by deceiving and physically confronting these petitions. They gain the trust of themon people by giving false promises to temporarily calm their anger and then suppress the instigators of the petitions by arresting them. This is amon method used by local governments across the country because the nature of mass petitions is illegal and this legality legitimizes their suppression and arrest. However, this time, the situation got out of hand. Nobody expected that the Xiong family would have a son like Xiong Changgui. Before Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival, Xu Qi and others had already learned about Xiong Changgui¡¯s experience by contacting the Xibei Military Region through the Jiangbei Province Military Division. He was a military model soldier, the champion of the military skillspetition in the Xibei Military Region, had represented Huaxia in the World Special Forces Competition held in Northern Irnd, and won the first ce. He was also promoted from soldier to a junior officer due to his impable political ideology and party membership. A rising star in the military by all ounts, there might be another general in Qianzhou City in a few decades. No one ever expected, his oldrade in arms would be a new star in political circle Nie Zhenbang. This was getting tricky. Earlier, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were very straightforward, even carrying a hint of threat. This was normal, Nie Zhenbang was a deputy department level official, even if they served in the same ce, Nie Zhenbang had no reason to fear him. Especially when Nie Zhenbang was under the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Earlier, Nie Zhenbang had made it very clear that this situation was definitely not baseless. There was definitely a problem. How would Qianzhou City deal with it? If Qianzhou City couldn¡¯t handle it, then he, Nie Zhenbang, would go to the Jiangbei Province Disciplinary Committee. Even if the Jiangbei Province Disciplinary Committee didn¡¯t care, he, Nie Zhenbang, would take care of it himself. Xu Qi broke the silence and said, ¡°Director Nie, as you know, Qianzhou City was approved by the State Council to be promoted from Qianzhou region to Qianzhou City this April. I¡¯ve only been transferred to Qianzhou City for less than three months. I¡¯m not familiar with the situation in Qianzhou City.¡± Paying a pause, Xu Qi¡¯s face became more serious, he continued, ¡°However, my stance remains; regardless of who the issue pertains to or their level of involvement, my attitude is to carry on the investigation until the end. I will report this issue to Governor Ning immediately. As for the Disciplinary Committee Secretary Da Liang, I¡¯ll have to trouble Director Nie.¡± Xu Qi¡¯s attitude eased Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression quite a bit. Whether Xu Qi was making excuses or trying to shirk his responsibility, at least, his attitude was good. Furthermore, from Xu Qi¡¯s implication, it seemed like he was under Ning Shouchang, thus making Xu Qi nearly a part of Nie¡¯s faction. Nie Zhenbang nodded in agreement and said, ¡°Secretary Xu, on behalf of Changgui, I want to express my gratitude to you. With your words, I believe, Changgui can leave without regret.¡± Xiong Changgui, who had initially had an aggressive demeanor, had calmed down since Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival. At this moment, Xiong Changgui had returned to his normal self, an honest and stable man who kept his head low and hardly spoke. After leaving Xu Qi¡¯s room and delivering Xiong Changgui to Yao Yuan, Nie Zhenbang called Yao Yuan out. The atmosphere was slightly oppressive and somber. Unlike Xu Qi and others who had no connection to the situation, Xiong Changgui was theirrade in arms and a good soldier. It was a pity that things hade to this point. Nie Zhenbang deeply regretted it and Yao Yuan felt some self-reproach. ¡°Chief, don¡¯t me yourself. Maybe, this is Changgui¡¯s destiny.¡± Nie Zhenbang patted Yao Yuan¡¯s shoulder and whispered, ¡°Chief, these next few days, give Changgui some space. I believe, Changgui won¡¯t run. He¡¯s not that kind of person.¡± Yao Yuan nodded and lifted his head. His expression was somewhat harsh as he said lowly, ¡°Zhenbang, I¡¯m leaving Changgui¡¯s deep hatred and great vengeance with you. I believe you can give him an exnation. I won¡¯t say much. We arerades!¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded in agreement and didn¡¯t say anything more. He went back to his bedroom, picked up the phone on the table, and made a call. Once he and the others were ced in the guesthouse of the Qianzhou City Military Division, the division had already activated the telephone in their rooms. This was essential. Otherwise, if someone wanted to make a call, they would have to first contact the switchboard. That would be embarrassing, wouldn¡¯t it? He took out the contact book of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection from his pocket, which contained the contact numbers of the heads of the disciplinarymittees and relevant departments of the six provinces under his jurisdiction. His first call was to Zheng Gensheng. As soon as Zheng Gensheng¡¯s voice came through, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Old Zheng, get the second division ready; prepare to depart. Be ready for my news at any time.¡± Zheng Gensheng knew Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personality. After hearing these words, he didn¡¯t ask any questions and immediately responded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll prepare as soon as I start work tomorrow.¡± After hanging up with Zheng Gensheng, Nie Zhenbang dialed the home number of Sun Daliang, the secretary of the Jiangbei Provincial Disciplinary Committee. Considering the time, it was already night, and Sun Daliang should have already returned home. A woman¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone, ¡°Hello, may I ask who you are looking for?¡± Nie Zhenbang then courteously said, ¡°Excuse me, is this Secretary Sun Daliang¡¯s home? I¡¯m Nie Zhenbang, the Director of the Fifth Inspection Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Sorry to disturb you at this hour. Could you please ask Secretary Sun to take the call?¡± On the other end, upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s self-introduction, without any hesitation, knowing that they were looking for Sun Daliang, it was clear that this was no ordinary person, nor someone who had dialed the wrong number. After a moment¡¯s pause, a resounding voice came through: ¡°Ha ha, Director Nie, hello, hello. Calling sote, is there any instruction?¡± This sentence sounded somewhat amusing. Here was a deputy ministerial-level official asking a deputy department-level official almost as a subordinate. On one hand, this was because of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and on the other hand, it was Sun Daliang being polite. Nie Zhenbang chuckled, ¡°Secretary Sun, you¡¯re being too polite. If I may, it seems rather formal. I¡¯m sorry for thete call, but there is a matter I¡¯d like to report to you.¡± Nie Zhenbang respected those who respected him. As Sun Daliang had lowered his status, he would not act high and mighty in return, which would be foolish. With such an approach, Sun Daliang was at least satisfied. From the other end, Sun Daliang chuckled back, ¡°Director Nie, no need to be so formal. What¡¯s this about a report? What¡¯s the matter?¡± Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang informed him that he was currently in Qianzhou City and reported about the situation in Xiaxiang County and the circumstances surrounding Xiong Changgui. After covering everything impartially, Sun Daliang, on the other end, fell silent before speaking again, his tone noticeably stern, ¡°Director Nie, this is a failure on the part of our Jiangbei Province Disciplinary Committee. I will report this matter to Secretary Yanshuo and Governor Shouchang right away and noter than tomorrow afternoon, I will be in Qianzhou City. We can discuss the specifics once I arrive. How does that sound?¡± Secretary Yanshuo referred to Secretary of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee, Shen Yanshuo, the actual power figure of Jiangbei Province. Sun Daliang¡¯s statement affirmed the importance that the Jiangbei Province ced on this matter. No matter whether it was out of regard for his rank or as a matter of courtesy, possessing such an attitude was sufficient. Investigations could not bepleted overnight. At that point, Nie Zhenbang had no issues, and promptly nodded, ¡°Okay. Secretary Sun, see you tomorrow.¡± Just as he hung up the phone, Nie Zhenbang got up, took a shower in the bathroom and as he came out, the door was being knocked thunderously. As he opened the door, Qin Lang, his eyes bloodshot, looked at Nie Zhenbang in a deep voice, ¡°Soldier King, the boss¡­ the boss is gone.¡± ¡°Gone?¡± Nie Zhenbang repeated, with Xiong Changgui¡¯s character, he would absolutely not flee under these circumstances. Everyone originated from the same military unit and even if he, Nie Zhenbang, was not present, Yao Yuan and Qin Lang were. Escaping would be an unspoken insult to Xiong Changgui. At this moment, the word ¡®gone¡¯ carried only one meaning: Xiong Changgui was dead. Without any hesitation, the two rushed to the room across the hall. There, Xiong Changguiy t on the floor, disying no signs of life. Yao Yuan, standing at the side with tears streaming down his face, stared out of the window, trying hard not to cry. Alongside, were the city¡¯s police officers as well as Xu Qi, the Secretary of the Qianzhou City Committee, and themander of the Jiangbei Province Military Division, Long Dianqin. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang enter, Yao Yuan whispered, ¡°Changguimitted suicide. This is his suicide note.¡± On a piece of hotel notepaper were written a few simple sentences: ¡®I have failed the nurturing of my country and military. I cannot face the leaders of the military region and myrades. I¡¯m leaving!¡¯ A well-trained special forces soldier, a famous soldier king in Xibei Military Region with deadlybat skills and expertise, honed to perfection. If he intended tomit suicide, no one could stop him. In fact, Xiong Changgui had been prepared to die. Nevertheless, he was waiting for Nie Zhenbang. He waited to see the Crown Prince for thest time, waiting for Nie Zhenbang to seek justice for his deceased parents and sister, for his fellow vigers. Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, quietly walked over to Xiong Changgui¡¯s side, squatted down, and lightly brushed his palm across Xiong Changgui¡¯s face. He whispered, ¡°Brother! Farewell!¡± PS: Ahem, big brother tn6495 has hit the top again. And has advanced to be the alliance leader of this book. As a result, another chapter is added. Which means, today there¡¯s a four-chapter burst. Tomorrow, there¡¯ll continue to be a four-chapter burst. Seeking monthly votes, brothers and sisters. Our ratings have dropped out of the top six in the Metropolitan category amid explosions, seeking support with monthly votes to retain our top six position. Could you guys support us?(.) Chapter 324: 317 Tianhai Group_1 His passing was not explosive nor at the forefront of a battlefield. There were no flowers, no apuse. Despite his remarkable military record as the unseen Soldier King of Huaxia¡¯s military, he did not fall while charging at the enemy. Instead, he brought his own life to an end. The few military medals beside his head represented the young man¡¯s contributions and efforts for the nation. His suicide note, although simple, manifested the perseverance and regretlessness of an outstanding soldier. He apologized to the party and the state for their cultivation, and to the military for its teachings. However, one may wonder why such a promising young soldier would choose such a one-way journey to oblivion. Knowing that it was wrong, but still going forward, is unwise. This had nothing to do with education or background. As a soldier bound by military discipline and rules, if one didn¡¯t even know how to follow simple rules, it would be a mockery of the military. Xiong Changgui¡¯s deep pain and intense hatred mirrored his inner reality. A person¡¯s death is like the snuffing out of a light, ending everything. Under the management of Yao Yuan and Nie Zhenbang, Xiong Changgui¡¯s body was cremated at the funeral home in Qianzhou City. An exquisite urn, bought with money pooled by Yao Yuan, Nie Zhenbang, and Qin Lang. It¡¯s not that Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t afford it. Any one of the three could have paid for it. However, there was a significant meaning behind it. After all, they had all beenrades-in-arms. Cangshan The intense atmosphere that had once permeated Cangshan was no longer present. Now cold and quiet at the foot of the mountain, the sight of numerous police cars and a sizable military police presence was gone. Once again, it had reverted back to its usual calm. Nie Zhenbang, cradling the urn, muttered, ¡°Boss, we¡¯re home. Your family is together again, never to be separated. Boss, this time you can stay with your parents and your younger sister forever. You can protect them forever.¡± Between the waist of the mountain, several new tombs marked the resting ce of Xiong Changgui¡¯s parents. Surrounded by the serene mountain and clear waters, the ce was open and spacious.
Qin Lang dig a grave next to it. Nie Zhenbang and Yao Yuan handled the urn with utmost reverence and solemnity, cing it in the grave. As they together raised a mound over it, creating a fresh tomb. Perhaps, after several years, the people who pass by here won¡¯t even remember that a family was buried here. Following the custom in the south, a tablet cannot be erected on a new grave for three years. Nie Zhenbang dusted his hands and took out a packet of Zhonghua cigarettes from his pocket. He lit three and respectfully ced them in front of the tomb. In a quiet voice, he said, ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve never smoked, but you always asked me for one. I know you were asking for Sun. This time, you can have a taste. I¡¯ve also brought the wine. Today, we will drink until we are drunk.¡± At his words, Qin Lang moved over a box of Erguotou liquor. Opening four bottles, each of them took one, leaving one for Xiong Changgui. They removed the caps and poured the liquor evenly onto the tomb. This was how soldiers mourned. This kind of emotion could never be understood by those who weren¡¯t soldiers. Sitting by the tomb, the three men tossed aside their dignified images. Whatever they were, colonels, deputy director-level officials, or soldier kings, none of that mattered here. In this moment, only one emotion mattered, theradery between fellow soldiers. ¡°Haha, Boss, you¡¯ve finished, how can we not finish?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang lost all his usual calm and majesty, appearing like a madman, talking to himself,den with unutterable heaviness. Emptying a bottle of wine, Nie Zhenbang called out again, ¡°Sun, open another, one bottle isn¡¯t enough. Three bottles of wine. Today, we the brothers, will drink until we are drunk.¡± Two cases of liquor, each case contained six bottles, were emptied in less than half an hour. The three men drank as if it were just water. As they drank, they began to feel the effects of the alcohol. Especially Qin Lang, his tolerance wasn¡¯t very good. He was already aplete mess. Nie Zhenbang and Yao Yuan both held him from the left and right, the three of them swaying as they walked down the hill. Fortunately, a car sent by the Qianzhou City Military Subdistrict was there to pick them up, but by this point, they had no recollection of how they managed to get in the car. Early the next morning, Nie Zhenbang was up early, a night of heavy drinking had left him with a headache. As he walked out of the house, Yao Yuan and Qin Lang also came out from inside, carrying their luggage. Nie Zhenbang also nodded, he was very clear about the affairs of the Tiger Group. Yao Yuan and Qin Lang couldn¡¯t stay here for a long time; once they understood Xiong Changgui¡¯s situation, they naturally had to return to the Northwest. At this moment, Yao Yuan had already taken the initiative toe over. He did not speak, just tightly hugged Nie Zhenbang, and then they both turned and left. Nie Zhenbang fell silent for a moment, then walked down to the restaurant, ordered a bowl of rice porridge and two bread buns. After eating a bit, he had just returned to his room when Xu Qi, the Secretary of Qianzhou City Committee, came personally. As soon as Xu Qi saw Nie Zhenbang, he smiled and said, ¡°Director Nie is up. Secretary Da Liang arrived in Qianzhoust night. Seeing that you were drunk, we did not bother you. Let¡¯s go to see him together now.¡± Upon hearing Xu Qi¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang nodded, somewhat surprised. He was impressed by the speed and efficiency of the Jiangbei Province. Even when he was here, Sun Daliang¡¯s prompt arrival was proof of his character. He was indeed an outstanding cadre. Given Sun Daliang¡¯s status, Nie Zhenbang would not have been able to object even if he had note. Sending an inspection team was already a sign of respect towards Nie Zhenbang. Sun Daliang¡¯s proactive style numbed Nie Zhenbang a bit. Consequently, he didn¡¯t hesitate, smiling, he said, ¡°Alright, Secretary Xu, please lead the way. Let¡¯s go and visit Secretary Sun together.¡± Sun Daliang was not staying here, but at the guesthouse of the Qianzhou City Party Committee. Upon entering the living room, Sun Daliang was sitting on the sofa, holding a file, carefully going through it. During this time, Nie Zhenbang was also examining Sun Daliang. Sun Daliang was about fifty-one or two years old, but as a senior cadre at the provincial and ministerial level, he looked younger due to his well-maintained appearance. This was natural. Nie Zhenbang had seen Sun Daliang¡¯s resume before. He was fifty-eight this year. After this term, Sun Daliang was about to retire. His hair was a bit sparse, his round face had small eyes, and his eyebrows were upright. He seemed strict and serious ¨C a demeanormon among disciplinary officials. At this moment, Xu Qi also smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Da Liang, Director Nie is here.¡±
In front of Nie Zhenbang, Sun Daliang did not put on airs. After all, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s identity was clear. Though their ranks were not equivalent, Nie Zhenbang is a representative from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Seeing Sun Daliang put down his papers, even before Sun Daliang could say anything, Nie Zhenbang took the initiative: ¡°Secretary Sun, hello. You made a special trip in your busy schedule, making me feel somewhat embarrassed. Yesterday, I was in a low mood after attending a friend¡¯s funeral and did not provide you with the proper greeting. I hope you won¡¯t take offense.¡± At this moment, Sun Daliang was quite satisfied with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s demeanor. Firstly, the case of Xiong Changgui¡¯s attempted murder was shocking to the provincialmittee and the central government. The Military Political Department was involved. The perpetrator hadmitted suicide, but the matter had not yet been entirely resolved. A number of key questions remained as to how a military elite had chosen to tantly murder people. Considering this situation, the pressure on Jiangbei province was indeed huge. Moreover, having Nie Zhenbang stationed here was a significant factor. If Jiangbei province were to stubbornly stick to its views and the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection were forced to intervene directly, things wouldn¡¯t end well. Regardless, Jiangbei province would have to fully cooperate, providing whatever personnel and evidence required. However, Nie Zhenbang had voluntarily contacted the Jiangbei Province Disciplinary Committee and handed over the main investigation authority, a move that pleased Sun Daliang.
Secondly, Nie Zhenbang had proactively greeted Sun Daliang and had adopted a very humble approach. This too please Sun Daliang. Subsequently, Sun Daliang also smiled and said: ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, it¡¯s understandable to grieve the loss of a friend. People are emotional beings; I understand this.¡± After saying this, Sun Daliang turned the conversation back to the main topic. Once Nie Zhenbang and Xu Qi were settled, he said, ¡°Secretary Xu and Director Nie, your arrival is most timely. This is the material provided by the Qianzhou City Disciplinary Committee and Supervision Bureau. For now, we¡¯re referring to this case as the ¡®Xiaxiang Incident.¡¯ After a pause, Sun Daliang said in a heavy voice: ¡°ording to these materials, there are quite a few issues in the Xiaxiang case.¡± Upon hearing Sun Daliang¡¯s words, Xu Qi was also stunned. He had not expected the Xiaxiang case to be so serious, to the extent that even Sun Daliang said there were numerous issues. Although shocked, Xu Qi was not particrly worried. As a neer, he bore no leadership responsibilities, being, as it were, outside the case, at ease. Sun Daliang then continued, ¡°ording to the report, Xiaxiang initiated tourism through migration, creating water-based characteristic houses for tourism development. The provincial government allocated 500 million yuan for immigrant resettlement. This fund is dedicated for use in Xiaxiang County. In response, Xiaxiang County has set a ¡®high-voltage line,¡¯ and no person or unit is allowed to misappropriate resettlement funds for other purposes. However, it is worth pondering why, under this ¡®high-voltage line,¡¯ someone would dare to touch it.¡± Being an experienced disciplinary inspector, Sun Daliang managed to get to the crux of the case. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also a bit curious, so he picked up the materials on the table and took a look. He then raised his head and asked, ¡°Secretary Xu, this Tianhai Group. What do they do? Why have they undertaken such a significant role in the construction of Xiaxiang¡¯s resettlement houses?¡± PS: I¡¯d like to rmend a book to you all, ¡°The School Beauty¡¯s Close-at-hand Ghost King,¡± Book number: 2256786. Shrimp? The title seems familiar, reminds you of The Close-at-hand Expert? No, no, no, that book is too innocent, this is another, more mature story. The vampire kingdom¡¯s young prince, Xi Kn, reces a high school student named Liu Yi. Thus, an extraordinary student is born, with wealth rolling in and women lining up ¨C it¡¯s truly fantastic! (.) Chapter 325: 318 Bamboo Reinforced Concrete_1 Soon enough, Xu Qi began to exin: ¡°Director Nie, here¡¯s the thing. Tianhai Group is a well-known private enterprise in our province. Last year, it ranked among the top ten private enterprises in Jiangbei Province, mainly involved in construction, real estate, and tourism development projects. This time, Tianhai Group got into Xiaxiang through a normal bidding process. Is there anything wrong?¡± Listening to Xu Qi¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang just smiled slightly and then replied, ¡°Oh, nothing really. I was just curious when I was looking at the documents earlier. This Tianhai Group¡­ it has robust strength, being able to undertake the entire resettlement construction project in Xiaxiang County.¡± At this moment, Sun Daliang began to speak: ¡°The situation in Xiaxiang is not that simple. Director Nie, beforeing here, I already had a discussion about the Xiaxiang incident with Secretary Yan Shuo and Governor Shou Chang. Comrade Yan Shuo¡¯s idea is that, about this case, we in Jiangbei Province also need to reflect and repent on it. While we are strongly advocating for the support to the military, we cannot ignore the local party members¡¯ care for the military workers, which has led to this tragic incident. It¡¯s both devastating and regrettable.¡± After a pause, Sun Daliang continued to say: ¡°Director Nie, on behalf of the Jiangbei Province Disciplinary Committee, we have sent an investigation team headed by the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Disciplinary Committee and the Director of the Jiangbei Provincial Supervision Department, Comrade Yan Zhian. They are stationed in Qianzhou City and investigating the Xiaxiang case. Please rest assured, Director Nie. In regards to this case, we will find out the truth. In addition, I would like to invite colleagues from the Fifth Department of the Disciplinary Inspection and Supervision Department to participate in the investigation of this case. We hope our superiors will give full support to the disciplinary work of Jiangbei Province.¡± The meaning of Sun Daliang¡¯s words was already very clear. Nie Zhenbang could understand that Sun Daliang, as the secretary of the Disciplinary Committee, would naturally not be able to stay here for a long time. Assigning a deputy secretary of the Provincial Disciplinary Committee was already a favor to Nie Zhenbang; otherwise, the Qianzhou City Disciplinary Committee¡¯s investigation would have sufficed. Furthermore, Sun Daliang¡¯s initiative to invite Nie Zhenbang to participate in the investigation meant that although the case might be led by Jiangbei Province, they could also send someone to supervise. There was another phrase, which was a promise from Sun Daliang to Nie Zhenbang. Sun Daliang had already understood the rtionship between Xiong Changgui and Nie Zhenbang, which was a gesture of goodwill. If the investigation did not go well, Nie Zhenbang would certainly not be satisfied. By saying this, he was assuring Nie Zhenbang that he would do his best to satisfy him. Then, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said: ¡°Secretary Sun, you are too kind. We are not guiding at all; we are here to learn from therades of Jiangbei Province. I will call them right away. Comrades from our Fifth Department and the Second Department wille over soon. However, Secretary Sun, as agreed, we are just here to learn. Jiangbei Province is still the main party in this case.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Sun Daliang alsoughed. He was quite satisfied with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude, and immediately stood up and said, ¡°Director Nie, I will have to take leave shortly. After this case is closed, please visit our capital of Jiangbei Province, Jiangzhou City, and let me show you some local hospitality.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and nodded, ¡°Secretary Sun, I will definitely visit you.¡± The next day, after Sun Daliang left in his official car, Zheng Gensheng was fast on his feet. Three people from the second office arrived in Qianzhou City the same afternoon.
At the same time, the official investigation of Xiaxiang County had begun. Yan Zhian, about fifty years old with amon look and slim figure, had sharp eyes. Early in the morning, Zheng Gensheng had already entered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s room and said, ¡°Director, The Chairman of Jiangbei Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, Yan Zhian, has invited us to Xiaxiang County today.¡± There were four cars in total, none of which were the popr Audi or Mercedes-Benz official cars. They were all ordinary Santana cars. The drive from Qianzhou to Xiaxiang County took only about twenty minutes. Soon, they were already in Xiaxiang County. At the moment, Nie Zhenbang was sitting in the same car as Yan Zhian, with Yan Zhian¡¯s secretary, Little Wu, at the front. Just as the car was about to enter Xiaxiang, Little Wu, who was upfront, received a call and then turned around and said, ¡°Director, the working group in Xiaxiang County just called. The four main leaders of the county are waiting at the county border right now. All the primary and secondary schools in Xiaxiang County have suspended sses and are preparing to wee us.¡± Hearing these words, Yan Zhian¡¯s face turned gloomy as he angrily said, ¡°Absurd. It¡¯s all for show. Little Wu, find out if there is another way we can take. We need to go directly to Cangshan Town.¡± Just as the car with the investigation group took a detour and hit a small road to Cangshan Town, at that moment, Niu Zhengfu, the Secretary of Xiaxiang County Party Committee, and County Governor Fang Zhiqiang, were waiting at the border of Xiaxiang County. Both appeared ragged at the moment, disturbed by the case that had spiraled out of control. Psychological torment was the worst. It would be strange if they weren¡¯t haggard. ¡°Secretary Niu, why haven¡¯t they arrived yet? Director Yan and his group left in the morning, they should have arrived by now ording to the schedule. Could something have changed? Do you think Chairman Xu might have¡­?¡± Fang Zhiqiang kept checking his watch and uttered worriedly. Niu Zhengfu nced at his watch and calcted it had already been an hour and a half since the investigative team set out. They ought to have arrived by now for some reason, but Niu Zhengfu was unclear. Nevertheless, speaking of Chairman Xu, Niu Zhengfu truly didn¡¯t believe the man would dare to step forward amidst the Xiaxiang case that now people fear. If he did, that would be as if the sun had risen in the west. At that moment, Niu Zhengfu¡¯s Ericsson mobile phone rang. Without a word, he hung up the call and walked towards his vehicle, dering in a deep voice, ¡°You may all head back. The investigative team has already arrived at Cangshan.¡± Cangshan Town, a district developed for tourism and immigrants. Nestled amongst verdant mountains and clear waters, the stream that flowed exhibited the charm of the South of the Yangtze River along with houses representative of the rich southern atmosphere. Rows of houses, well ordered in theiryout, appeared with their dark tiled roofs against the snow-white walls, fully disying the southern scenery. At the moment, staff from the initial teams stationed here were already walking over. Yan Zhian and Nie Zhenbang led the way, while a staff member exined, ¡°Department Head Yan and Director Nie, ording to our preliminary investigation. The entire Xiaxiang county¡¯s relocation funds are all centrally nned, arranged, and coordinated by the county. The houses were all constructed uniformly by the county. As exined to us by Xiaxiang County, central nning is beneficial for the town¡¯s nning andyout, helping form a scaled and cohesiveyout.¡± Pausing for a moment, the staff member hesitated before continuing, ¡°However, through our different investigations of several townships in Xiaxiang County, we found the misuse of resettlement funds across the various localities. In addition, during the investigation, we discovered that the well-constructed houses, situated in prime locations, were invariably allocated to the leadership body of the Xiaxiang County Committee, as well as their affiliated units and township leaders. The rest, the houses genuinely intended for themon people, were of inferior quality. Moreover, ording to many local residents, an additional construction fee is required to receive a house, which can vary from a few thousand to twenty thousand. The situation differs among the viges. These funds, they say, are for¡­ they say they¡¯re for over-budget construction costs.¡± Upon hearing the staff member¡¯s report, Yan Zhian and Nie Zhenbang froze, with Yan Zhian especially showing an upsurge of anger, eximing, ¡°Outrageous. The refugee resettlement housing was used for Xiaxiang County¡¯s tourism development expenditure. What does this have to do with the officials of Xiaxiang County? What rights do they have to distribute houses?¡± Just then, roughly a dozen local residents noisily approached them. Upon seeing this scene, many of Jiangbei Province¡¯s staff members grew tense, stepping before Yan Zhian and Nie Zhenbang in order to protect them. Yet, Yan Zhian now angrily ordered, ¡°Move aside, I believe that ourmon people won¡¯t harm us.¡±
At that moment, four burly men, holding two manhole covers, had already approached Yan Zhian and the others. Facing these officials, the leading man stepped forward, saying, ¡°Leaders, old honest men, pleasee and take a look, this is our house.¡± Upon finishing speaking, the men beside him swung two eight-pound hammers, smashing the manhole covers to pieces with two blows. The contents revealed left Nie Zhenbang and Yan Zhianpletely stunned. With what seemed to be disbelief, Yan Zhian hesitantly asked, ¡°Are¡­ are even the houses made from this material?¡± On the ground, amidst the destroyed cement chunks, a hint of green was revealed. For such a cement concrete cover, instead of steel inside, there were bamboo strips.
The question arose as to whether a house of such kind could even be lived in with such construction material. Living inside would be akin to moving into a house with a time bomb. There¡¯s always the prospect of mortal danger. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang squatted down, picking up a piece of cement to examine it more closely. Based on the texture, this wasn¡¯t something that was cast onsite, it reflected the reality of the situation. Could such a house exceed construction standards and still require extra payment? No wonder thesemon people didn¡¯t want to live in such houses as nobody would want to unknowingly sacrifice their lives in their sleep. Nie Zhenbang then stood up, suggesting, ¡°Department Head Yan, I rmend we demolish one house for further inspection. If it¡¯s really like this, then we¡¯ve got a major problem on our hands.¡± PS: I¡¯d rmend a new officialdom novel, ¡°Humble Officer.¡± The author, Lonely Reading Nanhua¡¯s new officialdom novel, ¡°Government Policy,¡± code: 2270778 It¡¯s a long way to the top in officialdom, how can one stand out? Watch Chen Jing¡¯s wisdom in officialdom unfold¡­ Chen Jing, a literary youth, among the first college student civil servants, has no connections, no backing! What¡¯s his secret to climbing thedder? Why is his life so fascinating? ( Chapter 326: 319 Jiangbei Provincial Committee Standing Committee Meeting_1 As a high-ranking official of Jiangbei Provincial Committee, Yan Zhian had some understanding of such matters. If this were to happen, it would not only create a stir in Qianzhou City, it would likely cause a seismic shift in the whole of Jiangbei officialdom. Nie Zhenbang, who was standing by his side, looked determined. Yan Zhian spected that even if he refused, Nie Zhenbang would probably demolish a house regardless. The local people knew clearly which houses were of good quality and which were not. Rather than refusing and creating a negative impression on Nie Zhenbang, it was better to ept for now and figure out a solutionter on. With some resolve, Yan Zhian nodded and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s demolish a house to see. I hope that these people haven¡¯t gonepletely insane.¡± Under the guidance of the local vigers, the group moved further into the vige. Past the model project houses at the entrance of the vige, the resettlement houses inside were all vacant. From the outside, these houses appeared no different from the previous ones. Several vige officials began to exin, ¡°Leaders, these are the resettlement houses. Not to mention their terrible quality, we watched these being built. Despite their attempts to hide their deeds, they couldn¡¯t fool us. These houses, we wouldn¡¯t even dare to live in them if they were free, let alone cover some difference in price. It would be too risky with so many fellow vigers nearby.¡± Pointing casually, one of them said, ¡°Leaders, from where we¡¯re standing to the inside, these houses are all constructed with bamboo concrete. Feel free to pick whichever one to demolish.¡± Yan Zhian and Nie Zhenbang looked at each other, and then Yan Zhian walked about several dozen meters to stand in front of a house. He then calmly said, ¡°Let¡¯s demolish this house.¡± Upon hearing this, the local vigers who had been following behind promptly sprung into action. Dismantling a house is a task best left to themon folk as the officials, unustomed to hardbor, would be ill-suited for such a task. Actually, the demolishing process was a little different. The immigrant resettlement houses in Xiaxiang County were all brick-and-mortar structures. Except for the load-bearing and stress-bearing walls that used concrete frame structures, the rest were constructed from red bricks. Among the vigers were some skilled masons. Areas where concrete should have been used were quickly identified. They started to hammer away at the walls, and the pounding reverberated loudly. Yan Zhian and the others were standing at a distance on the ground floor. The sound of hammering felt like it was making the entire house tremble. After about ten minutes, a job supervisor who had been overseeing the process from the sidelines ran over. In a low voice, he said to Yan Zhian and Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Secretary Yan, Director Nie, pleasee and see.¡±
Following the supervisor into the house, they arrived at the area where the first and second floors connected. In this area, concrete should have been used. The snowy wall there had been broken up, revealing the interior. The concrete inside was mixed with green strips of bamboo, which shocked both Nie Zhenbang and Yan Zhian. As they exited the house, a group of people came running from the other end of the resettlement area. Leading the group were Niu Zhengfu, the county party secretary of Xiaxiang, and the county mayor Fang Zhiqiang, both panting heavily from their jog over. Before they could speak, Yan Zhian said, ¡°You two, go take a look at the house yourselves. You are gambling with people¡¯s lives. Have you no conscience, no morals? Would you dare to live in such a house?¡± This matter, concerning the entire Xiaxiang County resettlement funds, required a detailed written report and exnation from the county party secretary and the county mayor. Where was the money used? Who received it? These questions all needed to be thoroughly investigated. They had such audacity to use thin bamboo strips as rebar substitutes. Infamy! After delivering his outburst, Yan Zhian went to his car. The group did not stay in Xiaxiang County for too long. The car drove straight to the Qianzhou City Committee. Yan Zhian immediately called for Xu Qi, the party secretary of Qianzhou City. Upon hearing that bamboo strips were used in the construction of resettlement houses as a money-saving measure, Xu Qi was taken aback. This situation was a shockingly vast underestimation of the audacity of these people. After pondering for a moment, Xu Qi asked, ¡°Secretary Yan, what are you suggesting?¡± With Yan Zhian present, Xu Qi consciously assumed a cooperative stance. The Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission had be involved. The duty of the Qianzhou City Committee was to fully cooperate with their investigation. Yan Zhian thought carefully for a moment, then said, ¡°Comrade Xu Qi. I suggest that Qianzhou City immediately convenes a standingmittee meeting. As for Xiaxiang County, I rmend disciplining Secretary Niu Zhengfu and Mayor Fang Zhiqiang, ording to Party rules. Additionally, as the primary contractor, the Tianhai Group¡¯s ounts and correspondences at its Qianzhou branch should be investigated and sealed by an inspection team appointed by the municipalmittee of Qianzhou City.¡± Having said this, Yan Zhian added, ¡°Comrade Xu Qi, please act as quickly as possible. I will take responsibility for any repercussions.¡± At this point, Yan Zhian knew there was little value in hiding the matter anymore. Then, he looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Director Nie, I believe you¡¯ve noticed too that not only me, even Secretary Sun Daliang seemed somewhat helpless when it came to the Tianhai Group. Now, things have spiraled far beyond my expectations. The audacity of the Tianhai Group is just overwhelming. It¡¯s impossible to keep a lid on this any longer. I will be blunt. The chairman of the Tianhai Group is Ding Haitao. His father is our Jiangbei Province¡¯s current standingmittee member and the executive vice governor, Comrade Ding Guohong.¡± Nie Zhenbang had already been specting about the Tianhai Group. Initially, he had thought it was connected to some subordinate leader within the province. But he hadn¡¯t anticipated that it involved the son of the executive vice governor of Jiangbei Province. No wonder even Sun Daliang was cautious. After all, unless it were a matter of life-and-death, they would want to save face for Ding Guohong and let the Tianhai Group off the hook. All Nie Zhenbang was pursuing were the officials in Xiaxiang County. However, by now, the situation has spiraled out of control, especially with the bamboo-rod-concrete issue. Yan Zhian dares not to bear that responsibility. If anything happened following the upancy of these houses, and since he¡¯s the one who investigated this case, it would spell the end of Yan Zhian¡¯s career. When ites to his own political future, Yan Zhian wouldn¡¯t care about the status or background of the Tianhai Group.¡± Nie Zhenbang fell silent at that moment. He hadn¡¯t expected that this incident would trigger such a significant case. It would not be an exaggeration to call it a shocking scandal. It implicated an executive vice governor, which was a rare opportunity indeed. And, from what he remembered being told by Ning Zhiyuan, this Vice Governor Ding Guohong, seemed to be under the patronage of the Jiangbei Provincial Party Secretary Shen Yanshuo, a core member of the Li faction. This excellent opportunity should not be missed. Or else, he would not be Nie Zhenbang. So Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Secretary Yan, I suggest this: I will immediately report this case to the central disciplinarymission and Secretary Zeng Youjie. Handling matters at the Jiangbei Provincial Committee will be your responsibility, Secretary Yan. Let¡¯s bring down the hammer simultaneously. No matter who is implicated, we should investigate thoroughly. Any obstructers will be dealt with severely!¡± Feeling the killing intent emanating from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yan Zhian had a chilling sensation. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intent was no joke. The office building of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee and Government. On the fifteenth floor of the office building, the Provincial Standing Committee Meeting Room was brightly lit even though it was already past seven in the evening. Around five, just before finishing work for the day, all the standingmittee members had received word of an emergency meeting.
All the members of the standingmittee had assembled. Shen Yanshuo, the Party Secretary of Jiangbei Province, was seated in the center with an extremely solemn look on his face. After scanning the room, Shen Yanshuo said in a grave voice, ¡°Comrades, at four o¡¯clock this afternoon, I received a call from Comrade Zeng Youjie of the Central Disciplinary Commission. It is about a matter in Xiaxiang County, Qianzhou City. Just before I heard from Comrade Zeng Youjie, I received a call from Comrade Yan Zhian, who is currently in Qianzhou City. The situation in Xiaxiang County is terrible. It has made me both infuriated and shocked.¡± The tone of Shen Yanshuo was severe, foreboding. The meeting room fell silent. One could have heard a pin drop. Shen Yanshuo added gravely, ¡°Comrades, the five hundred million-yuan resettlement fund was all used for houses made of bamboo-rod-concrete. What kind of behavior is this? Disgraceful! This is Jiangbei Province¡¯s shame. The Tianhai Group, being the primary contractor for the resettlement project in Xiaxiang County, must bear irrefutable responsibility. Anyone and anything implicated must be thoroughly scrutinized. We will not tolerate any ckness.¡±
As he spoke, the face of Ding Guohong, Jiangbei Province¡¯s executive vice governor who was seated on one side, turned cold instantly. His son Haitao had really stirred up trouble this time. On another side, Governor Ning Shouchang looked at the stern-faced Shen Yanshuo and snickered inside. He put on such a righteous front. Hopefully, his actions matched his words. PS: Many thanks to my dear readers for your unyielding support. Today, there will be at least four more updates. If I write faster and nothing else happens, be ready for a pleasant surprise. ( Chapter 327: 320 Media Exposure_1 Shen Yanshuo wasn¡¯t surprised at all. All members of the standingmittee knew the ins and outs of the situation. They knew who was at the helm of the Tianhai Group, and that Ding Haitao was Ding Guohong¡¯s son. Now, with such a major case at hand, it would be strange if Ding Guohong did not step forward. However, Shen Yanshuo felt that Ding Guohong¡¯s move at this moment was somewhat unwise. The case obviously involved the Nie family¡¯s crown prince. Moreover, one of Nie Zhenbang¡¯srades had died as a result. If no answer is given, Nie Zhenbang won¡¯t let go, and the military won¡¯t let go either. Each issue has its own merit. That soldier killed someone, and he paid with his life for it. Besides, he has alreadymitted suicide. Once a person dies, everything is over, and all sins are exposed. But how should the local authorities deal with the oppression and humiliation of the families of military personnel? If there isn¡¯t an exnation given to the military, what would the other soldiers think? If they defend their homnd and borders with their lives but cannot protect their own families, who will still want to be a soldier? Thus, the military is certainly keeping an eye on this matter. Ding Guohong, without considering the situation, is hastily jumping out at this moment. Isn¡¯t this suicidal? However, considering they belong to the same faction, Shen Yanshuo did not refuse Ding Guohong¡¯s request. He signaled and said, ¡°If Governor Guohong has something to say, that is naturally eptable.¡± Ding Guohong pondered for a moment, and then said, ¡°Comrades, I have heard a lot of experts study and verify this bamboo-fiber concrete. Bamboo is flexible, with sufficient tensile strength, much stronger than those inferior reinforcing bars. Moreover, bamboo is a renewable resource. I think, this bamboo-fiber concrete may not be a bad choice. It¡¯s a new type of thing. So, it¡¯s inevitable that there will be some overreaction to it. Particrly those local farmers who don¡¯t understand science, the story naturally gets exaggerated the more it¡¯s talked about. I believe, it¡¯s entirely possible for us to lead an investigation by organizing experts and professors from several universities in Jiangbei Province to perform a field test on these houses. I believe that scientific practice will provide a clear and fair response.¡± The words of Ding Guohong were just meant to deceive the public. As for the people present, they are notmon people, and this was too obvious. The difference in price between bamboo and rebar is so significant. If bamboo really could rece rebar, wouldn¡¯t the state promote it on arge scale? As for expert inspections, it¡¯s perfectly normal for someone of Ding Guohong¡¯s status to get a few experts to speak out. As soon as his words fell, Ning Shouchang also spoke up slowly, ¡°Secretary Shen, I also have a few words to say.¡± ncing at everyone present, Ning Shouchang then began, ¡°Regarding Comrade Guohong¡¯s words, I feel they¡¯re somewhat inappropriate. Construction is not child¡¯s y. ording to the materials provided by Qianzhou City, the resettlement houses in Xiaxiang County were divided into houses for leaders and houses for ordinary people. All the houses for the leaders were constructed with reinforced concrete. So I want to ask Comrade Guohong, if this so-called bamboo-fiber concrete is so superior, then why not simply switch? Let the ordinary people live in the houses currently upied by the leaders. Let the leaders also enjoy this new type of building material.¡± These words left Ding Guohong speechless. He red at Ning Shouchang, then sat down reluctantly. At this moment, Shen Yanshuo was also deep in thought, considering the pros and cons of this matter. He decided not to get involved in this matter. Though they belonged to the same faction, it wasn¡¯t necessary to act in unison on this issue. Especially as this was Ding Guohong¡¯s personal matter. After reflecting for a moment, Shen Yanshuo also said in a deep voice, ¡°Alright,rades, I don¡¯t think these pointless arguments are necessary. How to properly receive Vice Secretary Zeng Youjie of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and how to handle the investigation and aftermath of the Xiaxiang County case in Qianzhou City, how do we minimize its impact? These are the problems we should be thinking about now.¡±
After Shen Yanshuo¡¯s statement, the Jiangbei Provincial Committee¡¯s tune was quickly set. The matter had already escted. The military was watching the development of the situation. It couldn¡¯t be covered up anymore. There must be a clear and just interpretation. Also, someone from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection had arrived. It was Vice Secretary Zeng Youjie, who was in charge of the disciplinary inspection. This man was notoriously heartless. Regardless, Jiangbei Province¡¯s attitude had to made clear. Consequently, the Jiangbei Provincial Committee made the decision to carry out aprehensive investigation into the Tianhai Group, while at the same time dealing harshly with the Xiaxiang County case, regardless of which levels of leadership were involved, and showing no mercy. At this moment, in a secluded teahouse in Qianzhou City, a man around thirty years old was leisurely sitting in a chair, with a soft pack of Zhonghua cigarettes in his hand, wreathed in smoke. Then, the young man sat up straight and pushed a box in front of the middle-aged man opposite him. He grinned and said, ¡°Mayor Han, it¡¯s just a token of appreciation, hope you ept. You don¡¯t need to worry about the Tianhai Group. My father has already said that all this is just going through the motions. Do not be afraid. Even if the sky falls, my father and I will support it. As long as I protect you, you can rest easy.¡± The middle-aged man opened the box. Inside was a bank book, anonymous and without a password. It set his heart racing ¨C ten million, quite a generous amount indeed. As he closed the box, he began to hesitate. At this moment, the younger man had seemingly lost his patience. He stared at the middle-aged man¡¯s indecisiveness then spoke out discontentedly, ¡°Han Ziqi. What¡¯s up? Don¡¯t you trust me, Ding Haitao, anymore? With my grandfather backing you up, what are you still afraid of? Hear me out ¨C you won¡¯t be able to escape from this case. You are the one who facilitated Tianhai Group¡¯s entry. Moreover, you¡¯ve received quite a hefty benefit from it too, haven¡¯t you? Or are you upset because of that bitch, Hong?¡± Hearing Ding Haitao¡¯s words, Han Ziqi¡¯s expression changed. He severely regretted the step he had taken, but now, it was toote for regrets. He sighed and said, ¡°Young Master Tao, you know I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡± Ding Haitao smiled elegantly at this and said, ¡°Mayor Han, it¡¯s even better that way. As long as you can keep Niu Zhengfu and Fang Zhiqiang quiet. Better still, make them take full responsibility. You can continue being a mayor, and after the storm passes, my grandfather can help you transfer to another city. You might even be promoted to Secretary.¡± At this point, Han Ziqi had no way out ¨C and he had little time to consider. He eventually nodded and said, ¡°Young Master Tao, I¡¯ll do my best. As you know, both these men have been taken away by the provincial disciplinarymittee for investigation. Except for Secretary Xu, no one in Qianzhou City can get in touch with them. We need to think of a solution for this.¡± Ding Haitao understood that he couldn¡¯t push too hard. The situation wasn¡¯t as easy as he had alluded. Tianhai Group was currently under investigation and sealed off, with the investigators gathering evidence and clues. A slight misstep could lead to utter ruin. That¡¯s why Ding Haitao was spending ten million to get Han Ziqi to handle this. Then Ding Haitao nodded and said, ¡°Mayor Han, I trust your abilities. Go arrange things, and I wait for your good news.¡± Han Ziqi couldn¡¯t recall how he got home. Upon arrival, he saw his secretary seated on the sofa. Rising up as Han Ziqi entered, he whispered, ¡°Mayor, you¡¯re back. There¡¯s urgent news- Hope Daily and News Observation and several other major in-province journalists have arrived in Qianzhou City. It seems like the purpose of their visit is malicious.¡± Hearing this, Han Ziqi shuddered. With national newspapersing, especially the slot in the News Observation program, a leading program of the national TV station right after Daily at Seven. Many internal officials had been removed from their positions because of this program. It was known to be a curse and now it had arrived here. Han Ziqi then turned around and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the municipal party family district.¡± Han Ziqi intended to use Xu Qi¡¯s connections to negotiate with the provincial officials to avoid exposure. If he could control the societal influence and nobody was watching, it would be easier to operate. But Han Ziqi did not know that all these media outlets were arranged by Nie Zhenbang. His goal was solely to pressure the Jiangbei Provincial Committee with the media to prevent any bias. At the Number One Courtyard of the Municipal Committee, Xu Qi had also just returned home. With high-ranking officials all around Qianzhou City and the deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Zeng Youjie, personally presiding the situation, with the full-time deputy secretary of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee, Li Yuntian, and the secretary of the Jiangbei Provincial Discipline Commission, Sun Daliang, apanying him, Xu Qi had lost all his power. Seeing Han Ziqi enter and start talking about blocking the media, Xu Qi sighed and said, ¡°Old Han, I¡¯m afraid this is impossible. There is nothing I can do about this unless you can persuade Li Yuntian and Sun Daliang.¡± Leaving the Number One Courtyard, Han Ziqi had a sudden inspiration. He quickly dialed a number and spent around 10 minutes speaking on the phone before hanging up satisfied.
The next day, as soon as Nie Zhenbang and others started work and entered the military guest house lobby, Zheng Gensheng approached him and whispered, ¡°Director, things have turned for the worse. Last night, Fang Zhiqiangmitted suicide.¡± PS: Thanks for your support with the monthly tickets.(.) Chapter 328: 321 Political Compromise_1 This news left Nie Zhenbang standing still, speechless for quite a while. ording to the regtions of the disciplinary inspection work, during the implementation of disciplinary actions against cadres, any possibilities that could lead to suicide, disability, ormunication of news and other rted matters, should be prevented and excluded. Moreover, there were two staff members with Fang Zhiqiang, taking turns to guard him around the clock. How could it be possible for him tomit suicide? This whole thing seemed suspicious. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare to dy even for breakfast. He picked up his pace and headed towards the ce where Fang Zhiqiang was detained. When Nie Zhenbang arrived, Secretary Sun Daliang of the Jiangbei Province Disciplinary Committee had also already arrived at the scene. Standing beside, Deputy Secretary Zeng Youjie of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection looked serious and gloomy. A suicide under their noses was a tant challenge and an attempt to destroy evidence. At this moment, Sun Daliang also adopted a humble posture. He spoke in a low voice, ¡°Secretary Zeng, I request punishment for the negligence and errors of our Jiangbei Province Disciplinary Committee staff. The two staff members who were on dutyst night have been taken into custody. Currently, Nie¡¯s team is interrogating them.¡± Zeng Youjie wasn¡¯t a youngd and was beyond the age of impulsivity. With his long-term experience in disciplinary inspection work, he had seen all situations, including this type of tricks. He even deemed it unworthy ofment. Then, Zeng Youjie waved his hand and said in a deep voice, ¡°Comrade Da Liang, there¡¯s no need for self-ming words. You have been doing disciplinary inspection work for more than a year or two. I understand your position. However, Niu Zhengfu has now be a key figure and must be well protected. I suggest your Provincial Disciplinary Committee take charge of the investigation, while the guards should be reced with Nie¡¯s team. In this way, it may relieve some of your pressures.¡± Zeng Youjie¡¯s words saved face for Sun Daliang and the entire Jiangbei Province Discipline Inspection Committee. Naturally, Sun Daliang had no reason to refuse. At the same time, Sun Daliang also used Fang Zhiqiang¡¯s death to strengthen the psychological pressure on Niu Zhengfu. The action of the national media was swift. At this time, Xu Qi understood very well that the cover-up could not continue, even the Provincial Committee had decided to stop the cover-up. As a minor City Party Secretary, how could she keep the secret? Clearly, it was impossible. So, Xu Qi very much cooperated with these journalists, fulfilling virtually all their requests. Want to visit Xiaxiang County and interview local farmers? No problem, the Qianzhou City Party Committee assigned a car, arranged everything from the beginning to the end, leaving the journalists free to do whatever they wanted in Xiaxiang County. The government officials would not intervene, the reporters were free to conduct their interviews, which greatly satisfied them, because this was the truest situation. Want to see the resettled immigrant¡¯s houses? Also possible, even the house that Nie Zhenbang and Yan Zhian smashed down was fully open to the public.
Seeing the raw bamboo exposed within the concrete, the reporters had a field day with their cameras. This was an explosive topic. Soon, these articles were sent back to their respective headquarters. On the third day of their arrival in Qianzhou City, ¡°Hope Daily¡± published a signed article titled ¡®Reflections Behind the Bamboo-reinforced Concrete¡¯. The article, with numerous photos and interview notes of locals, truthfully reflected the problems urred in Qianzhou City¡¯s immigrant resettlement project. National TV¡¯s ¡°News Observation¡± started with the five hundred million resettlement funds and indirectly reflected the allocation of resettlement funds through the new luxury office buildings from Xiaxiang County to townshipmittees and governments. Once these news stories were broadcast, they immediately caused a huge response nationwide. President Yuan of the Central Party Committee personally inquired about the situation. After exchanging views with Zhuang Aiguo, Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, President Yuan personally gave a criticalment on the report submitted by Zeng Youjie, ¡°Corruption andw-breaking, unbearable to morality and justice!¡± These words were extremely serious. It meant President Yuan was already angered. Here in Qianzhou City, in room 304 of the Qianzhou Military Division Guest House, the room number had a dubious homophonic implication of desire for death. However, no one cared, because this room was designated for interrogating Niu Zhengfu. At this moment, the staff members of Jiangbei Provincial Discipline Inspection Committee were under tremendous pressure. With the personal instructions from the Secretary-General, the supervision from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and the entire nation paying attention to Jiangbei and this case, if they could not uncover the truth, there would be a great loss of face for Jiangbei Province as a whole. ¡°Niu Zhengfu, think carefully. Confessing is your only way out. If you don¡¯t care for yourself, don¡¯t you care about your wife and children? You know how Fang Zhiqiang died. Is Fang Zhiqiang, your partner of many years, someone capable of suicide? If you wish to follow Fang¡¯s footsteps, it¡¯s up to you. Think hard about it.¡± After saying that, the two stood up as if to leave. At this moment, Niu Zhengfu hesitated, and then spoke: ¡°Comrades, please wait. I confess!¡± After his psychological defenses were broken, Niu Zhengfu spilled every bit of information he knew, like beans out of a bamboo tube. Tianhai Group was introduced to Niu Zhengfu by the deputy secretary and mayor of Qianzhou City, Han Ziqi. Suggestively hinting that Tianhai Group had powerful backing, Niu agreed to cooperate. The entire project bypassed the formal bidding process, and after a cursory walkthrough, the total contracting rights were handed over to Tianhai Group. Five hundred million in funds. Xiaxiang County retained two hundred million, with one hundred million used to build new government office buildings, and the remaining hundred million distributed to various townships. Wealthier townships gave a portion of the funds to the locals as resettlement allowances, while poorer townships used the funds to repay back wages, debts and the like. However, not much money actually ended up in the hands of ordinary folks. Amid the most severe uproar in Cangshan Town, Niu Zhengfu called in the town¡¯s party secretary for a reprimand. Yet, the father of Xiong Changgui refused to acknowledge it. He insisted on organizing a mass visit to the city, but was killed at the police station after being stopped by Cangshan Town. Subsequently, Xiong Changgui¡¯s mother was also killed at the entrance of the police station while trying to im his body. His sister who sought justice at the town government was ludicrously raped in the party secretary¡¯s office andter sent to the police station where she mysteriously died. This series of events triggered Xiong Changgui¡¯s retaliation and exposed the dark secrets of Xiaxiang. Within the Suite 402 on the fourth floor of the Military Zone¡¯s guest house, Zeng Youjie sat in the main seat on the couch, with Sun Daliang and Yan Zhian to his left and Nie Zhenbang to his right. After reading the materials submitted by Niu Zhengfu, Sun Daliang looks at Zeng Youjie, awaiting orders. Zeng Youjie contemted for a moment then said, ¡°Secretary Da Liang, begin the operation. Divide our forces. One team will be led by yourrades to take control of Han Ziqi. As for Ding Haitao of Tianhai Group, in consideration of the potentialplications of direct involvement by your Jiangbei Provincerades, I think it¡¯s best if Zhenbang¡¯s men take care of it.¡± Sun Daliang expressed some gratitude. It¡¯s not that he feared Ding Guohong, but it was a bit awkward to arrest a fellow team member¡¯s son. Letting therades of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission take action would spare him the uneasy feeling. Immediately, Sun Daliang stood and said, ¡°Secretary Zeng, then we will begin the operation.¡± At this moment, as the situation continues to develop, unease creeps into Han Ziqi¡¯s home. The doorbell rings. Han Ziqi exchanges a nce with his wife then opens the door. Arriving personally, Sun Daliang looks sternly at Han Ziqi and states solemnly, ¡°Han Ziqi, you¡¯reing with me.¡± Han Ziqi slumps at the emotionlessmand from Sun Daliang, earning further contempt from Sun Daliang. Without further ado, he orders, ¡°Take him away!¡±
Meanwhile, at Jiangzhou City¡¯s Jingshan Hotel, rumors hold that Ding Haitao would be staying the night. Therades from Jiangbei Provincial Public Security Department, alerted by Sun Daliang, are ready to take action. However, Nie Zhenbang and his team draw a nk as Ding Haitao does not show up. What Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t predict is that at this moment, the respected standing member of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee, the executive deputy governor ¨C Ding Guohong, is with his son at Nayi, the home of the deputy secretary of the Provincial Committee and governor Ning Shouchang. In the living room of the Ning residence, the governor appears calm andposed. Ding Guohong nces at him, a sh of resentment in his eyes, which quickly subsides. Now is not the time for pride. He must swallow it. Immediately, Ding Guohong takes the initiative to say, ¡°Governor, on this visit, I mainly came to report and discuss certain matters. Recently, I¡¯ve been feeling physically unwell. I intend to step down from my positions within the Jiangbei Provincial Committee and as the executive deputy governor. I¡¯ve already submitted my resignation to the Central Organization Department and the State Council. I thought it necessary to inform you.¡±
The words surprise Ning Shouchang into opening his eyes. He didn¡¯t expect Ding Guohong to give up his own position for the sake of his son. Such filial devotion is indeed admirable. After a pause, Ding Guohong continues, ¡°Governor, the scandal in Xiaxiang has a significant connection to my son. It is my responsibility and fault because I didn¡¯t discipline him properly. I¡¯ve severely reprimanded him. Our intention is that all the substandard resettlement houses be demolished, the reconstruction funds will be fully covered by Tianhai Group. Additionally, Tianhai Group is willing to contribute one hundred million topensate the people of Xiaxiang County for the expenses imposed by the county government¡¯s new office building.¡± This is indeed another hard hit. Tianhai Group¡¯s assets total to about nine hundred million, including arge long-term investment. Now, they have to contribute nearly four hundred million, which is about half of the group¡¯s total value. Considering this, Ning Shouchang stands, offering a cating smile, ¡°Comrade Guohong, don¡¯t worry too much. It¡¯s never toote to mend your past mistakes. Correcting those errors makes you a goodrade. I¡¯ll keep this matter in mind. You and Haitao can go home now. Tomorrow morning, I¡¯ll give you a definitive response.¡± PS: The third update is here, thanks for the strong support from all my brothers and sisters. ( Chapter 329: 322: Balancing the Wrist_1 But what about now? Although the Xiashang Immigration Case had nothing to do with Ding Guohong himself and wouldn¡¯t be traced back to him, his son was deeply implicated, which would greatly impact his future career and political prospects. Ding Guohong saw the situation clearly. Since his political future was gone, he might as well make a bold and drastic move, give up his position directly, and let the Tianhai Group activelypensate, return the illegal gains, and eliminate the impact of the incident. He proposed to exchange these two conditions for his son Ding Haitao¡¯s exculpation. Moreover, the cleverness of Ding Guohongy in not seeking out Shen Yanshuo, but himself. Logically speaking, Shen Yanshuo and Ding Guohong were of the same faction and Ding Guohong should have sought him out based on the principle of not letting benefits flow to outsiders. But this was exactly where Ding Guohong showed his smarts. He didn¡¯t find Shen Yanshuo because he knew that even if he did, other factions, including his own, would hold on to this matter. In that case, Ding Guohong¡¯s severing of the limb would be in vain. However, if he approached him, the Li faction would need the case to be quietly resolved to maintain their positive image, and, having benefited, he wouldn¡¯t say anything. This was the logic of a wise man. Including Xiong Changgui¡¯s murder case and the Xiashang Immigrant Resettlement Case, this case was broadly referred to as the Xiashang Scandal by the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission. With Han Ziqi being ced under dual regtion and a considerable amount of gold, silver, and jewelry being seized from his home, Han Ziqi¡¯s mistress was also exposed. Arge amount of illicit money was also found in the mistress¡¯s house. The bank deposit slip of ten million cash was destroyed by Han Ziqi, attesting his determination. The development of the case led to this point where everything was basically clear, and now, the onlyplication was the Tianhai Group. Because of the special status of Ding Haitao, the special case team was temporarily at a stalemate, or rather, everyone was waiting for a response from the higher level. Politics is always the art ofpromise, seeking a state of bnce. There is a bnce on a local level and a bnce at the center. At any time, neither the political system nor the military system will tolerate the dominance of a single powerful entity. Should such a situation ur, other families would face the most ruthless and harsh crackdown. So, as soon as any family shows signs of dominance, the other families quickly band together and suppress it, even if they used to be enemies with a grudge. They would cast aside their prejudices and unite in this instance. The Xiashang Scandal
Not only is it a confrontation and redistribution of interests in the political arena of Jiangbei Province, but, due to the involvement of a deputy-ministerial level official, or more specifically, an executive vice governor with real power, it has also attracted the attention of the center. Forbidden City Nanhuai Warm Pavilion There stood a row of single-story buildings backing onto Zhonghaizi. This was the heart of the Huaxia center. From here, orders and ns regarding national affairs and development were issued. This was the nerve center of Huaxia. At the moment, inside Nanhuai Warm Pavilion, the air conditioning was at afortable temperature. The air in the room was infused with a faint floral and elegant scent. This was the office of Huaxia Party Secretary General, Yuan Kangan. Secretary General Yuan does not smoke, so everyone who came to report to him always bore this in mind. There was never smoke in the Nanhuai Warm Pavilion. ¡°Old Yun, this time, Zeng Youjie submitted the dossier of the Vice Premier scandal case. Have you read it? What are your thoughts?¡± President Yuan Kangan sits on the sofa, his burly body steady and imposing, exuding an air of authority. After more than two years as the Party¡¯s General Secretary, Yuan Kangan has managed to arrange all political families under his control and retained a tight grip on the military forces. It is high time to reveal his strength. Prime Minister Yun Bo, the caretaker of the Republic and the helmsman of domestic economic development. At present, he looks significantly more exhausted than Yuan Kangan. After a moment of contemtion, Prime Minister Yun Bo spoke slowly, ¡°Party Secretary Yuan, with the ongoing deepening of reform and opening up, and the continuous development of the economy, the domestic promotion of anti-corruption and integrity is bing increasingly serious. This trend is not only present in Jiangbei, but instances of corruption have also been found nationwide. Under the current economic conditions and trends, with the rise of many wealthy private business owners, our civil servants are not content to hold their positions with meager wages. We need to consider how to motivate grassroots civil servants and how to control macroeconomic policies. Additionally, adjusting and enhancing the national wage system should be considered. I believe that the time hase for a firm resolution.¡± At the level of Party Secretary Yuan and Prime Minister Yun, they undoubtedly stand at the peak of sess. Naturally, their focus lies on state affairs, with a broader and more strategic perspective that transcends individual people and ces to epass the country as a whole. After a moment of pondering, Secretary Yuan nodded, ¡°Indeed, high remuneration for integrity, I think, is necessary. Concurrent with our rapid economic growth, it¡¯s crucial to elevate the ie levels across all social strata making it align with current economic development. This seems to be the right move. Internationally, the policy of high remuneration for integrity has been widely practiced. However, I believe strengthening moral education against corruption should also be bolstered. We need to form a national atmosphere and spirit of advocating honesty and against corruption. Nie¡¯s implementation of certain official reception standards in Xinli City, for example, ismendable. The standards prevent waste and extravagance to arge extent. I propose thatrade Aiguo lead a delegation to investigate and formte a feasible n that can be introduced nationwide.¡± Starting from a Vice Premier scandal case, they managed to infer arge-scale national movement, a direct manifestation of their high-level thinking. Simultaneously, after discussingrge-scale actions, it is time for the substantive matter. Looking at Prime Minister Yun Bo, Party Secretary Yuan pondered for a while before saying, ¡°Old Yun, this time, such a massive incident urred in Jiangbei Province. Ding Guohong of Jiangbei Province submitted his retirement application to the organization. Furthermore, after the incident, Tianhai Group actively faced the consequences. They have pledged the funds for rebuilding the resettled housing and have already deposited them into the Jiangbei Province financial ount, while also actively carrying out subsequentpensation. I think, their attitude is admirable.¡± Upon hearing Yuan Kangan¡¯s words, Yun Bo knew that Yuan intended to let Ding Guohong off the hook. No, it should be said that he was letting the Li family off the hook. Now, the other families in Jingcheng havee forward to suppress the Li family on the basis of not only Ding Guohong¡¯s position, but Shen Yanshuo was also now being implicated with leadership responsibilities. This is a standard model of opportunistic attacks.
However, Party Secretary Yuan¡¯s current attitude is clear, this matter stops at Ding Guohong, without involving anyone else. This is a move to preserve the resources of the Li family. Politics is all about bnce. After this incident, the Li family will naturally improve their behavior. In return, they will also be able to restrict other families for Yuan. This is the bnce. Although Party Secretary Yuan and he were not from the same faction, their interests had always aligned. At this time, letting off the Li family would benefit both of them. Therefore, Prime Minister Yun Bo also smilingly said, ¡°I agree with your opinion, Secretary Yuan. We live in a new era that naturally outgrows the practice of collective punishment. Ding Guohong is Ding Guohong, Shen Yanshuo is Shen Yanshuo, and the Jiangbei Provincial Committee, on the whole, is good. I think that this matter should not be magnified.¡± At this moment, Party Secretary Yuan nodded and said: ¡°In terms of the personnel selection for Jiangbei Province¡¯s executive deputy governor, the Central Organization Department rmended to me several candidates. I quite like Hu Yuesheng, the current Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade.¡±
This is another bnce. Who is Huang Yuesheng? He is the son of former Deputy Prime Minister Huang, the elder brother of Nie¡¯s daughter-inw Huang Yuerong. Appointing Huang Yuesheng as the Executive Deputy Governor of Jiangbei Province is a disguised way to increase the decision-making power of the Nie family within the governmental system, which again serves as a check and bnce on the Li family. Looking meaningfully at Party Secretary Yuan, Prime Minister Yun Bo realized that Yuan¡¯s political bncing act is nothing short of masterful. Regarding the possible promotion of Huang Yuesheng, who has close ties to the Nie family, Prime Minister Yun Bo would not oppose him. Opposition would mean going against both Yuan Kangan and the Nie and Huang families, a grave mistake for the sake of a single provincial deputy¡¯s position. Consequently, Prime Minister Yun Bo also nodded and said, ¡°I think it is eptable.¡± Soon thereafter, Minister of the Central Organization Department Yu Shengdong personally rushed to Jiangbei Province. In the Jiangbei Province Leadership Cadre Conference, facing members of the four teams of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee, top officials from various districts and cities in Jiangbei Province, and leaders of various provincial units and middle-level cadres in Jiangzhou City, Yu Shengdong, on behalf of the Central Committee and the Central Organization Department, announced personnel appointments. He dismissed Ding Guohong¡¯s roles as member of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee and Standing Committee member. He also proposed to the Jiangbei Provincial People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee to dismiss Ding Guohong from his roles as Deputy Governor and Deputy Secretary of the Jiangbei Provincial People¡¯s Government Party Group. He then appointed Huang Yuesheng, the current Deputy Director of the National Foreign Trade and Economic Commission, as a member and Standing Committee member of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee, as the Deputy Secretary of the Party Group of the Jiangbei Provincial People¡¯s Government, and as a nominee for the position of Executive Deputy Governor. Upon hearing this news, Nie Zhenbang knew that the Vice Premier scandal case was probably over. PS: The fourth chapter is here. ( Chapter 330: 323 Getting Married_1 After so many years within the system, now, Nie Zhenbang is no longer the clueless rookie he was when he first entered the central leadership. Politics is about bnce andpromise. This case, up to this point, is already clearly defined, with the facts and main subjects apparent. It is a typical case of official-business collusion and corruption. The entire leading group of Xiaxiang County is fundamentally rotten, albeit to varying degrees. Even in Qianzhou City, several deputy bureau-level officials, including the mayor of Qianzhou People¡¯s Government, Han Ziqi, have fallen from grace. This is clear evidence. However, afterwards, the investigation and progress of the case came to a sudden halt. As if there was no such case at all, even Zeng Youjie fell into silence. This is a big problem. After that, with the personnel changes in Jiangbei Province and receiving the news that his uncle Huang Yuesheng was transferred to Jiangbei Province, Nie Zhenbang knew that the superiors had made apromise on this case. Indeed, immediately after this appointment was officially announced, Zeng Youjie quickly arranged things on his end. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection investigation team closed the case and returned to Jingcheng. The follow-up matters were handed over to the Jiangbei Province Disciplinary Committee for further processing. Nie Zhenbang had no means to oppose this arrangement at this moment. He had no choice but to ept it. After all, he was not the one in power. If he insisted on using Nie¡¯s power to investigate, it would instead be an excuse for the Li faction to attack him. With his rtionship with Xiong Changgui, who could guarantee that Nie Zhenbang would not bear personal grudges in the case. Less than half a month after Nie Zhenbang returned to Jingcheng, news came from Jiangbei Province that Ding Haitao, the chairman of Tianhai Group, was involved in the Xiaxiang case, suspected of bribing local officials in Xiaxiang County. Using his power, he cut corners. Given that he took responsibility after the incident and paidpensation, his attitude towards admitting his guilt was rtively good. He was sentenced to thirteen years in prison. This verdict was simply a formality. Although Ding Guohong hadpletely stepped down, his connections in the official circles of Jiangbei Province were still there. Although Ding Haitao was in prison, the embryo of the Tianhai Group was still there. With a little effort, Ding Haitao woulde out in a few years by taking the measure of medical parole. After returning to Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s days became quiet again. This case had a profound impact on Nie Zhenbang. There were too many instances of reality¡¯s helplessness and his own limited power. Subtle changes were the only possible way to affect any real change. If he wanted to take things further, he would have to climb to a higher position. He might even have to reach the top. A month after the Xiaxiang case, the central government published a speech by Secretary-General President Yuan at the Central Discipline Inspection Work Conference. The speech emphasized the issue of preventing officials from corrupting in the current economic environment. Major national media such as ¡°Hope Daily¡±, Huaxia News Agency, and Huaxia, published articles signed bymentators, endorsing and praising the central government¡¯s decision. In particr, thementary in the ¡°Hope Daily¡± highly praised the issuing of this speech, expressing expectation for the anti-corruption storm that was about to rise in the Huaxia officialdom. This would be a policy benefiting the general popce. Two monthster, the State Council officially issued the Interim Regtions and Standards on Huaxia¡¯s official reception system. Upon its promulgation, the regtions once again caused a huge sensation across the country. They provided clear rules on the standards and systems for leadership travel and set explicit limits on official receptions.
Even foreign media published articles, proiming this as the most determined step on Huaxia¡¯s anti-corruption road. Nie Zhenbang was paying attention to these developments. As far as his memory could recall, Huaxia didn¡¯t issue such regtions and policies in his previous life. It seemed that the course of history had already begun to change slightly. However, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t worried about this. Whether it was in his previous life or this one, it was his first run in political life. It wouldn¡¯t significantly affect him if things were to change. Besides, Nie Zhenbang had no time to worry about these things as he was about to get married. At the beginning of ¡¯95, he was transferred from the Xibei Autonomous Region to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. During these two years, Nie Zhenbang had encountered many officials during his disciplinary inspection work. It was already the end of ¡¯96, and it would be ¡¯97 after the New Year. He was now 27 years old. After several years of dy, Anna was now 24. It was time for them to get married. The date was already set, on New Year¡¯s Day of ¡¯97. December 28th, ¡¯96. All members of the Nie family had gradually returned from outside. The Nie household was once again filled with lights and colourful decorations, presenting a lively scene. The Nie family patriarch¡¯s health was deteriorating sharply. He could not attend even such an important matter, I¡¯m afraid the old man would only appear on the wedding day. At this moment, in the main guest hall of the Nie house. The second generation of the Nie family, Nie Guodong, Nie Guowei, Nie Guoping, and Nie Guorong had all arrived. As the protagonists of this asion, Nie Guowei and his wife naturally became the focus of the family. Huang Yuerong¡¯s attitude has changed quite a bit now; she has seen clearly the matters within the Nie faction. Among the second generation, although her husband remains the primary figure, no one from the second generation of the Nie family could enter the Politburo, which is undoubtedly a loss for the Nie family. On the Yang side, Yang Shengli has already sessfully entered the Politburo. At present, it was only because the old man was still around that others didn¡¯t dare to take liberties with the Nie family. However, once the old man was gone, the prestige of the Nie family would be lost, and things would probably not be so easy anymore. Among the third generation, the one with the most potential was still Nie Zhenbang. In spite of his humble youth, Huang Yuerong was aware that Nie Zhenbang had a promising future, and she knew what to do. Looking at Ye Shuxian next to her, Huang Yuerong felt a bit envious. Then sheughed and said: ¡°Shuxian, this time, Zhenbang has married a good wife. An Na, we¡¯ve all watched her grow up. Her looks and character are impable. After Zhenbang¡¯s wedding, you can wait to be a grandmother. As for Ziyu, do you have any suitable person in mind? My brother¡¯s son, Huang Chengbo is not bad. He¡¯s just 28 this year, and he¡¯s already a division-level cadre¡­¡± Huang Yuerong¡¯s words made Nie Guorong, who was sitting next to her, sneer a little. Her sister-inw was truly boasting about her own side. Huang Yuesheng¡¯s son, Huang Chengbo, was decent in character and appearance, but his abilities were questionable. Everyone in the family knew how Nie Zhenbang treated Nie Ziyu. Whoever bes Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brother-inw is likely to receive his care, which is indeed a good opportunity. But it¡¯sughable to think that Nie Zhenbang was a deputy department-level cadre at 27, and has held that position for three years, whereas Huang Chengbo, at 28, is just a division-level cadre. What¡¯s there to be proud of? However, her own husband, Xiao Zhenchang, was appointed as the deputy chief of staff of the Xibei Military Regionst year, and his military rank was at least promoted to a lieutenant general. It was a kind of progress, and it was not a problem for him to retire as a general. On this ount, Nie Guorong didn¡¯t introduce anyone, but she said: ¡°Sis-inw, do you still not know Ziyu? Years ago, our old man said that Ziyu can make her own decision regarding her marriage. As long as it¡¯s not a foreigner, even if it¡¯s amoner, the old man will approve. From what I see, Shuxian, you can¡¯t control Ziyu.¡± Ye Shuxian also paused for a moment. Huang Yuerong proposed a marriage for Ziyu on the spot, and she really wasn¡¯t sure what to say. To refuse would give the impression of looking down on the other party, especially since the introduced party was from the Huang family. However, with Nie Guorong¡¯s diversion, Ye Shuxian found an excuse, smiling and saying, ¡°Sis-inw, Guorong is right. Not only her grandfather, but Zhenbang also holds the same attitude. Ziyu will decide on her own about her marriage. You all know Zhenbang¡¯s character, and even the old man has difficulty changing anything he¡¯s decided on. He, of all people, certainly doesn¡¯tck money. So, Ziyu will have no problem leading a decent life.¡± At the side, Nie Guoping smiled and said, ¡°All of you, worry about unimportant matters while eating heartily. It¡¯s beyond a mother¡¯s control when her child grows up. It¡¯s better for them to handle their own matters. Now, let¡¯s prepare for Zhenbang¡¯s wedding. Both the old man and the Yang family hope for a low-key event; no feasts, no guest invitations. I think we have a lot to do.¡± At this moment, Ye Shuxian was somewhat pleased. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance left no room for criticism. Although he was not her biological son, over the past eleven years, their affection had grown deeper and deeper. Now, Ye Shuxian could say that, although he was not her biological son, he was indeed better than a biological son. Not only towards her but also towards her brothers and nephews, Nie Zhenbang was very considerate. All this was clear to Ye Shuxian.
Then, Ye Shuxian alsoughed and said, ¡°Sis, you don¡¯t have to worry about the wedding. Zhenbang himself said that although he wants it to be low-profile, he still wants to give An Na a unique wedding. He said it¡¯s called ¡®low-key luxuriousness¡¯.¡± Women had their own circles, and so did men. On the side, in the study, the heating was turned up high, and the room was filled with smoke. Nie Guodong, Nie Guowei, Xiao Zhenchang, and Deng Xianping were all sitting in the study. ¡°Brother, the military has been moving frequentlytely. Here in the Northwest, all the troops have entered the first level ofbat readiness. The Guangzhou military region is even on high alert. Among the four of us, three are active-duty military personnel, although one is in a technical civilian position. Still, the primary topic is the military; after all, the Nie family is a traditional military family at heart.¡± Nie Guodong waved his hand, seeming very rxed, and smiled, ¡°Zhenchang, don¡¯t make random spections. This sort of thing is normal for ordinary people to guess about, but you¡¯re a high-ranking military officer. Isn¡¯t itughable that you¡¯re specting like this?¡±
Nie Guodong was a bit helpless. Xiao Zhenchang¡¯s ability was reallycking; his perspective was too small. As a high-ranking general, he shouldn¡¯t be speaking such words. If word got out, it would turn into a joke. The military movements were partly due to President Yuan¡¯s overall nning and also as a response to the current situation. Withst year¡¯s strait crisis and this year being a return year, some reaction was normal. Luckily, he had a good son-inw and father-inw. Without the support of the Yang and Nie families, Xiao Zhenchang would only have had the ability to be a regiment-level cadre in his life. While all the elders of Nie family were gathered in the Nie mansion, Nie Zhenbang and the younger generation were gathered at the Dynasty. As the wedding was imminent, he finally had to take this step. Nie Zhenbang was also feeling a bit excited. The entanglement between him and An Na, in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s perspective,sted more than thirty yearsbined in his past and present life. Was he finally going to have a happy ending? (.) Chapter 331: 324: Understated Luxury_1 On the one hand, he was filled with excitement and joy about marrying Yang Anna. After all, a woman who had waited for him for thirty-five years was worth treasuring. On the other hand, Nie Zhenbang was also a touch disheartened because on the ninth floor of the Dynasty Club, there were two women silently watching everything unfold. ¡°Wan¡­¡± The Dynasty Club ninth floor Still in the golden and profoundly luxurious giant suite. The room was very warm, but at this moment, it seemed rather dark with very little light. On both sides of the living room, only two sleepingmps were lit. In front of the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, there was a slender silhouette, her back to the living room, gazing at the neon lights of the city outside the window. Her gaze seemed to pass through the entire city,nding in the courtyard of a low, t-roofed house. At this moment, the beautiful shadow standing by the window was Dong Wan. Behind her, Li Lixue had just started speaking. Dong Wan waved her hand and spoke softly, ¡°Sister Xue, I understand what you mean. But Sister Xue, could you ever have feelings for another man?¡± Dong Wan¡¯s words stunned Li Lixue. The truth was, whether it was Dong Wan, Li Lixue, or Anna who was currently savoring marriage, all three women had set their hearts on Nie Zhenbang in their lives. No matter what hardships faced, they bore no regrets. ¡°Sister Xue, let me have some quiet time. I¡¯m okay, I just need to be alone,¡± Dong Wan¡¯s voice rang out once more. At this moment, Li Lixue came over and gently embraced Dong Wan, whispering, ¡°Wan, if you want to cry, let¡¯s have a good cry. Or we can have a drink. Today, I¡¯ll be with you, even if the sky falls.¡± As the two were talking, outside the door, the sudden crisp sound of an elevator bell resounded. The two women looked over to see Anna standing enchantingly at the door. Without waiting for Dong Wan and Li Lixue to say anything, Yang Anna mumbled, ¡°Sister Xue, Sister Wan, why don¡¯t you have any lights on? It¡¯s so dark and scary.¡± As the light was switched on, Li Lixue and Dong Wan instantly adjusted their state. Anna was already somewhat timid, and it took her a great deal of courage to make up her mind. At this moment, if the two showed their mncholy expressions, who knew what crazy things she would do? Although the wedding was decided to be held low-key, no matter what, the close friends of both Nie and Yang families had been informed. It would be embarrassing for both families if there were any changes halfway.
Soon, Li Lixue was already smiling, ¡°It¡¯s nothing; aren¡¯t we promoting energy saving these days? Your Sister Wan suddenly wanted to see the beautiful night view of Jingcheng, so we turned off all the lights. And you, aren¡¯t you getting married tomorrow? Why did youe over here? Don¡¯t you have to prepare?¡± Li Lixue quickly changed the topic. After hearing it Anna¡¯s attention was diverted. Albeit being already 24 years old, she still acted like a child in front of Li Lixue and others. She mumbled, ¡°What do I have to prepare for? My sister-inw, Zhenbang¡¯s cousin, took care of everything. She¡¯s incredibly wealthy.¡± After pausing for a moment, Yang Anna continued, ¡°Sister Xue, Sister Wan, when I was at home, I kept thinking that you might be feeling ufortable today. So, I came to visit.¡± Hearing Yang Anna¡¯s words, both Li Lixue and Dong Wan were moved. They weren¡¯t regretting their concession, as Anna was still thinking about them in such circumstances. In the following days, aside from going home during the day to report her presence in Jingcheng, Yang Anna was at the Dynasty Club most of the time. To be honest, Yang Anna was not ordinarily na?ve. She had always been innocent, but given her impending marriage, she suddenly matured and knew that this would be a vulnerable period for Li Lixue and Dong Wan. Their beloved man was getting married, yet the bride wasn¡¯t them. So, Yang Anna cleverly decided to apany them all along, trying to alleviate their pent-up emotions. New Year¡¯s Day 1997 That day, the weather in Jingcheng was pleasant. The gloom was swept away, and the morning sun was just beginning to show. Early in the day, Liu Kun, Zhao Xinglong, Li Hua, Li Wenge, Liu Bin, Gao Wei, Liang Ligui, Ning Zhiyuan, Nie Jiamin, Guo Ming, and the rest of the brothers were already gathered at Nie¡¯s house¡¯s doorstep. There was no fancy motorcade or ostentatious formations. Instead, each of them was on a bicycle. Made in France, the Aurumanias, which looked ordinary and simr to domestic Phoenix or Forever bikes, were, in fact, incredibly expensive. Each of those bicycles that Nie Zhenbang and his friends rode cost around US $50,000¡ªa sum that, by the current exchange rate, amounted to around 400,000 yuan each. But Nie Zhenbang¡¯s bicycle was an exception¡ª a two-seater bike adorned with Swarovski crystals. It cost more than US $120,000. Thus, this fleet could still be described as luxurious. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s understated style¡ªmodest, yet luxurious. Chapter 332: 324: Understated Luxury_2 Chapter 332: Chapter 324: Understated Luxury_2 A convoy of bicycles rode conspicuously down the main street, drawing plenty of curious looks from the public. Few would have imagined that these ordinary-seeming bicycles far exceeded the value of a car. Within half an hour, they arrived and parked outside the Yang family¡¯spound. The gate of thepound was festooned with celebratory ¡®double happiness¡¯ characters and rednterns. The gate was firmly shut. As the groom, Nie Zhenbang naturally did not have to do anything yet. His cohorts, Guo Ming and Zhao Xinglong, went ahead and knocked loudly on the front door. Herving arrogantly at the entrance of the Yang¡¯spound was likely only possible today. On a normal day, their bold actions would be met with a round of scolding from Elder Yang. Of course, today was different; they were here to fetch the bride. If they did not act this way, the day wouldck its intended lively atmosphere. Unfortunately, their loud knocking drew no response. Shortly after, a small crack appeared in the side gate. Yang Anna¡¯s brothers and sisters-inw made their way out. Yang Shengli¡¯s four children, Yang Anguo, and Yang Anjun generally had little interaction with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side. Their wives were also not particrly familiar with each other. Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali were the ones most familiar with Nie Zhenbang and his gang. At this moment, Xiao Yali stood with her hands on her hips. Married women indeed had a unique, robust aura that unmarried girls could notpete with. Looking around at the group, Xiao Yali jokingly admonished them, ¡°Do you think we¡¯ll just let you in like this? Don¡¯t forget what you did to An Bang on our wedding dayst year. Now, the tables have turned; it¡¯s our turn. Nie Zhenbang, now it¡¯s your turn to have your heart in your throat.¡± Nie Zhenbang could only respond with a wryugh; this was instant karma. Onst year¡¯s New Year¡¯s Day, when Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali got married, Nie Zhenbang had made a hefty sum off them. Just to get through the first door, Yang Anbang had to hand out red envelopes worth over a million. At the second gate, they had to perform and hand out more red envelopes. Even when they reached Xiao Yali¡¯s boudoir, they were hit up for anotherrge red envelope. Now, the same was happening to him. ¡°Second Sister, that¡¯s not fair. After all, third brother is your cousin. Look at you, you¡¯re not showing any family loyalty.¡± Liu Kun tried to smooth things over, trying to find a way out.
¡°Kun, kid, don¡¯t change the subject. What¡¯s wrong with Second Sister? Third Brother should have seen this daying. Yali is now part of our Yang family. How is this ack of family loyalty? No more nonsense. If you want to get through, you¡¯ll have to give me a red envelope I¡¯m satisfied with,¡± dered Yang Anbang, stepping forward to settle the score. Nie Zhenbang, who was prepared for this, turned to Zhao Xinglong and said, ¡°Xing Long, bring out what we¡¯ve prepared. Isn¡¯t it just red envelopes? I knew you two would strike back when teamed together. Today, I brought a ¡®Scatter Wealth Boy¡¯ with me.¡± Zhao Xinglong, with a grin on his face, walked up with the red envelopes in his hand, saying, ¡°Here, brothers and sisters, the red envelopes are here. Catch them.¡± Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang sneaked off to the side, climbed onto the frame of his bicycle and, with a great leap, was already inside the courtyard of the Yang family. Seeing this scene unfold, Yang Anbang yelled out, ¡°Oh no, that little rascal tricked us. Yali, hurry back and block the second door!¡± But it was toote. Nie Zhenbang had already crossed the threshold of the second door and was standing outside Yang An Na¡¯s room. Elder Yang watched Nie Zhenbang climb over the wall with a wide grin on his face. Very satisfied with his grandson-inw, Elder Yang said as heughed, ¡°Look at that, he¡¯s an official now but still behaves this way. He¡¯s thrown all his dignity out the window.¡± Nie Zhenbangughed. ¡°Grandpa, for the sake of getting a wife, I¡¯d even risk half my life, let alone my dignity.¡± After a bit of tumult and frolicking, Nie Zhenbang finally seeded in winning Yang Anna over. Today, Yang Anna was dressed in traditional Chinese qipao. The red silk qipao featured a cloud and dragon pattern and was embroidered with dragon and phoenix motifs ¡ª a sign of great fortune. Obviously, Yang Anna couldn¡¯t ride a bike in such a dress. Although the bicycle was a tandem one, Nie Zhenbang was perfectly capable of riding back with her alone. The procession made its way back to the Nie family¡¯s home. The main hall of the Nie¡¯s home had already been set up with ancestral tablets and incense burners. After the official bowing ceremony, the newlyweds paid tribute to their ancestors, thuspleting one part of the wedding rite. From today onwards, Yang Anna was officially recognized as a daughter-inw of the Nie family. Although the wedding was low-key, it did not mean that they would also host the feast at home. To avoid disturbances, they did not host the wedding banquet at the Dynasty club but instead at Yang Anbang¡¯s Tang Dynasty Club. The fourth floor of Tang Dynasty had been temporarily closed to the public and was not open for business. The guests ¡ª rtives and friends of the Nie and Yang families and brothers of Nie Zhenbang, with even their parents and older rtives declined by Elder Nie ¡ª were ushered in by a private elevator. The union, via marriage, between Nies and Yangs, especially after Xiao Yali¡¯s marriage to the Yangs and the subsequent union now, had made quite an impact. Everyone in Jingcheng was aware of it. However, holding a high-profile wedding might exert pressure on people, whereas a low-key one, while seemingly self-deceptive, was greatly appreciated in Jingcheng. From the French goose liver pate to bluefin tuna from the western Pacific and luxurious seafood like shark fin and abalone, as well as traditional pce dishes of Huaxia, the feast was rich and abundant. Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anna made their rounds to toast everyone present. However, even with his high alcohol tolerance, Nie Zhenbang was slightly tipsy by the time they had made their rounds. Afterwards, Elder Nie gave a small speech of encouragement, and then left early due to his declining health. Nie Zhenbang was acutely aware of his grandfather¡¯s health and did not insist on him staying. As the banquet came to a close, and the older generation had already left, only the younger folks remained. Seeing Liu Kun and Yang Anbang¡¯s mischievous looks, Nie Zhenbang knew that they were nning to crash the bridal room. So, he quickly grabbed Anna and ran. A fiery red Ferrari zoomed out of the private garage at the base of Tang Dynasty Club. This was Anna¡¯s car, and she drove it directly into the Dynasty Club. In Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang was certainly not short of ces to live. Ideally, the couple had nned to head to their newly-built vi in the suburb of Jingcheng. However, at the insistence of Anna, they ended up at the Dynasty Club instead.
They went straight through a private elevator to the ninth floor. As they entered, they saw Li Lixue and Dong Wan were already sitting at the dining table. Amid the dancing candlelight was a bottle of red wine. These two women were enjoying a candlelit dinner. (To be continued. If you enjoy this book, please go to to cast your vote. Your support is my motivation.) Chapter 333: 325 Wedding Night_1 Chapter 333: Chapter 325 Wedding Night_1 Seeing Nie Zhenbang and Yang Anna approaching, especially at this special moment, their hearts were a little touched. After all, today was the joyous day of Anna and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s wedding. However, they chose toe here instead of enjoying their two-person world. This proved the importance they put on us in their hearts. ¡°You two, why did youe here?¡± Dong Wan broke the silence after a pause. Nie Zhenbang came forward at this moment, his eyes sincere. He looked at Dong Wan and Li Lixue, then nced back at Yang Anna beside him, and then said, ¡°Wan, today is the wedding day for Anna and me. But tonight, it belongs to all of us, not only to Anna but also to you and Lixue. Even though I, Nie Zhenbang, can¡¯t give you and Lixue a formal status, I have never forgotten.¡± Yang Anna also nodded and said, ¡°Yes, Sister Wan. Brother Zhenbang belongs to the three of us. No one can snatch him away, or separate us.¡± Hearing the words of Nie Zhenbang and Anna, Dong Wan¡¯s eyes sparkled, her voice choking as she murmured, ¡°As long as you do not betray me, I will never betray you. Zhenbang, following you is my own choice. Your words and Anna¡¯s approval, I, Dong Wan, have no regrets in this life.¡± Li Lixue was somewhat touched. By status and background, she was nothing more than an ordinary peasant, and she was of Russian ethnicity. In Huaxia, she knew that if Nie Zhenbang wanted to marry her, it would be impossible. But she was approved by Anna, apanied by a unique woman like Dong Wan, and cared for by Nie Zhenbang. Li Lixue felt contented and happy. Just as she was about to speak, she felt a sour feeling in her heart. She suddenly stood up, covered her mouth, and rushed into the restroom. After a moment, the sound of vomiting was heard. Afterwards, Li Lixue came out somewhat embarrassed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, I¡¯ve been feeling nauseous these days. I wonder if I have a cold. I need to go to the hospital for a thorough check-up tomorrow.¡± These words stunned the other three, which gave Li Lixue the creeps. ¡°What happened? Why are you all looking at me like that?¡± Yang Anna, her eyes full of little stars, said with anticipation, ¡°Sister Xue, could you be pregnant? In TV dramas, it¡¯s always like this. If you really are pregnant, that would be great. I will be a young mamma. Sister Wan will be the second mamma and you will be the big mamma. A baby, oh, that would be so exciting.¡± Anna¡¯s words left the other three speechless. In front of outsiders, she was fine, but in front of family, it seemed like she never grew up.
Li Lixue, however, smiled and said, ¡°That can¡¯t be such a coincidence. Don¡¯t talk nonsense. I think I just caught a cold these days. If it doesn¡¯t get better in a few days, I¡¯ll go to the hospital tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Nie Zhenbang had been back in Beijing for a while now, for two years, since he was 25 and now he¡¯s 27. During these two years, there were plenty of romantic and sensual affairs, but neither of them showed any signs of pregnancy. This topic had been actively avoided by Li Lixue. It wasn¡¯t just her, Dong Wan also showed no signs. Did that mean it was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s issue? Li Lixue didn¡¯t dare to imagine what would happen if it were. So when Yang Anna mentioned this sensitive subject, Li Lixue deliberately changed the topic. Nie Zhenbang was also clear about the situation. Since childhood, he had been practicing martial arts, mastering the Shape-Intent Fist. In addition to the three years he had spent in the army, his overall health was formidable. But whether practicing martial arts affected fertility or not, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t sure. Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Okay, tomorrow. Let Wan apany you for a medical check-up. Constant vomiting is also not good. If you are sick, you need to get treatment.¡± Then Nie Zhenbang said sincerely, ¡°Lixue, Wan, Anna,e here, see what I have prepared for you.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, all three women were curious. Nie Zhenbang hade in empty-handed. But he said he had something for them. Was it magic? Seeing all three women gather around, Nie Zhenbang took out three boxes from his jacket pocket. His long tweed coat had deep inside pockets, perfect for storing three jewelry boxes without anyone noticing. When the box was opened, Nie Zhenbang took out a ne and a ring, looked at Dong Wan and said, ¡°Wan, you are cold on the outside but warm on the inside. This cold jade ne is specially prepared for you.¡± After saying that, Nie Zhenbang gently and seriously helped Dong Wan put on the ne and put thee five-carat diamond ring on her ring finger. Then another box was opened, and Nie Zhenbang looked at Li Lixue and said, ¡°Lixue, you seem soft on the outside, but you are strong inside. This red jade ne suits you best. Let me help you put it on.¡± Finally, it was Yang Anna¡¯s turn. For Yang Anna, he chose a ne carved out of imperial jade, symbolizing Yang Anna¡¯s special status, purity, and stubbornness. Three lovelydies, each with a different ne ording to their characteristics, three diamond rings, all five carats, all put on by Nie Zhenbang personally. At this moment, all threedies were somewhat excited. Nie Zhenbang immediately responded in a serious tone: ¡°Li Xue, Wan, An Na, I am but an ordinary man. How could I have earned the favor of three outstanding women like yourselves? This favor must be a grace and blessing from heaven. Every moment, I tread with care, and dare not ck off. For you three, I only hope to cherish and adore you with my whole life. I love you.¡± Such moving words, Nie Zhenbang seldom uttered, in three women¡¯s memory, he was more the type of a workaholic who is passionate about his career. But today, at this moment, on such an exceptionally special day, he gave the three women a huge surprise. The three women also huddled up in excitement, whispering, ¡°Husband, we love you too.¡± After a round of hugging, Dong Wan and Li Lixue were the first to break free from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s embrace. The two women exchanged nces and, after living together for so long, had developed a kind of unspoken understanding. Hence, Dong Wan, in her rare yful mood, said, ¡°An Na, tonight, Zhenbang¡¯s all yours. A spring night¡¯s worth a thousand gold coins, isn¡¯t it? Tonight, it¡¯s your night with him. Li Xuey and I won¡¯t be joining. You both rest well.¡± With that, the two women darted back into their respective rooms, closing the doors behind them. Yang Anna, being a maiden, her face turned a shade of scarlet, shyness creeping over her. The moment she had been anticipating was finally here; a glorious transformation from a maiden to a young wife.
It felt as though she was a silkworm, about to break free from its cocoon, transforming into a brilliantly colored butterfly. Her head bowed, her hands sping each other nervously, she whispered shyly to Zhenbang, ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ we should¡­ rest too.¡± The bridal chamber was warm, and she was slowly undressed. It wasn¡¯t until they entered the newly decorated bedroom that Nie Zhenbang understood Anna had nned all this long before. She had even arranged to have an identical bedroom in the Dynasty Club. Bright red roses that had been specially flown in from Caiyun Province filled the room, the fragrance was intoxicating. A brilliant red quiltid on the bed, along with the adorable cloth dolls at the head of the bed. A pair of happy red wedding candles burned with crackling sounds.
The soft pink lighting made the room incredibly beautiful and inviting. Her skin was like creamy jasper, her face was a peach blossom which unveiled theyers of clothing. Mountains and valleys, all were in in sight. At this moment, Yang Anna could no longer keep her eyes open. With her eyes slightly closed, she was like a ripe fruit waiting to be picked. She murmured softly, ¡°Zhenbang, be gentle with me.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was so overwhelmed that images flooded his mind as if he was watching a movie, suddenly transporting him back to his past life. He seemed to hear the not yet mature voice again, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, when I grow up, I will marry you.¡± As the saying goes, it takes ten years of repair to cross the same boat, a hundred years to share the same pillow. His fate with Yang Anna seemed destined over the two lifetimes. Even in this life, when he had no physical disabilities, Yang Anna still chose him, which was the reason Nie Zhenbang opened his heart. Because Anna truly loved him, and it was not simply an act of gratitude. Being a newlywed, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s fiery passion wasn¡¯t something that novice wife Yang Anna could withstand. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s endowment was impressive and significant. This was a natural advantage that couldn¡¯t be adjusted. Seeing the tearful face of Anna, Nie Zhenbang felt a sense of pity. Blood spots covered the pristine white sheets. At this moment, they were truly intimate, inseparable. Their passionate night naturally didn¡¯t require narrating. What it meant by ¡°A moment of spring night is worth a thousand pieces of gold, was truly demonstrated at this moment. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t realize how long had actually passed. It seemed like they had justid down and not long ago when the morning light was already visible outside. He looked at his phone, it was already past six in the morning. Gazing at the quietly sleeping Yang Anna, Nie Zhenbang moved gently, as not to wake her up. After finishing a set of martial art moves in the gym, he freshened up. It was already past eight in the morning. He went into the kitchen and prepared three servings of hearty breakfast, cing them on the table waiting for the three women to wake up. Because of the marriage, Nie Zhenbang was on a few days¡¯ leave. After a sweet breakfast, an iing call broke the silence. He answered the call, and the voice of Ning Zhiyuan came from the other end, ¡°Third brother, I have looked into Ding Haitao¡¯s situation.¡± PS: Starting tomorrow, I will be a full-time wanderer. Brothers and sisters, I am going all in! ( Chapter 334: 326 Nie Zhenbang’s Stubbornness_1 Chapter 334: Chapter 326 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Stubbornness_1 Upon hearing Ning Zhiyuan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback, then he whispered, ¡°Zhiyuan, where are you now? Come to the Dynasty right away, I¡¯ll be waiting for you in the Rome VIP room on the seventh floor.¡± As he hung up, just then, Dong Wan and Li Lixue came out of the bedroom. Dressed in sleeping gowns, one purple and one yellow, their casual, unkempt appearance gave off a certain feeling ofnguor, like a beautiful woman just waking up. Also bemused, Dong Wan asked at this moment: ¡°What¡¯s up with the seventh floor?¡± Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile: ¡°Nothing much. Discussing some matters with Zhiyuan. This afternoon, I will apany you two to the hospital. Then, I¡¯ll need to make a visit to the Yang family.¡± A bride returning to her family after the wedding, this is a traditional custom in Huaxia. Some do it on the day after the wedding, some on the second day after. It all varies depending on the local customs and traditions. The Nie and Yang families opted for the first method. It¡¯s nothing more than formality. At this moment, Yang Anna was also out of bed. The frenzy from the night before had left her a little sore, even her walk was slightly altered. Nie Zhenbang was simply too ferocious in bed. From this perspective, Anna was thinking how wise it had been to have her two sisters to share the burden. After a hearty breakfast prepared with love, and estimating that Ning Zhiyuan should almost be there by this point, Nie Zhenbang also stood up. To the members of Dynasty Club, the eighth floor is probably the most mysterious ce in Dynasty. However, very few people knew that this area is, in fact, an office space. The seventh floor, however, is the highest floor of Dynasty avable for public business. The rooms on the seventh floor are designed and decorated like suites, with a total of thirty-six of them across the floor. The smallest being 100 square meters, while thergest go up to a few hundred square meters. All the room numbers have been reced with names of famous cities around the world in ce of numeric codes. Rome is one of the rooms.
Unlike the Changan suite that exudes ancient Tang dynasty charm, the Rome suite radiates the extravagance of ssic European style. Not long after Nie Zhenbang entered the suite, the sound of a knock came from outside, following that, the door opened, and Ning Zhiyuan walked in. Settling down on the sofa, Ning Zhiyuan said, ¡°Third brother, I¡¯ve looked into what you tasked me with. About the Xiaxiang scandal, all the implicated individuals in Qianzhou City, including Han Ziqi, received heavy sentences. Han Ziqi was sentenced to life imprisonment, several officials from Xiaxiang County were sentenced to death. Moreover, a few of the direct culprits among the leadership group of Cangshan Town were all sentenced to death. Also, it¡¯s clear now where Ding Haitao is serving his sentence ¨C Yanzhou Prison, Jiangbei Province.¡± Nie Zhenbang had asked Ning Zhiyuan to investigate Ding Haitao as he was a key figure in the Xiaxiang scandal. Ding Haitao¡¯s guilt goes far deeper than what appears on the surface. His light sentencing now was a result ofpromise and bncing of interests at higher levels. On the surface, Nie Zhenbang epted the judgment earnestly. Moreover, a report was submitted to the Xibei Military Region and based on their reaction and responses from people like Yao Yuan, they seemed to approve as well. From Xiong Changgui¡¯s perspective, the corruption at a high level had nothing to do with him. He and his family were killed by the people of Cangshan Town. This crowd was undoubtedly the direct murderers, and they¡¯ve been eliminated. Everyone believed the case was hence settled. But Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t see it that way. As they say, ¡®If I don¡¯t kill Boren, Boren would die because of me¡¯. No matter what, Ding Haitao could not evade his responsibility. Nie Zhenbang had to hold him ountable even if Ding Haitao himself didn¡¯t know about these things. It was, of course, impossible to hold him ountable openly. The upper echelons had made their decree, and Nie Zhenbang had neither the grounds to oppose nor the tolerance of a modestly ranked official like him. Even without Elder Nie, surely Nie Zhenbang, the Head of the Nie family, couldn¡¯t risk putting the entire family in jeopardy. Besides, Elder Nie¡¯s glory days were long gone. Even he was powerless these days. Even at his prime, he had to be mindful of other interest groups. After all, no one would object to a person being buried with the deceased. Sure enough, Han Ziqi and Ding Haitao didn¡¯t directly order the ferocious actions in Cangshan Town. However, Nie Zhenbang was adamant in his heart. Regardless of whether his motivation originated from personal or public vengeance, Ding Hao¡¯s final kneeling and his apology for failing the party and the army had deeply touched Nie¡¯s heart. As far as Nie Zhenbang was concerned, Ding Haitao, the direct person responsible for the Xiaxiang scandal, if not for his strong backing and people wanting to please him, such a situation would never have urred. Nobody else would have dared to act so recklessly. Therefore, Ding Haitao ought to pay a price for his actions. Not necessarily death, but at least he shouldn¡¯t be living as freely as he was now. After pausing for a moment, Nie Zhenbang also replied solemnly, ¡°Zhiyuan, I understand. Thanks for handling this for me. And, Zhiyuan, this matter, it¡¯s better not to speak of it.¡± Ning Zhiyuan nodded, ¡°Third brother, what are you talking about? Aren¡¯t you just asking me to get things done?¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. Ning Zhiyuan, clever. The reason he chose the Ning family, chose Ning Zhiyuan to help him investigate, was mainly because Ning Zhiyuan still had considerable connections in Jiangbei Province. Sending him would be the most covert. As for the loyalty of the Ning family, Nie Zhenbang was not worried. Now that they were allied with the Nie family, damaging the Nie family meant damaging themselves. If the word got out, it would be considered betrayal, and no family would be willing to ept a family with a history of betrayal. So, Ning Zhiyuan wouldn¡¯t say a word. His tone earlier, had exined everything quite well. Soon after, Nie Zhenbang also stood up and said, ¡°Hehe, Zhiyuan, I have some errands to run, I need to escort An Na back home. I¡¯ll not apany you any longer.¡± Upon exiting the seventh floor, Nie Zhenbang entered the private elevator and quickly dialed Long¡¯s number. If others were to handle this issue, there might be leaks, but if it¡¯s entrusted to Long and Tiger, Nie Zhenbang would feel extremely assured. ¡°Long, you arrange it. Send someone into Yanzhou Prison in Jiangbei Province. Help me deal with a person. There¡¯s no need to hurt his life. Just make sure he spends the rest of his life bedridden, losing all humanity. That¡¯s enough. Can you do it?¡± Nie Zhenbang was brief and to the point, without any beating around the bush. On the other end of the line, there was a moment of silence before a low voice came across, ¡°Hm. I¡¯ll arrange it.¡± This method of handling, was also deeply considered. If they kill, it would be too obvious. If they do it this way, the impact will be much smaller. Revenge must be taken, but they also need to consider their own safety. If they acted rashly without considering the consequences, their political career would be over. They might as well just settle scores in the Tiger Group directly. Joining public service, the aim is to serve the general public. Brutality isn¡¯t the solution at this point. Such handling would make living for Ding Haitao a fate worth than death, and would be more satisfying than killing him. However, it would not have as big an impact as killing someone. With Long¡¯s capabilities, the me wouldn¡¯t be traced back to them.
After returning to the ninth floor, by this time, Yang Anna and the other women had already dressed up. Dong Wan and Li Lixue were preparing to go to the hospital for a check-up, while Yang Anna was naturally heading home. This courtesy could not be skipped. Two cars pulled out from the underground parking lot of Dynasty Club, Dong Wan¡¯s Land Rover headed to the Army General Hospital, while Yang Anna¡¯s Ferrari headed towards the Yang family¡¯s residence. For the return visit of the new son-inw, the Yang family put on a grand wee. Not only did the family head himself wee them, Yang Shengli had also rushed back. As for Yang Anna¡¯s three brothers and sisters-inw, they all graced the asion. They had lunch together at the Yang family. Now this counts as a proper family feast. After the meal, the old patriarch of the Yang family even had a small ss of wine. Compared to his own dad¡¯s health, Elder Yang was much healthier.
After lunch, the women in the Yang family naturally got busy. The male members of the Yang family sat on the sofa, chatting. In the younger generation of the Yang family, only Yang Anbang¡¯s eldest brother Yang Anguo and the eldest son¡¯s son Yang Zhiguo and Yang Zhiguo were in the system. So, under such circumstances, they didn¡¯t speak about anything substantial. Elder Yang rested for half an hour after the meal, then got up and left. After all, he was an old man and needed his afternoon rest. At the Yang Family, it wasn¡¯t until around three in the afternoon that Nie Zhenbang and Anna got up to leave. The moment they returned to the Dynasty Club, Dong Wan stood up, clearly excited. On the other hand, Li Lixue looked a bit shy and happy. Seeing this scenario, Nie Zhenbang could obviously guess what had happened. But the happiness was so sudden that he couldn¡¯t quite believe it. ¡°Li Xue, Wan, is this¡­?¡± he asked uncertainly. Dong Wan chuckled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, congrattions, you¡¯re going to be a father.¡± Just as her wordsnded, before Nie Zhenbang could collect his thoughts, Yang Anna jumped up excitedly, ¡°Really? That¡¯s fantastic. Just like in the TV shows. I¡¯m going be an aunt! Hm, what gift should I give to the baby?¡± These words made the three of them burst intoughter. This girl, it¡¯s only been a month, and she¡¯s already thinking about preparing gifts. Nie Zhenbang was just about to say something when his phone rang. It was Long¡¯s number. Without dy, Nie Zhenbang answered. From the phone, Long¡¯s voice came over very crisply: ¡°Third young master, everything has been arranged. Absolutely fail-proof.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. Given Long¡¯s steady character, he wouldn¡¯t speak with such certainty unlesspletely sure. With this assurance, he didn¡¯t need to worry about Ding Haitao¡¯s issue. As soon as he hung up and was about to head into the living room, his phone rang again. This time, it was a call from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, specifically, from the office of Deputy Secretary Ouyang Xia. PS: Today, I¡¯m going back to my hometown to sweep the graves. There will be no updates at noon and possibly in the afternoon. (.) Chapter 335: 327 What are your demands?_1 Chapter 335: Chapter 327 What are your demands?_1 He was in the middle of his honeymoon leave, and unless it was something particrly important, his office wouldn¡¯t call him. Had a big case broken out again? With that thought, Nie Zhenbang started to have a headache. So many cases wereing to the Bureau of Discipline Inspection and several of its departments. It was as if all the corruption had huddled in Room 5. In reality, Nie Zhenbang had not considered that he was supervising six economically developed provinces and municipalities. Unlike future times, in this era where economic development was just beginning, the more economically developed regions were, the more susceptible they were to breeding corruption. Afterwards, Nie Zhenbang promptly answered the call. Without waiting for the other party to speak, he took the initiative to say: ¡°Secretary Qi, hello. This is Nie Zhenbang.¡± However, to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, Ouyang Xia¡¯s heartyughter came from the other side: ¡°Haha, Zhenbang, congrattions on your marriage. I didn¡¯t even get a wedding candy from you.¡± Since it was Ouyang Xia who personally made the call, Nie Zhenbang was stunned for a moment, then also responded with augh: ¡°Secretary Ouyang, look what you¡¯re saying. I have long been prepared with wedding candy and cigarettes. Once the honeymoon leave is over, I will bring it over. Secretary Ouyang, do you have any instructions?¡± Ouyang Xia is known for his straightforwardness, and at that moment even though Nie Zhenbang was on his honeymoon leave, that didn¡¯t hesitate to call. This simple action sufficiently proved what kind of person Ouyang Xia was. At this very moment, Nie Zhenbang said, and Ouyang Xia did not beat around the bush, and promptly instructed: ¡°Ah, Nie, you need toe over to my office right away. There are a few things I need to discuss with you.¡± Given Ouyang Xia¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang certainly couldn¡¯t dally. It was already four o¡¯clock, but Ouyang Xia still wanted Nie Zhenbang toe over. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang informed his wife and left by the elevator. Half an hourter, Nie Zhenbang punctually appeared in front of the Bureau of Discipline Inspection¡¯s office building. He went straight up to the twelfth floor to Ouyang Xia¡¯s office, and upon seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival, Ouyang Xia smiled and said: ¡°Herees Nie, please sit.¡± After Nie Zhenbang sat down, Ouyang Xia turned serious and said: ¡°Nie, some time back, the Secretary General¡¯s speech at the Central Discipline Inspection work meeting is something you had also studied. Afterwards, the State Council formally promulgated the ¡®Interim Regtions on National Official Reception Standards¡¯ as explicit support and affirmation for our discipline inspection work. However, this is not the end point.¡± He paused a moment, then Ouyang Xia continued: ¡°Just yesterday, the State Council, Central Organization Department, Bureau of Discipline Inspection, and various ministries in Jingcheng jointly discussed a cadre exchange n. The country intends to dispatchrge numbers of young middle-level cadres to the local cadre teams and circte some local cadres to ministries, forming a cadre exchange cycle to deepen learning and deal with the currentplex work situation and the increasingly severe anti-corruption situation. In light of this, the party group of our Bureau of Discipline Inspection has held a meeting to consider this. Secretary Aiguo personally presided over it and you¡¯re going to participate in this exchange. The Central Organization Department hasn¡¯tmunicated with me yet about the specific location, but the exchange is a certainty. The main reason I called you here was to ask if you have any thoughts or opinions?¡±
Cadre exchange? This news was shocking. Since the ¡®Interim Regtions on the Selection and Appointment of Cadres¡¯ were promulgated by the country two years prior, there was indeed content on cadre exchange in those regtions, but this seemed to be the first massive-scale exchange. In his recollection, the grand exchange of cadres between the East and West regions in his past life marked the beginning of the cadre exchange system. He feared this time he would need to start counting from this exchange. Moreover, cadres who were being transferred were being closely examined and monitored by the country. Speaking frankly and without false modesty, potential future national leaders were being identified and selected from among these very cadres. This was a rare and exceptional opportunity, one he couldn¡¯t possibly refuse. Without further ado, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said: ¡°Secretary Ouyang, thank you, and thank you to the organization for its confidence in me. I will firmlyply with the organization¡¯s arrangements, and I am confident in facing new work and challenges. I will not fail to meet the organization¡¯s expectations and cultivation.¡± This year was a little special. In Huaxia, the tenure of national leaders, originally every five years, was reformed to every four years after theunch of the opening and reforming policy. Each national leader can only be re-elected twice. Calcting it, this year was the year of change. The re-election of President Yuan as the General Secretary had essentially been settled. Moreover, Elder Nan had already withdrawn from a lot of affairs, epitomizing the maxim ¡®different monarchs beget different subjects¡¯. To maintain smooth government orders and unity from top to bottom, an appropriate adjustment was necessary and inevitable. This cadre exchange was President Yuan¡¯s arrangement. Ouyang Xia was pleased with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s confident attitude and consequently nodded in appreciation, saying: ¡°Good, the cadresing out of our Bureau of Discipline Inspection should have such vigor. Public evaluation of a wife is based on her ability to manage both kitchen and parlor. As far as I am concerned, my requirement is that the cadres from our Bureau of Discipline Inspection should handle both discipline inspection work and economic development.Red arrow transparent. Having confidence is good. This matter is settled. I estimate that the Central Organization Department will get in touch with you and arrange for a meeting with you tomorrow. There¡¯s nothing else on my end. You go to Secretary Aiguo. Secretary Aiguo has already instructed that you must go to him.¡± Chapter 336: 327 What are your demands?_2 Chapter 336: Chapter 327 What are your demands?_2 Nie Zhenbang felt a bit nervous as Zhuang Aiguo sought him out. Zhuang Aiguo, the fifth senior leader of the country, had always been a mysterious figure in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes. Feeling somewhat apprehensive, he entered Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s office. Perhaps on Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s instruction, Nie Zhenbang had unhindered ess and made his way into the inner office. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Zhuang Aiguo acknowledged him with a nod, then said in a low voice, ¡°Nie has arrived. Please sit.¡± Observing Nie Zhenbang¡¯sposed demeanor. Even some high-level officials seemed somewhat apprehensive in his presence, but this young man remained calm and steady. Many officers had sat in his office, most perched on the edge of their seats, a picture of jittery unease. However, he sat at ease. At this moment, Zhuang Aiguo had no choice but to admire him. This was the measure of a young man from a prestigious dynasty, the training from an early age, the level of leadership he had been exposed to, was beyond ordinary people. Of course, this also demonstrated Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pragmatic style of keeping his feet on the ground. Zhuang Aiguo then looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, I sought you out this time, not for any other reason, but mainly to carry out your grandfather¡¯s mandate and have a chat with you.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang froze. Mandated by the old master to talk to him implied Zhuang Aiguo was part of the Nie faction. But, he had never met Zhuang Aiguo before, neither in this life nor in the previous one. And, the old master had never mentioned him. This proved Zhuang Aiguo had kept a very low profile. He looked up at Zhuang Aiguo who, in turn, nodded back with a smile. This gesture made it clear that he acknowledged Nie Zhenbang¡¯s spection about his loyalties. However, the rtionship between Zhuang Aiguo and the Nie family was more one of coboration than factional deference. In short, the term ¡®coboration¡¯ was the most urate description. After all, being a member of a faction wouldn¡¯t have been appropriate given Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s current position. Now, it was more of a mutual coexistence that prevailed. The talent flow in the Nie factions, whether through the main line or the side branches, had stalled. In his desperation, the old master had no other recourse than to bring outsiders into the faction. It was a decision borne out of necessity. However, it was also the only way to ensure the continuation of the Nie line. The old master¡¯s sagacity was as deep as the ocean, far beyond his grasp. From the northwest, a Li Yifeng had suddenly appeared. Now, also a member of the Politburo Standing Committee. What other secrets were hidden beneath the seemingly frail frame of the old master? Seeing that Nie Zhenbang had regained his calm, Zhuang Aiguo continued, ¡°Nie, the initial decision about your appointment has been made. It¡¯s at a ce that should be familiar to you, Liangxi City in Jiangbei Province.¡±
Upon hearing the name of the ce, a hint of a smile yed upon Nie Zhenbang¡¯s lips. Unfamiliar he was not, indeed, because Li Guohua was serving as a member of the Liangxi Municipal Committee and the executive deputy mayor of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government there. Zhuang Aiguo paused before continuing, ¡°Nie, given the old master¡¯s wishes, if you¡¯re going to fight, it should be a head-on confrontation. The Nie family should possess such bravado and courage. You¡¯re well aware of the old master¡¯s health condition; it probably won¡¯t hold up for much longer. The old master hopes that you can annihte as soon as possible all uncertain factors in this face-off before they take root. Do you understand?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. Evidently, the old master was prepared for a do or die battle. The old master was well-aware that he didn¡¯t have much time left. Li Guohua was, without a doubt, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s greatestpetitor. Although Li Guohua had overseas ties, with the support from the Li family, it was not impossible for him to ascend to the top, given his education in the West. The impact of a Western education on career advancement was an unspoken rule. However, unspoken rules are set by those with tremendous power. So what if he became the rule-maker? Recently, Nie was ced in the disciplinemission because it also had an unspoken rule simr to having a Western education, which could alleviate the hatred and tension from the Li family and divert their attention. The old man was indeed calctive. Taking advantage of the old man still being able to bear the pressure, if Li Guohua was suppressed now, thenter, although the Li family would target Nie, without Li Guohuapeting, Nie¡¯s pressure would be significantly less. Nie¡¯s time in the disciplinemission was short, and he was just middle-level cadre with few enemies. So this move would minimize the influence of the disciplinemission, and essentially themission experience would not heavily affect Nie. The old man¡¯s steps, chain by chain and linked tightly, perfectly disyed the depth of his political wisdom: Having an elder in the house is like having a treasure. Now it seems that every house in Jingcheng is paying great attention to and taking care of the elder¡¯s health. The elder¡¯s face is not the only factor, this aspect also ys a significant role. Through Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s prompts, Nie Zhenbang finally understood the arrangement this time. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang nodded and asked, ¡°Secretary Zhuang, Liangxi City then? I would like to know, what is my likely duty¡­?¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang say this, Zhuang Aiguo smiled slightly, his eyes a bit strange, and replied: ¡°ording to the arrangement, this time, you will be transferred to Liangxi City to serve as the deputy secretary of the Liangxi Municipal Committee, the deputy mayor of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government, and the acting mayor.¡± Nie Zhenbang was stunned and a bit surprised. No wonder Zhuang Aiguo had a strange expression. This was really instantaneous karma, wasn¡¯t Zhou Chen in New Li City the same in this position? The only difference was that he was the party secretary while Li Guohua was in the awkward position that Bekri was in. This time would Li Guohua dare do the same on the people¡¯s congress stage as he did, by going back on his word? Nie Zhenbang was also somewhat looking forward to it. Meanwhile, Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s conversation wasn¡¯t over. He continued, ¡°Nie, with your new position, I presume you¡¯ve noticed simrities between this and your situation in New Li City. The only difference is there has been a role reversal. Your challenges in taking office will be significant, given that the Li family still holds a dominant position in Jiangbei Province. So, I¡¯d like to know, do you have any thoughts on the personnel? If there¡¯s anything you need, just mention it. I¡¯ll arrange it for you.¡± This support seemed more mature than when Li Guohua arranged Zhou Chen¡¯s appointment in New Li City. Although the Li Faction was also involved in New Li City, fundamentally it was still Li Guohua¡¯s arrangement. Expecting Li Guohua to be as sagacious as Zhuang Aiguo was obviously unrealistic. But from Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s arrangement, the implication was clear ¨C if you need to bring people along who are unfamiliar with the ce, it would make it easier for you, Nie, to work. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Zhuang, everything has happened so suddenly. I don¡¯t know much about Liangxi city, so it¡¯s challenging for me to respond to you immediately. Could you please give me one day to contemte on this matter, and I will get back to you tomorrow?¡± PS: I returned home just after three in the afternoon. After showering, I started writing. I¡¯m uploading the second part now. I wish to express my gratitude for the continued support from my brothers and sisters (To be continued. If you like this novel, I would appreciate your votes and monthly ticket support on Boxnovel ). Your support is my greatest motivation). Chapter 337: 328 Gathering Order_1 Chapter 337: Chapter 328 Gathering Order_1 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s response satisfied Zhuang Aiguo greatly ¨C ¡°n then act¡± typified the basic quality a mature cadre should have. If Nie made decisions off the top of his head without any understanding or investigation, that would go against the intention of key training. Such a cadre, who makes decisions on a whim, wouldn¡¯t go far in the long run. Subsequently, Zhuang Aiguo nodded and said, ¡°Good, I estimate that in the next day or two, a leader from the Central Organization Department will contact you. Come by tomorrow afternoon when I have some time.¡± As soon as he returned to his ce at the Dynasty Club, all three women greeted him. None of them were simple-minded wives. During their honeymoon, when their husband was called away, it was certainly essential. Nie Zhenbang did not wait for the trio to ask before dering, ¡°I just received urate news. This time, I may be posted to the local area, Liangxi City in Jiangbei Province.¡± When Nie Zhenbang speaks of urate news, it is indeed urate news. Especially when coupled with a definite location, it implies that the matter has basically been settled. Upon hearing this, Yang Anna immediately suggested, ¡°Oh, then we should also start preparing. Sister Wan, let¡¯s go to Liangxi City first to scout the ce, and buy a house. Sister Li Xue is pregnant, she should not go. Once we¡¯ve settled everything, we can move her over.¡± From Anna¡¯s tone, this sounded like aplete relocation. However, Nie Zhenbang had no objections. Now that they were married, it was fine. Anna would definitely go. Moreover, with Li Lixue being pregnant, Nie Zhenbang would not feel at ease leaving her in Jingcheng. Having the three of them together provided mutual care. With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang moderately said, ¡°That sounds good. Wan and Anna, you two go ahead and arrange everything first. This way, we can move in directly when we arrive. It¡¯s convenient.¡± Although there would surely be housing arrangements, it was not a strict rule that they had to live in the municipalmittee and municipal government¡¯s families area. If they had their own houses, who could criticize them for living in their own houses? Seeing that Nie Zhenbang had said this, Dong Wan and Li Lixue could not say anything else, but they were quite pleased. This also indicated that Nie Zhenbang treated the three women equally. On this side, the three women naturally went to discuss the housing matter. After all, ostensibly they could not live together, but secretly, arranging where to live and how toyout the house required the three of them to discuss and consider.
Nie Zhenbang, however, had already taken out his phone and dialed Ning Zhiyuan. For something concerning Jiangbei Province, Liangxi City, only Ning Zhiyuan could help. As soon as the call connected, before Ning Zhiyuan could speak from the other end, Nie Zhenbang stated, ¡°Zhiyuan, help me find the information on Liangxi City. This time, I might be assigned to Liangxi. Do it as soon as you can, and try to deliver the materials to me at the Dynasty Club by tomorrow morning.¡± After hanging up, Ning Zhiyuan had an interesting expression on his face. Nie Zhenbang was unexpectedly going to Liangxi City and even his father, Governor Ning, did not receive the news beforehand. Evidently, this was quite sudden. This time, Nie Zhenbang would be going head-to-head with Li Guohua in Liangxi. It appeared that Jiangbei Province would not be peaceful in the future. Thinking of this, Ning Zhiyuan promptly called Su Jinguo, whom his father¡¯s secretary. When Su answered, Ning Zhiyuan chuckled, ¡°Secretary Su, hello, it¡¯s me, Zhiyuan. I need a favor.¡± As the secretary, in front of the governor¡¯s son, Su Jinguo naturally didn¡¯t dare to strike a pose and disy his role as the government secretary. Heughed heartily, ¡°Zhiyuan, why so polite? We¡¯re brothers, aren¡¯t we? Speak, what is it? I will certainly handle it for you if I can.¡± Ning Zhiyuan then said, ¡°Brother Su, a friend of mine wants detailed information on Liangxi City. Can you help get it for me? I¡¯ll need it tonight. Could you send it to me by fax? Is it doable?¡± On the other side, almost without hesitation, Su Jinguo quickly responded with, ¡°Okay, no problem.¡± Justice was indeed served by Ning Zhiyuan. He said it would be by morning, yet it was not even nine in the morning and Nie Zhenbang already received the material sent by Ning Zhiyuan. What Nie Zhenbang needed was not general data about Liangxi City, but information about the staff members of the Liangxi City Committee. Introductions of the city could be found anywhere and Nie Zhenbang could look at those just before starting work there. There wasn¡¯t a need to study them now. What Nie Zhenbang wanted to see was the cadre data of Liangxi City. Knowing one¡¯s own strength and the enemy¡¯s is the sure way to victory, this is exactly what it means. Looking at the data, it showed that Liangxi City, as the economic powerhouse of Jiangbei Province and the secondrgest city in the province, had a total of 13 standingmittee members. This was a quite arge system. The list included Liangxi City Committee Secretary Fan Changsheng, Mayor Wu Jiacheng, Full-time Deputy Secretary Zhu Zhuozhen, Political and Legal Committee Secretary Huang Jiang, Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary Lei Dingguo, Executive Deputy Mayor Li Guohua, Organization Department Head Huang Junshan, Propaganda Department Head Li Xiaoqin (female), Military District Commander Peng Kaibao, Standing Deputy Mayor Zhao Xintian, United Front Work Department Head Wen Yuhe, City Committee Secretary-general Hu Youquan, and Liangcheng District Committee Secretary Ye Zhengwen. Nie Zhenbang was not surprised to see this list. Liangxi City was the secondrgest city in Jiangbei. Its economic output ranked first in Jiangbei, even exceeding that of Jiangzhou, the capital city of Jiangbei Province. This fact alone speaks volumes. Having thirteen standingmittee members was not an excessive numberpared to the rest of the country. Meanwhile, there were also the names of the leading members of the Liangxi City government, along with the heads of each direct-operated bureau. This was the mostprehensive list of names that could be obtained on the surface. At the bottom, there were notes on who was closely linked to who and who had disagreements. With this list in hand, Nie Zhenbang had a clear n in mind. It would be immensely useful for him to gain a solid footing in Liangxi City. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang already had suitable candidates in mind. Zhuang Aiguo had made it clear that he could bring his own people, but even though Zhuang Aiguo said he could request anyone, there were nevertheless boundaries. If he could really ask for anyone, Nie Zhenbang might as well rece the entiremittee. Why bother thinking so much? After reflecting for a moment, Nie Zhenbang carefully deliberated. For the position of secretary, he decided to transfer Yi Jun to Liangxi City as Deputy Secretary-General of the city government, temporarily acting as his own secretary. Currently, Yi Jun was the Secretary-General of the Xinli City government, a role equivalent to that of a senior department level cadre. The position of Deputy Secretary-General in Liangxi City also fell under the same level; hence, it can be regarded as ateral shift. After a period of transition, once Yi Jun had a solid grasp of the situation, he couldpletely take over as the city government Secretary-General. As for the secretary, that would require a new selection. Another candidate Nie Zhenbang considered was Chen Le. Currently, Chen Le was a standingmittee member of the Xinli City Party Committee, the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee, and concurrently the director of the Public Security Bureau. Xinli City was a sub-provincial city, and the public security bureau was a sub-bureau-level unit, so Chen Le was overqualified, ssified as a department-level cadre. If transferred to serve as the director of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, it would be ateral movement as well. Having these two individuals would not only mean working with cadres he had personally promoted and was familiar with but also greatly assist in controlling the city government and even having a certain influence on the Liangxi City¡¯s Party Committee. Having made these decisions, Nie Zhenbang promptly dialed Yi Jun¡¯s number. As soon as the call connected, Yi Jun on the other end seemed somewhat surprised and excited, ¡°Secretary, how have you been?¡± Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Haha, what¡¯s there to feel good or bad about? I¡¯m not old or feeble. I¡¯m in great health and everything I eat tastes delicious. Xiaoyi, the reason I¡¯m calling you is to ask you something. If you were asked to leave New Li City and take up a post in Liangxi City of Jiangbei Province, would you be willing?¡± Upon hearing this, how could Yi Jun not be willing? To tell the truth, he had been waiting for this call for two years. Although he was settled with a family, Yi Jun still clearly remembered the words Nie Zhenbang said before he left. Now, the wait was finally over. As for the issue of his family, Yi Jun was not a child, and his rank wouldn¡¯t be downgraded, thus ensuring his wife and children would get a satisfactory settlement. Therefore, Yi Jun responded without hesitation, ¡°Secretary, I¡¯ve been waiting for your call for two years. I have no issues, everything will be in ordance with Secretary¡¯s instructions.¡± Yi Jun¡¯s straightforwardness and decisiveness pleased Nie Zhenbang. Though Yi Jun was promoted by him, Nie Zhenbang had been somewhat worried given the two years¡¯ gap, wondering if his influence over Yi Jun remained. Yet, it now seemed that the concern was unnecessary. His appeal was still intact. After hanging up with Yi Jun, Nie Zhenbang dialed Chen Le¡¯s number. Unlike Yi Jun, Chen Le, working in public security, yed a joke right when he answered, ¡°Secretary, I¡¯ve been waiting for your call. I¡¯m ready at any time. Secretary, please just issue themand.¡±
Hearing Chen Le¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbangughed and pretended, ¡°Chen Le, do you know I called to give you an assignment? Can¡¯t it be a regr call to simply chat?¡± Chen Le sneered in his heart. In the past two years, Nie Zhenbang had never called him. Normally, it was always he who called Nie Zhenbang. As if he would believe Nie this time. Then, Chen Le yed along with Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Secretary, I am always prepared. When you call, I know it must be for a task.¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled and then became serious, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get down to business. Chen Le, I¡¯m thinking about transferring you to Liangxi City, Jiangbei Province. Prepare yourself.¡±
Nie Zhenbang¡¯s leadership style was bing more and more mature. For every subordinate with different styles, Nie Zhenbang had a different way of speaking to them. With Yi Jun, he was serious and calm, while with Chen Le, he had a military style. From the other side, Chen Le¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Yes, sir! As soon as I receive the order, I will head to Liangxi City immediately to prepare everything for you, Secretary.¡± After establishing the mindset for these two, Nie Zhenbang stood up. It was now noon. After the four men had lunch together, Nie Zhenbang took a rare short rest. At two in the afternoon, he headed to the office building of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. As he entered Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s office, Zhuang Aiguo also smiled and asked, ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, there¡¯s only half an hour left, don¡¯t let your monthly votes go to waste. After 12 o¡¯clock, there will be another chapter. (.) Chapter 338 - 329 – Organizational Conversation_1 Chapter 338: Chapter 329 ¨C Organizational Conversation_1 The tone and manner in which Zhuang Aiguo spoke made Nie Zhenbang feel quitefortable. Standing in the grand office of the country¡¯s fifth highest executive, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t feel too constrained. On the contrary, it was extremely refreshing. This was the kind of finesse that Nie Zhenbang needed to learn. Immediately following, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said: ¡°Secretary Zhuang, I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s assertiveness, Zhuang Aiguo alsoughed and gestured for Nie Zhenbang to sit down, slowly saying, ¡°Please, sit down. Judging by your confident demeanour, why don¡¯t you go ahead and express your thoughts?¡± Nie Zhenbang was well aware that a man like Zhuang Aiguo, a genuine party and national leader juggling countless tasks daily, couldn¡¯t be expected to converse for several hours as he might with an ordinary cadre. Immediately following, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said: ¡°Secretary Zhuang, I went home yesterday and I¡¯ve chosen two candidates. One is Chen Le, the Standing Committee of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee of Bazhou City in the Xibei Autonomous Region. I¡¯m hoping if it¡¯s possible to assign him as the head of the Public Security Bureau in Liangxi City. The other one is Yi Jun, the Secretary-General of the Xinli City Government. If feasible, I would like Yi Jun to serve as my secretary. In terms of official position, he will be assigned as the Deputy Secretary-General of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government. What do you think¡­?¡± Listenting to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhuang Aiguo seemed quite satisfied and nodded approvingly. The selection and arrangement of these two candidates was cleverly and appropriately done, particrly the grasping of the Public Security Bureau, would be a solid asset in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hands. Law enforcement bodies, especially these vtile ones, could indeed deter many hooligans. For Nie Zhenbang¡¯s election, it would be a great boost. The other candidate, the choice of secretary was also skillfully made. Yi Jun had been Nie Zhenbang¡¯s secretary for a long time, and he was trusted and easy to work with. More importantly, Yi Jun¡¯s rank was also higher. After some time in Liangxi City, waiting for Nie Zhenbang to settle down and Yi Jun to familiarise himself with the city government¡¯s situation, Yi Jun would certainly be the prime choice for the steward of the city government. These two positions, internally and externallypliment each other, and they can be considered as mutually beneficial. They are capable of maintaining firepower and stability in the city government. This would be of significant aid in securing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position. Immediately following, Zhuang Aiguo also nodded and said: ¡°One is the head of the Public Security Bureau, the other is the Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Government. These positions aren¡¯t too high-ranking. And also, both of them involveteral transfers, hence operating them shouldn¡¯t pose any difficulties. I¡¯ve made a note of this. Go home now and keep your phone line open to wait for a call from the Central Organization Department.¡± After leaving Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang returned home. At this point, Dong Wan and Yang Anna had already left Jingcheng to rush to Liangxi City. These two girls really were swift in action, they had already set out even before the formal organization had begun their discussion. Upon entering his house, he saw Li Lixue carrying a bunch of bed sheets from the room. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang immediately rushed forward, grabbed the bed sheets from Li Lixue¡¯s hands and reproached her: ¡°Li Xue, what are you doing? You could have simply just called a service attendant to help you. You¡¯re pregnant now, you must be more careful!¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Lixue also smiled and replied: ¡°Aren¡¯t you exaggerating a bit? It¡¯s only been over a month, and as per the doctors, unless there are any special circumstances, it¡¯s good to be more active for the baby¡¯s sake. Also, it¡¯s not good to let the service staff wash our personal linen. Nevertheless, it¡¯s our washing machine, it¡¯s not tiring to wash them ourselves.¡± After a pause, the happiness on Li Lixue¡¯s face was uncontained as she teased, ¡°Who is being overly precious here? I came from the countryside. Back in the day, didn¡¯t I make it here by myself from the international line?¡± Hearing Li Lixue reminiscing about this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind shed with an image of a stubborn girl, standing on a station tform alone, selling smallmodities on a wooden panel. Softly, Nie Zhenbang held Li Lixue in his arms and whispered: ¡°Li Xue, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t give you and our child aplete home.¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Li Lixue¡¯s fingers were pressed against Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mouth. Standing in front of Nie Zhenbang, Li Lixue, who was over one meter and seventy centimeters tall, did not seem short at all. Her eyes were somewhat blurry and emotional as she whispered: ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t say anymore. Being with you is the greatest happiness of my life.¡± Saying this, Li Lixue looked up, her eyes somewhat lost and affectionately murmuring, ¡°Honey, I want¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang was somewhat worried as he replied: ¡°Li Xue, the baby¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Li Lixue¡¯s red lips were already pressed against his. In that moment, passion ran wild. After resting for the afternoon, at around eight p.m., Nie Zhenbang suddenly received a phone call from the Central Organization Department, instructing him to report to their office at 8:30 a.m. the next day. No words were exchanged throughout the night. Nie Zhenbang had read many books recently on caring for pregnant women, and he knew that a moderate lifestyle was necessary. As long as there was no excessive frequency and intensity, everything would be fine. There was no repeat of their afternoon activities that evening. They just embraced calmly, and the next morning, before six o¡¯clock, Nie Zhenbang was up. Upon returning to Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s life fell back into a regr pattern. After waking up, he practiced a set of Shape-Intent Fist in the gym, which left him feeling quite refreshed and somewhat sweaty. After taking a bath, Nie Zhenbang promptly headed to the kitchen. Recently, Li Lixue had mild signs of pregnancy and her appetite was not so good. On the food front, Nie Zhenbang naturally made sure to cover all bases. The breakfast was exquisite and not inrge quantities, but varied in styles, allowing Li Lixue to pick what she liked. After breakfast, Nie Zhenbang made a phone call and had Li Lixue¡¯s secretarye to apany her before hefortably whisked away to the Central Organization Department. The Central Organization Department¡¯s office building¡¯s seventh floor houses the Cadre Management Directorate, a newly established department in charge of managing the sub-ministerial level cadres from various ministries andmissions in Jingcheng. Currently, Nie Zhenbang belongs to the Central Disciplinary Inspection Commission and is scheduled for a sub-ministerial level position. Thus he had toe here. Nie Zhenbang directly headed to the director¡¯s office, knocked on the door, and a voice from inside invited him to enter. He stepped into the room with a smile and said, ¡°Hello. You must be Director Zhao. I am Nie Zhenbang. We talked over the phonest night. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the middle-aged man sitting in the office chair rose to his feet. Director Zhao himself was only at the departmental level and in his forties. Nie Zhenbang, on the other hand, was about to hold a departmental-level position at the age of twenty-seven. In the past, there was a deputy department-level leader who was also twenty-seven, but his position was non-party and non-governmental, and he was in a remote western region, so his situation waspletely different from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. This caused Director Zhao to be extremely courteous. He quickly extended his hand, shook hands enthusiastically, and then said, ¡°Director Nie, it¡¯s an honor to meet you. Just now, Deputy Minister Cao called and instructed me to guide you directly to him once you arrived. I will take you there now.¡± Nie Zhenbang was a bit surprised at the moment. He had not expected that his organizational discussion would be personally hosted by a minister. This is remarkable. Deputy Minister Cao¡¯s office is on the ninth floor. With Director Zhao leading the way, Nie Zhenbang directly reached the office. Director Zhao knocked on the door, pushed it open, and introduced Nie to Deputy Minister Cao: ¡°Minister Cao, Comrade Nie Zhenbang from the Central Disciplinary Inspection Commission is here.¡± As he walked into the office, Nie Zhenbang took stock of Deputy Minister Cao: a man in his mid-fifties, with a rigid and serious expression. Indicating for Nie Zhenbang to sit down, Deputy Minister Cao got straight to the point, saying slowly, ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, we have asked you here today, as mandated by our superiors, to have a discussion with you. We hope that you will not feel apprehensive or nervous. This is merely a standard discussion.¡± After a pause, Deputy Minister Cao continued, ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, the organization is quite satisfied with your work in Xinli City and the Central Disciplinary Inspection Commission. You have strong foresight. Xinli City has seen four consecutive years of rapid economic development; this foundation wasid by you. In the two years you¡¯ve worked in the Central Disciplinary Inspection Commission, although there haven¡¯t been any spectacr cases, your theories and initiatives have been very valuable in the fight against corruption.¡± The entire talk was full of praise andmendation, which was almost a routine in every organizational discussion. After all, when promoting an official, it is natural to first state the reasons for the promotion, and their political achievements are the best reasons. At this moment, after Deputy Minister Cao finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang disyed a humble attitude and said with a low voice, ¡°I want to thank the organization for its recognition and praise. Although I¡¯ve achieved something, I still need to continue working hard. In my future work, please be assured, Deputy Minister Cao. Please be assured, organization. I will earnestly study and implement the spirit of President Yuan¡¯s speech. I will work hard and strive to reach new heights.¡± At this point, Deputy Minister Cao nodded in satisfaction. Regardless of whether his words were sincere, at least his attitude deserved recognition. After a pause, Deputy Minister Cao spoke again, ¡°Hmm, your attitude and thoughts are good. Party members and officials, especially those in leadership positions, need to have this mindset: they must guard against arrogance and rashness. Currently, the Party and the country are advocating for younger cadres and the rotation of officials. To respond to the Party¡¯s call, the Central Organization Department has decided to select a group of younger, educated, and capable cadres from various ministries in Jingcheng for grassroot positions. You graduated from the Chinese department of Jingcheng University and you¡¯re a master¡¯s student in economics. Your abilities in various areas are excellent. This time, the organization has also considered you as a candidate. We are nning to transfer you. What do you think about this?¡± At this point, if Nie Zhenbang still didn¡¯t know what to say, then he had wasted his six to seven years working within the system. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang responded solemnly, ¡°Deputy Minister Cao, I have no objections. As an individual, I firmly obey the arrangements of the organization. Comrade Lei Feng said that ¡®I am just a screw, wherever the Party needs me, I will be there.¡¯ I have no demands of my own.¡± Chapter 339 - 330: Arriving in Jiangbei_1 Chapter 339: Chapter 330: Arriving in Jiangbei_1 After the conversation with the Organization Department, this time, the efficiency of the Central Organization Department was unparalleled. After all, this cadre exchange was a nationwiderge-scale exchange, involving various aspects, both iing and outgoing. For this reason, the Minister of the Central Organization Department and the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, Yu Shengdong, specifically convened a special meeting to reiterate the importance of this cadre exchange. With this, the officials below naturally dare not ck off. Nie Zhenbang, armed with the introduction letter from the Central Organization Department and the transfer order of the organizational rtionship, went straight to Jiangbei Province. Given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rank, he had to report to the Organization Department of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee. Afterpleting the organizational rtionship procedures, he would be escorted by the Organization Department of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee. Only then would the entire process bepleted. The day after receiving the transfer order, Nie Zhenbang and Li Lixue boarded a ne to Jiangbei Province together. This time, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t go back to say goodbye and through Zhuang Aiguo, Nie Zhenbang more or less understood the old man¡¯s intentions. Now, it¡¯s better not to bother the old man. The old man was living day by day. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was very careful, every time he went home, he only talked about family matters and did not discuss work, thus saving the old man from expending energy. However, this may not work very well. But at least it shows filial piety. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang specifically instructed Nie Ziyu to stay with the old man. The second and third generations of the Nie family were scattered around. That way, there is always someone taking care of the old man. The nended smoothly at the Jiangzhou International Airport. As soon as the two stepped out of the airport terminal building, Dong Wan and Yang Anna started waving their hands at the entrance. Anna was even more excited: ¡°Sister Xue, it¡¯s about time you showed up. Let me hear the baby¡¯s voice.¡± Li Lixue also smiled at this moment: ¡°It won¡¯t be that quick, it¡¯s only been a little over a month.¡± Nie Zhenbang also started tough, and then said: ¡°Li Xue, you should go back to Liangxi with Wan and Anna, while I still have some procedures toplete in the province. I estimate it will take me two more days before I could get there. It¡¯s inconvenient here and you three should go ahead and settle down first. Once I arrive at Liangxi, we can contact each other by phone.¡± After sending off the three women, Nie Zhenbang hailed a taxi, and headed towards downtown Jiangzhou. Jiangzhou, as the capital of Jiangbei Province and once renowned as the six-dynasty ancient capital, carries a sprawling and ambitious atmosphere of grandeur. Nie Zhenbang also took out his phone. After some maneuvering in Jiangbei, the power of the Li faction has significantly dropped. In fact, ever since President Yuan came to power, a series of his strategies led to demotions and transfers. Now within the nation, no family dares to im a province as their territory any more. President Yuan¡¯s bncing tactics are masterful. The Nie family has its first governor, Ning Shouchang, in Jiangbei Province, and now also the executive vice governor Huang Yuesheng. Nie Zhenbang was not flinching. After some thinking, Nie Zhenbang decided to visit Ning Shouchang first. On one hand, Ning Shouchang was ater addition to the Nie faction and their rtionship was still in a nurturing stage. The rtionship between the two sides was not much of a vassal rtionship, more of a mutually dependent situation. Comparatively, Huang Yuesheng was much closer. He is rted to the Nie family. ording to the references from Nie Jiamin and Nie Jialei, he should be referred to as their elder uncle. Dying the visit wouldn¡¯t cause any issues. On the other hand, in terms of rank, Ning Shouchang is a provincial governor, equivalent to a ministerial level, while Huang Yuesheng is a vice ministerial level. Both emotionally and rationally, Nie should visit Ning Shouchang first. Never underestimate such details, sometimes, they can influence a leader¡¯s opinion of you. Often, a leader¡¯s opinion is indicative of your promotion prospects. Nie dialed the phone number of Ning Shouchang¡¯s secretary Su Jinguo. The number was given to him by Ning Zhiyuan. Coincidentally, Ning Zhiyuan is currently serving as the mayor of Zishashi, a city under Liangxi City. The call was answered, and the voice on the other end was somewhat cautious due to the unfamiliar number: ¡°Hello, who is this?¡± ¡°Is this Secretary Su? Let me introduce myself. I am Nie Zhenbang, who has just been transferred to Liangxi City. Hehe, I just got off the ne and I¡¯m heading towards downtown Jiangzhou. Secretary Su, does your boss have time now? I want to pay a visit.¡± Nie Zhenbang then spoke in a friendly manner. In terms of rank, Su Jinguo is only at the level of a regr department, which could not bepared to Nie. However, Su Jinguo is a close aide to Ning Shouchang. Out of respect, nothing was taken lightly in dealing with Su. Nie maintained a low profile when he was with Su, owing to the saying ¡®don¡¯t underestimate a minor official at a minister¡¯s gate¡¯. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang introduce himself, Su Jinguo on the other end of the phone responded enthusiastically, ¡°So it¡¯s Third young master. You are being too polite. You don¡¯t need to call me Secretary Su, just call me Jinguo. The boss is free now but only for about an hour. He needs to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Jiangbei International Conference and Exhibition Center this afternoon. If you are free now,e over.¡± Su Jinguo clearly understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s identity. He is a direct descendent of the Nie family and a key trainee. Coupled with his experience in the ¡®Down Corruption Case¡¯, Su recognized Nie¡¯s capabilities and so naturally he would not act superior to Nie. At this moment, Su Jinguo¡¯s attitude caught Nie Zhenbang by surprise. However, Nie soon realized that Su Jinguo was aware of his background. He thenughed and said, ¡°That won¡¯t do. You, Secretary Su, are my Senior. By seniority, I should call you Brother. From now on, I will call you Brother Su.¡± After hanging up the phone, the taxi driver started a conversation: ¡°Hahaha, young man, your boss seems to be pretty good. Nowadays, bosses always hire female secretaries. Your boss hiring a male secretary, could it be due to fear of his wife?¡± Upon hearing the cab driver¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang remained silent with a faint smile. There was some delicate information that could not be disclosed, and they had to be dealt with in this ambiguous way. The Jiangbei Provincial Committee and the provincial government were not in the same office building. The Committee was located at 28 Jingcheng Avenue, and the provincial government was at number 30, with the Jiangbei Provincial Political Consultative Conference between them. The cab parked at the entrance of the provincial government. It was a party and government organ guarded by armed police, so taxis weren¡¯t typically allowed in. After paying the fare, Nie Zhenbang got off with his shoulder bag and went straight to the outpost. He presented his work permit and said, ¡°Comrade, I¡¯m here to report my work. This is my work permit, please have a look.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s work permit had been stamped with the red seal of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee¡¯s Organization Department and his status as a Bureau level official when he was still with the Central Organization Department. The armed police were a bit surprised. The man was only six years older than them and yet already held such a high position. With his calm demeanor, Nie Zhenbang possessed the air of a superior, something beyond what any ordinary fraudster could pretend. The armed police didn¡¯t give him a hard time and let him pass smoothly. Entering the provincial governmentpound, a canopy of green trees and various buildingsplemented each other alongside small gardens, creating an atmosphere reminiscent of a southern water town. Under a patch of camphor trees several decades old stood an old eight-story building, the office building of Jiangbei province¡¯s people¡¯s government. Ning Shouchang¡¯s office was on the seventh floor of the office building. The first floor was the reception hall and some non-glittering offices, while the second floor housed various minor departments. The seventh floor was for the main officeholders and other deputy posts. The top floor had two conference rooms, and the rest was a terrace. Upon taking the elevator directly to the seventh floor, Nie Zhenbang walked to the far end of the corridor where Ning Shouchang¡¯s office stood. The office of a top official was naturally in the quietest and best location. After knocking and hearing a voice from inside, Nie Zhenbang entered the office. A man of about thirty-four years stood up. Su Jinguo, of slight stature and slightly overweight, had a side parting hairstyle and was wearing a light-colored suit with a patterned tie. Despite his single-eyelid eyes, they didn¡¯t appear small. His smile gave a warm impression. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Su Jinguo stood up and said with a smile, ¡°You must be Mayor Nie. Come in, the governor has been waiting for you.¡± Nie Zhenbang grinned, took out a box of premium Little Panda cigarettes from his bag, and tossed it onto Su Jinguo¡¯s desk. ¡°Brother Su, have a try and see if you like the vor. I¡¯ll go in first, and we can chat more when we have time.¡± Walking into Ning Shouchang¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang greeted the man, ¡°Governor, hello!¡± Ning Shouchang, who bore a significant resemnce to Ning Zhiyuan apart from being a bit older and slightly overweight, smiled and motioned Nie Zhenbang to sit on the sofa. He then said, ¡°We¡¯re in private here, no need for such formality. Call me Uncle Ning. Your father talked about you during the Party Congressst year. Xin Li City¡¯s achievements have caught the nation¡¯s attention. Now that you¡¯vee to Jiangbei, the development of Liangxi City depends on you.¡± After a pause, Ning Shouchang joked, ¡°I heard that Wang Chenglong of Jiangzhou City was unhappy about your assignment to Liangxi City. Liangxi City¡¯s economy has been more vigorous than the provincial capital of Jiangzhou, and your arrival has made him anxious.¡± Initiating casual conversation is an essential qualitiy for any superior to lighten the mood and put visitors at ease. If everyone cowered, the leader would lose his charm. This aspect was well-handled by Ning Shouchang. After a moment of contemtion, Ning Shouchang became serious, ¡°Zhenbang, you need to be mentally prepared for your position in Liangxi City.¡± PS: Here¡¯s the second update. Tonight, there will be an additional update if we receive 50 more monthly tickets. I seek your support with monthly tickets. ( Chapter 340: 331: Liangxi Takes Office (Additional 50 Monthly Tickets) _1 Chapter 340: Chapter 331: Liangxi Takes Office (Additional 50 Monthly Tickets) _1 Ning Shouchang¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang tense up. Even Ning Shouchang was talking in this way; it seemed that his current assumption of office was not promising. Then, Ning Shouchang smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, you don¡¯t need to be so anxious. Maybe my words were a bit exaggerated. There will definitely be obstacles in your new role, but don¡¯t be too amodating. As long as you stand your ground and have sound reasoning, Governor Yue Sheng and I can still help you.¡± He paused for a moment and then exined, ¡°What I mean is that I want you to be prepared for your future work. Do you understand?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. Ning Shouchang¡¯s intentions were clear and straightforward. The underlying meaning was simple too. He was articting that historically and fundamentally, Jiangbei Province belonged to the Li faction¡¯s traditional sphere of influence. Even with frequent cadre changes now, the overall advantagey with the Li faction. Hence, there would inevitably be some restrictions on his future work, possibly from the provincial or municipal leaders. Nie Zhenbang then smiled and said, ¡°Uncle Ning, could you give me a brief overview of the situation in both the province and the city?¡± Ning Shouchang was pleased with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s response, which had the sense of grasping the point immediately. He pondered for a moment, seemingly contemting theplex rtionships within the province and the city of Liangxi. Then, Ning Shouchang nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s start with the province. The main leaders of the Provincial Committee, Secretary Shen Yanshuo, have opinions about you. Secretary Da Liang and Secretary Dong Min are basically focusing on their own duties. You need to be prepared for this. As for Liangxi City, the rtionship between Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua is good. When you get to Liangxi City, it would be useful to connect with Deputy Mayor Zhao Xintian who¡¯s also a Standing Committee member.¡± After listening to this, Nie Zhenbang fell into deep thought. As for Shen Yanshuo, there was no need to mention it. He was the leading figure of the Li faction in Jiangbei Province. The Xia case, which involved the Inspection Commission, had made the entire Jiangbei Province quite passive, forcing a deputy governor from the Li family to resign, which was more than annoying. Furthermore, since the Li family and Nie Zhenbang were mortal enemies, it was not surprising that Shen Yanshuo had such an attitude towards Nie Zhenbang. The situation in Liangxi City was simr to that of New Li City initially. Back then, in New Li City, he was the Party Secretary, Zhou Chen was the Acting Mayor, and Bekri was the Executive Deputy Mayor. Now, he had taken over Zhou Chen¡¯s position, Li Guohua had Bekri¡¯s position. On the contrary, the City Party Committee Secretary Fan Changsheng was in his former position. Now, it all depended on Li Guohua¡¯s choices. Additionally, he had an advantage over Zhou Chen. While Zhou Chen only had a few small fry supporting him in New Li City, he had powerful allies like Chen Le and Yi Jun. Nie Zhenbang had made a preliminary judgment on these issues before arriving, but what surprised him was that Ning Shouchang had a protege in Liangxi City. This Zhao Xintian must be someone Ning Shouchang trusted.
Then, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Uncle Ning, rest assured. I¡¯m not worried about the situation in Liangxi City. Li Guohua wouldn¡¯t dare to cross the line. He doesn¡¯t have the guts. After all, this round of cadre exchange was decided by the Central Organization Department and the State Council. If the Li family dares to cross the line, they would face the suppression and fury of President Yuan and Premier Yun. Not only Li Guohua, even Shen Yanshuo¡¯s position would be at risk. I am sure that not only will the Li family not y tricks on this matter, Shen Yanshuo will also not agree even if Li Guohua wants to y tricks.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s analysis, Ning Shouchang nodded in satisfaction. Indeed, Shen Yanshuo will make sure that Nie Zhenbang is smoothly elected. Although Shen Yanshuo is part of the Li faction, he also had the same symbiotic rtionship as himself. This was something that Ning Shouchang deeply understood. Ning Shouchang said with satisfaction, ¡°Good. I¡¯m pleased with your attitude and awareness. Zhenbang,e to my house for dinner tonight, and head over to the Organization Department tomorrow.¡± Nie Zhenbang looked at the time and smiled, ¡°Uncle Ning, there is still time this afternoon. I will finish dealing with the work today ande back to the Provincial Government in the evening. Jiangzhou City always feels empty. I¡¯d better go down earlier, get familiar with the situation, and prepare to start work.¡± Usually, if invited to a dinner at the governor¡¯s house, and the arrangements were made by the governor himself, there would likely be no objections. But Ning Shouchang wasn¡¯t narrow-minded. He knew about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personality from his son, Ning Zhiyuan. Then, he smiled and said, ¡°Ha ha, you¡¯re always on the go. Go ahead.¡± Upon leaving the provincial governmentpound, Nie Zhenbang walked directly towards the Provincial Committee¡¯spound, which was only about five hundred meters away. It would only take a few minutes to walk there. It was only three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, so there was more than enough time. The Provincial Committee¡¯s Organization Department, as well as several other departments such as the Publicity Department and the Office Affairs Bureau, all operate within the Office Building of the Provincial Committee. The Jiangbei Provincial Committee Office Building has nine floors, neither more nor less. It is unknown if the choice to make it a floor higher than the provincial government office building was intentional during design and construction. Nheless, theyout design is simr. The top floor is a meeting room. Shen Yanshuo and others have their offices on the eighth floor. The Organization Department of the Provincial Committee upies the entire seventh floor, ayout designed specifically for their offices. Nie Zhenbang quickly found his way to the Minister¡¯s office inside the Jiangbei Provincial Committee¡¯s Organization Department. After taking a deep breath, he knocked on the slightly ajar office door, leaving a slim gap. The door was then fully opened from inside and a young man stepped out. He looked at Nie Zhenbang with a puzzled expression and asked, ¡°May I ask, who are you here to see?¡± ¡°Hello, is Minister Yang in? I have been transferred to Jiangbei Province from the Central Disciplinary Commission. My name is Nie Zhenbang,¡± Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile. Upon hearing this, the young man quicklyprehended and responded, ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re Mayor Nie. Pleasure to meet you. Mayor Nie, as expected, is indeed ambitious and young. Are you here for your appointment? Would you please wait a moment while I report your arrival?¡± A little whileter, the young man came out to instruct Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mayor Nie, Minister Yang is expecting you. Please go in.¡± Upon entering, Nie Zhenbang started observing Yang Xingan, who was about sixty years old. Among all the leadership members of the provincialmittee, Yang Xingan is one of the older ones. It appears that this might be Yang¡¯sst term unless he gets re-elected to the standingmittee at this year¡¯s party representative conference in Jiangbei Province. If not, he would probably be assigned to the provincialmittee of the People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference or the People¡¯s Congress. Yang Xingan is not a tall man, possessing traits typical of people from southern water towns. His most defining features are his thick eyebrows andrge eyes, which reflect an impressive aura. Seeing Nie Zhenbang enter, Yang Xingan was pleased by Nie Zhenbang¡¯sposed demeanor. Yang asked Nie to take a seat on the couch and started talking, ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, you¡¯vee at the right time. Once Minister Yu has confirmed the final list, we willmence with the public notification of positions and recements for your group of cadres. Aside from you, everybody else has already left. Now we are just waiting on you.¡± Since the ¡°Interim Regtions on the Selection and Appointment of Leading Cadres¡± were issued two years ago, there is a public notice period for promotion of cadres, which is now in addition to the previously used procedures. Normally, the announcements of appointments and dismissals are published on provincial-level media outlets, along with an oversightint phone number from the Organization Department. After a seven-day public notice period, if no one raises objections against the appointee, then the appointment is formally confirmed. This step is essentially a formality which Nie Zhenbang understands but, since Yang Xingan had mentioned it, Nie Zhenbang responded ordingly, ¡°Minister Yang, I sincerely apologize for having been dyed due to handover tasks these past few days. I am ready for the organization¡¯s criticism.¡± After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Nie Zhenbang felt that his conversation with Yang Xingan was not very harmonious. It was more like a set of routine conversations. It seemed that Yang was not very fond of him. As expected, after Yang spoke for a while, he summarized by saying, ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, your abilities are recognized and appreciated by the organization. You are good at economic construction and have been tempered for many years in the Central Disciplinary Commission. Yourprehensive qualities are excellent. Your assignment to our cadre team in Jiangbei Province is a credit to our province. I have some things to take care of and will not be able to send you off in person tomorrow. I have entrusted Deputy Minister Luo to apany you instead. Come here and meet with Deputy Minister Luo at eight o¡¯clock tomorrow morning.¡±
Once Nie Zhenbang heard this, he was taken aback. It would have been appropriate and in ordance with usual practices for the Minister of Organization Department to apany a new mayor to his post. In some cases, even the full-time deputy secretary of the Provincial Committee would do the honor. However, in his case, a Deputy Minister was assigned. The underlying message was worth contemting. Apart from anything else, it could impact the start of his work. If the cadres of Liangxi City saw this, they might think that their Mayor does not get much importance from the Provincial Committee leaders, inadvertently making it harder for him to carry out his work. However, Nie Zhenbang understood that it was toote to change things now. This decision might even have involved Shen Yanshuo. So, he promptly responded to Yang Xingan, ¡°Thank you, Minister Yang, for your support of my work. I won¡¯t disturb you further. Tomorrow morning, I wille here to wait for Deputy Minister Luo.¡± PS: Please vote! (
Chapter 341: 332 Deputy Minister Luo is Very Displeased_1 Chapter 341: Chapter 332 Deputy Minister Luo is Very Displeased_1 In the evening, the family banquet held at Ning Shouchang¡¯s home had a pleasant atmosphere, with host and guests feeling satisfied. All necessary discussions took ce. Now Nie Zhenbang had just arrived and there were not many things that needed to be exined. Besides, if Nie Zhenbang needed help with everything, and everyone had to protect him, then the purpose of training would be lost. Those who need the help of older family members don¡¯t usually grow up well. Nie Zhenbang did not stay at Ning Shouchang¡¯s house. After dinner, he went out of the Provincial Governmentpound, found a hotel near the Provincial Party Committeepound, and moved in. Nie Zhenbang got up before six in the morning, stretched his body in the room and shadow-boxed, which was not really possible due to the narrow space. After having breakfast in the restaurant on the second floor, it was already half past seven. After checking out at the reception desk on the first floor, Nie Zhenbang calmly walked into the Provincial Party Committeepound. When Nie Zhenbang arrived on the sixth floor, the timing was just right, just ten minutes before eight. A few minutester, employees began to arrive for work. At the elevator entrance, Yang Xingan came overughing and talking with a middle-aged man. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yang Xingan also nodded slightly, then introduced the man next to him: ¡°Guozhong, let me introduce you to Comrade Nie Zhenbang. He¡¯s young, talented, a rare young talent.¡± Luo Guozhong, about fifty years old, by this age he had be a deputy minister of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department and had a lot of upward potential. Luo Guozhong was of average height, around one meter seventy three, which does not make him short among Southerners. Not thin or fat, he always had a cheerful smile on his face. His hair was crew cut and between the sparse strands, some white hair was visible. Before Nie Zhenbang could speak, Luo Guozhong reached out his hand saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, nice to meet you.¡± Without too much courtesy or formality. After a brief hand-touching, this kind of handshake was purely ceremonial. Nie Zhenbang was not bothered. He had been prepared for cold treatment when he transferred to Jiangbei. Besides, as the director of the organization department that handles personnel affairs for the whole province, it would be strange if Shen Yanshuo didn¡¯t seize control of it. Following that, Nie Zhenbang also greeted with a smile, ¡°Good morning, Director Yang and Director Luo.¡± After exchanging a few pleasantries, Luo Guozhong lightly chuckled, ¡°Mayor Nie, if there are no other matters, let us set off. It takes about two hours to travel from Jiangzhou to Liangxi. If we don¡¯t depart now, we won¡¯t be able to reach Liangxi by morning.¡± ¡­
At the border sign of Liangxi on the Hujiang Expressway, a row of ck Audi cars was parked. In the front was a Toyota SUV police car with its lights shing, followed by sedans with license tes Jiang B-00003 and Jiang B-00005 in sequence. The leaders of the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government, were all waiting here. Among the crowd, Yi Jun and Chen Le stood together. They had arrived a few days earlier than Nie Zhenbang to familiarize themselves with the area. The two of them didn¡¯t have an easy time implementing their work in Liangxi City, and these days they were in a state of weakness and istion.. Looking at the leaders waiting in front, Yi Jun whispered to Chen Le, ¡°Old Chen, it seems that Liangxi City is preparing to give our boss a tough start.¡± Chen Le smiled faintly. After taking office as the Director of Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, Chen Le only brought Feng Kuang with him as his driver. Within these two days, Chen Le had just started getting familiar with the conditions of the Public Security Bureau and couldn¡¯t yet speak of controlling the situation. Looking at the leaders nearby, none of the top leaders of the four teams in Liangxi City had arrived. The Mayor of the city government, Wu Jiacheng, was understandable, as Wu Jiacheng was no longer in Liangxi City and couldn¡¯t be here to wee him. However, the Secretary of the Liangxi Municipal Committee, the Director of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee Fan Changsheng, and the Chairman of the CPPCC noting to greet him seemed inappropriate. A mayor, appointed by a superior as the acting mayor and equivalent in rank as the citymittee secretary, was greeted by the deputy rank of the City Committee. This seemed like a downgrade of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rank to that of a Deputy Department level official. At this moment, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Zhu Zhuozhen and Executive Deputy Mayor Li Guohua were standing in the front. Jiangbei¡¯s winter was mostly rainy. Jiangbei was located at the junction of South and North, the climate was more simr to Southern weather, a bit damp and cold. The Hujiang Expressway was the first expressway in Jiangbei Province, and had been open for less than two months. Starting from Jiangzhou City, it takes about two hours to reach Liangxi. At this moment, Li Guohua¡¯s face was calm andposed. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival wasn¡¯t necessarily good or bad news, however, Li Guohua clearly knew that this confrontation would likely determine the positions and futures of both. Whoever lost would only have the option of retiring from their political career. This was unquestionable. Li Guohua had never been afraid of struggle, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have returned to politics so eagerly. Greeting Nie Zhenbang was a matter of attitude. As the current deputy mayor, he hadn¡¯t yet reached the point where he could afford not toe. A true man should be able to both bend and stretch. If he couldn¡¯t bear even this, what future could he talk about? A gush of north wind howled, and Li Guohua involuntarily shrank his neck. The deep blue woolen coat wrapped around him, but even so, he felt a bit cold from the freezing wind. ncing at his watch, Nie Zhenbang turned to Zhu Zhuozhen beside him and said, ¡°Secretary Zhu, ording to the news from Jiangzhou City, Luo Guozhong¡¯s car was escorted onto the expressway by Jiangzhou City Public Security Bureau guide car around eight thirty, and it¡¯s already nearly eleven now. They should have arrived by now. I hope nothing happened on the road.¡± Upon hearing these words, deputy secretary of the municipal partymittee Zhu Zhuozhen cursed inwardly. An ident ¨C Li Guohua would probably hope for Nie Zhenbang to have an ident since his almost guaranteed position of mayor was taken away. It would be strange if he was happy about it. As Zhu Zhuozhen considered this, he nodded and said thoughtfully, ¡°Maybe they were dyed on the road. The expressway has just opened, and the auxiliary facilities are still being standardized. It is the maiden voyage for the drivers on the expressway.¡± Having said this, Zhu Zhuozhen looked at the sky, which was somewhat gloomy, as if it was about to snow. He then said in a deep voice, ¡°Mayor Li, judging by the situation, we don¡¯t know when Minister Luo and his team will arrive. Let¡¯s leave a few people outside to keep watch, and the rest should go back to the cars and rest a bit.¡± As Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s voice fell, a policeman from a patrol car in front came running down, jogged over to Chen Le, and said, ¡°Director Chen, we just received a message that Minister Luo¡¯s car has arrived. It¡¯s less than a kilometer away.¡± Although the voice was not loud, all the leaders present heard it. At this moment, Zhu Zhuozhen said, ¡°Everyone please stand in the proper ce.¡± At this point, inside Luo Guozhong¡¯s car, Nie Zhenbang was looking outside. Luo Guozhong had been closing his eyes in meditation the whole time looking as if he was sleeping. He had apparently decided not to engage in conversation. Nie Zhenbang, of course, would not take the initiative to speak. Beforeing here, Nie Zhenbang had already prepared for being marginalized and neglected. Looking at the scene outside the window, Nie Zhenbang sighed somewhat. Jiangbei Province was indeed economically advanced, with the expressway already opened and running, and even directly connecting to Liangxi City. Achieving sess here would not be a simple task. Just then, Xie Guang, Luo Guozhong¡¯s secretary, who was sitting in the co-pilot¡¯s seat, turned his head and said to Luo Guozhong, ¡°Minister, therades from Liangxi City havee to meet us. What do you think¡­?¡± Upon hearing his secretary¡¯s words, Luo Guozhong opened his eyes and straightened his body, watching the situation ahead, and then nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s park the car on the side. Therades below also have it tough, standing outside in this extreme cold.¡±
Having said that, Luo Guozhong turned to Nie Zhenbang and said with a chuckle, ¡°Mayor Nie, let¡¯s go down and meet our colleagues from Liangxi City.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang also smiled lightly and said, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my duty to build a strong and united team. Minister Luo, after you.¡± The car slowly parked on the side, Luo Guozhong got out first, and Nie Zhenbang followed from the other side. As soon as he stepped out of the car, Nie Zhenbang noticed that Luo Guozhong looked a bit upset. At this moment, Luo Guozhong was also somewhat annoyed. Seeing the weing leadership team, Luo Guozhong noticed that none of the four leaders of the Liangxi Municipal Committee were present. Wu Jiacheng had already returned to Jiangzhou to report his work already, but Fan Changsheng should¡¯ve shown some respect. Even if Fan Changsheng intended to embarrass Nie Zhenbang, there were many other ways to do so withoutpletely disregarding his own dignity in the process.
Upon seeing Luo Guozhong¡¯s displeasure, Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s face also changed, but Li Guohua still remained indifferent. To individuals like Li Guohua and Nie Zhenbang, whoe from prominent families with profound backgrounds, bureau-level officials would not cause them any fear or pressure. Only provincial-level officials would make them feel anxious. The eyes of the two men shed momentarily and both understood each other¡¯s thoughts, disying a kind of unwillingness to admit defeat. At this moment, Zhu Zhuozhen stepped forward, smiled, and said, ¡°Minister Luo, wee, wee. Thank you to the provincialmittee and the organization for paying so much attention to our Liangxi City. Thank you Minister Luo foring to guide our work in Liangxi.¡± Luo Guozhong maintained a neutral expression in that moment, nodded, and said, ¡°Comrade Zhuozhen, let me introduce you to Comrade Nie Zhenbang.¡± After Nie Zhenbang and Zhu Zhuozhen shook hands and exchanged greetings, Luo Guozhong waved his hand and said, ¡°Everybody get in the car. It¡¯s very dangerous to upy thene on the expressway like this. Let¡¯s all get in the car and head to the Municipal Committee.¡± PS: I appreciate a monthly vote of support! Watching others rocketing up while we seem to be treading water. I request your support, brothers and sisters! ( Chapter 342: 333 Liangxi City Leadership Cadre Meeting_1 Chapter 342: Chapter 333 Liangxi City Leadership Cadre Meeting_1 Luo Guozhong¡¯s words were somewhat venting, but the people of Liangxi City could only listen, not daring to rebut. Why? Because what others were saying made sense. The party and government leaders of your Liangxi City, with such arge weing convoy, had upied all the emergencynes of the expressway. This behavior tantly vited the current road safety management regtions. However, since this was a collective action of Liangxi City, managed by the Hujinag Expressway Police Brigade Liangxi Squadron. Although the highway police are under the jurisdiction of the provincial police department¡¯s own highway police headquarters, they are based in Liangxi City. The police of the Liangxi Squadron were deployed from various departments of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau. With this privilege, naturally no one would intervene. But now Luo Guozhong had said it out in public, leaving the leaders of Liangxi City at a loss for words. Seeing Luo Guozhong and Nie Zhenbang had already gotten into the car, Li Guohua¡¯s expression was somewhat gloomy. He was somewhat ufortable with this arrangement by Jiangbei Province. The leader of the escort, although not of high rank, was backing Nie Zhenbang, which was not a good sign. Li Guohua did not know that this was due to their own reasons. If Li Guohua knew this, he would probably regret it. On this side, a hint of yfulness appeared on Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s face. Looking at it, Liangxi City might not be peaceful. Immediately, Zhu Zhuozhen also said, ¡°Mayor Li, let¡¯s follow.¡± In official circles, such helplessness ismon due to distinct hierarchical levels. Sometimes, there is no way to handle these small grievances, one can only endure them. From the border of Liangxi City to the downtown area, a distance of about thirty kilometers, with a guide car sounding its horn leading the way and a police car following behind for escort, all cars in the convoy had their double yellow warning lights on and drove towards downtown Liangxi City majestically. Half an hourter, the cars drove into the square in front of the office building of the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government. The office building of the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government is a very orthodox building, not veryrge in size, but very high in floors. The entire building is higher than the surrounding terrain. The main entrance has a dozen or so steps extending downwards, with vehicr ess on both sides. The cars in the convoy were parked directly underneath the entrance to the office building. The secretaries had already gone up to wee them, opening the car doors, and Luo Guozhong, Nie Zhenbang, and the leaders who hade to wee them all got out. At this moment, the Secretary of the Liangxi Municipal Party Committee, Fan Changsheng, was standing by the entrance. Seeing Luo Guozhong, he immediately went forward to wee him, smiling as he reached out his hand and said, ¡°Director Luo, wee.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s words were also deeply meaningful. Generally, under such circumstances, when Luo Guozhonges, it means that he brings a cadre. As the party secretary, Fan Changsheng should at least say a few words of thanks. For example, thanking Director Luo for bringing such an excellent cadre to Liangxi City. But Fan Changsheng did not mention Nie Zhenbang at all, which implied a certain amount of disparagement. Luo Guozhong sneered internally, and then said, ¡°Secretary Fan, you are too polite. Liangxi City is the strongest economic city in our province. With Secretary Fan working around the clock, we naturally have to fully assist Liangxi City in doing a good job.¡± With that, Luo Guozhong walked towards the inside of the building.
In that instant, a shadow crossed over Fan Changsheng¡¯s face too. But every bit of this was caught in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes. He sneered inwardly. He wanted to put me in my ce here, but instead he got a p in the face from Luo Guozhong. Just now, Luo Guozhong¡¯s words were not vague at all. On the surface, it seemed as if he was praising Liangxi City, but in fact, he was mocking Fan Changsheng. Liangxi City is the number one economic city in the province, and you, Fan Changsheng, think you¡¯re so great that you can even disdain someone sent by the provincial partymittee. To fully assist Liangxi City in doing a good job, isn¡¯t that saying that the provincial partymittee should revolve around Liangxi City? A municipal party secretary, no matter how busy, cannot possibly be working around the clock. Only the premier is described as managing a myriad of daily tasks, how dare you, a municipal party secretary? Upon entering the Municipal Party Committee office building, on the top floor of the Municipal Party Committee and Government office building, there is arge tiered conference room. The nearly two-thousand-square-meter meeting room can amodate fifteen hundred people for meetings at the same time. At this moment, the entire venue had been set up. Right in front, hanging above the rostrum, was a red banner with the words ¡®Leadership Cadre Meeting of Liangxi City¡¯. On the rostrum, the Executive Deputy Minister of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department, Luo Guozhong, sat in the middle. Although Luo Guozhong and Fan Changsheng are of the same rank, Luo Guozhong is part of the Provincial Party Committee Organization Department¨Che has provincial leadership status. With different identities, Luo Guozhong represented the Jiangbei Provincial Party Committee. Naturally, he was sitting here. To the left was the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee of Liangxi City, and to the right was Nie Zhenbang, the remaining leaders of the Liangxi Municipal Party Committee team were all arranged in order of sequence. Underneath the stage, various mid-level cadres from the four major departments of the Municipal Committee, Municipal Government, Municipal People¡¯s Congress, and CPPCC, as well as the heads and deputies of various bureaus under the city¡¯s direct authority. Leaders and deputies from the five districts and two counties controlled by Liangxi City. Heads and deputies of each bureau within the five districts, along with the leaders of mid-level departments under the city¡¯s direct authority, were all gathered in the meeting room ¡ª hundreds of people in total. Firstly, under the direction of the moderator, Hu Youquan, the secretary-general of the Liangxi City Committee, the conference began amidst the resounding national anthem. Thereafter, Hu Youquan addressed the microphone, saying: ¡°Next, I invite Comrade Luo Guozhong, Standing Deputy Minister of the Provincial Committee Organisation Department, to announce the appointment.¡± After Hu Youquan spoke, Luo Guozhong also stood up, with the microphone in front of him. Luo Guozhong produced a document and read out loud: ¡°In ordance with the resolution of the Provincial Committee¡¯s Standing Committee, Wu Jiacheng, deputy secretary and mayor of Liangxi City Committee, has been relieved of his duties as the deputy secretary, standingmittee andmittee member of Liangxi City Committee. The 32nd meeting of the 8th Liangxi People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee approved Wu Jiacheng¡¯s resignation as the Mayor of Liangxi City. Comrade Wu Jiacheng will be assigned other duties.¡± Then, after looking around at those present, Luo Guozhong dered again: ¡°The meeting decided to appoint Nie Zhenbang as a member, standing member and deputy secretary of the Liangxi City Committee, and proposes to the Liangxi People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee that Nie Zhenbang be nominated as the Deputy Mayor and Acting Mayor of Liangxi City.¡± After announcing the appointment, Luo Guozhong immediately said: ¡°Comrades, Nie Zhenbang has previously served as the Mayor and Party Secretary of Xili City, Xibei Autonomous Region. The economic miracle of Xili City is all down to him. He achieved excellent results during his tenure at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The central government is appointing such a strong and capable cadre to our Jiangbei Province, to our Liangxi City as a sign of support and affirmation for our work. Next, I invite Comrade Nie Zhenbang to give his inauguration speech.¡± Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised by this move. Generally speaking, in this kind of procedure, there is an unwritten rule: if there are changes in the Party Secretary, both the new and old secretaries should be present. After the superior organization department leader or superior deputy leader announces the appointment and dismissal resolutions, the predecessor should first express his retirement sentiments, followed by the new secretary¡¯s inauguration deration. If it¡¯s the appointment of an acting mayor, generally, after announcing the appointment, the top leader of the ce of appointment should first deliver a weing speech, followed by the appointment deration. However, Luo Guozhong, who was somewhat displeased, had skipped this part of the process for Fan Changsheng. Of course, these are all underlying norms that are not officially recognized, so there isn¡¯t exactly a written rule stipting whether what Luo Guozhong did was appropriate. There¡¯s definitely no picking out faults with this. It¡¯s just that Fan Changsheng loses some face. The moment Luo Guozhong called on him to speak, Nie Zhenbang caught a glimpse of some dissatisfaction shing in Fan Changsheng¡¯s eyes, even though his expression remained calm. It seems that Luo Guozhong, Fan Changsheng, and Li Guohua are not on the same faction. If they were all part of the Li faction, there wouldn¡¯t have been such a case of family not recognizing family during a crisis. If Nie Zhenbang¡¯s estimation is correct, Luo Guozhong might belong to Wang Daan, the full-time deputy secretary of the Provincial Committee. As the full-time deputy secretary, Wang Daan is in charge of organizational personnel and party group ideological work. Considering Shen Yanshuo¡¯s thoughts, it¡¯s necessary for the Minister of the Organizational Department to make concessions. However, as the responsible leader, the position of a standing deputy minister must be retained; otherwise, Wang Daan, the deputy secretary, will be marginalized. It seems it¡¯s beneficial to take advantage of this in the future. Having thought of this, Nie Zhenbang also stood up, and after a slight bow to the attendees, he said: ¡°Thank you to the provincial Party Committee leaders and Minister Luo Guozhong. Leaders,rades, Ie to Liangxi City with a mindset and pressure to learn. Our Liangxi City, as the number one economic powerhouse in Jiangbei Province. The city¡¯s annual output value ranks first in the province and third among the nation¡¯s prefecture-level cities. This is the result of the joint efforts of all our leaders andrades here. However, I am deeply inspired by the achievements of ourrades and I am also willing to ept this challenge. I shall persist in focusing on economic construction, adhering to the four basic principles, pushing forward with reform and opening up. In ordance with the Secretary General¡¯s speech fromst year as our guide, I shall contribute to the economic construction of our Liangxi City.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speech contained no bombast, only practicality. At this time, many new leaders like to set a goal stating what they will do after taking office¡ªNie Zhenbang chose not to.
That¡¯s because the situation in Liangxi City is different from other ces. As an economic powerhouse that surpasses the capital city of Jiangzhou and is located on the shores of the Large Lake, it¡¯s close to Hucheng City with an obvious geographical advantage. The cadres here have a high vision. They don¡¯t need that kind of encouraging bombast. A pragmatic attitude is more likely to resonate with these cadres. After Nie Zhenbang finished his speech and sat down, he noticed the exchange of nces between the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee and Fan Changsheng. Immediately afterward, Hu Youquan announced the end of the meeting. This sudden conclusion made Nie Zhenbang think deeply: Fan Changsheng was not a simple person. PS: Posted with a request for monthly subscriptions. Currently at 87 votes, awaiting 100. (More toe. If you enjoy this work, we wee you to to vote and provide monthly subscriptions. Your support is our greatest motivation.)
Chapter 343: 334: Declining the Feast_1 Chapter 343: Chapter 334: Declining the Feast_1 Next, after the meeting was over, the Liangxi Municipal Committee hosted a banquet at Liangxi Grand Hotel, weing Luo Guozhong, and it was also a wee banquet for Nie Zhenbang. Leaving the meeting venue, Fan Changsheng smiled and said to Luo Guozhong, ¡°Deputy Minister Luo, it is the lunch time now. We at Liangxi Municipal Committee have prepared the banquet at the Liangxi Grand Hotel. Would Deputy Minister Luo please grace us with his presence.¡± However, at this moment, Luo Guozhong waved his hand in refusal and said, ¡°Let it be. There are still a lot of things at the provincial level that are piled up and need my attention. These days, there has been frequent movement of personnel between the national and local levels. There is also plenty of work in the Organization Department. Minister Xingan has been really busytely. As deputies, we naturally cannot sit idle.¡± This statement made Fan Changsheng¡¯splexion not look good. Even though Fan Changsheng knew that Luo Guozhong was undermining him, he could not find any excuse to refute as Luo Guozhong¡¯s reason was quite sound. However, everyone knew that no matter how busy, fitting in a meal was not a problem. After returning, did not they need to eat as well? Luo Guozhong¡¯s face didn¡¯t look good either. Everyone knew about Fan Changsheng¡¯s assertive nature. No wonder. As the Secretary of the Municipal Committee of the city that has the highest economic output in Jiangbei Province, and its economic value surpassing the provincial capital Jiangzhou City, Fan Changsheng had always thought that he should be elected to the standingmittee of the provincialmittee. Of course, his nature was to be proud and domineering. Well, he did not greet him himself, leave it be. Considering other aspects, Luo Guozhong could understand. But just now calling him so directly as Deputy Minister Luo had gotten Luo Guozhong somewhat angry. Initially, it might have been to put down Nie Zhenbang, but now, was not this demeaning himself? Everyone knew he was the Executive Deputy Minister, but did they really need to refer to him in that way? Therefore, Luo Guozhong also rudely specified that he was one of the deputies. When Luo Guozhong¡¯s car left the courtyard of Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government under the guidance of the lead car, although there were a few meters of distance between Nie Zhenbang and Fan Changsheng, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hearing was still good. Fan Changsheng¡¯s face was grim and he muttered a curse in a low voice, ¡°What is he thinking, does he really believe he is a provincial party leader.¡± Fan Changsheng thought no one heard what he just said. Little did he know Nie Zhenbang, who was four to five meters away, heard every word clearly. Turning around, a smile appeared on Fan Changsheng¡¯s face and he said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mayor Nie, let¡¯s go to the Liangxi Grand Hotel together. This time, we have specifically prepared a wee banquet for your ession. Today, you are the protagonist.¡± At these words, Nie Zhenbang frowned. It seemed that these minute shifts in manners of addressing have be the mostmon method within the bureaucracy to belittle others. But at this moment, Nie Zhenbang did not care much. It was just a form of address, and moreover, considering his new arrival, the necessary low profile should be maintained. This was not something that vited principles. If he really cared about this, it would give others the impression of being petty.
Consequently, Nie Zhenbang also nodded with a smile and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, you¡¯re too kind. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Liangxi Grand Hotel, originally the guesthouse of the Liangxi Municipal Committee, was renamed due to the economic development in Liangxi city. The new hotel still carried out its function as the guest house of the Municipal Committee, and kept its original administrative level. It was under the jurisdiction of the Affairs Bureau of the Municipal Committee, and directly led by the Municipal Committee reception office. On its original site, some old buildings were demolished and a 37-story tower was built as the main operation site of Liangxi Grand Hotel. The few courtyards at the back of the hotel, which were originally used for small gatherings by the municipalmittee, were preserved. After interior and exterior renovations, they were still used as the ce for amodating central and provincial leaders. At this moment, at the gate of Liangxi Grand Hotel, a long line of Audi cars was entering. The bellboys wearing red uniforms had alreadye forward. The secretaries were the first to get out of the cars, then they opened the door, sheltering their heads. At this moment, all the secretaries were trying their best to show off their performance, as it was a moment to prove whose secretary was better, and also an opportunity to show their faces. Arge group of people walked into the banquet hall on the second floor of the hotel. At this moment, in the spacious banquet hall, there are eighty-eight tables set up. The tables were covered with a dazzling array of dishes. Beside, Hu Youquan, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Committee, smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, the city has prepared this banquet to wee Mayor Nie and it also serves as a housewarming for you. We have set 88 tables. Basically, all the leaders at the departmental level or above are present. Please, Mayor Nie, have a seat.¡± The scene made Nie Zhenbang somewhat shocked. Fan Changsheng yed this hand beautifully. He was transferred from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Regardless of how illustrious his aplishments in New Li City were, his previous post was not at New Li City, but at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. In the eyes of others, the impression he gave was of someone who was in disciplinary work. However, no sooner had he arrived locally, he was being so ostentatious. Dozens of tables were set, and all the city¡¯s leading officials came to the banquet for a feast. Once word got out, what would the ordinary people think, what would the local people¡¯s representatives think? This move was too crafty. Moreover, if he did not attend the banquet, it would also give the impression of being aloof and not fitting in, which would mean not respecting all the city¡¯s leading officials, making it a predicament. This was indeed a harsh move. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, Secretary Hu, I have only ever heard that Liangxi City was an economically developed city, but I never had a chance to experience it. This time, I have seen it firsthand. Setting up eighty-eight tables is quite the grand scene. Isn¡¯t it a bit wasteful?¡± Fan Changshengughed heartily, waved his hand and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, this is a gesture of respect from the city leaders, weing you to Liangxi City. How can you say it¡¯s wasteful? That would dishearten our city cadre.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression subtly changed. Fan Changsheng¡¯s statement was extremely malicious, leaving him in no position to advance or retreat. No matter what he did, he was bound to suffer negative repercussions. Fan Changsheng had sessfully undermined his confidence, and the other city leaders had witnessed it all. From now on, not only would his work be difficult, but even the tasks of Chen Le and Yi Jun would be impeded. This was akin to sidelining him. It seemed Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua¡¯s n was to make him lose face and credibility through this incident. Subsequently, Li Guohua could sideline him, rendering him a powerless mayor, even if he was elected. As Nie Zhenbang was caught in hesitation, he caught sight of the dishes on the tables. Eighty-eight tables of sumptuous dishes, all identical. Each table had at least sixteen tes showcasing a variety of seafood and crispy suckling pig, along with some exotic dishes. Inspired by the sight, he said, ¡°Well, since Secretary Fan suggested it, and the Municipal Committee arranged it, as a member of themittee, I should obey. After you, Secretary Fan.¡± As the line of leaders sat down, the rest of the city officials gradually entered the banquet hall and took their seats ording to their ranks. Once seated, Nie Zhenbang noticed that the spread on the tables clearly exceeded the newly-implemented public service reception standards. Given Liangxi¡¯s economic level, a boxed lunch would cost eight yuan. The reception standard of twenty yuan per person didn¡¯t go far in Liangxi. Regardless, Nie Zhenbang was unperturbed. He had agreed toe in because he had spotted a loophole. Since Fan Changsheng and his allies were being ruthless by setting this trap for him, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to exploit this opening. As for skipping the vote in the People¡¯s Congress, he believed they wouldn¡¯t dare to. Fan Changsheng wouldn¡¯t jeopardize his future by doing anything foolish. If he did so, Shen Yanshuo might not be able to dissociate himself either. Suddenly, Nie Zhenbang stood up and asked, ¡°Secretary Hu, did you oversee the arrangement of this spread?¡±
His question caught Hu Youquan off guard. He nced at Fan Changsheng, who made no move, before nodding and saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, considering you¡¯re from the north and might not be used to southern cuisine, we kept this in mind when ordering the dishes. We bnced northern and southern vors. Also, the Liangxi Grand Hotel has a few chefs specializing in Shandong cuisine. I don¡¯t know if these dishes to your liking, if not, we can change them.¡± Another trap was set for Nie Zhenbang. If he suggested removing the dishes, Fan Changsheng probably wouldn¡¯t object, and all the spread on the tables would be removed. Not just from one table, but from all the eighty-eight tables. The purpose now was not to eat, but to tarnish Nie Zhenbang¡¯s image and cause a scandal, leaving him in a bad light. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened, and he bluntly said, ¡°Secretary Hu, by your exnation, these dishes were set up by you. I want to ask, have you recently studied the ¡®Interim Regtions on Public Service Reception Standards for Party and Government Organs¡¯ issued by the Central Committee and the State Council?¡± As his words echoed, silence reigned in the hall. Although Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, it was clear to ny percent of the people present amidst the quiet.
Everyone was unsure of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intentions. Hu Youquan¡¯s face turned red, unsure how to respond. If he said he had studied it, it would imply that he knowingly vited the regtions. If he hadn¡¯t, it would appear even worse ¨C not studying such important instructions by Secretary General Yuan would mean he was unfit to serve as an official. Fan Changsheng responded calmly, ¡°Comrade Nie, don¡¯t get worked up. While the standards are indeed above the regtions, we have to consider the circumstances in different regions. Being economically developed, Liangxi¡¯s standards are still rtively low.¡± Nie Zhenbang was waiting for Fan Changsheng¡¯s response, and he immediately retorted, ¡°Comrade Changsheng are right. Given Liangxi¡¯s economic strength, a city with high prices, surely the standard isn¡¯t suitable. But doubling it to an average of 40 yuan per person for official reception should be sufficient. Yet, I fear these dishes exceed that amount.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang stated firmly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to eat this meal.¡± PS: Currently at 98 monthly votes, calling for 100 monthly votes. ( Chapter 344 - 335 Low-key Action_1 Chapter 344: Chapter 335 Low-key Action_1 ¡°Mayor, this is your office. Please have a look and see if there is anything that needs to be adjusted. If you dislike this decoration style, I can arrange to have it reced immediately, even work overtime, it will be done in two days.¡± In the mayor¡¯s office, a man of about 42 or 43 years old was smiling at Nie Zhenbang. The man was about 1.75 meters tall, slightly plump, and always seemed to be smiling. This man was Liu Weijun, the Secretary General of the Liangxi City Government. On the day of the wee dinner, Secretary General Hu Youquan of the City Party Committee was publicly criticized by the new acting mayor. Nie Zhenbang publicly disregarded the dignity of all city leaders and left. Although there was no public uproar, everyone was discussing Nie Zhenbang privately. The new mayor is audacious. All the leaders of the city Party Committee, along with all the leaders of Liangxi City, were sidelined by the new mayor, even before he was formally elected. Apart from other factors, everyone had to give thumbs up for his courage, praising Mayor Nie as extraordinary. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang caught hold of the moral high ground. Over-reception is not umon in various ces, and is generally not discussed. But Nie Zhenbang seized on this issue and even someone like Fan Changsheng had to keep silent. Anyone sticking their neck out on this issue would be foolish. Beside Liu Weijun, Nie Zhenbang was expressionless at this moment, with his hands sped behind his back. Next to him was Yi Jun, his secretary and the Deputy Secretary General of the City Government. Taking a look at the office, Liangxi City was indeed a bustling city, with Yanling City, under its jurisdiction, being the top county-level city in the country¡¯s economic rankings. Wealthy, economically developed. This is the first impression that Liangxi gives to outsiders. At this moment, seeing this office confirmed this view. It was worthy of being amercially developed area. The grandeur of this office alone was iparable to that of New Li City. The entire office was about 300 square meters. Outside was a small office cum reception room of about 60 square meters. In the most interior part was Yi Jun¡¯s desk, and in the spacious area outside were Italian leather sofas with ck material. It was low-key yet grand. Near the secretary¡¯s desk, there was a door leading to the Mayor¡¯s Office. Upon entering, there was an office of about 150 square meters. In the super-wide area of 15 meters by 10 meters, several supporting pirs were ingeniously designed and integrated with the entire decor. A portion was partitioned to form a small reception room. The grand desk was ck with several telephones on it. A bright red party g and national g were also present on the desk,plementing each other. Behind the desk was a two-meter-high row of bookshelves, containing various books such as ¡®Outline of Administrative Science¡¯, ¡®Development of Economics¡¯, ¡®History of the Huaxia Party¡¯, and other major works of reference neatly arranged. It was customary, regardless of whether or not leaders read the books, whether they had them was a symbol and fundamental indicator of their studiousness. Behind the office, in a corner, there was a side door leading to a 60 square meter bedroom with a neat double bed. The sheets and quilt were obviously new. There was also a 15 square meter kitchen and a 15 square meter bathroom. In other words, if Nie Zhenbang wished, he could live and eat here without any problems. Looking at the room, Nie Zhenbang then said in a deep voice, ¡°There¡¯s no need to change anything. Looking at this decor, I guess it¡¯s less than a year old. Although Liangxi City is wealthy, we can¡¯t waste like this. Compared to my previous office conditions in New Li City, this is already heaven and earth apart. Director Liu, let¡¯s keep this decoration. Just make a few minor modifications, like removing the Eight Horses Picture and the traditional Chinese painting of a vast bird spreading its wings from the wall. We should keep our feet on the ground and focus on practical work.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were rather frank. As soon as he opened his mouth, he bluntly used Liu Weijun of extravagance. Moreover, he didn¡¯t address Liu Weijun as Secretary General Liu, but called him Director Liu. Generally, the Secretary General of the City Government also serves as the Director of the Office, but usually, people address him as Secretary General. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s way of addressing was somewhat disrespectful to Liu Weijun, which made Liu Weijun¡¯s face slightly unpleasant. However, Nie Zhenbang was still the head of the government, and as Secretary General of the city government, Liu Weijun¡¯s role was to serve the mayor. Therefore, Liu Weijun could only endure it. He nodded and said, ¡°Okay, I will follow your instructions immediately. We will work overnight tonight and it will be done soon. Please rest assured, Mayor, this will not dy your work.¡± After a pause, Liu Weijun continued, ¡°By the way, Mayor, about your amodation¡­?¡± Before he could finish speaking, Nie Zhenbang raised his hand and said, ¡°Director Liu, if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I would have forgotten. Don¡¯t arrange amodation for me. Before I took office, my wife had already arrived in Liangxi City, and I bought a house in Liangxi City myself, so it¡¯s not necessary to bother.¡± Seeing that Nie Zhenbang seemed to have nothing more to say, Liu Weijun, who was also quite adept at reading people, took his leave. After Liu Weijun had left, Yi Jun came over and said with a smile, ¡°Mayor, I have already chosen your driver for you. Yang Qingshan, a driver from the city government¡¯s car team. He was a reemployed scout soldier. I¡¯ve heard that he was originally supposed to join the public security bureau, but somehow he was squeezed out and ended up being a driver in the car team. He is not older than twenty-five or twenty-six, but he is quite capable. My suggestion is to try him out first. If he meets all the requirements, we can finalize him.¡± Nie Zhenbang had absolute confidence in Yi Jun¡¯s work. Otherwise, he would not have specifically summoned Yi Jun to join him in Liangxi. And if it wasn¡¯t for Yi Jun¡¯s sake, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t have been as blunt as he was just now. To state such things to Liu Weijun in front of his face was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s simple way of telling him that the position of the city government¡¯s secretary-general was not for him. If Liu Weijun was wise, he would find connections to transfer away. However, if he were ignorant, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t mind helping him out. At this point, only Nie Zhenbang and Yi Jun were left in the room. Nie Zhenbang then sat down in the chair behind his desk, looking at Yi Jun and asked, ¡°Xiaoyi, have your family and Chen Le¡¯s settled in nicely after moving here? How is the work going?¡± Speaking of this, Yi Jun smiled and said, ¡°Everything is arranged. My wife has transferred to the city¡¯s cultural bureau to work, and Elder Chen¡¯s wife works at the city¡¯s political consultative conference. They have brought their children with them. On my side, my child is only a year old and is staying with my mother in our hometown for now. When he is a little older, I n to bring him over.¡± After all these years, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s leadership skills have matured. These seemingly mundane conversations demonstrated his care and affection for his subordinates, enough to encourage devotion and effort. When it came to work, Yi Jun¡¯s expression became somewhat awkward. However, he understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character and still honestly replied, ¡°Mayor, my side is a bit better, as it¡¯s part of the government. It¡¯s not like Elder Chen¡¯s side. Aside from selecting a driver, I have been observing several potential candidates for the secretariat. But Elder Chen¡¯s situation is more difficult. In Liangxi City¡¯s Public Security Bureau, Elder Chen is amander without troops. The leading cadres from the public security sub-bureaus in five districts and two cities, plus several deputy leaders in the city bureau, are mostly local cadres, deeply rooted here. Therefore, Elder Chen is having a hard time.¡± Hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang nodded. This was the reality. If Yi Jun imed that everything was going smoothly, that would be abnormal. Then, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°Indeed, Rome wasn¡¯t built in a day. You guys have only been here for a few days. It¡¯ll take some time to familiarize yourselves with the situation. At some point, invite Chen Le to join us for a meal. I have faith in Chen Le¡¯s ability to work, otherwise, I would not have transferred him here.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang instructed, ¡°Alright, now that we¡¯re here in Liangxi City, let¡¯s not worry about other things. Focusing on our own work is the priority. Xiaoyi, go to the archive room and get me the economic reports and government work reports of Liangxi City from the past two years. In these next few days, we will not go anywhere and focus on reading these materials in the office.¡± Just when the officials of Liangxi City thought that Mayor Nie was going to make a grand move, his actions greatly exceeded everyone¡¯s expectations. In the past few days, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t go out much. He stayed mostly in his office. At this time, Yi Jun perfectly disyed the role of a secretary, which was to publicize and gather information for the leader. Not to mention all the cadres in the city, at least more than half of the city¡¯s officials knew that Mayor Nie had been reviewing the government work reports and economic data of Liangxi City over the past few years. This confused the officials who were expecting the Mayor to make some big moves upon assuming office. Now, they were all unsure of what Mayor Nie¡¯s true intentions were. Although Li Guohua and Fan Changsheng were the main characters in Liangxi City, holding the reins of the city¡¯s work, it didn¡¯t mean that Liangxi City waspletely under their control. At this moment, some officials couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. On the fourth day of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s official appointment, early in the morning just as he was starting work, he had not been in his office for half an hour before Yi Jun came in and whispered, ¡°Mayor, Deputy Director Liu from the Finance Bureau is here.¡± PS: The update time for this month is set for 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily. If there are extra updates, they will bepleted at 9 p.m. ( Chapter 345 - 336: Municipal Party Committee’s Bureau of Veteran Cadres _1 Chapter 345: Chapter 336: Municipal Party Committee¡¯s Bureau of Veteran Cadres _1 ¡°Deputy Director Liu?¡± Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brow. Since he took office, he had almost memorized the name list of leaders in Liangxi City. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s memory was always good. During his three years as a special forces soldier, the Tiger Group had to learn necessary anti-interrogation skills due to its positioning. The willpower also needed to be strong, and quick memorization was a subject that must be trained. In other words, as of today, Zhenbang had an initial impression of all the cadres in the whole city. This ability was not something others could possess. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said to Yi Jun: ¡°Well, Xiaoyi, I remember, we are going to the Bureau for Retired Officials next, right?¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s question, Yi Jun also smiled and replied: ¡°Yes, Mayor, we already agreed yesterday with Director Kang of the Bureau for Retired Officials. We will arrive at the bureau precisely at 9:30 this morning for investigation.¡± This n was not sudden; it was a strategy set two days ago. Although Nie Zhenbang was not concerned about his own National People¡¯s Congress election, after all, he was currently an acting mayor. There were certain things worth doing. This was a matter of attitude. At present, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s situation was like the saying of a generation of great men, strategically, disdain the enemy; tactically, value the enemy. Facing cadres at all levels like Fan Changsheng, Nie Zhenbang doesn¡¯t mind snubbing them. However, at this moment, he still needed to do the groundwork and win over the local retired officials and old leaders in order to ease his rtionship with the leaders in Liangxi City. After all, these old officials and leaders had deep roots in Liangxi City, with many followers. Having good rtions with these people equated to easing rtions with some of the leaders in Liangxi City. As for why Nie Zhenbang kept a low profile in his office studying material for three days before taking action, on one hand, Nie Zhenbang was truly familiarizing himself with the situation in Liangxi City. On the other hand, it was to see if any leaders would actively report to him. Those who report at this time will undoubtedly be targets of public criticism. The Mayor is looking on, this is a choice without retreat. In the past three days, no one came forward. Nie Zhenbang had anticipated this and was also somewhat disappointed. But he did not expect that Liu Qingquan would appear on the morning of the fourth day. After a moment of contemtion, he lifted his hand to check his wristwatch. There was still plenty of time, it was only eight o¡¯clock. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°Well, ask Deputy Director Liu toe in. I have half an hour to spare.¡± From eight to nine-thirty, there was a time difference of an hour and a half. From the City Committee and the Municipal Government to the Bureau for Retired Officials, it was just a stone¡¯s throw away. By car, including the start-up time, it would only take three or five minutes. Calcting by time, Liu Qingquan could have at least an hour¡¯s time. However, Nie Zhenbang only gave him half an hour. This was also considered a kind of leadership art. For the initialmunication, it was not advisable to spend too much time. Spending too much time would give Liu Qingquan a sense of self-importance, making him feel like Nie Zhenbang was desperate for him. This would be inconvenient for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s future management. Half an hour was neither too much nor too little, just right. It let Nie Zhenbang have a preliminary understanding of Liu Qingquan while allowing subordinates to maintain a sense of awe for themselves. After Yi Jun left, less than a minuteter, the door opened again. Behind Yi Jun followed a middle-aged man. Although described as middle-aged, he was about forty years old. To reach a deputy department level post at the age of forty was quite a feat. Of course, this was assuming people like Nie Zhenbang, Li Guohua, and those with tremendous opportunities like Yi Jun and Chen Le were not counted. Liu Qingquan was of average height, around one meter sixty-eight, and well-proportioned. The most characteristic feature of him, however, was his somewhat dark skin. This was unusual. Generally, the leadership sitting in the office is well-fed and white. This darkplexion was quite distinctive and memorable. Seeing Liu Qingquaning in, Yi Jun had already closed the door with a smile and left. After years of being a secretary, Yi Jun didn¡¯t need any instructions. He knew exactly what to do at what time. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang stood up, motioning Liu Qingquan to sit on the chair opposite him, then smiled and said, ¡°Comrade Qingquan, please take a seat.¡± These words moved Liu Qingquan slightly. During leadership meetings, Liu Qingquan¡¯s status and qualifications were not enough to acquaint him with Nie Zhenbang. He didn¡¯t mention his full name when he introduced himself to Secretary Yi just now. The Mayor actually smiled and called him by his full name; this alone excited Liu Qingquan a bit. It meant that he carried some weight in the Mayor¡¯s heart. Subsequently, Liu Qingquan sat down, took out a ck notebook from his briefcase, and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mayor, this time, I want to report some of the work I¡¯m in charge of at the Finance Bureau.¡± Liu Qingquan was one of the least ranked officials in the Finance Bureau, responsible for the work of the Information Department of the Liangxi City Finance Bureau, and assisting in the management of the wage distribution and financial sources construction of the city¡¯s finance. After half an hour, although Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t hear anything useful from Liu Qingquan¡¯s work report (since Liu Qingquan was in charge of some irrelevant tasks, which was understandable), Liu Qingquan¡¯s performance did impress Nie Zhenbang. During the report, Liu Qingquan took out his notebook but didn¡¯t open it to check a single nce. Regardless of whether Liu Qingquan had recited it beforehand, at least this attitude wasmendable. Moreover, the chance of having recited beforehand was slim because when Nie Zhenbang asked a few questions on a whim, Liu Qingquan answered fluently. This was a solid talent. Looking at his wristwatch, about half an hour had passed. Right on time, Yi Jun walked in from outside, smiling, ¡°Mayor, it¡¯s almost time. The car is waiting downstairs.¡± The role of a secretary is perfectly illustrated at this point. Hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Liu Qingquan also tactfully stood up, ¡°Mayor, you go ahead. I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Listening to Liu Qingquan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang nodded slightly and then said, ¡°Hmm, Director Liu, the work of the Finance Bureau is very good. I wille to check some time. Today, I have some other things to do, so let¡¯s leave it at that.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were not a mere courtesy. The finance bureau, the department in charge of the city¡¯s financial power, is critical. As a mayor, the second inmand in Liangxi City, to avoid being marginalized, one must control the power of personnel affairs and finance. Once you take control of the organization¡¯s staffing and finance, lower-level cadres will swarm around you like bees to nectar. After Liu Qingquan left, Yi Jun also asked with a smile, ¡°Mayor, what do you think of this Liu Qingquan?¡± With the rtionship between Yi Jun and himself, it was alright to ask this question. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also started smiling, pondered for a moment, and said, ¡°He is quite good, but Liu Qingquan is too straightforward and inflexible. Though his work ability is fine. Compared with Comrade Weimin, he is somewhatcking.¡± His words were tinged with a sense of helplessness. But it was expected, Liu Qingquan¡¯s straightforwardness and inflexibility were probably why he had the courage to sink his ship. If he was more capable and a bit flexible, he wouldn¡¯t have approached without knowing the situation. If they wanted to join, they would onlye after the National Congress. But by then, it would not be contributing bricks to a project. Around 9:15 am, Nie Zhenbang and Yi Jun walked out of the office, one after another. Taking the elevator directly downstairs, the Liangxi City Committee¡¯s No. 2 car was already parked under the citymittee and city government office building. A young man, about 25 years old, was wiping the car. The ck Audi official car was polished to the point of being dust-free and bright, demonstrating the driver¡¯s skill. Seeing Yi Jun and Nie Zhenbang, the young man immediately put the rag in the trunk and ran up with a smile, ¡°Mayor, Secretary-General Yi.¡± Yi Jun also smiled and said, ¡°Mayor, this is Yang Qingshan.¡± His military identity gave Nie Zhenbang a good first impression. He nodded slightly, opened the car door and got in. When Yi Jun and Yang Qingshan came in, Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Xiao Yang, right? Secretary General Yi talked about you. The evaluation was very high. It seems that you are excellent and full of spirit. Let¡¯s go to the Veteran Cadre Bureau.¡± Winning people¡¯s hearts was not only needed by Nie, but also required by Yi Jun and others. By saying this, Yi Jun was given a huge favor in front of Yang Qingshan. Sometimes, one can also win people over indirectly. The car drove out of the City Committee and City Government Office building, turned onto Chunan Road, and within 500 meters was the Veteran Cadre Bureau. As soon as the car drove into the bureau, dozens of veteranrades at the gate were ying drums, creating a jolly atmosphere. ncing at his wristwatch, it was exactly half past nine. This was a form of leadership art. Comingte could give the impression of ack of time and principles. Arriving early could make others think the leader is too idle. Arriving just on time would give the impression that the leader is making time out of his busy schedule. As soon as Nie Zhenbang got out of the car, Ni Kezhi, the bureau director of the Veteran Cadres, greeted him enthusiastically, ¡°Mayor Nie, wee, wee.¡± Ni Kezhi meant every word he said, for the Veteran Cadre¡¯s Bureau was a subsidiary department. Being there was like being exiled to perform military service. The veteran cadres in the bureau were ones who shouldn¡¯t be offended. They were all former leaders of Liangxi City. As the head here, Ni Kezhi felt like a big nanny. Nie Zhenbang making the Bureau his first stop after taking office was what made Ni Kezhi excited. If he could make good rtions with Mayor Nie and if Mayor Nie rose to power, he would prosper. At that moment, a few old men waved their hands, and the drumming from the waist drum team suddenly ceased. One of the 70 year old men came up and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mayor Nie, we¡¯ve been waiting for the citymittee leaders.¡± PS: My son has had a cold these few days, but it suddenly got worse today. He needed an IV infusion in the daytime, but there was no improvement. His condition worsened after 7 pm. I rushed him urgently to Changsha. He just finished his IV infusion at the provincial children¡¯s hospital. He has to be hospitalized tomorrow. During this time, I will try my best to ensure continuous updates. I will make up for everything after I get back home. ( Chapter 346: 337: Liangxi City’s Financial Difficulties_1 Chapter 346: Chapter 337: Liangxi City¡¯s Financial Difficulties_1 Next to him, Ni Kezhi leaned over and introduced him: ¡°Mayor Nie, let me introduce you to this gentleman, a former Secretary of the Liangxi City Committee, He Dingbang.¡± He Dingbang, a name that Nie Zhenbang had seen among the list of leaders throughout the years of Liangxi City. Strictly speaking, referring to He Dingbang should be put as former former Secretary of the City Committee, for this would be more urate. This man has a somewhat legendary ce in the history of Liangxi City. He rose to prominence during the Great Revolution, in the 1960s, as an ordinary cadre of Yanling County. Later, he became the director of the Yanling County Revolutionary Committee and the First Secretary of the County Committee. Heading into the 1970s, He Dingbang rapidly rose to the position of Deputy Director of the Liangxi City Revolutionary Committee and First Deputy Secretary of the City Committee. By the end of the Great Revolution, He Dingbang was already the Secretary of the Liangxi City Committee. From thete 70s to the mid-80s, He Dingbang served two terms as City Committee Secretary. While he didn¡¯t make any significant contributions, He Dingbang is the founder of the reform and opening-up policy in Liangxi City, with no one elseparable. Back then, Elder Nan and his own father¡¯s contemporaries, when just restoring order, Liangxi City, under the leadership of He Dingbang, had begun the reform of private and collective enterprises. It could be said that what Liangxi City is today cannot be separated from the foundation set by He Dingbang. Such a man, though he had retired for almost a decade now. Still, in Liangxi City, there were many cadres who were once under the charge of or students of He Dingbang, such as Lei Dingguo, the Secretary of the City Committee¡¯s Disciplinary Inspection Commission, had been promoted by He Dingbang himself. Also, Zhu Zhuozhen, the full-time Deputy Secretary of the City Committee, once served as He Dingbang¡¯s secretary for a year. Without dy, Nie Zhenbang did not dare to neglect He Dingbang. He reached out with both hands and held He Dingbang¡¯s hand firmly, shaking it a few times to show his enthusiasm. He smiled and said, ¡°Old Secretary, that is too generous of you. It can be said that it¡¯s our City Committee and City Government¡¯s shorings for overlooking the needs of our oldrades and leaders. Here, on behalf of the City Committee and City Government, I would like to apologize to you all.¡± As soon as his words faded, He Dingbang squinted his eyes and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, you can represent the City Government. Let¡¯s leave the City Committee¡¯s matters aside for now. Mayor Nie, we¡¯ve been waiting for someone who can take charge. Our retiredrades have no special requests, just two. First, the cars promised by the City Government for our retired cadres, we hope Mayor Nie can help us resolve this. Second, the Elderly Activity Center of the Bureau for the Elderly. We hope Mayor Nie can secure this for us. We wouldn¡¯t want to trouble Director Ni anymore now that you¡¯re here, Mayor Nie. We¡¯ll go directly to you.¡± These words gave Nie Zhenbang a bit of a headache. These oldrades were all former leaders of the City Committee in Liangxi City. Not only did this group include the former Secretary, He Dingbang, it also included many former leading members of the Standing Committee of the City Committee. These people, old yet savvy, would not buy into mere ttery. Given the circumstances, the only option he had was to address the issues honestly. With that, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Old Secretary, as you see, I am new here. I¡¯m not very familiar with the overall situation in Liangxi City and at the moment I do not have any specific policies to dere. How about this? We all go and sit in the conference room of the Bureau for the Elderly, and as I¡¯m here, let¡¯s temporarily hold a field office meeting. Whatever requests or conditions the old leaders have, please feel free to speak. Anything I can achieve, I promise not to avoid. Anything I can decide on, I will not tter. Would that work for you?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯sst sentence was directed at He Dingbang. As the former man in charge, He Dingbang carried a great deal of prestige among these elders. If he could satisfy He Dingbang, it would equate to satisfying all the old gentlemen anddies at the Bureau for the Elderly.
Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the old secretary He Dingbang paused and then nodded. ¡°Alright. I trust Mayor Nie, who is not like Fan Changsheng, a nobody who cannot be trusted. In terms of judging people, I, He Dingbang, am notcking.¡± The building of the Bureau for the Elderly in Liangxi City was constructed in the early 1980s. Even though it has only been a decade or so, the facilities have aged and fallen behind. In the conference room of the Bureau for the Elderly, along with a group of the Bureau¡¯s senior leaders, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Dear senior leaders andrades, please express any difficulties or anything we need to do better. But before we start, let¡¯s agree that ¡®one eats food bite by bite, and the same applies to talks.¡¯ We have all been in leadership positions and I believe, our predecessors, that we can maintain such order.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s somewhat mocking words didn¡¯t offend He Dingbang and the others. ordingly, He Dingbang opened his mouth and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, ording to the national regtions, even though I¡¯m retired, I should enjoy the treatment of having a dedicated emergency vehicle. My children should also get full medical insurance and other treatments. But, Mayor Nie, I¡¯m not exaggerating, leaving the rest of the old guys aside, even myself, a genuine retired cadre of ministerial level who started working before the founding of the country in 1949, has to wait a few days if I want an emergency vehicle. You tell me, who needs an emergency vehicle for non-urgent matters? By the time the vehicle arrives, the urgent matter would have been resolved.¡± After a pause, He Dingbang continued, ¡°Mayor Nie, we have no other requests, I understand, oldrades are not popr. However, there are only a few Santana cars provided to us in the elderly activity center. We¡¯re not asking for an Audi or a Mercedes. Isn¡¯t it expected that the city can allocate a few ordinary Volkswagen cars to the activity center?¡± Upon hearing He Dingbang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang simply nodded his head, choosing not to respond immediately. Given his current status, his words carry weight and implication. If he voices his agreement, he must ensure that he can deliver on his promise with an over 90% sess rate. Thus, he must be careful about making anymitments. His words must carry weight. Nie Zhenbang then turned to Ni Kezhi, smiled, and asked, ¡°Director Ni, ording to the former secretary, what¡¯s going on with the Elderly Activity Center?¡± Ni Kezhi responded with a smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, originally, the University for the Elderly was located within the Liangxi City Administrative College and the Liangxi City Municipal Party School. However, with the rapid economic development and progress of Liangxi in recent years, the Party School¡¯s space became tight. So the University for the Elderly (also the Elderly Activity Center) was moved out from the school. The citymittee and the city government then intended to allocate a piece of vacantnd to construct an elderly activity center. Yet, the n has been dyed for two years as funds have not been secured. Now, if the elderly cadres want to hold a gathering or a choir concert, they need to find a venue in advance. So, this has been a concerning issue for them.¡± Hearing Ni Kezhi¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang started to contemte. ording to the activity center¡¯s elderly personnel, less than ten people are entitled to car ess in urgent situations. Presuming every two people share a car, at most five cars would suffice. Based on the market misconduct demonstrated by Audi and Mercedes Benz, Volkswagen has not been as arrogant or domineering here in Huaxia as it was in its previous incarnation. The most popr Santana 2000¡¯s market retail price is around 100 thousand yuan, making the total price for five cars 500 thousand yuan. Additionally, the infrastructure of the elderly activity center would not exceed 400 thousand yuan. Allbined, the total expense does not exceed one million yuan. In recent days, Nie Zhenbang has been studying the economic data of Liangxi City. The total fiscal revenue for the previous year alone reached a staggering four billion yuan. Fan Changsheng, not wanting to spend money in this respect, makes Nie Zhenbang wonder if Fan had had a fallout with a certain leader in the past. After some contemtion, Nie Zhenbang decided to lend a hand. These elderly cadres, having massiveworks, should not be overlooked. An investment of less than one million yuan could potentially win over popr support. Furthermore, the sessfulpletion of the elderly activity center couldy the groundwork for further ventures in Liangxi City. He promptly said, ¡°Elder Secretary, Yangrades, your needs will certainly be addressed by me. The Party and the people will never forget your contributions. You have made significant contributions to the development of Liangxi City. Even though you¡¯ve all since retired, the citymittee and the city government¡¯s concern for you should remain consistent. At present, we have fallen below expectations. Here, I promise all of you that cars will be allocated to you as soon as possible. As for the elderly activity center, I hope Director Ni could provide a detailed nning proposal. In this way, we could have a clearer understanding of your needs.¡± Nie Zhenbang then dialed the phone number of Liu Qingquan, the deputy director of the city¡¯s finance bureau. As the call began, he recounted the situation to Liu, and bluntly said, ¡°Qingquan, this is an urgent need of our retired cadres. I think the city¡¯s finances should support such an initiative.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Liu Qingquan felt somewhat helpless. He looked at his credentials, sighed, and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, I¡¯m afraid this is out of my hands. Whether it¡¯s the finance bureau or the citymittee, our main task is managing the city¡¯s ie and expenditures. I¡¯ve discussed this issue with my superiors at the bureau. The message is the same ¨C the city¡¯s finances are in a tight spot, there are expenditures everywhere, the elderly cadres will have to make do.¡± Upon hearing Liu Qingquan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was astonished. How could a city like Liangxi that generates billions in revenue every year face financial difficulties? This excuse was obviously far-fetched.¡± PS: Just got up, getting ready to go to the hospital, getting admitted today. Updates will be posted once I¡¯m settled. (.) Chapter 347: 338 Secretary’s Office Meeting_1 Chapter 347: Chapter 338 Secretary¡¯s Office Meeting_1 The financial power of Liangxi City was not in the hands of Nie Zhenbang. Liu Qingquan was just a deputy director of the Finance Bureau, and he was the kind who was ranked at the end of the list. Nie Zhenbang was well aware of some tricks about financing. If they say there is no money, then there is no money. No matter how it looks on the outside, even if everyone knows there is money in the Liangxi City finance ount. However, if Fan Changsheng does not agree, then there is virtually no money. Even if one is well aware that there is money in the finance ount. If he doesn¡¯t wish to give it, he still won¡¯t. Naturally, Fan Changsheng has hundreds of reasons to dodge responsibility. Nie Zhenbang contemted briefly before speaking in a solemn tone, ¡°Very well. I understand. You may return to your tasks.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t appear unprepared in front of Liu Qingquan. This was a matter of principle. If he showed any signs of helplessness, in Liu Qingquan¡¯s eyes, it would be a sign of ipetence. Such behaviour could demoralize his subordinates. Nie Zhenbang was not a novice, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t make such a basic mistake. In fact, his statement gave an impression of profound mystery. As a superior leader, you have to be approachable in front of subordinates. Yet, you also need to maintain a certain authority and deterrence. In this respect, Nie Zhenbang was doing a proper job. After hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment and had made up his mind. He then went to meet the old secretary and said, ¡°Old Secretary, I cannot give you a definite answer to this matter at the moment.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words changed theplexion of the old cadres present at the venue. Among the crowd, a 72-year-old man pursed his lips, grumbling discontentedly in a low voice, ¡°Such a mayor, I thought he could solve practical problems. After all this fuss, he is just the same as those guys like Fan Changsheng. What a waste of my time.¡± Though he spoke in a low voice, many people nearby heard his words. These old cadres, with their qualifications and some old faces, were on par with the municipal party secretary and the mayor. They weren¡¯t afraid of anything during their tenure, and now that they are retired, they fear even less. Nie Zhenbang heard these words. When he nced sideways, he recognized this old man, who had once served as a deputy mayor of Liangxi City. It was clear that the old man said these words deliberately for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ears. Nie Zhenbang, however, responded calmly and with a slight smile. He then walked over to the Old Secretary and spoke with a smile, ¡°Old Secretary, as for the matter of purchasing vehicles and building Elderly Activity Center for the retirees, this matter concerns whether all our veteran cadres will have a stable retiree life. Regarding this matter from the perspective of physical and spiritual civilization, I am supportive.¡± He paused for a moment, then looked at the expressionless face of He Dingbang and continued, ¡°Old Secretary, although the funds involved in this matter are not substantial, this is still a project. You are an experienced leader, old secretary, and you are well aware of the procedures of the municipal partymittee and government. I can only assure you that I will fully support and operate this initiative with my utmost effort.¡±
After saying this, Nie Zhenbang felt himself at the mercy of fate. Upon his arrival in Liangxi City, nobody was paying him any heed, which was expected. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also prepared to be lectured by these old cadres. However, to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, as he spoke, a change flitted over He Dingbang¡¯s age-spotted face. With a wave of his hand, he said solemnly, ¡°Oldrades, let¡¯s all calm down and listen to me.¡± Undeniably, He Dingbang still had considerable influence among the senior leaders of Liangx. His words immediately quieted the noise, and he said, ¡°We are all familiar with the system since we¡¯ve all held leadership positions before. Therefore, I¡¯ll keep it brief. The current attitude of Mayor Nie makes me feel a lot more relieved. We can all wait for a while longer. I believe that Mayor Nie will strive to achieve a satisfactory result for us.¡± While helping Nie Zhenbang out of the difficult situation, He Dingbang also subtly put more pressure on him. Indeed, experience counts. ¡­ ¡°Mr. Mayor, He Dingbang has pushed you into the corner with this move. By now, I¡¯m afraid the cadres in the city know about your situation at the old cadre bureau. Neither Li Guohua nor Fan Changsheng will be of any help, and if the matter does not go as we wish, our trip to the old cadre bureau will be a joke.¡± On the return trip, Yi Jun, who was in the front passenger seat, turned his head and said to Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, however, Nie Zhenbang pinched the bridge of his nose. The situation in Liangxi City was unexpectedly surprising. Upon arriving in Liangxi, Nie Zhenbang was ambitious; however, he didn¡¯t expect the situation to be so hard to handle. The feeling of loss of control made Nie Zhenbang a little ufortable. Yi Jun¡¯s words were clear to Nie Zhenbang. Moreover, the consequences were not as simple as being aughingstock. This matter, it is fair to say, was a pivotal one for him. If he seeds, he could remain unshakeable. However, if he fails, it could be difficult to turn things around afterwards. Nevertheless, at this moment, a strong sense of determination surged in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart. With that in mind, Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Xiaoyi, knowing is easy, but acting is difficult. After returning, draft a report on the problems of the Elderly Activity Center. Highlight the problems and difficulties. This time, I n to bring it up for discussion at the Standing Committee.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yi Jun was slightly taken aback. He couldn¡¯t quite make out the Mayor¡¯s intentions. However, knowing that Nie Zhenbang would have his ns, Yi Jun nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, Mayor, rest assured, I will prepare it as soon as I return. It should be ready for you by tomorrow morning.¡± After he finished speaking, a lightbulb seemed to go off in Yi Jun¡¯s mind. Isn¡¯t tomorrow the regr Secretary¡¯s Office meeting? The Secretary¡¯s Office is not a primary decision-making body, it cannot make significant decisions. It serves as a forum for the Secretary and several Deputy Secretaries to discuss and set the agenda for the Standing Committee meetings. It does not rece the Standing Committee. When discussing issues at the Standing Committee, previous discussions at the Secretary¡¯s Office should not be brought up to influence othermittee members¡¯ opinions. If the majority ofmittee members disagree with the Secretary¡¯s Office¡¯s opinions and have reasonable arguments, they should abandon the Secretary¡¯s Office¡¯s opinions and adopt the majority¡¯s views. It can be convened as needed for work. The meeting topics are: (1) Discussing issues for consideration at the Standing Committee; (2) Coordinating the implementation of the Standing Committee¡¯s decisions; (3) Exchanging information about daily work. Generally, the Secretary¡¯s Office meeting is held weekly. In Liangxi City, besides Fan Changsheng, others eligible to attend include Zhu Zhuozhen, Nie Zhenbang, Lei Dingguo and Huang Jiang. ording to tradition, these individuals were all Deputy Secretaries. Although the role of Deputy Secretary was abolished due to recent reforms in the cadre system, the system itself has been retained. In the small conference room of the Municipal Party Committee, aside from the five leaders attending the Secretary¡¯s Office meeting, Secretary-General Hu Youquan was also present to serve as the meeting¡¯s recorder. At this moment, Fan Changsheng sat in the central position, his gaze sweeping over everyone. He seemed topletely ignore the presence of Nie Zhenbang. After a slight clearing of his throat, Fan Changsheng began, ¡°Comrades, the main points of this Secretary¡¯s Office meeting are as follows. First, reconsider the reopening of Liangxi Airport; second, responding to the call from the Provincial Party Committee¡¯s Organization Department, how can we properly arrange selected personnel. Let¡¯s discuss these two issues, which we can use as the agenda for the next regr Standing Committee meeting.¡± As soon as his words fell, Nie Zhenbang set down his pen, looked up and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, respected leaders, may I have a word?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s remarks caused Fan Changsheng¡¯s expression to darken. However, no matter how overbearing Fan Changsheng may be, he wouldn¡¯t deny Nie Zhenbang the right to speak. As Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Acting Mayor of Liangxi City, if he didn¡¯t have the right to speak, then Fan Changsheng¡¯s days as Secretary would be numbered.
With that, Nie Zhenbang slowly said, ¡°Secretary Fan, in addition to these two topics, I would like to add another. It¡¯s about the Elderly Activity Center needing additional dedicated vehicles and a new activity center. I feel this also rtes to a significant matter affecting our city¡¯s stability. I suggest we discuss this at the next Standing Committee meeting.¡± When his words left his mouth, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face changed. Nie Zhenbang was not simple. If this issue were discussed at the Standing Committee, no member would refuse. The matters of the Standing Committee have never been secrets. As soon as the meeting ends, every leader¡¯s behavior, even a sneeze, would be known. Adding to that, matters concerning the Elderly Activity Center were, in reality, matters concerning the retired leaders. To approach each one individually, each person could use numerous reasons to evade the issue. However, once brought up at the Standing Committee, no one would oppose. This includes Fan Changsheng himself. If anyone were to do so, they would be the target of criticism, and attacked by these retired cadres. These were all retired leaders and cadres from Liangxi City, who didn¡¯t have countless rtives and friends? Offending them would be offending over half of the city¡¯s cadres. With this in mind, Fan Changsheng slowly said, ¡°Mayor Nie, the issues with the Elderly Activity Center are legacy issues. I think we should discuss it next time.¡± PS: I¡¯ve had no time to write during the day, only being able to do so after my children go to bed. Here¡¯s the first update. (
Chapter 348: 339 Mayor Nie Slams the Table_1 Chapter 348: Chapter 339 Mayor Nie ms the Table_1 During the conversation, Fan Changsheng changed the topic and said, ¡°The issue with the Elderly Activity Center is a historical problem. Although the city¡¯s finances seem good, therger the stake, the more expenses there are. I think we should not discuss this issue today.¡± Upon hearing Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, a smile appeared at the corner of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mouth. The more Fan Changsheng acted this way, the more it proved that his own thinking was correct. Under the table, no one seemed to be managing or questioning the issue of the Elderly Activity Center. But once it was brought to the table, none of these former officials wanted to offend them. Immediately afterwards, Nie Zhenbangughingly said, ¡°Secretary Fan, your words don¡¯t seem quite appropriate. The Elderly Activity Center¡¯s affairs are also of major concern to the city. Retired, old leaders and officials are also a wealth to our Liangxi City. I think, fully considering and taking care of the oldrades¡¯ter life is what we current leaders must do.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze swept over the crowd and he continued, ¡°Comrades, what is meant by ¡®caring for the youth of others as for our own youth, caring for the elderly of others as for our own elders.¡¯ We all, including myself, will have that day when we grow old and retire. At that time, putting ourselves in their shoes, treating others as we would have them treat us, I don¡¯t think anyone would want the then leaders to ignore us.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Colleagues, you can flip through this document. ording to the detailed budget, the total investment for the entire Elderly Activity Center, including the purchase of five Santana cars from Volkswagen Company and the construction of a new Elderly Activity Center, is only about 1.02 million. This isn¡¯t a big deal for our Liangxi City¡¯s finances. However, it is a big deal for the old officials of the Elderly Activity Center. My opinion is, this matter should still be discussed in the executivemittee meeting.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Zhuozhen, the deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, also spoke up, ¡°Secretary Fan, I agree with Mayor Nie¡¯s views. The matter of the Elderly Activity Center is indeed not a big deal. I think it can be discussed in the executivemittee meeting topletely resolve the worries of the oldrades.¡± Zhu Zhuozhen, after all, had served as the secretary to He Dingbang for a year. Although it wasn¡¯t very long, there were still some feelings involved. In the past, Zhu Zhuozhen didn¡¯t understand these things under the suppression of Fan Changsheng in the executivemittee meetings and never went to the Elderly Activity Center for research. Now that Nie Zhenbang mentioned this matter, Zhu Zhuozhen naturally agreed. ¡°Caring for the elderly is a priority of the central leadership, I agree with Mayor Nie and Deputy Secretary Zhu¡¯s views.¡± Lei Dingguo also slowly spoke up. At this point, Fan Changsheng knew that this topic had basically been decided. In the Secretariat Meeting, out of five people, three were in agreement, making up the majority. The Secretariat Meeting, unlike the Executive Committee Meeting, as the Municipal Party Secretary, can, in a case of apelling situation, utilize the ultimate power of the Municipal Party Secretary and finally veto. However, the routine Secretariat Meeting is just a preparatory meeting for the Executive Committee Meeting, and Fan Changsheng had no choice but to ept it unwillingly. Moreover, even if he could exercise a veto. Fan Changsheng had to be careful. If a Municipal Party Secretary vetoed everything, on the one hand, Fan Changsheng¡¯s own prestige would be gone. A prestigious Municipal Party Secretary, reduced to having to use this power for everything, would only show ineptitude. There would be no prestige to speak of. On the other hand, how would the superiors view this, and would they approve? These are the restrictions on the Municipal Party Secretary¡¯s right to veto.
Subsequently, Fan Changsheng also nodded and said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, since Mayor Nie is so persistent, and Comrades Zhuozhen and Dingguo also agree, let¡¯s settle it. We¡¯ll discuss it further at the next Executive Committee Meeting.¡± ¡­ On January 20, 1997, which is the twelfth day of the twelfth month of the lunar calendar and also the Great Cold sr term on Monday. This day was the routine conference of the Liangxi City Party Standing Committee, which was held twice a month, on the second Monday of the first half of the month and the fourth Monday. Inside the small meeting room of the Liangxi City Party Committee. In the rectangr conference room, many Standing Committee members had already taken their seats on the oval conference table and the leather chairs. In the conference room, the heating was on, making the temperature inside warm as spring. A few chain smokers were puffing away, the exhaust fan working non-stop. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was sitting in his seat. Nie Zhenbang arrived very early. For his first Executive Committee Meeting, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯te just in time to show his status and identity. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, respect is not disyed in this way, but is truly from the heart. Almost on cue, the conference room doors opened, and Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua walked in one after the other. At that moment, Li Guohua¡¯s gaze swept across the room, momentarily locking with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. The meeting officiallymenced. Of the two previous topics, one involved the restart of operations at Liangxi Airport. Naturally, it was unanimously approved. Being primarily a military airport, Liangxi Airport had briefly opened up for civil aviation due to cooperation between Liangxi City Government and military authorities. Restarting it would provide a substantial boost to Liangxi City¡¯s economic growth, hence theck of opposition. However, restarting civil aviation services still requiredmunication and agreement with Jiangzhou Military District. The second topic, concerning the partymittee and government of Liangxi City prioritizing the Organization Department¡¯s recruit selection, was also unanimously approved. This served as a mere sign of attention ¨C the actual work would still be handled by the Organization Department of the City Committee of Liangxi City. Satisfied, Fan Changsheng nodded slightly. The unanimous agreement indicated that he was still firmly in control of the standingmittee meeting. As the secretary general, the standingmittee formed the most essential part of his responsibility. If he could control the standingmittee, that implied control over the entire city ¨C a fact Fan Changsheng fullyprehended. Then, clearing his throat, Fan Changsheng calmly said, ¡°Comrades, onto our final topic. In our prior meeting, Mayor Nie suggested that we add five Santana vehicles and build a new Elderly Activity Center for our retiredrades. I wee any opinions or views.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s statement was tactfully worded. On the surface, it appeared as if he was retelling the discussion, yet exaggerating Nie Zhenbang¡¯s role in proposing it, stirring the other standingmittee members to rethink their positions. Despite having six votes for the proposition (including both Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua), he readily seemed ready to reject it, should even one member oppose it. True to Li Guohua¡¯s prior statement, the proposal held more symbolic than actual benefits. If Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposal seeded, it could increase his poprity and rally numerous local officials. This was not good news for Li Guohua and others. Long term-wise, though facing criticism from fellow veteranrades, the situation could still be remediedter. ¡°Let me add a few points,¡± Li Guohua slowly began as Fan Changsheng¡¯s voice faded.
This remark immediately filled Nie Zhenbang with a sense of foreboding. Just as he suspected, Li Guohua added, ¡°Secretary Fan, esteemed leaders, it is understandable that Mayor Nie, being new to our city, is unfamiliar with the situation here. Speaking from my experience serving as the executive deputy mayor and holding the full responsibility of city government after Mayor Jia Cheng¡¯s transfer, it is truly said that ¡®One cannot appreciate the cost of living without being a householder.¡¯¡± Li Guohua¡¯s words pointed towards the same implication ¨C Nie Zhenbang, as a neer, was hastily making decisions. ¡°Myrades, upon first nce, Liangxi City appears to be the province¡¯s top economic performer. However, this means that our expenses simultaneously increase. The reinitiation of Liangxi Airport will inevitably lead to an estimated investment of over 300 million this year. Besides, there are other matters, such as the renovation of old Liangxi city, living support for struggling workers, and the burdensome Liangxi City Textile Factory. So, in reality, our city¡¯s finances are extremely strained. We should give careful consideration to this sum of money,¡± Li Guohua concluded, his words indirectly yet clearly implying the city¡¯sck of funds, despite the topic of retired officials not being raised. With Li Guohua leading the discussion, the situation built momentum against the proposal. Li Xiaoqin, standingmittee member and Minister of the Propaganda Department, echoed, ¡°I agree with Mayor Li¡¯s points. Our city¡¯s finances have always been tight. It has taken a long-term loan of over 500 million for the city government¡¯s shining facade to remain intact. Personally, I believe that while the proposal is good, we should dy it.¡±
The rest followed suit. Once someone took the lead, others followed ¨C a well-known social phenomenon: ¡°Don¡¯t stick your head out.¡± Following Li Xiaoqin, Organization Department Director, Huang Junshan, and Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, Hu Youquan, voiced their opinions. Their views mirrored the previous sentiment ¨C the city¡¯s tight financial situation required more time to sort out this issue. This was the strategy established by Li Guohua and Fan Changsheng ¨C to veto the proposal in the standingmittee meeting, but to fulfill Nie¡¯s suggestion for the Elderly Administration as soon as possible to appease the anger of the veteranrades. However, this proposal could not pass at today¡¯s standingmittee meeting. Suddenly, there was a bang in the meeting room, drawing everyone¡¯s attention to Nie Zhenbang. Mayor Nie had just banged his fist on the table. ( Chapter 349: 340 Mayor Guohua’s High Awareness_1 Chapter 349: Chapter 340 Mayor Guohua¡¯s High Awareness_1 This act stunned all the members of the standingmittee. Li Guohua, in particr, was dumbfounded in this moment, a look of delight emerging on his face. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s action was simply too unwise. mming the table during the standingmittee meeting ¨C what was he doing? Wasn¡¯t this akin to the behavior of an aggressive woman berating others in the streets? Furthermore, if Nie Zhenbang were officially the mayor and the deputy secretary of the municipal partymittee, it could be excusable. After all, he would be the second inmand of the municipal partymittee and the top official in the government or, to use amon phrase, the mistress of thendlord¡¯s mansion. But now? An acting mayor wasparable to a concubine awaiting elevation. Acting in such a manner would inevitably give off a domineering impression. Even the other standingmittee leaders would be pondering. If Nie Zhenbang behaved this way now, what would happen once he was elected? Li Guohua, Huang Junshan, and Li Xiaoqin all wore smiles on their faces. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s action had yed right into their hands. Li Guohua¡¯s expression once again became one of unparalleled indifference and magnanimity, much like it had been in the Dynasty Club. On the side, the faces of Zhu Zhuozhen, Lei Dingguo, and Zhao Xintian darkened, looking very displeased. Zhu Zhuozhen and Lei Dingguo immediately regretted their actions. They should not have defended Nie Zhenbang at the secretary¡¯s office meeting, knowing all too well his caliber. Now Zhao Xintian looked particrly serious. When Nie Zhenbang was assigned to Liangxi City, the senior leader had given a heads up, an act even more solemn than when Young Master Ning took office as a county-level mayor in Zisha City. This action alone spoke volumes about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s standing with the senior leader. But now it seemed too excessive. The dignity and authority of the Party Secretary and the unity of the municipal partymittee team were mandatory. You, a mayor, were merely a deputy team leader. The team leader was right there, while you were mming tables and pounding chairs. What did this mean? Wasn¡¯t this disrespect for the Party Secretary? Just based on this, the Party Secretary could criticize you forcking in discipline and party spirit. Nie Zhenbang saw all the expressions of the standingmittee members andughed inwardly. As the saying goes, a chaotic age requires a heavy hand. Given the situation in Liangxi City, a softer approach would not have sufficed to control the situation. The ¡°situation¡± referred to here was not the people in the standingmittee, but people from the five districts, two cities, and various agencies under Liangxi City¡¯s jurisdiction. Although the power of the standingmittee was fundamental and most crucial, at present, the positions of the various standingmittee members in the Liangxi City Standing Committee had been mostly fixed. Gaining support was not an easy task. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had no choice but to try a new approach. And mming the table was his first step. Seeing that Fan Changsheng twitched his lips, preparing to speak, Nie Zhenbang preempted him by saying, ¡°Secretary Fan, andrades, first, I would like to criticize myself. When I mmed the table, I acted impulsively. I did not consider the solemn public image of the standingmittee. I offer self-criticism to the Municipal Party Committee and the organization. ¡± This thought- Nie Zhenbang was clearly using a retreat as a means of advancing. First of all, Nie Zhenbang understood very clearly that if he were the Party Secretary, no matter how things turned out, everyone, all the team members would have to uphold the dignity and authority of the Party Secretary. This is a hard and fast rule. If even the integrity of the partymittee¡¯s top leader is not respected, the team would be in chaos. The upper level would not allow it, nor would the Central Committee. Therefore, the matter of hitting the table would die down. However, he was not the Party Secretary. On the contrary, the Party Secretary was still sitting on the sidelines, and his actions felt a bit like upstaging the host. Moreover, it damaged the authority of the Party Secretary. One could imagine that what awaited him was a collective bacsh. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first sentence was to start with self-criticism. In this way, everyone was a leader of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee. They should have that degree of tolerance and magnanimity. Since Nie Zhenbang had already taken a stand, for others to cling outstanding issues would make them appear petty.
Indeed, after Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Zhu Zhuozhen nodded and said, ¡°Mayor Nie¡¯s attitude is good. To err is human and to forgive divine. Our Party has always emphasized the acknowledgment and correction of mistakes. Once changed, they are still goodrades. Besides, Mayor Nie was considering the lives of our city¡¯s old leaders and retired officials. His anxiety caused him to act impulsively, and that is understandable. ¡± At this point, Zhu Zhuozhen had no choice but to speak up. He had already offended people during the secretary¡¯s office meeting. Now, even if he were to change his tune, it was uncertain whether Fan Changsheng would ept his goodwill. Zhu Zhuozhen was clear about this. Even though he didn¡¯t think much of Nie Zhenbang, he had no choice but to swallow this bitter pill. Next to him, Lei Dingguo, the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, nodded in agreement, saying, ¡°Indeed. I agree with Secretary Zhu¡¯s opinion. On the surface, it seems that Mayor Nie mmed the table. But in my opinion, this p was for the likes of He Dingbang and other oldrades on behalf of Mayor Nie. I think that the issue of retirement benefits for old cadres has indeed reached a critical point. Treat others as you would be treated. We all will retire one day. How the future and subsequent leaders treat us will be a clear reference. ¡± Zhu Zhuozhen and Lei Dingguo worked together seamlessly, with no prior agreement. In the current situation, they were cooperating wlessly, making Nie Zhenbang¡¯s issues disappear. At this point, it was difficult for Li Guohua and Fan Changsheng to persist with their usations. Nie Zhenbang chuckled inwardly, everything was within his expectations. These two had supported him during the secretariat meeting; they could not contradict themselves now. He would leave whatever was to happen afterwards for another time. For now, they would undoubtedly support him. Then, Nie Zhenbang shifted the topic, smiling as he said, ¡°Colleagues, let¡¯s get back to discussing our financial issues. Despite themon notion that Liangxi has abundant finances, in reality, the more we gain, the more we expand. For Liangxi to develop, we need to keep up with the pace of infrastructure construction including municipal engineering, urban green spaces, industrial park nning, trafficworkyout, and facilities such as water, electricity,munication cables, and more. These investments are necessities, and while our sources of revenue are plentiful, our expenditures may be even greater. I am not denying this fact. However, if someone ims that the treasury of Liangxi City can¡¯t even provide over a million, that would be exaggerating. As per the total revenue of Liangxi Cityst year, our annual ie reached 390 million. A mere 1.2 million is but a drop in the bucket.¡± As Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Li Guohua calmly responded, ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, we shouldn¡¯t simplistically view our financial situation. The fiscal ie is just the revenue, it does not mean we suddenly have money. The state of a city¡¯s finances majorly depends on its expenditures. As someone who excelled in economic construction and graduated with a master¡¯s degree in economics from Jingcheng University, you should be clear about this, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± Nie Zhenbang nonchntly waved his hand, not giving Li Guohua a chance to continue. From an outsider¡¯s perspective, Nie¡¯s response might seem natural, but it was far fromfortable for Li Guohua, leaving him feeling ignored. Nie Zhenbang wore a faint smile, watching Li Guohua¡¯s difort was what he had wanted all along. Then, organizing his thoughts for a moment, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°Next, let¡¯s talk about the Bureau of Retired Cadres¡¯ vehicle problem.¡± He paused for a moment, nced around at everyone, and continued: ¡°Secretary Fan, this is what I¡¯m thinking. Our city¡¯s financial situation is tight, isn¡¯t it? Last year, didn¡¯t the municipal partymittee procure a batch of new official vehicles? I suggest that we consider transferring some cars from the municipal government to the Bureau. Of course, this does not include Secretary Fan¡¯s vehicle. As the head of the Municipal Committee, you represent the image of our Liangxi City. However, my vehicle, Deputy Mayor Guohua¡¯s, Minister Junshan¡¯s, Minister Li¡¯s, and Comrade Xintian¡¯s could be put at the disposal of the Bureau. Wouldn¡¯t this resolve the car issue? As for their housing, we can always have a bidding process. The construction costs can be paid in installments. If we squeeze out a hundred thousand from the municipal government¡¯s office expenses every month, I believe this would not pose a problem. Isn¡¯t this a satisfactory solution?¡± No sooner had Nie Zhenbang finished than Huang Junshan retorted, ¡°Mayor Nie, that may not be appropriate. The lives of retired cadres are important, but our work must also be prioritized. If we give away all our vehicles, it will obstruct our operations.¡± As Huang Junshan finished, Li Guohua¡¯s expression changed. With those words, wasn¡¯t Huang Junshan giving Nie Zhenbang an opportunity to attack? In the context of Huang Junshan¡¯s argument, no vehicles equaled no work. Didn¡¯t this tantly show his luxury-loving mistake? And such thinking was a big taboo. Regardless, Li Guohua smiled and said, ¡°Even without official vehicles, we can still carry out our work. Ordinarily, weren¡¯t the vehicles all stored under the jurisdiction of the municipal partymittee and municipal government? We could simply reactivate them. I have no objections.¡± Nie Zhenbang gave a small smile, nodded, and said, ¡°Good. Mayor Guohua, your level of consciousness ismendable. I believe all our retired cadres and seniorrades in this city will appreciate your consideration.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang started to metaphorically throw the high hats, one after another, onto the heads of Li Guohua and others. His simple intent was to make them swallow their words. Seeing this, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face darkened even further. If he let Nie Zhenbang continue, who knew what he would say next. Hence, Fan Changsheng firmly said, ¡°Enough, let¡¯s stop arguing over this. We, the leaders of the municipal partymittee, transferring our vehicles would project an image of putting on a show. I, Fan Changsheng, cannot afford to lose face on the provincial level. As for the Bureau of Retired Cadres affairs, I suggest we decide by raising hands.¡± PS: My apologies, dear readers. I¡¯m still in Changsha, and I¡¯m updating this in an inte cafe. I¡¯ll be back home tomorrow and will return to regr updates. Thank you for your continuing support, it greatly motivates me. (To be continued¡­ If you like this work, feel free to vote and rmend it on ) Chapter 350: 341: The Old Secretary’s Family Feast_1 Chapter 350: Chapter 341: The Old Secretary¡¯s Family Feast_1 As the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Fan Changsheng is verypetent for this position. As the head of the municipalmittee, Fan Changsheng rarely voiced his opinions at the standingmittee meetings. However, when he spoke, his words carried weight. If this issue continues, Nie Zhenbang might actually dispatch the Audi official vehicles designated for the standingmittee leaders to the Elderly Activity Center. Fan Changsheng had foreseen this, which is why he promptly stopped this farce. If this issue was disseminated, the reputation of Liangxi City would be greatly affected. Now, by directly vetoing the vehicle reassignment on the ground of it being a show, and moving directly into the voting process, Nie Zhenbang clearlycked the prerogative. This is where the advantage of being the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee lies. Fan Changsheng¡¯s face became slightly stern. He looked around at everyone and slowly said in a grave tone, ¡°Regarding vehicle allocation and construction for the Elderly Activity Center, let¡¯s vote on it. Raise your hand if you agree.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang immediately raised his hand without hesitation. His position now wasn¡¯t the same as before. If Nie Zhenbang were the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee at this point, he wouldn¡¯t have done what he did. A secretary, in general, is usually the final decision maker, or in other words, the most sessful secretary would be the one whose vote could break a tie. But now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current status was merely a temporary mayor, and so, he had to present a firm stance for the others to witness. This would instill confidence in those who weren¡¯t sure. The conversation just now took an unexpected turn. When the conversation returned to exchanging themittee members¡¯ cars to the Elderly Activity Center, Zhu Zhuozhen and Lei Dingguo almost immediately understood what Nie Zhenbang was implying. You, Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua decided not to discuss it, right? Nie Zhenbang brought the spotlight onto him, then drew the topic back to the Elderly Activity Center. Hepelled Fan Changsheng to initiate the hands-up voting. One step led to another, even his own reaction was considered within his ns. Zhu Zhuozhen and Lei Dingguo had no choice but to admire his strategic acumen. They looked at each other. Both saw a sense of astonishment in each other¡¯s eyes. With Nie Zhenbang here, the future scenario of Liangxi City is uncertain. However, any change would be better than the existing situation where Fan Changsheng had absolute power, and his word wasw. Consequently, both of them simultaneously raised their hands. Zhao Xintian¡¯s attitude towards Nie Zhenbang also dramatically changed at this moment. From initial disdain to admiration now, Zhao Xintian understood why Nie Zhenbang was held in higher esteem by Governor Ning than his own son. Mayor Nie is indeed not a simple character. Immediately after, Zhao Xintian raised his hand too. That made four votes already. Beside them, Ye Zhengwen, the Secretary of Liangcheng City District Committee, raised his hand too. ording to the news, Ye Zhengwen was under Zhu Zhuozhen. Since Zhu Zhuozhen agreed, naturally, Ye Zhengwen wouldn¡¯t oppose.
Next, Peng Kaibao, themandant of the military district who rarely spoke up or participated in voting, said, ¡°I, Peng Kaibao, am not very clear about these government matters. I am a coarse person. But in the army, camaraderie is what matters the most. I believe that the elderly cadres are our predecessors. Ensuring their peaceful twilight years is a must. I agree with this consideration.¡± Even Peng Kaibao, who always abstained, also casted a vote in approval. Huang Jiang, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Commission standing aloof, smiled, ¡°We always say that the army and the police are one family. Both are strictly disciplined military units. I was also a retired soldier. Commander Peng¡¯s words resonated with me. I agree to provide additional vehicles to the Elderly Activity Center and to construct activity centers.¡± At this moment, that made six votes. Beside them, Wen Yuhe, the Director of the United Front Work Department, although a bit ufortable, remained silent for a while and then slowly raised his arm. Seeing this scene, Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Fan Changsheng, also slowly raised his arm. He sighed, ¡°Promoting the essence of traditional culture, respecting the old and loving the young is a shining pearl in our five-thousand-year-old Huaxia civilization. I agree with this sentiment too.¡± This disyed Fan Changsheng¡¯s wisdom. The situation was clear; there were already seven votes. With thirteen standingmittee members and already seven votes in support, the overall situation was clear. If he exercised his veto power as the Secretary now, it would only make him aughing stock. Besides, the issue of the Elderly Activity Center and a few vehicles, a building costing only over a million. To rashly use veto power over such a trivial issue was totally unworthy. Of course, if it was about the transfer of a position, Fan Changsheng would naturally use this power without hesitation. But now? Definitely not. At this moment, Fan Changsheng naturally wanted to maintain his authority as the Secretary. This way, supporting the vote was the best method. After Fan Changsheng raised his hand, all the others aligned with Li Guohua and Fan Changsheng also raised their hands. He looked around calmly, his face remained expressionless. He calmly said, ¡°It¡¯s a unanimous decision. So, the matters of the Elderly Activity Center are set. Mayor Guohua, you are the executive deputy mayor and in charge of finance and economic construction. We have only one requirement from the municipalmittee for this matter, ensure the retirement and wellbeing aspects of the olderrades¡¯ lives, and allow the elderly cadres and leaders to enjoy their twilight years in peace. Meeting dismissed!¡± Having said that, Fan Changsheng stood up, put his hands behind his back and walked out of the meeting room. Right behind him¡ªLi Guohua, Huang Junshan the Minister of Organization, Li Xiaoqin the Minister of Propaganda, Hu Youquan the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, left the room in session. At this moment, Commander Peng Kaibao of the Liangxi City Military District approached with a smile. He extended his hand and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, Commander Long has spoken highly of you before. Back then, I was wondering what kind of a man you were. Turns out you¡¯re a tough one from the military. Did not expect that we could work together this time. In future, we should keep in touch closely.¡± Hearing Peng Kaibao¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. The ¡®Commander Long¡¯ mentioned by Peng Kaibao should be themander of Jiangbei Provincial Military Region, Long Dianqin. Then he said, ¡°Commander Peng, you¡¯re too kind. In the army, we rank ording to the years of service. By right I should be calling you toonmander. When time allows, let¡¯s get together, my treat.¡± On the side, Zhu Zhuozhen also came forward with a smile, saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, I just received a call from the former Secretary. After recounting the matters from the Standing Committee meeting, the former Secretary insisted that I invite you to have a meal at his home as a token of gratitude.¡± Upon hearing Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was stunned for a moment, then somewhat touched. He truly was a former Secretary of Liangxi City. He Dingbang paid great attention to these small details. It was impossible for He Dingbang not to have Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone number, but choosing not to call himself was a precise detail. He Dingbang was very careful about his influence. By having Zhu Zhuozhen extend the invitation, he avoided creating suspicions of interfering in the work of the current leadership team. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Zhu, you are too courteous. If the former Secretary cordially invites, then let us go together.¡± He Dingbang¡¯s house is in the courtyard of the Elderly Activity Center. Behind the center¡¯s office building, within the shade of green trees, a few residential buildings are tucked away. Each building¡¯s exterior wall is covered with ivy that will surely turn verdant green and provide shade in the summer. The residents live two per floor, in single unit buildings, assuring sunlight on three sides of each house. The buildings aren¡¯t very tall, just three-story buildings. This intimate design takes into ount the day-to-day convenience of the elderly upants. He Dingbang¡¯s house is on the east side of the first floor of the first building. As the former Secretary of the Liangxi City Committee, this treatment is something He Dingbang can enjoy. When Nie Zhenbang arrived here with Zhu Zhuozhen and Lei Dingguo, He Dingbang was waiting for them personally at the entrance of his building.
Upon seeing this scene, Nie Zhenbang quickened his pace, approached He Dingbang, extended both hands, and shook hands with him, saying, ¡°Former Secretary, I am really humbled.¡± On the side, He Dingbangughed heartily. He was quite pleased. After all, even for Zhu Zhuozhen and those who used to serve directly under him, there were no such times to show respect. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s disy was particrly valuable. Moreover, in this Standing Committee meeting, Nie Zhenbang had argued the case forcefully, and had even mmed the table. He fought for the due benefits of the Elderly Activity Center. As a former Secretary of the City Committee, He Dingbang understood that mming the table in a Standing Committee meeting was not unheard of. However, given the position held by Nie Zhenbang, it was tantamount to taking a significant risk. This gesture greatly impressed He and he would remember it well. It is easy to add flowers to brocade, but precious is the act of sending charcoal in snowy weather. It is to be cherished. That is why, as soon as He Dingbang knew the results of the Standing Committee meeting, he immediately called Zhu Zhuozhen to invite Nie Zhenbang for dinner.
Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s modest words, He Dingbangughed and said: ¡°Mayor Nie, you are too courteous. I am just an old man. Even though I once worked for Liangxi City, I am now retired. I have merely invited you for a humble dinner. Don¡¯t upset me with such talk.¡± ¡°Mayor Nie, former Secretary, I suggest we take the conversation inside. It¡¯s rather cold out here.¡± On the side, Zhu Zhuozhen suggested with a smile. As they followed He Dingbang inside the house, they found a table full of sumptuous dishes alreadyid out in the dining room. Upon entering the dining room and taking their positions, former Secretary He Dingbang took a bottle of special Maotai wine out of his wine cab. Next to him, Zhu Zhuozhenughed: ¡°Former Secretary, you are actually going to drink this bottle of wine.¡± ¡­ After three rounds of toasts and a hearty meal, Nie Zhenbang gained much. Despite He Dingbang having retired, he was well informed about many happenings in Liangxi City. The exchange provided considerable help for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s future work. In this case, doing right by the Elderly Activity Center was a good move. PS: I¡¯m back. Depending on the situation, there may be another chapter tonight. Starting tomorrow, updates will be fully resumed. I¡¯ll update as much as I can. ( Chapter 351: 342 The trust of the old secretary_1 Chapter 351: Chapter 342 The trust of the old secretary_1 After the dinner, Zhu Zhuozhen was the first to leave. At this point, Zhu Zhuozhen had learned his lesson. This time, although Nie Zhenbang temporarily had the upper hand. However, considering Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s understanding of Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua, if they only had such small tricks, they wouldn¡¯t have reached this level. Although He Dingbang was looking at Nie Zhenbang with a new perspective now. But Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s still chose a prudent strategy, opting to watch for now. That¡¯s why Zhu Zhuozhen decided to leave at this time. After Zhu Zhuozhen left, Nie Zhenbang sat for a while and then prepared to leave. At this time, there was the sound of a door opening from outside. A young man, around 28 years old, walked in. Between his brows, one could vaguely see a resemnce to He Dingbang. Nie Zhenbang was deep in thought at this moment. Considering He Dingbang¡¯s age, which was around 76 or 77, this man couldn¡¯t be his son; it appears he was He Dingbang¡¯s grandson. The young man paused, then greeted Nie, ¡°Mayor Nie.¡± At his side, He Dingbang introduced with a smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, let me introduce to you, this is my grandson, He Qingjun, he¡¯s 28 this year. Currently, he¡¯s working at the City Public Security Bureau¡¯s Criminal Investigation Division.¡± Speaking, He Dingbang said with a stern face, ¡°Qingjun, Mayor Nie and I, we rte as uncle and nephew, strictly speaking, you should call Mayor Nie uncle.¡± Upon hearing this, both Nie Zhenbang and He Qingjun were stunned. It was clear from He Qingjun¡¯s face that he was slightly embarrassed. If Nie Zhenbang were in his thirties or forties, it would be understandable. But Nie Zhenbang was even younger than him. Asking him to call him uncle, Nie Zhenbang himself would find it a bit awkward. Next to him, Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°Secretary He, I think you don¡¯t need to force it. By age, I¡¯m even a year younger than Qingjun. Let¡¯s leave things as they are, you don¡¯t need to worry about this.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, He Qingjun obviously breathed a sigh of relief. Calling Mayor Nie, or anything else, He Qingjun didn¡¯t mind, after all Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status was there, it was expected. But if he had to call him uncle, it would be a bit strange. ¡°Ha-ha, Mayor Nie has already said so. I have no problem with it, everything should go ording to Mayor Nie.¡± He Dingbang chuckled and readily agreed.
After saying these things, He Dingbang suddenly said, ¡°Qingjun, go and brew a pot of Longjing tea.¡± Once He Qingjun left, He Dingbang turned serious, ¡°Mayor Nie, since your tenure in our Liangxi City, I¡¯ll be honest, I had doubts and worries at first. But after getting to know you during this period, I feel that you are different from other cadres.¡± At this point, He Dingbang¡¯s face was very serious. Nie Zhenbang pondered, He Dingbang¡¯s words had deeper meanings. Different from other cadres, there were many implications to interpret here. It could be his persistence and determination on the matter of the cadre system. It could also be the confrontation between him and Fan Changsheng, the secretary of the municipal partymittee, and Li Guohua. However, what He Dingbang truly meant, Nie Zhenbang was trying to figure out. After thinking for a while, Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°Secretary He, you tter me. I have always held one attitude, to have a clear principle about what to do and what not to do.¡± He paused for a moment and continued, ¡°Secretary He, in my opinion, people only live once, as do grass and trees. In being a person, you can¡¯t just think about yourself, you have to do something for this society, this country, this nation. It¡¯s not about leaving asting legacy or immortalizing your name in history. At the very least, you have to be ountable to your brief life.¡± If this was said during He Dingbang¡¯s tenure, he would definitely scoff at such words from Nie Zhenbang. However, since his retirement, after experiencing the warmth and coldness of human rtionships and contemting life, He Dingbang¡¯s views and attitude had changed. Now, in the face of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, He Dingbang neither despised nor scorned them but rather had a sense of admiration and approval. He Qingjun also entered the room at that time, cing a pot of Longjing tea on the coffee table before courteously taking his leave. As He Dingbang¡¯s grandson, He Qingjun naturally knew that at this moment, He Dingbang and Nie Zhenbang certainly had much to discuss. Once He Qingjun left, He Dingbang started with a smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, the tea is not good. I did not prepare any special teaware at home. It is quite embarrassing.¡± Saying that, He Dingbang poured a cup of tea for Nie Zhenbang, then spoke again, ¡°Mayor Nie, although I have retired for two terms now, almost eight years, I am still aware of the situation and various matters in this city.¡± He Dingbang was not boasting. As he knew him, ten years ago, He Dingbang left the position of city party secretary, but continued to hold the position of the director of the Liangxi City People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee until four years ago. Moreover, based on his understanding of He Dingbang, he was not an unwarranted person. He would not make such a statement without any basis or strength. Nie Zhenbang also responded with a smile, ¡°Secretary He, you¡¯re modest. Who doesn¡¯t know you? You served Liangxi City for a lifetime. If it wasn¡¯t for your two terms as the Party Secretary and your term as the Director, strenuously controlling the helm and ensuring the economic construction of Liangxi City, the achievements we have today would certainly not exist.¡± Everyone loves to hear ttery. Especially when ites from someone of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s status, it carried a lot of weight. Moreover, He Dingbang was now an official free from the burdens of power. There was no need for Nie Zhenbang to tter him, making the words more sincere. He Dingbang chuckled and replied, ¡°Oh, let¡¯s not mention it. Let¡¯s not dwell on past glories. The old stories need not be told again. Now, the development of Liangxi City relies on you, Mayor Nie.¡± Pausing slightly, He Dingbang¡¯s demeanor became more serious, changing the rxed atmosphere. He said with a slight smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, you don¡¯t need me to recount the current situation of the city to someone as wise as you. However, I think you shouldmunicate and connect more with Comrade Tan Miaozhen, the head of the Municipal Personnel Bureau, Comrade Xiong Wei, the head of the Municipal Water Conservancy Bureau, and Comrade Lu Wu, the secretary of the Guicheng District Party Committee.¡± As he said this, He Dingbang observed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression. These three, his trusted subordinates, were all in their forties and were at their peak. With potentially ten more years in their political careers, this could be quite a support if Nie Zhenbang utilized them well. And for himself, he was providing a good path for his subordinates. In the eight years from his retreat to retirement, many of his immediate subordinates have either been transferred out of Liangxi to other cities in Jiangbei Province, or they have retired. There are only these three senior officials left in Liangxi City now, which is quite an achievement. Positions like the Personnel Bureau and the Guicheng District Party Secretary are crucial. This demonstrates He Dingbang¡¯s abilities. Under the strong suppression of Fan Changsheng, He Dingbang could still maintain such strong power, which was not easy. However, Nie Zhenbang showed no excitement or surprise on his face, as if this was a trivial matter, which earned some admiration from He Dingbang. Nie Zhenbang hade so far at his age due to his abilities. Does Nie Zhenbang need these people? Of course, he would. He brought only two people with him, Chen Le, the head of the Public Security Bureau, and Yi Jun, the deputy secretary-general of the municipal government. Although their help was not small, their power was still rather limited. Nie Zhenbang maintained suchposure even though he needed more help. This sense of stability was not something everyone possessed. After a pause, He Dingbang decided to get straight to the point. He then said with a smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, as you know, I¡¯m getting old and cannot seek power anymore. Nevertheless, I still need to speak. Theserades have all grown up under my watch. Comrade Lu Wu even served as my secretary previously. They¡¯re all capable, and I believe they will be of great help to your future work.¡±
Listening to He Dingbang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang contemted. He Dingbang emphasized these people twice, showing his resolve. At this moment, this seemed to be He Dingbang¡¯s entrustment of his own people to him. On one hand, He Dingbang himself no longer had the strength. On the other hand, it was a help for these people¡¯s future. Of course, this was also a great advantage for him because their joining would greatly promote his work in Liangxi City. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°I trust Secretary He¡¯s words. Since theserades have Secretary He¡¯s approval, they must be the right choice. I¡¯ll find some time tomorrow to go to Guicheng District for an inspection.¡± Just as he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone rang. PS: Paying back debts!! I owe you updates. Starting from tomorrow, I will put out full effort to make up for missing updates. (.)
Chapter 352: 343 Group Interview Incident_1 Chapter 352: Chapter 343 Group Interview Incident_1 Nie Zhenbang wore an apologetic expression. At a time like this, it surely seemed impolite to answer a phone call during a private dinner at the old secretary¡¯s house. However, He Dingbang smiled amiably and empathetically at the moment, ¡°Mayor Nie, you have a lot on your te. Don¡¯t let an old man like me hold you back from your work.¡± Nie Zhenbang nced at the caller ID on his phone ¨C it was a call from Yi Jun. Knowing Yi Jun¡¯s character, Nie Zhenbang was certain that unless circumstances were extraordinarily unusual, Yi Jun wouldn¡¯t disturb him during his dinner with He Dingbang. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t hesitate. He stood up, walked outside the study, and answered Yi Jun¡¯s call. As soon as the call connected, the urgent voice of Yi Jun came through, ¡°Mayor, there¡¯s trouble. Reliable sources say that the employees of the first and second Spinning Factories and the Cotton Textile Factory have secretly joined forces. These factory workers are nning to stage a sit-in protest at the city government office tomorrow.¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s report, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡®Mass visit incidents¡¯, as their name suggested, were mass activities involving ordinary people expressing grievances concerning their lives or work. These individuals would collectively bypass their direct superiors and express their opinions and requests directly to the higher echelons of the government. When mass visit incidents ur, it usually means that existing conflicts and disputes have reached an irreconcble state or that the people have lost faith in their immediate higher-ups. At this stage, the crowd, teetering on the verge of an explosion, is akin to a powder keg. Should the government mismanage the situation, even a slight mistake could lead to a severe crisis. Furthermore, a mass visit incident is an illegal act, something no Party Committee or government would want to see. If such incidents do ur, it would imply a failure of governance by the Party Committee. Apart from the political implications, this could well jeopardize one¡¯s political career. Given these considerations, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare dilly-dally. He returned to the study and said to He Dingbang, ¡°Old Secretary, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t stay here any longer. I just got a call saying that the workers of the first, second Spinning Factories and the Cotton Textile Factory have gathered together today, preparing to petition the city government tomorrow.¡± He Dingbang was no novice in politics. Upon hearing this news, he stood up and said gravely, ¡°A mass visit is a big deal. Mayor Nie, you must attend to your work. Remember what I¡¯ve told you. If my words can be of some help to you, that is all I ask for.¡± After a pause, He Dingbang added, ¡°Mayor Nie, my grandson Qingjun is also involved in the politics andw sector. To appease and suppress the mass visit incident, both soft and hard measures are needed. The local public security system might not have enough police force. Why not have Qingjun drive you over there?¡± Hearing He Dingbang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang paused, awed by the experienced strategies of a seasoned municipal secretary. He outlined the crux of the issue: situations like these call for a two-pronged approach, both maintaining the dignity of governmental authorities and aying the public¡¯s discontent. In any case, a mass visit incident cannot be allowed to happen.
Through offering his grandson He Qingjun to apany Nie Zhenbang, He Dingbang disyed his shrewdness. This move would express his stance to others, and offer He Qingjun the opportunity to acquire experience and benefits. Yet, in this moment, Nie Zhenbang did not reject He Dingbang¡¯s proposal. Briefly contemting, he nodded and said, ¡°Alright. I will have to trouble Comrade Qingjun then.¡± ¡­ The first and second Spinning Factories, and the Cotton Textile Factory, were located in the old district of Liangxi City, a ce known as Guicheng District. In its heyday, Liangxi City¡¯s textile industry was renowned across the country and was known as the textile capital. Jiangbei Province has always been a hub for the textile industry. In modern times, its silkworm silk was exported overseas. After the founding of the nation, Liangxi City¡¯s textile industry was concentrated in Guicheng District. In the past, working in these textile factories was a matter of pride. But with the rise of Yuedong and the textile industry¡¯s nationwide decline, Liangxi City was no exception. The city¡¯s three factories had be a significant financial burden on the city. Every year, tens of millions in funding couldn¡¯t even cover the workers¡¯ wages. Consequently, the city began considering institutional reforms and unloading such burdens, leading to an emergence of conflicts. By the time Nie Zhenbang and He Qingjun arrived, they couldn¡¯t even drive their vehicle within five or six hundred meters of the entrance to the Spinning Factory due to traffic congestion both sides of the road. Rows of thick and luxuriant camphor trees, each with over forty years of growth, lined both sides of the road. This road might have been considered wide in the past, but it was outdated now. ¡°Mayor¡­¡± He Qingjun turned his head, about to say something. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang raised his hand to interrupt him and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go up and take a look first, Qingjun.¡± At this point, it was not advisable to disclose his identity. Looking around, there¡¯s a sea of people on all sides. Cars, buses, and various types of sedans were blocked on both sides of the road. This was all the old city area, surrounding several textile factories, all of which were family quarters for the factory workers. This area housed at least fifty to sixty thousand residents. The Chinese people have always had a strong curiosity and a habit of rubbernecking. Amotion of such magnitude in Qingfang City naturally attracted hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of onlookers. Pushing through the crowd, Nie Zhenbang and Lv Qingjun finally squeezed to the entrance of the Spinning Factory. At this moment, at least two hundred workers in blue uniforms had already gathered on the forecourt of the factory¡¯s office building, which was iid with purple ceramic tiles. There were men and women of all ages. At the factory¡¯s gate, two rows of uniformed police officers had already formed a human wall. Their purpose was clear: they were here to supervise these workers. Within the human wall, Fan Changsheng, the secretary of the municipal partymittee, stood with a serious expression on his face. Beside him stood Li Guohua, who also looked serious. Standing closely beside the two was Hu Youquan, the secretary-general of the municipal partymittee. The director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Chen Le, stood to the side. At this point, whether they were neers or old timers from Liangxi City, not a single cadar could escape the link. The situation had escted, and although Nie Zhenbang could evade responsibility by iming to be new, it was inevitable that others would get the impression he was ineffective in his duties. As for Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua, these two had an even greater responsibility. As the top leader of Liangxi City and the main leader on the government side, their responsibility was greater than Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. Standing next to the two, a man in his early forties, about one point six meters tall and slightly chubby. He had the side-parted hairstylemon among officials, and his strikingly thick eyebrows. This man should be Lu Wu, the secretary of the Guicheng District Committee. Sure enough, as Nie Zhenbang was contemting, Lv Qingjun introduced him in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, the man next to Secretary Fan is Lu Wu, the Secretary of the Guicheng District Committee.¡± Upon the arrival of Nie Zhenbang and Lv Qingjun, the police officers present did not stop them. Some recognized Nie Zhenbang, others recognized Lv Qingjun. As soon as they walked in, Chen Le came over to greet them and said in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, you¡¯re here.¡±
Nie Zhenbang nodded and without wasting words, asked directly, ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ustomed to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s direct style, Chen Le was hardly taken aback. He had spent nearly three years with Mayor Nie in Xinli City and had long gotten used to his manner. Chen Le began to exin, ¡°Mayor, the situation is clear. Vice Mayor Li has proposed a reorganization n for the entire municipal textile system. The city decided to divest all the major textilepanies this year, trim down the enterprises, and reassign theid-off workers. However, there seems to be some unfairness in the selection of those who are buying out their years of service and those who are being reassigned. Chen Le paused before continuing with a smile, ¡°Mayor, as you know, the chiefs of these spinning factories all hold divisional level positions. Guicheng District ims to lead, but in reality, they can¡¯t control them. After several unsessful negotiations, these people began to gather, nning to petition the municipal partymittee and municipal government.¡± Hearing these words from Chen Le, Nie Zhenbang immediately understood. Theyoffs, the buyout of years of service ¨C these were not unusual events for manyrge state-owned enterprises. These factories were copsing under heavy burdens. The huge corporate loads left these factories with no way out; their products couldn¡¯t keep up. Without benefits, these factories were an abyss that no amount of filling could satisfy. Objectively speaking, Li Guohua¡¯s decision was correct.
However, under the correct decision, theck of effective and fair methods led to disputes. The Chinese people have always been like this, resenting not poverty but inequality. Even the best policies can go awry in practice. Unfairness, once it emerged, would lead to extremely awkward situations like the one unfolding now. Seeing Nie Zhenbang approach, Fan Changsheng nodded. Now was not the time for personal disagreements. All parties had to work together to quell the workers¡¯ anger and prevent mass petitions, which was the priority. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also spoke up, ¡°Secretary Fan, how¡¯s the situation now?¡± PS: For the past dozen days, no writing has made my mind numb. I struggled with this chapter today, writing and scrapping three different versions. I wasted 9000 words until I finally settled with this one. Regaining momentum isn¡¯t something that can be achieved in a short time. I¡¯m taking it slow, so I hope you¡¯ll give me a few days. (To Be Continued¡­ If you like this work, you are wee to rmend and vote for it at . Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 353: 344 Unpredictable Motives_1 Chapter 353: Chapter 344 Unpredictable Motives_1 Fan Changsheng nced at Nie Zhenbang. He knew that this was not a time for personal feelings, and he wasn¡¯t a child who gets carried away by impulsiveness anymore. The important thing at this moment was not their internal strife. Politics and power struggles could wait. Now, what¡¯s necessary was to unify and do a proper job of making amends. Preventing the mass petition from bing a reality was the more pressing issue. Looking at He Qingjun, who was beside Nie Zhenbang, Fan Changsheng, as a local cadre of Liangxi, was fully aware of what was going on in Liangxi City. It seemed that with the arrival of Nie Zhenbang, He Dingbang¡¯s done for. However, Fan Changsheng felt no fear at all for the backbone of He Dingbang¡¯s support. Lu Wu, the secretary of Guicheng districtmittee, was merely a figurehead in an old urban fringe district, insignificant. Soon after, Fan Changsheng calmly said, ¡°Mayor Nie, you¡¯ve finally made it. Given the severity of the incident in the city, you are quite slow.¡± Although this statement from Fan Changsheng seemed harmless, it carried implied resentment. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang could do nothing but swallow his difort. He couldn¡¯t retort Fan Changsheng in public. He had to maintain his authority as the Party¡¯s top official in the city. That was the rule. And what could he say for histeness? That he had been having dinner and chatting with He Dingbang? Or fabricate a lie that he was working overtime in his office? The more he spoke, the worse it would get, attracting more attention. It was better to disregard it. Nie Zhenbang then responded, ¡°Secretary Fan, your criticism is valid. What¡¯s the current sentiment of the public? Is there any hope of calming the situation?¡± When it came to this issue, Fan Changsheng¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. He understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intention very well. The hope of calming the masses was the best case scenario. If this was achievable, that would be perfect. Any issue could be discussed by appointing a few representatives. They should not resort to such disruptive illegal actions. That would save some face for the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government. If they couldn¡¯t be cated, I¡¯m afraid that they would have to resort to tougher methods. For the leaders of the mass petition, incarceration was inevitable. Intimidation or bribery would be used on others, then, they would break them apart one by one. The factory leadership and family members would be mobilised. These were all methods to handle mass petitions. ¡°The issues with the textile factories have be more than individual cases. Three factories would now require budgeting for basic sries from the city every year. Coupled with losses from their operations, the city¡¯s finances bear close to 80 million a year. Including bank loans mediated by the city, the factories¡¯ debts now greatly exceed their assets. Restructuring is now the best solution.¡± Fan Changsheng shook his head. He didn¡¯t have any better solutions either. The three factories of Qingfang City had orchestrated multiple mass petitions by this point. Previously, the City Party Committee and Government gave way due to concerns over their impacts and their personal futures. This strategy of retreat had led to the factories bing an increasingly heavier burden in their self-reliance and self-rescue efforts. At this point, Fan Changsheng realised, in hindsight, that it might have been better to simply maintain operations. Thus, taking advantage of Nie Zhenbang taking office, Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua nned to kill two birds with one stone by resolving this difficult issue and letting Nie Zhenbang, the current acting mayor, deal with it. Of course, Nie Zhenbang was still new and could easily shirk responsibility. In the end, it would still be Fan Changsheng himself at a disadvantage. He wouldn¡¯t make such a foolish, short-sighted move. Then, giving Li Guohua a nce, Li Guohua responded by nodding understandingly, before saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, that¡¯s pretty much the situation now. Our city¡¯s light textile industry has reached a deadlock. Holding onto this burden will inevitably strain the city¡¯s finances. If it were just a matter of tens of millions every year, that¡¯s still bearable. But the three factories will owe almost six hundred million in loans to be reimbursed over the next two years. Unless we make a decision, let go of the burden and start afresh, I¡¯m afraid, the entire government will be dragged down.¡± This statement was factual and did not require verification. Nie Zhenbang understood clearly that the loans of several state-run factories in Qingfang City must have been coordinated by the municipal government, possibly even with the municipal government acting as the guarantor. Once the repayment period begins, the finances of Liangxi City will also have to take on the responsibility of repayment. This was the real unbearable burden. If the three factories could show signs of recovery, negotiations to postpone the repayment date would be possible. There shouldn¡¯t be a problem with that. However, the real problem was that the three factories had not shown any signs of recovery so far. This was the primary reason why the Municipal Party Committee and Government had decided to restructure. Without restructuring, not only would the three factories fail, the city itself would be left half-dead. But restructuring would inevitably bring pains and conflicts. This was a dilemma.
Thinking about this, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, regardless of the situation, no matter how we resolve it, I think we should first solve the immediate problem.¡± No sooner had he finished his words, Li Guohua said, ¡°Dear fellow workers and staff, please be quiet. The City Party Committee and Government, Secretary Fan, and Mayor Nie take the matter of Qingfang City and your three textile factories very seriously. They¡¯ve even rushed to the site personally. This fully shows the leadership¡¯s concern for all of you. Let me introduce you all, this person beside me, is Nie Zhenbang, Mayor Nie. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all heard of him. Even Xinli, a poor city in the northwest, was built into one of the Top 100 counties in the country under Mayor Nie¡¯s leadership. Please believe in Mayor Nie.¡± As soon as Li Guohua finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Li Guohua¡¯s purpose was clear. He meant to push Nie Zhenbang onto the front lines. But at this moment, it was not the time for him to shirk responsibility, in front of all these people. Nie Zhenbang could only go along with Li Guohua¡¯s words, knowing well that this was a huge trap. But all he could do was to jump in, eyes shut. If he refused, word would get back to Jiangbei Provincial Committee that he refused to take charge for fear of responsibilities. That would pose a big problem. This could instead be used as an excuse by Fan Changsheng and others to attack him. Simrly, taking on this mess wasn¡¯t a good thing at all. It could possibly drag down all his energies, which would also affect his work in Liangxi City. Regarding the trouble Li Guohua and Fan Changsheng had set up for him, at this juncture, Nie Zhenbang had nothing good to say. He could only ept the current situation. Then, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said out loud: ¡°Everyone, please calm down, soothe your emotions.¡± Saying this, Nie Zhenbang raised his hands and made a downward pressing motion. Years on the bureaucratic battleground had endowed Nie Zhenbang with a natural aura and the solemn demeanor of a superior. This aura naturally inspired confidence in people. As Nie Zhenbang spoke up, the previously bustling crowd gradually quietened. Looking around the crowd, several men in their forties stood out, one of them loudly said, ¡°Friends, we¡¯ve heard that Mayor Nie is good at dealing with economic affairs. Now that Mayor Nie is here, let¡¯s all quiet down and listen to what he has to say.¡± Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang started contemting. These few peoplemanded considerable credibility among these workers. If his guess was right, they should be the instigators of this group petition. It appeared that if he wanted to smoothly resolve the problems of the three factories in Qingfang City, he would have to work on these few people. Then, Nie Zhenbang paused and proimed loudly, ¡°Workers of Qingfang City, I, Nie Zhenbang, would like to appreciate your trust and support in me. It is my honor and responsibility as well. Your hopes make me feel like walking on thin ice.¡± Being sincere is always the most important thing. The so-called lies may deceive for the moment but repeating them won¡¯t be of much effect. This, presumably, has required serious deliberation on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s part. All those promises, those conditions, have probably been said countless times by the likes of Li Guohua. If Nie Zhenbang used the same approach, it definitely wouldn¡¯t touch these workers. In fact, it might even trigger resistance and make it seem like he¡¯s just run of the mill. Now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words evoked fresh feelings in them, and they were awaiting his next statement with anticipation. Then, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Fellow workers, I¡¯m new here. In front of all of you, I will speak truthfully. I had no knowledge of the issues in Qingfang City before this. If I were to suggest that I have aprehensive solution for all the problems now, that would be nothing but titudes. To put it bluntly, it would be to deceive you. I, Nie Zhenbang, am above that. So, at this moment, I really don¡¯t have any idea or a n.¡± Upon hearing this, the crowd was immediately in an uproar. Those who were easily agitated in the crowd started shouting back, ¡°Then what are you here for? We are not listening anymore. You don¡¯t have a n and yet you dare to speak such big words. Let¡¯s forget about them, friends. Tomorrow, we will sit-in and demonstrate. We want to survive, we want to work, and we want a way to live.¡± In the crowd, various shouting continued intermittently. After a while, a few voices chimed in, ¡°What¡¯s all this shouting about? Just think about it, guys, the words of Mayor Nie aren¡¯t deceiving. He¡¯s being honest with us.¡± When he heard those words, a slight smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. There are still people who understand. This makes his work moving forward much easier. Then, Nie Zhenbang spoke again, ¡°Workers, if you demonstrate in front of the Municipal Party Committee and the Government, won¡¯t it still end with a conversation with Secretary Fan and me? Now, we are all here, do you think there is a difference between demonstrating there and being here? Here, I would like to ask everyone to give me three days. Within these three days, the municipal government wille up with a n. If I fail to do so, at that time, I will personally lead you all to petition at the Provincial Party Committee and Government!¡± (.) Chapter 354: 345 Dying Together_1 Chapter 354: Chapter 345 Dying Together_1 Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the expressions on the faces of those present varied. Fan Changsheng, however, was frowning. He couldn¡¯t wait to immediately refute Nie Zhenbang. As a mayor, a Municipal Bureau-level official, apanying a group of workers to the capital city, Jiangzhou City, to petition at the gate of the provincial government, was absurd. More importantly, for a mayor of a prefecture-level city to utter such words, whether true or false, was in itself a mistake. However, in front of the crowd, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for Fan Changsheng to lose his temper. Nevertheless, his gaze clearly concealed dissatisfaction. Off to the side, Li Guohua was all smiles. Indeed, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personality was still the same, the saying ¡®the leopard cannot change his spots¡¯ was true. This time, he had bet correctly. Even better, Li Guohua hoped that there would be no solution within three days. By then, he¡¯d like to see how Nie Zhenbang would clean up the mess. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to dismiss the workers. Moreover, after three days, if Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t provide a satisfactory answer, or if he broke his promise, he could quietly stir the pot and push Nie Zhenbang into the limelight. By that point, once the matter spiraled out of control, even Ning Shouchang might not be able to protect Nie Zhenbang. Chen Le and others, former subordinates of Nie Zhenbang, maintained neutral expressions. They were familiar with Mayor Nie¡¯s straightforward personality. If a suitable solution was not found by the deadline, Mayor Nie would indeed dare to lead them to the provincial capital. However, the thought of a mayor leading a petition was nerve-wracking. The workers, on the other hand, were shocked. After a moment of stunned silence, the crowd erupted into cheers. Compared to previous petitions, when city leaders and public security officers treated them like enemies, they had never seen someone like Mayor Nie before. His words endeared him to the workers. Among the crowd, several lead men exchanged nces, and after a while, the middle-aged man who had spoken earlier said again, ¡°Fine, Mayor Nie, we believe you. We will wait three days.¡± With the situation mostly diffused, Fan Changsheng heaved a sigh of relief. These workers were notparable to farmers from the countryside. They were city dwellers with a certain level of knowledge. In such a situation, measures to capture key personnel would not work. Arresting a group would only further incite the workers rather than disperse them. At this point, Fan Changsheng was reassured by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s means of calming the situation. By saying so, Nie was taking on the responsibility. If anything went wrongter, the first person to be held ountable would be Nie Zhenbang. The provincial government could then use this as an excuse to remove Nie Zhenbang from his mayoral position. However, to everyone¡¯s surprise, Nie Zhenbang appeared unfazed, a hint of a smile at the corners of his mouth. He had noticed the reactions of Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stated again, ¡°Everyone, please quiet down. In front of the leaders of the municipal partymittee and all of you, I, on behalf of the municipal government, assure that within three days a suitable solution will be found. This is my promise to all of you. The issue of Qingfang City needs to be resolved. Mayor Guohua has always been the most direct advocate for the Qingfang City project. Here, I believe Mayor Guohua will continue to serve the tens of thousands of workers in Qingfang City. In order to maintain policy continuity, the municipal government ns to let Mayor Guohua take on the task of restructuring Qingfang City. Of course, I will assist. Together, we will handle Qingfang City¡¯s affairs satisfactorily.¡± Having said that, Nie Zhenbang looked indifferent, a slight smile on his face, his gaze drifting towards Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua. He sneered in his heart, thinking, ¡°So they set a trap for me, thinking they¡¯ve got me all figured out? It¡¯s impossible for me to ignore this issue, that¡¯s for sure. But, I won¡¯t bear it alone either. If I did, who knows what tricks Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua would y. The best n now is to force Li Guohua onto this stage as well. Everyone stands or falls together. If anything, Li Guohua would think twice before ying any tricks.¡± Off to the side, on hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Guohua¡¯s expression fell. Initially, he was quite pleased, thinking he had gained an advantage, that he had sessfully dragged Nie Zhenbang into this troublesome project. Even, undisguisedly, found a scapegoat in him. But unexpectedly, in an instant, Nie Zhenbang had dragged him in too, and in such a public manner. At this moment, Li Guohua dared not openly refuse. On one hand, Nie Zhenbang was the acting mayor, his nominal superior. On the other hand, if he refused, he would lose face in public. If word got out, he would be seen as an irresponsible person who shirks responsibilities, which could significantly harm his future career.
Then, with a smile, Li Guohua said, ¡°Fellow workers, please trust the municipal partymittee and government, and trust Mayor Nie. Under Mayor Nie¡¯s leadership, I believe the issue of Qingfang City will be satisfactorily resolved.¡± At this time, Li Guohua was shrewd enough to realize, since he couldn¡¯t shirk, he better push as much work onto Nie Zhenbang¡¯s te as possible. The Mayor and the Executive Deputy Mayor had made their positions clear. The workers, under the encouragement of their organizers, gradually dispersed. At this moment, the leaders of the first and second Spinning Factory and the cotton spinning factory, numbering a dozen or so people, all came up to meet them. As the director of the first Spinning Factory, Liu Yuejin was sweating profusely, standing on the side, hardly daring to breathe. At this moment, Fan Changsheng also changed his smile that he usually wore when facing workers. With a serious look on his face, he sternly said, ¡°Liu Yuejin, what is your factory leadership doing? Something so big has happened, and you are unaware of it. The Spinning Factory is half-dead. Can you still do your job? If you can¡¯t, then give up your seats to those who can.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s anger was not unfounded. The workers from the first and second Spinning Factory and the cotton spinning factory caused a disturbance together. It¡¯s impossible for the factory leadership to say they have no responsibility. At the very least, their ideological appeasement work was certainly not in ce. No wonder Fan Changsheng was so angry. With today¡¯s uproar, coupled with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s remarks, the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government were put in a passive position. In other words, the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government had backed themselves into a corner. There is only one way out ¨C proper resolution. Having said this, Fan Changsheng turned around and left impulsively, leaving Liu Yuejin and the others quite taken aback. Liu Yuejin, standing roughly 1.75 meters tall and of heavyweight, looked as though he was developing a square shape. Seeing leaders of the municipal partymittee ready to leave, Liu Yuejin quickly caught up, smiling, ¡°Secretary Fan, Mayor Nie. It¡¯s rare for all the leaders toe here, why don¡¯t we have a casual meal before you leave? Consider it a small gesture from our three factories.¡± Upon hearing these words, Fan Changsheng paused, his face cold, ¡°Liu Yuejin, at a time like this, you are still dealing with superficial matters. Can you still eat this meal? I can¡¯t. When you, Liu Yuejin, get the factory back on its feet and turn losses into profits, I will treat you to a meal without you asking.¡± Having said this, Fan Changsheng left all the leaders of Qingfang City behind and walked away. When he got to the road, he turned to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, your remark just now was quite rash. As a leading cadre, do you have no discipline? You can¡¯t have this kind of attitude. You can¡¯t just say whateveres to mind. Giving us just three days to solve the problem, you¡¯re not leaving any room for the Municipal Party Committee and Government. If we can¡¯t properly solve the problem of Qingfang City, it will cause a big mess.¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng was very angry and didn¡¯t mince his words. Moreover, even if he wasn¡¯t angry, he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to confront Nie Zhenbang. Their different factions doomed their rtionship. Hearing Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang just smiled, responding a bit rudely, ¡°Secretary Fan, I admit, I was a bit extreme. But when ites to a serious matter like organizational discipline, I can¡¯t just go along with it. I didn¡¯t know anything about what was going on in Qingfang City. Mayor Guohua publically made such a statement, I couldn¡¯t possibly deny it. That would damage the prestige of the Municipal Party Committee and Government. From the standpoint of maintaining the prestige of the Municipal Party Committee and Government, I had no choice.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were clear. At this time, you¡¯re ming me, but where were you before? If you hadn¡¯t pushed me forward, would I have driven the Municipal Party Committee and Government into a corner? Fan Changsheng was conscious of his mistake at this point too. After a moment of silence, he huffed coldly, walked to his official car where his secretary, Wang Mingxuan, had already opened the door. Fan Changsheng got in and said sternly through the window, ¡°Mayor Nie, you made a military order about Qingfang City, you must keep your word. Otherwise, if it gets to the provincial government, it won¡¯t be good for either of us. I won¡¯t say more.¡± When Fan Changsheng¡¯s car left, Li Guohua¡¯s face was also expressionless. Just as he was getting ready to leave, Nie Zhenbang called out, ¡°Deputy Mayor Li, wait a moment.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Guohua turned around and looked at Nie Zhenbang curiously, after a while, he said, ¡°Mayor Nie, is there anything else you need?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Deputy Mayor Li, with such a big issue at Qingfang City and us having made a military order, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be resting for the next three days. So, let¡¯s take this opportunity. I think we should hold a Mayor¡¯s Office meeting overnight.¡±( Chapter 355: 346 Mayor’s Office Meeting_1 Chapter 355: Chapter 346 Mayor¡¯s Office Meeting_1 A midnight mayoral meeting? Li Guohua was stunned for a moment, but he wasn¡¯t too surprised and quickly resumed his normal expression. Liangxi City is the economic powerhouse of Jiangbei and ranks first. Behind this honor, it is impossible to deny that every cadre in Liangxi City has been working hard. Late-night meetings aremon; such events might seem unusual in impoverished mountainous areas or remote areas. But for a city that never sleeps like Liangxi, it¡¯s all too ordinary. In addition, the case of Qingfang City is pressing. Li Guohua had strategized and maneuvered for half a year over the matter, only for things to end unfavorably. Now, Nie Zhenbang publicly imed on record that he would resolve the issue in three days. It would indeed be strange not to discuss countermeasures overnight. Thinking of this, Li Guohua simply said, ¡°Since Mayor Nie has made a decision, I will go and wait in the city government¡¯s conference room.¡± ¡­ Liangxi City Government Building At the top floor¡¯s meeting room, a scene of brightly lit ambiance. There were many secretaries busy in the hallway. When leaders have a meeting, it falls to the secretaries to follow and provide service. At the moment, all the leaders of Liangxi City Government were seated in the meeting room. Even though it was night, it was still early. A few of the deputies had just finished their dinner. ¡°Mayor Zhang, do you know why thete meeting was called today?¡± Since the meeting hadn¡¯t officially started and the top three leaders of the municipal government hadn¡¯t arrived, the atmosphere in the room was rather rxed. A man of around 55 asked, leaning back in his chair with arms folded. As his voice fell, Mayor Zhang, a bald man of about 53, sat up slightly, ¡°Old Qin, you really don¡¯t care about the outside world now, your mind is only on collecting antiques. Today¡¯smotion in Qingfang City, don¡¯t you know? Mayor Nie even made a military order. It looks like we are going to be busy in the municipal government.¡± The man who asked the question first was Qin Baoqiang, a member of the Democratic Party and Leangxi City Municipal People¡¯s Government and Deputy Mayor. He was the oldest member. He was in his fifties and most likely after this term, he would retire at the People¡¯s Congress or the Political Consultative Conference. Nowadays, he has be infatuated with collecting antiques. The man answering him was Zhang Keqiang, the fourth-ranked deputy mayor of the municipal government. Despite his age, he was no less experienced than Qin Baoqiang. This term was likely hisst one too.
Next to the two men sat other deputy mayors: a thin middle-aged man of about 42 or 43 with prominent cheekbones, giving others a scruffy impression was Shi Hongbo, the city¡¯s deputy mayor in charge of industry. Next to Shi Hongbo was a 40-year-old middle-aged man, named Jin Aihua, who seemed schrly with sses on. Thest deputy mayor was the only woman among the cab members, Liu Yuanli, the deputy mayor in charge of science, education, culture, health, and sports. She was also a member of the Democratic Party. This is unique to the party. Huaxia is a country where men lead the Communist Party and cooperate with multiple parties. ording to the system of political consultation, women, democratic parties, and non-party cadres must be fully considered within the governmental body. Therefore, most women cadres in the government offices at all levels nationwide are from the Democratic Party. This not only ensures the bnce of women and democratic parties but also does not take up too many ces. As the door of the meeting room opened, the executive deputy mayor Zhao Xintian walked in with a calm face. Following him were Li Guohua and then Nie Zhenbang, with Yi Jun carrying a teacup and a notebook right behind him. As the deputy secretary of the city government, Yi Jun had the qualification to be a meeting recorder. Without hesitation, Nie Zhenbang sat in the main seat at the oval conference table. Behind him was a map of Liangxi City. On both sides of the map hung the national g and party g. On the left was Li Guohua, and on the right was Zhao Xintian. Other deputies also took their seats ording to their rank and division of work. In terms of seating arrangement, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t need to worry; even if nobody mentioned it, they would voluntarily arrange their seats ording to their rank. This is one of the unspoken rules within Huaxia¡¯s officialdom. Nie Zhenbang paused before he began to speak slowly. During meetings, tempering and controlling the atmosphere is a skill that a leader must learn and master. At the start of a meeting, there should be a slight time dy to allow attendees to quiet down. It also gives oneself an opportunity to organize their thoughts. However, the dy should not be too long, as it may give the impression of ack ofpetence. Nie Zhenbang, after years of honing his skills, has mastered the perfect bnce. ¡°Comrades, I didn¡¯t expect that our first mayoral office meeting would be held in the evening. It¡¯s quite unconventional,¡± Nie Zhenbang began in a light-hearted and humorous way. His approach was strategic. Despite being only 27 years old, Nie Zhenbang was the leader of people old enough to be his parents, such as Qin Baoqiang and Zhang Keqiang. At times, being too serious could give the impression of arrogance. His casual remark helped to avoid any awkwardness. As experienced people, everyone should adjust their mindset appropriately. Seeing that the tension at the beginning had rxed, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Let¡¯s get to the point. The main purpose of this meeting is to discuss the reform of three major factories in Qingfang City. As we all know, these factories have be a burden on Liangxi City¡¯s path to development. If we liken Liangxi to a human being, then what would these three factories represent on this person?¡± Nie Zhenbang paused here, demonstrating his way of dealing with things: acting thoroughly. He has always despised any half-hearted approach, believing that a wise marshalmands officers, not soldiers. Zhao Xintian, sitting next to him, nodded in agreement. Although he had never worked with Nie Zhenbang before, they seemed to be in seamless harmony, ¡°A malignant tumor.¡± ¡°Exactly. Mayor Zhao made a very apt remark. Although it is somewhat disparaging, it¡¯s also realistic. If Liangxi were a person, then the three factories in Qingfang City would be a malign tumor, a cancer on this person. And we all know what cancer is. If left untreated, people die. Simrly, the problems of the three factories have reached a point where they must be addressed. The factories together owe several hundred million in debt. Almost a hundred million is taken from the city¡¯s finances each year to cover these debts. If this continues, Liangxi¡¯s finances could copse. This is a situation we cannot allow to happen. So, the primary issue of this mayoral meeting is the problems of the three factories in Qingfang City,¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were firm, resonating powerfully. These words also showed the members of the city government another side of Nie Zhenbang. They say a new official kindles three fires when taking office, and Nie Zhenbang had been affable and quiet since assuming office. Could this be the first ¡®fire¡¯ he will start at the city government? Just now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s unequivocal words and his strong belief had stunned everyone. Despite being young, it was clear that the acting mayor was not to be trifled with. Mayor Nie is more than meets the eye. On the sidelines, Li Guohua quickly chimed in, ¡°Mayor Nie¡¯s views are very insightful. The three factories in Qingfang City have perplexed us for many years. With Mayor Nie personally taking the lead, I believe we¡¯re bound for sess.¡± As far as Li Guohua was concerned, restructuring the three factories was a thankless task ¨C even if sessful, it would merely be gilding the lily for Liangxi City¡¯s economic development, hardly a major achievement. However, failure could cause significant unrest. Li Guohua was more than happy to let Nie Zhenbang get bogged down with the issues of Qingfang City. Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang nced casually at Li Guohua. His intent was clear to Nie Zhenbang. However, now wasn¡¯t the time to expose him. Nie Zhenbang nodded and replied, ¡°Vice Mayor Li, there¡¯s no need for ttery. I will naturally pay close attention to the matter of Qingfang City.¡± Having said that, Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Before we discuss the matter of Qingfang City, there¡¯s something else I¡¯d like to discuss ¨C reassignment within the city government. I think it¡¯s time for a change.¡±
Upon hearing this, Li Guohua immediately felt an ominous premonition. It was as if someone had stepped on his tail, ¡°Mayor Nie, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need to discuss work reassignment. Our current assignments are fine as they are,¡± he quickly responded. It was clear that this rearrangement was targeted at him, so it would be strange if Li Guohua didn¡¯t try to stop it. ( Chapter 356 - 856: 812: Sun Jialuo Pays a Visit Chapter 856: Chapter 812: Sun Jialuo Pays a Visit When Nie Zhenbang arrived home, he had just stepped through the door when An Na greeted him at the entrance, taking from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hands his briefcase and coat, and whispered, ¡°Zhenbang, Governor Sun is here.¡± Upon entering the living room, Sun Jialuo had already stood up, smiling, and said, ¡°The governor has returned.¡± Sun Jialuo¡¯s visit this time surely meant that he could not stay put any longer; at this moment, officials throughout the province were privately restless. Following the deaths of Zeng Taiping and Lu Qingyu, Bashu Province¡¯s political scene was thrown into disarray. From the grassroots level, both men had operated in Bashu for many years, with numerous followers and associates under their wing. Their sudden passing was a disaster for those under their influence. The impact at the county and division levels wouldn¡¯t be too significant, but it was far more substantial at the prefecture and bureau levels. Those who were previously under the two men now found themselves likeid-off workers, urgently needing to seek new employment, a new boss. The greatest impact was at the provincial and ministerial level. This mishap left two positions as standingmittee members of the provincial partymittee vacant, as well as one full ministerial post and one deputy ministerial post. Now, anyone in the province remotely qualified to vie for these positions naturally became restless. At such times, who isn¡¯t desperately leveraging connections and seeking patronage? When everyone else is making moves, if you don¡¯t, you fall behind. It is just the way of the system¡ªmiss one step and you¡¯ll miss the next. In such a situation, it was quite normal for Sun Jialuo to have his own thoughts. Looking at Sun Jialuo, Nie Zhenbang managed to deduce something: Sun Jialuo must havee to probe for news. Regardless of the circumstances, he himself was a strong contender for Zeng Taiping¡¯s position. It was a tradition within the system for the governor to seed the party secretary¡ªamon urrence and a logical progression at all levels of partymittees. If he harbored such ambitions, Sun Jialuo naturally would have his sights set on the governor¡¯s position. Waving his hand warmly, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°Old Sun is here, sorry for the inconvenience. I had some engagements and went out for the evening. Let¡¯s go to the study.¡± After ushering Sun Jialuo into the study, Yang Anna soon followed, serving a cup of tea and cing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personal teacup on the coffee table. An Na said, ¡°Zhenbang, Governor Sun, please take your time to talk.¡± Having been born into a family of officials and married to Nie Zhenbang, she was quite adept at the decorum required in official circles. Once Yang Anna left the room, Nie Zhenbang picked up the teacup and leisurely took a sip.
Looking at Sun Jialuo, he then smiled and asked, ¡°Old Sun, something on your mind?¡± Sun Jialuo appeared somewhat embarrassed, nodded slightly, and said with a faint smile, ¡°Governor, does the central government have any specific arrangements or thoughts regarding this incident?¡± As the first high-ranking official to die unexpectedly in peacetime, Zeng Taiping¡¯s case had shocked the nation. There was surprise throughout Bashu Province, and equally, at the central level, there was no doubt a contention brewing about the situation. After a pause, Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile, ¡°Old Sun, you seem a bit anxious. That¡¯s not good. We aren¡¯t in a position to specte about the central government¡¯s attitude and thoughts. Besides, regarding this matter, the upper echelons¡¯ stance remains quite vague. Whether to promote someone within Bashu or to parachute someone from outside, it¡¯s still unknown. I do feel, however, that we can¡¯t let up on our work in Bashu. We must earnestly and meticulously continue our current tasks, as the favorable economic situation has not been easy toe by.¡± Although the conversation seemed purely about work, the implicit message was quite clear. This is the nature of politics¡ªthe higher up one goes, the more distinct the style and method ofmunication bes. At the township level, dialogue and actions are direct¡ªmming the table and cursing duringmittee meetings aremon. If you don¡¯t like someone and they don¡¯t like you, such feelings are almost visible on the faces involved. However, at the county division level, and particrly at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s level, conversations and exchanges be more like solving riddles. The few words spoken just now seemed simple, but in fact, Sun Jialuo was truly trying to find out whether Nie Zhenbang had any aspirations for the secretary position. Of course, Nie Zhenbang also conveyed his stance and attitude clearly. Regarding the position, Nie Zhenbang maintained a calm approach, neither expressing ack of interest nor overt desire. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s message was to focus on economic construction and development. For now, he would not consider this issue. Hearing these words, a fleeting look of disappointment crossed Sun Jialuo¡¯s face. It was entirely normal for Sun Jialuo to harbor such thoughts. Currently, Sun Jialuo was already fifty-nine by the traditional reckoning and the next year would be a major reappointment year. If he couldn¡¯t take advantage of this excellent opportunity to move forward, to cross the gap from deputy ministerial level to full ministerial level, he would have no hope next year. By then, Sun Jialuo could only consider stepping down to the second line, either to the People¡¯s Congress or the Political Consultative Conference. ¡°` However, if he could seed this time, both emotionally and logically, the central government wouldn¡¯t rece a governor who has only been in his senior ministerial position for one year. Moreover, ording to the central government¡¯s regtions, senior ministerial-level officials can postpone retirement until the age of sixty-five. This was indeed Sun Jialuo¡¯sst chance, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Old Sun, rest assured, I will keep this matter in mind. Isn¡¯t there a saying that goes, ¡®If one door shuts, another opens¡¯? Sometimes, surprises do happen.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were profound. He was primarily offeringfort. From an investment point of view, Sun Jialuo¡¯s value had diminished significantly. In terms of age, Sun Jialuo already had no advantage to begin with. The position of a senior ministerial-level official isn¡¯t something that¡¯s given just because someone wants it; theplex entanglements between the different factions mean that if you gain something, you are bound to lose something else in return. For someone younger, perhaps fifty-one or fifty-two years old, who could still serve two or even three terms, that would be a different story. But for just one term, weighing the costs against the benefits was a question worth pondering. Hearing this, Sun Jialuo also became contemtive and stood up, saying, ¡°Governor, it¡¯s gettingte, I won¡¯t disturb your rest anymore.¡± After seeing Sun Jialuo to the door, Nie Zhenbang closed the door. Turning around, An Na had alsoe out of the bedroom and said to him, ¡°Zhenbang, is Sun Jialuo after your position?¡± Nodding, Nie Zhenbang seemed somewhat helpless at the moment, ¡°Yes, with Zeng Taiping gone, now everyone in the province has their eyes on this ce. A tree is stable only when it is still; once it moves, people thrive. If I make a move, it¡¯s inevitable that Li Yunhe will also move. The vacancy that emerges will cause others to move, and consequentially, there will naturally be a chain reaction.¡±
An Na could understand Nie Zhenbang¡¯s feelings very well. She had seen a lot of such situations. It may seem like only one or two positions are being vacated, but if managed skillfully, it involves deep understanding and strategy. For instance, if Nie Zhenbang moved up and Sun Jialuo became governor, the position of executive vice governor would be a promotion for someone below. That person¡¯s vacancy would then also be a promotion opportunity for others. Sighing, An Na expressed her confusion, ¡°Zhenbang, didn¡¯t father discuss this with you? Why don¡¯t you just tell Sun Jialuo the truth straight up?¡± On this matter, Nie Guowei had discussed this issue with Nie Zhenbang during his visit to Bashu, in addition to Yang Shengli, who had specificallymunicated and discussed this with Nie Zhenbang for this purpose. This time, there was no hope left for Nie Zhenbang to be the Party Secretary of Bashu Province. This had already been a consensus. Whether it was Director Shen or Comrade Qiao Yiren, they all shared the same attitude.
Nie Zhenbang was at a disadvantage due to his age. A thirty-eight-year-old taking on the role of a provincial Partymittee¡¯s top leader was something sensational. That was one point. Secondly, Director Shen had ns for Nie Zhenbang, and Bashu Province was not the ultimate destination. After next October¡¯s national party congress transition, Director Shen would retire, and Nie Zhenbang was likely to move beforehand. The specific province was unknown, but it would definitely be a province with distinct characteristics, either a major industrial province, an agricultural powerhouse, or an economically strong province. Assuming the role of Party Secretary now would tie him down, impacting Nie Zhenbang¡¯s prospects of entering Central in the next term. Therefore, for this asion, Nie Zhenbang hadpletely given up any hope. After a pause, Nie Zhenbang smiled bitterly and said, ¡°An Na, it¡¯s not easy to talk about this matter. After all, work still needs to continue. Considering the progress of work, it¡¯s better not to say anything at this time.¡± ¡­ While Nie Zhenbang was worried about how to deal with Sun Jialuo, at that moment, Long Genghua was staying at the Bashu Province Beijing Office hotel. The work Long Genghua had done that day wasn¡¯t very effective. There was a knock on the door, followed by the voice of his secretary Wang Shouzheng, ¡°Secretary, it¡¯s Shouzheng.¡± Hearing Wang Shouzheng¡¯s words, Long Genghua looked up and said, ¡°Come in. The door is unlocked.¡± Upon entering, Wang Shouzheng went straight to the water dispenser, brewed a strong cup of tea for Long Genghua, ced it on the coffee table, and then said, ¡°Secretary, please have some tea. Just now, I received a call from Young Master Li, who wants to meet with you tomorrow evening.¡± Upon hearing Wang Shouzheng¡¯s words, Long Genghua immediately stood up, as this news was like wee rain after a long drought for him. That day, Long Genghua had run into walls everywhere in Jingcheng. Political news spread the fastest in Jingcheng, and while everyone knew why Long Genghua hade, no one dared to speak about it, which had left him feeling disheartened. Suddenly hearing this news, Long Genghua naturally became extremely pleased. He pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Alright, Shouzheng, go ahead and arrange the meeting. Book the best club.¡± ( ¡°`
Chapter 357 - 857: 813: The New Secretary Takes Office Chapter 857: Chapter 813: The New Secretary Takes Office The grand auditorium of the Bashu Provincial Party Committee and Government was packed to capacity, holding over a thousand people. Leaders with the requisite status from various cities and counties in the province, from provincial government agencies, and the capital¡¯s various districts were all seated inside. Today was the day the new Secretary took office. The appointment of the head of the Party Committee is different from that of the head of the government. Thetter requires a process through the People¡¯s Congress, whereas the appointment of the Party Committee is announced directly. There is no possibility of being voted out in this scenario. Under these circumstances, officials across the province naturally wanted to foster good rtions with the new Secretary. Regardless, it was necessary to make asting impression. Seated on the stage was Minister Shi Jiandong from the Organization Department. To Minister Jiandong¡¯s left sat a middle-aged man around fifty-four or fifty-five, wearing sses and appearing cultured and refined. His hair was meticulously styled, and he wore a dark suit with a red striped tie, exuding a schrly air. To the right was Nie Zhenbang, who was sitting upright, his expression stern and calm. With an impassive face, it was impossible to discern Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mentality from his outward appearance. From the corner of his eye, past the intermediary Shi Jiandong, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze settled on the middle-aged man, the newly appointed Secretary. An official of schrly disposition, he boasted dual doctoral degrees, having graduated from the Department of Philosophy at Huaqing University with a PhD in philosophy and another in administrative management. This was a schr-official. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind, he preliminarily categorized the man in this manner. It would be wrong to assume that all schr-officials are bookish and idealistic. At this level, no one could afford to be a fool. To underestimate him would be a definitive mistake. After a pause, Nie Zhenbang tapped the microphone on the table, a gesture reminiscent of the style found in grassroots meetings among township officials. Through the speakers, the tapping sound on the microphone reverberated across the hall. Nie Zhenbang spoke up, ¡°Next, let¡¯s wee Minister Jiandong to read the central government¡¯s appointment and removal decision. A round of apuse, please.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang naturally assumed the role of the host. As he spoke, deafening apuse filled the venue, while Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze swept to the side,nding on Long Genghua. Vice Secretary Long had made the trip to Jingcheng for this position, but in the end, all his efforts were for naught. The disappointment and sense of loss were indescribable. At this moment, the embarrassment was written all over Long Genghua¡¯s face, and his look towards the new Secretary was incrediblyplex.
By now, Shi Jiandong had stood up. Raising both hands, he gestured for calm. The presence of Minister Jiandong was naturally iparable to others. As the leading authority in the national organizational work, he effectively held the lifeblood of China¡¯s officials. His aura emerged naturally. After a moment¡¯s pause, Shi Jiandong spoke gently, ¡°Comrades, entrusted by the central leadership and Director Shen, I havee to Bashu Province once again. First off, I propose that we observe three minutes of silence for Comrades Zeng Taiping and Lu Qingyu.¡± Three minutester, Shi Jiandong continued, ¡°As decided by the central government, Comrade Su Xuan is appointed as a member, standingmittee member, and Secretary of the Bashu Provincial Party Committee.¡± ¡°Comrade Su Xuan has sessively held positions as assistant lecturer, lecturer, and Secretary of the Youth League Committee of the Department of Philosophy at Huaqing University¡­¡± The subsequent narration naturally pertained to the newly appointed Secretary Su Xuan¡¯s credentials. Nie Zhenbang listened closely but furrowed his eyebrows. It would be a mistake to underestimate this Su Xuan. Having experience with Youth League work anding from the same academic background as Director Shen, the simrities were striking. To suggest that there was nothing between Su Xuan and Director Shen would be something even Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t convince himself of. Moreover, Su Xuan¡¯stter political career was quite distinctive. While he could be categorized as a schr-official, this wasn¡¯t entirely urate. As early as his time as a departmental-level official, Su Xuan had already been assigned to external posts, and his tenure in Ludong Province clearly indicated that he was an extraordinarily capable civil servant. Following Shi Jiandong¡¯s introduction, he scanned the audience and swept his gaze over the standingmittee members before speaking in a deep voice, ¡°Comrade Su Xuan is an enlightened and capable new-type civil servant. The organization has carefully considered and weighed the decision to appoint Comrade Su Xuan to seed Comrade Taiping. I believe Comrade Su Xuan will do an excellent job as the team leader, upholding Comrade Taiping¡¯s philosophy and legacy to make Bashu even more beautiful. Now, please wee Comrade Su Xuan to speak.¡± At this juncture, everyone in the auditorium involuntarily shifted in their seats. If Shi Jiandong¡¯s earlier remarks were a mere formality, then Su Xuan¡¯s inaugural speech was the true measure of a leader¡¯s capabilities. Especially since Zeng Taiping¡¯s sudden incident, the cadre he left behind seemed overnight like orphans without parents. Now, with Su Xuan taking office, this was an opportunity for both sides. For Su Xuan, even though he was the new leading figure in the Provincial Committee, as an individual without strong backing, he certainly couldn¡¯t achieve much. As the saying goes, a pnquin needs bearers to be carried; no matter how high your official rank, if no one under you listens, it¡¯s futile. Su Xuan needed to find a breakthrough in his work in Bashu Province. Some officials urgently needed to find a new source of support, which coincided with his own needs. Now, Su Xuan¡¯s inaugural speech was the first direct opportunity to understand and observe whether he was a reliable person. Su Xuan¡¯s demeanor was veryposed. Following the end of Shi Jiandong¡¯s speech, he immediately stood up, his hand casually adjusting the sses on the bridge of his nose. The gold-rimmed sses at this moment seemed to gleam. First, Su Xuan deeply bowed. This gesture was rather normal, signaling a lowering of one¡¯s stance. Arriving in a new ce, unfamiliar with life here, it was quite normal to do so. Then, as he began to speak, Nie Zhenbang felt Su Xuan¡¯s distinctiveness. Su Xuan¡¯s inaugural speech was profound and tactful, not resorting to mere superficial praise. Instead, he gave a substantial appraisal of the current economic development, natural resources, cultural resources, transport, and other aspects of Bashu Province. While seemingly offeringpliments, Su Xuan in fact put forward his own opinions, which were very pertinent. Naturally, as soon as Su Xuan¡¯s speech concluded, the hall erupted with deafening apuse. For Nie Zhenbang, this moment brought mixed feelings. On one hand, Su Xuan seemed quite capable in terms of economic construction, which was good. However, on the other hand, the better he was, the more he could potentially interfere with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ns. ncing at Sun Jialuo next to him, they could both see shock and concern in each other¡¯s eyes. Regaining hisposure, Nie Zhenbang gave Sun Jialuo a steadying look before he stood up and announced that the meeting was adjourned. Nie Zhenbang approached Shi Jiandong and Su Xuan, smiling, and said, ¡°Minister Jiandong, wee once again to Bashu. Secretary Su, wee to your new post. With Secretary Zeng Taiping¡¯s sudden departure, Bashu Province was like a leaderless dragon. Now with Secretary Su¡¯s arrival, Bashu has found its backbone.¡± Pausing for a moment, he continued, ¡°Minister Jiandong, Secretary Su. The provincial government has prepared a banquet, on the one hand, to thank the Central Government for its attention, to express our gratitude to Minister Jiandong for his support for the work in Bashu Province, and also to wee Secretary Su.¡± Before Shi Jiandong could respond, Su Xuan smiled and said, ¡°Governor Zhenbang, you are too kind. I am grateful for the enthusiasm and praise from allrades. Your reputation precedes you, Governor Zhenbang. With you here, Bashu will not descend into chaos.¡±
Turning to Shi Jiandong, Su Xuan added, ¡°Minister Jiandong, a humble drink, a small token of appreciation. I hope you will grace us with your presence.¡± Shi Jiandongughed heartily and said, ¡°Among all the provinces in the country, I am most at ease at a Bashu Province¡¯s banquet. Comrade Zhenbang is the pioneer of the ¡®Three Public¡¯ expenses regtion, please, Secretary Su.¡± ¡°Governor, Su Xuan is no simple character. With just a few words, he effortlessly turned the tables from guest to host. It seems that Su Xuan isn¡¯t as easy to talk to as his appearance suggests,¡± said Sun Jialuo as he and Pan Jianzhang approached Nie Zhenbang, watching Su Xuan leading Shi Jiandong out first. Nie Zhenbang too was deep in thought. The sharpness disyed by Su Xuan was quite out of the ordinary. The remark about with Nie Zhenbang around, chaos was averted¡ªwas that an admonition, a reminder, or a genuinepliment? The underlying meaning was worth pondering and savoring.
Additionally, the exchange between Su Xuan and Shi Jiandong in just a few sentences had shifted him from a guest being received to the master of Bashu. This tactic had also left Nie Zhenbang somewhat shaken. This man was extraordinarily shrewd. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang said softly, ¡°Let¡¯s watch and see how things unfold.¡± Such a high-level banquet,pared to those for department or county officials,cked a lot of the vulgarities of the marketce. When it came to toasting, it was all moderate sipping. After all, this was just a lunch banquet, and everyone had to work in the afternoon. Being drunk would harm one¡¯s image. The meal proceeded with Su Xuan¡¯s witty conversation, refreshing the members of the Standing Committee. The luncheon naturally concluded with both hosts and guests in high spirits. In the afternoon, Shi Jiandong drove off to the airport to leave Bashu, and a group of people, after seeing Shi Jiandong onto his ne, returned to their offices. This time, Su Xuan¡¯s arrival had made a significant impact on Nie Zhenbang. Rather than saying that Nie Zhenbang was evaluating Su Xuan, it would be more urate to say that he was deliberating over Director Shen¡¯s intentions. By arranging Su Xuan¡¯s appointment and leaving the position of Provincial Party Secretary vacant, the organization had clearly shown its support, leaving the choice to Su Xuan, bringing temptation with this opportunity. In hand, Su Xuan appeared to have a good fishing rod and bait. ( Chapter 358: 349: Mayor Nie’s Speech_1 Chapter 358: Chapter 349: Mayor Nie¡¯s Speech_1 Huang Jiang talked to himself without avoiding his secretary, who was co-piloting. Huang Jiang¡¯s secretary, Liu Qinghe, turned his head and asked, ¡°Secretary, since you know, why don¡¯t you¡­?¡± Huang Jiang cut him off before he could finish. At this moment, a helpless expression appeared on Huang Jiang¡¯s face. He said in a solemn voice: ¡°Qinghe, this kind of talk, we shouldn¡¯t discuss it in the future. Yes, I am the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee. However, within the municipal government, there is also a deputy mayor responsible for the public security, the political and legal system, and the armed police force. As a force of violence, without the support of the first and second inmand, my power will naturally be constrained. This is inevitable.¡± After a pause, Huang Jiang continued: ¡°Furthermore, with Chen Le, the mayor¡¯s confidant, in charge of the Public Security Bureau, it is only a matter of time. Rather than fighting to the end and gaining nothing, it would be better to go with the flow and lend a helping hand. At least, I can gain some favor here.¡± Liu Qinghe, who wasn¡¯t new to the role of secretary, understood Huang Jiang¡¯s point as soon as it was mentioned. He continued the conversation and said, ¡°Secretary, now I understand. However, does Mayor Nie have the power and ability to challenge Secretary Fan and Mayor Li Guohua?¡± At this moment, a profound and inscrutable smile appeared on Huang Jiang¡¯s face. If he was worried before, but now, in view of the re-division of tasks within the city government, Huang Jiang felt full of confidence in Nie Zhenbang. By suppressing Li Guohua, he was able to gain a win-win situation. Consequently, other leaders within the city government naturally leaned towards Nie Zhenbang. This strategy of coercion and absorption is not like anything an ordinary person can execute. Especially when Nie Zhenbang dares to do this without removing the ceholder, it must be a calcted move. On a deeper level, Nie Zhenbang is holding the winning ace. It is only a five-stop bus distance from the city government to the Public Security Bureau. This short distance, for a motorcade, only takes a blink of an eye. The motorcade streamed in and drove grandly through the gate of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau. At this moment, the leaders of the bureau, led by Chen Le, the partymittee secretary and director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, were all present and standing at the entrance. At the forefront was naturally Chen Le, next to him, a man in his fifties, Ouyang Changqing, the politicalmissar of the Public Security Bureau, followed by the five deputy directors of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Liangxi City is a big, strong economy city, and it is normal for the Municipal Public Security Bureau to have five deputy directors. As an old subordinate loyal to Nie Zhenbang, Chen Le was very clear about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s style. No matter where he inspected, Nie Zhenbang has always disliked making a spectacle. If everyone in the bureau was gathered, it would probably provoke a scolding from Nie Zhenbang. At this moment, this weing ceremony was very apt. The bureau leaders were all present, dignified without causing too muchmotion, and wouldn¡¯t give people the feeling of disrupting their work.
As soon as he got out of the car, Nie Zhenbang saw Chen Le and others standing at the door and revealed a slight smile on his face. It seemed that his old subordinates understood him well. As Nie Zhenbang, Huang Jiang, and Jin Aihua got out of the car one after another, Chen Le and Ouyang Changqing also came to greet them. With a standard salute, Chen Le said in a powerful tone: ¡°Mayor, Secretary Huang, Mayor Jin, wee to our bureau for inspection and guidance.¡± Jin Aihua, new to the position overseeing police and legal affairs, was not familiar with this area. He merely nodded in acknowledgement as a greeting. At this moment, Huang Jiang smiled and said, ¡°Director Chen, we are, in fact, schoolmates. However, you are an authentic graduate of the Huaxia Police University. Ie from a different path, havingpleted a correspondence bachelor¡¯s degree at the Police University in the 1980s. I should call you ¡®junior¡¯. From now on, we will rely on you to support our municipal public security system.¡± Huang Jiang¡¯s words expressed a tant attempt to curry favor. Of course, he was not trying to win over Chen Le, but Nie Zhenbang. This was clear to Nie Zhenbang, Chen Le, and Jin Aihua. Huang Jiang¡¯s words served to support Chen Le. With Huang Jiang¡¯s full support, it would greatly help Chen Le to clean up the system within the Public Security Bureau. Nie Zhenbang nced around and saw that two of the people in the crowd looked quite unhappy, one was Guo Zhenbao, and the other was Luo Jiahua. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang gained some understanding. These two were likely part of Li Guohua¡¯s circle. A standing deputy director and a deputy director in charge of finances and logistics. Li Guohua¡¯s methods were indeed extraordinary. If it were not for someone like Chen Le, anyone else would have to stand in awe of these two. Then, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Huang, Director Chen. Let¡¯s not block the traffic at the entrance any longer. Let¡¯s go to the conference room to listen to the work report from therades of the Public Security Bureau.¡± Naturally, no one would refute Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposal. One by one, they filed into the Public Security Bureau office building. At this moment, despite it being daytime, the lights were fully lit in therge conference room located on the ninth floor of the office building. The entire Public Security Bureau office building consisted of ten floors, with the ¡°110¡±mand center of Liangxi City located at the very top. The eighth floor housed the offices of various Bureau leaders, while the entirety of the ninth floor was arranged as meeting rooms, bothrge and small. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang took his ce in the seat of honor in the center. Huang Jiang and Liu Weijun sat to his left while Jin Aihua and Yi Jun sat on his right. Although Yi Jun also served as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personal secretary, he was nevertheless the Deputy Secretary-General of the Municipal Government. When apanying leaders on inspections, he was also considered as municipal leadership. On the sides, the leaders of the Public Security Bureau took their seats. After surveying everyone present, Nie Zhenbang raised his hand and signaled, ¡°Director Chen, you are the headmaster of the Public Security Bureau. Why don¡¯t you personally report on the Bureau¡¯s work?¡± Given that he was there to lend Chen Le his support, Nie Zhenbang was rather straightforward in his objectives and stance. Throughout the inspection, he constantly highlighted Chen Le¡¯s unique qualities, making it clear to everyone within the citywide public security system that Director Chen has an impressive background. This was a tremendous help to Chen Le¡¯s control over the public security system. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Chen Le nodded and in a deep voice said, ¡°Mayor Nie, Secretary Huang, Mayor Jin, and all leaders andrades, in response to the current economic development, and to the work of public security under new circumstances, we, at the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, heeding the spirit of Secretary Dong¡¯s speech at the end ofst year, took the lead across the province, and even the nation, in implementing five prohibitions within the Liangxi City public security system. Since the prohibitions were put in ce, a total of thirteen cases of disciplinary vitions within public security have been uncovered, and 26 ountable individuals have been penalized. The overall discipline of our public security officers has greatly improved. Simultaneously, we have added equipment and vehicles, and pioneered the establishment of the ¡®110¡¯mand center within the national public security system. We have worked to ensure unified police dispatch and allocation. Within the city public security system, we have set hard indicators, striving to have police on the scene within five minutes in urban areas, and within ten minutes in suburban and rural areas. The city¡¯s public security environment has significantly improved¡­¡± The series of measures surprised even Nie Zhenbang. Chen Le proved to be quite an extraordinary character when it came to public security work, introducing many groundbreaking initiatives. In the end, Chen Le concluded, ¡°We are grateful to the Municipal Party Committee, the municipal government, Mayor Nie, Secretary Huang, and other municipal leaders for their care and support for our public security work. On behalf of all personnel within the Liangxi City public security front, I promise our leaders that we have both the confidence and the determination to ensure peace and promote development.¡± As soon as Chen Le finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang was the first to apud. Since the Mayor had apuded, naturally, others wouldn¡¯t withhold their pping. Besides, it wouldn¡¯t do to be the only one not pping when even the mayor apuded. That would be like stepping on one¡¯s own foot or directly defying the mayor. After a round of apuse, Nie Zhenbang raised his hands and pressed down a bit, and the hall immediately quieted down. Everyone knew that the Mayor was about to speak. Nie Zhenbang contemted for a moment before he spoke, ¡°After listening to therades from the Municipal Public Security Bureau¡¯s report, I feel very happy and reassured. Liangxi City is a strong economic city in Jiangbei Province. Nationally, it is ranked among the top three prefecture-level cities. This is an honor for Liangxi City and for all of you present here. In the current new economic environment and situation, how to maintain the purity and integrity of the public security system is an issue that everyone here, as well as the Municipal Party Committee and municipal government need to consider.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze swept over Guo Zhenbao, the executive deputy director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, and deputy director Luo Jiahua, before continuing, ¡°Under the premise of the current thriving economy, preventing corruption, maintaining the integrity and self-discipline of the public security team, preventing collusion between police and criminals, these are all issues that we need to seriously consider. Harmonious rtions between the police and the people are also something we must achieve.¡±
At present, the people of Liangxi City still have concerns about the city¡¯s public security environment. Many residents believe that theft is still a serious issue. This is a difficult problem that baffles police officers nationwide. Although the crackdown has curbed this trend to some extent, it is not enough. In my opinion, it is necessary for the Liangxi City public security system to carry out another such crackdown to deter crime and enhance the sense of security among the people, thereby making a due contribution to our city¡¯s economic construction. Having said this, Nie Zhenbang changed his tone, concluding, ¡°Comrade Chen Le, a nationally outstanding police officer and excellent grassroots cadre from the Xibei Autonomous Region public security system, is top-notch in terms of ideological awareness and work ability. I hope that the leadership team of the Municipal Public Security Bureau can rally closely around Comrade Chen Le and unite as a team, so they can make their own contribution to the economic construction and development of Liangxi City, and to the public security andw enforcement work in Liangxi City.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s concluding remarks were squarely aimed at rallying support for Chen Le. Upon hearing this, the facial expressions of the several deputy directors varied. Some appeared contemtive while Guo Zhenbao, the executive deputy director, and Deputy Director Luo Jiahua seemed quite unhappy. The current situation was clear, Chen Le¡¯s control over the Public Security Bureau was now unstoppable. (
Chapter 359: 350 National Bug_1 Chapter 359: Chapter 350 National Bug_1 Following his visit to the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Nie Zhenbang did not eat there. Instead, he returned to hiskeside vi located in the Dahuhu District of Liangxi City to enjoy a warm family lunch. Unlike his time in Xinli City of the Xibei Autonomous Region, Dong Wan and Li Lixue now lived together openly after he and Yang Anna had confirmed their marital rtionship. This was a strategy of Nie Zhenbang; acting secretively would only arouse suspicion. Now, others would merely see Dong Wan and Li Lixue as Anna¡¯s friends, never considering anything beyond that. Moreover, Li Lixue¡¯s belly was noticeably growing, which meant Nie Zhenbang needed to invest more time in his family. At two in the afternoon, as Nie Zhenbang started his work, Yi Jun walked in, whispering, ¡°Mayor, Director Liu Kunshan from the Land and Resources Bureau is here. What do you think¡­?¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s announcement, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. He had just settled into his office when Liu Kunshan arrived, it seemed Liu had been waiting outside the municipal government office for him. Nie Zhenbang was not averse to reports from his junior officials. Juniors reporting their work to seniors, seeking guidance, was standard. Moreover, as the saying goes, ¡°it takes more than one to seed in anything¡±. Being new to this city, he indeed needed a group of subordinates who could follow his orders, if not his confidants. If he failed to leave the government building, things would not go well. Soon after, Nie Zhenbang nodded in agreement, ¡°Let Director Liue in.¡± Liu Kunshan appeared to be around forty-five, which was not young among bureau-level officials. He was not especially tall, at about 1.7 meters, but he was notable. His thick eyebrows, coupled with his balding scalp, made it hard not to remember him. He walked in wearing a ck jacket with fur cor, carrying a ck briefcase. Upon entering, Liu Kunshan nodded, slightly bowed and said, ¡°Mayor, I appreciate your time amidst your busy schedule. I would like to report about the work of the Liangxi City Land and Resources Bureau.¡± His voice was somewhat trembling, and sweat was visible on his forehead. These signs of nervousness somewhat pleased Nie Zhenbang. As they say, fear should be nurtured constantly. Especially in a department like Land and Resources, in economically fast-growing regions like Liangxi city. The opportunities to make money are massive for the person leading this department. Although the notoriousnd-based economic development was not evident during this era, it was gradually emerging in Liangxi city. This could be seen from the rapidly developing modern neighborhoods and the variousmercial real estate advertisements. In such a key functional department, maintaining such an attitude was essential. Otherwise, once a problem arises, it would not be a small issue. A slight smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face, he was rxed and casual. He waved his hand pointing towards the sofa and said, ¡°Director Liu, please sit down. As they say, it is hard to detain a standing guest. Let¡¯s talk about your work while seated.¡±
Liu Kunshan nodded his head, showing a thin smile, then sat down. Taking notice of his seating position, half seated, amon posture when giving a report within the system. This habit seems to have be amonly used tactic within the system. But why sit halfway down? It is not necessarily to show respect to superiors. The halfway seated position is, in essence, the same as standing. This posture is ufortable, but it continually reminds you of the asion. Furthermore, if the leader bes dissatisfied or angry, you can stand up immediately, not giving the leader a sense of dy. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and waved his hand saying, ¡°Director Liu, you might not know me well. There¡¯s no need for these old routines. Sitfortably. It¡¯s ufortable sitting like that while doing a work report. Just be sure to give a good work report. I don¡¯t appreciate such formalities.¡± His words eased Liu Kunshan¡¯s expression, and a hint of joy appeared on his face. When talking with leaders, understanding their thoughts is crucial. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words conveyed two implications. The first was that he wasn¡¯t considering any changes to Liu Kunshan¡¯s bureau director position; Liu could work as director adequately. His position was secure. The second was emphasizing the requirement for practical work attitudes and results, not bureaucratic jargon. Subsequently, Liu Kunshan nodded, carefully ced his briefcase aside, and pulled out a ck notebook from the bag, cing it beside his thigh. He began, ¡°Mayor,st year, our Land and Resources Bureau leased 12,000 acres ofnd by adopting abination of bidding, auctioning, and listing. This resulted in nearly two billion RMB fromnd transfer funds¡­¡± ¡°Director Kunshan, in terms ofnd transfer, the Land and Resources department must maintain stringent control. We should learn from the relocation standards and practices of Northwest Xinli City in terms of the resettlement andpensation of demolition households. We must firmly put a stop to forcible demolition or violent eviction. When nning thend, we must take into ount the current scale of the city and future development needs. Strictly review the qualifications of eachpany to prevent swindles urring.¡± Nie Zhenbang was quite satisfied with Liu Kunshan¡¯s report. By the end of it, he had already begun to address him with the more affectionate ¡®Director Kunshan¡¯. Liu Kunshan never referred to his notes during the entire report. He spoke smoothly and confidently about policies and regtions rted tond and resources, demonstrating that he undoubtedly waspetent and knowledgeable. This was one of the reasons Nie Zhenbang valued him. As for his following words, frankly speaking, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t particrly familiar with the guiding work of the Land and Resources Department. However, remaining silent or not expressing his thoughts was not an option; that would make him look like a leader without any capability. In the end, based on some of the issues Nie Zhenbang encountered in hisnd administration work, he overall summarizes and puts forward requirements. For Liu Kunshan, however, the summary was extraordinary. Mayor Nie really lived up to his reputation. With this in mind, Liu Kunshan was even more convinced of his decision to ally himself. Immediately thereafter, Liu Kunshan stood up and said, ¡°Rest assured, Mayor, upon my return, I will convene an internal meeting within the city¡¯snd administration system. We will thoroughly study your speech and guidance, striving to take our city¡¯snd administration work to the next level.¡± Subsequently, Liu Kunshan left and the Deputy Mayor of Dahu District, Jiang Yutai, entered with Yi Jun¡¯s guidance. Nie Zhenbang did not have a very good impression of Jiang Yutai. Jiang Yutai always seemed to talk big. ¡°Mayor, in Dahu District, we n to allocate arge piece ofnd along the banks of the Dahu River this year as an expansion of our urban area. At the same time, we are initially nning to bring in severalrge paper manufacturingpanies.¡± Jiang Yutai said confidently. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face turned grim. Having paper manufacturingpanies by theke, one could imagine that all the fish and shrimp in theke would be extinct within a few years. Furthermore, from what Nie Zhenbang understood, Jiang Yutai, who was in charge of agriculture and water resources, had nothing to do with the economy. The purpose of his visit seemed to be one thing: to curry favor. Everyone knew that Nie Zhenbang was a master in economics, having obtained a master¡¯s degree in the field. If he appreciated their work on economic development, their careers would undoubtedly skyrocket. However, Jiang Yutai overlooked Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character. With a slight frown, Nie Zhenbang rested his hands t on the office desk. When Jiang Yutai finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang waved his hand, ¡°Comrade Jiang Yutai, let¡¯s wrap up today¡¯s meeting. I have other things to attend to. We can continue this some other time.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, a trace of embarrassment spread across Jiang Yutai¡¯s face. At this moment, Jiang Yutai came to his senses and looked crestfallen, probably realizing that his ttery had missed the mark. He could only stand up to bid farewell and leave. Under the circumstances, he wouldn¡¯t dare confront Nie Zhenbang. The mayor had implicitly indicated his dismissal, so staying would only leave a worse impression. After Jiang Yutai had left, Liu Kunshan, the Secretary of the Guicheng District Committee, walked in, arranged by Yi Jun.
As soon as Liu Kunshan entered the room, Nie Zhenbang stood up before Liu Kunshan could speak and greeted him with a smile. ¡°Comrade Liu Kunshan is here. Please have a seat. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you from Secretary He Dingbang. You¡¯ve done an excellent job in Guicheng District.¡± The old saying goes, ¡°Receive a plum in return for a peach given.¡± Liu Kunshan wasn¡¯t a fool. He knew that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s politeness was mainly due to his respect for the old Secretary, He Dingbang. Without Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approval, Liu wouldn¡¯t receive such courtesies in future. With a smile, Liu Kunshan replied, ¡°Mr. Mayor, sorry for beingte. Sincest year, the issues of helping the factories in Qingfang City have given us a headache in Guicheng District¡¯s Committee and Government. Unexpectedly, it has caused trouble for you. It¡¯s our negligence.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbangughed heartily and waved his hand. ¡°Secretary Liu, don¡¯t be too hard on yourself. You and yourmittee yed a significant role in handling the Qingfang City issues. The three factories of Qingfang city fall directly under the municipal state-owned enterprises. You have done quite well to achieve such a result.¡±
After some cordial exchanges, both discussed the affairs of Qingfang City. As the Secretary of the Guicheng District, Liu Kunshan was familiar with the matters of Qingfang City and served as a good channel for understanding the situation. After discussing Qingfang City¡¯s matter, Liu Kunshan suddenly changed the subject: ¡°Mayor, there¡¯s one thing, and I¡¯m not sure if I should mention it.¡± This caught Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attention. If Liu Kunshan mentioned it, it must be significant. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang seriously responded, ¡°Of course, you may speak freely here, and share whatever you know.¡± Liu Kunshan deliberated for a while, seemingly making a significant decision, exining, ¡°Mayor, as far as I know, the problem with Qingfang City probably stems from the leadership team. Based on what I understand, the leaders of the three factories likely have significant issues.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was only left with one thought in his mind ¡ª parasites of the nation!(.) Chapter 360: 351: The Bet_1 Chapter 360: Chapter 351: The Bet_1 Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have much doubt about Lu Wu¡¯s words. First of all, Lu Wu was the Secretary of the Guicheng District, whose position, although also a county level, was much more powerful than the heads of the three factories in Qingfang City. On this point, Lu Wu was not suspected of framing or jealousy. Secondly, Lu Wu was also an old party member and a leader. He knew what could be said and what should not be said. If it was just spection, Lu Wu would not be so sure. Lu Wu must have some information in hand, which made him so bold in his statements. Even Lu Wu said it was a big problem, the issue would certainly be not small. After a slight hesitation, Nie Zhenbang made a decision, knowing how delicate the situation was. Chaos could not erupt from Qingfang City¡¯s three factories. The workers at these factories were like a giant powder keg, already on the brink of explosion. His promise was like a bucket of water that had temporarily dyed the timing of ignition. However, what the workers were waiting for was his promise. Only when the promise is fulfilled, the anger of everyone would be quenched. If the leadership issues of the three factories were publicly exposed at this time, the most likely oue would be the immediate explosion of the powder keg. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang raised his head and said to Lu Wu: ¡°Secretary Lu, I will not say much. For now, it is not the time to make the issues of Qingfang City public. All things, wait for my news.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang had an expression on his face that was extremely resolute and he reaffirmed: ¡°Under my watch, I absolutely will not tolerate or allow such things to happen.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang talk, Lu Wu felt a sense of conviction arise in him. He didn¡¯t know why he felt this way before a leader younger than him. In truth, this was the charm of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personality. In his two-plus years in Xinli City, Nie Zhenbang influenced a group of people, and so, despite his departure, Xinli City was still able to continue to develop efficiently and honestly. Now, the same was true of Liangxi City. Gradually, people have been subtly influenced. ¡­ The next day was the deadline set by Nie Zhenbang for Li Guohua for the n to restructure Qingfang City. On this day, Li Guohua must hand it over to Nie Zhenbang. In the morning, Nie Zhenbang inspected the Liangxi City Environmental Protection Bureau with Vice Mayor Shi Hongbo, city leader Liu Weijun and Yi Jun apanying him. A TV crew from Liangxi City TV station followed him for the whole time, along with journalists from the Liangxi Daily. After listening to the work report of the leaders of the environmental protection bureau and carefully inquiring about environmental protection work, Nie Zhenbang emphasized the importance of environmental protection in the meeting and made a speech on ¡°Promoting Economic Development and Building a New Green City¡±. He pointed out that under the current situation of economic development, the environmental department should also do its own work better. This speech, however, was like a breath of fresh air, somehow out of ce. In this era, throughout the country, the focus was on economy and development. Environmental protection was a department that was overlooked during this period. In the afternoon, just as he was starting work, Yi Jun came in and whispered, ¡°Mayor, Vice Mayor Li is here and he seems pretty calm. What do you think?¡± [He had] to meet [him], that was certain. Since Li Guohua hade as scheduled, if he did not meet with him at this time, it would be said that Vice Mayor Li had done a good job with the n, but the mayor refused to meet him, and the responsibility would be big. Nie Zhenbang would not do such a thing.
Immediately, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment, then stood up and said, ¡°Let him in.¡± Yi Jun had just left when Nie Zhenbang also walked out from behind his desk. At this time, Nie Zhenbang had calcted very well. Practically, by the time Li Guohua would push the door open, he would have walk to the center of the office. This way, it wouldn¡¯t give an impression of arrogance. As soon as he saw Li Guohua, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Vice Mayor Li is here, please sit.¡± Although the words were polite, they gave off a sense of insurmountable distance. Li Guohua, having the capability to sense this, also smiled and said: ¡°Mayor Nie, I came here specifically to report on the Qingfang City issue.¡± As Li Guohua said this, he clearly disyed an official business-like expression, and moreover, from his tone leaked a distant feeling. The long-standing enmity between Li Guohua and himself, their simr backgrounds, both having fatal ws; one having Western overseas experience, the other with Commission for Discipline Inspection work experience, both were like half a dozen of one and six of the other. They were destined to be adversaries and there was no chance for reconciliation. So then, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°The affairs regarding the three factories in Qingfang City are of the utmost importance. It concerns the overall stability of our city. Vice Mayor Li has conducted long-term research in this area and is now in charge of this matter. I believe you already have a suitable n. I can¡¯t wait to see your n.¡± The atmosphere between the two was quite awkward. They had already shed, albeit not openly. At this moment, Li Guohua didn¡¯t say much. He pulled out a document and handed it over, then fell silent. Nie Zhenbang took the document, around forty pages in total. The title on the cover read ¡°About the reform n for the textile industry in Liangxi City¡±. Nie Zhenbang read it meticulously, almost word for word. After approximately fifty minutes, he finally looked up. On the surface, Nie Zhenbang showed no strong emotion, but inside he was analyzing. To be fair, Li Guohua waspetent in economic construction and development. Over the past few years, Liangxi City¡¯s economy had developed rapidly and surpassed Jiangzhou to be the top performer in Jiangbei Province. This wasrgely due to Li Guohua. Several globally renowned corporations had set up in the city thanks to Li Guohua¡¯s influence. In terms ofworking and ability, Li Guohua was very strong. However, Nie Zhenbang had different views on the reforms for Qingfang City. ording to Li Guohua¡¯s n, the three factories in Qingfang City would undergo an asset merger and restructure. The city government would invest one hundred million, along with thebined one thousand acres ofnd, factory buildings, equipment, and technical patents from the three factories to hold fifty-five percent of the shares. The remaining forty-five percent would be open for foreign investment. The n offered to buy out worker¡¯s years of service and reassign jobs. The remaining employees would be retrained and assessed. Advanced foreign production lines would be imported, and they would form a new Liangxi Textile Group to revitalize Qingfang City. This n was good, indeed a good n. But, from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s perspective, there were still shorings. He shook his head and sighed in his heart. Li Guohua was capable, but he was always too ostentatious. The n didn¡¯t take into ount the interests of ordinary workers of the three factories in Qingfang City. In other words, what Li Guohua did were major undertakings. Investment, foreign capital introduction, and importing new production lines were all considerable tasks. However, Nie Zhenbang had doubts about the benefits these actions would bring. Further, he bluntly stated that such baseless merger and reform, without market-based adjustments to the production direction, could possibly burden Liangxi City with an enormous load. The three factories might consume tens of millions a yearbined, but once merged, the losses could spiral into the hundreds of millions, or even billions, annually. After some contemtion, Nie Zhenbang slowly said: ¡°Deputy Mayor Li, your n is generally good. However, when ites to introducing foreign capital, I personally believe that it should be handled cautiously. We must galvanize the enthusiasm of the workers from the three factories. I think we could consider stock participation by the employees. They could be shareholders in the new enterprise, which would give them a personal stake and also help to alleviate their anxieties.¡± After saying this, he suggested that since the three factories were essentially adjacent to each other, by just knocking down a few walls they could be connected. This was not an issue, but having such a vast area ofnd was wasteful. Nie Zhenbang proposed that five hundred acres of thend near the center of the bustling main ess road of Guicheng District could be earmarked for the Light Spinning Group Real Estate Company to develop real estate. This could be a test for the renewal and rejuvenation of the old city and the old factories. For production, Nie Zhenbang also offered his opinion: they should base decisions on the market, conduct a full investigation, and use existing machinery to produce products that are in short supply in the market, rather than blindly introducing new types of equipment, making the best use of limited funds. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s remarks, Li Guohua¡¯s face darkened. An extremely conceited person, Li Guohua considered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approaches to be trivial and indicative of a petty mindset which would not lead to any substantial development. In his view, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strategies would elerate Qingfang City¡¯s demise. However, as Nie Zhenbang was now in charge, there was little Li Guohua could say. Additionally, Li Guohua was more than happy to see Nie Zhenbang fail and make a fool of himself. Li Guohua retorted with a cold hum: ¡°Mayor Nie, since you insist, I won¡¯t say more. Regarding this matter, I reserve my objections. But I think we should solicit the workers¡¯ opinions.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and replied: ¡°Well, take your n as it is and present it. Then I will develop a new n based on your blueprint. We¡¯ll show these two proposals to Qingfang City¡¯s employees and let the public decide. What do you think about that?¡±
Li Guohua¡¯s eyebrows rose. Was this a challenge or gamble of sorts? Did he think this was some remote area in the Xibei Autonomous Region? The people in a developed economic area, she thought, were broad-minded and worldly. Thinking along those lines, Li Guohua was looking forward to Nie Zhenbang making a fool of himself and promptly agreed: ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll go ording to Mayor Nie¡¯s suggestion, and let everything be determined by the people¡¯s choice.¡± ( Chapter 361: 352: Nie Zhenbang’s Rage_1 Chapter 361: Chapter 352: Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Rage_1 After Nie Zhenbang and Li Guohua had privately agreed on the stakes, the next day arrived, which was also the third day of the promise that Nie Zhenbang had made to the workers of the three factories in Qingfang City. Early in the morning. Many workers from the three factories had already gathered at the main gate, numbering in the hundreds, once again making Qingfang City the focus of everyone¡¯s attention. Surrounding them, many citizens stopped to watch from a distance. Whispers spread amongst them: ¡°Looks like the workers from the textile factories can¡¯t sit still again.¡± The reference to ¡®textile factories¡¯ is a broad term the old locals in Guicheng District used for the Spinning Factory and Cotton Spinning Factory. It¡¯s just like the way these three factories are referred to as Qingfang City by the municipal government. ¡°Brother Jiangsheng, what¡¯s going on? It¡¯s already eight o¡¯clock. Why hasn¡¯t Mayor Niee yet? These officials, they¡¯re not conning us again, are they?¡± As time went on, the workers, who had been waiting since six-thirty in the morning, were getting impatient. Waiting is one of the most patience-testing things. Some people already couldn¡¯t hold on. Brother Jiangsheng, whose full name is Huang Jiangsheng, is native to Ludong. The big and sturdy fellow¡¯s parents were cadres who had moved down south. They relocated here and gave birth to him here, hence he was named Huang Jiangsheng. Huang Jiangsheng is about forty years old. He¡¯s unquestionably skilled in his job at the unit. However, because he¡¯s very outspoken, after twenty years, he remains an ordinary worker. Surveying the crowd, Huang Jiangsheng was very clear that these people were all struggling. Every household was barely making ends meet. Many families of three generations were crammed into two-room ts, less than fifty square meters in size. In fact, everyone was pushed to the brink, hence their actions now. Looking at the street entrance, Huang Jiangsheng bellowed, ¡°Fellow workers, keep waiting. Mayor Nie promised to be here at nine. I believe he won¡¯t break his promise. Judging by his face, Mayor Nie isn¡¯t that kind of person.¡± Just as he finished speaking, a female voice echoed from within the crowd, ¡°Jiangsheng, since when can you read faces? If you can, why not quit working and set up a fortune-telling stall? That¡¯ll be much better than this half-dead factory of ours.¡± ¡°Here theye! They¡¯re here!¡± At that moment, someone amidst the crowd pointed towards the front and shouted loudly. Looking in the direction of the pointing finger, there were several police cars with shing lights clearing the way and a convoy was driving in.
Although today was the day for Nie Zhenbang to address the workers of Qingfang City, the government, including Nie Zhenbang himself, didn¡¯t show any signs of ckening. Despite his confidence in his own n, Nie Zhenbang had his own fears. After all, what if these workers proved short-sighted and impatient, and rejected his proposal? If they caused a stir and that reached the ears of the provincialmittee, his political career would be over. Therefore, necessary precautions and preparations were in ce. However, the few police cars added were just for show, with less than ten officers, mainly to y a protective role. The majority were in-clothes officers, arranged by Chen Le around the area, ready to intervene if a situation arose. Following the police cars, a car with the citymittee¡¯s number two license te, an Audi with the te ¡°Jiang B ¨C 00002¡± pulled over. Behind it was the city¡¯s executive deputy mayor, Li Guohua¡¯s car, te number ¡°Jiang B ¨C 00006¡±. As soon as Nie Zhenbang, Li Guohua, along with the municipal government secretary-general Liu Weijun, Guicheng District Party Secretary Lu Wu, and District Mayor Xiong Chuxun got out of the car, the workers who had been waiting here immediately began shouting loudly. ¡°Mayor Nie, we have been eagerly awaiting your arrival.¡± ¡°Mayor, wemoners desperately need a way to survive.¡± ¡°Mayor, the Spinning Factory can¡¯t copse. My whole family depends on my small sry to make a living.¡± All kinds of shouts rose and fell in waves. In summary, they all meant the same thing. We are unwilling to part with our jobs. Nie Zhenbang was fully aware of these workers¡¯ intentions. Although he hadn¡¯t directly dealt with such issues in his past life, he had read numerous news reports onid-off workers finding new jobs. The greatest struggles theseid-off workers faced were the fear and helplessness about the future. They were probably experts in their line of work, but once they were forced to leave their posts and rely on themselves, they felt they had no real skills and were unfit for society. This was helpless agony. All he could do now was to guide them, care for them and support them through government resources, hoping that this painful period would pass quickly, allowing these workers to stand up again and face a new life. Nie Zhenbang confidently stepped forward, making his way to the front of the crowd. He saw the police officers standing in his way. As he walked towards them with a smile, he noticed their ID badges hanging from their uniforms. He said with a smile, ¡°Comrade Zhang Li, could you step aside a little? I believe that our people are reasonable. We should not let an invisible barrier separate the officials from the masses. Today, we bare our hearts and make our views openly. We will not retreat until the subsequent issues affecting the tens of thousands of workers in Qingfang City are properly resolved.¡± The words of Nie Zhenbang received an overwhelming approval from the workers. The rtionship between the Party and the masses, and between officials and the people, has always been a major principle of our Party. However, with the economic development, the maintenance and construction of such reciprocities have increasingly be formalized. Leaders travel with police escorts, local governments clear the way, their inspection trips in all parts of the nation are increasingly borate and formal, as if they were reserving the same courtesy as for imperial emissary in ancient times. Consequently, the rtionship between the Party and the masses, and between officials and the people, is bing increasingly detached. In the early years after the establishment of the People¡¯s Republic, scenes of officials and the general popce sitting in fields or standing in factory workshops, discussing the Four Modernizations have faded into the past. However, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, like a sweet rain after the prolonged drought, instantly narrowed the distance between the government and the public, generating a sense of trust in Nie Zhenbang among the workers. With that, Nie Zhenbang gave Yi Jun a hand signal. Yi Jun understood, nodded and fetched two sets of materials from the rear of the vehicle and posted them nearby. Nie Zhenbang then said, ¡°Comrades, firstly, I must thank everyone for your hard work and contributions to the economic construction and development of Liangxi City. The workers of the three factories in Qingfang City have all contributed their efforts. Even though the factories are now in difficulties, I believe that these are temporary. The sun alwayses out after the storm.¡± He paused briefly before continuing, ¡°In three days, we havee up with two feasible proposals which we think are realistic. I¡¯m going to bepletely honest with you here. Today, Deputy Mayor Li and I will be waiting for you in the factory. We¡¯ll wait for you to review the proposals and discuss them. Then, you will elect four worker representatives yourselves and choose the proposal you deem best. What do you think?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the crowd started to stir. They had initially thought that aplete solution would be provided. Unexpectedly, they were given a choice of action ns, which made some workers unhappy. Noticing the mood turning tumultuous, Huang Jiangsheng took a quick look around and eximed, ¡°Brothers and sisters, old pals, let¡¯s all calm down and think about this. If the government could have a perfect solution in three days, would we be here now? Resolving issues and paying wages take time. I trust Mayor Nie. Let us all calm down, review the two proposals and then decide.¡±
After hearing Huang Jiangsheng¡¯s words, the crowd calmed down. Nie Zhenbang also took a longer look at Huang Jiangsheng. Momentster, under the guidance of the leaders of the three factories in Qingfang City, Nie Zhenbang and his team took their seats in the conference room of the Spinning Factory. The conference room, more than two hundred square meters in size, was decorated in avish baroque style. Dominated by bright yellow tones, a crystal chandelier hung in the center. Patterned carpets, a beautifully decorated firece along the side, and antique European sofas. Those unaware might think they had arrived at a pce in some European country. Seeing the extravagant conference room, Nie Zhenbang decided not to go in and remained at the doorway. At the front was Wu Aijun, the party secretary and factory manager of the Spinning Factory. At his side were Yao Yuhong, factory director of the Second Factory, and Zhang Zhenghui, party secretary and factory director of the Cotton Spinning Factory.
When they saw Mayor Nie halting abruptly, the three men were taken aback. At that moment, Wu Aijun smiled and said, ¡°Mayor, pleasee in. We are grateful for the strong support and care our factory has received from the municipal partymittee and government. I promise not to let down the trust ced in us by our superiors. We will handle workers¡¯ issues properly, restore confidence, and strive to turn losses into profits within a year.¡± As Wu Aijun finished, Nie Zhenbang harrumphed. That hum was heard by everyone present, including Yi Jun, who was quite taken aback. In his years of service with Nie Zhenbang, Mayor Nie had always maintained hisposure even when faced with the copse of Mount Tai. However, seeing Nie Zhenbang express his dissatisfaction in such a way indicated that his anger was not to be underestimated. Indeed, Nie Zhenbang said in a stern voice, ¡°Well, well. Had I not known, I could have mistaken it for the Spanish king¡¯s pce. This grandeur, this decor, it¡¯s even more luxurious than Buckingham Pce. Director Wu, it seems that the Spinning Factory is quite wealthy.¡± Without any concealing, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, whilecking any explicit criticism, was even more severe than a reprimand. Wu Aijun and the others, being part of the system themselves, were quite clear about the workings of the system. At such times, they would prefer being reprimanded by a leader, because an expression of discontent such as that of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s often foretold big trouble. ¡°Mayor Nie, I¡­,¡± Wu Aijun, a somewhat hefty man, now seemed to be grovelling humbly in front of the young mayor, perspiring slightly. Nie Zhenbang said grimly, ¡°What is it ¡®I¡­¡¯? Director Wu, are you trying to say that it¡¯s here that you¡¯ve spent the money? This conference room is sorge, the decor so opulent, and it must have cost a pretty penny. Did it cost over a million? With a million, each worker could receive a 500-yuan subsidy. That¡¯s enough for two thousand workers to live on for a month. That¡¯s why you¡¯re always crying poor and asking for money when you¡¯re in the city. It turns out you spent it here.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang turned around and said, ¡°I can¡¯t stay in this conference room. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll feel like I¡¯m being pricked by needles if I sit down. I think I¡¯ll wait in the workshop for the workers¡¯ responses.¡± Chapter 362: 353: The Working Group Enters_1 Chapter 362: Chapter 353: The Working Group Enters_1 The mayor lost his temper in public, and attempted no gesture to save face for the top-ranked workers of the three factories in Qingfang City. This caused the atmosphere in the room to be somewhat awkward. Nearby, Li Guohua kept his head down and chose not to speak. He believed that silence was golden at this moment. The more you speak, the more mistakes can be made. Speak less, you err less. Only by remaining silent, can you avoid making any mistakes. Moreover, he was somewhat surprised by the luxurious surroundings, even with his vast experience. Speaking at this time would only clue others onto the fact that he, too, was part of such disys. Seeing Nie Zhenbang and the others leave, Yao Yuhong, the director of the second spinning factory, changed his expression. After stepping out of the meeting room, he whispered a few words to the apanying staff waiting outside the door and then set off in the direction of the workshop. The workshop of the first factory was quite decent. Even though they were old buildings from the sixties and seventies, their old exterior concealed well-maintained interiors. The freshly painted walls were white and bright, the ss windows of the workshop were impably clean. New lines of textile machinery in the spacious workshop took Nie Zhenbang by surprise. Had this been prepared in advance? It should have been impossible. After all, the factory executives would never arrange for a workshop inspection. Moreover, the workshop was selected randomly. All workshops look pretty much the same from the outside. If the leaders of the first spinning factory could anticipate his actions, the factory wouldn¡¯t have copsed in the first ce. Delegations from both the city government and the Guicheng Committee and District Government stood in the workshop. On Director Wu¡¯s arrangement, workers brought stools from outside the workshop for everyone to sit. They then waited for about an hour. It was then when muffled sounds filtered in from outside. At this moment, the workshop door was wide open. They looked to find that a middle-aged man was leading the way with a man, who seemed to be in his fifties, right next to him. This man had dark skin and a modest stature. He radiated a sense of honesty and sincerity. Four more figures apanied them, two of whom were women. This show of leadership intimidated the six individuals who were afraid to speak. Before this, hundreds of employees had gathered together for their survival and livelihood, brave enough to challenge the powers that be. Chinese people always had a certain innate respect for officials and leaders. Amon saying among the people illustrates this mentality well: the poor do not fight with the rich, and ordinary people do not quarrel with officials. Seeing that the six workers seemed hesitant to speak, Nie Zhenbang could guess their concerns. He consequently disyed a warm smile on his face and began in a gentle tone, ¡°Do not be afraid. I am here to resolve matters regarding Qingfang City. Please speak freely. If you have any dissatisfactions with our n, let us know. Today, let us discuss the future of Qingfang City with an open mind. On behalf of the City Committee and City Government, I promise that as long as the issues are not principle-rted, we will offer our full support.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang nodded at Yi Jun who was standing beside him. Yi Jun understood and passed over a notebook and a pen from his hand to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. This act startled the six workers. Regardless of whether Nie Zhenbang was putting on a show or if it was his true intention, his actions clearly demonstrated the government¡¯s standpoint which reassured these ordinary citizens.
Beside them, the look on Li Guohua¡¯s face changed, he was somewhat disdainful. He thought Nie Zhenbang was acting all high-and-mighty just to attract attention, just to show off his populism. However, Guohua did not consider who the mayor was performing for, given there were no press officers present. The officials on the side looked on in surprise. The rumors of Mayor Zhenbang were indeed not unfounded. Some officials who truly wanted to aplish something also started to feel inspired. ¡® The six representatives exchanged nces, ultimately Huang Jiangsheng stepped forward. He looked at Nie Zhenbang before organizing his thoughts and words slowly. ¡°After carefully reading the two ns you¡¯ve proposed, we discussed them with representatives from all three factories. We six are representatives elected by our fellow workers. We unanimously believe that the second n suits us best.¡± Upon hearing these words, Li Guohua¡¯s face fell. He thought to himself, ¡®What would theseborers know about what¡¯s good or bad? It seemed that agreeing to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s decision to let the workers choose the n themselves was a mistake. But now it was toote.¡¯. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face revealed a faint smile. The result was just as he had expected. Although Li Guohua¡¯s n had merits, it was aesthetically pleasing yetcking in substance. It could seed eventually, but the workers would benefit the least from it. In contrast, his n was steadfast and pragmatic, aiming to do the best with the least cost. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n, the city only yed a guiding and assisting role, with the workers being the main beneficiaries. The masses are always clear-sighted. These people might not be highly educated, or articte, orpetent beyond their current jobs. But they can discern who is sincere and who is not. Nie Zhenbang then asked, ¡°Ah, as I recall, older brother here is named Huang Jiangsheng, isn¡¯t it? Brother Huang, could you share your perspective? Why did you choose the second n?¡± After saying this, Nie Zhenbang nced at Li Guohua beside him. His intent was clear: to let Li Guohua admit defeat wholeheartedly. Huang Jiangsheng was caught off guard. He then responded, ¡°Mr. Mayor, I¡¯m not very well-educated. The first n is also good, but it¡¯s too fantastical for us, talking about capital operations and technology introduction, we don¡¯t understand. The second n, establishing a Textile Group and initiating a shareholding reform, allows all employees to invest in shares. Additionally, we can develop real estate and make high-demand textiles with our current machines. We felt this was more suitable. Some of our factories have housing issues for many employees. These properties can be absorbed internally without external sales. Additionally, we will all be shareholders of our factories, giving us a sense of purpose. All our machines are new. Even if we change the machines and can¡¯t sell them, wouldn¡¯t it be the same? Therefore, we chose the second n.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. He understood well the mindset of Huang Jiangsheng and the others. The most emotionally attached to the state-owned enterprises during the shareholding reform are the workers. Even they might struggle with their daily lives, when faced with such circumstances, many workers would still raise funds regardless of their resources. That was where Nie Zhenbang¡¯s confidence came from. Nie Zhenbang then stood up and said with a smile, ¡°Older Brother Huang and fellow worker representatives, since you all agree with the second n, let me rify beforehand. In terms of employing workers, all will be based on job capability assessments. We can¡¯t assume that simply because one has invested, they are qualified to stay. On this aspect, I hope you all understand.¡± As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words fell, Huang Jiangsheng nodded, ¡°Rest assured, Mr. Mayor, we¡¯ll do our job. If one could retain a job just by investing, it would be like buying a position with funds. We don¡¯t want to do so either. I firmly believe that everyone would agree with and understand that all matters should be based on the ability to work, fair and impartial to everyone.¡± ¡­ After returning to the city, Nie Zhenbang immediately convened an emergency meeting of the municipal government. In addition to the leadership of the municipal government, the heads of the Taxation Bureau, Bureau of Industry and Commerce, Bureau of Construction, nning Bureau, Light Industry Bureau, Investment Bureau, and Finance Bureau were all present at the meeting. Nie Zhenbang entered the meeting room on time. As soon as he sat down in the center, he said, ¡°Comrades, the matter of Qingfang City has entered a critical stage. The mood of the workers is now settled. However, the reformation of Qingfang City cannot be dyed. If it¡¯s dyed, it will dampen the enthusiasm of the workers and generaterger issues once they lose patience. So, we can¡¯t dy. We must promptly establish a working group to first liquidate the assets of the three factories at Qingfang City. We have to ensure that the minimum living security for the workers during this period is properly provided to ensure their normal living conditions.¡± Nie Zhenbang already had a firm grip on the local government, except for Liu Weijun and Li Guohua and a few bureau chiefs. The other deputy mayors were astute and certainly would not oppose Nie Zhenbang as he was thriving and winning them substantial benefits. The next day, a working groupposed of the Industry and Commerce Bureau, Taxation Bureau, Finance Bureau, and State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission entered Qingfang City early to start the restructuring and merger of Qingfang City operations. After reviewing a few documents in his office, Nie Zhenbang nced at the watch on his wrist. It was already 10 am. The matters rted to the Spinning Collective formed by the three factories of Qingfang City, as well as the investigation of the former leadership team of Qingfang City, needed to be discussed with Fan Changsheng. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang decided to talk to Fan Changsheng today.
Nie Zhenbang then stood up, walked out of his office, and said to Yi Jun, who was working at the office desk outside, ¡°Xiaoyi, don¡¯t get up. I¡¯m going to the Municipal Party Committee Office building. You continue with your work. If someonees over, entertain them first and ask them toe back in the afternoon.¡± ( Chapter 363: 354: Invisible Confrontation_1 Chapter 363: Chapter 354: Invisible Confrontation_1 The office building of Liangxi City¡¯s municipal partymittee and government would appear, at first nce, to be two separate structures. However, in reality, it is a single building. The two sections are connected by sky bridges. Viewed from the outside, the fa?ade concealed under a curtain wall gives the impression of an undivided building. Yet internally, the divisions are discernibly clear. Fan Changsheng¡¯s office and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office are on the same floor, but one is situated at the far east, the other at the west. Being a floor for the municipalmittee leaders, the entire hallway is extremely quiet. Walking down the corridor, Nie Zhenbang encountered no one until he reached the entrance of Fan Changsheng¡¯s office. He raised his hand to knock on the door. A voice answered from within, ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as he entered the office, Wang Mingxuan, who was seated at the desk, stood up, a look of surprise on his face. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s unexpected visit had truly astonished him. However, Wang Mingxuan was, after all, Fan Changsheng¡¯s secretary. He had been with Fan Changsheng for many years and was no inexperienced youngster. He quicklyposed himself, greeted Nie Zhenbang with a smile, and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, good day.¡± Necessary courtesies must still be observed. Regardless of his position as a high-ranking secretary, it would be unfitting to feign nonchnce in front of a city mayor. ¡°Secretary Wang, hello,¡± Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile. He then pointed at the half-open door, lowered his voice, and said, ¡°Is Secretary Fan avable right now? There¡¯s something I¡¯d like to report to him.¡± A look of surprise appeared on Wang Mingxuan¡¯s face. Nie Zhenbang offering to report work progress was almost unheard of. Even though a city mayor reporting to the party secretary is not umon within their system, considering their rtionship, it was unlikely Nie Zhenbang would have initiated such a request. ¡°My apologies, Mayor Nie. Just before you arrived, the deputy chairman of the Municipal Political Consultative Conference, Mr. Huang, was ushered in. He wanted to discuss with Secretary Fan about the preparatory work for Jiangbei Province¡¯s Political Consultative Conference meeting. Why don¡¯t you wait here while I go inform him?¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, Wang Mingxuan decided not to act on Fan Changsheng¡¯s behalf. As Fan¡¯s secretary, he knew his boss¡¯s temperament very well. Under the current circumstances, if he failed to convey the message, Fan could very well be furious. Naturally, Wang Mingxuan would not risk incurring Fan¡¯s wrath on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ount. Hearing Wang Mingxuan¡¯s words, a cold smile shed across Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. The ¡°upied by a visitor¡± excuse was merely an artifice. With the door ajar and not a sound from within, it was tantly deceptive. But knowing such trickeries, Nie Zhenbang chose not to expose it. More importantly, he was confident that regardless of their rtionship status, given his distinguished visit, Fan Changsheng would hardly dare refuse seeing him.
Wang Mingxuan entered the office and returned very quickly. Following him was Fan Changsheng, who had stood up from his desk, signaling his deference. Before Nie Zhenbang could utter a word, Fan Changsheng took the initiative to speak, ¡°Mayor Nie, wee. Please have a seat. We rarely have the honour of your visit. What brings you here today?¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s words were remarkably direct, despite theck of pleasantries, disying an unwillingness for an borate chat and a clear insistence on business matters. Nie Zhenbang knew very well that there was no possibility of reconciliation between him and Fan Changsheng. Their rtionship was such that they could tacitly agree on issues ofmon interest ¨C like the restructuring of Qingfang City and the increasing social protest incidents. But when it came to matters not involving their personal interests, especially key personnel appointments, it was clear that fierce confrontations were inevitable. Without any pretense, Nie Zhenbang took a seat in front of Fan Changsheng¡¯s desk, pulled a document out of his bag, and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, this is the overall n for Qingfang City. Please have a look.¡± However, Fan Changsheng now casually pushed the document aside, smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, there is no need to go through the n. I¡¯ve heard about the issue in Qingfang City. Since the people support it, there can¡¯t be any mistake. Implement the n as it is. I don¡¯t want to gild the lily.¡± This was Fan Changsheng¡¯s way of expressing his displeasure. The n had not been reported to him before it was announced, but the report was submitted after the fact. Wasn¡¯t this superfluous, like doing something pointless and unnecessary? Given this, Fan Changsheng decided to adopt a hands-off approach. Nie Zhenbang knew exactly what Fan Changsheng meant and immediately stopped beating around the bush. He said straight away, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s not watch it then, Secretary Fan. Apart from reporting on the n this time, there¡¯s something else I wanted to discuss with you.¡± Speaking, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face also turned serious, ¡°Secretary Fan, during my visit to the Spinning Factory, the meeting room there surprised me. Just a meeting room cost several million in renovation expenses. Additionally, based on the information I have, many of the leaders in Qingfang City¡¯s three factories are suspected of using their power for personal gains, engaging in actions detrimental to the public interest. There¡¯s strong public response. The restructuring of Qingfang City is a fuse that haspletely ignited the anger of the workers in the three factories. I believe that during the early stages of the reorganization when the workers first enter the three factories and carry out property inventory and audit, it is necessary to form a powerful investigation teamposed of city discipline inspectionmission, the supervisory office, and the corruption investigation bureau of the procuratorate, and have them present in the three factories for investigation.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were shocking, a matter that was far beyond Fan Changsheng¡¯s expectations. Furrowing his brow, Fan Changsheng said: ¡°Mayor Nie, aren¡¯t you exaggerating a bit? Isn¡¯t it human nature to crave luxury in life and in the workce? Isn¡¯tunching an investigation making a big deal out of it? Qingfang City is currently at a critical stage of restructuring. If the discipline inspectionmission moves in for an investigation, I¡¯m afraid it might incite panic and anger among the workers. Any arising issues aren¡¯t something that you alone can handle.¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled coldly, looking at Fan Changsheng¡¯s aloof demeanor. He then spoke seriously: ¡°Secretary Fan, I can¡¯t agree with that statement. One must examine the nature of things. In my view, the leadership team at Qingfang City, if indeed capable and withstands scrutiny, what¡¯s there to fear about an investigation? As the saying goes, ¡®if there is room for improvement, improve; if not, work hard¡¯. If even a Communist Party membercks such openness and courage, then we can forget about socialist construction. My suggestion is to establish an investigation team as soon as possible and station it in Qingfang City. If there are any issues, I believe that the workers will apud, and the trust in our municipal partymittee and government will increase.¡± Looking at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s demeanor, Fan Changsheng seemed to recall that Nie Zhenbang formerly worked for the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s extensive connections there, it would not be wise for him to reject Nie¡¯s proposal now. If any problems were to be exposed following Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intervention from the upper level, he could end up being held ountable for covering up. The people in Qingfang City have nothing to do with him. Fan Changsheng saw no need to take risks for this issue. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Fan Changsheng nodded and said, ¡°Hmm. You make some valid points. Ding Guo should be called over to discuss this.¡± Shortly after Fan Changsheng made a phone call, Lei Dingguo walked into his office within three minutes. After hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposition, Lei Dingguo almost immediately said without much deliberation, ¡°Secretary Fan. I also agree with Mayor Nie. Concerning Qingfang City, the city¡¯s discipline inspectionmission also received quite a few letters of usation. I have been holding back due to consideration for the overall situation in Qingfang City. Since Mayor Nie is suggesting an investigation, I believe it¡¯s doable.¡± Lei Dingguo¡¯s words startled Fan Changsheng. It turned out that Lei Dingguo¡¯s side indeed received usation letters. After a moment of contemtion, Fan Changsheng nodded and said, ¡°OK, since Secretary Ding Guo is insisting, I have no objections.¡± With Fan Changsheng¡¯s approval, Lei Dingguo quickly assembled three work groups and sent them into the three factories in Qingfang City. When the investigation team from the discipline inspectionmission suddenly moved in, all of Qingfang City was taken aback. Various rumors started circting. The leading teams of the three factories had a feel of uneasiness. The discipline inspectionmission was synonymous with bad news. The saying goes, one encounters nothing good with themission; this was an urate description of themission. For a while, the workers in Qingfang City shifted their attention to the investigation team from the discipline inspectionmission. At this moment, less than a day after the investigation team entered Qingfang City. At this moment, in Fan Changsheng¡¯s private courtyard, several people were gathered in the living room. This was one of Fan Changsheng¡¯s family dinners. Besides Li Guohua, Huang Junshan, Li Xiaoqin, and Hu Youquan were all seated in the living room, Fan Changsheng slowly said, ¡°The presence of the discipline inspectionmission¡¯s investigative team is inevitable. The discipline inspectionmission received many letters ofint in advance, with concrete evidence. You all don¡¯t need to worry. The exposure of any issues isn¡¯t scary. On the contrary, it shows that our municipal partymittee team still hasbat power. It doesn¡¯t bring us any losses.¡±
As soon as Fan Changsheng finished his words, Huang Junshan¡¯s face changed. He looked towards Li Xiaoqin. However, as soon as he looked in her direction, Li Xiaoqin quickly looked elsewhere. It was clear; she would not get involved in this matter. Huang Junshan kept silent for a while, then said, ¡°Secretary. You¡¯re straightforward, with a clear conscience. However, there¡¯s currently a rumor going around saying that Secretary Fan is scared of Mayor Nie. Mr. Secretary, if we let Nie Zhenbang be so reckless, I¡¯m afraid it will destabilize the situation.¡± As soon as Huang Junshan finished, Li Guohua also said, ¡°Secretary. I think Old Huang has a point. Nowadays, many people only know Mayor Nie and are unaware of Secretary Fan. This sign is not a good one. While we investigate, we also cannot guarantee that Nie Zhenbang won¡¯t take advantage of the situation. We need to have control over this matter. This way, we manage our offense and defense which are the key.¡± As the investigation team for Qingfang City was established, the invisible confrontation between Li Guohua and Nie Zhenbang began. While Fan Changsheng was holding his family dinner, Nie Zhenbang also gathered a group of people together.
PS: Tomorrow is my father¡¯s birthday, and quite a few guests came today so I only posted one chapter. To be honest, I am very clear about the direction the story is heading now. I will resume updates after getting through these busy days. (.) Chapter 364: 355 A Big Fire_1 Chapter 364: Chapter 355 A Big Fire_1 Yunhai Vi Located within Liangxi City¡¯s famous holiday resort. Liangxi City is situated on a vast in, with eighty percent of itsnd being level ground. Only the Xishan District possesses a range of hills. And Yunhai Vi upies an area about ten kilometers away from the city, amidst rolling hillocks, where stands a lush bamboo forest, forming a veritable sea of bamboo. Yunhai Vi blends seamlessly within the bamboo groves. The variety of uniquely styled structures gives it a surreal, ethereal feel. Its owner named the vi ¡°Yunhai,¡± meaning ¡°Cloud Sea¡±, embodying a dragon soaring in the sky, flying through a sea of clouds. At this moment, in the Bamboo Pavilion of Yunhai Vi, Nie Zhenbang walked in cheerfully. The members of his political faction, or as it is called the ¡°Nie Faction¡±, had already arrived. ¡°Nie Faction¡± refers very clearly to those who, albeit not fully recognized and trusted yet, have shown their allegiance to the Nie family and are close to the family¡¯s officials. This was an unavoidable situation. Within all of Liangxi City, there were few who could gain Nie Zhenbang¡¯s trust. In essence, other than Chen Le and Yi Jun, if they weren¡¯t to open their doors to more people, they were unlikely to achieve anything. In the treacherous world of bureaucracy, beyond one¡¯s personal abilities, connections were also vitally crucial. As Nie Zhenbang entered the room, everyone stood up. Among those present was Zhao Xintian, the Deputy Mayor who was also a Standing Committee member, Peng Kaibao, the military subdivisionmander, Lu Wu, the Party Secretary of Guicheng District, Liu Qingquan, the deputy director of the Finance Bureau, Nai Kezhi, the boss of the Bureau for Retired Cadres, Chen Le, the Bureau of Public Safety director, Tan Miaozhen, the Personnel Bureau director, Xiong Wei, the Water Resources Bureau director, Wang Yaowu, the deputy director of Bureau of Public Safety, and He Qingjun, the squad leader of the city police criminal investigation squad and deputy secretary-general Yi Jun. Seeing everyone, a smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. The group present, coupled with Ning Zhiyuan from Zisha City, made him quite an influential force in Liangxi City. ¡°Everyone has arrived; I¡¯m sorry as things are starting to get pretty busy approaching the New Year.¡± Nie Zhenbang kicked off the meeting with a casual greeting, immediately easing the initially serious atmosphere. He took off his overcoat and handed it to Yi Jun next to him, who hung it up on a nearby high-backed chair. In essence, the Bamboo Pavilion was a vi nestled against the hillside. This type of private condition satisfied the demands of most guests for privacy. Hence, this ce was also a favorite among governmental officials. Looking around the room, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°This ce is quite good. The boss has sound financial acumen. Who chose this ce?¡±
This statement was undoubtedly apliment. Everyone present understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intent. Among them, the Deputy Finance Director, Liu Qingquan, also said with a smile, ¡°Mayor, this location was chosen by Mayor Zhao.¡± Zhao Xintian nodded slightly to the side, confirming his acknowledgment. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival, Zhao Xintian was instructed by Ning Shouchang to primarily consider Nie Zhenbang¡¯s decision in all matters. For this reason, Zhao Xintian specially looked up Nie Zhenbang¡¯s resume. This information left Zhao Xintian inplete awe. Leaving aside the fact that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s former followers have taken up major positions in the Partymittee, just considering the personnel in New Li City, following Nie Zhenbang has led to their continuous sessful promotions; for instance, Xie Yi, the secretary of New Li City, and Yan Fengjiao, Mayor of New Li City. Not to mention the two leaders present in front of him now, Nie Zhenbang was undoubtedly a great leader to follow, guaranteeing personal advancement. Furthermore, Nie Zhenbang put Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua in their ce during the Standing Committee meeting, forcing them to allocate funds to the Bureau for Retired Cadres. Subsequently, with the rbination of the Spinning Group, Nie Zhenbangpletely sidelined Li Guohua, the executive deputy mayor. His strategy left Zhao Xintian in awe and further solidified his decision to follow Nie Zhenbang. Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhao Xintian also stood up and said, ¡°Mayor, Chen Mingxiong, the owner of Yunhai Vi, is also considered a quirky character in our Liangxi City. This man does business based on credibility. Considering therge number of us, I thought a more secluded ce would be suitable. Hence, I took the initiative and chose this ce.¡± Zhao Xintian¡¯s modest and cautious remarks pleased Nie Zhenbang. Zhao Xintian, in his ns, ounted for a crucial part. On one hand, Zhao Xintian, being a Standing Committee member, could enhance his voice in the Standing Committee meetings. Furthermore, after many years as Deputy Mayor, his rank had risen. If needed, he could be promptly promoted. Thirdly, Zhao Xintian was rmended by Ning Shouchang, meaning that he could be trusted to use. Moreover, Zhao Xintian, with his low-profile demeanor, clearly conveyed in front of everyone that he would be subordinate to Nie Zhenbang, further pleasing him. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang responded dismissively, ¡°Old Zhao, in that case, you¡¯ve misspoken. Such a fantastic ce, and you¡¯re talking about taking initiative. I can¡¯t wait for more of this initiative.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued saying, ¡°Old Zhao, too much modesty is arrogance. Later, be sure to fine yourself three drinks.¡± With years of experience under his belt, Nie Zhenbang had be adept at controlling the atmospherics of a room. In one sentence, he brought himself closer to those present, instantly eradicating the strict hierarchy that one would expect in such a formal setting. Thereby making the atmosphere noticeably more rxed. To the side, Peng Kaibao, Commanding Officer of the Liangxi Military Subdistrict, alsoughed, ¡°Old Zhao, this time you¡¯re screwed. With your low alcohol tolerance, you¡¯ll be drunk after just two cups, let alone three.¡± Among those present, only Peng Kaibao had the privilege to jest with Zhao Xintian. Peng Kaibao, a man with a military background, has an inexplicable connection with the Nie family, which is also the fundamental reason why Peng Kaibao supports Nie Zhenbang. People in the military are even more concerned about their circles than government officials and don¡¯t beat around the bush. It makes them easier to get along with. Everyone sat down and the dishes were quickly served. All kinds of game were avable. It was a rich spread, with roe deer, bamboo rats, roebuck, pheasants, and wild boar. This caused Nie Zhenbang to frown. From his memory, many wild animals had be extinct exactly like this. As of now, his abilities were limited and although he could not do much, he could at least avoid eating. This practice should certainly be curbed. Chen Le, who was sitting next to him, saw Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression, smiled knowingly, and then said: ¡°Are you worrying about the game, Mayor? I was also worried when I started ordering. Mayor Zhao told me, all the game, except for pheasants and wild boars, are domestically raised. You can eat confidently and heartily.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbangughed: ¡°Well done, Chen Le, making a joke at my expense. If you hadn¡¯t said that, I would have really thought they were wild. This model is good, it not only satisfies our taste buds but also helps conserve the species.¡± Because everyone knew there were important matters to discuss subsequently, they didn¡¯t drink much. People like Zhao Xintian were aware that there was something they had to discuss, while people like Ni Kezhi were cautious about overstepping in front of Nie Zhenbang. After all, they had just joined the system, and thus deemed appropriate to maintain a necessary decorum. After having a hearty meal, everyone returned to the living room and sat down around the sofa. A bell was rung, and soon, waitstaff showed up to clean up the dining table and serve tea. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but admire the proprietor¡¯s business acumen. Once the room was quiet again, Nie Zhenbang slowly said: ¡°This time, when the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission¡¯s investigation team goes down there, I am guessing, considering Huang Jiang¡¯s character, something will definitely happen in Qingfang City.¡± Pausing for a moment, Nie Zhenbang continued: ¡°The Spinning Group, with its three factories, has been facing consecutive losses for several years. Huge investments have been made, but there has been no discernible return. Yet, they have built luxurious office buildings and conference rooms, and everyone drives luxury cars. This is very abnormal.¡±
Having said that, Nie Zhenbang turned to Chen Le: ¡°Director Chen, you can also pay some attention to this on your side at the Public Security Bureau and investigate it in secret. I think, the matter of Qingfang City is definitely not that simple.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Xintian also nodded: ¡°The Mayor is right. No smoke without fire. I think this is an opportunity for us.¡± Lu Wu, the Secretary of the Guicheng District Party Committee, also slowly said: ¡°I am very clear about the matter of Qingfang City. Of all things, I can say with certainty that there is definitely a problem with the leadership team of the first factory.¡± Nie Zhenbang was also weighing in his heart at this moment. If something happened in Qingfang City, it would certainly involve higher ups. Maybe, even members from the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee might be implicated. Investigating this would not be easy. However, if they were to clear this up, it would present an excellent opportunity to strike back at Fan Changsheng.
Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang also nodded: ¡°Old Zhao is right. But, I¡¯m afraid, we might not be able to seize this opportunity.¡± Peng Kaibao was about to say something when his mobile phone rang out suddenly. As soon as he answered it, as soon as a few words were spoken on the other side, Peng Kaibao raised his voice: ¡°What? Repeat that, Jiang Zhiyong. What is the situation? Speak clearly.¡± Presumably, after the other side repeated the information, Peng Kaibao decisively said: ¡°Jiang Zhiyong, by my order, immediately mobilize all the fire trucks in the city to rush to the fire scene. The fire must be brought under control. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± After hanging up the phone, Peng Kaibao looked serious. He looked around at the people watching him, his eyes rested on Nie Zhenbang, and he said gravely, ¡°Mayor, there¡¯s bad news. We just received the news that a fire has started in the Spinning Factory¡¯s office building.¡± Hearing this, Liu Qingquan eximed from the side: ¡°Not good, the ount books! These people are really bold. They dare destroy evidence publicly.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face turned steely. Not only were the financial data being destroyed, it was likely that the entire archives room of Spinning Factory might be destroyed. All the important documents, contracts and such, would be burned to ashes in the fire. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said sternly, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Spinning Factory!¡± PS: My father is celebrating his 70th birthday, a rare event in a person¡¯s life. Naturally, it needs special preparation, which keeps me busy. Please bear with me. Starting from the 1st, I will resume the usual three updates a day. (To be continued. If you like this work, wee to to vote for rmendation, and monthly ticket. Your support is my biggest power.) Chapter 365: 356 Emergency Standing Committee_1 Chapter 365: Chapter 356 Emergency Standing Committee_1 From Yunhai Vi in Xishan District to Qingfang City in Guicheng District, it was almost a cross through the entire Liangxi City District, a distance of more than twenty kilometers. By the time Nie Zhenbang and others arrived, it was already almost twenty minutester. In the thick of night, the six-storey office building of the first spinning factory in Qingfang City was shrouded in dense smoke and a sea of mes. Surrounding the site were a multitude of red fire trucks. Many firefighting and armed police soldiers were busily working, evacuating crowds, connecting water sources, and spraying water at the office building from all directions. The area was cordoned off. With sirens flickering, many police officers were on duty nearby, managing the crowd of onlookers and passing vehicles. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang and others approaching, followed by themander of the military district and the director of the public security bureau, the on-duty police officers saluted and immediately cleared a path for them. Just as they entered the factory premises, a major in military uniform greeted them. He saluted and said, ¡°Commander, our unit received a fire rm call twenty minutes ago. We arrived on the scene within five minutes. Currently, the fire has been preliminarily under control. The cause of the fire is still under further investigation.¡± Peng Kaibao returned the salute. His gaze was gloomy as he looked at the office building. At this moment, under the suppression of more than a dozen water cannons from all directions, the open me around the perimeter had been initially controlled. Thick plumes of smoke soared into the sky. However, in the internal area of the office building, mes could still be seen intermittently bursting forth. ¡°Jiang Zhiyong, no matter what methods you use, you must extinguish the fire as quickly as possible. Can people enter the building now? Have our soldiers put on gas masks and carry oxygen. Enter the building to extinguish the fire locally. The fire must be extinguished in the shortest possible time. This is an order!¡± After a moment of silence, Peng Kaibao made his decision immediately. After Jiang Zhiyong left, Peng Kaibao walked over to Nie Zhenbang and said in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, this fire is suspicious.¡± Nie Zhenbang was aware of the suspicious nature of the fire. However, upon hearing these words, he looked over expectantly, eager to hear the opinions of a professional. Next to him, Peng Kaibao also said in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, the enterprises in Qingfang City have always been key units for fire prevention in our city. These items, such as veils and silkworm sands, are highlybustible. Therefore, our armed police fire department has specially stationed a working team here, regrly educating the three factories in Qingfang City on fire prevention knowledge and inspecting their fire safety measures. In other words, every building in Qingfang City has undergone strict fire safety inspections. This is the first point of suspicion.¡± After a pause, Peng Kaibao, looking at the still-burning building, continued, ¡°Moreover, we have used more than a dozen water cannons to suppress the fire, and the external fire has been extinguished, but mes are still surging out from within the building from time to time. This is also abnormal. This situation is very simr to that of gasolinebustion.¡±
The speaker is casually stating facts, but the listener is left with plenty to consider. Even Peng Kaibao himself hadn¡¯t realized it yet, but Nie Zhenbang frowned. Could it be that Wu Aijun had deliberately set the fire to destroy evidence, making it impossible for the task force to act? Thinking of this possibility, Nie Zhenbang said solemnly, ¡°Old Peng, after the fire is extinguished, have your people immediately seal off the scene and rigorously investigate the cause of the fire. We must find out the cause of this fire, as it is crucial to our overall situation, do you understand?¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, amotion arose from the periphery. Looking over, he saw Fan Changsheng leading Li Guohua, Huang Junshan, Li Xiaoqin and the secretary-general of the municipal partymittee, Hu Youquan, into the scene. These four people were considered Fan Changsheng¡¯s direct subordinates. Even before Fan Changsheng arrived, he called out, ¡°Mayor Nie is indeed swift. What is the situation? Has the fire been controlled?¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s expression and tone left Nie Zhenbang puzzled about his intention. The sudden and suspicious nature of the fire pushed him to consider deeply whether city party leaders were involved in the problems with Qingfang City. Or perhaps, this was a habit Nie Zhenbang had developed during his tenure at the Commission for Discipline Inspection. After pondering for a moment, he replied slowly, ¡°The fire has been initially controlled. However, ording to the report, the fire started in the archive room on the third floor. Given this, all financial data and various documents of the first spinning factory over the years have likely been destroyed. This is a loss that cannot bepensated for the investigation by the task force. It will definitely affect the work of the task force.¡± After he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang watched Fan Changsheng and the others closely. However, he was somewhat disappointed. Fan Changsheng and the others remainedposed, showing no reactions. They were neither anxious that the sudden fire would affect the investigation of the task force, nor were they pleased that the investigation had reached a deadlock. At this time, Wu Aijun, the factory director of the Spinning Factory, came out, looking remorseful. When he got to Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang, he lowered his stance, slightly bending his body, wearing a fearful expression on his face. ¡°Secretary Fan, Mayor Nie, I plead with the municipal government for an investigation and subsequent discipline. I¡¯vemitted an oversight at work. I failed to stress the importance of fire safety, resulting in irreparable losses and stalling the investigation. It is my responsibility, I ask for disciplinary action.¡± Nie Zhenbang did not have a high opinion of Wu Aijun. The man was too overly smooth and slick. The luxurious conference room in the Spinning Factory had made asting impression on Zhenbang. He gave a long look at Aijun¡¯s branded attire ¨C an idea that was just starting to catch on in the nation. This alone was sufficient to prove that Wu Aijun was someone leading a life of extravagance and corruption. As soon as Wu Aijun finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang replied, ¡°Director Wu, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re aware. How did you arrange it? No security personnel in the office building on a regr day? You only called the fire department after the fire had spread. What do the guards and inhouse firefighters do? You, as the factory director, definitely bear absolute responsibility.¡± Just as he finished speaking, a voice sounded from the side, ¡°Mayor Nie, isn¡¯t this charging too harsh? Director Wu does hold leadership ountability, but he has made duty arrangements, isn¡¯t it the on-duty staff who neglected their duties? Your words could discourage our grassrootsrades.¡± ncing over, it was Huang Junshan speaking. His gaze did not falter. Everyone here was on the standingmittee, so Huang was not intimidated by Zhenbang. Is Huang Junshan¡¯s resistance targeted at him, or is there something more to it? While he pondered, Fan Changsheng chimed in saying, ¡°Looking at it now, the fire seems to be under control. Another half an hour, and it should be extinguished. Let¡¯s convene a standingmittee meeting tonight.¡± Anything rted to Qingfang City is no small matter. Currently, Qingfang City is in the midst of a crucial merger and reorganization. A few investigation teams had just arrived, and then a sudden fire broke out, it was necessary to convene a standingmittee meeting. Nobody opposed when Fan Changsheng suggested it. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang moved over to Chen Le and whispered, ¡°Old Chen, the fire started suspiciously. Arrange for someone to protect the scene and investigate it immediately. This matter is not that simple.¡± After giving the instructions, Nie Zhenbang also left in his car. Inside the small conference room of the municipalmittee, the heating was on high and the exhaust fan was opened. Convening a standingmittee meeting at night in Liangxi City was not umon, all members of themittee were ustomed to it. Inside the meeting room, some of the members were using cigarettes to suppress fatigue and boost their spirits. Before the meeting started, themittee members were gathered in small groups, discussing quietly. At the moment, Huang Junshan, Li Xiaoqin, and Hu Youquan were whispering about something. Zhao Xintian was talking with Wen Yuhe, while Huang Jiang was quietly speaking with Ye Zhengwen. Lei Dingguo sat alone, like a quiet mountain, just regaining his energy with his eyes closed. Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang was jotting something down in his notebook. On the nk paper, he wrote some words: disciplinary investigation group, Spinning Group restructuring, big fire, financial data, Huang Junshan, Wu Aijun and so on. Everything was destroyed by fire at a crucial moment. He absolutely didn¡¯t believe that there was nothing suspicious about it.
Next to him, Li Guohua was calm andposed. Since his job had been adjusted and ring-fenced for some time, Guohua had be much more low-key, rarely expressing his opinion in meetings. At this moment, Fan Changsheng came in with his notebook, his face emotionless, revealing nothing. Reaching the level of Secretary Fan, one¡¯s feelings should not be shown on the face, this can be considered a basic skill. In this regard, Fan Changsheng was undoubtedly doing very well. After ncing around at everyone, Fan Changsheng said, ¡°I believe everyone here has received news about the fire outbreak at the Spinning Factory. The cause is still under investigation by the Fire Department. This fire destroyed all the financial data of the Spinning Factory over the years. The investigation by the working group has been stalled. Now, please allowrade Ding Guo to exin the investigation situation of the working group.¡± Listening to Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, Lei Dingguo raised his head to look around at everyone. As the secretary of the Disciplinary Committee, people often disliked Lei Dingguo. He was too straight forward and upromising about things he believed in. This naturally made him offend others. But his position also made people fear him. Over time, Lei Dingguo developed a loner personality.
¡°The investigation into the Spinning City is still in the process of collecting evidence and verification. At present, things seem normal. The reactions from the staff have not been particrly strong. This fire is detrimental to us. I suggest holding those responsible for the fire ountable and investigating Wu Aijun¡¯s leadership responsibility.¡± Lei Dingguo¡¯s words shocked everyone, rendering the meeting room silent. PS: Phew, I thought I set the auto-update but unexpectedly had an issue. Let¡¯s add the update now. Chapter 366: 357 New Year_1 Chapter 366: Chapter 357 New Year_1 Nie Zhenbang was also taken aback. Lei Dingguo¡¯s involvement was something he could not foresee. But it was better this way. With Lei Dingguo taking the lead, the rest of matters would be easier to handle. No wonder Lei Dingguo was angry. The disciplinary Secretary personally supervised the incident, three working groups selected by Lei Dingguo were stationed in the three factories to carry out investigations. The main focus was on the financial ounts of these factories over the years, along with the procurement of equipment and construction of infrastructure by the municipal finance. Now, a fire in Factory No. 1 had burnt all the evidence for the investigation. Wasn¡¯t this making Lei Dingguo lose face? As soon as the statement was finished, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face also looked somewhat displeased. It seemed that since Nie Zhenbang hade to power, themittee members in the Standing Committee had grown bolder. When it was Lei Dingguo¡¯s turn to report about the working group, he directly suggested a course of action. Shortly after, Fan Changsheng opened his mouth slowly and leisurely, ¡°As for how to punish, I think, let¡¯s shelve this matter for the time being. At this juncture, we have to consider the restructuring of Qingfang City. Besides, the cause of the fire is still under investigation, and the fire department doesn¡¯t have a definite conclusion yet. I think it is better not to be rash. We are responsible to the broad masses of the people in our work. Simrly, as leaders, we must also be responsible to the majority of the grassroots party members and cadres.¡± Even though everyone clearly understood that Fan Changsheng was glossing over the issue, there was nothing Lei Dingguo could do about it. The profound meaning in Fan Changsheng¡¯s words was explicit he intended to circumvent the issue of punishment. However, the reasoning within his words was clear and indisputable, making it impossible to find a point of contention. With the conclusion of Fan Changsheng¡¯s remark, at the side, Huang Junshan also spoke slowly, ¡°I agree with Secretary Fan¡¯s viewpoint. When dealing with subordinate cadres, we should not negate the achievements of grassroots cadres unterally. Take Qingfang City for example, three factories have several thousand workers. Just feeding them is a challenge. With the current economic crisis, the world economy is slumping. Although Qingfang City is in a bit of difficulty, we should acknowledge the attitude of the leaders of Qingfang City. After all, attitude determines everything. We can¡¯t rush to judgments because of a few incidents. We need to be cautious about this type of behavior. We need to keep clear heads.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang knew it would be nearly impossible to have aplete breakthrough. Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua had many years of experience in Liangxi City, especially Fan Changsheng, who was born and bred as a cadre of Liangxi. His authority, established in Liangxi City, could not be weakened in a short time. Moreover, these people were bold in their execution of the Qingfang City case. Their handling of the case was impable and far exceeded his estimation. If he continued to investigate, he might end up at a disadvantage. Thinking about this, Nie Zhenbang looked at Lei Dingguo, the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission across the room. As their eyes met, they understood each other¡¯s intentions. Shortly after, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°I think Secretary Fan¡¯s suggestion is very reasonable. The matter of handling the responsible persons can be put on hold for a while. It¡¯s not toote to discuss after the fire department¡¯s investigation reportes out.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face didn¡¯t rx in the slightest. Instead, it became more serious. The more Nie Zhenbang responded this way, the more it exposed his exceptional ability. Such a person was the most dangerous. One could never know when he wouldunch an attack. But, despite his concerns, Fan Changsheng didn¡¯t care much at the moment. After all, he was still the party secretary of Liangxi City. Subsequently, Fan Changsheng cleared his throat again, saying, ¡°There¡¯s less than half a month left until the New Year. I think, let¡¯s discuss the New Year¡¯s arrangements while the time is right.¡±
Having said that, Fan Changsheng casually cast a nce at Nie Zhenbang. The message in Fan Changsheng¡¯s eyes was clear. The New Year signifies a pause in all affairs. This is not a rule, but a tradition. With this buffer period, any problems with the three factories of Qingfang City would naturally be resolved. Another implication was that after the New Year, the People¡¯s Congress would convene. This would be the crucial moment for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s biggest test. Whether he could sessfully be elected as the mayor of the Liangxi Municipal Government and remove the word ¡°temporary¡± from his title, would depend on the People¡¯s Congress. Pause. With Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, the secretary-general of the municipal partymittee, Hu Youquan started, ¡°Secretary Fan, leaders, regarding the arrangement during the New Year holiday, a general n has already been created by the Municipal Party Office. On the lunar new year, all the leaders of the Municipal Party Committee will attend the Lunar New Year¡¯s Eve Concert in the Liangxi City Theater held by Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government. All three channels of the city TV station will broadcast live. Liangxi City Radio will also conduct a live broadcast. On the 26th, a gathering for all the city partymittee and city agencies will be held. On the 27th, the city partymittee leaders will participate in the New Year¡¯s tea parties held by all the city¡¯s systems. On the 28th, they will pay respects to the stationed troops and armed police and fire fighters in Liangxi. On the 29th, they will visit the city¡¯s most impoverished workers¡¯ families. On New Year¡¯s Eve morning, holidays will start. Duty arrangements during the Spring Festival will be discussed again. During this period, the Propaganda Department of the Municipal Party Committee, the reporters of Liangxi Daily, and the news channel reporters of Liangxi City TV Station will follow up and film the entire process. ¡°Secretary Hu, as expected of the steward of the Party Committee. Such an arrangement is veryprehensive. In the past, the arrangement every year was like this, I trust Secretary Hu¡¯s arrangementpletely. I have no objections,¡± said Li Guohua quietly. On this issue, both Huang Jiang and Lei Dingguo would naturally not have any disagreement with Fan Changsheng. On Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side, although he was aware that Fan Changsheng wanted to maintain his and Li Guohua¡¯s exposure, without a winning hand, Nie Zhenbang chose to agree promptly which resulted in a sense of ease. Seeing that everyone agreed unanimously, a faint smile appeared on Fan Changsheng¡¯s face. He stood up and said solemnly, ¡°Let¡¯s adjourn the meeting.¡± As he spoke, Fan Changsheng ced his hands behind his back and was the first to leave the conference room. Following behind Fan Changsheng, Li Guohua also got up and proceeded to exit. Li Guohua¡¯s actions prompted Zhao Xintian, Peng Kaibao, and others to frown. Although the Standing Committee was an internal meeting of the regr members of the citymittee, official rank was still observed. After Fan Changsheng left, the second person to go should have either been Nie Zhenbang or Zhu Zhuozhen, the full-time deputy secretary of the citymittee. However, Li Guohua¡¯s demeanor conveyed a sense of arrogance. With the departure of these two men, the remainingmittee members all stood up. At this point, Nie Zhenbang turned to Lei Dingguo, the secretary of the discipline inspectionmission, saying, ¡°Secretary Lei, let¡¯s leave together.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words caught Lei Dingguo off guard. Shortly afterward, Lei Dingguo replied with a smile, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡­ ¡°Secretary Lei, the fire at the factory this time may not be as simple as it seems. I find Huang Junshan¡¯s behavior to be somewhat peculiar,¡± Nie Zhenbang borated openly in the elevator. Having worked at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection for over a year, and attended its working conference, Nie Zhenbang had met Lei Dingguo before. However, the two didn¡¯t interact much. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Lei Dingguo deeply resonated with his train of thought and responded, ¡°Mayor Nie, you noticed it too? The timing of the fire was suspicious, urring right when the investigation team moved in. What¡¯s more, the fire destroyed all of the factory¡¯s financial records. It seems like they are purposely hindering our investigation. Their audacity astounds me.¡± Nie Zhenbang faintly smiled at Lei Dingguo¡¯s words. Bold? That was to be expected! If the culprit of this case was found, they would face severe punishment. Even the firing squad would not be a far-fetched possibility. Anything was worth the risk for them. Having considered this, Nie Zhenbang contemted for a moment before suggesting, ¡°Secretary Lei, the burden of the discipline inspectionmission¡¯s investigation this time is really heavy. We are dealing with opponents who are both extremely decisive and experienced in countering disciplinary investigations. The difficulty is probably beyond our imagination. Now that this lead has been cut off, Secretary Lei, I suggest themission could retrieve the transaction records from the bank¡¯s public ounts. I believe there will be some discoveries.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Lei Dingguo could almost see a light at the end of the tunnel. Investigating from the bank ounts was indeed a fresh perspective. Of course, Lei Dingguo didn¡¯t know that this suggestion of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s was simply taken from his memory.
Separating at the gate of the municipal partymittee and governmentplex, work seemed to ease up for the remainder of the day. With the year-end approaching, all tasks started to slow down temporarily. During this period, Nie Zhenbang mainly focused on inspections and research. Time flew by, and it was already the 29th day of thest lunar month. In the courtyard of his residentialplex, Nie Zhenbang spoke to his drivers, Xiaoyi and Xiao Yang, ¡°Xiaoyi, Xiao Yang, you may both head home first. There won¡¯t be much work these next few days, wait until after the holiday to discuss it.¡± Upon returning home and just as he opened his mouth, Yang Anna warmly greeted him. Wearing a pink sweater that perfectly outlined her figure, Anna smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, wee home.¡± This task was one only Yang Anna could orchestrate. Neither Dong Wan nor Li Lixue could manage it. Once Nie Zhenbang closed the door, Li Lixue and Dong Wan each came from their bedroom and kitchen, respectively.
Gazing at the three women, Nie Zhenbang also smiled in acknowledgment, ¡°Yes, work is all done, and now I¡¯m on holiday. This Spring Festival, we will not return to Jingcheng. It will be just us, as a family, having a warm New Year in Liangxi City. Our very own New Year.¡± On New Year¡¯s Eve, in the morning, all four went to Wal-Mart for a big shopping spree. They returned home where Nie Zhenbang personally prepared a sumptuous New Year¡¯s Eve dinner. After a joyous meal, they settled down in front of the television, waiting for the Spring Festival G to begin. (.) Chapter 367: 358: Elder Nie is Critically Ill_1 Chapter 367: Chapter 358: Elder Nie is Critically Ill_1 The New Year¡¯s G this year didn¡¯t have many new elements. Ever since the first New Year¡¯s G, the novelty has gradually decreased over the years. Language-based programs, dance programs, and main melody programs are always necessary. In the living room, the curtains were drawn, and lights were on everywhere. ording to custom, on New Year¡¯s Eve, no lights could be extinguished. It¡¯s all about keeping vigil. The heating was turned up high. Four people were seated around the sofa. Li Lixue¡¯s stomach has be quite protruded; it¡¯s been almost two months, and a little form can be seen. Nie Zhenbang stood aside, peeling apples for the three women with a fruit knife in his hand. Perhaps because of her pregnancy, Li Lixue¡¯s energy was somewhatcking. She went to bed before ten o¡¯clock. Dong Wan, Yang Anna, and Nie Zhenbang stayed up until the end of the g before they went to bed. This night was naturally a night of sweet and passionate warmth. They all slept in the same bed until they got up one after the other around ten o¡¯clock the next morning. Because it was the first day of the New Year. The whole city of Liangxi City was very quiet. When the window was opened, a gust of cold air rushed in. The house had been closed all night and needed to be ventted. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was about to prepare breakfast in the kitchen. However, the phone beside the sofa suddenly rang. This call made Nie Zhenbang pause a moment, then he picked up the phone. As soon as the call was connected, a voice very familiar to Nie Zhenbang sounded from the other end. Nie Jialei, his elder brother, said in a low voice, ¡°Thirdly, why couldn¡¯t I get through to your phone yesterday? I had a hard time getting your number from the Ning family.¡± Hearing Nie Jialei¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and replied: ¡°Big brother, I called home before and told them that I wouldn¡¯t being back for New Year¡¯s. To save trouble, I turned off all my cell phones.¡± Regarding Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Nie Jialei on the other end of the phone didn¡¯t have any formality and continued: ¡°Thirdly, something big has happened in Jingcheng. You should hurry up to Liangxi Airport. Military nes have been on standby sincest night. You shoulde back as soon as possible. Elder Nie is critically ill.¡± Upon hearing Nie Jialei¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang felt his heart twitch. Elder Nie was critically ill. It sounded so urgent. Nie Zhenbang nodded and replied, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be back right away.¡±
To Nie Zhenbang, in his current position, the importance of Elder Nie to the Nie family was very clear. In recent years, he had been preparing for Elder Nie¡¯s declining health. However, when it finally came to this point, Nie Zhenbang found himself as if unprepared for everything. ¡°Zhenbang, what¡¯s happened? Is there trouble in Jingcheng?¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone conversation, Dong Wan, Yang Anna, and Li Lixue all came out of the bedroom. Nie Zhenbang stood up and said solemnly, ¡°It was my elder brother¡¯s call. Elder Nie is critically ill.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang looked at the three women and said, ¡°My elder brother has arranged a military ne waiting at Liangxi Airport. I¡¯ll go first. You three should go to Jiangzhou Airport and take a flight there. A military ne is not very suitable for you.¡± The difference between a military ne and amercial ne is significant. The turbulence of a military flight is something a pregnant woman like Li Lixue can¡¯t withstand. To avoid making Li Lixue feel bad about not going back to Jingcheng, it would be best for the three women to travel to Jingcheng via Jiangzhou. Liangxi Airport is a military airport in Liangxi City. It used to operate somemercial flights in cooperation with the military, but these wereter halted. Currently, the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government nned to reactivate it as amercial airport. However, the specific work was still underway. When Nie Zhenbang arrived at Liangxi Airport, as soon as he stepped inside, two military personnel came over and saluted, ¡°Young master, the ne is ready and can take off at any time. Please follow me.¡± The ne soared into the sky. After just a few hours of flying, the military transport nended slowly at Jingcheng City South Suburb Military Airport. As soon as he got off the ne, a military, camouge-colored Mitsubishi off-road vehicle was parked nearby. By the car, Nie Jiamin stood there with a somewhat solemn expression. As soon as he got in the car, Nie Zhenbang asked, ¡°Jiamin, how is Elder Nie?¡± While driving, Nie Jiamin also turned on the siren of the military vehicle. The speed of the vehicle was immediately increased. Looking ahead, Nie Jiamin said, ¡°The situation isn¡¯t good. Elder Nie has been transferred to their hospital. He is in the intensive care unit for senior officials. At home, they have blocked the news. They¡¯re just waiting for you toe back.¡± When Nie Zhenbang arrived at the General Military Hospital, deep within the hospital, there was a section that was isted. A sign was hung outside that read, ¡°Military Senior Cadre Sanatorium of the General Military Hospital.¡± In reality, this was the ce where the high-ranking cadres of the entire armed forces, as well as the party and national leaders were hospitalized. Various vehicle passes allowed for smooth ess to the area. The car was parked by Nie Jiamin next to a bungalow surrounded by a grove of lush trees. Upon entering, the second generation of the Nie family, Nie Guodong, and his siblings were already gathered there. Eldest aunt Nie Guoping, uncle Deng Xianping, eldest uncle Nie Guodong, aunt Huang Yuerong, youngest aunt Nie Guorong, and uncle Xiao Zhenchang. Father Nie Guowei and mother Ye Shuxian were already standing there. On the side were older brother Nie Jialei and sister-inw Chen Yuqing. Sitting on a long bench, younger sister Nie Ziyu seemed a bit gloomy. Seeing Nie Zhenbange in, Nie Ziyu already stood up and fell into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arms, sobbing quietly, ¡°Big brother, uncle Deng said grandfather might not be able to hold on.¡± At this moment, Nie Guowei came over and looking at Nie Zhenbang, his face appeared a bit serious as he asked in a solemn voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t Annae with you?¡± For a political family like the Nie family, traditional values such as ritual, righteousness, honesty, and filial piety are primary. Yang Anna was already the daughter-inw of the Nie family. Given the old patriarch¡¯s illness, it was a must for her to be there. At this moment, not seeing Yang Anna, Nie Guowei appeared somewhat displeased. Nie Guowei thought Anna seemed a bit presumptuous. Nie Zhenbang immediately said, ¡°Anna and Wan are flying back from Jiangzhou, they should be here soon.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang looked at Nie Guodong and asked, ¡°Uncle, do other families in Jingcheng know about grandfather¡¯s condition?¡±
As the one chosen by the elder to seed the Nie family, Nie Zhenbang certainly had the right to discuss directly with Nie Guodong. In the second generation of the Nie family, none of them held a central position, not even a Politburomittee member, and that was a joke. Although the Nie family had a spokesperson in the Politburo, that was Zhuang Aiguo, the Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. However, whether he could still be relied upon if the old patriarch left, that was hard to say. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Nie Guodong¡¯s face showed a trace of appreciation. Under the serious condition of the patriarch¡¯s illness, even he was a bit flustered. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s clear thinking and strong handling of the situation were indeed worthy of the title of the designated sessor chosen by the patriarch. Immediately after, Nie Guodong also nodded, ¡°After the patriarch fell ill, I immediately dispatched my security force and sent the patriarch here overnight. Currently, aside from a few old leaders such as Elder Nan as well as Secretary-General Yuan and Premier Yun, even Secretary Zhuang knows nothing about the patriarch¡¯s serious illness.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang finally relieved his heart. The patriarch, for the Nie family, and even for the whole nation, was akin to a stabilizing needle. If something happened, it would undoubtedly shake the nation. Moreover, with the patriarch present, the Nie family would not be bullied. However, once the patriarch was gone, what the attitude of the other families would be like, whether they would seize the opportunity to squeeze the living space of the Nie family, suppress the factions of the Nie family in the military and local areas, these were issues that had to be considered.
For now, the secrecy of the news, and handling matters afterwards, making full preparations, even if one is suppressed, by having mental preparedness, this would be far better than knowing suddenly. With these thoughts, Nie Zhenbang immediately nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go in and see grandfather first.¡± Walking into the adjacent ward, arge ss wallpletely separated the ward from the observation area. At this moment, on the bed, the elder was lying on his back, without any consciousness or reaction. Only the electronic disy of various equipment on the side proved that the patriarch was still alive. At this moment, the elder¡¯s body was emaciated, skin clinging to his bones. It was no longer humanoid, looking more like a skeleton. At this moment, various high-tech medical technologies were forcing the elder to continue living. How could this be? The patriarch was just physically weak and somewhat thin. It hasn¡¯t been even two months yet, how could he suddenly lose so much weight? ¡°Zhenbang, the patriarch¡¯s body functions have all fully degenerated. After all, the elder is already in his nies, and his war injuries have burst out now, consuming a lot of his body¡¯s energy, and his various organs have all failed. If life-supporting medical equipment such as the venttor is disconnected now, the patriarch will immediately pass away.¡± A voice sounded from behind. When Nie Zhenbang turned around, it was uncle Deng Xianping. Uncle Deng was already in his sixties, with gray hair at his temples. He had a schrly vibe. Nie Zhenbang was very clear this man definitely would not lie. Birth, old age, sickness, death, these weremon human experiences. The patriarch¡¯s physical condition was different from others. If it were a disease, even cancer, given the resources of the General Military Hospital and the patriarch¡¯s status, even high-end imported medicines could be freely supplied. There would absolutely be no problem in keeping him alive. However, the patriarch was now a part of the natural cycle, his body functions were aging. It¡¯s like a machine that has reached its lifespan. Even if technology is advanced, it cannot change this reality. Nie Zhenbang paused for a bit and then looked up at uncle Deng, ¡°Uncle Deng, can we ensure that the patriarch can hold for two more days?¡±(.) Chapter 368: 359 Meeting with Elder Nan_1 Chapter 368: Chapter 359 Meeting with Elder Nan_1 Two days? Deng Xianping was taken aback. Even though he was a pure schr, this didn¡¯t mean he knew nothing. As the son-inw of the Nie family, he was certainly not oblivious. Elder Nie¡¯s life was critical. As long as Elder Nie was alive, others would have to tread carefully. No one could guarantee whether Elder Nie would make aeback. But if he were to pass away, others would lose this restraint. Forget about pressuring, for the Nie family to keep theirfortable position would be impossible. Political families in Jingcheng have always been subject to changing tides. There¡¯s a saying circted in the city, ¡°I don¡¯t care how stronger you are than me. I don¡¯t care how much greater your abilities are than mine. I only care about how many more years I can livepared to you.¡± It might sound like a fairy tale. However, it is indeed the reality. For example, if there are two old men and one is more capable, during his lifetime, he canpletely suppress the other. Naturally, the family represented by the capable one is stronger. But once the capable elder passes away, the previously suppressed elder bes the senior figure. The family business built up by the capable elder during his lifetime would be threatened and after that, the suppressed elder¡¯s family would rise. Fortune turns with time. It¡¯s your turn this year, but it can be mine next. Under mutual checks and bnce, no family in Huaxia can im to be the top family. Two days, most likely, Nie Zhenbang was seeking foreign aid. Subsequently, Deng Xianping remained silent. Given Elder Nie¡¯s health condition, he didn¡¯t dare to promise anything casually. Such things shouldn¡¯t be mentioned lightly. If the promise can¡¯t be fulfilled, it may affect Nie Zhenbang¡¯s overall ns. After some thoughts, Deng Xianping said solemnly, ¡°Yes, but at most, I can only guarantee for two days. Given Older Nie¡¯s current health state, two days would be the utmost limit.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, two days were enough to get a lot done. He then bowed to Deng Xianping and said solemnly, ¡°Uncle, I entrust everything to you.¡± Coming out of the sickroom, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face was very calm. Looking at the elder members of the Nie family, he then said, ¡°Uncle, I¡¯ll leave it all to you. I must go out now. Tonight, I would like to visit Elder Nan.¡± Nie Guodong understood the meaning of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. Perhaps this was precisely why Grandfather had chosen Nie Zhenbang as the sessor. Compared to Nie Zhenbang, neither Nie Jialei nor Nie Jiamin, not even himself, had the advantages Zhenbang had. The advantage of being the son-inw of the Yang family, with a Dong family of unclear loyalty behind him. More importantly, Nie Zhenbang was considered the godson of Elder Nan. Just for this tie alone, the Nie family had enough to stay upright. Know that Elder Nan¡¯s health condition was not something Elder Nie couldpare to. Moreover, Elder Nan was three years younger than Elder Nie, he was only 87 years old now. For these party and national leaders, being in their eighties is just synonymous with recent retirement. This is a normal age range. If Elder Nan were to express his opinion, it was believed that other families in Jingcheng would not dare to act too recklessly. With this thought, Nie Guodong also nodded and said, ¡°Okay, Zhenbang, everything is up to you. Remember, as of now, you are representing the Nie family. Think thrice before acting.¡±
This statement from Nie Guodong had a sense of transferring authority, a veiled acknowledgment of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s leading position in the Nie family. Xiao Zhenchang, standing aside, was also taken aback. He had not expected his disregarded nephew to have grown to this extent. Anyway, it was good that his second daughter was in good terms with this child. Yet, from now on, he should also adjust his attitude. At this moment, looking at Nie Guodong, under such circumstances, everyone in the Nie family had hidden their petty thoughts. Aunt and younger aunt were no exceptions. They all understood, harm to one is harm to all, glory to one is glory to all. At this time, nobody would be the drag. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang also seriously said, ¡°Uncle, please rest assured. I will not let everyone down.¡± After leaving the military hospital, Nie Zhenbang went home once. The vast Nie estate seemed quiet at the moment. The olddy was not in good spirits. With her husband critically ill, she seemed to have sensed something. These few days, she was not very energetic. When Nie Zhenbang returned, the olddy had already retired to bed. Asking the housemaid to prepare more soups for the olddy to nourish her, Nie Zhenbang then turned to leave. Walking into the living room, Nie Zhenbang immediately picked up the phone and dialed Elder Nan¡¯s number. After a few rings, a male voice came over from the other end, ¡°Hello!¡± Nie Zhenbang knew who it was ¨C Zhou Dawei, Elder Nan¡¯s secretary. Given Zhou Dawei¡¯s rank, if he wanted to, he could be a vice governor of any province without any problems. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare to dilly-dally and immediately smiled and said, ¡°Uncle Dawei, hello. I am Nie Zhenbang, may I ask if Elder Nan is free now?¡± Zhou Dawei on the other end seemed hesitant but then in a low voice replied, ¡°Zhenbang, the Chief just fell asleep. Why don¡¯t you call back some other time. How about in two hours?¡± Elder Nan¡¯s sleep quality was not good, this was not unbeknownst to Nie Zhenbang. Hearing Zhou Dawei¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was not offended. It wasn¡¯t Zhou Dawei putting on airs. From another perspective, this was a disy of the people¡¯s innermost reverence and love for Elder Nan. Just as he was about to speak, Elder Nan¡¯s voice came over the phone: ¡°Xiao Zhou, what¡¯s up? It¡¯s about that kid Zhenbang, isn¡¯t it? Hand me the phone.¡± From the other end, Zhou Dawei¡¯s troubled voice came: ¡°Chief, you should rest first. I¡¯ve already scheduled a time for Zhenbang¡­¡± Before he could finish his words, Elder Nan¡¯s voice piped in: ¡°It¡¯s Zhenbang, isn¡¯t it? He¡¯s back? I knew it. I bet he would call me. I couldn¡¯t sleep a wink this afternoon.¡± ¡°Grandpa Nan, I¡¯m really sorry for disturbing your rest. Grandpa Nan, would you have time tonight? I¡¯d like to visit and wish you a Happy New Year in the evening.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have the luxury of hesitation. For Nie Zhenbang and the Nie family, it had now be crucial to make every second count. If Elder Nan was resting, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t disturb him. But since Elder Nan had picked up the phone, Nie Zhenbang had no reason to hesitate. Upon hearing this, Elder Nan chuckled: ¡°Alright,e over at half past seven in the evening. As a retired old man, I¡¯ve got all the time in the world.¡± ¡­ The car effortlessly passed through the defence line of the Forbidden City. Mei Xiang Park, where Elder Nan currently resided. As soon as they got out of the car, a man who looked to be around fifty greeted them. This was Zhou Dawei, Elder Nan¡¯s personal secretary. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Zhou Dawei greeted him with a smile: ¡°Zhenbang, when you called in the afternoon I was considering that the Chief had just settled down to rest¡­ so¡­¡± That Zhou Dawei could speak in such a manner already bestowed a lot of respect to Nie Zhenbang. As the acting secretary of the chief, Zhou Dawei was of high rank.
Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare disrespect Zhou Dawei. He promptly replied with a smile: ¡°Uncle Dawei, you¡¯re too polite. Ensuring Grandpa Nan¡¯s health is your job. How could I object to it?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s response, Zhou Daweiughed with some admiration in his eyes. He then said, ¡°Zhenbang, follow me. The Chief is waiting for you in the study.¡± Under Zhou Dawei¡¯s guidance, Nie Zhenbang proceeded directly to the study in Mei Xiang Park. Zhou Dawei then walked over and knocked on the door. From within, Elder Nan¡¯s voice emerged: ¡°Has Zhenbang arrived? Send him in.¡± Walking into the room, the antique study didn¡¯t appear to be much different from what it was over a year ago. Below Elder Nan¡¯s small stature emanated an air of authority; he still seemed as energetic as ever. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Elder Nan smiled gently, motioning towards the sofa in front of the desk and slowly said: ¡°Sit down, Zhenbang.¡±
After Nie Zhenbang had taken a seat, Elder Nan spoke again: ¡°Zhenbang, your grandfather, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s on hisst legs.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. He knew Elder Nan was aware of his grandfather¡¯s critical illness. There was no point in trying to hide it, and Nie Zhenbang had no intention of doing so either. He nodded straightforwardly, ¡°Yes, Grandpa is feared to not have much time left.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang looked at Elder Nan and asked, ¡°Grandpa Nan, I mainly came here to discuss my grandfather¡¯s affairs after his passing. ording to my grandfather¡¯s will, he does not want a memorial service of any kind after his death. Some of his ashes would be ced in Mount Babao, and some would be returned to his hometown for burial. What do you think?¡± Elder Nan was no ordinary person. Although President Yuan held power now, there was no doubt that Elder Nan was the country¡¯s foremost figure. Some matters were clearly understood by him, even without them being spelled out. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Elder Nan remained silent for a moment. The inevitable end of life could not be evaded, and despite even he being cognizant of that fact, he couldn¡¯t help but reflect a tinge of sorrow. A decades-old friendship, a veteranrade had reached his end; to say he wasn¡¯t upset would be a lie. Elder Nan looked at Nie Zhenbang and slowly said, ¡°As for Elder Nie¡¯s matters after his passing, carry out hisst will and testament. You needn¡¯t worry about anything after Elder Nie¡¯s passing. Work hard; I am aware of your performance in Liangxi City. Able to uniterades and respect leadership, that¡¯s good. In the future, always stay humble and vignt. I have faith in your abilities. Do well. The country and your grandfather will not forget your contributions to the nation.¡± As he listened to Elder Nan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart was put at ease. The implication was clear. Elder Nan was subtly telling Nie Zhenbang that the high-tech military technology obtained for the country was being remembered by the nation. Even though it couldn¡¯t be openly discussed, it served as an amulet for the Nie family. Work well, with him watching, no one would dare to tantly target the Nie family. ( Chapter 369: 360: Various Statements_1 Chapter 369: Chapter 360: Various Statements_1 Listening to Elder Nan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang nodded his head, and then said, ¡°Elder Nan, rest assured. In my future work, I will definitely maintain a modest and cautious attitude towards my work. I will stay grounded and strictly demand myself as a party member to make contributions for the country and the people.¡± In front of Elder Nan, such slogan-style speech is necessary. Although there is a close rtionship between him and Elder Nan. But this is not solid, he will perhaps intervene in some cases for me. However, Nie Zhenbang is also very clear, although Elder Nan is his godfather, he belongs to the whole country. His considerations are always based on interests of the state, not on his own or the Nie family. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words also satisfied Elder Nan. The slogan-style speech is not about what Elder Nan must hear, in it, what he wants to see, is mainly Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude. Clearly, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current attitude had satisfied Elder Nan. Elder Nan then nodded and said: ¡°Hmm, having such a mentality is good. Parents cannot protect you for a hundred spring times. You trust in heaven, earth, and your parents, In the end, you can count only on yourself. I¡¯m pleased you have such an idea. Go home and spend more time with your grandfather. In the next few days, many people are expected to visit and pay their respects to your grandfather. As the heir of the Neo family¡¯s third generation, your behavior is vital.¡± Elder Nan¡¯s words are already very unambiguous. If the old Nie¡¯s condition were critical, it would be normal to withhold it for a while, but at this point, when he¡¯s at death¡¯s door, there¡¯s no need to keep it a secret. Various Jingcheng family ns, the current party, and national leaders, wille to visit. This is a process that must be followed. If the news of Elder¡¯s death was withheld until his death, it would give a bad impression to the various families in Jingcheng and also appear narrow-minded. The meaning of ¡®performance is crucial¡¯ is clear. Within the system, there is such a popr saying, ¡®do not underestimate young people¡¯s poverty.¡¯ What a family is valued by others is still the abilities of the future talents in this family. If a family is weak in the future, even if this generation is in power, however mighty and brilliant, this might, has no foundation and is but a castle in the sky. Once this person dies, all the power and privilege will disappear with him. It is the talents of the future that others value. This is also the reason why Elder Nan wants Nie Zhenbang to perform well. After returning from Mei Xiang Park, Nie Zhenbang went straight to the Yang family house. As a son-inw of the Yang family, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s visit was not hindered in any way, and he went straight into the living room. As it was New Year¡¯s, most of the Yang family members had already returned. Seeing Nie Zhenbang enter, both Yang An Bang and Xiao Yali stood up. As the nephew of the Nie family, Yang An Bang was well aware of Nie old¡¯s critical illness and was ready to offer his condolences. On the other hand, Elder Yang had already stood up and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang is here. Shengli, you and Zhenbange to my study with me.¡± After finishing speaking, Elder Yang walked towards the study with his hands behind his back. Nie Zhenbang quickened his steps to keep up with Yang Shengli¡¯s pace, and called out softly to Yang Shengli, ¡°Dad.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Yang Shengli nodded his head and said solemnly, ¡°Elder¡¯s time is running out. This time, your Nie family might face some oppression. Even we, even Elder Nan, can¡¯t do anything about it. This is Jingcheng¡¯s rule. No one dares to break it now. You have to prepare for the pressure.¡±
Nie Zhenbang also nodded his head and followed him into the study. Elder Yang was now sitting on the grandmaster¡¯s chair. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Elderughed and said, ¡°Zhenbang, I am relieved and happy to see that you have such an attitude in these circumstances. It is sufficient proof that you have matured. Very good.¡± After a pause, the elder¡¯s expression became serious, ¡°Zhenbang, once your grandfather is gone, fear is, the other families may have some ideas. Your grandfather was wise his whole life, but there is no one to seed him. Looking at the Nie family now, fear is, we¡¯ll have to rely on you.¡± The words of the old elder of the Yang family are very direct, which makes Nie Zhenbang a little ufortable. However, he understood. Only those who genuinely care would point out the Nie family¡¯s current situation so bluntly. Nie Zhenbang nodded and said in a low voice, ¡°Grandpa, I understand. Before I came, I went to Mei Xiang Park.¡± When Elder Yang heard that Nie Zhenbang had visited Elder Nan, he looked surprised. Elder Yang didn¡¯t expect Nie Zhenbang to be so bold, but there was a sh of admiration on his face. Only such characters could be called outstanding talents, and it was a great fortune for the Nie family to have such a son. Then, Elder Yang also nodded his head and asked, ¡°Oh? What did Elder Nan say?¡± Nie Zhenbang would naturally not quote Elder Nan directly, and after a moment¡¯s silence, he slowly said, ¡°Elder Nan meant that we should keep a low profile and make people our standing point.¡± Although these words were not spoken by Elder Nan, they were in line with his meaning. At this moment, old Yang couldn¡¯t help but nod his head and then said, ¡°If themander-in-chief says so, then I am reassured. Although the Nie family will be affected, it will not be driven to a dead end. As long as you do solid work, the day wille sooner orter when you¡¯ll rise again.¡± When he returned to the military general hospital, in the room next to Elder¡¯s patient room, there was a room provided by the hospital for family members to use when they rested. After Nie Zhenbang had recounted his experiences with Elder Nan and Elder Yang in the room, it was quiet. After a moment of silence, Nie Guodong raised his head and said in a mild voice, ¡°It seems that our military might face some serious influences this time. Zhenbang, in the future, our Nie family will have to rely on you three brothers.¡± ¡­ The news of Elder Nie¡¯s critical condition couldn¡¯t be concealed any longer. That very afternoon, Elder Nan hurried over to visit Nie and console his wife. Right after, the Yang and Dong family patriarchs also rushed over to extend their wishes. The next day, Generalist Secretary Yuan and Prime Minister Yun arrived together at the medical centre for military officers. Following the visit to Elder Nie¡¯s bedside, Secretary General Yuan even spoke kindly to Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei for a while. Secretary General Yuan¡¯s actions expressed his attitude. As themander of Jingcheng City Military District, this was his way ofmunicating his stance to the world. The next day, Elder Nie¡¯s physical condition dramatically worsened. At one point, his breath even stopped. By this moment, Yang Anna and Dong Wan had also hurried over. Nobody in the Nie family had any time left to deal with Li Lixue. At this point, Nie Jialei came in with a grave look on his face. His serious expression proimed, ¡°Dad, uncle, the Li family has arrived.¡± Among the high-ranking officers in Jingcheng, there were quite a few surnamed Li. But the ones truly addressed as the Li family referred to Li Guohua¡¯s household. The Li family patriarch was also a founding hero of the country. He has served key posts in the government, and was once the deputy to the first Prime Minister. Later, he served as the Prime Minister as well. He could be said to be a prominent figure in the government. His students and former subordinates are scattered across every level of government across the country. Within the government line, the Li family is undoubtedly the first household. ¡°What are the Li family here for? To shed crocodile tears? We are from the military, they are from the government, we usually don¡¯t have much interaction. Moreover, Grandfather had a disagreement with the Li family back then. I¡¯ll go ahead and chase them away.¡± Nearby, Nie Jiamin frowned and got up.
Nie Zhenbang frowned ¡ªNie Jiamin had always been a very straightforward person. In the past, with Grandfather there, there were no problems. However, if this simplicity was exploited in the future, it could be a threat to the Nie family. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang spoke, ¡°Jiamin, try to keep calm. Guests mean no harm. Regardless, Elder Li is here to visit your grandfather. Don¡¯t let outsiders say that we Nies do not understand courtesy.¡± Nie Guodong likewise was full of appreciation and nodded in agreement, ¡°Exactly, Jiamin, a person of sess should at least hold their emotions under control. You¡¯re still too inexperienced, you should learn a lot from Zhenbang.¡± Having said this, Nie Guodong stood up and looked at Nie Guowei and said, ¡°Guowei, since Elder Li has personallye, let¡¯s go out to greet him. This will prevent anyone from saying that we Niesck manners.¡±
As Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei left the room, an elderly man of about ny years old, with a full head of white hair, walked in from outside. He was wearing gold-rimmed sses. Even though he had some age spots on his face, he seemed to be in good health. As soon as he entered, he walked towards Nie¡¯s wife with an appearance of sadness, ¡°I¡¯m sorry foringte.¡± The head of the Li family ¡ª this was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first encounter with him. In his previous life, when the Nie family had fallen onto hard times, the Zhou family alone had caused the Nie siblings to scatter to the winds. In those days, the Li family represented an unattainable existence for Nie Zhenbang. The olddy was also forcing herself to stay strong, smiling painfully and saying, ¡°Old Li, you¡¯re too kind. Having you guys visiting him makes my husband¡¯s life worthwhile.¡± Through the ss window, Elder Li checked on Elder Nie¡¯s condition. He then turned around and looked at Nie Guodong and said, ¡°Guodong, Elder Nie has dedicated his entire life to his country. It¡¯s not easy. Please feel free to speak up if you need any assistance. We will put forward our national resources to assist you.¡± As he spoke, Elder Li suddenly looked at Nie Zhenbang and said with a smile, ¡°This is Zhenbang, right? Not bad, truly exceptionalpany. You really are a phoenix among men.¡± Elder Li¡¯s statement stopped the Nie family in their tracks, and Nie Zhenbang began to ponder. What did Elder Li¡¯s words mean? What was his aim? At this critical moment, it was indeed worth contemting. ( Chapter 370: 361: Elder Nie Passes Away_1 Chapter 370: Chapter 361: Elder Nie Passes Away_1 A dragon among men, this appetion usually denotes an outstanding talent. Because, in ancient legends and myths, dragons and phoenixes are figures who stand out among the crowd. Using this term to describe a person acknowledges their excellence in all aspects. However, when Elder Li spoke these words, it was worth pondering whether it was genuine praise or if he had ulterior motives. Or perhaps it was a subtle warning to Nie Zhenbang to tread cautiously in Liangxi City. At that moment, all the members of the Nie family fell silent. After a while, Nie Zhenbang was the first to regain hisposure. He subtly nudged his uncle Nie Guodong, who was standing next to him. Although the second generation of the Nie family might seem slightlycking in capability due to innate reasons, their responsiveness wasmendable. Understanding the hint, Nie Guodong quickly responded with a smile, ¡°You tter us greatly, Elder Li. Isn¡¯t such praise too high for a child? Such praise will just make him overconfident. His meagre achievements are due to the care and guidance of his superiors. It¡¯s nothing worth mentioning.¡± Upon hearing Nie Guodong¡¯s words, Elder Li cast a meaningful nce at Nie Zhenbang before departing with augh. Throughout the following day, both incumbent and retired party and national leaders, oldrades, and officers from every military district across the nation, all poured into Jingcheng to visit Elder Nie. Only at this moment did Nie Zhenbang truly grasp the enormity of the Nie family¡¯s power. In his previous lifetime, the Nie family had crumbled overnight, its members scattering in all directions. Some fought on their own, while others sought refuge elsewhere. Those who were suppressed were suppressed. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have much firsthand knowledge of the different factions within the Nie family. However, at present, the Nie family was in its heyday. The Old Master was held in great esteem. Whilst the second generation of the Nie family wasn¡¯t highly regarded, they had representatives in the Politburo¡¯s Standing Committee. The Eldest Son of the Nie family was deeply trusted by the General Secretary, and was entrusted with the important task ofmanding the Jingcheng City Military District. Thus, the Nie family was united in purpose. That day, Nie Zhenbang met no fewer than ten officers with the rank of Major General or above. All the in-service Major Generals across the nation? Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t counted exactly. Nevertheless, the fact that there were so many in the Nie family visibly demonstrated their power. Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang felt a surge of bold confidence in his heart. With so many members of the Nie family, Zhuang Aiguo supporting from above, General Secretary Yuan and Prime Minister Yun overseeing, and with many tops ranks of the military supporting from below, even if the Old Master passed away, the Nie family could not be bullied by any Tom, Dick, or Harry. ¡­ Early in the next morning,
Jingcheng was hit by a sudden downpour. It was as if the heavens themselves were mourning the death of a great general. The gods above were crying out in sorrow. At 5 in the morning in the ICU of the military hospital, Elder Nie ultimately passed away due to respiratory and cardiac failure. Despite the desperate attempts at resuscitation, his life could not be saved. In the intensive care ward, the countenance of the Master was forever frozen in a state of tranquillity. A loyal servant of the Party and the people, a great proletarian revolutionary, military strategist, and statesman, and a leader of the Party and the State, Comrade Nie Huating, passed away in the military hospital due to unsessful medical treatment, at the age of 90. This was the news that yed out on Huaxia TV station¡¯s morning bulletin. By then, the Old Master¡¯s remains had been properly prepared. In the hospital ward, members of the Nie family were all sitting by his side, mourning. The helmsman of the Nie family was gone. Unlike the nation¡¯s grief, what the Nie family was enduring was the pain of losing a loved one, as well as uncertainty regarding their future. The Old Lady passed out multiple times due to excessive grief. Nie Guoping, the elder aunt, and Nie Guorong, the younger aunt, suppressed their sorrow, sticking close to the Old Lady¡¯s side. The Old Master¡¯sst journey was a lonely one. From the moment he fell unconscious, he never awoke again, not even to leave behind any final wishes. Perhaps the Old Master still had some regrets. After all, he hadn¡¯t lived long enough to see Nie Ziyu¡¯s wedding day, or to witness four generations of his family living under the same roof. Yet life is always so cruel, and in the end, the Old Master passed away. At 9 o¡¯clock in the morning, General Secretary Yuan also cancelled an international conference to rush over hastily. After expressing his condolences to and shaking hands with Nie family members, General Secretary Yuan immediately ordered his staff to form a funeralmittee for Comrade Nie Huating and arrange his memorial service. ording to the Old Master¡¯s will, the memorial service was not open to the public. His body was taken to Mount Babao Revolutionary Cemetery. In the massive mourning hall, the Old Master, after being prepared by the undertakers,y serene in a crystal coffin covered with a bright red party banner. This was an acknowledgment of his lifelong contributions. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Huaxia, the Central Government of the Republic of Huaxia, the Huaxia Republic State Council, the National People¡¯s Congress, and the CPPCC all sent wreaths. The incumbent party and national leaders, along with the nine members of the Politburo Standing Committee, also sent wreaths and personally attended the visitation. At the top of the mourning hall, a banner with white characters on a ck background reading ¡®Deeply mourn Comrade Nie Huating¡¯ hung. On both sides of the banner, the elegiac couplets written by Elder Nan were disyed, ¡°He spilled his noble blood and rests under the green hill, ever the loyal son and daughter. With a heart as red as his blood, he defended the mothend, where green cypresses house souls of the brave. The heroes of the era are truly heroic.¡± Just Elder Nan¡¯s couplet alone is expressive of many meanings, which makes the various families in Jingcheng dare not to act rashly. Indeed, the old master of the Nie family has passed away. However, Elder Nan is still around. With his disposition, anyone who wants to mess with the Nie family should think twice. Externally, even though the general public may not be aware of the situation, to the members of various families in Jingcheng, Elder Nie¡¯s memorial service is definitely an borate one. After two days of the memorial service, Elder Nie¡¯s body will be cremated. Eight majestically dressed soldiers of the armed forces, carrying the coffin, proceed forward. At this moment, a ck car with a big red g drove into the za of Mount Babao Cemetery. The car te number was JA-09821. This startled the representatives of the various families present at the funeral, including CPPCC Chairman Guo, who was there to represent the state. The te number might seem insignificant. However, those who were familiar knew that this car was Elder Nan¡¯s official vehicle. Could it be, Elder Nan had personallye today? The car stopped and Zhou Dawei, who was in the passenger seat, got out of the car, opened the back door and helped an old man, who was supporting himself with a cane, to alight. The short stature and alert eyes of the elderly man drew attention as he walked over. At this moment, the elderlydy also walked up and said: ¡°Commander, why have youe? Disturbing you, it¡¯s Old Nie¡¯s fault.¡± Elder Nan was indeed Elder Nan. Only his appearance could elicit such shock. Since his inspection tour five years ago, Elder Nan had disappeared from the public¡¯s eye. This was the first time he had surfaced in public since then, not even duringst year¡¯s economic crisis or Donggang¡¯s reversion had he made an appearance. There were even rumors circting that Elder Nan had passed away, and that the country had simply not announced it. However, for Nie¡¯s funeral today, Elder Nan arrived in person. For the Nie family, it was a great honor.
Elder Nan seemed in good spirits. He extended a hand and said in a deep voice: ¡°Sister-inw, may you findfort in reason. No matter what, I had to attend Elder Nie¡¯s funeral. For decades ofradeship in the revolution, both emotionally and rationally, I must see him off on his final journey.¡± Elder Nan then engaged in a surprising act. He walked totteringly over to the side of the coffin, cing one hand on it. Elder Nan personally held the casket, a tremendously honorable act for the Nie family. Even just this single act promised a worry-free future for the Nie family. This scene stunned Nie Guodong and the others. Nie Zhenbang was the first to react. Pulling his hand, Nie Zhenbang, along with Nie Ziyu and the two other brothers, knelt down. Nie Zhenbang spoke out, ¡°Elder Nan, we believe that Grandpa would be able to rest in peace with your kindness. Your health isn¡¯t good and the wind here is strong. Maybe you shouldn¡¯t go there either.¡± Zhou Dawei and Elder Nan¡¯s health care doctor also came up, trying to convince him. Viewing this scene, Elder Nan¡¯s eyes filled with a boundless sense of reminiscence.
Elder Nan¡¯s sturdy hand gently stroked the coffin, as if talking to an oldrade. His eyes glistened with tears. After a while, he murmured in a low voice, ¡°Old buddy, I¡¯ll apany you on thisst journey. Rest assured, I¡¯ll take care of your descendants.¡± After Nie¡¯s body was cremated, some of his ashes, ording to his will, were left at Mount Babao Revolutionary Cemetery. The rest were taken by his eldest grandson Nie Jialei, his second grandson Nie Jiamin, and the third generation sessor of the Nie family, Nie Zhenbang, on a ne to Tianfu Province. In the old man¡¯s hometown, at the foot of the green hills, the old man¡¯s soul returned home. During this mission, the Nie family did not rm the provincial government of Tianfu Province, nor did they inform the local county government. Only a few elders in the Nie family knew. In the Nie family¡¯s ancestral hall, Nie Jialei personally ced the old man¡¯s ancestral tablet,plete a returning to the root ritual. Afterwards, the three brothers did not stay long, flying back to Jingcheng from Chengzhou Riversides Airport in Tianfu province. As they got off the ne, Liu Kun, Zhao Xinglong and Li Hua were already waiting outside the airport exit. Seeing the three Nie brothersing. Zhao Xinglong and several others stepped forward to wee them. Zhao Xinglong greeted them with a smile, ¡°Eldest brother, second brother, third brother, wee back.¡± Nie Jialei and Nie Zhenbang were acquainted with these people in their circle, but Nie Jialei wasn¡¯t really part of it. Seeing Nie Jiamin and Nie Zhenbang, Nie Jialei also smiled and said, ¡°These few days have been quite depressing. You guys should go out and have some fun, consider it as a way of relieving stress. After this, we have to work even harder.¡± The brothers understood the meaning behind these words. Now, the heavy burden of reviving the Nie family had fallen onto the shoulders of the third generation of the Nie family. Whether the Nie family could still have a ce amongst the families in Jingcheng in the next few decades depends on Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin.(.) Chapter 371: 362: There’s Always Someone Blind_1 Chapter 371: Chapter 362: There¡¯s Always Someone Blind_1 Nie Zhenbang alsoughed at this moment, ¡°Big brother, your wife Yuqing is too good, she even calcted this time. Okay, you should go back first, big brother. We¡¯ll go with Xinglong.¡± With the elder¡¯s passing away, a certain atmosphere was suppressed in the whole Nie family this week. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want to make it more serious. The deceased had passed away. People still have to look forward. Living in the past won¡¯t bring the elder back, nor will it bring the Nie family¡¯s glory. It¡¯s not something to reminisce about, but to continue striving for it. Being too depressed is not good for oneself. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang started to make jokes to lighten the mood. His words made Nie Jialei a bit embarrassed, heughed and scolded, ¡°Go away, nothing goodes out of a dog¡¯s mouth. I wonder how you became the mayor, you never act serious. I won¡¯t talk to you anymore, the more I talk, the worse it gets.¡± After Nie Jialei left, the atmosphere became much more rxed. Although Nie Jialei was not much older, his presence somehow felt restraint. Now with him gone, Liu Kun and the others returned to their true selves. At this moment, Li Hua and Nie Jiamin were already arm in arm. Liu Kun smiled and said, ¡°Third brother, although the elder¡¯s gone, we still have to live. This time, we have found a good ce for you. Tonight, the brothers will go have fun together.¡± ¡°Kun, it seems that your Farmer Welfare Company has made a lot of money. You should give something back to the people of New Li City. If I find out you¡¯ve be a profiteer¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang then began tough. Before Nie Zhenbang could finish his sentence, Liu Kun immediately put on a pitiful face, ¡°Third brother, you¡¯re wronging me. I wouldn¡¯t dare mess with your Dragon Rise Land. New Li City is my second hometown, those old folks there are my uncles.¡± Having said that, Liu Kun paused for a moment, then lightly pped himself on the mouth: ¡°Damn, why do I feel like there¡¯s something awkward about that sentence.¡± Then, Liu Kun looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Third brother, in short, I care about thosemoners even more than my own father. Conscience of heaven and earth, even Xinglong knows about tree nting and environmental protection. I should have a higher awareness than him, right?¡± As soon as these words fell, Zhao Xinglong, who was next to him, was not happy. He angrily said, ¡°Kun! What are you talking about? Your crappypany doesn¡¯t even invest a billion in environmental protection a year. Do you think you¡¯re qualified topare with me? Just the reservoir I invested in is enough to keep you catching up with me for several years.¡±
Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang felt relieved. In his memory of his previous life, these men of the second generation elite were all after the economy and money. They didn¡¯t care about environmental protection or the livelihood of the people. Now, without mentioning the whole country, at least, the people around him have been subtly influenced, which is a good thing. Nie Zhenbang believed that a spark can start a prairie fire, and one day, the whole country will be covered with green mountains and rivers. ¡°Listen, brothers, we are not going to just hang around here, are we? Kun, you said you found the ce, you should lead the way.¡± Nie Jiamin, standing by the side, shouted discontentedly. A group of people, a grand procession, two cars, one was Zhao Xinglong¡¯s civilian Hummer, and the other was Liu Kun¡¯s Mercedes-Benz G550. Both of them were pure off-road vehicles. They all had military license tes. Certificates of all kinds under the front windshield embodied their identity and background everywhere. The cars drove straight onto the airport expressway, this time, they didn¡¯t enter the city. Instead, they turned onto the suburban road in Jingcheng and drove towards the countryside. About twenty minutes¡¯ driveter, the houses in front became gradually sparse. On the side of the highway, a massive group of buildings came into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sight. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang was also surprised, he didn¡¯t expect that someone had already operated such a manor-style club in Jingcheng. The car drove straight inside and parked in front of a vi. As soon as he got out of the car, Liu Kun was showing off, ¡°Third brother, how do you like this ce? Is it ssy enough?¡± The entire manor covered at least four thousand acres. The terrain here, with the backing of mountains and rivers, was built to fit in with nature. At the center of the manor, a delicatewn stretched upward, in the distance, arge European-style castle stood. Inside the manor, there were various fountains, artificial hills, and statues, showcasing a medieval European style. At the side, Zhao Xinglong introduced to Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin, ¡°Second brother, third brother, this ce is designed as a private club. Only the central castle opens to the public on weekdays. The most distinctive feature here is the authentic French meal. The caviar is specially airlifted from the west coast. All kinds of food ingredients are purchased from their ces of origin to maintain the original vor. If you are interested, third brother, you can also book a wine cer here. The red wine here has business dealings with vineyards in Bordeaux.¡± Hearing Zhao Xinglong¡¯s introduction, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. This kind of method, this kind of cost-no-object operating style was more luxurious than the Dynasty Club. It served only clients who are truly refined, nowhere near the ordinary people. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang became somewhat curious about the owner of this manor. Next to him, Li Hua alsoughed and said, ¡°Third Brother, quite curious, aren¡¯t you? Well, the owner of this ce is also an acquaintance of yours. Do you remember the young master of the Yun family from that auctionst time? He¡¯s the boss here.¡± The young master of the Yun family? Nie Zhenbang seemed to remember. Back in the day, at the charity auction organized by Ye Hui, he was struck by the young master¡¯s nonchnt demeanor. Before, Yun was the Vice-Chairman of the State, and now he is the second-ranked leader of the country and the Premier of the State Council. With the Yun family¡¯s extensive connections and influence at home and abroad, only the Young Master Yun could manage something like this. Arge group walked directly towards the central castle. At this moment, an open-top golf cart arrived. The driver was wearing a dark European-style servant¡¯s suit. The cart stopped steadily on the side. The driver got out, made a gesture of invitation, and politely said, ¡°Honourable guests, please get in.¡± From the entrance of the manor to the central castle, the distance is about two kilometers. At this moment, this sightseeing cart was the most suitable means of transport. The cart slowly drove through the manor and arrived at the entrance of the castle. At this moment, several weers standing at the door waved them over. They bent down in a uniform motion and shouted in unison, ¡°Wee.¡± Upon entering the castle, a luxurious crystal chandelier hung vertically from the dome. The Swarovski crystal chandelier was expensive. Everything here is luxurious. Inyman¡¯s terms, they only choose what¡¯s expensive, not what¡¯s suitable. In the hall, there were some scattered guests. Such a club is not something ordinary people can afford. In this ce, even the average child from a prestigious family in Jingcheng could hardly afford to spend. To consume here, in addition to the need for personal status and wealth, you also need money. This is the true haven for burning money.
The hall was as warm as spring. Many beauties of various ethnicities were barely dressed, each carefully selected. At this moment, Liu Kun revealed a yful smile known only to men. He introduced, ¡°Third Brother, the beauties from various countries here have all been carefully selected and professionally trained. Here, there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do if you can imagine it. Even, if you have enough capital, you can entirely have the whole castle¡¯s staff cater to you, allowing you to experience the feeling of ancient European dukes and nobles.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled lightly. The women here were beautiful. Even a few beauties were not inferior to Li Lixue and Dong Wan. However, Nie Zhebang didn¡¯t have much feeling for it. When ites to rtionships, Nie Zhenbang might have been influenced by his past life and has always been a perfectionist. ¡°Ha ha, who is this? Isn¡¯t this the Nie family¡¯s Third Young Master? What, just after the old man went to meet Marx, the third young master started running around? Tsk tsk, it¡¯s really chilling. If the old man knew, he¡¯de up to see you.¡± An irritating voice suddenly sounded out. There¡¯s a phrase, ¡®don¡¯t p someone in the face¡¯ and ¡®don¡¯t reveal someone¡¯s ws¡¯. This sentence managed to do both. Elder Nie had just passed away. At the very least, a few words of condolence were in order, or if there¡¯s really nothing to say, silence would do. Such words seemed a bit too much.
Not only Nie Zhenbang, but Nie Jiamin also clenched his fists at this moment. The well-trained special soldiers of the Xibei Military Region were not something just anyone could handle. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s palm rested on Nie Jiamin¡¯s shoulder, he lightlyughed and said, ¡°Second brother, don¡¯t be impulsive. Sometimes, if a dog bites you, would you bite it back? For such things, the best way is to kill them with one shot.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± On the side, a man with a red and green rooster crowned head, which looked like a rooster¡¯sb, had a change in expression as he walked over. Seeing this person, Zhao Xinglong¡¯s expression changed. The Nie brothers were invited by them. Such words not only left the Nie brothers embarrassed but also embarrassed them. Zhao Xinglong coldly said, ¡°Who is this. Turns out, it¡¯s Young Master Guo. Howe your dad didn¡¯t shoot you on the wall? Why would he allow such an uncouth man like you out?¡± ¡°Zhao Xinglong, what the hell are you saying? Don¡¯t think just because your father is still in office you can act however you want. Your father is already past his prime. Your Zhao family isn¡¯t what it used to be. Mind your words, certain people are not someone you can offend.¡± Rooster Head cried out in provocation. Nie Zhenbang, Liu Kun whispered beside him, ¡°Third Brother, this guy is called Guo Tao. He is the grandson of Chairman Guo from the CPPCC. The Guo family is close to the Li family. I am afraid they are not here for good intentions.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang snorted coldly, and lightly said, ¡°There are indeed some people who are not looking where they¡¯re going. The Nie family, while Elder Nie is gone, that doesn¡¯t mean any Tom, Dick or Harry can bully us. Since they want to y, let¡¯s y big. It¡¯s been ten years since I¡¯ve yed. Now, I¡¯m afraid no one in Jingcheng remembers Nie Zhenbang. If that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s have a good game today.¡± PS: May, the beginning of a new month. On Labor Day, we have double monthly ticket quotas. Please give me a monthly pass. With a minimum of three chapters every day, there will undoubtedly be a surge every week. (.) Chapter 372: 363: The troublemaker Nie Zhenbang (Second update asking for monthly tickets)_1 Chapter 372: Chapter 363: The troublemaker Nie Zhenbang (Second update asking for monthly tickets)_1 As he was saying this, Nie Zhenbang suddenly moved. He was quiet as a maiden, yet quick as an escaping rabbit. In an advancing sh, he raised, then pulled. His foot lifted, his real kicknding solidly on Guo Tao¡¯s stomach. With a loud smack, Guo Tao was sent flying through the air, only tond face-first on the ground like a dog eating manure. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s abrupt move left the castle eerily quiet. Here, Yun Zhiguang, the eldest heir of the Yun family, defined it as a ce of elegance, the entire estate radiating nobility. Everyone who came here sought a taste of medieval European nobility, and even the crudest of people had to maintain a gentlemanly demeanor once they entered. Pretending at least. But Nie Zhenbang¡¯s action was like a turd stirred into a pot of porridge, a boulder tossed into a tranquilke. In the hall, there weren¡¯t many people, but everyone had stood up now, their gazes focusing on the spectacle. However, even in such a situation, no one stepped forward, including frequent visitors like Zhao Xinglong and Liu Kun. Guo Tao slowly managed to pick himself up from the ground. While Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attack was ruthless, it was also measured. On the surface, it looked like Guo Tao was brutally kicked away. It seemed very fierce, yet Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t using his full strength, and he didn¡¯t damage Guo Tao¡¯s fundamental vitality. The worst of the damage was merely falling face-t on the ground. It¡¯s no surprise given Guo Tao¡¯s youthful age, around twenty. If he was the same age as Nie Zhenbang, he would undoubtedly understand the prestige of the third brother of the Nie family. It was his young and ignorant fearlessness that led him to believe that the Nie family had declined to the point where anyone could bully it at will. Upon standing, Guo Tao¡¯s face revealed a trace of ferocity. He bellowed, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you dare to hit me. Let¡¯s see if I can¡¯t carry you out of here horizontally today.¡± Just as Guo Tao finished speaking, Nie Jiamin stepped forward with a look of disdain on his face, saying in a deep voice, ¡°You think you¡¯re capable? You¡¯re just the youngest son of the Guo family, Old Guo¡¯s baby boy. Let me put it this way, even if your elder brother Guo Bo came, he also wouldn¡¯t dare be so presumptuous in front of me. The children of today really are getting more and more reckless.¡± Mentioning Guo Bo deted Guo Tao¡¯s momentum in an instant. Guo Bo was his real elder brother, the future star that the entire Guo family was now focused on nurturing. Compared to his elder brother, himself a mere spoilt rich kid, Guo Tao felt like earth and heaven apart. At this point, a team of security guards walked up, led by a man who was roughly 1.7 meters tall. Underneath his shorter stature, he radiated an intense power. His tense body resembled a cheetah, seemingly ready to attacking at any moment, each move potentially lethal. Seeing the current situation, the team leader stepped forward respectfully, saying, ¡°Esteemed guests, the Asia-Europe Castle Manor has always strictly prohibited fighting¡­¡± Before he could finish, Nie Jiamin interrupted, ¡°What are you? Taking sides? Just now, when we argued with this kid, where were your guards? What, you only show up when we¡¯re winning? You have no right to interfere in this matter and should keep out of it. Stay as far away as you can.¡±
Nie Jiamin¡¯s tone was harsh. Ordinarily, the Nie family was known for their excellent upbringing. However, with the death of Elder Nie, the family had been under a lot of pressure. Now, with Elder Nie¡¯s body not yet cold, someone couldn¡¯t wait to jump out. Nie Jiamin¡¯s anger was understandable, and it was perfectly normal for him to vent some of it in his words. At Nie Jiamin¡¯s words, the security team leader¡¯s expression became somewhat ufortable. The castle¡¯s rules stated that security was not to interfere in guests¡¯ disputes. This was the reason why the security hadn¡¯t stepped in earlier. Nie Jiamin, seeing the team leader¡¯s ufortable expression, prepared to step forward. But then Nie Zhenbang gently held Nie Jiamin back, speaking in a soothing tone, ¡°Let it go, Brother. They¡¯re just poor people employed by others, eking out a living. It¡¯s tough for them, there¡¯s no need to make it any harder.¡± As Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, apuse sounded from behind him. Turning to look, they saw Yun Zhiguang leading a group of people down the stairs. He wore a casual expression, then burst outughing, ¡°Third young master Nie, truly, your reputation is well-deserved. It¡¯s been a few years, but your charisma remains unchanged. This time, allow me to host, may I offer you a drink?¡± As the owner of the Asia-Europe Castle Manor, when Yun Zhiguang mentioned ¡°a drink,¡± it naturally referred to an entire evening¡¯s expenses. Upon seeing the boss approach, the security team leader and his men knew that the situation hade to a close. Even if things started again, they wouldn¡¯t need to step in. With that, they led the rest of the security team away. Yun Zhiguang, this guy, truly enjoyed splitting hairs, as though he couldn¡¯t possibly show the genteel and gentlemanly manner of the Yun family heir without doing so. Nie Zhenbang replied with augh, ¡°It is no small honor to be invited to a banquet by the Yun Family¡¯s eldest. This invitation is not something everyone gets.¡± As he had finished speaking, a sudden voice rang out, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, what? You hit someone, and you think you can just leave without apologizing? Or is that really how the Nie family teaches manners?¡± These words were like a p in the face to both Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin. Even Yun Zhiguang was irritated. These kids were truly undermining him! On the side, Zhao Xinglong, Liu Kun, and others were also frowning. Nie Zhenbang looked in the direction of the voice, and at this moment, standing next to Guo Tao were twods of eighteen or neen, one of whom had some resemnce to Li Guohua in his features. It seemed that this was a descendant of the Li family. Just as he prepared to speak, thed addressed him again: ¡°Let me introduce myself, I¡¯m Li Minhua. What, do you old fellows think that you own the ce here in the Four-Nine City? Let me tell you, your era has passed.¡± From the side, another youngd started, ¡°Hua, isn¡¯t there amon saying? ¡®The waves behind drive on those before, and the waves before die upon the shore. Thend will always produce new talent, each new generation will rece the old.¡¯ It seems they don¡¯t understand that it is not their era anymore.¡± Liu Kun began whispering to Zhao Xinglong at this moment: ¡°This brash boy is the grandson of the parliamentary chairman Gu Qingshan. He¡¯s from a military family named Ma Zhe and these few have been the most arrogant here in Jingcheng recently.¡± Upon hearing Liu Kun¡¯s words, Zhao Xinglong smiles: ¡°Kun, who would have thought that at just thirty, we would have be old fellows. One is the grandson of the chairman of the political consultative conference, another is the grandson of the parliamentary chairman, not to mention the old Li family. Of course, they have good reasons to be arrogant.¡± Their arrogance seemed written across their faces. What they had said had not only offended Nie Zhenbang, but also everyone at the scene including Yun Zhiguang. Nie Zhenbang chuckled lightly at this moment and cast a nce at Yun Zhiguang: ¡°Young Master Yun, since we¡¯re at your ce, you won¡¯t mind if I teach these youngsters a lesson, will you?¡± Earlier, Ma Zhe and Li Minhua had indirectly offended Yun Zhiguang with their words. And at this moment, Yun Zhiguang couldn¡¯t wait for Nie Zhenbang to take action. If not for respecting the fact that they were on his premises, Yun maybe would have done it himself. Being the heir of the overseas Yun family and the nephew of Premier Yun, Yun had always been exceedingly arrogant. Not being part of the system, with a family based overseas, Yun was more impudent and less restrained than the likes of Nie Zhenbang while doing things. Subsequently, Yun Zhiguang nodded and smiled: ¡°If Third Master Nie wants to take action, I¡¯d be happy to see it.¡±
With Yun Zhiguang¡¯s approval, Nie Zhenbang turned around, and looked seriously at Guo Tao and the others, saying in a deep voice, ¡°Li Minhua, right? I haven¡¯t had the chance to teach your older brother, Li Guohua a lesson. Since you are in such a hurry to leap out, I¡¯ll start by teaching you how to behave.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang ordered firmly: ¡°Li Minhua, just now, your remarks insulted the Nie family. I am curious to see the quality of education you received from the Li family. I¡¯ll give you a chance, apologize to me now. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t mind teaching you on behalf of your grandfather.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s action at this moment earned Yun Zhiguang¡¯s admiration. From the outside, it seemed unwise for Nie Zhenbang to challenge the Guo, Li, and Ma families. But any discerning person could tell that Nie Zhenbang was only targeting the Li family. Given the rtionship between the Nie and Li families, a reconciliation was impossible. They were sworn enemies, and there¡¯s no harm in offending them this one time. As for the Guo and Gu families, surely their patriarchs would understand the situation, and wouldn¡¯t me Nie Zhenbang for this. Perhaps they would even impose restrictions on their own young ones.
At this moment, seeing Nie Zhenbang approaching him, Li Minhua started to tremble with fear and started backing away step by step: ¡°Nie Zhenbang, what are you going to do? Hit me? I dare you!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang responded sternly: ¡°Li Minhua, don¡¯t me me for not warning you. You can still apologize now.¡± ¡°Apologize? I won¡¯t!¡± roared Li Minhua, his voice and face alike strained with livid anger. In the world of noble families in Jingcheng, such stubbornness wasn¡¯t umon. Ordinary people might consider an apology or a few words of conciliation to be insignificant, but for children of noble families, an apology was tantamount to a demotion. Afterward, there would be no face left to mix in Jingcheng. Smack! A resounding p rang across the room. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hand had moved, leaving five bright red fingerprints on Li Minhua¡¯s face, and a trace of blood leaking from the corner of his mouth. When dealing with Guo Tao, Nie Zhenbang had tweaked his strength. But toward the offspring of the Li family, he wouldn¡¯t be as merciful. With a single p, Li Minhua crumpled to the ground. Nie Zhenbang looked at him indifferently and then swept his gaze over Guo Tao and Ma Zhe, saying calmly: ¡°That is the power of an old fellow. When you go back, tell your family that the one who stirred trouble was me, Nie Zhenbang.¡± PS: Requesting support in the form of monthly tickets. (.) Chapter 373: 364: The Prestige of Brother Nie (Third Update, Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 373: Chapter 364: The Prestige of Brother Nie (Third Update, Seeking Monthly Tickets)_1 As soon as he spoke, the entire room fell into silence,ter followed by gasps. His words were incredibly domineering and arrogant. It was like the scene from The Water Margin where Wu Song ughters at the Lover¡¯s Inn and even had the audacity to leave his name on the wall, proiming himself the killer, the Tiger-ying Wu Song. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was imbued with the same audacity and dominance, which deeply frightened the heirs of Jingcheng¡¯s noble families. Guo Tao and Ma Zhe did not dare to respirate, they were nothing but a cur in front of people like Nie Zhenbang. Though they might appear magnificent and respectable in the outside world, truth be told, they were more timid than house cats when at home. Nie Zhenbang seemed fearlessly uninhibited at this moment, precisely because he had grasped this fact. On the floor, Li Minhua¡¯s eyes were gleaming with resentment and rage. If looks could kill, Nie Zhenbang would have been dead hundreds of times already. This time, Li Minhua hadpletely been humiliated. From now on, within this Jingcheng circle, Li Minhua would be a subject of ridicule. Upon this thought, Li Minhua stood up, he red angrily at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Very well, you¡¯re really something, Nie Zhenbang, either kill me today, or else, as long as I find a chance, if I don¡¯t destroy you, I am willing to change my surname to yours!¡± Hearing Li Minhua¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s response was simply a nonchntugh, and with an air of disdain, he said, ¡°You? I am always ready for you. But, Li Minhua, let me give you some advice ¨C before throwing many punches, you might want to ask your father about my background first.¡± Nie Zhenbang said these words with a sense of fearlessness. Firstly, the Nie family is a prestigious military family. Although Elder Nie is no longer alive now, the connections remain intact. Attacking the Nie family would inevitably provoke an assimtion of retaliating forces, not meant to be taken lightly. As for personal revenge, Nie Zhenbang was not afraid at all. If the members of Tiger Group couldn¡¯t handle even such a situation, he won¡¯t be Nie Zhenbang. Li Minhua had a sullen look, one hand covering his left cheek, the burning sensation of the p he received was engraved in his mind, a lifelong humiliation. His gaze swept over Nie Zhenbang, resenting everyone present, including Yun Zhiguang, Liu Kun, and Zhao Xinglong.
Keeping silent for a moment, Li Minhua coldly snorted and said, ¡°Tao, Xiao Zhe, let¡¯s go. What goes aroundes around, East of the river for thirty years, West of the river for thirty years, we will eventually get back on top one day.¡± After the departure of Li Minhua and his crew, Yun Zhiguang came forward. The beloved heir of the Yun Family, as always, was detached and unaffected by worldly matters. With a gentle smile on his face, he said, ¡°Third Master, as expected, your reputation is well-earned. These kids are indeed unruly. However, they are spoiled by their families, and Third Master could potentially be in trouble if they are offended and run to their parents. If you need my help at that time, just give me a call.¡± At the words of Yun Zhiguang, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrowed. Yun Zhiguang was really good at ying both sides,ing off as godlike. This was a ssic example of self-praise. Of course, Yun Zhiguang dared to say these things because he had his own confidence. However, Nie Zhenbang simply replied with a casual smile, ¡°Elder Yun, there¡¯s no need. These kids, whose hairs haven¡¯t even fully grown yet, are not worthy of my attention. As for the people behind them? Ha, if people in Jingcheng believe they can bully me just because my grandpa has passed away, feel free to try. I¡¯d love to see if I, Nie Zhenbang, can bring down the Emperor.¡± Ever since he pped Li Minhua, Nie Zhenbang knew his next steps. With Elder Nie¡¯s death, the various families in Jingcheng are on the watch, with some probing for weakness, waiting to see what the Nie family will do next. If they appeared weak, the Nie family¡¯s partners would reassess their rtionships. Once all alliances are lost, the Nie family would truly be isted, an easy target for others to bully. Nie Zhenbang had experienced this in his previous life and did not wish for a repeat performance. Li Minhua was undoubtedly the best candidate to assert authority. The objective of Nie Zhenbang was to send a signal to other Jingcheng families through his handling of Li Minhua that the Nie family was still the same old Nie family despite Elder Nie¡¯s death. He wanted the Nie family to retain its power and of course, he wasn¡¯t going to let Yun Zhiguang take this chance. ¡­ At the heart of the Asia-Europe Castle Manor, a Chinese-style courtyard nestling amidst bamboo corridors seemed slightly deste in the shifting seasons of winter and spring. In a pavilion at the center of the courtyard sat a brazier. An octagonal table holds a set of teaware, bringing a contemtive ambiance of brewing tea in winter. At this moment, inside the pavilion, Yun Zhiguang was immersed in smelling the fragrance and tasting the tea. A look of sheer satisfaction written on his face. At this time, a middle-aged man next to Yun Zhiguang lowered his head and said, ¡°Young Master Yun, we found out, yesterday¡¯s incident where Nie Zhenbang beat someone, has by now been known to everyone in the Jingcheng circles, courtesy of some people who have an agenda. As you predicted, the Li family has remained silent this time. They didn¡¯t make any move.¡± On hearing these words, Yun Zhiguang nodded in satisfaction. Not because he was happy for Nie Zhenbang, but because he was proud of his own urate prediction. Then, Yun Zhiguang seemed to speak to himself, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, the third young master of the Nie family, renowned as the third brother in Jingcheng, doesn¡¯t disappoint with his actions indeed.¡± On the side, seemingly to cater to Yun Zhiguang, the middle-aged man quicklyughed and asked, ¡°Young Master Yun, what do you mean?¡± In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes, everyone has shorings and weaknesses; some people love money, others are obsessed with fame. These are superficial weaknesses. However, some people¡¯s weaknesses are deeply hidden. From the outside, it may seem like they have no ws at all. But it¡¯s not that they don¡¯t have weaknesses, it¡¯s just that they are deeply concealed. Yun Zhiguang was such a person. This love for control from behind the scenes was actually Yun Zhiguang¡¯s weakness. At this moment, a trace of satisfaction appeared on Yun Zhiguang¡¯s face because he relished the feeling of seeing through other people¡¯s strategies. Then, Yun Zhiguang, with a light smile, exined, ¡°Yun Tian, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s move is incredibly dangerous, offending the three most powerful families in Jingcheng. However, what people don¡¯t know is that it¡¯s actually the Nie family¡¯s means of self-preservation.¡± With Elder Nie gone, the Nie family had lost its amulet, a key yer in dealing with high-ranking individuals, which was an undeniable disadvantage. Now, Nie Zhenbang has offended Chairman Guo and the Commissioner Gu. But, he managed to keep it within limits, just squabbles among the young generation. In doing so, the Guo and Gu families can hardly take action. Following this, Nie Zhenbang went on to deeply offend the Li family. As a result, it reassured Secretary General Yuan and my great-uncle. With Elder Nie gone and Nie Zhenbang behaving in this way, the Nie family could only ally themselvespletely with Secretary General Yuan and my great-uncle for survival. So, if the Li family dare to make a move against the Nie family, neither Secretary General Yuan nor my great-uncle would agree. Yun Zhiguang could guess, and so could the old foxes of the various families in Jingcheng. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care about this. At this moment, he would rather that these people could guess, otherwise, how could he show his value? Without value, how could he tell the world that the Nie family could rise at any moment? In this way, other families would need to weigh their decision and consider whether it was necessary to offend a potential political star of the future before taking any action. In the Guo family, Chairman Guo, as the chairman of the National Committee and a member of the Politburo, had reached the most magnificent moment of his life. At this moment, in the living room, Chairman Guo, with a stern face, looked at his grandson Guo Tao standing in front of him. Chairman Guo said to his sons standing aside, ¡°All of you, look after them better in the future. The waters of Jingcheng are not for them to wade into yet. Guo Tao shouldn¡¯t go out these days, he should stay at home and reflect deeply. It would seem as though things have been turned upside down. Is Nie Zhenbang someone you can deal with?¡±
Such things were not only happening in the Guo family but also in the Gu family, and even in other families. The family patriarchs all instructed their grandchildren not to mess with Nie Zhenbang. If they incurred losses, they would have to handle it by themselves. On the Li family¡¯s end, Elder Li sat on the sofa, and after a long silence, he sighed, ¡°s, if one has a son, one would wish him to be like Nie Zhenbang. The Nie family really has a worthy sessor.¡± As Elder Li¡¯s words fell, Li Changjiang spoke slowly, ¡°Father, this time, Nie Zhenbang, that kid, managed to hit three birds with one stone. With such cunning and mental fortitude, I¡¯m afraid he might be a significant threat to Guohua in the future. Should we do something at the uing Liangxi City People¡¯s Congress?¡± Upon hearing this, Elder Li nodded and said, ¡°Alright, you go and deal with this matter Changjiang, remember not to make it too obvious. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to exin it to Secretary General Yuan. That person, Shen Yanshuo, will not risk his reputation to support us.¡±
Just as the young scions in Jingcheng were waiting to watch the drama unfold, the matter seemed to disappear as if it never happened. There were no conflicts, and this baffled these scions. The heroic third brother, in the face of all the families in Jingcheng, swept through the three major families with his boldness and imposing manner. For a moment, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat admired. The name of the third brother once again resounded throughout Jingcheng. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was already on his way to Jiangzhou on a flight. ( Chapter 374 - 365 Ban-di Gathering_1 Chapter 374: Chapter 365 Ban-di Gathering_1 The flight from Jingcheng to Jiangzhou slowlynded at Jiangbei Province¡¯s Jiangzhou International Airport. As thergest airport in Jiangbei Province, it was also the only area in which Jiangzhou City surpassed Liangxi City. It was a great annoyance to the Secretary of the Jiangzhou City Committee, who held the title of standing member of the provincial partymittee, that the provincial capital was outmatched by a mere prefecture-level city. As soon as Nie Zhenbang stepped out of the airport, Yi Jun and driver Yang Qingshan had alreadye to greet him. Yi Jun was aware of the ident that had befallen the elder patriarch of the Nie family. After passing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s scrutiny and trials, Nie Zhenbang had stopped hiding his family¡¯s background from Yi Jun. Even with prior preparation, Yi Jun had been profoundly shocked at first when he learned about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background. At this moment, knowing of the old patriarch¡¯s passing, Yi Jun was again deeply affected. Taking Nie Zhenbang¡¯s luggage from him, Yi Jun immediately nodded and said, ¡°Mayor, is everything settled at home? The old patriarch has passed away. You should be mindful to grieve, Mayor.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Birth, old age, sickness, and death are all natural phenomena. Even a great man cannot escape the fate of death, and my grandfather was no different. Xiaoyi, while I was away, was there any trouble in the city?¡± Nie Zhenbang switched quickly into work mode the moment he disembarked from the ne, and his first words were to inquire about work-rted matters. Yi Jun knew Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character well. Once Nie Zhenbang entered work mode, he was utterly devoted, keeping long nights and sleeping in his clothes right in his office¡¯s rest area. This was allmonce. As his secretary, Yi Jun was always prepared with a set of bedding. If the mayor workedte and slept in his office, Yi Jun would make a makeshift bed on the sofa outside. By now, Yi Jun had grown ustomed to this routine. Yi Jun quickly collected his thoughts and replied, ¡°On the surface, the city is fairly calm. Lately, Fan Changsheng has been frequently going down to the countryside, ceaselessly exchanging views with representatives of the people from various districts and industries. It seems that Fan Changsheng is also worried about us.¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang immediatelyughed, ¡°It would be strange if Fan Changsheng isn¡¯t worried. If they were to vote me out, Fan Changsheng would surely have to take responsibility. He can¡¯t bear such a burden, not to mention Shen Yanshuo.¡± Coming out of the airport terminal building, Nie Zhenbang directly got into a car. Yi Jun smoothly got into the co-driver¡¯s seat and said to Yang Qingshan, ¡°Qingshan, let¡¯s go.¡± The second car of the Liangxi City Committee quickly entered the airport expressway, went straight around the third ring road of Jiangzhou, and took the Hujiang Expressway back to Liangxi City. Looking at the scenery outside the car window, Nie Zhenbang fell into contemtion. The difficulty of working in Liangxi City was clear to Nie Zhenbang alone. While he was not worried about losing his position, his fear was that he might have the empty title of position without actual power. Fortunately, he had already gained control over the city government. However, the reorganization of Qingfang City was like a ticking time bomb. It hovered around him all the time, hanging over his head, always posing the threat of explosion. If anything went wrong in Qingfang City, it wouldn¡¯t be a minor issue. It would be a significant one, and that was beyond doubt. Nie Zhenbang raised his head and asked Yi Jun in front of him, ¡°Xiaoyi, concerning the fire in Qingfang City, has the fire departmente to a conclusion yet?¡± At this question, Yi Jun suddenly smacked his forehead. An awkward grin crossed his face, as if he had done something wrong, and he said softly, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mayor. I forgot about it until you mentioned it. The investigation into the fire already has preliminary results. The fire department concluded that it was a fire caused by short-circuit due to aging electrical wiring. However, Director Chen has a different opinion.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow furrowed at this. Aging wiring, what a load of nonsense! The office building of the Spinning Factory had been in use less than three years since its renovation. ording to some reports from the Spinning Factory, the floor where the fire started had been renovated less than two years ago. Who would believe the story of aging wiring? There was something fishy here. Of course, even before this conclusion, Nie Zhenbang already knew there was something fishy. The clear evidence was that Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua were firmly against a thorough investigation and punishment of those responsible. However, Nie Zhenbang did not expect they had even reached into the fire department. As for Chen Le having a different opinion, that was to be expected. After a moment¡¯s consideration, Nie Zhenbang slowly said, ¡°Xiaoyi, notify them to gather tonight. Call Chen Le, Lu Wu, Mayor Xintian, and Commander Peng for a small meeting.¡± Hearing the words of Nie Zhenbang, Yi Jun promptly nodded and recorded with a steel pen in his notebook. This seems like a small group meeting. These people, all tested, have earned Nie Zhenbang¡¯s trust and are indispensable to any gathering. This time, Nie Zhenbang did not choose any other location. The meeting was held in a private room at the Liangxi City Grand Hotel, where Lu Wu, Chen Le, Zhao Xintian and Peng Kaibao had all arrived. Various exquisite dishes had already been brought to the table. The door to the room opened, and Nie Zhenbang and Yi Jun, both looking somewhat travel-weary, made their entrance. Seeing everyone preparing to stand up to greet them, Nie Zhenbang beckoned them to remain seated while removing his coat and hanging it on a nearby coat rack. ¡°You may all remain seated, no need to rise,¡± he said. Nie Zhenbang then took a seat while Yi Jun, acting as secretary, sat near the door. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival, everyone raised their cups. Nie Zhenbang tapped his ss with each person¡¯s in turn before saying, ¡°This is our first gathering of the new year, let¡¯s all take a drink for a good start.¡± A few drinkster, Nie Zhenbang spoke at leisure. ¡°Comrades, the focus of our work today still lies with the Qingfang City project. Also, the upgrading of Liangxi City¡¯s urban taste and image must be carried out concurrently. And the key to this upgrading is to improve the quality of the old city district. Guicheng district, as an old industrial base, will be the focus of this renovation. Lu Wu, you must be prepared for this.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, a trace of joy appeared on Lu Wu¡¯s face. Guicheng District was an old city district with arge poption and an underdeveloped economy, but it carried greater responsibility. The mere existence of the three spinning factories outside of his jurisdiction had made Lu Wu tread cautiously. At this moment, the news that the city was nning to renovate the old town made him extremely excited. If sessful, this could be his major political achievement. Working with Mayor Nie felt like a dreame true. Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Lu Wu rose to his feet, raised his ss, and said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, please rest assured, I will not drag the city down. I will certainly fulfill my duty.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded in appreciation and then looked at Chen Le. ¡°Old Chen, how¡¯s the case in Qingfang City progressing?¡± The mention of the Qingfang City case not only made Lu Wu hold his peace, but also caused Zhao Xintian and Peng Kaibao to fall silent. The importance of the Qingfang City project was clear to everyone present. This matter will determine whether Mayor Nie can hold his position securely. If Qingfang City is well managed, a smooth path ahead is guaranteed. If it is not, Nie Zhenbang would have to continue his tenure cautiously. Everyone understood this. Speaking of his assigned duties, Chen Le straightened up and assumed a serious expression. ¡°Mr. Mayor, as you have directed, my team has been monitoring and tracking Wu Aijun, the factory director of the spinning mill, 24 hours a day. During the New Year period, our people saw Wu Aijun visiting the citymittee, and the leader he met was Huang Junshan, the Minister of Organization.¡± As expected, Huang Junshan. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but smile¡ªthis exined a lot. It seems that Wu Aijun¡¯s backer was none other than Huang Junshan. Chen Le had not yet finished speaking but nced around at everyone before continuing, ¡°In addition, after the fire, our team entered the scene where they detected the smell of gasoline indicative of arson. We suspect that someone intentionally set the fire, but we have not yet found solid evidence. I believe that we can make a breakthrough by investigating the rtionship between Huang Junshan and Wu Aijun. This will cause them to panic and expose their wrongdoing.¡± ¡°Good, we should have done this long ago. I¡¯ve read the fire report, it seems that Fan Changsheng has already extended his reach. I¡¯ve had enough, I suggest we not only investigate the fire, but we should also look into the local firefighting squadron. I will personally handle the matters with the fire police. I refuse to believe that these people can act wlessly.¡± Chen Le had barely finished speaking when Peng Kaibao picked up on his point. The fire report had been a p in the face for Peng Kaibao. Had Nie Zhenbang not returned, Peng Kaibao would already have made a move. Now, as Chen Le suggested the approach, Peng Kaibao seemed eager. Hearing Chen Le and Peng Kaibao¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang fell into thought. The Qingfang City case was not something that could be resolved quickly. However, Chen Le¡¯s suggestion seemed reasonable¡ªit could be a good direction to pursue. After a pause to think, Nie Zhenbang made his decision: ¡°Good, let¡¯s proceed as Chen Le suggested. The Public Security Bureau should keep a close eye on Wu Aijun and exert some pressure on him. Only in that way will he panic. Meanwhile, Old Peng, you can also apply some pressure. I will discuss it with Secretary Ding Guo. This time, I want to see how the parasites in the Spinning Factory can escape. As far as these people are concerned, my standpoint is to deal with them strictly and harshly, and to pass them over for public prosecution.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang stood up, his expression grave and stern. ¡°Comrades, in this endeavor we must not fear, we must all be fullymitted. This time, we will not withdraw until we take down the Spinning Factory.¡± ( Chapter 375 - 366: Capsize in the Ditch_1 Chapter 375: Chapter 366: Capsize in the Ditch_1 This statement is a show of force from Nie Zhenbang. It also signifies the end of Zhenbang¡¯s low-key strategy in Liangxi City, making a high-profile entrance was inevitable. This is also a strategy of Nie Zhenbang. The sudden death of Elder Nie upset the ns of the whole Nie family. The blow was heavy to the family. As for the second generation of the Nie family, none of them were in the Political Bureau, which was a disadvantage. Even with Zhuang Aiguo on their side, that was only a helping hand. On this level, only their own people can be trusted. The so-called faction was just an empty phrase. The people of the Nie family could fight fervently for the family. But the people of the Nie faction could only take care of the Nie family while preserving themselves. This was the difference. Elder Nan¡¯s advice, keeping a low profile and being straightforward. Nie Zhenbang understood it profoundly. Keeping a low profile doesn¡¯t mean Zhenbang should walk on eggshells. On a deeper level, it might refer to the obstacles Nie Zhenbang faced on his career path. A 27-year-old mayor. This was unprecedented in the country. This was what people were averse to. With Elder Nie around, it was not a big deal. But now that Elder Nie was gone, Nie Zhenbang stood out too much. He could be targeted any time. On this level, it would take several years. When you¡¯re not in the spotlight, gradually rise up. This was what Elder Nan meant by keep a low profile. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s high-profile strategy was very clear. It won¡¯t work anymore to be calcted from now on. The reason was simple, there was no one ahead of him. Going that way, he could be strangled at any time, so Nie Zhenbang decided to strike out openly. Everything was out in the open, making it impossible for people to hinder. ¡­ Liangxi City Public Security Bureau The staff quarters of the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau were behind the office building, covering more than two hundred acres. This newly built area had modern facilities and management. Security guards were stationed at each entrance of the quarters, which was a fairlymon urrence for the Public Security Bureau. Not having police officers there was good enough. In the center of the area, there was a park covering four to five acres. Around the park, there were detached vis. These vis were the residences of the bureau¡¯s partymittee leaders. Vi 003 was the residence of Guo Zhenbao, the executive deputy director of the City Public Security Bureau. At the moment, in the living room of the vi, Guo Zhenbao was sinking into the sofa. His weight had formed a nest-like shape in the sofa. To the left of Guo Zhenbao, a middle-aged man sat quietly, staring at Guo Zhenbao¡¯s unmoving figure. The man looked somewhat awkward and hesitant. After a long silence, the man was struggling internally. After a while, he gritted his teeth and braved himself to speak, ¡°Director Guo, about my son¡­¡± As soon as these words were uttered, Guo Zhenbao¡¯s eyebrows furrowed, and he could no longer keep his eyes closed. He opened his eyes slightly and looked at the man, ¡°Old Zhang, why are you so impatient? This takes time. Joining the Public Security Bureau is not a simple matter. And now, with the new bureau chief taking office, I have my hands full. Personnel and finance have all been taken over by the new bureau chief, you have to give me some time to work on this. Old Zhang, don¡¯t worry. I will arrange your son¡¯s matter as soon as possible. When there is news, I will let you know. How does that sound?¡± There was some dissatisfaction in Guo Zhenbao¡¯s tone. Old Zhang heard it and felt rather awkward. Guo¡¯s excuse seemed too far-fetched to Old Zhang. He had requested this a year ago, before the new bureau chief came. He had put all his life savings into this hoping his son could join the Public Security Bureau, instead of working a lifetime at the Textile Factory No.2 like him. Old Zhang had struggled a lot for this. After a while, Old Zhang sighed and said, ¡°Director Guo, we¡¯ve been colleagues since I joined the Textile Factory No.2, and you¡¯re my superior. I¡¯m entrusting my son¡¯s matter to you. I know you understand my family¡¯s circumstance, he¡¯s our only child, and I don¡¯t want to see him wasting away his life at the Textile Factory No.2.¡± At the moment, Guo Zhenbao felt a headacheing. Indeed, he and Old Zhang both came from the Textile Factory No.2, and he knew Old Zhang¡¯s son well. He was spoiled and ipetent, and that was why Guo Zhenbao had not yet settled the matter. He would have arranged it a long time ago if he were a talent. Even for such a person, Guo Zhenbao needed to wait for the right opportunity. However, before the opportunity came, Nie Zhenbang and Chen Le arrived. After that, with the support of the city¡¯s Political and Legal Committee secretary Huang Jiang and Nie Zhenbang, Chen Le made sweeping changes and took control of the City Public Security Bureau. After that, this matter became even more difficult to handle. After a moment of silence, Guo Zhenbao made a decision in his heart and slowly said, ¡°Old Zhang, now that you¡¯ve said all this, I¡¯ll tell you the truth. Your child¡¯s matter, it might be difficult for the next year or two. So, out of the fifty thousand yuan you gave me, I¡¯ve spent over three thousand for a meal. I used ten thousand for my child¡¯s education. I¡¯ll give you back thirty-five thousand and I¡¯ll return the remaining twelve thousand to youter.¡± Old Zhang¡¯s expression changed upon hearing this. He pleaded, ¡°Director Guo, you aren¡¯t upset, are you? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t rush you anymore. As long as you¡¯re aware of the situation, it will be fine isn¡¯t it.¡± However, Guo Zhenbao was resolute. Dragging the issue out would always be a bother to him. Moreover, who knew how long Chen Le could stay in power. Guo Zhenbao didn¡¯t dare promise any more uncertain oues. When it came to money, Guo Zhenbao wouldn¡¯t back down. To help others and fail, and still have to pay out of pocket? Is he a fool? With that, Guo Zhenbao decisively stood up, withdrew thirty-five thousand yuan from his bedroom, ced it on the coffee table, and pushed it towards Old Zhang. He said again, ¡°Old Zhang, take this money back for now.¡± Seeing Guo Zhenbao¡¯s firm expression, Old Zhang agreed hesitantly, then stood up with the money. When he returned home and told his wife about the situation, she immediately startedining, ¡°Zhang Debao, you useless creature, Guo is ying with you. Fifty thousand out, the task not done, and it became thirty-five thousand. He said he¡¯ll give you the remaining twelve thousand, and you actually believe him? When will we ever see that money? Zhang Debao, let¡¯s sue him.¡± Old Zhang hesitated, and at this time, his wife roared again, ¡°Zhang Debao, are you going or not? If you don¡¯t, I won¡¯t stand for this.¡± Three dayster at Chen Le¡¯s office, Feng Kuang walked in, holding a letter in his hand, and said to Chen Le, ¡°Chief, this is a letter we received this morning. It doesn¡¯t have an address.¡± Hearing Feng Kuang¡¯s words, Chen Le was stunned. A letter without an address? Upon receiving the letter, Chen Le opened it and broke into a smile. It was as though someone had handed him a pillow just as he was dozing off. He had been looking for an opportunity, but unexpectedly, the opportunity had just presented itself. Taking bribes to abuse his official position was no minor offense. Furthermore, Chen Le could say with certainty that knowing Guo Zhenbao¡¯s character, if there was one incident, there must be more. Using this as a breakthrough and further investigations, Guo Zhenbao will definitely be exposed. Chen Le immediately stood up and walked out of his office desk, and said to Feng Kuang, ¡°Feng Kuang, let¡¯s go to the municipal government immediately.¡± With the rtionship between Chen Le and Nie Zhenbang, they were allowed to pass unimpeded and entered Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office directly. Seeing Chen Le¡¯s smiling face, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and scolded, ¡°You don¡¯t seem to maintain the dignity of a bureau chief while wearing such a yful smile. What good news has made you so happy?¡± These words didn¡¯t scare Chen Le. The more Nie Zhenbang behaved like this, the happier Chen Le was. He knew Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character well and knew that Nie Zhenbang would only talk like this to people he trusted. Chen Le then walked up to the desk with the envelope in hand, handed over the letter, and said, ¡°Mayor, there¡¯s a potential breakthrough in the Bureau of Public Security.¡± Nie Zhenbang nced at the letter and stood up in excitement. After reading the letter, Nie Zhenbang looked up and asked, ¡°Chen Le, did you find the person who wrote the letter?¡± Chen Le was a bit embarrassed at the moment. The incident had caught him off guard and he had rushed over as soon as he got the letter. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze, he chuckled and said, ¡°The situation was too sudden. I received the letter and came straight here. But, rest assured, Mayor, we will immediately make contact with the whistleblower and ensure their protection. Absolutely nothing will happen.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang nodded. The contents of the letter were quite clear ¨C it was about Guo Zhenbao failing to get a job done after epting money and not refunding the full amount. Unexpectedly, Guo Zhenbao actually ended up in hot water over this. However, Nie Zhenbang saw a deeper implication. Guo Zhenbao, despite only having the small position of executive deputy director of the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau, was Li Guohua¡¯s man. Seizing this opportunity to take down Guo Zhenbao would be a severe blow to Li Guohua. This was what Nie Zhenbang deemed important. Moreover, amplifying this issue to divert the attention of Li Guohua and Fan Changsheng, and then investigating Qingfang City, would face much less resistance. It would be a win-win situation. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said to Chen Le, ¡°Chen Le, take action immediately and ensure the full protection of Zhang Debao and his entire family. Now, I¡¯m going to see Secretary Lei Dingguo. This time, we must strive to bring down Li Guohua and his associates at once.¡± ( Chapter 376: 367 The Great Purge_1 Chapter 376: Chapter 367 The Great Purge_1 This matter was of great importance to Nie Zhenbang. Guo Zhenbao was the leading general under Li Guohua, and before Chen Le arrived, Guo Zhenbao was the executive deputy director who fully managed the work of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. In other words, Guo Zhenbao bore the hat of the executive deputy, but exercised the duties of the director. This time, if he could seize this opportunity to take down Guo Zhenbao. On one hand, Chen Le would use this to get rid of Guo Zhenbao and his group of people, cing his own people in key departments within the bureau¡¯s various branches and headquarters, thus, managing the Public Security Bureau like an iron barrel. On the other hand, this opportunity could also be used to strike at Li Guohua and even Fan Changsheng. The affairs within the system sometimes are indeed like this ¨C disgusting. It seemsplicated, racking your brains about the top leadership¡¯s intentions and appeasing the citizens. It seems that every day is spent in intrigue, as if the path of being an official is the most dangerous one. But at certain particr times, the affairs within the system are actually the simplest, such as under the current circumstances. Nie Zhenbang and Chen Le have got definitive evidence and handle on Guo Zhenbao. Not to mention Li Guohua and Fan Changsheng, even the King¡¯s father dare not protect him. ¡°Mayor, what about Secretary Dingguo? Will he¡­?¡± Chen Le also started worrying. After all, this matter was a confrontation with the head of the Municipal Party Committee. Although Lei Dingguo was the secretary of the Municipal Disciplinary Committee, sometimes he still had to take into ount the ideas of the Municipal Party Committee Secretary. Nie Zhenbang was very confident at this moment and waved his hand: ¡°Old Chen, it¡¯s not me who says you, but I feel that you are bing more and more conservative with time. You have lost much of your initial courage. Haven¡¯t you figured out what kind of person Lei Dingguo is? He would never miss such an opportunity. If handled properly, this could greatly add to his ¡®Iron Face¡¯ aplishments. Lei Dingguo has always been dreaming of moving to the Provincial Disciplinary Committee or even Central Disciplinary Committee, do you think he will miss this great opportunity?¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s exnation, Chen Le also nodded in agreement. Indeed, Lei Dingguo was more than happy to investigate an elusive case about Qingfang City, let alone a case with clear-cut evidence. With that, Nie Zhenbang picked up the documents and instructed Chen Le: ¡°You need to keep a close eye on the Municipal Public Security Bureau. You should have a clear grasp of the internal personnel adjustments in the Bureau, as well as the arrangements in all aspects. Don¡¯t me me if you mess it up.¡± Chen Le understood that this was just a joke from Nie Zhenbang. However, Chen Le dare not ck off. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intention was clear, Guo Zhenbao would certainly not be able to keep his post after this investigation. Therefore, it was necessary for Chen¡¯s people to take over. If someone else took the position, wouldn¡¯t it be all for nothing? Nie Zhenbang, carrying his briefcase, walked directly across the sky bridge between the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government towards the office building of the Municipal Disciplinary Committee. Unlike other regions, the Municipal Disciplinary Committee and the Municipal Party Committee work in the same building, except they are on different floors. The seventh and eighth floors of the Municipal Party Committee office building were upied by the Municipal Disciplinary Committee. Lei Dingguo¡¯s office is at the far east of the eighth floor. Many of the office workers who came and went saw Nie Zhenbang on this floor, they stopped in their tracks and smiled as they greeted Nie Zhenbang. Due to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s work experience in the Central Disciplinary Committee and his investigation in Jiangbei Province, his name was quite well-known in the Disciplinary Committee system of Jiangbei Province.
He headed straight for Lei Dingguo¡¯s office without any interference. The door was slightly ajar and the room was very quiet. He knocked on the door and Lei Dingguo¡¯s voice could be heard from inside, ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as he entered, Lei Dingguo saw Nie Zhenbang and immediately stood up, smiling, ¡°Mayor Nie, you are a rare guest.¡± Nie Zhenbang epted the goodwill conveyed by Lei Dingguo¡¯s words, and responded with a smile, ¡°Secretary Dingguo, you¡¯re overdoing it. In terms of age and qualifications, you¡¯re the elder. You are also a capable leader in our Disciplinary Committee. To say that, I¡¯m rather embarrassed.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Lei Dingguo¡¯s face lit up with a wide smile. These words inadvertently closed the distance between the two. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang had a subordinate in the Central Disciplinary Committee who was responsible for Jiangbei Province. As long as he had a good rtionship with Nie Zhenbang, it would not be difficult to gain recognition from a leader of the Central Disciplinary Committee. After the pleasantries, Nie Zhenbang got straight to the point, ¡°Secretary Dingguo, the reason I am here is truly to ask for a favor. This letter was handed to me personally by Chen Le from the Public Security Bureau this morning. I¡¯ve had a look, and I believe that there isplete evidence in this case, and the facts are clear. Itpletely fits the Disciplinary Committee¡¯s procedure. I suggest that the Disciplinary Committee can initiate a double regtion investigation of Comrade Guo Zhenbao from the Municipal Public Security Bureau.¡± Lei Dingguo read the letter and fell into deep thought. ording to the working rules and standards for filing a case of the Disciplinary Committee, he could approve this case. However, if the Standing Committee does not discuss it, Fan Changsheng might oppose it. Lei Dingguo weighed his options and felt that the case was clear and the evidence was strong. Although there were suspicions of being too hasty, as the secretary of the Municipal Disciplinary Committee, Lei Dingguo still had the power to do so. Moreover, even if it esctes, Li Guohua and Fan Changsheng wouldn¡¯t dare to say anything. If they dared to speak for Guo Zhenbao then, they would be suspected of covering up. These two men will naturally not make such a low-level mistake. With this decided, Lei Dingguo nodded firmly, ¡°Okay. I will process this case immediately.¡± Upon hearing Lei Dingguo¡¯s agreement to intervene, a hint of a smile crept onto Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face, and he breathed a sigh of relief. He had made the right bet. If Lei Dingguo chose not to agree and instead tipped off Fan Changsheng and others in advance, all his preparations would be ruined. Of course, this could not be considered a risk. Beforeing here, Nie Zhenbang had analyzed the character and personality of Lei Dingguo. Without assurance of sess, Nie Zhenbang would not havee. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang also stood up and extended his hand to say: ¡°Secretary Ding Guo, I entrust this matter to you. After the issues with the Spinning Group have been resolved, I¡¯ll invite you out for a meal.¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang left, Lei Dingguo returned to his desk, picked up the phone on the table, dialed a number and said: ¡°Tianzheng? Could you pleasee to my office now?¡± In less than two minutes, a middle-aged man in his forties with a solemn expression walked into Lei Dingguo¡¯s office. This was Tianzheng, full name Hong Tianzheng, the director of the second department of the city¡¯s discipline inspection and supervisionmittee. His duties were directly regarding discipline liaisons and cases handling for the city¡¯s public security, procuratorial organs, and courts. What was even more rare was that Hong Tianzheng was a man who did not fear power. Handling this case to Hong Tianzheng couldn¡¯t be more appropriate. Subsequently, Lei Dingguo handed the letter to Hong Tianzheng and said, ¡°Tianzheng, this is a letter reporting Guo Zhenbao, the Executive Deputy Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Take a look. The whistleblower has now been secretly controlled by Director Chen of the municipal bureau. I¡¯m handing this case to you. Are you confident?¡± ¡°Please rest assured, Secretary Lei.¡± Hong Tianzheng¡¯s words were simple and straightforward. No fluff at all. ¡­ The next day, at the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, very early in the morning, Chen Le gave orders. This morning, a city-level public security work mobilization meeting was to be held in the Public Security Bureau¡¯s conference room. At eight thirty, the party members of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, along with the top two officials from the five districts and two cities of Liangxi City and various squadron leaders and instructors were all present. Dozens of people filled therge conference room of the Public Security Bureau. Just as the meeting was about to start, Chen Le walked into the conference room. As soon as he sat down, Chen Le said loudly: ¡°Comrades, there are two main issues that I have gathered you all here to discuss¡­¡±
Before Chen Le could finish, a knock interrupted from outside the meeting room, and the double doors of the meeting room were pushed open. At the doorway, four individuals dressed in dark suits with a bright red national emblem pinned on the left chest stood expressionless, looking around at everyone present. The people in the room immediately fell silent. Those with a guilty conscience lowered their heads. They were all too familiar with this attire¡­ and it was terrifying. These were standard outfits for the disciplinarymittee¡¯s staff. In front, Hong Tianzheng stepped forward. After a quick scan of the room, his eyes finally fell on Guo Zhenbao. From his briefcase, Hong Tianzheng took out a document and handed it to a police officer next to him. He immediately said: ¡°Comrade Guo Zhenbao, ording toints from the public, you are suspected of corruption, dereliction of duty, and misuse of power. In ordance with the decision of the discipline inspectionmittee of the city, you will be subject to ¡®Shuanggui¡¯ [Party discipline] starting today. Please cooperate with our investigation.¡±
Upon hearing these words, Guo Zhenbao copsed, losing all the demeanor of a deputy director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Seeing this scene, Hong Tianzheng frowned slightly. His eyes were full of disdain. This man, who dared to reach out, was someone Hong Tianzheng utterly despised. He then told his colleagues: ¡°Little Wu, Xiao Wang, you two, go help him.¡± After Hong Tianzheng and others had left, facing amotion in the conference room, Chen Le then pounded the table. When quiet returned, he resumed his earlier topic: ¡°One aspect is the public security issue of the city. And second, I¡¯m going to announce a few personnel appointments.¡± As Chen Le¡¯s words fell, the room was silent. Personnel appointments? This was likely the result of Guo Zhenbao¡¯s arrest. Although in the city bureau, personnel appointments were just a formality for the organization department, a meeting was still necessary. This abrupt move was most likely going to stir things up. Those associated with Guo Zhenbao became even paler. It seemed that Director Chen was going to initiate a major purge. Chapter 377: 368 Ironclad Evidence_1 Chapter 377: Chapter 368 Irond Evidence_1 Speaking, Chen Le pulled out a printed A4 paper from a notebook beside him, and recited it aloud, ¡°As discussed in the Municipal Bureau of Public Security¡¯s party group meeting and approved by the Municipal Organization Department, we hereby appoint Comrade He Qingjun, head of the Criminal Investigation Brigade, as the Director of the Guicheng District Public Security Bureau.¡± The Criminal Investigation Brigade was originally a department with intensive work and scarce benefits. Any transfer for He Qingjun to a department such as economic investigations, public security, or traffic police would naturally provide a cushy role. The positions of district bureau directors are even cushier. As head of a district bureau means a step towards decentralization, no matter how one sees it, they would wield arger influence regarding the bureau¡¯s infrastructure development, equipment procurement, personnel recruitment, and dismissal. There are many benefits in all these aspects, and moreover, the authority is substantial. More importantly, the position of Secretary of the District Committee of Politics and Law in Guicheng District has always been vacant. By convention, the Director of Public Security is most likely to concurrently hold the position of Secretary of Politics and Law. Once He Qingjun enters the standingmittee of the Guicheng District Committee, it would mean he had ascended to heaven in a single step. In contrast, Jiang Bing, the current Director of the Guicheng District Public Security Bureau, wore a face of despair. However, there was no choice given that Jiang Bing was Guo Zhenbao¡¯s man. Whose fault was it that he couldn¡¯t read the situation? At this point, expecting someone else to speak for him was just impossible. With Director Chen Le in full swing and even sending the Deputy Director to the Disciplinary Committee for a ¡°tea chat,¡± would anyone else dare to object? Wasn¡¯t that like signing their own death warrant? Next, Chen Le announced personnel changes for two more individuals, all of whom were loyal followers of his. Now, they had all risen to key departments within the Municipal Bureau. The original officers were either dismissed or assigned as inspectors. Looking at the cadre present, each one wearing a thoughtful expression; a smile, however, formed in Chen Le¡¯s heart. In fact, these personnel assignments were nned long ago. After working in Liangxi City for such a long time and having already got the hang of things, these arrangements were already determined. At this moment, he was simply taking the opportunity to put them into effect. Now, looking at the results, it seems pretty effective. The arrest of Guo Zhenbao by the Disciplinary Committee had shocked everyone. Immediately after, the series of arrangements gave the impression of beingst-minute decisions, instilling a sense of the highly elusive and deterrent nature of this process. The events at the Municipal Public Security Bureau spread throughout Liangxi City in less than half an hour. During this time, many officers were moved. Some who were on the fence between Nie Zhenbang and Fan Changsheng finally made up their minds. Of course, there were still some cautious officers who wanted to wait until after the People¡¯s Congress to decide, but they did not realize that by the time the People¡¯s Congress took ce, would they still have a chance? Over at the citymittee office building, in the office of Fan Changsheng, secretary of the Municipal Committee, someone suddenly pushed the door open from outside. With a sullen look on his face, Li Guohua walked in indignantly. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s consecutive actions had stripped Li Guohua of his schrly demeanor, leaving him in an irate state. He eximed angrily, ¡°This is absolutely outrageous. Nie Zhenbang and Lei Dingguo have truly gone too far. In doing so, they have shown no regard for us or the Municipal Committee.¡± Fan Changsheng also looked none too pleased. Obviously, Fan Changsheng agreed with Li Guohua. The Deputy Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, a bona fide senior official at the department level, had been ced under ¡°shuanggui¡± without him, as the municipality¡¯s top officer, getting any prior notification. This was a tant p in the face. If he didn¡¯t take any action now, he feared that no one in Liangxi City would take him seriously in the future. Despite his anger, Fan Changsheng said calmly, ¡°Guohua, keep your cool. This matter, although Lei Dingguo is responsible, it¡¯s not entirely his fault. The Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission does have a certain degree of autonomy still.¡±
¡°Secretary Fan, if I may speak frankly, they are practically trampling our necks. If we don¡¯t retaliate, we will be on the defensive.¡± Li Guohua spoke up again after a while. Fan Changsheng held a pen in his hand, twirling it effortlessly on his thumb. This bore the marks of a schr or an officialmon people, who spend their days toiling away, would not have the mind for such trivialities. unting this skill, which he had honed for nearly thirty years, Fan Changsheng, after a pause, said calmly, ¡°Guohua, calm down. What you need right now is calmness. You understand? This matter isn¡¯t as simple as it seems on the surface.¡± As Li Guohua listened to Fan Changsheng, he finally calmed down. He was by no means a fool. Back when he was at the Jingcheng Dynasty Club, he had backed Nie Zhenbang into a corner. Certainly, Nie Zhenbang had had his own reservations and considerations at the time, but overall, Li Guohua was quitepetent. Having calmed down, Li Guohua took a seat on the sofa. After a while, he said, ¡°Secretary Fan, are you suggesting that this is a trap set by Nie Zhenbang and Lei Dingguo for us?¡± At this point, Fan Changsheng nodded. Once the situation had been figured out, the initial rage subsided. Fan Changsheng still favored the sensation of being in control of everything and indifferently remarked, ¡°Nie Zhenbang¡¯s move is not a simple one. We are in a situation where we can neither advance nor retreat.¡± I¡¯m certain that Nie Zhenbang and Lei Dingguo have solid evidence on Guo Zhenbao. At this point, they are likely more than happy to see us intervene. If that happens, you and I might very well end up with culpability. Moreover, ording to regtions, the City Disciplinary Committee has the legal right to intervene in investigations. After all, even the partymittee cannot overly interfere with the Disciplinary Committee¡¯s work. This is a matter of principle. If everything needs to be decided by the citymittee, the Disciplinary Committee loses its essential purpose. Therefore, we won¡¯t find any loopholes here, we will only invite trouble. Still, if we don¡¯t do anything, our credibility will be damaged. They are ying a clever game. As Fan Changsheng analyzed the situation, it unraveled like a movie for the second time. At this moment, Li Guohua also returned to his normal state, exuding the grandeur he had shown before. After a moment of silcence, Li Guohua asked Fan Changsheng, ¡°Secretary Fan, do you have any thoughts about the uing People¡¯s Congress? I heard that Secretary Shen mentioned it at the provincialmittee meeting.¡± That remark made Fan Changsheng¡¯s heart lurch. Shen Yanshuo had indeed brought up the topic of elections at the provincialmittee meeting. However, in Fan Changsheng¡¯s opinion, that was just a formality, but why is Li Guohua bringing this up now? Is he asking me to rally supporters for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s postponed election? Postponing an election within the system is a serious and egregious event, tranting to explicit resistance against the party¡¯s leadership and orders. This directly impinges on one¡¯s political future. Although Secretary Shen is part of the Li faction, and I, as Shen¡¯s confidant, also belong to the Li faction, I will never sacrifice myself for the sake of Li Guohua. If ites to it, we can part ways. Even then, Shen won¡¯t do anything to me, as he has many supporters in Jiangbei Province. If I am sacrificed this easily, it would make things difficult for Shen in the future. As for the Li faction, no matter how powerful it is or what family it represents, it¡¯s too far away for Fan Changsheng to consider at this moment. After a pause, Fan Changsheng slowly said, ¡°Let¡¯s not rush into this. We still have some time, we can wait and see. Now, we need to think about how to recover from the disadvantage created by Guo Zhenbao¡¯s detention and investigation. If we let things go on like this, it will hinder our future work.¡± At the same time, Fan Changsheng was discussing the matter with Li Guohua, at the city militia guesthouse that serves as a working point for the city Disciplinary Committee. This was a designated workspace for the City Disciplinary Committee. Normally, the guesthouse would operate as usual when they didn¡¯t have a case. However, it could be cleared out at any time if needed. The entire top floor of the guesthouse was taken up by the City Disciplinary Committee. At this moment, in a spacious room, sat Hong Tianzheng and a staff member across a table, with Guo Zhenbao deted and seated about three meters away. As soon as Guo Zhenbao stepped in, the members of the City Disciplinary Committee began to apply immense pressure on him. The continuous fatigue tactics took a toll on him. After having read the anonymous letter, Guo regretted his greed. Guo Zhenbao candidly confessed his verbal agreement with Zhang Debao and promised to immediately refund the fifteen thousand yuan to him. However, Hong Tianzheng picked up a notebook and waved it at Guo Zhenbao, saying, ¡°Guo Zhenbao, you sure are cunning. But have you ever thought that a man who ventures into the mountains will eventually encounter a tiger? Now, there is no way you can escape. Confess honestly what you¡¯ve done during your tenure as the security squadron leader and deputy chief and executive deputy of the City Public Security Bureau. If you cooperate, you may have the chance of leniency. Otherwise, prepare to spend the rest of your life in prison.¡± Guo Zhenbao, who was already psychologically weak, could barely stand up when he was taken away by the City Disciplinary Committee.
After being scared by Hong Tianzheng, Guo Zhenbaopletely copsed. He confessed everything like pouring beans out of a bamboo tube. Hong Tianzheng stood up when he heard there was over two hundred thousand yuan of illegal money at Guo Zhenbao¡¯s home. His usually calm face showed a hint of a smile. Immediately, he walked out of the room, gestured to someone and said, ¡°Little Wu, send someone to search Guo Zhenbao¡¯s home immediately. Let me know the results as soon as possible.¡± With leaders like Hong Tianzheng and Lei Dingguo, the Liangxi City Disciplinary Committee is formidable. Within half an hour, Hong Tianzheng received a call. A joyful voice from the other end reported that indeed, 236,000 cash had been found under Guo Zhenbao¡¯s bed. Hearing this news, Hong Tianzheng felt relieved. With this evidence, the case is irond. (
Chapter 378: 369: Fan Changsheng’s Counterattack_1 Chapter 378: Chapter 369: Fan Changsheng¡¯s Counterattack_1 Liangxi Municipal Committee Office Building In February, the weather in Liangxi was gradually warming up. However, at this moment, Liangxi was filled with an unusual atmosphere. The municipal disciplinarymittee was frequently taking action, and Huang Jiangbao, the secretary of the municipal legal workmittee, remained silent. The deputy director of the municipal public security bureau was being targeted. Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua both stayed silent. This situation was very unusual, as the standingmittee members were all very shrewd individuals. Inside the small conference room of the municipalmittee. The air-conditioning was on, and all the standingmittee members had taken off their coats. They were wearing white shirts, dark ties, and national emblem-shaped tie pins. It seemed that this uniform was the mostmon attire for government officials in this era. Nie Zhenbang was no exception ¨C he was dressed in a white pinpoint striped shirt. However, Zhenbang didn¡¯t wear a tie and left his cor unbuttoned. Sitting in his seat, he asionally scrawled something in his notebook with his pen. Fan Changsheng, sitting in the middle seat, looked around at everyone with a calm face and slowly began, ¡°At this regr standingmittee meeting, first, I would like to ask Comrade Dingguo, Secretary of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission, to brief us on the case involving the Public Security Bureau.¡± Upon hearing Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, the other standingmittee members realized that it appeared Secretary Fan had already given up on Guo Zhenbao. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Li Guohua because everyone knew that Guo Zhenbao was Li Guohua¡¯s trusted subordinate. However, to their disappointment, Li Guohua¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He kept looking at the notebook on his desk and showed no signs of consternation, frustration, or excitement. It was as if the whole matter had nothing to do with him. At this moment, Lei Dingguo responded promptly to Fan Changsheng¡¯s remark. He adjusted his sses, opened the notebook in front of him, and slowly said, ¡°Comrade Secretary Fan, Mayor Nie, and allrades, ten days ago, our municipalmission for discipline inspection received a public report that Comrade Guo Zhenbao is suspected of serious vitions of discipline. Consequently, ourmission immediately held a meeting and decided to investigate Comrade Guo Zhenbao and implement double regtions on him. Now, I will report the results of the case to you all.¡± Turning over a page, Lei Dingguo continued, ¡°Based on Guo Zhenbao¡¯s confession and the search of his residence, we have obtained sufficient evidence. His actions caused a negative influence and seriously undermined the image of the party and government in the eyes of the public. Currently, Guo Zhenbao has been handed over to the prosecuting authorities for charges of bribery, dereliction of duty, and engaging in favoritism. I suggest that the Municipal Committee immediately expel Guo Zhenbao from the Party and dismiss him from public office.¡± Dismissal from the Party and public office, or ¡®double expulsion¡¯, urs when the facts are clear and the guilt is confirmed. There is nothing left to say at this point. If he is not expelled, that would be strange.
Fan Changsheng waspletely calm at this moment. Since he had already given up, he wasn¡¯t bothered about adding one more expulsion to the tally. He nodded and said, ¡°Comrade Secretary Dingguo¡¯s suggestion is good and timely. The work of the disciplinary inspectionmittee ismendable. It should indeed be rigorous and perceptive, and create deterrent effects on all cadres in the city. Moreover, I suggest that we take this as a lesson. We need to strengthen ideological and political learning among all Party members and cadres. We must conduct a profound self-examination, strictly discipline ourselves, and maintain personal integrity. We need to be upright and honest cadres.¡± The subsequent vote was no surprise, as everyone unanimously approved the ¡®double expulsion¡¯ of Guo Zhenbao. ¡°Good, it is unanimously approved.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s righteous and vehement posture made him appear quite imposing. He then turned to Huang Junshan, the Minister of the Organization Department, and said, ¡°Minister Huang, since we have reached a decision, the Organization Department should immediately prepare the official document and notify every district in the city. Now that we¡¯ve settled this, we can adjourn the meeting.¡± With that, Fan Changsheng was the first to stand up, and with his hands behind his back, he started walking out of the room. ¡­ February 20th Five days had passed since the regr standingmittee meeting of the Liangxi City Committee, and the entrance of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau was bustling with activity. The transparent wall of the Bureau had been cleaned, giving it a renewed appearance. Dozens of uniformed police officers in a row were standing at the entrance of the bureau building. At the very front, several of the most beautiful policewomen in the bureau were holding flowers, standing straight and waiting. Next to these weing policewomen were all the members of the partymittee of the Public Security Bureau. As the Secretary of the Party Group and Director of the Public Security Bureau, Chen Le naturally stood in the forefront. Next to Chen Le was the Deputy Secretary of the Bureau Party Group, Political Commissar Ouyang Changqing, followed by the four Deputy Directors: Chen Xiongfei, Wang Yaowu, Li Shan, and Luo Jiahua. Chen Le was no stick-in-the-mud. He knew how to adapt, sing to the tune of the mountain he was climbing, a trait that won Nie Zhenbang¡¯s respect in addition to Chen Le¡¯s own workpetencies and steadfast integrity. Being able to be flexible and methodical in his work was another essential quality that endeared him to Zhenbang. Stubbornly upright officials, no matter how selfless, held no appeal for Nie Zhenbang. These kind of people tend to be alienated at work, unable to even look after their affairs, let alone think about the bigger picture. This disy was all part of preparations for Fan Changsheng¡¯s inspection. Fan Changsheng had a pronounced liking for such ostentatious spectacle. After ncing at his wristwatch, it was already nine in the morning. ording to the City Committee Office¡¯s notice yesterday, Fan Changsheng was definitely about to arrive. Containing a brief silence, Chen Le turned to his board of Party members and firmlymanded, ¡°Secretary Fan will be here soon. Let¡¯s stay focused and show him the best side of our Public Security Bureau.¡± Less than a minute after Chen Le¡¯s words, a ck Audi with shing warning lights turned in from the street, carrying the license te of the City Committee¡¯s Number One car. Following the Number One car was the City Committee¡¯s Number 13 car. This belonged to Hu Youquan, the City Committee secretary-general. Behind it, a Toyota Coaster minivan pulled up to the side. TV reporters and newspaper journalists started to disembark, setting up their equipment and establishing their positions. A beautiful young television host began broadcasting to the camera, ¡°Secretary of the City Committee, Fan Changsheng, is here today for an inspection of the Public Security Bureau.¡± After she finished, the cameras turned towards Fan Changsheng. Everything was arranged just in time for his arrival, wearing a friendly smile. The bureau, led by Chen Le, went up to shake hands with Fan Changsheng. But when it was Luo Jiahua¡¯s turn, Fan Changsheng¡¯s disposition changed from the formal handshakes, appearing much warmer. After shaking Luo Jiahua¡¯s hand, he intentionally pped his shoulder and turned to Chen Le, ¡°Director Chen, the Public Security Bureau is full of talent.¡±
His remark unavoidably left the other deputy directors wearing a thin smile. Fan Changsheng¡¯s intention was clear: he was here to bolster Luo Jiahua¡¯s status. At this moment, a hint of joy showed on Luo Jiahua¡¯s face. A personalpliment from the Secretary was a promising sign of promotion. Ever since Guo Zhenbao¡¯s downfall, the position of Executive Deputy Director had been vacant. Now that Fan Changsheng made such a deliberate move, his intent was clear. Chen Le was taken aback. Was this Fan Changsheng¡¯s counterattack? Anyway, on the surface, Chen Le had to go along with it. He immediately responded with a modest smile, ¡°Secretary, you tter me. Our Public Security Bureau team still needs to learn more. All the deputy directors arepetent and valuable assets. They¡¯ve greatly lightened my workload.¡± At Chen Le¡¯s words, a brief sh of dissatisfaction crossed Fan Changsheng¡¯s face. The slick Chen Le had defused the situation, diminishing the boost that Fan Changsheng had given to Luo Jiahua.
Immediately, Fan Changsheng spoke, ¡°Director Chen, let¡¯s not just stand at the entrance. Let¡¯s go to the conference room together. I came here to hear the straight words from you. The Public Security Bureau concerns the peace and stability of the entire Liangxi. It has always been one of the city¡¯s focal points. This time I came specifically to listen to your report.¡± As the group entered the conference room, Chen Le got straight to the point. Once seated, he immediately started his report. Unquestionably, Chen Le¡¯s work performance was exemry, wlessly covering every aspect without any oversight. Even Fan Changsheng, who was listening to the report, couldn¡¯t find any faults. Any attempts to scrutinize Chen Le in this regard were futile. Even as the Secretary of the City Committee, rules had to be followed. Criticism ought not to be arbitrary. When Chen Le¡¯s report was concluded, Fan Changsheng put down his notebook. Looking around the room, he nodded andmented, ¡°That¡¯s good. I¡¯m quite satisfied with the Public Security Bureau¡¯s arrangement. It proves that our Bureau¡¯s party team ispetent. Public security work rtes to the city¡¯s overall situation, protecting the safety of life and property of our people, and ensuring the stable development of the whole city¡¯s enterprises. All these are integral to public security work.¡± At this point, Fan Changsheng shifted his tone, ¡°This time, Guo Zhenbao¡¯s corruption scandal has been a profound lesson. Somerades should consider the overall situation and pay attention to uniting the team. They shouldn¡¯t resort to petty tricks. The Public Security Bureau is under the leadership of the City Committee, not a tool for personal vendetta or group retaliation. I believe all members of the Public Security Bureau team should deeply recognize this, and strengthen ideological education and learning, and prioritize the overall situation and economic development.¡± As he finished speaking, the room fell silent. Chen Le didn¡¯t look so well. Fan Changsheng had indirectly targeted him. Was this Fan Changsheng¡¯s counterattack? ( Chapter 379: 370: Gave Themselves Away (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 379: Chapter 370: Gave Themselves Away (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 ¡°This morning, Fan Changsheng, the Municipal Party Committee Secretary, went to the Municipal Public Security Bureau for research and listened to the work report from Chen Le, the director of the bureau. At the meeting, Secretary Fan emphasized the importance of public security work on the city¡¯s economic development and social stability. He specifically pointed out that we must maintain the solidarity of the public security team to ensure their fighting ability¡­¡± This was a report on the evening news of the Liangxi TV Station. Liangxi News usually aired before Huaxia TV Station¡¯s program ¡°Daily at Seven¡±. At this moment, Dong Wan and Yang Anna were sitting on the sofa in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s house. Naturally, the nanny was busy in the kitchen. Watching the scene on TV, Dong Wan began toment, ¡°Zhenbang, it seems that Fan Changsheng is expressing dissatisfaction with you through this opportunity.¡± ¡°Sister Wan, what even if he is? There are no valid reasons for Fan Changsheng to find fault with Zhenbang. He¡¯s only looking for a pretext. I suspect his objective is still the position of Executive Deputy Director,¡± Anna alsomented. Both women had grown up within such political families. Although they had not entered the official career, they still understood very well under the influence of their surroundings. Nie Zhenbang did not say a word, a faint smile on his face. Indeed, as Anna put it, Fan Changsheng¡¯s purpose for visiting the Municipal Public Security Bureau and giving a speech was not to criticize Chen Le. As themon saying goes, ¡°flies do not bite seamless eggs.¡± And, ironically, Chen Le could be considered wless. So, it was clearly unrealistic to bring down Chen Le just by a single research trip and speech. In fact, Fan Changsheng¡¯s purpose was to use the Executive Deputy Director¡¯s position as an excuse. In the TV footage, it was very obvious that while Fan Changsheng greeted the other deputy directors in a formal manner, he was particrly warm towards Luo Jiahua. Fan Changsheng was doing this to boost Luo Jiahua¡¯s standing. After all, among the several deputy directors of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Luo Jiahua was the youngest. So, this required a bit more effort from Fan Changsheng. However, Nie Zhenbang sniffed at this. Although promoting Luo Jiahua was not an easy task for a Municipal Party Committee Secretary, it was also not a very difficult one. ¡­ Guicheng District
A white minivan was parked roadside at the entrance of the Spinning Factory. Recently, this van had be a frequent visitor here, sometimes even taking passengers. At this moment, it was a little past eight in the evening, and suddenly, lights illuminated the factory area. Seeing this, the two young men in the van immediately straightened up. ¡°Finally, the opportunity arrives. We have been waiting for almost a month, and finally, the wait ends,¡± one of the young men said excitedly, clenching his fist. Indeed, these people were the ones Chen Le had assigned to monitor Wu Aijun, the factory director. As soon as the young man finished speaking, the driver, calmly, lit a cigarette and turned to the young man beside him, ¡°Dai, check the records. How many times has Wu Aijun¡¯s care out at night?¡± Surveince was not just a simple ¡®watch¡¯. A detailed record of Wu Aijun¡¯s habits had to be maintained. Once Wu Aijun¡¯s actions exceeded these records, it would be considered abnormal. The young man referred to as Dai immediately took out a notebook, nced at it under the dim streetmp, and said, ¡°Brother Wen, this is the second time. The first time was twenty days ago. On that asion, Wu Aijun had gone to Huang Junshan¡¯s house. Do you think Wu Aijun will go to Huang Junshan¡¯s house this time?¡± Brother Wen took a deep drag from his cigarette. The car wasn¡¯t very well lit, but the glowing end of the cigarette stood out. He murmured, ¡°From the time we¡¯ve been tasked with surveince, within the span of thirty-five days, Wu Aijun has mostly stayed either at his home or the factory and rarely gone out. However, from the information we have acquired, Wu Aijun doesn¡¯t have a clean lifestyle. He had once had a big fight with his wife in the factory. It seems he can¡¯t bear it any longer.¡± As he said this, Brother Wen also showed a bit of excitement. He said in a low voice, ¡°Dai, get ready. Even the sliest fox can¡¯t escape the hunter¡¯s shotgun.¡± As he spoke, Wu Aijun¡¯s official car, a brand-new Audi A6 fromst year, slowly drove out of the factory gate. The Audi A6 model was supposed to be introduced only after 1999. But due to changes in circumstances, Audi was no longer the only dominant car manufacturer in the country, and the contracts between domestic firms and international corporations were significantly different than before. The Audi A6, internally coded as C5, was imported directly after its releasest year. The lowest-priced variant also reached the level of 400,000. ¡°Damn, what a vampire. The workers of the Spinning Factory have to be frugal even when buying vegetables. Many of them even pick up discarded vegetable leaves at the market. But this bastard, he gets a new high-end car that came out justst year. Even not many in the city have it, but he does.¡± Watching the taillights of the Audi A6, Dai on the passenger seat couldn¡¯t help cursing in disdain. Chapter 380: 370: Gave Themselves Away (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_2 Chapter 380: Chapter 370: Gave Themselves Away (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_2 This set theirpanion Wen,ughing beside them. It was quite normal for young men to be agitated once in a while. He himself had been through that phase. Moreover, Wen wasn¡¯t a great deal older than Dai. The speed of Wu Aijun¡¯s car was really fast. The performance of an Audi A6 wasn¡¯t something to be hyped about. As soon as they hit the main road, Wu Aijun sped up the car. Fortunately, Wen was indeed a first-rate driver, ensuring they didn¡¯t lose him. After about five minutes, Wen started to be excited as well, ¡°Dai, did you notice? This time, Wu Aijun has taken a different route, we might be on the verge of catching a big fish.¡± Following the Audi all the way, Wen got excited. If the surveince was sessful, or better yet, if they could catch Wu Aijun with hard evidence, they would be highly credited. Anything could be possible then. Most importantly, the opportunity to get recognized and rewarded by Director Chen would feel like ascending to heaven in a single bound. From then on, they could aspire for a prosperous future. The car sped faster and faster, quickly crossing the main urban area of Liangxi city. Marching on, they soon would enter Xiliang District. The position of Guicheng District and here, one in the east and thetter in the west, are on the extreme ends of Liangxi city. From this perspective, Wu Aijun¡¯s behavior tonight was indeed very abnormal. At the edge of the urban area of Xiliang District, the newly developed area was situated alongside Xiliang Street. Several newly built residential areas stood tall in the dark night. Wu Aijun¡¯s car took a turn straight into a housingplex named Xintian Garden. Watching the car enter theplex, at this moment, it was inappropriate to follow it anymore. Even without considering the fact that they might alert the suspect, passing through the security staff at the gate of the residential area was not an easy task. Moreover, they were following all the way, and despite Wen¡¯s confidence in his trailing skills, mistakes can happen. It would be bad if they were noticed by Wu Aijun. God knows when they would get another opportunity. At this moment, Wen parked the car about a hundred meters from the residentialplex, took out his mobile phone, and dialed directly to say: ¡°He Team, Wu Aijun has appeared. Now, he is in Xintian Garden in Xiliang District. We dared not break in directly, what do you think¡­?¡± He Team was the former head of the criminal investigation brigade and the current director of Guicheng District Public Security Bureau, He Qingjun. However, Wen and the others were used to calling him He Team. On hearing the news, He Qingjun was obviously excited and immediately said: ¡°Wen Shiming, don¡¯t act rashly. I will report to Director Chen immediately, we will be there soon. For now, you can go and ask the security guard at the residentialplex about exactly which house Wu Aijun went to. We¡¯ll handle the rest when we get there.¡± After the call, Dai said to Wen in a low voice: ¡°Wen, why did we call He Team now? We could have just gone in directly and caught Wu Aijun.¡±
Looking at Dai¡¯s rxed expression, Wen Shimingughed as he scolded: ¡°You little bastard, you¡¯re too eager to gain merit. At this point, we won¡¯t lose any credit for the mission. Let me tell you, even Director Chen wille here personallyter. If we present ourselves decently and he takes a liking to us, it will be enough to set us up for life. With this current situation, even if we catch him ourselves, it would just be the icing on the cake. However, if something unexpected happens and Wu Aijun escapes, we will be held responsible. Remember, boy, while you try to earn the merit, also remember to protect yourself.¡± With that, Wen Shiming got out of the car, closed the door, and said: ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the residentialplex and check out the situation.¡± The two went straight to the security room. As soon as the two security guards saw Wen Shiminging in, they stood up and were about to talk, Wen Shiming took out his police ID from his bag and handed it over to them, strictly saying: ¡°We¡¯re from the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau¡¯s criminal investigation brigade. I want to ask you something. That Audi A6 which just went in, do you know which house it has gone to? Its driver is currently a suspect in our criminal case.¡± Upon listening to Wen Shiming, naturally, the security personnel did not dare hide anything. Once they confirmed the police ID was authentic, and seeing that it involved a criminal matter, they didn¡¯t dare ignore it either. One of the security guards quickly said: ¡°We¡¯re not entirely sure what his name is. But, his wife lives here in Building 4, Room 302. However, he hasn¡¯t been back in the past month. Comrades, has hemitted any crime outside?¡± Wen was ted to hear this information. Atst, he could no longer contain himself ¨C Wu Aijun had shown his tail. Wu Aijun¡¯s real wife obviously lived in the Spinning Factory. This ce was obviously his mistress¡¯s ce. Dai, standing aside, nced at the two guards sternly and said: ¡°Why ask so many questions? There are some things that you shouldn¡¯t ask about.¡± Inside the security room, Wen Shiming and Dai waited for less than ten minutes, a Toyota LC80 SUV drove up, followed by a Mitsubishi off-road jeep. The door opened, and a man in his thirties walked out from the co-driver¡¯s side. As soon as they saw him, Wen and Dai immediately stood upright and saluted: ¡°Hello, Director.¡± The man was none other than Chen Le. The driver was the newly appointed Director of Guicheng District Public Security Bureau, He Qingjun. Chen Le didn¡¯t put on any airs, instead, he shook hands affably with them and said: ¡°Wen Shiming and Dai Yong, right? You two worked hard. Have you figured out the situation yet?¡± Upon hearing Chen Le¡¯s question, Wen immediately responded: ¡°Yes, we have. Wu Aijun came here this time to meet his mistress who lives in Room 302 of Building 4.¡± On hearing the news, a smile appeared on Chen Le¡¯s face. Keeping a mistress and driving luxury cars, these two points alone were hard for Wu Aijun to exin. Now that he was caught red-handed, Wu Aijun could serve as a breakthrough point. They could detain Wu Aijun on some pretext, and as long as the person was arrested, they would definitely find some irregrities. Thinking about this, Chen Le nodded with satisfaction: ¡°Comrades Wen Shiming and Dai Yong, you have done a great job. After the case in Qingfang City is resolved, I will personally request the city government and Mayor Nie tomend the two of you.¡± When the words fell, Chen Le¡¯s face showed a look of determination and he dered sternly: ¡°Comrades, what we face this time is not a vicious viin. But, this person is vital to the survival of tens of thousands of workers in Qingfang City, so I won¡¯t stress the importance. The case Wu Aijun is involved in is a big one. I believe he is fully aware of this. In the arrest, we might face desperate resistance from Wu Aijun. Everyone has to act quickly and aim to take down the enemy in one swoop. Do you understand?¡± Wen Shiming, Dai, and the four policemen brought by Chen Le replied in unison: ¡°Understood.¡± Only then did Chen Le feel at ease. He waved his hand andmanded: ¡°Move out.¡± PS: This is a long chapter of three thousand seven hundred words, it costs extra to exceed four thousand words. So, let¡¯s post this chapter first. More will being soon. Brothers and sisters, not pushing hard enough with the monthly passes, double monthly passes time is running out. We need to keep up, or else it will be harder to catch upter. I kindly request for your support with a monthly pass, as it will be a motivation for me to write. ( Chapter 381: 371: Huang Junshan Gets Anxious (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 381: Chapter 371: Huang Junshan Gets Anxious (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 p! A dazzling beam of light shot directly onto Wu Aijun¡¯s face. The blinding re made it difficult for him to adjust his eyes, instinctively raising his hand to shield them from the light. This was a spacious room, around ten square meters. It only contained three chairs and one table. This was the interrogation room of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau. At this moment, Chen Le presided personally, with the deputy director Wang Yaowu by his side. The interrogation was led by the city¡¯s public security bureau director and the deputy director, which was quite an honor for Wu Aijun. Chen Le leisurely lit a Chung Hwa cigarette from the pack on the table and looked at Wu Aijun, ¡°Director Wu, I didn¡¯t expect that we would meet again under such circumstances. Would you like a cigarette?¡± ¡°Chen Le? Director Chen? What are you doing? Detaining me? Let me tell you, I am a representative of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress. To arrest me, you must first apply to the Standing Committee of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress to remove my qualifications as a representative. If you¡¯re sensible, let me go now. I promise not to press charges. Otherwise, wait for my appeal to the Provincial Public Security Department, the Provincial Disciplinary Commission, and the Provincial People¡¯s Congress.¡± Having regained hisposure now, Wu Aijun responded. It had startled him when a group of people had barged into his room and caught him in the act. His pale naked body was still somewhat dazzling. Any person would be taken aback in such a situation, being naked in front of a group of people, only a mental patient could stay calm. Once regaining hisposure, Wu Aijun¡¯s air of superiority returned. He indeed had something to be proud of ¨C the director of Spinning Factory, which was likely to be the chairman of the Spinning Group after the merger, as the restructuring of Spinning City was based on this factory. His official rank was a proper bureau officer level with the halo of being a representative of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress. Common cases wouldn¡¯t dare to touch him. Listening to Wu Aijun¡¯s words, Chen Le responded with a nonchnt smile. He had anticipated this kind of response from Wu Aijun. Wu Aijun was far from amon man and was well-informed about the workings of the system. He was the toughest type of suspect to deal with. However, once he could be persuaded to talk, the rest would be easy. Looking at Wu Aijun, Chen Le casually tossed the cigarette pack onto the table, leaned back in his chair, and said, ¡°Wu Aijun, I¡¯m afraid, you still don¡¯t understand the situation. You, a married man, appeared in another woman¡¯s bedte at night, naked. How would you exin that? Don¡¯t think that the title of a People¡¯s Congress representative can be your amulet. Just for this, it¡¯s only a matter of time before your credentials as a representative are revoked.¡± Wu Aijun turned pale upon hearing Chen Le¡¯s words. In this era, charges of promiscuity were considered serious, especially for party officials like him, which would amount to problems with moral character. On that alone, he could not hold onto his directorship.
After a few changes in hisplexion, after a moment of silence, Wu Aijun smiled, ¡°Director Chen, we¡¯ve known each other for a while. I¡¯ll admit, I lost my head there. But could I ask you to show some leniency and let me off the hook? As long as it¡¯s within my means, I¡¯ll surely help.¡± Chen Le wasn¡¯t threatened by a hard approach. At this moment, Wu Aijun had switched tactics. He was hoping that this method could persuade Chen Le to let him go. If he could get past this, as long as he kept his mouth shut, without taking the leadership here, his backers would surely arrange another ce for him to take on a leadership role. Unfortunately, Wu Aijun had guessed wrong ¨C he was finally being detained; Chen Le wouldn¡¯t let go so easily. Immediately after, Chen Le turned to the deputy director Wang Yaowu, ¡°Old Wang, take a note of this, Wu Aijun attempted to bribe a state functionary.¡± Regardless of Wu Aijun¡¯s facial expression, Chen Le continued, ¡°Wu Aijun, I believe that you¡¯re an intelligent man. We¡¯ve gone to great lengths to bring you here, we won¡¯t let you out just like that. You should think for yourself what you need to tell us. There is a button on your chair; we are avable 24/7.¡± Having said that, Chen Le and Wang Yaowu both stood up and walked to the door, but Chen Le suddenly turned back, ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you. This time, ording to the Public Security Administration Punishment Regtion, we¡¯ll detain you for fifteen days.¡± The final phrase meant only one thing ¨C Wu Aijun would not be released ording to the 24-hour policy. Upon leaving the interrogation room, Chen Le¡¯s expression immediately became somber. At this moment, he was under the most pressure. The breakthrough for the Spinning City casey in Wu Aijun, so he had to find a way to make him talk. If not, not only would he be at a disadvantage, but the mayor would also be implicated. ¡°Old Wang, you have to put more effort into this. Remember, apart from our people, no other police are allowed near him. As for Wu Aijun, let him cool down for a couple of days. At this time, we can¡¯t rush. The more we rush, the more indifferent he will be, and we won¡¯t be able to open that mouth of his. Keep an eye on it; I¡¯m going to report to the mayor now.¡± After thinking for a moment, Chen Le turned to Wang Yaowu and gave his instructions. As the first member of the bureau party group that Chen Le had won over since entering the public security bureau, Wang Yaowu had gained Chen Le¡¯s trust. Moreover, Wang Yaowu also wanted to seize this opportunity to be the executive deputy director. At this moment, Wang Yaowu nodded, ¡°Director Chen, rest assured. I¡¯m here, nothing will go wrong.¡± Upon exiting the Public Security Bureau, Chen Le saw two young men still standing at the door. Chen Le himself was not that old, in his early thirties. His advancement was inrge part due to Nie Zhenbang and because of this, Chen Le liked to mentor young officers. Chen Le recognized these two as Wen Shiming and Dai Yong, the men primarily responsible for arresting Wu Aijun. With a thought, Chen Le approached them, saying, ¡°You two are still here.¡± Upon hearing him, Wen Shiming and Dai Yong turned around. Upon seeing it was Chen Le, they immediately straightened their bodies which made Chen Le chuckle and, with a smile, said, ¡°Alright, rx. We¡¯re not on duty now, so loosen up.¡± Seeing the pair¡¯s swift adjustment, a hint of admiration appeared in Chen Le¡¯s eyes. He said, ¡°Wen Shiming, Dai Yong. Now, I have a task for you. Go to the Spinning Factory at once, find Wu Aijun¡¯s wife, and inform her about the event we just had. You can take her to see that woman, but under no circumstances are you to let her see Wu Aijun. Understand?¡± This stratagem was something Chen Le had juste up with ¡ª a spark of inspiration. Many dramas always say that a fortress is most easily taken from the inside, right? As Wu Aijun¡¯s wife, she was sure to know many of his secrets. The faithlessness of her husband was one of the hardest facts for a woman to ept. Chen Le¡¯s n was to incite Wu Aijun¡¯s wife¡¯s hatred, thus, eliciting some information. At that moment, understanding dawned on Wen Shiming. He pulled his legs together and dered enthusiastically, ¡°Yes, Director Chen, I promise toplete the task.¡± Chen Le was in high spirits. He believed that, with theirbined efforts, they would surely find some sand in the cracks. Once they had a foothold, they could crumble the whole dam. He patted Wen Shiming on the shoulder and nodded, saying, ¡°Good, that¡¯s the kind of daring and energetic spirit I¡¯m looking for.¡± Having said that, Chen Le got in his car and quickly drove out of the Bureau¡¯s main gate. While driving, he took out his mobile phone and dialed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s number. As soon as the call connected, Chen Le excitedly said, ¡°Mayor, Wu Aijun couldn¡¯t resist going to meet his mistress today. We¡¯ve brought him to the Bureau for having an improper man-woman rtionship. I¡¯m on my way to your house now.¡± At the moment, Nie Zhenbang was watching TV with his three women. Li Lixue was feeling a little tired due to her pregnancy and was about to rest. As Nie Zhenbang got the call from Chen Le, and hearing his report, he stood up at once. The news couldn¡¯t havee at a better time. The initial preparation work for Qingfang City was about to conclude, and next was the major matter of restructuring and merging. At this point, if they could bring down Wu Aijun and others, it would be greatly beneficial to the future of the Spinning Group. At the same time, it would be of immense significance to firmly establish his footing in Liangxi City. As he was leading this massive restructuring and merger project, anyone who wasn¡¯t a fool could see this.
Without any hesitation, Nie Zhenbang looked at his watch and nodded, saying, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for you at home.¡± Shortly after Nie Zhenbang received the news, many other city leaders also learned about Wu Aijun¡¯s arrest. At the City Party Committee residential area, in the number six yard, stood the residence of City Party Standing Committee and Organizational Department Minister Huang Junshan. At this time, Huang Junshan was pacing back and forth in his study, looking very solemn and anxious. Wu Aijun¡¯s arrest came too abruptly and he was totally unprepared. If Wu Aijun confessed, Huang Junshan¡¯s position as the Minister of the Organization Department would be in jeopardy. That was the most urgent issue for Huang Junshan.
The cigarette in his hand had burned to the very end. It was only when Huang Junshan felt a bit of a burn that he tossed away the butt. After a moment of silence, Huang Junshan walked over to the telephone, picked it up, and dialed a number. After a moment, a voice came from the other end. Huang Junshan immediately said, ¡°Secretary Fan? It¡¯s Junshan. I apologize for bothering you at thiste hour. There¡¯s an important matter I need to report to you.¡± On the other side, it seemed that Fan Changsheng had epted Huang Junshan¡¯s request. Huang Junshan continued, ¡°Secretary Fan, something big has happened. Chen Le has arrested Wu Aijun, the director of the Spinning Factory. They¡¯re ignoring your authority. Wu Aijun is a representative of the People¡¯s Congress. Chen Le and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actionspletely disregard the system of the People¡¯s Congress. Their actions are outrageous. I suggest that we convene an immediate standingmittee meeting, letting Chen Le attend and make an apology, and insisting that Wu Aijun be released immediately.¡± As he finished speaking, what Huang Junshan didn¡¯t expect was Fan Changsheng¡¯s response from the other end of the line, ¡°Minister Huang, you¡¯re panicking.¡± PS: Disappointing, only a two-vote increase today. Rmendation votes are pitifully few. Brothers and sisters, I need passion. To be continued¡­ If you like this work, wee to to vote and rmend. Your support is my greatest motivation. Chapter 382: 372: The Gift Delivered to the Door (First Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 382: Chapter 372: The Gift Delivered to the Door (First Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Fan Changsheng¡¯s words sent chills down Huang Junshan¡¯s spine, stirring up a tumult of mixed emotions that turned the atmosphere tense and awkward. Thankfully, they were conversing over the phone, where the awkwardness could only be felt through their voices and not seen physically. At this moment, Huang Junshan quickly responded after a brief pause, saying, ¡°Secretary Fan, I sincerely apologize, it seems I got a bit carried away. However, I believe I must address the matter at hand. Chen Le¡¯s actions were audacious with a total disregard for decorum. He arrested a Standing Committee member of the People¡¯s Congress without due process, which surely could cause unease among other representatives. This is a tant vition of organisational procedure and I suspect it was done on Mayor Nie¡¯s orders.¡± Huang Junshan paused again as if it pained him to say out loud, ¡°Secretary Fan, as the saying goes, ¡®Rules make the world go round¡¯. Our Party has always emphasized on adhering strictly to organisational discipline. Chen Le¡¯s actions clearly show his totalck of respect for the Municipal Party Committee. I suggest we take this opportunity to deal with this matter seriously.¡± After considering it for a moment, Huang Junshan decided not to reveal to Fan Changsheng the dealings between Wu Aijun and himself. Despite Huang Junshan being a trusted subordinate of Fan Changsheng, he believed in the old saying that even within a marital rtionship, it is wise to preserve some personal space and privacy. He resolved that, the less people knew about these affairs, the safer he would be, and hence, chose to keep the truth hidden. On the other side, Fan Changsheng sighed. Huang Junshan¡¯s recent unusual behaviour had already raised suspicion in Fan Changsheng¡¯s mind, and at this moment, his suspicions seemed confirmed. Fan Changsheng also felt a sense of loss and irony that his chief subordinate had chosen to keep things from him. However, he knew he had to act. Apart from everything else, he found Chen Le and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s audacious attempts distasteful. Since the New Year, Nie Zhenbang had been relentless and had caught Li Guohua off guard, then, seized Guo Zhenbao, and now was stirring up trouble in Qingfang City. If he didn¡¯t assert his authority now, he stood to lose all his credibility. After some thought, Fan Changsheng said, ¡°Minister Junshan, please don¡¯t fret over this. There¡¯s no need to rush. How about we convene an Executive Committee meeting tomorrow to discuss this matter?¡± Hearing Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, Huang Junshan felt more reassured and agreed, ¡°I think that¡¯s a good idea, Secretary Fan. We must deal with this issue seriously, otherwise, Nie Zhenbang will try to take further advantage of us.¡± ¡­ Guicheng district
Over in Qingfang City ¨C This time, Wen Shiming and Dai Yong drove straight to the Spinning Factory in a police car, the shing police lights prompting the security staff toe out of the guard station. Seeing it was a police car, they didn¡¯t even question it before letting them through. However, Wen Shiming stopped the guard and asked, ¡°Comrade, could you tell me where Director Wu Aijun stays, which building and unit?¡± Upon hearing they were looking for Wu Aijun, the guard didn¡¯t seem surprised. Everyone at the Spinning Factory knew Director Wu had quite awork, including a few policemen. Assuming Wen Shiming was there to invite Wu Aijun out, the guard coldly responded, ¡°Go straight ahead, at the second intersection in the housing area turn left, it¡¯s the unit on the left on the third floor of building 31.¡± As Wen Shiming drove away, the guard spat on the ground and could be faintly heard cursing under his breath. This reaction left a deep impression on Wen Shiming. If even the guard was showing such resentment, it was obvious that Wu Aijun hadpletely lost the support of the workers at the factory. Thanks to the guard¡¯s directions, Wen Shiming and Dai Yong quickly found Wu Aijun¡¯s home. Dai Yong took the initiative to knock on the door of the third-floor apartment, and shortly after, a woman¡¯s voice responded from inside, ¡°Coming,ing.¡± When the door opened, a woman of about forty-five or fifty years stood there, taken aback by the sight of two uniformed police officers. The aura exuded by the police was indeed a great deterrent for ordinary citizens and officials alike. At this moment, Wen Shiming was also observing Wu Aijun¡¯s wife. She was in herte forties, with an unassuming appearance, and nothing stood out about her clothing or demeanor. It was no wonder then why Wu Aijun sought affection elsewhere. As the Factory Director of the Spinning Factory, enjoying power and influence, it was not surprising that some of the young female workers at the factory wished to ingratiate themselves with the Factory Director. Naturally, Wu Aijun¡¯s downfall was inevitable. Then, Wen Shiming gave a signal to Dai Yong who understood and nodded, saying, ¡°You must be Zhang Chunfeng, Wu Aijun¡¯s wife. This evening, during a surprise arrest, we caught your husband Wu Aijun getting intimate with a woman named Liu Ximei. Are you familiar with her?¡± The moment Zhang Chunfeng heard Dai Yong¡¯s words, her face paled noticeably. As Wu Aijun¡¯s wife, she had suspected for long that Wu Aijun was seeing other women, but she had deliberately tried to avoid thinking about it. Dai Yong¡¯s frankness forced her to face the reality, shattering the illusion she had woven around herself. Chapter 383: 372: The Gift Delivered to the Door (First Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_2 Chapter 383: Chapter 372: The Gift Delivered to the Door (First Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_2 After a while, Zhang Chunfeng nodded and said, ¡°I knew it, I knew that bitch was having an affair with that old geezer.¡± Hearing this, Wen Shiming and Dai Yong looked at each other, and a glimmer of joy shed in their eyes. The more Zhang Chunfeng showed her hatred, the more likely Chen Le¡¯s strategy would seed. Then, Wen Shiming opened his mouth and said, ¡°Sister, just calm down a bit. ording to Liu Ximei¡¯s ount, Director Wu has purchased a property in Xiliang District for her, she has got a city household registration, and gave her a significant amount of cash. Were you aware of this? ording to our investigation, Director Wu¡¯s sry is insufficient to shoulder such expenses. Sister Zhang, we came here today to save Director Wu. As his wife, you wouldn¡¯t want to see him being deceived by a woman and walking down a path of no return, right?¡± Zhang Chunfeng has always been a woman who does not have extensive worldly experience. Usually, Wu Aijun dislikes taking her out as he is afraid of being embarrassed by her clumsiness. At this moment, being frightened by Wen Shiming¡¯s and Dai Yong¡¯s good cop bad cop routine, Zhang Chunfeng became flustered. She grabbed Wen Shiming and said, ¡°Officer, you must save my husband. He was bewitched by that bitch and did something against the party and the state. I assure you, I will cooperate with the government fully to obtain a lenient treatment. Please wait for me.¡± Then, Zhang Chunfeng went into her bedroom and came out momentster with a safe box, cing it by the doorway. She said, ¡°Officer, this is what he kept at home for our daughter¡¯s study abroad. I knew the money wasn¡¯t gotten through honest means, so I never dared to use it. You guys take it, this can be his way of making amends.¡± Joy! Nothing could describe the feeling of Wen Shiming and Dai Yong at this moment but joy. Wen Shiming didn¡¯t expect the matter to proceed so smoothly. It felt like a windfall. Wen Shiming also nodded seriously and said, ¡°Sister Zhang, rest assured. Once the matter of Director Wu is investigated thoroughly, he will be promptly released. Don¡¯t worry.¡± As soon as they left Wu Aijun¡¯s house, Wen Shiming immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Dai, let¡¯s go back to the bureau and bring good news to Chen.¡± On the other hand, Chen Le was reporting this case to Nie Zhenbang at his house, and suddenly received a call from Wen Shiming. Upon hearing that Wu Aijun¡¯s wife had turned over a batch of illicit money, Chen Le immediately told Nie Zhenbang the news. Hearing this, the anxiety in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart was relieved. At this point, the big picture was settled. The next day As soon as Nie Zhenbang started work, he received a call from the Secretary General of the Municipal Party Committee, Hu Youquan, announcing an urgent meeting in the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s conference roomter that morning.
Nie Zhenbang had just stepped in when Fan Changsheng walked in behind him and sat directly in the main seat. With a poker face, Fan Changsheng slowly said, ¡°Comrades, the main reason I called everyone here at such short notice is something crucial.¡± Then, Fan Changsheng¡¯s gaze shifted to Nie Zhenbang on his side, and he continued, ¡°Yesterday evening, Chief Chen Le of the Municipal Public Security Bureau suddenly arrested Director Wu Aijun of the Spinning Factory.¡± At this point, Fan Changsheng paused and suddenly raised his voice, mming the table, ¡°What is going on? Does Chen Le still want to be the bureau chief? Wu Aijun is a county and department-level official, although he belongs to an enterprise, his rank is equivalent to a full division level, and he¡¯s a representative of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress. There was nomunication or report prior to his arrest, and the normal procedures of the standingmittee of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress were not followed. What is this? Is it retaliation? Is there no sense of organizational discipline and party principles? Does Chen Le still respect the Municipal Party Committee? I suggest that such a person should be severely dealt with and asked to make a written self-criticism, and should be given a serious party disciplinary sanction.¡± Making a written self-criticism wouldn¡¯t be too bad. However, as a party member, a severe party disciplinary sanction is quite terrifying. A severe sanction is equivalent to adding a ck mark to one¡¯s career, which can greatly impact one¡¯s promotion. ¡°Secretary Fan, let me say a few words,¡± Nie Zhenbang suddenly interjected. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, a trace of triumph shed across Fan Changsheng¡¯s face. He was not afraid of Nie Zhenbang speaking out; the more he spoke, the more he could set back Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang looked around, then slowly said, ¡°Comrades, Secretary Fan,dies and gentlemen, even if Secretary Fan hadn¡¯t mentioned it earlier, I also have a matter to report. Yesterday, the Municipal Public Security Bureau conducted a citywide search. At that time, Mr. Wu Aijun was caught having a rtionship with an unknown woman. This woman was not Mr. Wu¡¯s wife, so Chief Chen took Mr. Wu to the Municipal Bureau. Last night, Wu Aijun¡¯s wife brought a safe box to the Municipal Bureau. ording to the statistics, the box contained RMB 300,000 and USD 40,000. Given the unclear origin of suchrge amounts of money, I suggest that the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection set up a special task force to conduct a detailed interrogation of Mr. Wu.¡± This matter waspletely unexpected for Fan Changsheng and others. They had not anticipated this turn of events. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s move proved to be a surprise attack. Fan Changsheng was stunned momentarily by the sudden development and was at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, Fan Changsheng waved his hand, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I too advise the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection to urgently intervene and investigate. However, Chen Le, for viting organizational discipline and acting without the consent of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress, must bear the responsibility. Let¡¯s spare him the severe disciplinary action, but I suggest thatrade Chen Le make a written self-criticism to the Municipal Party Committee. Meeting adjourned.¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng was on the defensive. He urgently needed to understand the entire situation. Continuing the meeting would serve no purpose. It would only make Nie Zhenbang look more pleased. Fan Changsheng walked out with his hands sped behind his back, and the other members of the Standing Committee also left one after another. As Nie Zhenbang walked out of the Municipal Party Committee meeting room and was just about to cross the overpass, a voice called out from behind, ¡°Mayor Nie, please wait a moment.¡± Nie Zhenbang turned around at the sound of the voice to see a smiling Huang Junshan, the Minister of the Municipal Organization Department. He couldn¡¯t help butugh inwardly. It seemed like Huang Junshan was seekingpromise. Nie Zhenbang had long suspected that there was something going on between Wu Aijun and Huang Junshan. When Wu Aijun visited Huang Junshan, Nie Zhenbang already had some suspicions. Later, Huang Junshan obstructing the investigation of Qingfang City further confirmed his suspicions. Now, Huang Junshan¡¯s performance solidified his belief. After a moment¡¯s thought, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face also broke into a smile, ¡°Minister Huang, do you need something?¡± At this moment, Huang Junshan¡¯s demeanor was quite humble, and he was wearing a warm smile on his face. He nodded slightly and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, is now a good time? I have an important task that I would like to report to you and seek your opinion.¡± PS: It¡¯s May 4th already, asking for monthly ticket support. ( Chapter 384: 373: Thunderous Tactics_1 Chapter 384: Chapter 373: Thunderous Tactics_1 Upon hearing Huang Junshan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang could not help but smile inwardly. What kind of matter could he possibly need to report? These, were nothing but false pretenses. In the months since he had taken office in Liangxi City, he had not seen Huang Junshane to report his work. Not to mention, he was the government¡¯s leading official, and Huang Junshan was the Minister of the City Committee Organization Department. In terms of real power, Huang Junshan was in charge of the promotion, evaluation, and appointment of all city cadres. He held significant power, and his high-and-mighty demeanor was always evident. There¡¯s an old saying: no one would offer help without a reason; they are either a traitor or a thief. Huang Junshan¡¯s low posture and his words were clearly for the Spinning Factory case. Nie Zhenbang felt certain then: the link between Huang Junshan and Wu Aijun was not shallow. However, on the surface, Nie Zhenbang was undisturbed, nodding with a smile, he said, ¡°Hmm, this afternoon I need to make a trip to the Spinning Mill No.2 to hold a on-site office meeting to hear the suggestions of employees on the establishment of the Spinning Group. I am quite free now.¡± This was Huang Junshan¡¯s first time in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office. Unlike Fan Changsheng¡¯s luxurious and ssical office d¨¦cor, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s was entirely minimalist. In fact, the word ¡®minimalist¡¯ didn¡¯t do it justice. ¡®Simplistic¡¯ was more like it. ¡°Minister Huang, would you prefer tea or boiled water?¡± said Nie Zhenbang warmly. This was part of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strategy ¨C if he appeared cold and aloof, Huang Junshan might just turn on his heel and leave. After all, without the issue at hand, there wouldn¡¯t even be any ovep between them. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, a smile appeared on Huang Junshan¡¯s face. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude put him at ease. So, in return, Huang Junshan deliberately acted casual and friendly, saying, ¡°Tea will be fine. I¡¯ve heard that Mayor Nie has quite a collection of fine teas.¡± Nie Zhenbang gave a slight smile. With the connections and the background of the Nie family, not to mention the Elder, even his father and uncle received a significant allocation. Add to that the tea which Yang Anna and Dong Wan brought from time to time, boasting about the quality of the tea here was no exaggeration. Nie Zhenbang personally brewed a cup of premium Longjing tea for Huang Junshan and handed it to him. Having Nie Zhenbang personally serve him¡ªwhile containing a hint of showmanship¡ª left Huang Junshan quite surprised. ¡°It¡¯s a fine tea, and the tea set is one of the best purple y teapots from our Zisha City. The only ordinary thing is the water used for brewing,¡± Nie Zhenbang casually remarked, while watching Huang Junshan. He then asked, ¡°Minister Huang, what business do you have with me?¡± If the small talk were to continue, Nie Zhenbang knew they could spend a whole day on meaningless exchanges ¨C amon trait among domestic officials. Rather than wasting time with Huang Junshan, it was better to be direct and get to the point. There was no need for further pleasantries between them. Sure enough, upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯sment, Huang Junshan¡¯s face revealed a hint of embarrassment. After adjusting his mentality, he finally revealed his intentions, ¡°Mayor Nie, my main purpose ining was to discuss with you the selection of the deputy director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau and the district governor of Xishan District. Do you have any suitable candidates in mind?¡±
Huang Junshan directly proposed two key positions. Nie Zhenbang was taken aback but also inwardly chuckled. It seemed that Huang Junshan was all in. While Huang Junshan was indeed the Minister of the Organization Department, under traditional practices in Liangxi City, he would have had to discuss these positions with Fan Changsheng. Now that Huang Junshan could offer these two positions, it would undoubtedly incur envy or even suppression from Fan Changsheng. Whenpared to his own position, though, these seemed minor. The positions of a standing deputy director in the Municipal Public Security Bureau and the district governor of Xishan District were both crucial ones. No matter how important the other posts were, Huang Junshan dared not to propose them. Those were posts that would touch Fan Changsheng¡¯s bottom line. After all, Huang Junshan was not foolish enough to risk offending Fan Changsheng for the sake of currying favor here ¡ª that would only lead him to a dead end. After some contemtion, Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile: ¡°Minister Huang, regarding the candidate for the position of standing deputy director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, I think the rmendation of the Municipal Public Security Bureau itself is quite good. The Public Security Bureau is a unit with dual management, in my opinion, the Municipal Committee should fully consider the views of the Party Committee of the Municipal Public Security Bureau. This will also help to maintain team unity and reassure people. As for the position of the district governor of Xishan District, I think Comrade Xiong Wei, the head of the Municipal Water Conservancy Bureau, fits the bill.¡± Huang Junshan nodded, feeling relieved. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s remarks were tantamount to agreeing to his conditions. With this, Huang Junshan was not worried about Nie Zhenbang going back on his word. Huang Junshan then became much more rxed than before, and replied with a smile, ¡°That sounds good. After this People¡¯s Congress, Comrade Luo Dayang of Xishan District will retire. I think we can consider letting Comrade Xiong Wei step in.¡± ¡°That would be ideal. Minister Huang, I suggest that the Organization Department pays a bit more attention to the restructuring of Qingfang City. The merge of the three factories has greatly increased the cadre system all at once. This entire restructuring is fully driven by market operations. It¡¯s about time we break down those old-fashioned regtions and restrictions associated with the equity system reform. This is where you need to contribute more,¡± Nie Zhenbang spoke of Qingfang City now. Inside the system, matters are handled thus. What should be a simple, straightforward issue, that can be clearly articted and resolved, often bes obfuscated duringmunication, with all parties insisting on beating around the bush. Perhaps some might see this as showboating, but at this time Nie Zhenbang has truly grasped the deep meaning within this way ofmunicating. It seems on the surface to establish a semnce of coboration, but in reality, it leaves everything unsaid. Such is the advantage of this method ofmunication. After Huang Junshan left, that afternoon when Nie Zhenbang arrived at the second Spinning Factory, all the staff members there were stirred up. The Factory Director of the first Spinning Factory being arrested was a satisfying event for the workers in all three factories of Qingfang City. In fact, when Nie Zhenbang was at the second Spinning Factory, many workers were vociferously demanding an investigation into the leadership of the second Spinning Factory by City Hall. In the subsequent weeks, the investigations and audit work on the first factory elerated. Wu Aijun, on witnessing his own safe and seeing his mistress Liu Ximei also being taken into custody, saw his defenses copse. Many things about the first Spinning Factory spilled from his lips. ¡­ Three months had passed in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, and in less than a week¡¯s time, the two houses of the People¡¯s Congress would convene, and Nie Zhenbang would decide at this conference whether he could remove the interim title. Lei Dingguo sat opposite on the couch, holding a Panda cigarette in his hand, the whole person leaning against the couch smoking. Nie Zhenbang was sitting at his desk, reading a document. The more he read, the more shocking he found it, the more angry he became. Based on Wu Aijun¡¯s testimony and the evidence seized from the hiddenpartments in his home, Wu Aijun, since the beginning of the 1990s, had been abusing his position as the Director of the first Spinning Factory. From importing equipment, building infrastructure, arranging staff members, and receiving bribes all the while, umting a staggering total of more than 4.3 million yuan. A piece of equipment worth no more than one million yuan on the market had been purchased by Wu Aijun for two million. All the leaders of the first Spinning Factory, starting from the director down to the chief engineer and chief ountant, were involved in the immoral feasting. It can be said that the entire factory¡¯s leadership was rotten. In addition, ording to Wu Aijun¡¯s confession, as a member of the Municipal Party Committee and Minister of Organization Department, Huang Junshan had epted quite a few bribes in personnel appointments and dismissals at the first Spinning Factory. Even more, he had received numerous bribes from officers in both the second and cotton-spinning factories. Bang! A deafening sound echoed as Nie Zhenbang mmed his hand onto the table. This moment, Nie Zhenbang wore a serious expression, his tone filled with anger, ¡°Lawless, justwless. Secretary Ding Guo, I earnestly implore the Disciplinary Committee Department, based on Wu Aijun¡¯s confession, to investigate the entire leadership team of the first Spinning Factory. Their corruption is rampant, the whole team is rotten. These parasites and scum, feeding on state funds, and the sweat and blood of the people, we will not tolerate them. We will not let them off lightly!¡± The content of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words was also in line with what Lei Ding Guo wished to do. After a moment of thought, Lei Dingguo spoke calmly, ¡°Mayor Nie, if we investigate ording to Wu Aijun¡¯s confession, I¡¯m afraid that the entire leadership team of Qingfang City will be implicated, and potentially even the City Committee leadership team during this critical period of the Spinning Group¡¯s share restructuring. The impact could be too broad and too severe.¡± Lei Dingguo¡¯s words brought Nie Zhenbang back to reality. Realizing the magnitude of this case and the repercussions it could have, not just for Liangxi City, but for the entire province was shocking, and possibly even more significant than the previous case that he personally investigated. If that happens, the Provincial Party Committee¡¯s reputation will take a hit, and concurrently, both Fan Changsheng and himself may likely be greatly affected. Such situations aremon within the system, an action often referred to as ¡°covering up.¡± At times, it¡¯s not that one wants to cover up, it¡¯s that one has no choice but to cover up. Were everything to be revealed, the consequences will be far-reaching, involving too many people. Taken aback by this, Nie Zhenbang was caught in doubt. Proceeding with the investigation without considering whether he or Lei Dingguo could withstand the pressure. But even if they could, making the Provincial Committee y the waiting game could lead to unwanted consequences. Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, Nie Zhenbang resolutely stood up. If he lost even this measure of determination, he would be no different from any ordinary cadre. Constantpromise would eventually lead him to actively partake in corruption. Hence, Nie Zhenbang decisively stated, ¡°Investigate! Secretary Ding Guo, this is not the time to cover up. We are in the process of transforming Spinning Group into a shareholdingpany. If we don¡¯t root out these troublemakers now, the Spinning Group will never see the light of day. Investigate thoroughly, regardless of who it may involve or their rank. If there are repercussions, I will bear the responsibility.¡±
Pausing for a moment, he added, ¡°At a time like this, nothing but the most decisive measures will suffice.¡± Witnessing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s unwavering stance, Lei Dingguo felt a surge of courageous spirit welling up within him. He nodded in agreement, ¡°Alright. Proceed with the investigation, should there be any repercussions, we will shoulder it together.¡± ( ¨C to be continued. If you like this story, please visit to rmend and vote, your support is my strongest motivation.) Chapter 385: 374: Person from the Provincial Committee_1 Chapter 385: Chapter 374: Person from the Provincial Committee_1 After consulting with Nie Zhenbang, Lei Dingguo also started to take decisive actions. Lei Dingguo was by nature a man who despised evil. In the past, the leading officials of the city would always try to cover things up whenever there was an incident. The first thing they would think of wasn¡¯t letting the Disciplinary Committee conduct an investigation. The foremost in their minds was how to minimize the negative impact. Thus, issues that should have been dealt with were often given a cold treatment. So, it was understandable how aggrieved Lei Dingguo must have felt. However, now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude was extremely empowering to Lei Dingguo. ¡®The entire leadership of Qingfang City is entirely rotten. In such circumstances, nothing less than thunder measures would suffice.¡¯ Such grandiose words of Lei Dingguo had the effect of an adrenaline surge. At the Disciplinary Committee, Lei Dingguo personally presided over and called an expanded meeting overnight. The resolution for Lei Dingguo to personally lead the special group investigating Qingfang City was unanimously approved. Elite forces were drawn from the entire discipline inspection system to form three investigation teams to enter the three factories of Qingfang City. On one hand, they were there to take public reports. On the other hand, they would be working with the City Audit Bureau to re-audit the finances of the three factories. With Wu Aijun being subjected to dual-regtion, following closely, the factory director of Cotton Spinning Factory, Zhang Zhenghui was also taken away by the Disciplinary Committee. The two deputy factory directors of Textile Factory II were also taken away from their homes. This caused the entire Qingfang City to boil over. There is a stark contrast between the cadre and workers. On one hand, leaders at the middle and higher levels in the three factories of Qingfang City all felt the strong determination of the municipalmittee. Those with dirty hands were even feeling a sense of imminent threat, not knowing when the emotionless disciplinarymittee staff would suddenly knock on their doors, be it during the day or at night. The workers, on the other hand, were ted. As the leaders of the three factories were sessively removed from their positions, it did not incite anger among the workers. Instead, the reputation of the municipal partymittee and the municipal government had reached an absolute high in the minds of these factory workers. At this moment, even if Nie Zhenbang were to order these workers to roll up their bedding and go home to farm, there would probably be many workers who would respond. The public mindset is simple, but they are not foolish. They know clearly who is good to them and who is not. The series of actions of the Disciplinary Committee had led to a spate of corrupt officials being taken down. The workers can see that the city authorities are working for their benefit. Despite the workers hating these corrupt officials, no disturbances urred. However, Qingfang City has been extraordinarily lively these past few days. After Zhang Zhenghui was taken away by the Disciplinary Committee, some workers from the Cotton Spinning Factory bought firecrackers and set them off in the factory area. The workers from Textile Factory II made a banner and sent it to the Disciplinary Committee. ¡­ At Textile Factory II in Qingfang City The residential area of Textile Factory II, a newly built residential area in recent years. The whole area was made up of six-story buildings, with two units per building and a two-stair-four-houseyout. However, there are a few buildings at the front of the residential area that are designed differently. These buildings look different and upy arger spacepared to the other houses, and moreover, they have a one-stair-two-house styleyout.
These houses are designated for the workers of the Textile Factory II. These buildings are jokingly called ¡°Official Buildings¡± by the factory workers. At this moment, in the east-side third-floor apartment of Building No. 1, which has the best location, there is Yao Yuhong, the director of the Textile Factory II. The apartment is close to one hundred and ny square meters in size, with four rooms and two living rooms. Thisyout gives the entire apartment, whether it is the living room, dining room, or bedroom, a spacious look. In the living room, there¡¯s a European-style chandelier, an Italian leather sofa, arge-screen color TV imported from Japan, among the most popr home theater system. All types of modern appliances are avable. Ordinarily, such a home should reflect a harmonious and joyful atmosphere. However, at this particr moment, there¡¯s a sense of gloom. A man in his fifties, lying on the sofa, is silent. Next to him, a stylish woman in her forties with curly hair, blushes on, and lipstick lightly applied is looking at the man and says, ¡°Yuhong, is the situation really that serious? You¡¯ve looked half-alive these past few days.¡± This was the home of Yao Yuhong, the factory director of Textile Factory No. 2. He nced at his wife beside him. Without opening his eyes, Yao Yuhong maintained his previous posture and said, ¡°What would a woman understand? Right now, everyone in Qingfang City is worried for their own safety. Liu Gang and Song Yuanfang from the factory have already been subjected to ¡®shuanggui¡¯. I know about the bribes they received and the positions they¡¯ve arranged. Now, all of these things havee to light. In this life, even if they don¡¯t die, they¡¯ll lose their skin.¡± Listening to Yao Yuhong, the middle-aged woman sneered and said disdainfully, ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? We¡¯ve neither stolen nor robbed anything. This house was given ording to rank. The refurbishment fee was paid by me, so it has nothing to do with you. What are you worried about? Why don¡¯t I take a trip to Jiangzhou and have a chat with my brother?¡± Yao Yuhong nced at his wife and then said, ¡°There¡¯s no need, Mrs. Tian. You forget that when our second factory brought in a batch of new textile equipment earlier this year, didn¡¯t general manager Jiang from Dongfang Machinery give us a red envelope? Besides, over the years, I have not eptedrge bribes, but I have epted gifts of cigarettes and liquor, plus public funds for dining, drinking, and traveling. If these things were investigated thoroughly, I¡¯m afraid, I might also have to go to jail.¡± Yao Yuhong¡¯s wife, whose name was Tian Guixiang, might have an old-fashioned name, but she herself was not old-fashioned at all. Tian Guixiang¡¯s elder brother was the deputy governor in charge of industry for Jiangbei Province, Tian Xujian. It was due to this connection that Yao Yuhong could be the director of Textile Factory No. 2. If it was not for Yao Yuhong¡¯s limited capabilities, making him a mediocre man, he might have been chosen for a higher-level official position. After hearing her husband¡¯s words, Tian Guixiang also panicked. There were indeed instances where they personally purchased items and then imed reimbursements from the public funds. This was very clear to Tian Guixiang. Thinking about this, Tian Guixiang could not sit still. She immediately stood up and said, ¡°Yao, let¡¯s not talk about it anymore. I¡¯ll go to Jiangzhou to find my elder brother right now. I don¡¯t believe that the people of Liangxi City would refuse to give face to my brother. We can simply give up this official position. That should be fine.¡± ¡­ The office of Fan Changsheng, the secretary of the Liangxi City Committee, in the City Committee office building. At this moment, Fan Changsheng was looking at the documents submitted by the City Disciplinary Committee. The entire document was about the disciplinary issues of the leaders of the three factories in Qingfang City. Many of the cases were backed by irrefutable evidence, and the people involved had also confessed to the crimes and disciplinary vitions. Although Fan Changsheng was very annoyed, the way Lei Dingguo handled this would lead to changes in the city¡¯s atmosphere and would inevitably have some impact on some cadres. This was a challenge to his own prestige, and how to recover his authority was what Fan Changsheng was thinking about. However, Lei Dingguo¡¯s report was perfect,plying with all regtions and procedures. He, himself, could not find any faults with it. If he expressed disagreement, it would instead give the impression of favoritism towards corrupt officials. While Fan Changsheng was pondering, the red telephone on his desk started ringing. This surprised him somewhat because he had four phones on his desk: a white one for internal calls from the municipal partymittee and government, a ck one formunicating with the district and city leaders, a gray one for routine office work, and thest red one specifically for contact with superiors. If the red phone rang, it was, at least, a leader of the provincial partymittee on the other end. Fan Changsheng took a moment to adjust his mindset, picked up the phone, and uttered a word. He heard a male voice from the other end, ¡°Secretary Fan? This is Jin Guoyong.¡± Jin Guoyong, the secretary-general of Jiangbei Provincial Government and the director of the Provincial Government Office Affairs Bureau, although not a member of the provincial party standingmittee, was a close aide to the provincial leaders. At this moment, Fan Changsheng didn¡¯t dare to take it lightly and greeted him with a smile, ¡°Secretary-General Jin, hello, hello. What brings you here today?¡±
Jin Guoyong seemed very pleased with Fan Changsheng¡¯s attitude andughed, ¡°Secretary Fan, you¡¯re too polite. I¡¯m calling you this time mainly to inform you that Governor Tian Xujian ns to inspect the industrial development situation in Liangxi City tomorrow. I¡¯m hoping that you can arrange reception and security for Governor Tian Xujian.¡± Fan Changsheng was a shrewd person and, although he found this a bit puzzling, he quickly replied, ¡°Secretary-General Jin, please rest assured, we will definitely arrange the reception for Governor Tian Xujian. And when you have time, pleasee to Liangxi City for an inspection and guidance.¡± After hanging up the phone, Fan Changsheng fell into deep thought. The sudden visit of Tian Xujian to Liangxi City was unusual. Generally, leaders of the provincial partymittee should give a notice two or three days in advance to allow local officials to prepare. But this time, he was notified less than a day in advance. This was certainly unusual. It was rumored that Tian Xujian had a younger sister in Liangxi City. Could it be that he wasing because of the issue with Qingfang City? Thinking about this, Fan Changsheng also grew excited. Regardless of the reason, Tian Xujian¡¯s visit was bound to be a good thing. If he could use this opportunity to suppress Nie Zhenbang with Tian Xujian¡¯s help, it would be even better. With this thought in mind, Fan Changsheng immediately picked up the white phone on the table, dialed a number, and as soon as it connected, he said, ¡°Secretary-General Hu? This is Fan Changsheng. Please notify allmittee members who are at home to meet in the small conference room for a meeting.¡± (
Chapter 386: 375 Vice Governor Tian Doesn’t Give Face_1 Chapter 386: Chapter 375 Vice Governor Tian Doesn¡¯t Give Face_1 It was around half past ten in the morning, almost half an hour since Hu Youquan, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Committee, had issued a notice to the Standing Committee members. At the moment, in the small meeting room, many standingmittee members were sitting in their seats with a look of confusion. Ever since the New Year, the situation in Liangxi City had been very strange. In past years, there were few asions for an emergency meeting of the Standing Committee throughout the year. However, this year was different. It had been only three months, and several emergency meetings had already been called. Moreover, this time was even more unusual. Secretary-General Hu only mentioned that it was a request from Fan Changsheng, the party Secretary of the Municipal Committee, without specifying what the matter was, which led many of the Standing Committee members to specte. Nie Zhenbang, too, had rushed back from outside. ording to the schedule, he was supposed to go to Liangxi Airport for field research. The ns to amodate civilians at the Liangxi Military Airport demanded frequentmunication and coordination with the military. However, after receiving a phone call from Hu Youquan midway through, Nie Zhenbang had turned his car around. He walked into the meeting room and Fan Changsheng followed behind. After receiving the call from the Secretary-General of the provincial government, Jin Guoyong, Fan Changsheng was quite delighted. The visit of the deputy governor must be concerning Qingfang City. If the rumors were true, the deputy governor would certainly put pressure on Nie Zhenbang. In this way, he could also take this opportunity to reverse his declining trend. Looking around at the standingmittee members, Fan Changsheng frowned. Commander Peng Kaibao from the military sub-district and Ye Zhengwen, the secretary of the Liangcheng City District Party Committee, were absent. Next to him, Hu Youquan nodded knowingly and exined, ¡°Secretary Fan, Commander Peng has gone to the provincial capital to attend a national defense work meeting of the Jiangbei Provincial Military Region. Comrade Ye Zhengwen has gone to Jingcheng.¡± ¡°Alright, since all the home-based members are here, let¡¯s get started.¡± Fan Changsheng began, scanning the crowd, ¡°Just now, I received a call from Secretary-General Jin of the provincial government. Tomorrow morning, Deputy Governor Tian from the Provincial Committee responsible for industry will visit our city for an inspection and guidance. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the reception of Deputy Governor Tian.¡± As he finished speaking, there was immediately a buzz of discussion in the meeting room, which Fan Changsheng was quite pleased about. The expressions on the faces of the standingmittee members were entirely within Fan Changsheng¡¯s expectations. Like himself when he first received the call, everyone else was also a bit surprised. Provincial leaders usually inform about an inspection or visit at least three or four days in advance, time specifically given for preparations. If the inspection was by the Party Secretary or the Governor of the Province, the notice period would probably be even longer. However, this time, Deputy Governor Tian¡¯s actions felt extremely unusual. ¡°Secretary Fan,rades, we have initially arranged for Deputy Governor Tian¡¯s inspection. The Office of the Municipal Party Committee, ording to our coordination with the Office of the Provincial Government, has selected three factories in Qingfang City and the Liangxi City High-tech Development Zone for inspection.¡± As the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, arranging the schedule for leaders, overseeing the work of the party organs, and handling reception work fell within Hu Youquan¡¯s jurisdiction.
Speaking, Hu Youquan flipped through the documents in front of him and continued, ¡°Additionally, two ces have been earmarked as ces for Deputy Governor Tian to stay. One is Court No.1 of the Municipal Party Committee and the other is the Presidential suite at the Liangxi Grand Hotel. The specifics will have to wait for Deputy Governor Tian¡¯s own arrangement.¡± After Hu Youquan finished his report, Fan Changsheng took over the topic. He nodded very pleasedly and said, ¡°Secretary-General Hu¡¯s arrangement is excellent, and he has considered it very well. The ns for the inspection locations and amodation are excellent. Let me add a few more things.¡± Saying this, Fan Changsheng raised his hand and made a gesture of three and said, ¡°Three aspects. First, the City Health and Epidemic Prevention Office, Sanitation Department, Health and Education system must all take action. The city¡¯s district party and government officials must all mobilize. All streets andmunities in the city will initiate a city-wide clean-up this afternoon, resolutely eliminating any unsanitary corners, getting rid of clutter and disorder from the streets, and present the best side of Liangxi City to the provincial party leaders.¡± As soon as this proposal was made, several standingmittee members around him nodded slightly. Even Nie Zhenbang did the same. When it came to weing provincial party leaders, there was no confrontation between the two. Although the visiting deputy governor was not a regr standingmittee member, he was at the rank of a deputy minister, and behind him stood the provincial partymittee and the provincial government. The respect that was due had to be given. During a leader¡¯s inspection, the most direct and intuitive impression is given by the city¡¯s level of urbanization, the brightness of street lights, and the cleanliness of its streets. These are gship projects and also face-saving projects. On a regr day, without the inspection of leaders, there might be negligence in sanitation. This was unavoidable in any city, even major cities like Jingcheng or Hucheng City. Immediately afterwards, Fan Changsheng continued, ¡°The second aspect is the issue of safety and security during Deputy Governor Tian¡¯s inspection and visit in our city. This must be effectively implemented by the City Health Bureau and the City Public Security Bureau. Regarding Deputy Governor Tian¡¯s diet, everything from raw materials to food preparation should be supervised and implemented by the Municipal Party Committee Reception Office and The Office of the Municipal Party Committee, ensuring that Deputy Governor Tian¡¯s meals are satisfactory during the inspection in our city. Secretary Huang Jiang, regarding security work, you should also take action. The City Public Security Bureau must tighten control and ensure that no traffic idents or criminal cases ur during Deputy Governor Tian¡¯s inspection. There should also be arranged personnel for 24-hour apanying security for Deputy Governor Tian.¡± Chapter 387: 375 Vice Governor Tian Doesn’t Give Face_2 Chapter 387: Chapter 375 Vice Governor Tian Doesn¡¯t Give Face_2 Fan Changsheng¡¯s words were blunt, but they were also very pertinent. These considerations were essential within the system. Though some of these aspects may not have been necessary, they were still required in practice, and it was rted to certain tacit rules. Without such measures, leaders would inevitably feel slighted, and even the slightest hitch could put Liangxi City Committee on the defensive. At this point, Fan Changsheng held up a third finger. Everyone could tell that Fan was about to deliver a third supplementary opinion. Sure enough, after a brief pause, Fan Changsheng continued: ¡°Thest addition is regarding the weing and propaganda for Deputy Governor Tian.¡± Seeing that others were surprised, Fan Changsheng sneered inwardly. Presently, he was likely the only one in the Liangxi City Committee¡¯s standingmittee to know the real reason for Tian Xujian¡¯s visit. Hence, Fan Changsheng thought to take this opportunity to suppress Nie Zhenbang, and magnify the impact of Tian Xujian¡¯s visit. After a pause, Fan Changsheng exined: ¡°Regarding the wee, I suggest that Mayor Nie and I personally wee him, and the entire citymittee should be present at the boundary of Liangxi City for the reception. The city¡¯s traffic police and public security officers all need to be present from the Hujiang Expressway exit to the citymittee. The total distance is ten kilometers, averaging forty police officers per kilometer with a total of four hundred officers. In addition, temporary traffic controls need to be implemented at all intersections. It¡¯s necessary to ensure smooth transport for the Deputy Governor¡¯s convoy.¡± This proposal seemed a bit overdone to Nie Zhenbang. He fundamentally disapproved of such pompous arrangements. If it was a visit from national leaders, he would¡¯ve been fine with it. But this was just a deputy governor. Wasn¡¯t this squandering resources? ncing at the other standingmittee members, including cadre members like Zhao Xintian, Nie Zhenbang was discouraged to find their indifference. Changing such a mindset wasn¡¯t going to happen overnight. For now, refraining from responding seemed to be the most astute option. This n immediately received approbation from the other standingmittee members, ensuring adequate face-saving for the Deputy Governor. One could hope that this would deter him from throwing any tantrums over trivial issues. Lastly, for the matter of propaganda, Fan Changsheng¡¯s gaze fell on Li Xiaoqin, the minister of the City Committee Propaganda Department. As the only female standingmittee member, Li Xiaoqin was highly capable, having earned her stripes as an ¡®Iron Lady¡¯ during her tenure at small city-county levels. Then, Fan Changsheng addressed her directly: ¡°On the media front, the City Broadcasting and Television Bureau, the Liangxi Daily News Agency, and other media entities need to be mobilized. They should provide full coverage and timely reports. They can coordinate with the Jiangbei Provincial Television Station and other top-level media to provide in-depth coverage of the Deputy Governor¡¯s itinerary. Minister Li, regarding the Propaganda Department, I have only one request: The Deputy Governor¡¯s inspection needs to be brought to the attention of the city and even the entire province as soon as possible.¡± As soon as he finished, Li Xiaoqin stood up and confidently dered: ¡°Please rest assured, Secretary Fan and the City Committee. The Propaganda Department will make every effort to ensure adequate coverage. I will personally lead the way and guarantee a satisfactorypletion of our task.¡± Witnessing Li Xiaoqin¡¯s assertiveness, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat amused. This woman had indeed earned her ce among the top brass. Her ir for sycophancy and work style forced even her male colleagues to admire her.
After the standingmittee meeting in the afternoon, the citymittee and government issued a directive to the whole city. All high schools, colleges, and universities, as well as elementary and middle schools suspended sses temporarily. All local municipal offices and neighborhoodmittees went into action. City sanitation vehicles were in constant operation as major cleaning efforts began citywide. The city sanitation workers were assigned specific areas and roadways for cleaning. Meanwhile, the Public Security Bureau, led by Chen Le, also sprang into action. All police stations across the city were bustling in the afternoon, sending notices to shady figures within their respective jurisdiction to remain on their best behavior during the following days. Otherwise, if anything transpired, they would be on their own. At the same time, the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau¡¯s Special Police Branch, which was established at the end of the previous year, was assigned its first task after three months of training. ¡­ Time passed quickly, and a whole night went by. The next morning, before seven, Nie Zhenbang arrived at the citymittee and government office. Today¡¯s weather was fairly good. March usually brought a season of continuous spring rain, but today was a rare sunny day. At seven-thirty, the fleet of vehicles from the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government, under the guidance of the traffic police from the City Public Security Bureau, departed from Liangxi City in a grand downtrend. At eight-thirty in the morning, on the edge of Liangxi¡¯s city boundary, the vehicle fleet of the Liangxi City Committee¡¯s standingmittee, arranged in a row of over a dozen ck Audis, parked on the emergencyne of the Hujiang Expressway. Each end of the fleet was marked by stationed police cars, their strobe lights flickering with warning yellow lights that brightened and dimmed intermittently. Further behind the fleet, at a distance of a hundred meters, triangr warning signs were intentionally set up. Around eight fifty, leading members of the City Committee like Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang had all gathered at the side of the road. Fan Changsheng checked his watch and then said, ¡°The Provincial Governor, Tian Xujian, set off after seven ¨C he should have been here by now, but there¡¯s no sign of him yet.¡± Just as he finished speaking, Hu Youquan, the City Committee¡¯s secretary-general pointed towards the distance and gleefully announced, ¡°Secretary Fan, here theye.¡± Looking where he pointed, about a mile away from their location, a police car was leading the way in front, with a ck Audi A6 trailing just behind it and advancing in their direction. At this moment, in the car bearing the military police license te of the Jiangbei Province Security Zone, a man in his thirties seated in the front passenger seat turned his body and said to an older man in his early fifties seated in the back, ¡°Governor, the boundary of Liangxi City is just up ahead, the people from Liangxi City are already waiting by the side.¡± Upon hearing Secretary Cao Yiqing¡¯s words, Tian Xujian, who had previously shut his eyes, opened them and looked ahead and then said, ¡°Yiqing, let Secretary Shi know to stop the car.¡± A mile¡¯s distance, even when driving at a slower speed, didn¡¯t take more than two minutes to cover. Upon entering the boundary of Liangxi City, the patrol car from Jiangzhou City handed over the escort duties to their counterparts from Liangxi and then turned around at the next exit to return to Jiangzhou City. At this moment, Tian Xujian¡¯s exclusive vehicle also slowly parked at the roadside. As the car door opened, Secretary Cao Yiqing got off first to help Tian Xujian open his door. As Tian Xujian exited, Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang came forward, while the standingmittee of the Liangxi City Committee also stepped foward to wee him. Secretary Fan Changsheng smiled and said, ¡°Governor Tian, wee!¡± Hearing Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, Tian Xujian also showed a smile on his face and warmly shook hands, ¡°Secretary Fan, you are being too polite. This is such a grand reception, it leaves me feeling undeserving.¡± Next to them, Nie Zhenbang, having his first encounter with Tian Xujian, was behaving with appropriate etiquette. He extended his hand, smiled, and said, ¡°We wee Governor Tian¡¯s inspection and guidance of our city.¡± However, what Nie Zhenbang did not anticipate was that at this moment, Tian Xujian would overtly dismiss the gesture. With a detached nod but no handshake, Tian Xujian moved his hands behind himself and said slowly, ¡°Secretary Fan, it¡¯s not good that we are upying an entirene. Besides it¡¯s dangerous. Let¡¯s head to the City Committee Office. Secretary Fan, join me in my car.¡±
Having said this, Tian Xujian warmly seated Fan Changsheng in the car. As it slowly began to move, no one dared to contend for Tian Xujian¡¯s seat. Nie Zhenbang was left standing dumbstruck. Tian Xujian¡¯s outright dismissiveness waspletely unexpected. Among the standing members present, the expressions varied. Li Guohua, Hu Youquan, Huang Junshan and others bore expressions of glee at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s unfortunate event while Zhao Xintian and Lei Dingguo seemed wrapped up in their thoughts. ( Chapter 388: 376: Provoking the Deputy Governor_1 Chapter 388: Chapter 376: Provoking the Deputy Governor_1 ¡°Mayor Nie, I¡¯m afraid that Tian Xujian is up to no good this time.¡± Looking at Tian Xujian¡¯s special car being led away by the guide from the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, Zhao Xintian also walked over to Nie Zhenbang and spoke softly. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face also didn¡¯t look good, and he was a bit puzzled in his heart. He and Tian Xujian had never crossed paths before and in his memory, he had never offended him. This tant disrespect today was, to be precise, an insult in public. What did this mean? Thinking about it, Nie Zhenbang seemed to have realized a possibility. Looking at Lei Dingguo not far away, he quietly said to Zhao Xintian: ¡°Xintian, you¡¯ve seen it too, haha, in the words of Taizu, ¡®when it rains, it pours¡¯. We can¡¯t control how he acts, but how I react isn¡¯t something he can dictate either.¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang walked towards his car, leaving Zhao Xintian pondering thoughtfully in ce. Looking at the spectacr wee scene outside the car window, Tian Xujian was quite satisfied. This time, Tian Xujian was helpless, as his sister had rushed to Jiangzhou City in tears, iming her husband was about to be arrested. To be honest, Tian Xujian clearly understood in his heart that if Yao Yuhong had done nothing wrong, there would be no need for his sister to seek his help. Of course, Tian Xujian also guessed that his brother-inw probably hadn¡¯t made any major mistakes. Therefore, Tian Xujian came. Because, in this matter, Tian Xujian felt that the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government disregarded him. After a casual investigation, Tian Xujian had already learned/understood everything about Liangxi City. That¡¯s why he openly disrespected Nie Zhenbang; because Tian Xujian felt that Nie Zhenbang tantly didn¡¯t acknowledge his status as deputy governor. ¡°Secretary Changsheng, the work achievements of Liangxi City have been quite remarkable these past few years.¡± Urban construction is very good, especially the industry in Liangxi City. Now, with the Liangxi High-Tech Industrial Development Zone as the leader, Yanling City as the wing, cooperating with the Five Districts and Zisha City, it can be said that they are marching forward together. I think the foreign investment introduced by Deputy Mayor Li in your cityst year and the year beforest was quite good. ¡± Tian Xujian was more than satisfied with the grand weing ceremony in Liangxi City and expressed some praise in his words. Everyone lifts the red sedan chair, and after all, such words don¡¯t cost a thing. Tian Xujian spoke very fluently, with an easy and natural feeling. Along the way, each intersection was temporarily controlled by traffic police, allowing the convoy to move unimpeded until it reached the office building of the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government. More than a dozen new Audi A6s were lined up one after another on the square in front of the citymittee office building. By now, the members of the citymittee standingmittee had lost their usualposed demeanor. As soon as the cars arrived, people like Huang Junshan didn¡¯t even wait for the cars to stop before they opened the doors and stepped out first. Other people were the same. When Tian Xujian got out of the car, there were already many people surrounding him. This was what it felt like to be attended to in droves.
Looking around at the crowd, Tian Xujian felt a bit proud, and with a calm smile, he said: ¡°Secretary Changsheng, the main reason for my visit this time is to inspect the restructuring of the Liangxi Spinning Group to a joint-stock system. The Liangxi First Spinning Factory, Second Spinning Factory, and Cotton Spinning Factory are big factories in our Jiangbei Province¡¯s textile industry. The establishment of the new Liangxi Spinning Group following its restructuring to a stock system not only is a major event for Liangxi City but also holds significant meaning for the restructuring to stock systems for all industrial enterprises in the province. Thank you for the warm hospitality of the Liangxi City Committee. I think it¡¯s better for us to sit in the conference room first to listen to the report of the relevantrades.¡± After his words, the members of themittee standingmittee were stunned once again. Governor Tian was acting out of character today, insulting Nie Zhenbang publicly once again. Could it be that Nie Zhenbang had offended Governor Tian? There were some people who were pondering this. Some say that working within the system, walking the path of politics, is a process of guessing and being guessed. Guessing, as the name suggests, means guessing the intentions of the superior leaders. The intentions of oneself also need to be guessed by subordinates. Guessing correctly, the superior is satisfied, and promotiones. The subordinates guess correctly, one is satisfied, and their own direct-line team emerges. Tian Xujian¡¯s repeated disregard for Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but make these people wonder what Nie Zhenbang had done to offend Governor Tian. No matter the thoughts of the other standingmittee members, Fan Changsheng was quite happy at this moment. He took a casual nce at Nie Zhenbang and immediately made a wee gesture to Tian Xujian, enthusiastically saying, ¡°Governor Tian, pleasee in.¡± The group of people entered the elevator in mighty procession. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang intentionally fell behind. Normally, as the deputy secretary of the Liangxi Municipal Party Committee and acting mayor of the People¡¯s Government, Nie Zhenbang was undoubtedly the second-inmand of Liangxi City. Under such circumstances, it was essential for him to apany Governor Tian on either side, but now, when Governor Tian was clearly not warm to him, Nie Zhenbang need not stick out his hot face and stick it on someone else¡¯s cold backside. Once Tian Xujian and Fan Changsheng had entered the elevator, Nie Zhenbang abruptly stopped the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission Secretary, Lei Dingguo: ¡°Secretary Lei, the elevator is full, let¡¯s take this one on the side.¡± Nie¡¯s words took Lei by surprise but he soon realized what was happening, and the two stood side by side. Nie then said quietly, ¡°Old Lei, have you noticed anything? I suspect Tian Xujian is here with a motive. Could it be that a rtive of his who lives in Qingfang City came under our investigation, so he deliberately came to show his support?¡± These words, ringing in Lei¡¯s ears, were as if lightning had struck him on a clear day. As insights shed through his mind, his expression turned grave. ¡°Mayor Nie, if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, I would have forgotten. I remember there used to be rumors in Liangxi City that Yao Yuhong, the director of the Spinning Factory, was Tian Xujian¡¯s brother-inw. Yao¡¯s wife, Tian Guixiang, is Tian Xujian¡¯s sister. However, Yao has remained in his position. Everyone felt that if he were truly Tian Xujian¡¯s brother-inw, he would have been promoted by now, so the rumors eventually faded. It seems that there¡¯s some truth to them.¡± Ding! As the elevator chimed, the doors opened. On the other side, Tian Xujian was now heading towards the conference room, apanied by Fan Changsheng, Li Guohua, and others. Nie Zhenbang immediately said, ¡°Old Lei, I¡¯lle over to your ce tonight for dinner after work.¡± Once everyone settled in the conference room, Fan Changsheng turned to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Mayor Nie, you¡¯ve been in charge of and following up on the shareholding reform of the Spinning Group. It seems fitting for you to provide a report to Governor Tian on this.¡± Nie Zhenbang was never afraid of presenting reports. The entire n for the shareholding reform and restructuring of the Spinning Group was his doing. Many ideas and strategies borrowed from the experiences ofter generations have withstood the test of time. He immediately nodded, saying, ¡°Very well.¡± With that, he proceeded to exin in detail the reorganization of assets and resources among the three factories, the cement of workers, arrangements foryoffs, severance based on years of service, and the part of the Spinning Factorynd intended for real estate development. After hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s report, Tian Xujian was both shocked and impressed. In all honesty, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approach to the reform wasmendable to Tian Xujian. However, since this involved his sister, Tian Xujian hadn¡¯t forgotten the main reason for his visit. After a pause, he said to Fan Changsheng, ¡°Secretary Fan, it¡¯s a wonderful idea. However, I¡¯ve heard that during the shareholding reform of the Spinning Group, somerades in Liangxi City made extensive investigations under the pretext of rooting out corruption among the officials. This could be seen as an attempt to eliminate dissent. This is uneptable.¡± Even Fan Changsheng hadn¡¯t expected Tian Xujian to be so focused. He only just arrived in Liangxi City and was alreadyunching usations. However, Fan was delighted. He¡¯d hoped Tian would act this way. Instantly, Fan expressed his support: ¡°Governor Tian is correct in his criticism. I too believe that our approach to the investigation at the three Spinning Group factories was overly aggressive during the reform. Rest assured, Governor, we will rectify this promptly and ensure stability so that the restructuring of the Spinning Group progresses smoothly.¡± Tian Xujian agreed wholeheartedly. His gaze happened to sweep across Nie Zhenbang as he said again, ¡°Being able to admit and correct one¡¯s mistakes is the greatest virtue. Our Party has always advocated this. History proved that even the Gang of Four once followed a wrong path. Now, everything is centered on economic construction and maintaining stability is paramount. Creating anxiety and making everyone feel endangered is uneptable. The Standing Committee of your City Party Committee must provide proper guidance and calm the people. Return to the correct path as soon as possible.¡±
Nie Zhenbang sneered inwardly at this exquisite y-acting. The two were echoing each other, seemingly discussing serious matters, but every word targeted him. After a pause, he raised his head and said, ¡°Deputy Governor Tian, I have something to say, and I¡¯m not sure if I should.¡± Nie¡¯s words turned Tian¡¯s expression sour. In Liangxi City, everyone had been addressing him as Governor Tian. Yet, Nie was cheeky enough to state the word ¡°Deputy¡±. Was he trying to remind everyone that he was only the Deputy Governor? Li Guohua, who was standing there, was also stunned. At this moment, even he hasn¡¯t expected Nie Zhenbang to be this bold. By saying that, Nie was pping Tian Xujian¡¯s face.
However, Tian Xujian, who had been in politics for a long time and had a sharp mind, immediately adopted a casual demeanor. He smiled and said, ¡°Of course, Mayor Nie, feel free to speak your mind.¡± (To be continued. If you like this book, please visit to vote and support us. Your support is our biggest motivation.) Chapter 389: 377: Fame Shakes_1 Chapter 389: Chapter 377: Fame Shakes_1 Tian Xujian was not an easy opponent either, ¡°So Mr. Nie Zhenbang, you address me as the Deputy Governor, correct?¡± Immediately, Tian Xujian subtly retaliated. ¡°Mayor Nie,¡± such an honor, being the city mayor, yet was referred to as ¡°Mayor Nie.¡± Sure, it was a bit insulting but what else could Nie Zhenbang say? It was just like Nie Zhenbang addressing Tian Xujian as the Deputy Governor ¨C Tian Xujian had no options because that was his job title. If he took this too seriously, others, like Ning Shouchang or Shen Yanshuo, might falsely think he was power hungry. Now, Nie Zhenbang was feeling the same. Position-wise, Tian Xujian was a vice-ministerial level officer, half a step above Nie Zhenbang. From an age perspective, it was perfectly fine for Tian Xujian to address Nie Zhenbang as Mayor Nie. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t mind being called Mayor Nie. Not just Tian Xujian, but Fan Changsheng had called him that in the past too. Nie Zhenbang then replied with a casual smile, ¡°Deputy Governor Tian, regarding the issue with the Spinning Group, suggesting it¡¯s all groundless rumors and purging of dissent, I think that¡¯s impossible.¡± Upon hearing this, Fan Changsheng couldn¡¯t hide his joy, young people, they had no sense of measure. By saying this, he was publicly pping Tian Xujian¡¯s face. Arguing with a higher-ranking official, his crime was not trivial. So now, if word got out, or after Tian Xujian returned to Jiangzhou and reported this to the provincialmittee leaders, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s impression would deteriorate in their eyes. Unfortunately, Fan Changsheng at this moment was just making his judgement onmon sense. On this matter, Nie Zhenbang had a much clearer view than Fan Changsheng. For example, considering the rtionship between the Nie and Li factions, even if Nie Zhenbang had disyed exemry behavior, he wouldn¡¯t be treated as a close associate of Shen Yanshuo, nor would he be groomed for bigger responsibilities, that is simply because of factionalism, nothing else. That is why at this point, Nie Zhenbang dared to sh with Tian Xujian. This is the difference between the offspring of powerful families and ordinary people. Ordinary staff, even with a bit of backstage support, would have to consider those backers¡¯ ideas, but those privileged don¡¯t have to. As long as what they are doing is not illegal, and it¡¯s reasonable, they can get their family¡¯s support. However, Li Guohua, who was standing by, could see clearly that Nie Zhenbang seemed ready to stake everything this time. Sure enough, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Deputy Governor Tian, firstly, let¡¯s discuss the purge of dissent. Right before the restructure of the Spinning Group, there was a sudden fire at Spinning Factory No. 1. Afterward, the manager of the factory, Wu Aijun, was caught at his mistress¡¯ house. During interrogation, he confessed the fire was intentional with the aim of disrupting the Disciplinary Committee¡¯s investigation. Now, I can say with confidence that so far, every official taken away by the Disciplinary Committee has something unsavory to hide. How can this bebelled as purging the dissent, or as spreading unfounded rumors?¡±
Not having finished, Nie Zhenbang looked at Tian Xujian, who wore a cold expression. In this situation, a Deputy Governor, being rebutted openly by his subordinate, and yet Tian Xujian didn¡¯t storm off, showed good self-restraint. Of course, at this point, saying that Tian Xujian was in a good mood would absolutely be an understatement. Giving Nie Zhenbang a nce, Tian Xujian was about to reply, but Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about the shareholding reform within the Spinning Group. ording to the economic data of Liangxi City from thest few years, the Spinning Group has three factories. Every year, they receive almost 80 million in subsidies from the city treasury. Over three years, that¡¯s 2.4 billion. Adding on the provincial fiscal support means they have received at least three billion over the years. However, apart from a handful of new machinery and equipment, the factories are mostly idle. There is even a saying in the factories that operating makes them lose more money. From this point alone, it is proof that the leadership of these three factories are utterly unfit for their jobs. Such people should step down and leave the chair for capable individuals.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang let himself loose, thinking: since I have already offended him, why not offend further. So Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°The Spinning Group¡¯s workers distrust their factory¡¯s leadership. I don¡¯t know what impact the Disciplinary Committee¡¯s investigation would have on the Spinning Group. But I¡¯ve heard that every time the Disciplinary Committee takes away an official, the factory workers celebrate by setting off firecrackers. The Disciplinary Committee has even been awarded three or four gs. I believe that these people who harm the collective should be thoroughly investigated and sternly scrutinized. Let¡¯s give the workers a clear world.¡± As soon as he stopped speaking, from the other side, Lei Dingguo, Secretary of the Municipal Disciplinary Committee, chimed in to support Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Governor Tian, this matter is rted to our disciplinarymittee¡¯s work and I can vouch for it. After Wu Aijun was arrested for the Spinning Group case, I specifically travelled to Jiangzhou City and reported it to Secretary Sun Daliang, who personally gave his instruction.¡± While saying so, Lei Dingguo took out a document like a magician pulling something out of a hat, from his briefcase and handed it to Tian Xujian, ¡°Governor Tian, this is the written instruction from Secretary Sun Daliang, please take a look.¡± As for Tian Xujian, Lei Dingguo was not worried. His work as a Disciplinary Committee had a lot of autonomy by nature. Tian Xujian, a Deputy Governor in charge of industry but who was not yet a standing member of the provincialmittee, naturally carried little weight. In addition, Lei Dingguo had the backing of Sun Daliang¡¯s personal instructions, so he waspletely unafraid. Furthermore, at this moment, Tian Xujian was left hanging by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, neither being able to back down nor push on, in utter embarrassment. Now with Lei Dingguo¡¯s straightforward words chiming in with Nie Zhenbang, albeit quite rudely, Tian Xujian could still use this chance to step back respectfully through the tform of Sun Daliang¡¯s directive. Therefore, Tian Xujian didn¡¯t bear any grievances towards Lei Dingguo. However, at this moment, he bore a grudge against Nie Zhenbang. Off to the side, Fan Changsheng watched the scene in shock as Tian Xujian was forced by Nie Zhenbang into such a humiliation. In reality, Fan Changsheng didn¡¯t know. Unless someone was involved in scheming intrigues and yed his cards unorthodoxly, otherwise, Nie Zhenbang had the logical upper hand in this matter, Tian Xujian had absolutely no chance for victory. Immediately thereafter, to spare Tian Xujian from further embarrassment, Fan Changsheng gently suggested with a smile, ¡°Governor Tian, look, we have prepared lunch, and it¡¯s almost time. Let¡¯s have a meal together before continuing. What do you think?¡± It was almost the time, Tian Xujian only entered Liangxi City around nine and went into the City Committee office building around ten. Now it wasn¡¯t even eleven. Nie Zhenbang scoffed, but he didn¡¯t expose the haste at this point, knowing when to advance and when to retreat. He had won this round, and pressing further wasn¡¯t good. After all, Tian Xujian was still the deputy governor, albeit not a constant one. Some matters were stuck in his hands, if the tension wasn¡¯t eased, it would be troublesome for him as well. The contention between Nie Zhenbang and Tian Xujian had set an eerie tone for the noon atmosphere. In the Liangxi Grand Hotel banquet hall, Tian Xujian and the Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Government Shi Dongming upied the host seats, next to Fan Changsheng on their left, Nie Zhenbang to their right, and the other standingmittee members of the Liangxi City Committee seated in order. It was quite clear that Tian Xujian was in a bad mood. He hinted his words subtly and couldn¡¯t believe Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t understand. However, Nie Zhenbang deliberately ignored and retorted, leaving him speechless, which was frankly a p in the face. Therefore, as soon as they took their ces at the table, Tian Xujian only made a cursory toast with Fan Changsheng, drinking less than a dose, and then covered his cup with the lid, symbolizing he wouldn¡¯t drink anymore. With the main guest, Tian Xujian, not drinking, the others didn¡¯t find any pleasure in continuing either. The lunch had a nd vibe to it After the meal, Fan Changsheng apanied Tian Xujian¡¯s party to the Spinning City in Guicheng district for an inspection visit. Inside the Spinning City, Tian Xujian visited andforted the worker representatives from three factories. On the surface, Tian Xujian highly appreciated the work done by the Liangxi City Disciplinary Committee, assuring the workers to wait patiently for the share reform of the Spinning Group. Afterward, Tian Xujian received some cadre representatives from the three factories. During the discussion with these cadres, Tian Xujian highly appreciated their work performance andforted everyone not to fear investigations as long as they maintained their integrity. In the end, Tian Xujian entrusted them with the share reform of the Spinning Group, emphasizing them as the backbone force, they ought to be confident. In the afternoon, around five, Tian Xujian left the Spinning City and returned to the Number One Courtyard of the Liangxi City Party Committee for rest. At seven in the evening, he attended the weing dinner held in the same ce. That night, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t attend. His rtionship with Tian Xujian was already like fire and water. Showing up would only make things awkward. Instead, it was better to spend more time with An Na and her family. However, Nie Zhenbang was unaware that his daytime incident had already been widely spread throughout Liangxi City after an afternoon of spreading.
The news of Mayor Nie challenging Deputy Governor Tian in the meeting, rendering him speechless, had already escted into several different versions within Liangxi City. By then, Nie Zhenbang had be quite famous. Many high-level officials from various bureaus of the city, even those in charge, started to be motivated. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s assertive style had been sustained since the new year. Some thoughtful officials even started to sense some inkling. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t know that his conflict with Tian Xujian had changed the perspectives of many officials who were waiting to see how the situation would evolve. After the dinner, within the Number One Courtyard of the Party Committee, Tian Xujian personally received the visiting couple Yao Yuhong. (
Chapter 390: 378 Deputy Governor Tian Compromises_1 Chapter 390: Chapter 378 Deputy Governor Tian Compromises_1 Number one courtyard of the Liangxi City Partymittee. This residence reflects the typical Jiangnan garden style, with modest structures. The house is sparsely set out in quadrangles, with the front area serving as a reception room and the back as the bedrooms. As this area often hosts provincial and national-level leaders, it naturally functions as a ce for receiving subordinate officials and local leaders. The decoration style of the number one courtyard leans towards ssic Huaxia, with antiquated furniture. Even in the study, theplete suite of furniture has an antique feel to it. At this moment, Tian Xujian is sitting in a carved mahogany armchair with a serene expression, attentively observing the couple, Yao Yuhong, in the reception room of the number one courtyard. Right now, Tian Guixiang¡¯s face is filled with resentment. She said to Tian Xujian, ¡°Big brother, this Nie Zhenbang is totally outrageous. He¡¯s speaking as if he has no regard for you. If he wants to investigate, let him. We didn¡¯t steal or rob anything. We¡¯ve been diligent and dedicated to our duties. We have nothing to fear from him.¡± Tian Guixiang¡¯s ferocious words caused Tian Xujian to furrow his eyebrows. He knew his sister¡¯s character well, and this sister was not as honest as her name implied. Relying on her power, she could disy arrogance even if notmitting misdeeds. Soon after, Tian Xujian turned to Yao Yuhong and said, ¡°Guixiang, stop talking. Yao Yuhong, you speak. Have your actions been clean regarding the light weaving factory?¡± If he left it to his sister, she might talk until the next morning without getting to the point. Tian Xujian was there out of familial obligation and affection, but after being provoked by Nie Zhenbang, he also began to pay attention to the essence of the situation. Honestly, Tian Xujian couldn¡¯t help but pay attention, because the prestige of the vice governor was not applicable here. He could only resort to other means. To hear the whole truth, he had to let his brother-inw speak. Yao Yuhong looked somewhat embarrassed. After a nce at Tian Guixiang, who was sitting next to him, thetter turned her eyes away in displeasure and muttered, ¡°Why are you looking at me? When big brother asks you to speak, just speak. I don¡¯t know how I ended up with such a useless man.¡±
Tian Xujian smiled inwardly. It seemed that his sister was venting her anger at her husband, but in fact, she was expressing her dissatisfaction toward himself. Now, Yao Yuhong knew that he had no choice but to speak up. He then lowered his head and said, ¡°Big brother, I have to be frank, saying that we¡¯ve beenpletely clean might not be entirely true, but I can promise you that I did not take any bribes.¡± Upon hearing this, Tian Xujian understood. He might not have taken money, but he could have epted items such as cigarettes, alcohol, home appliances, or even gold and jewelry. While epting cigarettes and alcohol might not count as bribery, epting home appliances and jewelry does. Besides, there are also issues like misappropriating public funds and overspending on public expenses. Tian Xujian then raised his hand and said, ¡°All right. I¡¯ve got the general idea from your words. You two should go back first. I¡¯ve also had a tiring day.¡± At this time, even in the presence of his own sister, Tian Xujian straightforwardly showed them the door. After the couple had left, the vice governor did not ept any other officials for the rest of the evening. The next morning, after Vice Governor Tian¡¯s inspection tour of the Liangxi City National High-Tech Development Zone, he declined the Liangxi City Partymittee¡¯s invitation for a meal and started his return journey to Jiangzhou City without even having lunch. It was clearly evident to everyone that the Vice Governor was indirectly expressing his dissatisfaction. The act yed between Nie Zhenbang and Lei Dingguo in Liangxi almost cornered the vice governor, an experience that anyone would find difficult to endure. Vice Governor Tian¡¯s credibility waspletely diminished in Liangxi City. Meanwhile, numerous officials in the city began to show interest, and one such official was the secretary of the Liangjiang District Partymittee, Yang Lin. At thirty-nine, Yang Lin held the position of a district-level partymittee secretary, officially bing a division-level cadre. Although this was partly due to the influence of his father-inw, Zhou Shengqiao¨Cthe former deputy secretary of the Liangxi City Party Committee¨CYang Lin¡¯s own capability was also an important factor. However, after his father-inw¡¯s retirement, the assistance he initially had faded away. Having served as party secretary of the Liangjiang District for five years without any progress since assuming the role at thirty-four, Yang Lin was desperate to find a powerful ally. Nie Zhenbang thus became his target. Nevertheless, even though others were holding back after the incident with Vice Governor Tian, Yang Lin decided to take action immediately. With his mind made up, Yang Lin stood up from his desk, took out the partymittee¡¯s directory from his bag, found Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office number, and dialed it. As soon as Yi Jun¡¯s voice came over from the other side, Yang Lin greeted cordially, ¡°Secretary General Yi. Hello, this is Yang Lin from Liangjiang District.¡± Yang Lin¡¯s words left Yi Jun momentarily stunned. After yesterday¡¯s events, as soon as he started work this morning, his office phone had been ringing off the hook. Over the course of the morning, Yi Jun had answered no less than ten calls, all from lower level officials. Some were reporting on their work, others were inviting Yi Jun to dinner. In actuality, Yi Jun understood that all of these individuals were drawn by Mayor Nie¡¯s strong posture. However, he did receive a call from Yang Lin, the leader of Liangjiang District, an official of equivalent status. With that, Yi Jun responded with a smile, ¡°Secretary Yang, how can I help you today?¡± ¡°Secretary General Yi, we in Liangjiang District are preparing to leverage the abundant resources around theke and along the river and have ns to renovate and expand Liangxi Port. The city¡¯s nningmittee has already approved the project. I wanted to report to the mayor about it. Secretary General Yi, I am wondering if the mayor has any free time in the next few days?¡± Yang Lin spoke very politely. Normally, addressing Yi Jun as Secretary Yi would suffice. However, Secretary Yang chose to address Yi Jun as Secretary General Yi, a slight change in title that nheless bore significant weight in terms of status. This showed that todays¡¯ Yang Lin deeply understood the essence of keeping a low profile. Yi Jun pondered for a moment. Now that the city¡¯s nningmittee had approved the project, there was no need for much argument. Yang Lin was surely probing for information. Within the bureaucracy, superiors and subordinates were always testing and selecting each other. Subordinates would assess whether their superiors had potential and cared for their underlings; superiors, in turn, would assess whether subordinates werepatible. After a moment¡¯s contemtion, he thought about Mayor Nie ¨C while he had settled in his new role, he still had a shortage of capable officials under hismand. If Yang Lin could be brought under his wing, they would be able to bring in half of the staff from the time of Deputy Secretary Zhou Shengqiao. With this in mind, Yi Jun nodded and said, ¡°Mmm, the mayor has two hours free from eight to ten tomorrow morning. Secretary Yang, why don¡¯t youe over tomorrow?¡± After hanging up the phone, Yi Jun got up and walked into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office to inform him, ¡°Mayor, Liangjiang District Secretary Yang Lin just called. I¡¯ve arranged a meeting for you tomorrow morning at eight.¡±
Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang nodded. After so many years as secretary, Yi Jun no longer needed much oversight in these matters. Regardless of Yang Lin¡¯s attitude, it would be beneficial to meet. Nie Zhenbang then smiled and said, ¡°You take care of these things. Oh, by the way, could you get me a pair of special Maotai liquor and a pack of Chinese cigarettes? I¡¯m having dinner at Secretary Lei¡¯s house tonight.¡± Being in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position isn¡¯t exactly rxing. Busy periods often follow theunch of major projects in the city, especially at the beginning or end of the year. It wouldn¡¯t be umon for him to not go home for several days and nights. However, the period before the city council¡¯s meetings is usually the most rxed. Nie Zhenbang spent this afternoon scrutinizing various data on Liangxi City. As the mayor, he was responsible for governmental affairs and economic development. In poorer areas, despite their weak foundations, results are often quite clear. In contrast, for a developed area like Liangxi City, achieving outstanding results is not a simple task. After work, Nie Zhenbang went as promised to Lei Dingguo¡¯s residence in the municipalmittee familypound. Lei Dingguo, naturally, lived in a small vi located in Courtyard Five.
When Nie Zhenbang arrived, Lei Dingguo and his wife were already waiting at the door. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, they greeted him warmly. Lei Dingguoughed, ¡°The arrival of Mayor Nie truly graces our humble home.¡± Next to him, Lei Dingguo¡¯s wife, Li Cuiyun, who was in her mid-forties and had kind eyes, provided a stark contrast to Lei Dingguo¡¯s imposing demeanor. Nie Zhenbang entered the courtyard and said with augh, ¡°Lei, since when did you start using formalities? You know me well. Why the pretense?¡± He then greeted Li Cuiyun, ¡°Sister-inw, I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you bying over unannounced.¡± Li Cuiyun took the liquor and cigarettes Nie Zhenbang had brought, ¡°Mayor Nie, there¡¯s no need to bring gifts. You¡¯re always weed here. Come in, dinner is almost ready.¡± Once inside, Li Cuiyun headed for the kitchen to help the housekeeper. Meanwhile, Lei Dingguo invited Nie Zhenbang into his study. After serving him hot tea, Li Cuiyun left. Once it was just the two of them, Lei Dingguo said with a smile, ¡°Mayor Nie. I just got news that the provincial industry department has issued a document. The head of the second textile factory, Yao Yuhong, has been transferred to the provincial industry department as a deputy-level inspector. It seems that Tian Xujian is afraid we would investigate Yao Yuhong and decided to move him out first.¡± In the officialdom of Huaxia, there¡¯s an unwritten rule: unless it¡¯s a very serious case, those who retire or are transferred elsewhere before being prosecuted will typically evade further investigation for previous issues. Now, Tian Xujian was making use of this method. ¡®You don¡¯t want toply, do you? I might not be able to handle you, but I can avoid you.¡¯ If Nie Zhenbang and Lei Dingguo were not willing to give him face as the deputy governor, there would naturally be others who would. Tian Xujian, as the deputy governor in charge of industry, would have no difficulty arranging a transfer within the same department. This way, Nie Zhenbang and Lei Dingguo would have no reason to continue pursuing Yao Yuhong. ¡°Zhenbang, this move of Tian Xujian¡¯s is essentially apromise, but I¡¯m worried he won¡¯t let things rest after this,¡± Lei Dingguo expressed his concern. Lei¡¯s words moved Nie Zhenbang. Lei was a person worth befriending. If Tian Xujian were to cause trouble, it would be limited to holding Nie back in the industrial sector, which wouldn¡¯t affect Lei¡¯s work in any way. Yet, Lei seemed genuinely apprehensive, which wasn¡¯t an act. Laughing, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Old Lei, why worry about these things? We¡¯ll cross that bridge when wee to it. All we need to do is our own job well.¡± This dinner was a delightful affair for both host and guest. News of Tian Xujian¡¯s move spread quickly throughout Liangxi City, leaving everyone, from top to bottom, dumbstruck. They had all been guessing what Tian Xujian would do next and looked forward to a good show. However, they did not expect Tian¡¯s next move to be a disy ofpromise. In no time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s prestige shot up significantly. (
Chapter 391: 379 Governor presides _1 Chapter 391: Chapter 379 Governor presides _1 March 9th, a day full of promise, a day after Liangxi City celebrated International Women¡¯s Day, the People¡¯s Congress and Chinese People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference of Liangxi City was officially convened. What caught all the officials in Liangxi City off guard was the arrival of Ning Shouchang, the provincialmittee member, deputy secretary of the provincial partymittee, and governor of Jiangbei Province, who had unexpectedlye to the city the night before. Ning Shouchang met with Nie Zhenbang that same night following his stay at the citymittee¡¯s First Guest House. They discussed little about Jiangbei province. Small matters, such as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s election, were hardly broached. Instead, there was a lot more discussion aboutmunication with the central government. The situation of the Nie family at present is both awkward and delicate. First, the family lost its backbone with the passing of the patriarch. Second, no direct descendant of the Nie family has entered the Politburo. For now, families with ulterior motives are all wary of the Yang family, the Dong family, and Zhuang Aiguo. Sooner orter, this status quo will be broken. That would be the time when the Nie family will face pressure. The current situation in Liangxi City is almost simr to that in New Li City back then. Zhou Chen was also up for election and was personally supervised by the head of the government. However, Ning Shouchang drove Zhou Chen away that time. The oue this time is still uncertain. If Ning Shouchang is called away suddenly, like Tieli was back then, without any top-level officials holding down the fort, the situation might prove to be problematic. The next day, outside the Liangxi City Committee Auditorium, gs flew, and banners, reading ¡°Heartfelt Congrattions on the Sessful Convening of the Two Assemblies of the City¡¯s People¡¯s Congress and Political Consultative Committee¡± and ¡°Warmest Congrattions on the Sessful Convening of the First Plenary Session of the Eleventh People¡¯s Congress¡±, were hung on many streets across the city. These were sent by various districts, streets and municipal bureaus. At eight in the morning, the county¡¯s auditorium was full. All 1,862 representatives of the city¡¯s People¡¯s Congress were present, with not a single person missing. These representatives were there to exercise their power on behalf of the six million citizens of Liangxi City. First order of the meeting was the selection of the presidium of the congress. Supervised by the special guest of Liangxi City People¡¯s Congress, Governor Ning Shouchang, a presidium of thirty-seven people was elected for the Liangxi City. As the Liangxi Citymittee secretary and director of the city¡¯s People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee, Fan Changsheng naturally, and unanimously, was elected chairman of the presidium. Then, representing the municipal partymittee of Liangxi City, Fan Changsheng delivered a work report. Afterwards, Nie Zhenbang, acting as the mayor, reported on behalf of the city government. Neither Fan Changsheng nor Nie Zhenbang were likely to make a spectacle of such formalities. Soon after, the city¡¯s People¡¯s Congress representatives unanimously endorsed both the municipalmittee and city government¡¯s work reports. And thus, the morning session came to a close. ¡°Governor, we are about to break for lunch. In appreciation of your attendance at our city¡¯s two assemblies, and to thank the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government for their attention to Liangxi City, our City Committee has prepared a meal at the Liangxi Grand Hotel. Shall we head there now?¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng stepped up to Ning Shouchang, bending slightly. It was entirely normal for Fan Changsheng to exhibit such a posture in front of the second-ranking leader in Jiangbei Province.
Ning Shouchang stood up and smilingly said, ¡°The afternoon meeting is crucial, as Liangxi City will elect its governmental leader. During this break, I suggest that the members of the presidium stay, and we hold a brief meeting in the East Hall.¡± Once Ning Shouchang had spoken, Fan Changsheng didn¡¯t dare to say more. After all, it was only eleven o¡¯clock; it was too early for lunch. Immediately, Hu Youquan, the Secretary General of the municipal partymittee, started organising the East Hall of the municipalmittee¡¯s auditorium. Unlike the grand auditorium, the East Hall was a slightly smaller reception hall, decorated in a style simr to where foreign guests are received on television programmes. At the centre of the spacious hall was a Cold Plum, Proud in the Snow painting. The main seats were on either side, and surrounding them were sofas, enough to amodate fifty to sixty people. Right now, the members of the presidium, including the standingmittee of the municipal partymittee, a few deputy directors of the People¡¯s Congress, retired former leaders, and the heads of the party and government of five districts and two cities in Liangxi City were present. In fact, this was the membership of the municipal partymittee of Liangxi City. With a sharp gaze, Ning Shouchang swept over the standingmittee members andmittee members, saying, ¡°Colleagues, the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government attach great importance to the People¡¯s Congress of Liangxi City this time. Secretary Shen Yanshuo specially dispatched me here which amply demonstrates the importance the Provincial Party Committee attaches to this matter. I believe this is something we are all well aware of.¡± At Ning Shouchang¡¯s words, everyone, including Fan Changsheng, found themselves nodding in agreement. However, Li Guohua didn¡¯t look particrly pleased. But even Li Guohua could do nothing about it; not even his own patriarch could influence Shen Yanshuo, a member of the Central Politburo. Shen Yanshuo was regarded as a member of the Li faction, but his attitude suggested more of mutual cooperation. Ning Shouchang then turned his gaze to Nie Zhenbang and continued, ¡°This year the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the State Council, and the Central Organization Department have initiated a personnel exchange. This is significant and the Central Committee attaches a lot of importance to it. The rejuvenation of the cadre, which is currently a major research topic, is indeed crucial. As Jiangbei Province is at the forefront of reform and opening up and is a pilot province for personnel exchange, we naturally need to set an example.¡± Chapter 392: 379 Governor presides _2 Chapter 392: Chapter 379 Governor presides _2 These words were official terms, cliches. Despite the verbosity and the appeals to the higher Party Central Committee and the State Council, Ning Shouchang harboured only one aim. To inform everyone that Nie Zhenbang must be elected. Otherwise, it would be defying the will of the state and disregarding themand of the Party. Pausing for a moment, Ning Shouchang again said: ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, who has sessively served as the deputy mayor, mayor, and municipal party secretary of Northwest Xinli City, has achieved remarkable results in economic construction and development. Xinli City is now a star city in the country. Its total industrial output valuest year almost caught up with our Liangxi City. This shows Mayor Nie¡¯s capabilities. This time, the central government has arranged for Comrade Nie Zhenbang toe to our Liangxi City. This fully demonstrates the upper-level¡¯s emphasis on our Jiangbei Province, and on Liangxi City. I believe that all of you are cadres who consider the overall situation and are politically minded. How to vote, all of you should have a clear idea. We must follow the opinions of the higher organization. We need to satisfactorily and smoothlyplete the election work in Liangxi City.¡± This was quite blunt. Amidst a sea of pointless official jargon, only thest sentence was key ¨C Nie Zhenbang was a mayoral candidate, and if he was not elected, the meeting would be considered as a failure. After speaking, Ning Shouchang¡¯s gaze fell on Fan Changsheng. At this moment, Fan Changsheng also felt the pressure from Ning Shouchang. Fan Changsheng understood that at this point in time, as the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, he was expected to state his position. However, Fan Changsheng didn¡¯t have much thought on the matter of Nie Zhenbang being elected. He and Shen Yanshuo had discussed the matter explicitly. This time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s election was not merely the will of a certain faction but the intention of Secretary General Yuan, Premier Yun, and the Central Committee. If they rejected it, it would be a direct defiance of the Central Committee, something Shen Yanshuo would certainly not attempt. Therefore, at this moment, Fan Changsheng calmly responded, ¡°Please rest assured, Provincial Committee and Governor Ning. Representatives from the whole city of Liangxi, are capable of considering the bigger picture. We will definitely respect the people¡¯s opinions, follow the guidance of the higher-level, and choose an excellent leader for Liangxi City.¡± After Fan Changsheng finished speaking, the others started to express their opinions, insisting that they firmly supported the views of the higher-level leadership. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang appeared very calm as there was no suspense over his election. However, at this time, Nie Zhenbang noticed that Li Guohua looked very upset. The fleeting harshness in his eyes made Nie Zhenbang wonder ¨C had Li Guohua been scheming behind his back? Upon this thought, Nie Zhenbang was not worried. On the contrary, he had an attitude of watching a good show. If Li Guohua was really causing trouble this time, not only would Fan Changsheng be ced in a passive position, even Shen Yanshuo would be implicated ¨C this was tantamount to self-destruction. Afterwards, there would definitely be a rift between Fan Changsheng and Li Guohua. If Li Guohua was really doing such things, he would be shooting himself in the foot. Seeing this, Ning Shouchang nodded in satisfaction and said, ¡°Comrade Changsheng¡¯s statement is very good. It fully demonstrates the unity of the municipal partymittee team of Liangxi City. As the team leader, you deserve this credit. Speaking of which, I¡¯m feeling quite hungry. Let¡¯s all go eat together. I¡¯m afraid it will be at your expense this time.¡± When Ning Shouchang spoke, the others naturally echoed him. Up front was Ning Shouchang, followed by Jin Guoyong, the Secretary-General of the Provincial Government. After that were the members of the Liangxi Municipal Party Committee. Everyone took their positions spontaneously. Within the system, these things weren¡¯t deliberately arranged. Everyone knew their ce and where they should be. No one would go wrong.
The group proceeded to the Liangxi City Grand Hotel. The Liangxi Grand Hotel, like the Municipal Committee¡¯s small reception, was part of the property portfolio of the Municipal Committee Reception Office under the Municipal Committee Office. The Liangxi Grand Hotel was previously known as the Liangxi Hotel. After the economic reform and opening up, with the economic development of Liangxi City, to adapt to the new era, more than 300 million was invested to build this 26-story building based on the Liangxi Hotel, making it the Liangxi Grand Hotel. Although it is a four-star hotel, the small reception of the Municipal Committee was retained. This time, the Liangxi Grand Hotel was also the designated reception unit. Inside the Chinese-style room on the fourth floor of the Liangxi Grand Hotel. The huge round table can amodate up to twenty people. Ning Shouchang sat in the main seat, Jin Guoyong, the Secretary-General of the Provincial Government who apanied him, was to his left. Fan Changsheng, the Secretary of the Liangxi Municipal Party Committee, was to his right, and Nie Zhenbang was sitting next to Jin Guoyong. The other leaders of the Municipal Party Committee took their seats ording to their respective positions. Today, Ning Shouchang was in a good mood, always smiling. Various dishes were sessively brought to the table. The main course still held the local cuisine of Jiangbei at its heart, paired with some seafood products. Freshness and variety were well bnced. There were also Cantonese dishes and some spicy Sichuan and Hunan cuisines. Although it was a mix of everything, it was very characteristic and carefully crafted. As everyone entered, eight waiters who had been stationed there to serve promptly began serving the dishes. Within two minutes, all the dishes were served, and the servers brought up sses of white wine. The wine was Maotai, the national liquor and a regr at such events. The drinking vessel was a small one-ounce cup. Given the drinking capacities of those present, a cup of wine was practically the same as not drinking at all. At this moment, Ning Shouchang raised his ss, scanned the room, and said with a slight smile, ¡°We have important work this afternoon, let¡¯s just have a token amount of alcohol. Let¡¯s all drink a ss together. After the election ends sessfully in the evening, we can drink more. At noon, we¡¯ll just have this one ss.¡± With Ning Shouchang¡¯s words, the others naturally wouldn¡¯t refute anything. They all stood up and raised their sses. Ning Shouchang, who was originally sitting down, also stood up, put a mild pressure on his hand and said, ¡°Sit down, sit down and drink. I¡¯m someone who doesn¡¯t like these formalities. If everyone is so polite, I¡¯ll feel uneasy.¡± His words made everyoneugh. The reputation of Governor Ning being approachable was indeed well-founded. After a ss of wine, everyone started eating. Because there was no drinking, the meal was finished quickly. After less than half an hour of rest at the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s hall, it was already two o¡¯clock. The afternoon meeting was about to begin. ( Chapter 393: 380: Strong Attitude_1 Chapter 393: Chapter 380: Strong Attitude_1 At two in the afternoon, the Liangxi City People¡¯s Representative Assembly was convened once again. As the meeting began, Fan Changsheng, as the director of the Standing Committee of the People¡¯s Congress, immediately took to the podium and announced gravely into the microphone: ¡°This afternoon¡¯s meeting will be for the election of the Mayor of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government.¡± As his words faded, the hall became silent. The reason the Liangxi City Two Sessions garnered the attention of the province, and even brought Governor Ning Shouchang personally to ensure things run smoothly, was precisely for this matter. And this was nothing unusual. Fan Changsheng swept his gaze across the room, and said once more: ¡°ording to the electionw of the People¡¯s Republic of Huaxia, with the rmendation of the Standing Committee of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Congress,rade Nie Zhenbang will be the sole candidate participating in the election for the Mayor of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government. I ask all delegates to consider carefully, rigorously observe organizational discipline and the electionw, and cast your sacred and solemn vote.¡± There was an implied warning in Fan Changsheng¡¯s words. The reminders of observing organizational discipline and the electionw were essentially to remind everyone present that selecting Nie Zhenbang as the only candidate was the decision of the organization. Those with ulterior motives better not y tricks or schemes. Subsequently, on therge screen next to the podium, a projector began disying Nie Zhenbang¡¯s credentials. Next to the footage was a baritone voice narrator: ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang, male, born in 1970, a native of Yanbei Tang City. He was admitted to the Chinese Department of Jingcheng University with excellent grades in 1986. During his time at university, he excelled academically andter became a graduate student in economics at Jingcheng University, studying under the renowned domestic economist, Professor Wang Kunming, Secretary of the Party Committee of Jingcheng University. During his university years, he served as the chairman of the student union and was honorably admitted to the Party. After graduating in 1990, he joined the workforce and served a stint as the cadre of the Youth Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, where he was involved in the selection of the ¡®Youth Civilization¡¯ program, and was highly praised. In 1992, he was transferred to serve as the deputy county head, standing deputy county head, county head and county party secretary in Li County, Bazhou City, the Northwest Autonomous Region. During his tenure, the annual economic growth rate in Li County reached over eighty percent, a speed that shocked the nation. From the end of 1993 to 1994, he studied at the cadre training ss at the Northwestern Autonomous Region Party School, during which time he obtained a Master¡¯s degree in Economics from Jingcheng University. In mid-1994, the State Council issued a document upgrading Li County to a sub-prefecture-level city, and merging the surrounding counties to form New Li City. He served as the Party Secretary of New Li City. In 1995, he was transferred to the Central Disciplinary Committee, where he served as the standing deputy director of the Fifth Disciplinary and Supervision Room, overseeing all the work of the Fifth Room. At the end of 1997, the Central Organization Department implemented the cadre exchange system, and he was transferred to Liangxi City in Jiangbei Province, where he served as a member and standingmittee member of the Municipal Party Committee, as well as the acting mayor of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government.¡± As the narrator voice faded, everyone in the hall, all the representatives present, also fell silent. This was the mostplete introduction to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background. Many of the representatives, after seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background, no longer harbored any feelings of contempt. Instead, they had the impression that although Mayor Nie was young, he was undoubtedly capable. This arrangement was intentional. This way, many of the scattered people¡¯s representatives would vote for Nie Zhenbang. This was the end goal. Next, with a slight smile, Fan Changsheng said: ¡°Comrades, after seeing Mayor Nie¡¯s background, I must say we should truly be frightened of the younger generation. I believe that with a youthful, vibrant and outstanding cadre like Mayor Nie in leadership, our Liangxi City will definitely be able to create the miracle of Liangxi. Perhaps even surpassing New Li City. Now, I announce that the voting willmence.¡± Following Fan Changsheng¡¯smand, over a hundred staff members each with a stack of ballot papers began to distribute them to every people¡¯s representative present. In the middle of the hall, before the presidium, there were three ballot boxes. To ensure fairness, there were four armed police officers on each side of the ballot boxes, each facing different directions, watching over the ballot boxes, thuspletely eliminating any possibility of fraud.
Five minutester, judging that all the people¡¯s representatives had made their most serious selection, Fan Changsheng stood up, took his own ballot, walked to the ballot box in the middle, and cast his vote. Then, members of the Municipal Party Committee, the Standing Committee, and the Party members all formed a line and cast their votes one after the other. Half an hourter, after the 1,862 representatives each cast their votes, under the supervision of the Presidium of the National People¡¯s Congress, Lei Dingguo, the party secretary of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission, as the head of the ballot countingmittee, led the ballot counting team to take the stage. Apanying them were members of the vote tallying team and the vote counting team. In public, they opened the ballot boxes and collected all the votes. Afterwards, all the ballot papers were carried to a small hall behind the stage where the counting of votes began. ording to the provisions of the electionw, Nie Zhenbang needed at least more than half of the votes to be smoothly elected. The reason for moving the vote counting process backstage was mainly to consider the possibility of a turnaround in vote counting. Counting votes in public, if Nie Zhenbang fails by any chance, Ning Shouchang would be left helpless. If such a thing were to happen, the situation could still be promptly addressed. At this moment, Ning Shouchang sat on the side, apanied by Fan Changsheng. Around an hourter, the group leader of the ticket control group, the secretary-general of the municipal partymittee, Hu Youquan, came up with an awkward expression. Seeing Ning Shouchang and Fan Changsheng chatting happily, Hu Youquan looked awkward. Just as he was about to lean in and say something, Fan Changsheng preempted him by asking, ¡°Secretary-General Hu, has the resulte out? How did it turn out?¡± Originally, Hu Youquan was preparing to whisper the news, but Fan Changsheng¡¯s question made it difficult for him to do so. With no other choice at this moment, Hu Youquan had to toughen up and say: ¡°Governor Ning, Secretary Fan, out of the total 1,862 votes, there were 15 null votes. There were 27 abstentions, and Mayor Nie received 867 votes.¡± Upon hearing this, the expressions of Fan Changsheng and Ning Shouchang changed simultaneously. The election was deadlocked. Once again, it was deadlocked. At this moment, all the permanent members of the citymittee backstage were aware of the severity of the situation. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. You could even clearly hear everyone¡¯s breaths. Ning Shouchang red at Fan Changsheng with a cold expression. He naturally thought that Fan Changsheng was the one ying tricks. Thus, Ning Shouchang spoke in a deep voice, ¡°The election is deadlocked, Comrade Fan Changsheng. It seems the work of the Liangxi City Committee needs to be strengthened. How can you guys, the citymittee, handle such important matters ipetently? Now, I am beginning to question your team¡¯s capability.¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face turned ashen. Ning Shouchang was furious, and even his form of address had changed. From affectionately addressing him as ¡°Secretary Changsheng,¡± ¡°Comrade Changsheng,¡± he was now calling him ¡°Comrade Fan Changsheng¡±. Moreover, the words he said afterwards implied that the Liangxi City Committee was ipetent, just short of directly calling him incapable. In his heart, Fan Changsheng felt extremely wronged at this moment. Now, he understood that it must¡¯ve been Li Guohua who was ying tricks. In the whole of Liangxi City, only he had the ability to do so. Just as he was preparing to speak, Ning Shouchang raised his hand to stop him, walked over to the telephone beside him. Picking up the phone, Ning Shouchang looked around and said, ¡°Such audacity, to dare reject the proposal of the Central Organization Department. Now that things havee to this, I have no choice. This matter shall be reported to Minister Shengdong of the Central Organization Department. Whether Nie Zhenbang is transferred back to the central government or how it should be handled will be decided by the central government. I can no longer manage.¡± When these words left his mouth, not only did Fan Changsheng turn pale, but Li Guohua was also stunned. All this time, Li Guohua had thought that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s return was the intention of the Nie family because during this cadres exchange, the Li faction had also arranged for some of their people to enter. He didn¡¯t expect that it was the Central Organization Department¡¯s decision. With this, the nature of the matter had changed. At this moment, Ning Shouchang paid no attention to everyone else, dialed the number, and as soon as the line connected, Ning Shouchang spoke, ¡°Is this Minister Shengdong? This is Ning Shouchang. Minister Shengdong, I called mainly to report to you about the issue in Liangxi City. In this current election, Comrade Nie Zhenbang has lost¡­¡± ¡°Yes, yes, we will strictly follow the directives and requirements of the organization. We will not stop until a result has been achieved. Rest assured, Minister Shengdong, both Comrade Shen Yanshuo and I have always maintained a clear stance, firmly supporting the central government¡¯s decision. Good, good, goodbye.¡± The phone conversationsted for more than ten minutes. Everyone else waited for more than ten minutes. After Ning Shouchang hung up the phone, his expression turned gloomy. ¡°Comrade Changsheng, immediately convene all members of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress for a meeting of the full session. The election process was not in ordance with the prescribed procedure; a re-election is needed. We must elect someone who reassures the higher levels, satisfies the organization, and pleases the people.¡± Presidential recallections had happened before, and Ning Shouchang had also spoken with Minister Yu Shengdong from the Central Organization Department. Afterward, even if there were any issues, they could not trace it back to him. Convening a full session meeting of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress meant narrowing down the scope of the election. As for the results, it could be disregarded entirely. Announcing that more than half of the votes were in favor wouldn¡¯t cause any problems. No one would even think to inquire. Even if they did inquire, no delegate would dare speak the truth. ¡°Comrades, the People¡¯s Congress election is a very serious matter. Somerades are dissatisfied, making little moves secretly, ying little wisecracks. This is uneptable, as it challenges the authority of the organization and the party¡¯s discipline. We must deal with such matters seriously. Following the instructions of the Central Organization Department, we muste to a result. If we are not satisfied, we will not stop.¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng was also extremely furious. Li Guohua was utterly unreasonable. He decided to deadlock the People¡¯s Congress without consulting him. Looks like, he had to maintain distance from Li Guohua in the future, else he wouldn¡¯t even know if he gets betrayed by him.
The re-election turned out to be very sessful. Everyone was clearing from seeing Ning Shouchang making the call, not going along with the upper-level intent was not tolerable. If not selected, there was only one result, re-selection, until a result is achieved. This was not something one could control. Rather than resisting, it was better to just go straight for the election. Seeing the results, Ning Shouchang contentedly nodded, ¡°Secretary Changsheng, you must record this election in the archives of the People¡¯s Congress and note down the reason. Because the open selection does notply with the process, the election mode is temporarily changed, adopted the Municipal People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee.¡± Ning Shouchang¡¯s words were clearing the way for Nie Zhenbang, and such matters mustn¡¯t leave a tail. Otherwise, it could impact the future at a critical moment. Afterwards, the group returned to the auditorium once again, Lei Dingguo, head of the election supervisory team, stepped forward with a document in hand and loudly announced, ¡°In ordance with the electionws, this electionplied with the regtions, the ballot processplied with the procedure. In the final result, Nie Zhenbang, with a considerable majority vote, has been elected as Mayor of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government. Next, please wee Mayor Nie to deliver his inauguration speech with warm apuse.¡±
Chapter 394: 381: Shocking the whole city_1 Chapter 394: Chapter 381: Shocking the whole city_1 As Lei Dingguo¡¯s voice fell, Nie Zhenbang, with a smile on his face, stepped onto the stage. First, he bowed slightly towards the presidium, then to the entire auditorium, bowing his gratitude to all the People¡¯s Congress representatives present. This act was met with thunderous apuse. Li Guohua¡¯s expression was very displeased, his face ashen. It was not easy to orchestrate the ticket-skipping incident, but it was dissolved by Ning Shouchang without shape. It¡¯s predictable that there will be disagreements between Fan Changsheng and himself. Moreover, it¡¯s possible that Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang would join forces; after all, fundamentally, Fan Changsheng should belong to Shen Yanshuo¡¯s direct line. If the ticket skipping had been sessful, whether Fan Changsheng would be the secretary of the Municipal Party Committee wouldn¡¯t have mattered to Li Guohua. One reason was that he was not the chief of the Municipal Party Committee and thus had less responsibility to bear; another reason was that he was taken care of by the Li family, so Li Guohua would not have any troubles. But what about Fan Changsheng¡¯s wellbeing? Does that matter to Li Guohua? However, since the ticket skipping failed, Li Guohua is now in a precarious situation. Fan Changsheng is not a fool, he would certainly understand the crux of the matter. Nevertheless, knowing that someone is out to harm him, even if he¡¯s only an indirect victim, is uneptable. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had a touch of a calm smile on his face, the mannerism of a winner. Li Guohua had lost everything, and Nie Zhenbang had no reason not to be happy. Li Guohua had always been calm and refined, with an elegant demeanor. But now, he had finally been pestered to the point of being irrational by Nie Zhenbang, and this in itself was a victory. Nie Zhenbang had no notes in his hands. This speech was going to be extemporaneous, further earning him the respect of others. Not everyone could give an extemporaneous speech and stick to the theme, giving an outstanding performance required a wealth of knowledge and was a testament to one¡¯s ability. Even though no one knew what Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speech would entail, his courage was admired by all. The People¡¯s Congress representatives in attendance all apuded him, encouraging his daring. Nie Zhenbang bowed again, and then said, ¡°Honorable Governor Ning Shouchang, Secretary Fan Changsheng,rades, first of all, I would like to thank the 1,862 People¡¯s Congress Representatives of Liangxi City for their trust and support. Honestly, I was very reluctant to be the mayor of Liangxi City.¡± These words instantly left many of the congress representatives dumbfounded, agape in surprise. As for the city leaders like Ning Shouchang, however, they took his words in stride, exhibiting the calm demeanor leaders are expected to have. Nie Zhenbang then followed up with a cool smile, ¡°Why was I reluctant? Because the economic development in our Liangxi City is simply too good. Out of the five districts and two cities within our jurisdiction, three are listed as part of the country¡¯s top 100 economically powerful counties. Our city¡¯s total GDP ranks first in the province, even surpassing Jiangzhou City. That a prefecture-level city could surpass a provincial capital is unique to our Jiangbei Province and our city Liangxi.¡± His words were full of praise. Everyone likes to hear praises about their children¡¯s aplishments, no matter how small or big. Likewise, everyone likes to hear someoneuding their hometown. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words strongly resonated with the congress representatives present.
¡°On hearing this, you might wonder, with such a great economic environment, why wouldn¡¯t I want to ept the post? Because, the better the economy of a ce is, the harder it is to make political achievements. If you¡¯re in an impoverished ce like New Li City, then those aplishments look very conspicuous. However, in Liangxi City, they would not.¡± This statement, said in jest, added a humorous vor to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speech, which immediately gained him much more approval amongst the audience. Nie Zhenbang then continued, ¡°That¡¯s why I was greatly reluctant but also apprehensive on assuming this post. I thank all six million citizens of the city for their trust and support. This is both my pressure and motivation. I will be humble and diligent, dedicated at work, hoping to leave something meaningful for the people, and for Liangxi during my tenure¡­¡± After that, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speech became even more exciting, filled with a variety of exquisite words that all aligned with the speech¡¯s current topic. This fully demonstrated Nie Zhenbang¡¯s profound literacy. In the end, as Nie Zhenbang concluded in an orthodox manner, all the People¡¯s Congress representatives present stood up and gave him rapturous apuse. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had won over everyone present. Even if someone questioned Nie Zhenbang¡¯s election at this point, no one would believe them. After the meeting adjourned, Ning Shouchang attended the group discussions of People¡¯s Congress representative delegations from Zisha City and Yanling City the next day. In Zisha City, a proposal was made to modernize and industrialize the traditional industry of Zisha teaware, which received high praise from Ning Shouchang. In this regard, Ning Shouchang was anything but conservative, not at all cushioning the impact simply because Ning Zhiyuan was his son. Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang also participated in the group discussions from several districts. The next morning, Ning Shouchang left Liangxi City amidst the farewell of all the leading members of the Liangxi City Committee. With that, the People¡¯s Congress meeting in Liangxi City concluded smoothly. ¡­ City Committee Office Building At this moment, Nie Zhenbang stood at the office door of Fan Changsheng, knocked on the door. The door opened, and Fan Changsheng¡¯s secretary, Wang Mingxuan, stood up enthusiastically. ¡°Mayor Nie is here, pleasee in.¡± Entering the room again, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s feeling was somewhat different from before. He smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Wang, you seem busy.¡± Just as his voice fell, the office door opened from inside. Fan Changsheng stood at the door, smiling broadly. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, he was very enthusiastic. ¡°Mayor Zhenbang is here, pleasee in.¡± He also instructed Wang Mingxuan ¡°Wang, when Mayor Zhenbanges in the future, there will be no need to notify, just let him in.¡± Compared with the past, Fan Changsheng¡¯s change after the People¡¯s Congress was very significant. Nie Zhenbang smiled in his heart but didn¡¯t say it out. At the People¡¯s Congress, Fan Changsheng was tricked by Li Guohua. No one would ept such a thing, let alone a proud person like Fan Changsheng. Walking into the office, Fan Changsheng personally poured a cup of water for Nie Zhenbang. Then he sat on his chair, smiled lightly and said, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, are you here for the matter of Qingfang City?¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, the disciplinary inspection team of the city is squatting at the Spinning Group. I think there will be no big moves in half a month. This time I mainly have some personnel matters, and I want to talk and discuss with Secretary Fan.¡± Having said that, Nie Zhenbang took out a stack of documents from his bag and handed them to Fan Changsheng, then casually sat down. This year is the restructuring year of the county and city People¡¯s Congress. The respective officers of all departments directly under the city have also reached the key period of adjustment. As the mayor, Nie Zhenbang naturally has to undertake this major task. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face became serious. Although because of Li Guohua¡¯s rash actions, the rtionship between Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang had been much eased. However, once the critical issue of personnel assignments was involved, Fan Changsheng began to pay attention.
Taking the documents from Nie Zhenbang, Fan Changsheng was taken aback on opening them. Including the nning Commission, the Economic Commission, the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission and other city departments, there were a total of twenty city bureau-level administrative heads who received nominations. Except for a few who were not adjusted, all the others were neers. Nie Zhenbang was making a big move. Among them, what caught Fan Changsheng¡¯s attention most were Nie Zhenbang¡¯s people. Aside from Xiong Wei who had already been transferred to act as the district head of Xishan District, others such as Liu Qingquan, Ni Kezhi, and Tan Miaozhen had minor changes to their positions. For instance, Liu Qingquan was promoted to be the executive deputy director of the Finance Bureau, Ni Kezhi was transferred from the Veterans Bureau to the Personnel Bureau to rece Tan Miaozhen¡¯s position as the bureau chief. Tan Miaozhen was transferred to be the director of the Land and Resources Bureau. Other positions were evenly distributed among the several standingmittee members of the City Committee. There were three people for Deputy Secretary Zhu Zhuozhen, Lei Dingguo and Huang Jiang had two people each, and there were few cadre who really were capable and talented, such as the nominated director of the Foreign Investment Bureau Guo Taibo, the nominated director of the nning Commission Zhang Lifeng, and the nominated director of the Agriculture Bureau Huang Genbao. In addition, his own proteges upied many important positions in this round. For instance, for the position of director of the Finance Bureau, the candidate nominated by Nie Zhenbang was Ren Yong, the current Deputy District Head of Liangjiang District. Everyone knew that Ren Yong was his own man. After looking over the entire adjustment n, Fan Changsheng also fell into deep thought. What does Nie Zhenbang mean with this move? Is he trying to share interests equally? Judging from the total adjustment, among members of the City Committee standingmittee, except for Huang Junshan and Li Guohua who did not gain tangible benefits, all other leaders received some benefits to a lesser or greater degree. But he got the lion¡¯s share.
Hurting himself to benefit others? Fan Changsheng immediately vetoed this idea. Although Nie Zhenbang was not a vicious person, he definitely would not be a good person either. In such a cruel political struggle, Nie Zhenbang was able to rise smoothly. While his background was an important factor, his own strength was also an unignorable factor. Such a person would never let others take advantage. With this thought, Fan Changsheng seemed to see some clues. He was a bit surprised. Nie Zhenbang yed his hand cleverly. If he had arranged only his own people, regardless of whether Nie Zhenbang had so many people at hand, even if he did, other standingmittee members would not agree. But now with equal sharing of interests, everyone was happy and no one would object. Only Li Guohua and Huang Junshan wouldn¡¯t be able to make waves. On the other hand, this n was proposed by Nie Zhenbang. It was unanimously approved with no alterations. The impact this would have on Nie Zhenbang was huge. At this moment, Fan Changsheng also put away his contempt for Nie Zhenbang. After hesitating for a while, Fan Changsheng also made a decision. He smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, this proposal is very good. All aspects are taken into consideration, and the ability of cadres themselves is fully considered. I think it can be discussed and approved at this standingmittee meeting.¡± Fan Changsheng hesitated for a while before choosing to support. The matter at the People¡¯s Congress and his rtionship with Li Guohua were very tense. Now Fan Changsheng needed to repair his rtionship with Nie Zhenbang, and he had to make some concessions. Moreover, he got the biggest benefits, so he naturally had no reason did not refuse. Soon, with Fan Changsheng¡¯s support, Nie Zhenbang gained the approval of Huang Jiang, Zhu Zhuozhen, and Lei Dingguo. At the standingmittee meeting of the City Committee, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s proposal to nominate twenty city bureau leaders was unanimously approved and immediately caused a huge sensation throughout the city. ( Chapter 395: 382: Establishment of the Spinning Group_1 Chapter 395: Chapter 382: Establishment of the Spinning Group_1 In one move, he reced the heads of twenty city departments. Regardless of their factional allegiances, all were approved. That alone was enough to instill a sense of fear into all the city¡¯s officials towards Nie Zhenbang. It was a universally epted truth among the city¡¯s officials that one must not underestimate Mayor Nie. Offending him would mean potentially losing one¡¯s position overnight, even while still dreaming about it. ¡°Crash!¡± This was the sound of a ss shattering. In a spacious, empty room, this sound was especially piercing. At this moment, it happened inside a high-end viplex in the Xishan district of Liangxi City. In a European-style vi, Persian rugs from Turkey adorned the floors, and French fireces were fixtures of the luxurious interior. Underneath a magnificent chandelier in the living room, Li Guohua¡¯s face was a picture of livid anger. ¡°Fan Changsheng, Nie Zhenbang, you¡¯re despicable!¡± Li Guohua roared softly to himself. Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang, they were in perfect harmony when deciding on the heads of twenty city departments. His own people were all sidelined to insignificant positions. To Li Guohua, this was an act of provocation against him. ¡°Young Master Hua, don¡¯t be angry. I fancy a car, will you buy it for me?¡± A delicate voice said sweetly from the side. A voluptuous and stunning woman ¨C now dressed in nothing but a sheer gown. Thecy bra underneath was clearly visible through the diaphanous material. She rubbed her ample chest on Li Guohua¡¯s arm repeatedly, gradually arousing him. A little smile crossed the seductive woman¡¯s face, and with a smooth movement of her delicate, fair arm, she lightly caressed the area below his abdomen. Her voice was seductively whispering, ¡°Young Master Hua, I want¡­¡± Li Guohua¡¯s fingers slid over the woman¡¯s shapely buttocks, the touch was even more exciting through the thin gown. He gripped her buttocks hard, causing the woman to let out a soft gasp. Laughingly, Li Guohua cursed, ¡°You little minx, tell me, what car do you want?¡±
At his words, the woman became even more enthusiastic. She wrapped herself around him like a ko, fully making use of her bodily attributes and tried her best to stir Li Guohua¡¯s primal desires. She murmured, ¡°Young Master Hua, I like Porsche cars. The sports car model this year is quite nice.¡± As she spoke, her fingers gently unfastened his belt along with his pants. Just as they were about to proceed to the next phase, the phone in the living room rang. Li Guohua instantly stood up, picked up the phone, and said irritably, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡± A stern voice came from the other end, ¡°Li Guohua, your guts have gotten quite big. You even refuse to keep your phone switched on now.¡± At this sentence, Li Guohua tensed up. He was all too familiar with that voice. It was his father, Li Jiangshan¡¯s voice. Immediately, any desire Li Guohua had was extinguished. Despite Li Guohua¡¯s defiant demeanor outside, he was very well-behaved in front of his elders at home. In fact, this was a universal failing among the offspring of Jingcheng¡¯s noble families, they were like tigers outside but turned into domestic cats at home in front of their elders. Of course, Nie Zhenbang was an exception to this rule, which could bergely attributed to his upbringing outside Jingcheng. Soon after, Li Guohua waved dismissively at the woman next to him, adjusting his mentality, he said with a mournful face, ¡°Father, what did I do this time? I didn¡¯t do anything. And, haven¡¯t I changed since I returned from overseas, don¡¯t you understand that?¡± Li Jiangshan knew this well enough. His son had been awless entity before he went abroad. Fearing that his eldest grandson would cause a significant scandal, the patriarch of Li family had sent Guohua abroad. Since his return these years, Guohua had been performing admirably and had earned the family¡¯s approval. However, his recent actions hadtled Li Jiangshan. ¡°Didn¡¯t do anything? You scoundrel, a few days ago, Minister Shengdong from the Central Organization Department called me. You know very well what is going on in Liangxi City. You overstepped bounds! This is a decision from the State, it¡¯s part of the overall n of Premier Yun and Secretary General Yuan. What do you count for? You think you are immortal?¡± Li Jiangshan again scolded him over the phone. After a while, Li Jiangshan had had his fill of scolding. His tone softened, and he said in a serious tone, ¡°You remember this, do not meddle with thatd from the Nie family for now. Right now, you are the one wearing shoes, and he is barefoot. Without Nie Huating, Nie Zhenbang is nothing. Comparing Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei, there¡¯s simply nopetition. In the future, there will be plenty of opportunities. You understand?¡± None of the city officials in Liangxi City were aware of the shift in Li Guohua¡¯s attitude and strategy, nor did anyone deliberately try to understand these matters. At the moment, Nie Zhenbang was focusing all his efforts on the Spinning Group. After a month, the city¡¯s disciplinary investigation team finally withdrew from the Spinning Group. From the top management of the three factories of the Spinning Group, in the end, only three deputy factory directors and two chief engineers remained. All others, excluding Yao Yuhong who had been transferred, were rounded up. For a while, there was a shortage of management staff within the Spinning Group. Chapter 396: 382: Establishment of the Spinning Group_2 Chapter 396: Chapter 382: Establishment of the Spinning Group_2 However, Nie Zhenbang was not bothered by such circumstances. The disruption of the leadership team could actually be advantageous for the shareholding reform of the Spinning Group. The three factories, once merged, would form a new Spinning Group, a municipal state-owned enterprise. The Liangxi City State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission would hold sixty-two percent of the shares, with the rest being open for recruitment. Thus, a new leadership team for the Textile Group can be formed through open recruitment and enlistment. The vacuum in the Spinning Group¡¯s leadership only spared Nie Zhenbang plenty of trouble. ¡­ The sunshine of March seemed rather warm, and therge trees lining the streets of the old district of Guicheng began to sprout new buds. At the moment, arge red banner was hanging at the entrance of the Spinning Factory, weing Mayor Nie to the share subscription meeting for the shareholding reform of the Liangxi Textile Group. At the factory gate, apart from leaving ane for vehicles, the other spaces were all upied by workers from the three factories in Qingfang City. At around half-past nine in the morning, after almost an hour and a half of waiting, the crowd started to be restless. Many people in the crowd started shouting, ¡°Old Huang, what¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t they say that Mayor Nie ising over today?¡± Huang Jiangsheng, as the leader of the reform of Qingfang City, had established tremendous credibility among the workers. Despite being spring, sweat was showing on Huang Jiangsheng¡¯s forehead. Wiping his sweat, Huang Jiangsheng also shouted, ¡°Soon, soon. Yesterday, Secretary Liu from the municipal government personally called. Since Mayor Nie has made arrangements, he will definitelye.¡± Before he even finished speaking, many workers in the crowd started to shout, ¡°Here hees, here hees. Mayor Nie is here.¡± Looking sideways, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s municipalmittee second vehicle was slowly driving towards this side. On both sides were passionate workers. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s vehicle entering the factory gate, they all started shouting. As soon as Nie Zhenbang got off the car, the few remaining leaders of Qingfang City also came up to greet him, with Huang Jiangsheng as the representative of the workers following closely. Looking around at everyone, Nie Zhenbang was very satisfied. Popr sentiment can be won over. The reform of state-owned enterprises mainly involves two aspects: one is the technologygging behind, and the other is theck of unity among the people and the leadership team. Now, the situation in the three factories in Qingfang City was more or less the same. Speaking of technology, in this light spinning industry, the two factories in Liangxi City were among the best. The existing equipment could fully meet market needs. The main reason the factory was suffering was due to the corruption of the factory leadership. Without a strong leadership team, and without leading products, Qingfang City was bound to copse.
At this moment, Nie Zhenbang looked at the side, at Mu Jianhua, the director of the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, and nodded, ¡°Director Mu, it¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s start.¡± Mu Jianhua, although a newly appointed official, was grateful for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nomination, even though he was Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s man. Besides, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s authority within the municipal government was such that no head of a municipal agency would dare to cross him. Immediately, Mu Jianhua said into the microphone, ¡°Ladies and gentleman, calm down please, employees of the Spinning Group. Following the supervision and auditing by the city¡¯s discipline inspectionmission and audit bureau, after more than a month of detailed data inquiry, we¡¯ve determined the three factories in Qingfang City now have a total debt of 190 million,bined with avable fixed assets and current capital of 220 million. ording to the resolution of the municipal partymittee and the municipal government, a debt of 100 million will be taken over by the municipal finance department. Later, after the Spinning Group resumes production and turns losses into profits, it will repay the principal and interest to the municipal finance department at the bank deposit interest rate.¡± The remaining ny million in loans, the municipal finance department has alsomunicated with the banks to extend the loan period. Currently, the three factories in Qingfang City are merging to form the Liangxi Spinning Group, with a preliminary total investment estimate of 400 million. Of this, sixty-two percent of the shares, invested through existingnd, factory buildings, and equipment, will be held by the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. The remaining thirty-eight percent, or nearly 80 million in funds, will be publicly raised towards the Spinning Group and the entire society. Following the principle of priority, the shares will be offered first to workers from the three factories in the Spinning Group. Interested workers can register on-site and pay the share capital.¡± As Mu Jianhua¡¯s words ended, Huang Jiangsheng stood up, ¡°I subscribe for a hundred thousand in shares.¡± One hundred thousand, in this era, was not a small sum. However, Liangxi City was a prosperous area, so this amount of money was not really a big deal. Huang Jiangsheng continued, ¡°Fes, listen to me, we are all from the Textile Group. We know our own factory. With our equipment and our technology, do our products have to worry about finding a market? In the past, it was because the leadership was ineffective. Now, this factory is ours, and we make the decisions. The decisions of the shareholders¡¯ meeting are final. What are we afraid of? I¡¯m all in. I borrowed from rtives to raise a hundred thousand. I believe in myself, and I believe in all of us.¡± ¡°Good, well done, Old Huang.¡± ¡°Old Huang, for your courage, even if it causes a quarrel with my wife when I go home, I¡¯m subscribing ten thousand today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m subscribing twenty thousand.¡± ¡°I¡¯m subscribing five thousand.¡± ¡°Old Huang, you are the leader of the first factory, as the leader of the second factory, I won¡¯t fall behind. Since you subscribed a hundred thousand, I will too.¡± People tend to follow the crowd, and Huang Jiangsheng¡¯s words clearly struck a chord with these workers. It wasn¡¯t the equipment that was at fault, neither the workers, but the leadership. In reality, the workers at the Spinning Group had a lot of confidence in themselves. With a leader like this, the subscription scene became heated. Itpletely exceeded Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expectations. Nie Zhenbang originally thought that they would have to seek foreign capital for these tens of millions in shares. To his surprise, they didn¡¯t have to. Next to him, the director of the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, Mu Jianhua, was also ted. He had never seen such a thing happen before in all of his working life. Dealing with theserge state-owned factories used to be the worst kind of trouble. Now, in less than two hours, the shares had been divided. Mu Jianhua, after being alerted by a staff member, quickly picked up the microphone and said loudly, ¡°Dear workers, enough, enough. The shares have all been subscribed. Everyone, please go home. Tomorrow, the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission will conduct a shareholders¡¯ meeting with the shareholders of the Spinning Group, to elect the organization frame of the Spinning Group and officially list the Textile Group.¡± As soon as his words fell, the workers next to him were not having it. Many people had already started shouting, ¡°The subscription is over? No, that¡¯s not fair. We haven¡¯t subscribed yet. This time, the city must meet our conditions, otherwise, we won¡¯t let you guys go.¡±(.)
Chapter 397: 383 Big Scene_1 Chapter 397: Chapter 383 Big Scene_1 Hearing this, Mu Jianhua experienced a mixture of pain and joy. Historically, when a state-owned enterprise tried to raise funds, many factory directors and secretaries offered their grievances, begging and forcing workers to contribute capital. Some even took primitive approaches such as tying capital input to work attendance ¨C no contribution meant no job, no contribution also meant the cancetion of benefits and recements. Amongst others, these were the spiteful strategies at y. At that time, to hold onto their livelihoods, workers often had topromise. However, what Mu Jianhua was seeing now was something he had never witnessed before. Was he going mad, or had the employees of the Spinning Group lost their minds? Neither was true; the formation of the Spinning Group was an event that had deeply resonated with the people. Their employees were no fools, rather, they were filled with confidence. Mu Jianhua was somewhat puzzled; such decision making wasn¡¯t something he dared to take on alone. He turned his expression over to Nie Zhenbang, sitting next to him. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang nced at the crowd behind him. During the fundraising, there were more than 300 seats arranged. Roughly over twenty thousand workers subscribed to the shares. Now, fewer than 10,000 people remained. Since this was the case, they might as well let these people subscribe. Participation by everyone would increase enthusiasm. In addition, this experiment could also be a national model for the reform of state-owned enterprises, if handled well. Instantly, Nie Zhenbang too nodded in agreement, ¡°Director Mu, let¡¯s do it this way, open registrations. All employees who wish to subscribe can participate in it. The surplus of shares will be diluted from the stake of the state-owned assets supervision and administrationmission.¡± No one ate lunch that day. By one o¡¯clock in the afternoon, all Spinning Group employees had finished subscribing. After an urgent count, the total amount of shares bought reached a staggering 136 million RMB. This exceeded the initial estimate by over 30 million RMB, a testament to the enthusiasm of the Spinning Group¡¯s employees. This capital would all belong to the Spinning Group¡¯s financial ount. Some of it would be used as a fund for employees to buy out their years of service, another portion would be used to repay a portion of its loans, and the remaining funds would act as operational capital. The following day, under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personal care, the SASAC (State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission) acted swiftly to establish a preparatory meeting for the Spinning Group¡¯s general shareholder¡¯s meeting. The SASAC, representing the Liangxi Textile Group¡¯s major shareholder, attended the shareholders¡¯ meeting in therge auditorium of the Municipal Party Committee. The shareholders from the Liangxi Textile Group, who were in effect just employees, participated in the meeting. At the meeting, after nominating the candidates for the Group¡¯s management level through consultations among all the shareholders, a vote was held. Huang Jiang arose impressively from the crowd to be the General Manager of the Liangxi Textile Group. The Vice Chairman of the SASAC, Leng Chaohua, was nominated and chosen to be the Chairman of the Liangxi Textile Group. The other middle management positions, such as finance, logistics and supply, human resources, protection, sales, and technical posts within the Liangxi Textile Group were filled through public voting by all shareholders. Within three days, continuous publicpetitive recruitment meetings were held to select middle-level leaders. As the reorganization of the Liangxi Textile Group approached its conclusion, Nie Zhenbang began to rx. As soon as the framework of the Textile Group waspleted, the Textile Group could officially be listed. The old city reconstruction project in Guicheng District could also get back on track immediately.
¡°Secretary Yi, is Mayor Nie there?¡± Suddenly, a voice came from outside. Upon hearing it, Nie Zhenbang immediately stood up; it was Fan Changsheng¡¯s voice. Locally, Nie Zhenbang had always adhered to the teachings of the old man. He was humble and cautious, neither arrogant nor impatient, conducting himself as an ordinary person. Things that could be done by himself were handled by himself. Of course, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s identity and background could also provide a considerable boost. But not using such a background would be foolish. However, from beginning to end, Nie Zhenbang adhered to this belief. He held himself upright at all times. Even if he had an influential background, he didn¡¯t hang a badge on his head every day relying on his ancestral fortune. That wasn¡¯t something a mature person would do. Moreover, locally, if one provoked the opponents, the people could be led with brute force. Sacrifices could always be made for the greater good. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang took Fan Changsheng¡¯s arrival very seriously. He immediately opened the door and greeted him, ¡°Secretary Fan, what an unexpected visit, pleasee in!¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s casual words blushed Fan Changsheng¡¯s faces, and he awkwardly said: ¡°This is indeed my first visit to Mayor Nie¡¯s office. In the future, we have tomunicate more and build mutual trust in our work.¡± After ushering Fan Changsheng into the inner office, Nie Zhenbang made some premium Dahongpao tea, he¡¯d received from Elder Yang. After handing a cup to Fan Changsheng, he finally sat down next to him and asked smilingly, ¡°Secretary Fan, you¡¯re always about work, so what brings you here this time?¡± Fan Changsheng, a man of taste, recognized the high-quality Dahongpao tea immediately. Realizing that Nie Zhenbang had been able to obtain such rare tea, made it clear that his background was not so simple. Promptly, Fan Changsheng replied with a smile, ¡°Indeed, I do have a matter to discuss. Just now, I received a call from the Provincial Party Committee Office. Secretary Yanshuo asked me to tell you that he will participate in the unveiling of the Liangxi Textile Group. Therefore, I came here especially to discuss with you the timetable and the security and reception issues after Secretary Yanshuo¡¯s arrival in Liangxi.¡± Listening to Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang felt relieved. ¡°So that¡¯s what is going on.¡± He then showed an excited smile on his face and said, ¡°Secretary Shen is personally attending the opening ceremony. This is a great thing that we couldn¡¯t ask for, Secretary Fan. Regarding the reception, Deputy Governor Tian and Governor Ning have both visited recently, so I don¡¯t think there is anything special we need to pay attention to. Is there anything else you¡¯d like to add, Secretary Fan?¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng alsoughed and said, ¡°It seems that we both had the same idea. Leaders from the provincial partymittee have been visiting frequently this month. The city had been preparing for this in every way. I think we can arrange it the way it is.¡± Then, Fan Changsheng stood up, smiled, and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, please take the trouble to arrange the time for the unveiling of Textile Group. Once the schedule is set, please let me know two days in advance, so I can report to the superiors.¡± After Fan Changsheng had left, Nie Zhenbang began to think deeply. At this time, Yi Jun came in from outside, picked up the teacup on the table, poured it out, washed it, andughed. He said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, Fan Changsheng really seems like a changed man during this period.¡± Nie Zhenbang nced at Yi Jun andughed, ¡°Fan Changsheng was set up by Li Guohua and was almost held responsible for leadership. He is back to normal now. But we can¡¯t let our guard down either. These two men belong to the same faction. Although they are at odds with each other for now, we can¡¯t guess when they might reconcile. We must not let our guard down.¡± After saying these words, a thought urred to Nie Zhenbang. Shen Yanshuo was going to attend the opening ceremony of a state-owned enterprise. Well, it would be more usible if it were arge central enterprise. For the Textile Group, which is just a municipally managed enterprise, Shen Yanshuo¡¯s move seemed a bit over the top. It appeared that Shen Yanshuo¡¯s main purpose was not to unveil, but to boost his own morale and, at the same time, it was a statement from him to the higher-ups. The election in Liangxi City, although the final result was that Nie Zhenbang was elected smoothly, the process was nerve-racking. In other words, if it were not for the cautiousness of Ning Shouchang and the strong determination of Yu Shengdong, Nie Zhenbang might really have failed. Now, Shen Yanshuo¡¯s move seems to be focused on Liangxi City¡¯s enterprise reform. In fact, he is making up for the previous incident and is expressing his attitude towards Yu Shengdong and the central government. The backslide was the personal behavior of some people, not Shen Yanshuo¡¯s intention. Even Shen Yanshuo personally came here. Fan Changsheng¡¯s gesture of lowering his posture became reasonable and normal.
Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang immediately called Mu Jianhua and said, ¡°Director Mu? The work of the Textile Group needs to be stepped up. I just received the news that Secretary Shen Yanshuo from the provincialmittee will personally attend the unveiling ceremony.¡± There was no need to hide such information, and if announced it would make everyone in the Textile Group pay more attention and work hard. It was a win-win situation and Nie Zhenbang naturally controlled it with ease. Three dayster, after a rigorous inspection by the Textile Group, the results of thepetition for various intermediate positions were also released. The official unveiling ceremony will be held at 10:08 tomorrow morning. Just before eight o¡¯clock the next morning, Nie Zhenbang, Fan Changsheng, and other city leaders, along with the team leaders of the People¡¯s Congress, CPPCC and military district, all gathered and waited at the entrance of the highway.
Considering Shen Yanshuo¡¯s character and habits, Shen Yanshuo did not like ostentatious weing ways. Therefore, Fan Changsheng arranged to meet him at the exit of the highway. Around 9.55, a Toyota Prado came to the exit of the highway, followed by several Audi cars. The Prado had a very eye-catching number one te for the armed police in Jiangbei. When the car slowly stopped and the door opened, Shen Yanshuo appeared in front of everyone. At this moment, Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang had already walked up to him with smiles. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Shen Yanshuo walked over without waiting for Nie Zhenbang to speak. He patted Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder affectionately and said with a friendly smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, the restructuring of the Textile Group received high praise from the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission. The director of the Commission highly praised you, saying that you have found a new path for the reform of state-owned enterprises across the country. The younger generation is indeed remarkable.¡± Shen Yanshuo used someone else¡¯s words to make such apliment. Even Fan Changsheng showed a hint of envy at this moment. Shen Yanshuo was a schr-official type. It was rare to get a praise from Secretary Shen. After a pause, Shen Yanshuo swept his gaze over everyone present, then stopped on Li Guohua¡¯s face. He then said, ¡°I heard Governor Shou Chang report about the People¡¯s Congress of Liangxi City. Overall, it was good. However, there are somerades who still need to calm down and stop ying tricks. Promoting team unity is important.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Li Guohua¡¯s face changed. He never expected that Shen Yanshuo would criticize him in public like this.(To be continued. If you like this work, wee to vote for rmendation and monthly tickets on . Your support is my greatest motivation). Chapter 398: 384 Ribbon Cutting_1 Chapter 398: Chapter 384 Ribbon Cutting_1 Upon hearing Shen Yanshuo¡¯s words, the cadre who came to wee him from Liangxi City were stunned. Originally, they assumed that Shen Yanshuo¡¯s visit was merely a formality, to express an attitude. They didn¡¯t expect that he would actually take action. At this moment, Shen Yanshuo¡¯s gazended on Li Guohua. Li Guohua slightly lowered his head at this moment, showing little change in his expression, giving an appearance of willingness to seek advice. This reassured Shen Yanshuo. His words were not randomly thrown out. His aim was to chastise Li Guohua. You are indeed the eldest son and rightful heir of the Li family. Yet, within the system, there are certain things that must be done ording to the rules. If not, the chastisement and anger from your superiors is not something you, Li Guohua, can bear. This time, Shen Yanshuo also did it deliberately. If there¡¯s a first time, there will be a second. This time, Li Guohua manipted the stock transfer. Next time, who knows what chaos he will create? Chastising him was a must. Fan Changsheng, at this moment, wiped his forehead which was a little sweaty. As the Party Secretary of the city, Fan Changsheng had no choice but to stiffen his resolve: ¡°Senior leader, your criticism is correct, we will definitely rectify our mistakes. Going forward, we will strengthen the learning of all cadre in the city, implement the spirit of the central party¡¯s directives, and deeply learn from the speeches of the Provincial Party Committee at their second conference. We will absolutelyply with the higher organization¡¯s arrangements.¡± The term ¡°Senior leader¡± is not one to be used lightly. Shen Yanshuo spent his whole life working in Jiangbei Province. Throughout the years, he worked as the Mayor of Liangxi City, then the Mayor and Party Secretary of Jiangzhou City. His roots are deeply nted in Jiangbei Province. Doesn¡¯t everyone in at least Liangxi City, or even Jiangzhou City, refer to Shen Yanshuo as the ¡°Senior leader¡±? Actually, that¡¯s not really the case. To be truly considered a direct subordinate, there are rules. Fan Changsheng has followed Shen Yanshuo since he was just the Deputy Mayor of Liangxi City. As Shen Yanshuo rose in ranks, so did Fan Changsheng. Only people like this have the eligibility to call Shen Yanshuo ¡°Senior Leader.¡± After ncing at Fan Changsheng, Shen Yanshuo also nodded, saying, ¡°Very good, Comrade Changsheng. Currently, as the economy develops,rades below often focus on superficial work and formalities. This is not a good phenomenon. All cadres in Liangxi City should have a clear understanding and strengthen their learning.¡± After saying this, Shen Yanshuo went over to Nie Zhenbang, extended his hand with a smile, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, this is our second meeting, right? Very good, the restructuring and merger of the Textile Group, the reform of the shareholding system, are very decisive inbating corruption and greed. This is excellent, setting a good example for our entire province. Therefore, after hearing about the listing of Liangxi Textile Group, I told Comrade Huazhang that I wanted to participate in the listing ceremony of the Textile Group.¡± Comrade Huazhang, a member of the standingmittee of Jiangbei Provincial Committee and the Secretary-General, was also present. Shen Yanshuo¡¯s warm and spring-like words immediately eased the awkward atmosphere at the scene. Afterwards, Shen Yanshuo shook hands with each of the weing cadres. Afterward, Shen Yanshuo said, ¡°Comrades Changsheng and Zhenbang, please ride in my car.¡±
Upon hearing this, everyone at the scene was filled with envy. Not just anyone has the privilege of riding in a car specially used by the Provincial Party Secretary, let alone with a personal invitation from the Secretary himself. It seems that the wind direction in Liangxi City is about to change. The rtionship between the City Party Secretary and the Mayor is sure to subsequently be repositioned. Li Guohua looked gloomy. He clearly saw what Shen Yanshuo was doing. Through the Textile Group¡¯s affairs, he was trying to warn him. Additionally, he was trying to express to the central government his attitude. When Mayor Nie came to serve in Jiangbei Province and Liangxi City, he got support from top to bottom in Jiangbei Province. Shen Yanshuo¡¯s vehicle was an SUV with seven seats, but it still felt a bit cramped when Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang got in. Naturally, it wasn¡¯t possible for Shen Yanshuo to sit in the back, nor was it for Fan Changsheng as the City Party Secretary. If Nie Zhenbang sat in the back, it wouldn¡¯t be convenient formunication. As such, Shen Yanshuo¡¯s secretary, Tang Penghai, was squeezed to the back. Fan Changsheng and Shen Yanshuo sat in the back, and Nie Zhenbang sat in the passenger seat. As Shen Yanshuo¡¯s car started, the guide car of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau led the way, sounding the siren and shing the police lights. The traffic at each intersection was temporarily controlled by traffic police from various detachments. Once the car started moving, Shen Yanshuo started talking, smiling: ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, this time, with the restructuring and merger of the Textile Group, I heard that you¡¯ve also put forward a real estate development n. Could you share your considerations with us?¡± ¡°Secretary Shen, our initial idea is like this. After the merger of the Textile Group, there are about 42,000 workers in the three factories. By adopting measures such asyoffs and buyouts, we expect roughly 16,000 workers to leave through early retirement,yoffs, buyouts, and other means. This will significantly alleviate the Textile Group¡¯s wage pressure and burden, allowing them to start afresh.¡± Nie Zhenbang was thoroughly involved in the affairs of the Textile Group, having personally nned it. At this moment, as he reported the progress, there was no need for any preparation. His thoughts were clear, and his words flowed smoothly. Shen Yanshuo nodded frequently as he listened. Truthfully speaking, Nie Zhenbang is a rare talent, it¡¯s just a pity that he¡¯s not part of his faction. ¡°After the new Textile Group is established, the entire group, including the factory area and the residential area, will cover an area of more than 2,300 acres. This time, we n to use the busiest factory in the Textile Group as a pilot, carving out an area of about 300 acres to establish a real estate developmentpany. This will be a subsidiary of the Textile Group, serving as a secondary enterprise for the Textile Group. On the one hand, this will provide housing for the workers. On the other, selling to the outside world will be a new attempt for us. If sessful, it would significantly benefit the Textile Group. Furthermore, it will serve as an exploration for the reconstruction of the entire Guicheng urban area.¡± Once he finished speaking, Shen Yanshuo immediately nodded in approval, not stingy with praise, ¡°Excellent, this approach is very good. At the moment, our cadres have rigid thinking. They believe doing business means just doing business, and anything else is irrelevant. This type of thinking is hazardous. The idea of diversified development is the current mainstream. We must change, pay attention to this conceptual transformation. As the saying goes, when there¡¯s no moon in the east, look to the west. Changsheng, you¡¯re fortunate to have apetent assistant in Mayor Zhenbang. I¡¯m quite envious.¡± What Shen Yanshuo said, seeming like a joke, was actually to remind Fan Changsheng that Nie Zhenbang is a mayor. In terms of urban development, he exhibits outstanding abilities. You need to fully support him. If everything goes well, the greatest credit will still belong to you as the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee. After a nce at Nie Zhenbang, Fan Changsheng alsoughed and said, ¡°Old leader, we are also grateful for the care that the organization has shown to our Liangxi city for sending Mayor Nie to us.¡± The atmosphere in the car was very harmonious. On the one hand, Shen Yanshuo¡¯s purpose was to cheer on Nie Zhenbang. He needed to use this approach to send a signal to those in charge. This dy was an ident and was not his own intention. On the other hand, Shen Yanshuo really wanted to see Liangxi city develop well. In this way, the atmosphere became very harmonious. As for Fan Changsheng, everything was led by Shen Yanshuo, naturally, there were no issues. At this moment, Tang Penghai, who was sitting in the back seat, also leaned his head over and said, ¡°Secretary Shen, we¡¯ve arrived at the Textile Group.¡± The fleet had already stopped. They were at the original Factory One of the Spinning Group, which wouldter be the main gate of the Textile Group. On either side, many employees and citizens stood by. Police sent by the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau had set up a cordon on both sides. The motorcade slowly entered Factory One and parked in the square in front of the office building. On the square, Leng Chaohua, the Chairman of the Textile Group, General Manager Huang Jiangsheng, as well as all the middle-level cadres of the Textile Group, had gathered and lined up. Next to them, there was a waist drum teamposed of retired employees of the Textile Group. They were all dressed in fiery red silk clothing, lined up to wee Shen Yanshuo¡¯s arrival. When the car door opened, firecrackers suddenly went off at the edge, creating a deafening noise. Following that, the elderly women of the waist drum team also started ying. The even beats of the drums echoed around, marking an unprecedented event in the decades-long history of the Textile Group. The visit from the Provincial Committee Secretary was a first in its history.
In the past, the most senior leader who had visited had only been a Deputy Governor. But this time, the head of the Provincial Committee, the highest official in the province, hade to visit the Textile Group and inaugurate it, which was incredibly uplifting. It seemed as if everyone at the Textile Group saw a bright and promising future on the horizon. The employees who had participated in the subscription were even more thrilled. Although they would beid off and severance packages bought out afterwards, this did not impact their confidence in the Textile Group. As Shen Yanshuo got out of the car, surrounded by the leaders of the Liangxi Municipal Party Committee, shook hands with the leadership of the Textile Group, traded a few friendly words with the chosen worker representatives, before being led by the weing party to a podium that had already been set up. Hu Youquan, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, who was serving as the master of ceremony, stepped up to the podium and began: ¡°Dear Secretary of the Provincial Committee, Shen, Chen, Secretary-General of the Provincial Committee, Deputy Governor Ou, leaders and guests, today is a bright and sunny day. The warm spring breeze is caressing the earth, and we have also ushered in a new beginning for the Liangxi textile industry. Today is a great day for the establishment of the Liangxi Textile Group. Now, let¡¯s invite Comrade Shen Yanshuo, a member of the central political bureau and Secretary of Jiangbei Provincial Committee, Chen Huazhang, Permanent Secretary of the Provincial Committee, Deputy Governor of the provincial government Ou Qingbao, Municipal Party Secretary Fan Changsheng and Mayor Nie Zhenbang to cut the ribbon for the Liangxi Temporarily Group.¡± With Hu Youquan¡¯s words echoing in the air, a giant, red silk ribbon was spread out across a red carpet by two youngdies, and each of the five leaders were led to the middle by an usherette.
As they lifted the scissors under the lead of Shen Yanshuo and began snipping away ceremoniously, the employees and spectators outside burst into deafening cheers and apuse. Immediately after, Hu Youquan called out again, ¡°Now, may I invite Secretary Shen to unveil the que for the Liangxi Textile Group.¡± At that moment, two young men dressed in dark suits, carrying a long que between them, came forward. Arge red silk cloth covered the que. Shen Yanshuo approached with a smile, lifted a corner of the silk cloth and gently pulled it away. Disyed was a que with a stainless steel base and ck letters, and inscribed on it were therge words, ¡°Liangxi Textile Group Co., Ltd.¡± After that, a few staff members stepped forward and hung the que on the pir on the right side of the office building. On the left was the que for the Party Committee of the Liangxi Textile Group. After this process waspleted, the Liangxi Textile Group was formally established. Following this, there was no need for Nie Zhenbang to worry about setting up a real estate developmentpany, conducting market research, producing products based on market demand, and other production-rted issues. The leadership team was selected through apetitive process, so their ability was unquestionably up to the task. After the inauguration, Shen Yanshuo delivered an inspiring speech, highly praising the restructuring and merging of the Textile Group. Thereafter, the group returned to the Liangxi district, where the Municipal Party Committee and the government of the Liangxi city were located. ( Chapter 399: 385: Villagers Blocking the Way_1 Chapter 399: Chapter 385: Vigers Blocking the Way_1 ¡°Mayor, the car is ready. On this trip, Secretary General Weijun, Deputy Mayor Zhao, and Deputy Mayor Zhang will apany you. Additionally, Yanling City has been notified.¡± In the office, Yi Jun walked in from the next room and began reporting to Nie Zhenbang. Since the listing of the Textile Group, with Shen Yanshuo¡¯s personal visit and support, the provincial partymittee¡¯s endorsement has thoroughly solidified Nie Zhenbang¡¯s standing in Liangxi City. More so, the rtionship between him and Fan Changsheng has greatly improved after the People¡¯s Congress. At least in terms of Liangxi City¡¯s economic development, Fan Changsheng would no longer obstruct him. With this reassurance, Nie Zhenbang was content. To Nie Zhenbang, politics wasn¡¯t just politics. His concept differed from others, such as Li Guohua, where all aplishments were tied to promotion. In fact, not just Li Guohua, currently in Huaxia Nation, there are countless officials who solely pursue achievements. The memory of the projects causing extreme waste and hardship for the people in his past life probably began to emerge around this period. However, Nie Zhenbang was different. Although promotion was also something he desired, all of his nning was closely rted to local development themes and sustainable development projects. It wasn¡¯t a one-time transaction. Perhaps because of this, explosive growth was disyed in all projects nned and operated by Nie Zhenbang, hence he managed to gain a vast amount of political achievements inadvertently. So Nie Zhenbang became even more resolute in his approach. This time, the visit to Yanling City was decided a few days ago. After taking office, he had never conducted any inspections or research yet. This time, he chose Yanling City as his first stop due to its special status. In this location, the vige economy was highly developed, with numerous viges achieving billions in revenue. It was not umon for every vige to be wealthy, and every household to be affluent. Because of this, Nie Zhenbang decided to take a look at Yanling City. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right down.¡± Nie Zhenbang hesitated for a moment, then nodded. After neatly arranging some of the economic data regarding Yanling City he had just read, he ced them in the cab, exited his office, took the elevator straight down, and walked out. In the lobby, Zhao Xintian, Zhang Keqiang, and Liu Weijun were waiting downstairs, huddled together whispering in conversation. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang approaching, Liu Weijun jogged over and reported, ¡°Mayor, the car is ready. The city public security bureau has arranged for a lead vehicle to wait outside. Do you need anything else arranged?¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled coldly. Ever since he was smoothly elected and Shen Yanshuo paid a personal visit to Liangxi City to express his support, the attitudes of the city¡¯s officials had changed. Among them, the biggest change was Liu Weijun. In the past, although Liu Weijun was somewhat terrified of him and always diligently finished his work, he wasn¡¯t like this. Now, to put it in a derogatory manner, Liu Weijun¡¯s performances are just like that of a servant. As for Liu Weijun¡¯s transformation, Nie Zhenbang understood it. The Secretary-General of the Municipal Government might seem like an appealing position, being the closest to the mayor. But that¡¯s only the case if they are close to the mayor. Now, as long as Nie Zhenbang was willing, he could find an excuse to assign Liu Weijun to another position at any time. After all, although this position seemed ordinary, it was an extremely critical post. Naturally, Nie Zhenbang wanted to ce his most trusted person in it.
¡°There¡¯s no need for the lead vehicle from the city public security bureau. The journey is not long this time, there¡¯s no need to make it so formal. Plus, the police car leading and causing blockages along the way, I always feel somewhat alienated from the masses. That¡¯s not good. Tell the lead vehicle to go back.¡± After pondering a while, Nie Zhenbang said indifferently. These words made Liu Weijun¡¯s face somewhat embarrassed. At that moment, Liu Weijun knew clearly that Nie Zhenbang was reminding him indirectly. As for this, Liu Weijun had seen the light. Compared to Yi Jun, he had no chance at all. Now, Liu Weijun didn¡¯t have any other thoughts. As long as he could please Nie Zhenbang and secure a better position for himself with actual authority, that would be the key point. Immediately, however, Liu Weijun showed an open-minded epting expression on the surface, nodding andughing, ¡°Yes, yes, the mayor is right in criticizing me. Our party has always emphasized the rtionship between the party and the masses, the cadre and the masses. We, as party members and cadres, should be close to the masses and not alienate ourselves from them. In the future, I will strengthen my learning.¡± Such a reminder, asionally once, is enough. If it¡¯s constant, it might actually make people think he is petty once it gets out. Then, Nie Zhenbang wore a smile on his face, patted Liu Weijun¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Secretary General Liu, being humble and eager to learn, that¡¯s a good mindset. I believe, no matter which position you are in, you will have good development in the future. It¡¯s gettingte. Old Zhao, Old Zhang, let¡¯s get going.¡± The group exited the office building of the municipal partymittee and the municipal government. At the entrance, each person¡¯s official vehicle and driver were well prepared. Secretaries also have opened the vehicle doors ready, usually, leaders alsopete among themselves, at such times, the secretaries alsopete, in quick wits and abilities. However, none of these secretaries were new, all were veterans of many years, their movements were nimble. When they saw Nie Zhenbang and the othersing out, they had already returned to their respective vehicles fully prepared. Although it can¡¯t be said that their movements were uniform but they were, at least, synchronized. After the leaders got into their vehicles, they quickly jogged around to the passenger side. At this point, the vehicles slowly started and drove out of the municipal partymittee and municipal government gate. At this moment, in a tenth floor office of the city government office building, Li Guohua leaned against the window, his face gloomy as he watched Nie Zhenbang lead his entourage away, and slowly lowered the curtains. ¡°Mayor, this time Nie Zhenbang is going down. I¡¯m afraid, who knows what kind of grievances the guy from Yanling City will cause?¡± Beside him, Li Guohua¡¯s secretary, Huang Bao, started speaking with a smile. Hearing Huang Bao¡¯s words, Li Guohua said solemnly, ¡°Xiaohuang, some things should be said, others should not. Whether he will suffer grievance or not, we don¡¯t need to concern ourselves with it. Focus on doing your own job.¡± Listening to Li Guohua¡¯s words, Huang Bao lowered his head and stuck out his tongue in secret. Given his boss¡¯s recent foul mood, it might be smart to steer clear of any provocation. ¡­ The motorcade slowly left Liangxi City. Yanling Cityy fifty-seven kilometers from Liangxi City. Its convenient transportation, developed water transport system, and proximity to Hucheng City, the economic center of Huaxia, marked it as a blessed environment. As a result, Yanling City¡¯s economy prospered, with its vige economy bing famous nationwide. The city wasprised of sixteen towns and viges, many of which were nationally renowned. Yanling City was also the most economically developed among Liangxi City¡¯s county-level cities. A fourne expressway connected Yanling City and Liangxi City. The motorcade turned on their double-yellow warning lights and headed east towards Yanling City. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car led the way. As he looked out at the scenery, he said slowly: ¡°Xiaoyi, you are the Deputy Secretary-General of the Office of the Municipal Government. You should assist more frequently and get to know and examine some of the younger colleagues in the Secretariat. Your role as Deputy Secretary-General isn¡¯t simply an honorary title.¡± These words filled Yi Jun with joy. He had a clear understanding of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character, and the meaning was quite obvious. Perhaps, he was about to transition from the Deputy Secretary-General to the Secretary-General. This may seem like a simple change of a word, but the roles and treatment were worlds apart. Many people had spent their entire lives stuck at the level of division chief or deputy chief of a bureau. Now, at the age of thirty, he had the chance to cross that daunting threshold, which was a great cause for celebration. Thereupon, Yi Jun nodded gravely and said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, your criticism is apt. In the future, I will spend more time fulfilling my duties in the office of the Municipal Government.¡± As his words died down, the vehicle suddenly slowed. The driver, Yang Qingshan, swiveled his head around and said, ¡°Mayor, there¡¯s a roadblock up ahead made from tree branches.¡±
A roadblock? This caught Nie Zhenbang by surprise, causing him to sit up straight and look out the front windshield. About ten meters in front, a few dead treespletely blocked the twones. A few dozen vigers were standing by the side of the road, their eyes fixed on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side of the road. This development immediately alerted everyone in the convoy. The first to exit a vehicle was Liu Weijun, the Secretary of the Municipal Government. At this moment, his forehead was damp with sweat; Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first country visit had been met with such an event. He could not even bear to think about what might happen next. Plus, judging from the situation, no other cars were blocked, and their eyes were all on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side. It was clear that this was targeted at the Mayor. Liu Weijun had organized Nie Zhenbang¡¯s trip, which meant that even themon people had control over the mayor¡¯s itinerary. Was this not to say that he, as the Secretary of the Municipal Government, was useless? Approaching Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car, Liu Weijun¡¯s face portrayed slight embarrassment as he said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, please wait here for a moment while I go and assess the situation.¡±
¡°No need for that, Old Liu. Seeing their expressions, it¡¯s clear they¡¯re waiting for us. Let¡¯s both go and see what¡¯s happening.¡± Nie Zhenbang then opened his car door and stepped out. At this time, Zhao Xintian and Zhang Keqiang also got out of the car. The vigers standing by the road also started to walk towards them. As soon as they saw Nie Zhenbang, the leading man took out a document from his pocket, fell to his knees with a thud, and pleaded loudly, ¡°Mayor Nie, you must be the voice for the thousands of vigers in Gaojia Town.¡± Nie Zhenbang was startled by this man¡¯s actions and immediately went over to help him up. His face turned serious. The Liangyan Highway was a particrly busy road. In just a few minutes, quite a few cars had already gathered behind them. Looking at the expectant crowd nearby, Nie Zhenbang said solemnly, ¡°Vigers, if there¡¯s a problem, we can discuss it clearly. Blocking the road is not the right approach. Hurry up and remove the roadblock to allow the traffic to pass. Two representatives from your group shoulde and tell us what exactly is the matter? What happened in Gaojia Town?¡± From what Nie Zhenbang could recall, Gaojia Town was under the jurisdiction of Xishan District and located adjacent to the Liangxi City High-tech Development Zone. In the city government¡¯s ns, it would be a development zone and hence was a part of the area ted fornd acquisition and demolition. The economy of Gaojia Town was thriving because of its proximity to the development zone, so poverty was unlikely. Nie Zhenbang was puzzled about this matter. Beside him, Zhao Xintian also asked, ¡°Vigers, what exactly is going on? If you don¡¯t tell us, how can the Mayor solve your problem?¡± Soon, the vigers consulted with each other, and a middle-aged man who had initially led the charge, along with a man in his fifties, were selected to be the representatives. The two men stood beside Nie Zhenbang, and the middle-aged man began, ¡°Mr. Mayor, we really have no other choice. In these recent years, the chemical factories and pharmaceutical nts in the development zone have caused immense suffering to the residents around Leangxi River in our Gaojia Town.¡± The mention of the factories in the development zone made Nie Zhenbang tense. It seemed that the situation was not as simple as he first thought. (To be continued. If you like this piece, please support us at by casting your rmendation votes or monthly tickets. Your support is our greatest motivation.) Chapter 400: 386 Rage towards the Sky_1 Chapter 400: Chapter 386 Rage towards the Sky_1 A factory? It¡¯s wreaking havoc on the coastline. Nie Zhenbang muttered these keywords, familiar with such a situation from his past memories. The television had reported numerous environmental pollution incidents like these. However, those were the years when hemitted suicide. At that time, the Huaxia government had already tasted the consequences of overdevelopment. They turned back to environmental management, consuming massive funds. After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Zhenbang asked, ¡°What factory? What havoc? Fellows, please exin. What exactly happened?¡± Though Nie Zhenbang had surmised the general situation, he still deliberately asked these questions. Spection and reality, after all, are two different things. The middle-aged man and the old man exchanged nces, eventually, it was the middle-aged man who slowly said: ¡°Mayor, this is what happened.¡± At this moment, not only Nie Zhenbang, but also Zhao Xintian and Zhang Keqiang listened attentively. Gaojia Town is located along the Liangxi River, which is the river that gave Liangxi City its name. More than four years ago, Liangxi City set up a development zone. At that time, Li Guohua was the deputy mayor. He introduced several well-known chemical productionpanies and two internationally renowned pharmaceutical factories from foreign countries. The medicines produced by these factories were groundbreaking in the domestic market. This caused quite a stir at the time. The Liangxi City Development Zone is located along the Liangxi River, and the factories were also established here. The first year was passable, but as time went on, these factories, without any environmental protection measures, discharged industrial waste water directly into the Liangxi River. Consequently, the downstream environment became increasingly polluted. Gaojia Town, as the first major town downstream of the discharge, unfortunately bore the brunt of it. However, farther downstream, the pollutants became diluted and the situation improved significantly. After saying this, the middle-aged man got down on his knees again: ¡°Mayor Nie, we know you¡¯re a good man, an honest official. With the textile factory scandal, you spared no corrupt officials. We believe you will deal with our situation as well.¡± As he finished speaking, Zhang Keqiang on the side asked, ¡°The pollution in Gaojia Town is so serious, why haven¡¯t you reported it to the government?¡± ¡°Dear leader, we wish we could. However, the town forbade us, saying it involved foreign investors. National regtions mandate full protection of foreign investments. If we caused trouble, we¡¯d all be arrested. Moreover, every time we nned to protest, numerous rogues woulde to intimidate us. We thought we could just muddle through, hence had neglected it till now. In previous years, the river was clear and filled with fishes and shrimps. Now, not to mention fishes or shrimps, we can¡¯t even see water nts. We don¡¯t dare irrigate the rice fields with this water. As soon as this water touches the rice, they would certainly die. We have no other choice.¡± The old man on the side said helplessly. Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang was almost entirely convinced. The crowd was filled with ordinary farmers who would not be lying. Moreover, foreign-funded enterprises have always been notoriously arrogant. Back then, if he hadn¡¯t intervened, perhaps Audi would still be unduly arrogant.
With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang turned to the side and said to Liu Weijun, ¡°Secretary-General Liu, call Yanling City now and tell them we have an emergency and cannot go there today.¡± He then turned to Zhang Keqiang and said, ¡°Deputy Mayor Zhang, could you contact the Environmental Protection Bureau and ask them to send professional technicians to Gaojia Town as soon as possible?¡± Now, after this incident, it is most likely not a matter that can be solved in the short term. As for calling the Environmental Protection Bureau, Nie Zhenbang wanted to evaluate the degree of pollution. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang turned to the vigers and said, ¡°Fellows, can you take me to the riverside to have a look?¡± The crowd was more than eager to oblige when Nie Zhenbang made the request. The middle-aged man¡¯s face was filled with joy, and he nodded repeatedly, ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± From a side road next to the Expressway, straight down, it was less than a mile to Gaojia Town along the Liangxi River. Under the lead of the middle-aged man, the group took a small road on the edge of the town and went directly to the Liangxi riverside. As soon as Nie Zhenbang saw the Liangxi River in its current state, he furrowed his brows. The Liangxi River is the main channel of the Liangxi City area. Although the river is notrge, it runs through the city of Liangxi, and the water volume is abundant. Looking ahead, the entire river had turned pitch ck. Apart from some floating rubbish on the surface, nothing else could be seen. Even both banks of the river are devoid of any weeds. As the water flowed downstream, the ck color gradually faded until it turned green again. In the distance, grass and other vegetation could be seen on the river bank. A gentle wind blew and asionally transmitted bursts of offensive smells from the river surface. This made Zhao Xintian and others feel sick. However, since Nie Zhenbang did not cover his nose, others naturally wouldn¡¯t either. Nie Zhenbang was shocked by the scene before him. Whether in the past life or this one, Nie Zhenbang knew only the concept of extreme pollution, but he had never experienced it himself. Seeing the severity firsthand today gave him a tremendous shock. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang appeared solemn, his gaze serious as he stared at the factory standing upstream from the river with a frown etched on his face. Half an hourter, a minicar arrived with the emblem of Liangxi Environmental Protection Bureau still on its body. Leading the group, Du Nianchun, the Director of the Liangxi City Environmental Protection Bureau, had already disembarked from the vehicle. Behind him, several technical personnel followed. Having received a phone call from Deputy Mayor Zhang indicating that Mayor Nie required him to immediately dispatch his technical personnel to Gaojia Town, Du Nianchun dared not dy and immediately brought his team to the scene. Just as he was about to greet Mayor Nie, Nie Zhenbang spoke: ¡°Director Du, let¡¯s dispense with the formalities. Have your team start work immediately, beginning with a preliminary water quality test. Additionally, collect samples from a thousand-meter radius along the riverbank. As soon as you return, start theboratory testing. Can you determine the pollutants within a day? Provide me with a detailed environmental assessment report by tomorrow. Can you do that?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s straightforward and efficient approach to situations had be more familiar to most officials in Liangxi City over the past few months. Du Nianchun responded solemnly, nodding: ¡°Yes, Mayor Nie. I will produce the environmental assessment report by tomorrow afternoon.¡± No sooner than his words had fallen, a sudden uproar erupted from behind. On the river embankment, a crowd of dozens of local people had started shouting loudly. Looking at the embankment, four or five vehicles had already stopped on the road below, and a group of young men in theirte teens to early twenties had begun confronting these people. On sighting a middle-aged man leading them, one of the young men with a crew cut shouted: ¡°Gao Zhihua, do you have a death wish, stirring up trouble again? Damn it, why are you looking for problems when there are none? You¡¯ve even brought in the environmental protection people? I tell you, don¡¯t mess around, think about your wife and children.¡± This group, they were all young men dressed in fashionable and trendy attire. Despite being respectable men, some of them had piercings in their ears. Their hair was dyed in various vibrant colors. They looked like troublemakers from the streets. However, these hooligans, capable of driving cars, seemed to have a stronger backing. At this moment, the middle-aged man, Gao Zhihua, who was being referred to by the hooligans, retorted angrily: ¡°Huang Ma Zi, you bastards, what kind of heroes are you for threatening families? If you have the guts, deal with it face to face. Can¡¯t you see the state of the Liangxi River for yourself? Within a decade, I fear the groundwater of Gaojia Town will be polluted. Your descendants will speak ill of you.¡± As soon as his words fell, Huang Ma Zi burst intoughter: ¡°Conscience?¡±
¡°Brother Ma, this old boy is giving us lessons in morality. We should beat him up.¡± Afterughing, Huang Ma Zi looked at him disdainfully: ¡°Gao Zhihua, don¡¯t talk big to me. I don¡¯t believe that if the river is polluted, it could suffocate people; there is plenty of water in the greatkes. What¡¯s more, Mayor Li himself introduced the factories. It¡¯s all approved by the government and even earned Mayor Li a promotion. You think you can talk your way out of this, Gao Zhihua? Listen, Brother Tiger has given his order today, we¡¯ll break your legs to try and teach you a lesson. Brothers, let¡¯s do this!¡± The mention of Brother Tiger, the factory, and the officials of Gaojia Town all seemed to be part of a web of vested interests. With the factory emitting industrial wastewater and waste without any prevention measures, production costs were minimized. Moreover, pollution treatment is incredibly expensive even abroad. As the factories were owned by profiteers pretending to be saviors rather than real ones, naturally, they didn¡¯t bother with such matters. To prevent local people from causing trouble, they colluded with the government and local hooligans to maintain this scenario. This is their ¡°star business.¡± At this moment, the rage within Nie Zhenbang was soaring. Seeing the impending fight, Liu Weijun stepped forward. This was a rare opportunity to demonstrate himself. Standing at the front, Liu Weijun shouted loudly: ¡°What are you doing? Do you recognize who¡¯s here with us? This is Mayor Nie from the City Government. Do you still acknowledge any rule ofw, any governmental authority? You¡¯re shameless to threaten and assault a person publicly.¡±
Liu Weijun, having been a leader for many years, exuded a certain dignity in his speech and actions. For a while, he stunned the crowd with his words. At his side, Huang Ma Zi and the others were taken aback. They nced hesitantly at Nie Zhenbang and the others. As hooligans, they were keen observers. From the mannerisms and attire of Nie and his entourage, they appeared to be anything but ordinary people. However, Liu Weijun miscalcted. There¡¯s a saying in the street: civilians fear hoodlums, hoodlums fear the police, police fear officials, officials fear leaders, and leaders fear civilians. If a uniformed policeman were here, there would likely be some deterrent effect. Yet the city¡¯s leaders seem too remote to men like Huang Ma Zi. Almost instantly, Huang Ma Zi burst intoughter: ¡°Mayor Nie? Would Mayor Niee to a ce like this? Stop bluffing; anybody can im to be the Mayor. Hell, why don¡¯t I im to be the Governor then? Brothers, go and smash everything they have in their hands. Render Gao Zhihua useless. Brother Tiger said that if this is done right, there¡¯s a reward of one hundred thousand yuan!¡± ( Chapter 401: 387: Surprise Inspection_1 Chapter 401: Chapter 387: Surprise Inspection_1 Huang Ma Zi¡¯s words darkened the faces of all the officials, and Liu Weijun, especially, eximed loudly, ¡°This iswless, absolutelywless.¡± Nie Zhenbang had a cial expression. These people, with no regard for thew and rampant in their attitudes, infuriated Zhenbang. It was not their verbal assault per se that frustrated him, but rather what their recklessness indicated. Such audacity was not cultivated in a day or two. One could imagine how domineering this Tiger and his minion Huang Ma Zi must be here. The term ¡°ck Forces¡± suddenly shed into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind. While he was stunned, Yang Qingshan and the other drivers had already moved to the front, and various secretaries also stepped up, gearing up to sacrifice everything for their leaders. Even though everyone understood there was no threat to their lives, the attitudes of the leaders towards their drivers and secretaries had fundamentally changed. ¡°Brother Gao, at this time, you can¡¯t back down. There will be immediate support from the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau. Now, you guys have to unite to block these thugs,¡± Yang Qingshan said to Gao Zhihua. Yang Qingshan¡¯s performance won Nie Zhenbang¡¯s admiration for hisposure and meticulousness in a crisis. After some grooming, he would make a capable officer. Seeing that these people not only did not back down or fear him, but also confronted him, Huang Ma Zi felt his authority being challenged. He was the sky and the ¡®Local Emperor¡¯ of Gaojia Town. With Tiger backing him up, even the officials of Gaojia Town had to greet him with a smile. People usually looked up to Huang Ma Zi. This was a provocation. Huang Ma Zi scowled, shouting angrily. ¡°Dammit, are you lot deaf or dumb, can¡¯t you understand me? Move, take them down. I¡¯ll take the consequences.¡± These young people were all full of youthful energy and easily influenced by Hong Kong and Taiwan gangster films. The boss¡¯smanding presence in the films, and the scenes portraying brotherhood deeply influenced them. Riled up by Huang Ma Zi¡¯s words, they all charged forward, yelling. Yang Qingshan had moved forward to face one of the thugs carrying an iron rod. Dodging the attack, he grabbed the rod and jerked it out of the thug¡¯s hands, tossing it back while saying, ¡°Brother Gao, arm your men.¡±
Yang Qingshan¡¯s words were precise. All the drivers and workers present were past soldiers and were more agile than the average person. Yang Qingshan himself was a former scout with excellentbative skills. Within five minutes he¡¯d seized several weapons. For a moment, Yang Qingshan and his group were holding the upper hand. Just then, the harsh sound of a police siren rang out from the distance. A modified police minivan drove in their direction. The car stopped and six or seven police officers got out. Seeing the police officers arrive, Huang Ma Zi sneered and said to Nie Zhenbang and the others, ¡°You guys are quick to call the police. But even if you¡¯ve called the cops, whatever Tiger wants, he gets.¡± As soon as the policemen got out of the car, they moved forward. Scanning the crowd, they directed their attention at Huang Ma Zi, ¡°Huang Wenbiao, you are stirring up trouble in public and resorting to violence.¡± Huang Ma Zi¡¯s previously smug face froze a little, and he said awkwardly, ¡°Brother Yu, I was just joking. This Gao Zhihua was singled out by Tiger. He needs a beating. Our boss has given the order, Brother Yu, you see. Otherwise, it would be hard for me to exin.¡± The leading policeman replied seriously, ¡°Huang Wenbiao, stop toadying up to me. I don¡¯t care about your boss. Now, disperse immediately, or we¡¯ll arrest all of you.¡± Nie Zhenbang watched and scoffed internally. This kind of thing was not umon at the grassroots level. The rtionship between the local police and the hooligans wasplicated, interdependent and exploitative. It was all toomon. It seemed like the city bureau had put pressure on these policemen, otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be acting in this professional manner. Huang Ma Zi also sensed the anomaly at this moment, his eyes swept over everyone, stopping on Gao Zhihua, ¡°Gao Zhihua, you got lucky today. But we¡¯ll meet again. This isn¡¯t over. Guys, let¡¯s go.¡± Seeing these people acting so brazenly, the police officers remained indifferent. Zhang Keqiang couldn¡¯t contain himself. With the presence of the police, he plucked up the courage to step forward and said, ¡°Which department are you from? How can you let these people who openly carry weapons, threaten and intimidate the public, go free? Why don¡¯t you arrest them?¡± Chapter 402: 387: Surprise Inspection_2 Chapter 402: Chapter 387: Surprise Inspection_2 Before Chief Yu could speak, a young police officer next to him chimed in: ¡°Who are you guys and what are you doing in Gaojia Town? We don¡¯t need you to teach us how to handle our cases. You¡¯re clearly involved in a group fight, both parties are to me. Why not just disperse peacefully? Why insist on pursuing this further?¡± With that single sentence, the face of Zhang Keqiang immediately darkened. Despite being the deputy mayor of the city, he found himself challenged by a small police officer, especially under these circumstances. Zhang Keqiang¡¯s face turned red with fury, and he retorted, ¡°Comrade, how could you speak like that? As a people¡¯s policeman, how could you utter such ignorant words?¡± Just then, from a distance, the wailing siren of multiple police cars red, and four or five police cars rapidly approached. At this moment, Chief Yu¡¯splexion also changed. He had just received a call from Lin Feng, the chief of the Xishan District Public Security Sub-bureau, who had instructed him to ensure the safety of these individuals at all costs. He hadn¡¯t expected the city bureau to react so swiftly. The car in the lead was clearly the official car of Chen Le, the top leader of the city bureau. As expected, much to Chief Yu¡¯s astonishment, Chen Le, d in his police uniform and sporting a gravely serious expression, alighted from his car. Behind him were the politicalmissar of the bureau, other leaders, and Chief Lin from the Sub-bureau. The scene was beyond impressive. As soon as Chen Le got out of the car, he jogged towards them and saluted, ¡°Mayor, Deputy Mayor Zhao, Deputy Mayor Zhang, my deepest apologies for the rm this incident has caused. This was due to the shorings in our security bureau¡¯s work. Please feel free to criticize us.¡± Nie Zhenbang and the others casually waved this off, but at this moment Zhang Keqiang rebuked in a grave tone, ¡°Director Chen, the kind of ¡®excellent¡¯ officers you¡¯re raising are seen to ignore a group ofwless criminals causing havoc. Instead of arresting them, they stand idly by. Director Chen, just now, I personally heard these men threatening the public in the vilest manner. To prevent the situation from escting further, I suggest we arrest and interrogate these individuals immediately in order to root out the mastermind.¡± Zhang Keqiang¡¯s righteous words immediately turned Chief Yu and the others pale. Chen Le gave these men a calm look, yet showed no pity. After all, the pitiful often have hateful characteristics. If theycked even this basic level of discernment in front of the municipal government leaders, weren¡¯t they just asking for trouble? Subsequently, Chen Le turned to Lin Feng and ordered, ¡°Beginning tomorrow, these individuals are to be suspended pending inspection. If anyone is found to havemitted wrongdoings, they will be dismissed from their posts. Furthermore, immediately arrange for personnel to apprehend the hoodlums who caused the earlier disturbance. Lawlessness has gone too far.¡± Once Chen Le had ryed his orders, Nie Zhenbang stepped forward at the right time, looking at Chen Le as he instructed, ¡°Director Chen, let us postpone the issue here. Next, you will head a team to visit Ruicheng Chemical Company, Bose Chemical Company, and Welgon Pharmaceutical Company in the development zone.¡± Nie Zhenbang then turned to Zhao Xintian and Zhang Keqiang and proposed, ¡°Old Zhao, Old Zhang, I think we should conduct a surprise inspection of the development zone this time. Furthermore, notify the fire, tax, environmental protection, agricultural, and other department staff to inspect pollution sources on-site and assess the severity of the pollution. What do you think?¡±
Zhang Keqiang, seemingly irritated by the earlier incident, gave his agreement without much consideration, ¡°Good, I agree. I concur with the Mayor¡¯s perspective. We cannot cut corners at the expense of the welfare of our future generations.¡± Zhao Xintian, on the other hand, was frowning. If they were to proceed with this, the involvement would be significant. For starters, these factories were all introduced by the standing deputy mayor, Li Guohua himself. Now, if Nie Zhenbang were to conduct a surprise inspection and found any issues, it would be guaranteed that the situation in Gaojia Town wouldn¡¯t be in its current state. So what should be done after the issues are uncovered? After contemting for a moment, Zhao Xintian approached Nie Zhenbang to softly suggest, ¡°Mayor, don¡¯t you think we should reconsider? Ruicheng Company, Bose Company, and Welgon Company are all foreign subsidiaries. They were considered key projects that Li Guohua introduced with the support of the provincialmittee and government. If we were to investigate and find problems¡­ Zhao Xintian¡¯s words didn¡¯t anger Nie Zhenbang. On the contrary, it pleased him that Zhao Xintian was being thoughtful. Each of these threepanies was not simple. Should problems be uncovered, they would definitely offend Li Guohua, as this would be a blemish on his aplishments. If issues were indeed found, wouldn¡¯t that mean that Li Guohua was ipetent, inviting the wolf into the sheepfold? In such a scenario, Li Guohua would undoubtedly resist. Secondly, if issues were found in enterprises supported by the provincialmittee and the provincial government, it would amount to pping them in the face. This would indirectly imply their ipetence. It wasn¡¯t clear if there would be pressure from above. Thirdly, the backgrounds of the three enterprises were intricate. Considering the current international media¡¯s denigration and discrimination towards Huaxia, urrences like these might cause international disputes. Even worse, if thepanies maneuvered the situation by iming that the local government is intentionally suppressing them, it could potentially lead to diplomatic conflicts. Any leader would have to think carefully with these three concerns in mind. Having said that, Nie Zhenbang confidently replied, ¡°Old Zhao, I understand your worries, but I¡¯ve made up my mind about this matter. I cannot ept such a reckless pollution treatment method thatcks any preventative measures, and neither can the six million residents of Liangxi City. Regardless of thepany or its background, I maintain it should be thoroughly investigated. If problems are found, operations must halt for rectification until theyply with our rules. Otherwise, they must withdraw their investments orply with our regtions.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were filled with boldness, causing the other officials to feel invigorated. In this era, foreign investment is often seen as an impressive aplishment for any local government. Local government leaders treat foreign investors better than they would their own parents. It was rare to see someone as courageous as Nie Zhenbang. The group of people got into their cars, with Nie Zhenbang following behind them. The convoy turned around and drove towards the city. After covering about five kilometers and crossing the Third Bridge of the Liangxi River, they arrived directly at the development zone. The first stop was the main entrance of Welgon Company. Looking at the grand entrance, on either side of the factory, two security guards stood upright, guarding the factory gate. Given so many police and staff gathered here and more uniformed personnel arriving, the factory workers should havee out to greet them. However, there wasplete silence from Welgang Pharmaceuticals. The crowd nced at Nie Zhenbang, who then nodded and said ¡°Let¡¯s start the work.¡± As Nie Zhenbang gave the order,w enforcement personnel from various departments began to walk forward. But as they reached the gate, a white man darted out from the security guard office, blocking their way. Speaking in broken Chinese, he eximed, ¡°Who are you¡­what are you doing? This is a private factory; you can¡¯t enter without a special invitation.¡± (.) Chapter 403: 388 Naked Murder_1 Chapter 403: Chapter 388 Naked Murder_1 The tradition of our people seems to always hold foreigners in high esteem, as if foreign monks could chant scriptures better. This mentality cannot be changed overnight. In the country, the central government espouses economic construction and never advocates toughness towards foreigners. Therefore, local governments are generous with various preferential policies towards foreigninvestors, especially wholly foreign-owned enterprises. In the eyes of local governments, bringing in foreign capital is a victory. However, local government leaders overlook one issue. These foreignerse in droves not out of kindness, but to make money. So, by extension, whether it is the government or functional departments, they are at an inherent disadvantage when dealing with foreign businesses. At this moment, a Caucasian gatekeeper, just a gatekeeper really, using his half-baked Chinese mixed with English, has managed to intimidate a group of zealous police officers. Theypletely lose the righteous indignation, eloquence, momentum and attitude they had when dealing with the public. Thew enforcement personnel from various departments behind them have also stopped. If the police in front aren¡¯t moving, they don¡¯t move either. After all, these officers are no fools. They know not to stick their necks out. A single white man has blocked the entire team, causing some embarrassment among the city government leaders. Nie Zhenbang doesn¡¯t look pleased either. He nces at Zhao Xintian and Zhang Keqiang next to him, both of whom look worried. If any diplomatic incident is caused involving foreign businesses, it could shock the central government. At that time, it would be minor if the foreign businesses were the ones in trouble. But if they lose their future prospects, that would be serious. Nie Zhenbang harrumphs, and Chen Le next to him tenses up. He knows well the temper of the Mayor. Back in New Li City, Nie had quietly removed a county party secretary. This attitude, this boldness. Chen Le still remembers it clearly till now. Then, Chen Le steps forward, pushes through the crowd and stands in front of the gate. The police officers next to him, seeing their superior taking action, also step forward. At this moment, Chen Le¡¯s attitude is unquestionable. These individuals are sharp, who doesn¡¯t want to curry favor with their superior? If they get in his good graces, their official career would be smooth sailing. ¡°Private factories? Foreignpanies?¡± Chen Le coldly harrumphs and repeats, ring fiercely at the Caucasian man in front of him, sternly saying, ¡°Sir, you need to understand what ce this is.¡± Upon seeing the puzzled look on the Caucasian man¡¯s face, Chen Le says again: ¡°Remember, this is the People¡¯s Republic of Huaxia, thend of Liangxi City in Jiangbei Province. Here, you only have the right of use, not ownership. Any enterprise orpany on the territory of Huaxia mustply with Huaxia¡¯sws and regtions and cooperate with the local government. You call it a private factory and refuse entry? Do you think this is an extraterritorial area?¡± ¡°No, shit, you can¡¯t go in, I¡¯m going toin to your government. You have no reason to go in. I can refuse, if this were in the United States, I would definitely shoot you.¡± The white man starts to rant again.
Westerners¡¯ long-standing discrimination against people of color still exists, although there have been significant changes nowadays. Nevertheless, the phenomenon persists, and the number of people with such ideas is not small. ¡°Steven, what¡¯s the matter? God, what are these people here for, a robbery? Huaxia is just too unsafe. We chose to invest in here and it¡¯s a thoroughly disappointing decision.¡± At this point, an even more exaggerated voice rings out from behind. Inside the factory, a middle-aged white man in a suit walks towards this side, his gaze unfriendly as he stares at Chen Le and the others. The gatekeeper, which is the ¡°Steven¡± from the middle-aged man¡¯s mouth, breathes a sigh of relief at this sight. Judging by his appearance, this man must hold quite a high status. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Bob. These people are unreasonable. They want to enter the factory for an inspection.¡± After exining, Steven steps aside. With a higher-ranking official stepping in, Steven tactfully steps out of the way. Hearing Steven¡¯s words, Bob frowns and steps up, ¡°Gentlemen, what are you trying to do? We have an agreement with your Deputy Mayor Li, our Welgan Pharmaceuticals is a key enterprise to be protected, and our production workshop is a Level 100,000 clean room. Can you bear the consequences of what you¡¯re doing?¡± No sooner had his words fallen than Nie Zhenbang stepped out and spoke gravely, ¡°Mr. Bob, right? I am Nie Zhenbang, the Mayor of Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government. Did your agreement have an official document? I was not aware. Moreover, it is every enterprise¡¯s duty to cooperate with the local government, regardless of its nature. Can I ask if factories in the United States also refuse regr inspections from local governments? To be blunt, if you were to manufacture drugs in your workshop, are we not supposed to ask questions?¡± Nie Zhenbang spoke in Chinese, confident that anyone sent to Huaxia would know some of thenguage. As expected, the man named Bob immediately protested upon hearing him, frantically waving his hands and saying, ¡°No, no, honorable Mayor, this is a false usation. I will lodge aint against you to your Foreign Trade Commission, and our U.S. Embassy. You are insulting our dignity.¡± Observing the typically obstinate behavior of these foreigners, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brows and said to Chen Le, ¡°Director Chen, draft our administrative decision. Let¡¯s go through the regr procedure first. No matter how high this issue esctes, I am determined to get a clear resolution. The living environment of six million people in Liangxi City cannot be devastated by a few foreigners.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Chen Le nodded. The variousw enforcement departments, not only the Bureau of Public Security, but also the environment and industry departments, had plenty of administrative decision forms readily avable. They promptly filled in various administrative decision forms and handed them over. Following this, at Chen Le¡¯s signal, the police officers swarmed in, securing all the key passages. The technical personnel from the environmental bureau, who were the highlight of this surprise inspection, rushed directly to the workshops with their diverse instruments. The dedicated staff from the City Environmental Bureau were particrly efficient in their work. Even over the phone, the Mayor made sure the Bureau¡¯s Director understood the importance of the situation, and he promptly selected a few of the best engineers from the city bureau for the task. Although these people might not be powerful politically, they were incredibly skilled technically. In no time, they identified the factory¡¯s pollution discharge outlet as per theyout of the workshop and factory area. Upon seeing Welgan Pharmaceuticals¡¯ pollution discharge outlet, the environmental bureau technicians were horrified. One of the slightly older technicians trembled and said, ¡°There¡¯s no purification pool. There¡¯s no recycling treatment facility. All the waste water and residual waste from the pharmaceutical factory is being discharged directly into the Liangxi River. If this continues, even the high water volume of Liangxi River would only endure for three years. For rivers with smaller water volume, the whole basin would probably be polluted. These foreigners, they are basicallymitting murder.¡± ¡°Professor Liu, I feel like I¡¯ve fallen behind by a decade. Even our domestic pharmaceutical factories know how to design basic sewage treatment facilities, let alone those from developed countries like the U.S. Howe there is nothing here, and they are openly discharging waste?¡± A young technician asked Professor Liu by his side. ¡°Humph, foreigners are indeed not reliable. Nowadays, if pollution processing were to be considered, the U.S. and Europe have the best technology. They know, but they are just not willing. Waste disposal facilities are expensive to build, and require regr cleaning and periodic recement of certain coreponents. This is a significant expense. In their countries, they are required byw to do this. But here, they act like overlords, backed by foreign businesses while the government turns a blind eye. The government has spoiled them.¡± Professor Liu huffed and said discontentedly. Then he looked at the young man beside him and said, ¡°Xiao Zhang, I think there¡¯s no need to go elsewhere. The main pollution from the pharmaceutical factory is air pollution and waste water. Looking at the air quality here, it¡¯s not good. There¡¯s no need to test it. Could you please invite the city leaders over?¡± After Xiao Zhang reported the situation, Nie Zhenbang and others immediately came over. When they saw the pollution outlet, they were appalled. The factory had not yet ceased operation, and from where they stood near the river on the factory side, they could see four wastewater outlet channels, all more than two meters in diameter, within a few hundred meters. There were no treatment measures in ce, not even pipelines. Instead, they were discharging waste openly and continuously into the river. The ck, yellow, and even green liquids discharged were corroding and polluting the river. The clear water that flowed from upstream began to darken from this point on. ¡°What are you doing? Stealing Welgan Pharmaceuticals¡¯mercial secrets? Who is in charge here? I am the person responsible for Welgan Pharmaceuticals. Now, I am officially lodging a protest on behalf of ourpany to your government. We reserve all rights to seek redress.¡± A white man in his fifties jumped in at this point. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was seething with rage. These foreigners were too audacious. Instead of showing any remorse, they defiantly tried to turn the tables.
¡°Director Du, Director Chen, instruct your personnel to take pictures and keep the evidence. In addition, collect samples of the waste water and residual waste for testing and sealing.¡± Nie Zhenbang ordered decisively. After a pause, he continued, ¡°Director Du, ording to the relevant provisions of the ¡®Environmental Protection Law,¡¯ immediately issue an administrative penalty notice to them, order them to cease operation for rectification within a specified period. Afterwards, they must pass your strict inspection before they can resume operation. Now, Director Chen, send someone to instruct all the factory workers to stop working. Seal off the factory. If such a factory continues to operate for one more day, it is irresponsible to the health and lives of the local people.¡± After finishing his speech, Nie Zhenbang stepped forward, walked up to the man, and said in a deep voice, ¡°You are in charge here? Good. Let me introduce myself. I am the Mayor of Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government. Now, I officially notify you that your factory has vited the relevant provisions of our ¡®Environmental Protection Law.¡¯ From now on, your Welgan Pharmaceuticals must cease operation for rectification until your pollution discharge level meets the mandates of our nationalw. Do you understand?¡± Once Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, the man reacted as if his tail had been stepped on, immediately jumping up and zealously retorting, ¡°No, you can¡¯t do this. You don¡¯t have the right. We have an agreement with your government. I will report you to our Embassy.¡± ¡°Sue us?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang looked at the man dismissively and replied curtly, ¡°As you wish. Even if you report this to your president, my stance remains the same.¡±
Without paying any further attention to the man, Nie Zhenbang turned to the people behind him, saying, ¡°Director Du, have your people deal with this issue along with Director Chen¡¯s personnel. The others, follow me to the next factory, the Bose Chemical Company.¡± (To be continued. If you like this novel, pleasee to to vote for us and support us. Your support is our greatest motivation.) Chapter 404: 389 Shocking Domestic and International_1 Chapter 404: Chapter 389 Shocking Domestic and International_1 Next, the inspections of Bose Company and Ruicheng Company encountered the same issues as Welgan Pharmaceuticals. These Americans were utterly arrogant. Faced with thew enforcement agencies of Liangxi City, they showed no intention of remorse; on the contrary, they all spoke defiantly. At this time, one can imagine the anger of Nie Zhenbang. The chief engineer of the Environmental Protection Bureau, Liu Gong, estimated that just these threepanies discharging waste water and waste g without any treatment wouldpletely ruin the entire Liangxi River Basin within less than ten years. Even the water quality of the Changjiang River would be affected. Naturally, in their fury, the three factories, without exception, were all ordered to stop production and rectify their operations. Mobilized from top to bottom, the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau and the Environmental Protection Bureau sealed off everything. Meanwhile, the Environmental Protection Bureau began to organize work groups to investigate andpile statistics on the residents and farnds along the pollution line. Subsequently, the Environmental Protection Department would issue massive fines, to recover all the money thesepanies had saved over the years, ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intention. ¡­ Liangxi Grand Hotel The presidential suite at the top of the hotel was still brightly lit. At this moment, sitting in therge living room were three foreigners, with the aroma of whisky permeating the entire room. Three voluptuous and sexy girls were each clinging to a man. They asionally reached out their hands to touch the private areas, drawing bursts of soft moans and gasps. ¡°That damn guy, how dare he close our factories. Isn¡¯t he afraid of causing a diplomatic dispute? I thought Chinese officials were most afraid of international disputes? Smith, what the heck is going on?¡± One middle-aged man cursed unhappily. Smith, the person in charge of Welgan Pharmaceuticals here, had even loosened the zipper of his pants, and a pair of tender little hands had reached in. Smith swirled the whisky in his ss, his eyes shed a cold light as he said in a low voice, ¡°Powell, you can¡¯t judge this man bymon sense. You know, even in the United States, there are great men like Lincoln and Roosevelt. Not all Chinese officials are pigs. We have to unite on this and create a significant impact.¡± With that, Smith looked at the other middle-aged man, ¡°What do you think, Mr. Frank?¡±
Powell, is the person in charge of Ruicheng Chemical in Huaxia, and naturally, Frank is the person in charge of Bose Chemicals. At this moment, upon hearing Smith¡¯s words, Frank fell into deep thought. Unlike Powell¡¯s fiery temper, Frank was very calm. After a while, he said, ¡°Gentlemen, I think we should wait for Lee to talk about this matter. After all, we also need to hear his opinion.¡± As he finished speaking, the doorbell rang from outside. One of the girls stood up, and Frank took the opportunity to forcefully squeeze her shapely rear. The door opened, and Li Guohua entered, apanied by an equally attractive woman. Seeing the three men, Li Guohua smiled and said, ¡°My friends, I¡¯m delighted that we can meet again. I haven¡¯t participated in such an open gathering for years.¡± An ¡°open gathering¡± referred to an event where they engaged in immoral acts collectively. Li Guohua had studied in the United States for several years, and while he didn¡¯t learn much else, he did adopt the Americans¡¯ open-mindedness. He had also experienced plenty of such stimting adventures when he was abroad. Having received the invitation, Li Guohua couldn¡¯t wait to join them. After finding a woman of disreputable character in the hotel, he went directly up. At this moment, Smith sat up straight, poured a ss of whisky for Li Guohua, and said, ¡°Lee, we are in trouble. Today, your Mayor ordered our factories to be sealed. We¡¯d like to hear your opinion. Lee, you have to know, you¡¯ve taken thirty percent of our pollution fees. It¡¯s not a small amount.¡± Li Guohua had already heard about the three foreign-funded enterprises that he personally introduced being sealed off by Mayor Nie Zhenbang in the morning. In Li Guohua¡¯s view, Nie Zhenbang is now standing on solid ground. Now, finally freed up, he is ready to take this opportunity to strike at him. Looking at Smith and the others, Li Guohua frowns. He understands the thought processes of foreigners very well. At this moment, Li Guohua dismissively smiles and says: ¡°Smith, you can¡¯t say that. You know, I am very serious about my business. I don¡¯t know anything about pollution charges. If you say such things, I can sue you for defamation.¡± Li Guohua is meticulous in his actions, he wouldn¡¯t leave any ring mistakes or loopholes that these foreigners could exploit. Between them, there is no clear agreement, no witnesses, they can¡¯t pin anything on him. The money is sent to a hidden Swiss Bank ount with every penny ounted for. But if they think they can use this to coerce him, that is absolutely impossible. The four of them aremunicating in English, not worrying about the women around hearing them. After Li Guohua finishes speaking, Frank grows anxious, sits upright, and says to Li Guohua, ¡°Li, you can¡¯t do this. We are friends. At this time, you can¡¯t just abandon us. There is an existing cooperation agreement between you and our headquarters.¡± Seeing the few foreigners bing anxious, Li Guohua stops hedging. He looks at Smith next to him and warns, ¡°Frank, rest assured. I am someone who values friendships. What I just said was merely to tell you not to threaten me. I hate being threatened the most. You don¡¯t understand the affairs of Huaxia¡¯s officialdom, it is a systempletely different from the United States. But it doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t understand, I can teach you. As long as you follow my instructions, I guarantee that you can smoothly ovee this obstacle, and even drive away the scum who¡¯s trying to screw you over.¡± At this moment, a gloomy grin appears on Li Guohua¡¯s face. In his view, Nie Zhenbang is making a bad move by trying to go against him. Now he can seize this chance to undermine Nie Zhenbang using the pressure of American public opinion. Powell, being the most impatient, quickly says after hearing Li Guohua¡¯s words, ¡°Li, what¡¯s the n? Speak quickly, we will arrange it as soon as possible.¡± Li Guohua, no longer hiding, immediately says: ¡°Smith, you can now contact reporters from the Associated Press, Global Daily, and somerge American media. I believe that with your capabilities and Wilgang Pharmaceuticals¡¯ influence in the United States, you can mobilize reporters. Say that your factories in Huaxia have received unjust treatment and have your headquarters protest to the U.S. Embassy in Huaxia. Direct all public opinion to the Liangxi City Government, to Mayor Nie Zhenbang. This way, the Huaxia government will intervene in the investigation. In order to quell this matter, they will put pressure on Jiangbei Province. Then, your factories can resume operation, and you can receivepensation from the Huaxia government. As for Nie Zhenbang, he will definitely be suppressed and even transferred.¡± Listening to Li Guohua¡¯s words, Smith, the leader among the three foreigners, contemtes for a moment and immediately nods his head: ¡°Good, Li, your n is excellent. We will follow it. For now, let¡¯s enjoy this wonderful evening.¡± The actions of Smith and the others are swift. From the start, Wilgang, a world-ss corporation, has been in a cooperative rtionship with several media outlets, their rapport is excellent. Once they received a report from Smith and his group, the headquarters of thesepanies, trusting the individuals and acting immediately, utilized their media connections. The next day, all the newspapers in the United States published news about the Wilgang Pharmaceuticals, Ruicheng Chemical Company, and Bose Chemical Company factories in Huaxia being sealed off. The article in the newspapers naturally follows the narrative given by Smith and the others. The three factories are presented entirely as the victims, and the protagonists of a deception. Liangxi City Government is depicted as a negative model that deceived them into investing, only to suppress them.
All of a sudden, the whole United States is in an uproar. At the same time, the U.S. Embassy formally protested to the Foreign Ministry, using the Huaxia government of adopting an unjust attitude towards foreign enterprises, and particrly those funded by the United States. They strongly demanded the Liangxi City Government to apologize to the threepanies andpensate them for their economic losses. They insisted that operations be immediately resumed. For a while, it¡¯s not just the United States, but the whole country of Huaxia that¡¯s in an uproar. The Huaxia newspaper and Huaxia TV station reported the entire incident, elevating the issue to foreign affairs. At this moment, despite the storm brewing outside, in the city of Liangxi, Mayor Nie Zhenbang is as unshakable as Taishan, sitting in his chair. In front of him, the Head of the Environmental Protection Bureau, Du Nianchun presents arge stack of files to Mayor Nie Zhenbang. Du Nianchun admires how calm the mayor could be at this moment. He speaks, ¡°Mayor, this is the waste water inspection report for the three factories in Wilgang. Please take a look.¡± Nie Zhenbang epts the materials, ces them on his desk, but doesn¡¯t look at them. Instead he asks: ¡°Director Du, are these three factories taking action now? Are there any pollution control measures being processed?¡±
Director Du shakes his head, ¡°No changes have been made, everything is still the same.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang frowns and says in a deep voice: ¡°Director Du, I have contacted a reporter from Huaxia TV station¡¯s ¡®News Observation¡¯. This task is up to you to apany their team. In addition, the Environmental Protection Bureau must issue three fines of 2 billion to each of the factories and deliver them to their management teams. Understood?¡± Although he is steady as a rock, Nie Zhenbang behind the scenes has already started to make his moves andyout his operations. (.) Chapter 405: 390: The Prime Minister Summons_1 Chapter 405: Chapter 390: The Prime Minister Summons_1 Negotiating with these foreigners, it¡¯s important to have solid evidence. With a clear case on one¡¯s side, it doesn¡¯t matter what country or background they¡¯re from, nothing irreversible would happen as a result. Nie Zhenbang feels the weight of how in his past life, Huaxia¡¯s military power was rtively much weaker. But now, with the military technologies Nie Zhenbang had obtained from the former Soviet Union as a foundation, and subsequent acquisitions of various industrial equipment and resources. In this life, Huaxia¡¯sprehensive national power, especially in terms of military strength, is far stronger than it was in the past. Technologies for the fifth-generation fighter jet, which should have only emerged twenty yearster, have already begun to be developed. Also, all the technical reserves rted to aircraft carriers have beenpleted. As long as the Huaxia government is willing, domestic shipyards can immediately build a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Given such a background and strength, Huaxia¡¯s international standing is much better. Nie Zhenbang is sure that the United States won¡¯t sever ties with Huaxia just because they are at odds, let alone when he has just cause. However, Nie Zhenbang also understands that the Americans are definitely capable of maintaining a facade, which is why he¡¯s working on securing proof regarding Wilgang Pharmaceuticals and several other factories, ensuring a solid footing no matter what happens. While Nie Zhenbang was making preparations, back in Jingcheng, the country¡¯s highest decision-making body, the Political Bureau, had gathered for a meeting. Jingcheng, Imperial Pce Huaguang Pavilion This is the core of the whole Huaxia. In the eyes of the people, it seems that the central government¡¯s office building is where all the important decisions are made. However, in fact, meetings of the counter steeringmittee of Huaxia, except for those broadcast to the public, are all held here. All nine standingmittee members were present, except for CPPCC Chairman Guo who was visiting abroad. Zhuang Aiguo, the Party¡¯s Discipline Secretary, sat sternly, his face expressionless. At the head of the table, General Secretary Yuan Kangan scanned the room with a calm gaze, then began: ¡°The purpose of this meeting should be clear to everyone. This is primarily about the sudden inspection and subsequent suspension of several American-funded factories in Jiangbei Liangxi City. As of now, the U.S. Embassy has lodged a formal protest, and President Kerwin even gave me a call.¡± ¡°These Americans, always making a mountain out of a molehill. It¡¯s a simple matter, yet they had to call me. This is happening in a Huaxia factory; we should be the onesying down the rules. Otherwise, what would we even amount to?¡± Zhuang Aiguo spoke nonchntly.
Upon hearing Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s statement, the other standingmittee members showed understanding. Nie Zhenbang was the orchestrator of the Liangxi City incident. Given Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s mentorship of Nie Zhenbang, it would be strange if he didn¡¯t step forward. Beside them, Prime Minister Yun Bo frowned slightly. As the Premier of the State Council, conventionally, he should take the lead in handling foreign disputes. He understood the stance that Zhuang Aiguo wanted to express. After a moment of consideration, the Prime Minister also added his opinion: ¡°Secretary Aiguo, from our perspective, the behavior of the United States is indeed exaggerated, even slightly unreasonable. However, their protest ims otherwise. I suggest that we call in Mayor Nie Zhenbang of Liangxi City and ask him to rify what exactly happened. If we were in the wrong, we would rectify our actions and offer an apology. We cannot allow this to tarnish our country¡¯s international image.¡± After pausing for a moment, Prime Minister Yun Bo suggested again: ¡°Of course, if it¡¯s the United States¡¯ fault, we must fully support the decisions made by the local cadres. Sustainable development isn¡¯t just about rhetoric. If we¡¯re in the right, I think, we can seize this opportunity to convey the Central Government¡¯s stance to the world and all local governments within our nation. We will never trade environment for development, or people¡¯s livelihoods for economy.¡± ¡°Good, Prime Minister Yun Bo, your proposal is excellent. It fully embodies our independent, peaceful coexistence, foreign policy. We should be courteous and respectful. I believe Prime Minister Yun Bo should personally handle this matter. The State Council Office can then issue a document askingrade Nie Zhenbang to return to Jingcheng to report on duty, and exin the situation.¡± The national response was extremely swift. The sudden suspension of operations at Wilgang and otherpanies had already attracted worldwide attention. Foreign media even described the incident as a faceoff between China and the United States. Under the scrutiny of the world and pressure from the United States, it would have been impossible for our nation to dy any further. After the central political bureau meeting, that very afternoon, a call from the State Council Office was ced directly to the Jiangbei Provincial Committee Secretary, Shen Yanshuo¡¯s office. After hanging up the phone, Shen Yanshuo frowned. Nie Zhenbang was making him truly worried. Nie Zhenbang was even gaining a reputation as a provincialmittee buster in Huaxia¡¯s official circles. In Xibei Autonomous Region, a provincial tax bureau director stepped down, and an autonomous region chairperson retired. Nie Zhenbang was behind all these ¡®achievements¡¯. Now, he had just been elected mayor and he provoked an international dispute that rmed the central government. Shen Yanshuo even began to worry if he would be able to maintain his position. With a sigh, Shen Yanshuo picked up the phone and dialed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s number. The phone was quickly picked up. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice came through: ¡°Secretary Shen, you wish to speak with me?¡± Chapter 406: 390 Prime Minister Summoned_2 Chapter 406: Chapter 390 Prime Minister Summoned_2 Ever since he shut down those factories, Nie Zhenbang had been prepared for consequences. However, he hadn¡¯t expected the higher-ups to react this quickly. On the other end of the phone, Shen Yanshuo said solemnly, ¡°Mayor Nie, this is a huge matter. Why didn¡¯t you report to the Provincial Committee beforehand? You¡¯ve even caused a diplomatic dispute, an international incident. Have you lost sight of your organization and your superiors?¡± Although the State Council had taken over the matter, that didn¡¯t stop Shen Yanshuo from reproaching Nie Zhenbang. Nie had caused such an uproar just months after his arrival in Jiangbei. Shen felt it was necessary to reprimand him now before something else could happen in the future. ¡°Yes, Secretary Shen, I admit my recklessness in handling this matter. I ask for the organization¡¯s criticism. But Secretary Shen, you weren¡¯t there at the scene. Those three American enterprises weren¡¯t investing, but nting time bombs. They were highly polluting chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing enterprises without any protective measures. Waste water and residue were discharged directly into the Liangxi River without any treatment. This is an attack on the lives of six million people in Liangxi City. I impulsively ordered them to suspend operations.¡± Nie Zhenbang lowered his stance. In politics, being right doesn¡¯t necessarily save you. For example, in this situation, while the fault clearlyy with the American enterprises, Shen Yanshuo¡¯s critique was not incorrect. The involvement of a diplomatic dispute meant Nie Zhenbang should indeed have reported to the Provincial Committee and Government. If he had, the provincial authorities may not have been put in such a passive position. Therefore, after Shen Yanshuo¡¯s stern words, Nie Zhenbang admitted his error straightforwardly, epted criticism, and expressed an open-minded willingness to learn. With Nie epting the reprimand, Shen Yanshuo fell silent. After a moment¡¯s pause, he said, still somewhat angry, ¡°Don¡¯t let this happen again. As for why I¡¯m calling, do you know? The State Council¡¯s office just called me to tell you to rush to Jingcheng tonight and exin the situation to Prime Minister Yun Bo. Also, prepare for tomorrow morning. You might have to attend a press conference held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Remember, the image of Jiangbei Province is in your hands. Perform well.¡± After hanging up, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. He had expected the central government to intervene as it was impossible for the arrogant Americans to keep quiet. If it led to an international dispute, the government was bound to step in. However, Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t anticipated the central government would bypass the Provincial Committee and reach out to him directly. He had initially expected the central government to inquire with the Provincial Committee, who would then contact him. Now that this middleman has been bypassed, Nie Zhenbang felt some joy. If it was left to the province, a punishment would definitely be on the cards. But now, if he could manage to navigate this hurdle from the central government smoothly, it was likely nothing woulde from the province. It was good news for him. Also, the prospect of advocating his system philosophy to Prime Minister Yun Bo once again excited Nie Zhenbang. He did not seek significant oues; any effort to reduce environmental pollution was inherently a good deed. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stood and ordered his assistant, ¡°Xiaoyi, prepare four tickets to Jingcheng. Add Liu from the Environmental Protection Bureau, the Bureau¡¯s director Du, and Chen, and the Legal Department Director of the Public Security Bureau.¡± This arrangement was meticulous. ording to media reports, the Americanpanies¡¯ disclosure issues mainly revolved around two points: legal operation and the local government¡¯s use of a violent mechanism for enforcement. Taking the Environmental Protection Bureau was necessary to provide a formal investigation report, and having Chen clear up the facts was also important. The group departed immediately, heading directly to Jiangzhou Airport in three vehicles. After a three-hour flight, theynded at Jingcheng City International Airport. As they exited the airport, a man in his thirties or forties came to meet them.
Upon seeing this man, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face changed. He hadn¡¯t expected Prime Minister Yun Bo to send a secretary to meet him. Promptly, Nie Zhenbang turned to Chen Le and Yi Jun, instructing, ¡°The two of you go rest at our Liangxi City Office in Jingcheng. Keep your phones on; I may need to reach you at any time.¡± The moment he finished, Nie Zhenbang hurried over to greet the middle-aged man, smiling, ¡°Secretary Qian, I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯de.¡± As Yun Bo¡¯s secretary, Qian Shangjin held the official title of Deputy Director of the State Council¡¯s office. With this status, he was at least equivalent to a provincial Deputy Governor. Naturally, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t afford to be negligent. Qian Shangjin, too, smiled at this moment, saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, long time no see, you¡¯ve be even more impressive. I found this recent incident quite satisfying. Let¡¯s go, the leaders are already waiting for you in the office.¡± As they left the airport, a ck Red g was parked in the airport¡¯s parking lot. After they got in the car, Qian Shangjin gave amand to the driver. The car, stered with all kinds of permits, drove straight out of the airport, speeding all the way to the gates of the State Council. Underneath the brilliantly red national emblem,y the magnificent office building. Next to it, stood a giant sign, ¡°State Council of the People¡¯s Republic of Huaxia¡±. Under Qian Shangjin¡¯s guidance, without any pause, they went straight upstairs, followed Qian Shangjin into the Prime Minister¡¯s office. At this moment, Qian Shangjin also whispered, ¡°Zhenbang, you sit first. I¡¯ll go out.¡± At this moment, Prime Minister Yun Bo was engrossed in his work, writing vigorously. As a prime minister of a great nation, the task of managing countless affairs was not an exaggeration, especially for Prime Minister Yun, who was hands-on and diligent. He carried the demeanor of a founding Prime Minister. Prime Minister Yun had a frail appearance,pletely different from the type of local officials with protruding bellies. After waiting half an hour, Prime Minister Yun finally finished writing thest word, put the documents aside, lifted his head, and looked at Nie Zhenbang. He then took off his sses and said, ¡°Little Nie has arrived. Do you know why I called you over this time?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, then he took out a file from his briefcase and handed it over, saying respectfully: ¡°Mr. Prime Minister, I understand, my inconsiderate actions have caused trouble for the country. Please critique me. These are the onsite photos of Wilgang and the other twopanies, as well as the test and inspection reports from our city¡¯s environmental protection agency. In addition, there are also audio recordings of our city¡¯s police department¡¯smunication with the opposing party. Please take a look.¡± Seeing as Nie Zhenbang took out several documents from the bag, despite admitting his mistake, how could Prime Minister Yun, of all people, not discern his attitude? Subsequently, Prime Minister Yun also chuckled and scolded: ¡°You little rascal, you¡¯re still audacious. Running to the Soviet Union back then was just like this, you haven¡¯t changed. By the look of confidence on you, it seems you are on the side of justice. Well then, let me look at your report first.¡± Opening the materials Nie Zhenbang handed over, Prime Minister Yun scrutinized them carefully, his brow and expression wrinkling asionally as he delved into the report. The environmental bureau¡¯s report was well organized by Du Nianchun, clear and structured. Du Nianchun also knew that this report would undoubtedly be forwarded to higher levels, but he did not know that it would be shown to the Prime Minister. The first part was apanied by many photos, starting from the joint action of the environmental bureau and the public security department, conflicts in front of the factory gates, their subsequent entry ¨C all were photographed. Then, it depicted the drainage outlets built along the river by the three factories, with various close-up photos, as well as the condition of the river water. Seeing the open-air drainage ditch, Prime Minister Yun¡¯s brows furrowed. The next part is the separate test results of wastewater and waste residues of the three enterprises. The results were thrilling, this waste water could be described as a poison. Thetter part of the report was the water quality test report and biological test report of the polluted sections along the coast of Liangxi River. After reading these, Prime Minister Yun¡¯s expression also became serious. He lifted his head, looked at Nie Zhenbang and asked, ¡°Zhenbang, are these data true?¡± ( Chapter 407: 391: Verbal Battle with Foreign Media_1 Chapter 407: Chapter 391: Verbal Battle with Foreign Media_1 Prime Minister Yun¡¯s considerations were not as simple as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. Whether it was international or domestic affairs, even trivial neighborhood disputes, evidence was pivotal in every situation. Indeed, in neighborhood disputes, there may be fabrication and deception, facts may be twisted and distorted in officialdom, but when ites to international affairs involving interactions between countries, particrly matters concerning national honor and credit, not a tiny bit of negligence could be tolerated. Prime Minister Yun¡¯s final remark encapsted this sentiment. If the matter were true and could withstand third-party verification, he could arrange for it. If it were untrue, careful consideration would be required. Nie Zhenbang understood the Prime Minister¡¯s meaning and immediately nodded firmly, stating, ¡°Leader, there is absolutely no exaggeration in these data. In fact, some information might have been held back.¡± ¡°Oh? Held back? What do you mean?¡± Prime Minister Yun asked curiously. After all, everyone had their expertise, and he wasn¡¯t knowledgeable about environmental protection. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, the prime minister said with a pleasant disposition and a smile, ¡°Could it be that you, Nie Zhenbang, are kindly covering up for the Americans?¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled, stating that the truth was on their side. Huaxia feared no one, just like he feared no one. He then exined, ¡°Prime Minister, it¡¯s not like that. The primary issue is with our detection technology. Our equipment and technology for environmental data collection may seem a bit crude. If the tests were conducted by top-ss European researchbs, the data would probably be more convincing.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Prime Minister Yun pondered a moment before making his decision: ¡°Good, tomorrow morning, you will apany me at the news conference, which will be broadcast live to the world. Tomorrow, I¡¯m just supporting, you are the protagonist. Are you confident?¡± Assigning a provincial-level official to confront foreign media might be considered audacious, as it had escted to international rtions. Any mistake could tarnish Huaxia¡¯s image on the world stage. The Prime Minister¡¯s decision was undoubtedly bold. If anything goes wrong, he would have to take responsibility, and for Nie Zhenbang, it would be a disaster. If he lost face internationally, his career would likely be over. However, every coin has two sides. While risky, this could also be an opportunity. A global exposure could help the world recognize this rising political star. If performance is exceptional, figures like President Yuan, Prime Minister Yun, and even the reclusive Elder Nan would value him more. This was the incredible advantage. After a moment of consideration, Nie Zhenbang decisively nodded, saying ¡°Leader, rest assured, I am confident I canplete the task sessfully.¡± ¡­ Despite expressing full confidence, Nie Zhenbang was diligent behind the scenes. Even though he was in Jingcheng, he decided to stay in a hotel operated by Liangxi City instead of going home. Liangxi City, being the economically dominant city in Jiangbei, even has a more morous hotel in Jingcheng than some provinces. The fifteen-story building, named the Liangxi Grand Hotel, was property of the Liangxi Municipal Government and also served as the official Jingcheng outpost.
With the mayor¡¯s visit, therades from the Jingcheng outpost did not dare to ck off, and promptly opened their most luxurious suite for Mayor Nie to rest. Throughout the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang discussed the details of environmental protection with people like Liu from the Environmental Protection Bureau. In the meantime, he also asked the outpost personnel to contact several legal experts to discuss internationalw matters with him. Though these may not prove useful, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s principle was always to be prepared. The uing press conference would not merely be attended by news media journalists. If estimation was correct, representatives frompanies like Wilgang and officials from the U.S. Embassy would definitely be there. It seemed more like an argumentation meeting than a press conference. Being more prepared could increase the chances of sess. The next morning, not long after six, Nie Zhenbang was already up. Having slept only around one and got up just five hourster, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s energy was no joke. He executed a set of boxing exercises in the suite, which left him feeling fresh and vigorous. After finishing breakfast on the second floor at seven, Nie Zhenbang led the Liangxi City entourage to the Great Hall where the press conference was held in the newsroom. Two minutes before eight o¡¯clock, Prime Minister Yun, apanied by his staff, came over. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, the Prime Minister greeted him with a nod and a smile, ¡°Zhenbang is here, let¡¯s go together.¡± At exactly eight o¡¯clock in Huaxia, the press hall of the Convention Center, capable of amodating thousands of journalists, was filled with reporters from all over the world. The world¡¯s major news agencies, like Agence France-Presse from France, the Associated Press from the United States, Reuters Club from Germany and the Chinese media from Huaxia. There were also well-known television media, such as CNN from the United States, Dongying¡¯s East Asia Television, and so on. All kinds of media gathered under one roof. Long guns and short cannons had been set up in the hall. There were no less than a hundred photographic positions. As Prime Minister Yun appeared with a young man, the host of the press hall, Liang Haitao, the director of the State Council¡¯s press office, had already stood on the hosting position and began to say, ¡°Dear guests, friends, the press conference of the State Council of the Republic of Huaxia now begins. This conference is specifically held in response to the recent controversy sparked by the sudden order by the Liangxi City Government in Jiangbei Province for three U.S. -investedpanies to cease business for rectification. Today, we have with us Comrade Nie Zhenbang, the Mayor of Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government. Nie Zhenbang, the party involved, will answer all your questions.¡± As soon as the announcement fell, the venue became noisy, Nie Zhenbang greeted the audience with a smile and said, ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, please be quiet, let¡¯s take turns asking questions. If we proceed like this, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll never get started.¡± This humorous remark effectively silenced all the journalists. First, a reporter from the Huaxia TV station asked under the guidance of Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mayor Nie, ording to foreign media reports, the Liangxi City Government is suspected of discriminating against foreign capital, deliberate suppression and extortion. Is this true? What is the actual truth of the matter?¡± ¡°Not at all, the foreign media¡¯s report is, in my opinion, a defamation and nder against our country. It¡¯s a humiliation and denigration. It is well known that Huaxia is an open country that wees investors from around the world. Why would we act in such a manner that would harm ourselves? This is simply the despicable act of these U.S.panies distorting the facts and trying to evade punishment. I express strong indignation and protest against this. Our Liangxi City Government retains the right to further sue Wilgang and other suchpanies.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speech was not rushed and his Mandarin was ent free. He seemed even more qualified than the spokesman of the State Council. Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment before smiling and saying, ¡°Dear media journalists, here is a report, which consists of the onsite inspection results of the three factories including Wilgang. Please have a look. We also wee all of you to go to Liangxi City for onsite investigation to gather evidence.¡± As Nie Zhenbang concluded his remarks, the report printed overnight was distributed one by one by the press officials into the journalist¡¯s hands. For a moment, the press hall was full of the sound of flipping books. Seeing the graphic report and the severely polluted river, the entire audience gasped. Especially some of our European media journalists, who began to frown. At this moment, an American journalist raised his hand to ask a question. After Nie Zhenbang signaled that he could ask, the reporter stood up and said, ¡°Hello Mayor Nie, I am a journalist from the Associated Press. Is this report authentic? If it¡¯s true, why didn¡¯t your sidemunicate directly with our embassy instead of choosing to make my country embarrassed in this way?¡± Nie Zhenbang sneered, but his face remained calm as he said smilingly, ¡°The question from the reporter is very good. First of all, let me state again, this is a fact. At the moment, Wilgang and the other twopanies have been sealed off by thew enforcement department. Those who have doubts can go to Liangxi at any time for their own investigation. I believe, the truth will always be the truth and it won¡¯t change. As to your second question, I find it amusing. Can I ask if your country¡¯s news media and government came to investigate immediately after learning about the incident? Obviously, no. This suggests that your country¡¯s media and government fully trust these threepanies. Since your government trusts them so much, it¡¯s natural that we didn¡¯tmunicate because your government simply doesn¡¯t trust our exnations.¡± No sooner had he finished his remarks than a sudden voice rang out beside him. ¡°Hello Mayor Nie, I am a reporter from The Wall Street Journal. As far as I know, your government does not have a hard line on environmental protection and pollution discharge. There are also many enterprises in your country who discharge pollutants in such a way. Isn¡¯t this discrimination?¡± Nie Zhenbang frowned, this person is clever, avoiding the main points and focuses on minor ones. It¡¯s true that such things exist in China. They are all results of local governments not paying enough attention. Saying so would give people a feeling of discrimination. Nie Zhenbang then said, ¡°Originally, this reporter didn¡¯t raise his hand, so I shouldn¡¯t have to answer this question. However, in the spirit of honesty and openness, I want to rify a couple of things. First, our country has strict regtions on enterprise pollution and environmental protection, this is clearly stated in our environment protectionw. Second, about differential treatment, what you referred to is on a national level, while in Liangxi City, all enterprises have to strictly follow the pollution discharge standards. Different regions, different requirements. Generally speaking, environmental protection is taken seriously everywhere in the country. We are not perfect, but this does not mean we tolerate such behavior.¡±
Then, Nie Zhenbang calmly said, ¡°For instance, there¡¯s quite a lot of racial discrimination in the United States, but you can¡¯t expect everyone to be racially discriminatory, right?¡± (.) Chapter 408: 392: The demeanor of a Great Nation_1 Chapter 408: Chapter 392: The demeanor of a Great Nation_1 As the words fell, journalists from the domestic and Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions began to apud. Even many European journalists joined in, expressing admiration for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s agility and wittiness. The journalist who asked the question knew he was in the wrong and slunk back shamefully. At this time, a Dongying journalist raised his hand. Nie Zhenbang frowned slightly, as he had the least fondness for these Dongying people. Influenced by his grandfather since childhood, Nie Zhenbang could be described as having a touch of nationalism. However, being no ordinary man, he wouldn¡¯t show his dislike. He pointed to the Dongying journalist and said, ¡°Alright, you.¡± The Dongying journalist stood up, bowing in respect, ¡°I am Watanabe Kojiro, a correspondent for Readers News stationed in China¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Nie Zhenbang interrupted him. His face turned stern as he said, ¡°Is this the level of English spoken by all Dongying people? The correct trantion for Huaxia is China. To respect a country and a person, the least you could do is pronounce correctly. Also, you can speak Chinese if you¡¯re not good at English. If this is the attitude of all Dongying people, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll refuse to answer your question.¡± Nie Zhenbang was pretending not to understand. He knew that the term the Dongying reporter used was a derogatory term for Huaxia, but he did not speak it out loud. Saying it out would be a negative reflection on the country¡¯s image. At this moment, Watanabe Kojiro¡¯s face flushed in resentment as he red at Nie Zhenbang, once again retalking, ¡°I apologize, my Chinese is not very good. I have read the report you issued, Mayor Nie. As I understand it, your government did not sign a clear agreement with the three corporations, including Wilgang, insisting on strict pollution control. Isn¡¯t what you¡¯re doing now a breach of contract? Also, in my opinion, this pollution is normal for these corporations. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Another one trying to spin the narrative, Nie Zhenbang thought, cursing under his breath. These Dongyingckeys never change, clinging tightly to the coattails of their American masters. He returned to Watanabe Kojiro the stern look and said, ¡°Mr. Watanabe, I believe you are being misleading. Firstly, a corporation must have a sense of social responsibility. The three corporations, including Wilgang, surely maintain advanced pollution facilities in their own countries. Now, if there was no clear agreement, does that mean they all discharge pollutants this way, not only in America but also in other countries? If the aforementioned threepanies promise to treat everyone equally, I assure you, they will be allowed to resume production immediately, and we willpensate for the losses. Now yourst point isughable. Are you saying it¡¯s normal for the polluted area to show no signs of life? That rivers originally clear have be ck water is also normal? If you find it normal, I¡¯m willing to fund the relocation of all threepanies to your country. What do you think, Mr. Watanabe?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s choice of words were sharp, and his tone icy, giving off a strong presence. This was a stark contrast to Huaxia¡¯s government¡¯s usual pacifist approach. In Nie Zhenbang, these foreigners saw the elegance of a powerful country. At this moment, a European journalist stood up and said, ¡°Respected Mayor, I am a journalist from Reuters Club in Germany. I have read the report you provided, and I am stunned. This is a crime. May I ask, what measures will you take regarding these three corporations?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze turned to the Prime Minister sitting next to him. The Prime Minister returned the gaze, with a clear look of approval. It was clear that Nie Zhenbang was given the green light to represent the state.
Nie Zhenbang thought for a moment. While he and the Prime Minister had discussed follow-up measures, the ideas were not systematic. Now, asked to make a sudden statement, he had to tread carefully. This might be the toughest test yet. After considering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang held up three fingers and said, ¡°My demands are simple. First, the headquarters of the threepanies, including Wilgang, must apologize publicly. This kind of nder and defamation should not have happened in a responsiblepany. Second, the threepanies must immediately reform their waste disposal systems, provide detailed treatment ns, and pass our environmental department¡¯s inspection. Eachpany must pay a fine of three hundred million yuan as mitigation costs andpensation to the local poption. Third, the US government and the U.S. Embassy must apologize for the adverse consequences of this protest.¡± With the conclusion of his words, there was amotion. The first and second points were eptable, although the fine was triple the previous amount. Regarding the pollution system, Nie Zhenbang made a valid point ¨C it was a necessary facility. The third point, however, was shocking. Nie Zhenbang, the mayor, was truly daring, putting forth such a demand. It was conceivable that the White House would pay it no attention. As soon as the words fell, some American journalists, those who always acted as superior citizens of a superpower, began to protest loudly, ¡°No, this is not possible. We are a superpower, the only superpower in the world. Are you representing Liangxi City or Huaxia, Mayor? Can we consider this a provocation against our great United States? Are you trying to start a war? We will never apologize to any country or region.¡± Nie Zhenbang frowned and looked at Prime Minister Yun. At this moment, he noticed the Prime Minister subtly nodding. Reassured, Nie subsequently exuded an air ofmand as he fixed his gaze on the journalist. ¡°May I ask, can you represent the U.S government, can you represent President Kerwin?¡± After a moment¡¯s pause, Nie spoke again. ¡°We are clear on this point; it does not matter whom I represent, may it be the nation or Liangxi City. This is our stance. As a major power, our dignity is not to be infringed upon. Granted, as you mentioned, the U.S. indeed holds the status of the world¡¯s sole superpower. Yet, when President Kerwin rushed to confront us without even conducting an investigation, such a decision must be deemed hasty and irresponsible. As the facts have revealed, you have been misinformed. A great power, especially a superpower, should exhibit the courage to take responsibility for its actions. If the U.S. government cannot even show such basic respect, I express my disappointment. This behavior does not befit a great power. That concludes our press conference for today. I thank our journalist colleagues for their time.¡± ¡­ The day after the conference, every leading newspaper around the world featured the same top story on their front page, all titled differently but echoing with a unified message ¨C the grace and dignity of a great nation. Not only did these articles underscore the rise of Huaxia, but they also sparked debates questioning whether the U.S., the world¡¯s superpower, indeed exhibited the character befitting of a great nation. That same afternoon, U.S. Ambassador Hamilton, stationed in Huaxia, personally visited Foreign Minister Hu Yunlong. Hamilton suggested forming a jointmission of experts from both Huaxia and the U.S. to inspect the three U.S. funded enterprises in Liangxi City. The tone significantly subduedpared to previous protests, signaling a shift in the U.S. government¡¯s stance. Prime Minister Yun naturally agreed to the proposal and promptly organized renowned environmental experts from Huaqing University, Jingcheng University, and other known domestic institutions to head to Liangxi City. The U.S. expert group would fly directly to Jiangzhou City from the United States. Nie Zhenbang, representing Huaxia, would return to Liangxi City with U.S. Ambassador Hamilton. The American response was speedy this time. By the second afternoon, the U.S. expert group arrived in Jiangzhou City. After a night¡¯s rest to adjust for jetg in Liangxi, the joint Huaxia-U.S. expert team began the inspection of the three enterprises the next morning. After witnessing the current situation, Hamilton made a point to go up and scrutinize the cement ditch on both sides of the effluent discharge point. Although an outsider, even he could deduce the discharge outlet had not been altered. Witnessing the dark polluted water under the embankment left Hamilton shocked. The expertmission released an unbiased report detailing how the three enterprises had not undergone any environmental processing, dumping industrial waste and residue directly into the environment. The estimated loss downstream surpasses thirty billion yuan, with the subsequent cleanup process predicted to be exceedingly prolonged. Upon receiving this news, Hamilton immediately reported the results back to his home country. The following day, newspapers in both the U.S. and Huaxia printed a public apology from the three American-funded enterprises. Simultaneously, the threepanies dispatched senior management to Liangxi City to discuss future remediation. The most startling and concerning aspect was the anticipated apology from the U.S. government. Initially, the citizens believed securing an apology from the Americans was impossible. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang was confident, believing that if President Kerwin was not foolish, he would apologize. As it turned out, after three days, the U.S. government finally responded. President Kerwin sent an apologetic telegram to the Huaxia State Council on behalf of the U.S. government. After seeing this, Prime Minister Yun nodded slightly and smiled. He then told his secretary, ¡°Shangjin, I want you to arrange for this telegram to be published immediately in the ¡®Hope Daily,¡¯ the Huaxia TV station, and other national media outlets.¡± Upon hearing this, Qian Shangjin¡¯s eyes revealed a glint of admiration. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reputation in the country would most likely make him a national hero. (
Chapter 409: 393 Nie Zhenbang’s Article_1 Chapter 409: Chapter 393 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Article_1 In the face of irond facts, the Americans bowed their heads. Following the publication of Kerwin¡¯s apology letter, the corporate headquarters of the threepanies each issued their own apology statements. Simultaneously, the current three responsible individuals were fired by their respectivepanies. As for giving up, it was a clear impossibility. With Huaxia¡¯s vast market and cheapbor force, the business opportunities were endless. The Huaxia branches had be their new profit growth points. Furthermore, they had already invested heavily at an earlier stage, it was unlikely that they would abandon it now. When the new leaders arrived in Liangxi, they cooperated actively with the Liangxi City Government to revamp the factories. The critical pollution control system was updated with their most advanced technology, simr to what was used in their American headquarters. People tend to act differently when they witness power, such as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. After experiencing his forcefulness, these Americans did not dare to act frivolously anymore. They readily paid the fines to the Liangxi City Government. For a time, Nie Zhenbang became a national icon. The influence of a government official amongst ordinary people was incredibly more potent than that of celebrities, an impressive feat for Nie Zhenbang. Secretary General President Yuan from the central government also had the intention of adding fuel to the fire. The emergence of Nie Zhenbang significantly enhanced the favorable image of the government, a development the central authority was happy to see unfold. With these connections, or rather, with this halo overhead, Nie Zhenbang felt as though he¡¯d gained an amulet. As long as he didn¡¯t break thew, under normal circumstances, even provincialmittee leaders would have to think thrice before they made a move on him. Such were the benefits conferred by honor. As for the sealing up of the three American enterprises, it had a ripple effect, which even Nie Zhenbang himself did not anticipate. The incident served as a wake-up call, and seeing the government¡¯s determination, other businesses in Liangxi City quickly upped their environmental protection awareness. They became stricter with handling pollution ¨C a positive impact overall. ¡­ Now that the city government¡¯s work was in full swing, Nie Zhenbang found himself unusually free. There were others to handle the affairs of the Textile Group, and he didn¡¯t need to worry too much about it. Other areas were also assigned to different people. The work in Liangxi City was not like that in New Li City, where pre-existing mechanisms were in ce for every aspect, and there were specialised people responsible for attracting investment. Unless Nie Zhenbang came up with new ideas, he didn¡¯t have to stress too much. He was very satisfied with this state of affairs. In the meantime, after finding himself at leisure, Nie Zhenbang turned his attention to his primary specialty, finance. In this lifetime, Nie Zhenbang had studied finance for his master¡¯s degree. ording to his memory from his past life, a financial crisis that affected all of Asia had officially eruptedst year, starting with the Thai Baht. The fluctuation of the Indonesian Rupiah in the past two months also confirmed this fact. In his memory, in his previous life, the country had mustered great courage to resist the onught of foreign financial tycoons and international capital. However, Nie Zhenbang was well aware of the price paid in the process. This time, being pre-aware, he pondered on what more he could do for the country. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also thought about the background behind the capital. The frontrunner was someone of an American background. Although the United States always advocated freedom and democracy, Nie Zhenbang was not naive. Without the backing of the U.S. government or bigwigs, Soros wouldn¡¯t have had the guts to ravage entire Asia, sweeping across Southeast Asia and Dongying. Was he not afraid of being assassinated?
Therefore, it could be affirmed that there was definitely some support behind these capitals, though not on arge scale. Now, he had offended the American government, forcing President Kerwin to apologize. He imagined that this time the capital shock would probably be more severe. If this caused Donggang Special Economic Zone and the country to suffer massive losses, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t sit idly by anymore. Yes, although he was clear about this, it would not be easy to speak out. As a government leader now, he was not a professional financier. If he let Li Lixue¡¯s capital interfere quietly, it would equally need to go through Donggang Special Economic Zone, which was unavoidable. The central government could find out whenever they wanted. Instead of being secretive, he might as well be open about it to the government. Even better, if he could be in charge of this financial battle, he was confident that, with his full understanding of the whole matter, he could achieve the maximum victory at the minimum cost. He could even heavily hit these capital tycoons in the process. After some contemtion, Nie Zhenbang promptly picked up the pen on the table and began to write. By the time he finished, it was almost time to finish work. Three or four hours had passed without him noticing. He looked at the thick stack of materials on the table, and was very satisfied with it. In his analysis of the entire financial crisis, he predicted that these financial tycoons would not abandon Donggang, an international financial center. Especially since Donggang had only returnedst year, the central government would not tolerate its domestic turmoil by international spectors. Therefore, a confrontation was inevitable between the two sides, predicted to start around August this year, beginning with an attack on Donggang¡¯s securities market. The whole article was clear and logical, and Nie Zhenbang was very satisfied with his reasoned arguments. The more brilliant the article, the higher the credibility. Chapter 410: 393 Nie Zhenbang’s Article_2 Chapter 410: Chapter 393 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Article_2 He stood up, stretched his body, just in time, Yi Jun came in, poured him a cup of hot tea, then said, ¡°Mayor, would you like me to make some noodles for you?¡± Nie Zhenbang checked the time and didn¡¯t realize it was already ten in the evening. He then replied with a smile, ¡°Xiaoyi, you go ahead and return home. If I remember correctly, there should be some bread and milk in the fridge. Later, I will heat it up and eat it myself. I still have some work to do. Go on.¡± Having been with Nie Zhenbang for several years, Yi Jun was quite familiar with his character. Hence, without further ado, he smiled and left. At this point, Nie Zhenbang sat down once more, revised the article again, and only left his office close to midnight. At home, Li Lixue was already resting. As a pregnant woman, she was most tired at this time. Dong Wan, however, was sitting on the couch, a deskmp beside her. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang return, she put down her book and stood up. She took a look at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet, have you?¡± Enjoying the warmth of home, they passed the night in silence. The next day at work, Nie Zhenbang picked up the phone on his desk and dialed his mentor, Professor Wang. Even though Professor Wang had stepped down from his position as party secretary of Jingcheng University, he was still an advisor to the National Financial Committee and also held the title of Economic Advisor to the State Council. Submitting the article to Professor Wang was equivalent to submitting it to the Central Government, which Nie Zhenbang knew well. As soon as the phone was connected, Professor Wang¡¯s voice rang out: ¡°Hello, who is this, please?¡± Hearing the professor¡¯s robust and powerful voice, Nie Zhenbang responded with a smile, ¡°Professor, how¡¯s your health?¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang spoke, Professor Wang recognized his voice, and his heartyughter came through the phone, ¡°Ha ha, Zhenbang, you, the high-ranking official, seldom manage to make time for your studies. What brings you to call me today?¡± These words made Nie Zhenbang somewhat embarrassed. He had never actually spent half a day studying at Jingcheng University, and his master¡¯s degree was almost entirely the product of phone consultations with Professor Wang. Adjusting his mind a bit, Nie Zhenbangughed awkwardly and replied, ¡°Professor, please don¡¯t tease me. Yesterday, I wrote an article on the international financial environment. I¡¯ve already sent it to you. Please have a look.¡±
¡°Oh? You, the high-ranking official, still manage to find time to write articles. I¡¯ll have to give this a good look. You sent it by air courier, didn¡¯t you? Then I should have it by this afternoon.¡± Professor Wang was a bit surprised. He admired his student greatly, and believed it a waste for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s talents in economics to be used in public office. After exchanging a few more pleasantries and hanging up, Nie Zhenbang let out a wry smile. His teacher¡¯s relentless scrutiny of his decision to pursue politics over academia seemed to persist. The professor was entitled to the benefits of a Vice State-level official, but never regarded himself as one. Moreover, he had a disdain for the bureaucratic style of such officials, perceiving them as being overly theoretical. His words, somewhat satirical, were surely meant to persuade Nie Zhenbang to abandon his political ambitions for a career in academia. This, of course, was utterly impossible. He, like no other, knew where his true interestsy. In this life, his initial goal was to change his personal destiny. Then, he sought to change the fate of his family, and now, he wished to change the future of an entire city and county. It seemed as if he was truly adopting the principles of self-cultivation, managing his family well, and governing his state. Admittedly, in this context, governing his state referred to a single region or city. But it wasn¡¯t so far removed from ruling over a feudal state in ancient times. Referring to it as ¡®governing a state¡¯ wasn¡¯t too far-fetched. As for ¡®bringing peace to the world¡¯, whether or not he could reach the summit would depend on his efforts. Now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s goal was to change the destiny of Huaxia and the entire nation. He spent the entire morning reading through documents. Managing the economy of Liangxi City was not easy, and it wasn¡¯t just a formality or modesty to say so. At present, all aspects of the city¡¯s economic development were going well. Any abrupt change in policy, merely to assert his power, would likely do more harm than good. In the afternoon, at Jingcheng University. Professor Wang received a letter from Nie Zhenbang in his vi. Sitting in his study, he opened the letter and was immediately captivated by the title. He read the entire article carefully, taking a whole hour to finish it. Lowering his sses, he rubbed his somewhat swollen eyes. He was getting old, and his energy was inevitably waning. However, at this moment, Professor Wang was utterly shocked. The Asian financial crisis had been ongoing since the copse of the Thai bahtst year, and as a prominent domestic economist, he had been closely following it. Consequently, the economies of several Southeast Asian countries copsed this year. Professor Wang had also been boldly guessing about the subsequent developments of the financial crisis. He had predicted that Dongying woulde under pressure, but he had never considered that the Donggang Special Economic Zone would be the main target of international spective capital. Because in Professor Wang¡¯s view, everyone knew that the powerful Huaxia was behind the Donggang Special Economic Zone, and that international spective capital would not recklessly throw eggs at a rock. However, ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s theory, the goal of spective capital was to drag Huaxia into the water by attacking Donggang, thereby disturbing Huaxia¡¯s economy and making a fortune. This idea was truly shocking. A capital group confronting a country seemed unlikely. But when he thought about Dongying and other Southeast Asian countries, Professor Wang felt a chill run down his spine. If this were true, even if Huaxia could sessfully repel these people, it would be severely damaged. At this point, Professor Wang could not sit still. He stood up, walked out of the study, and puzzled his wife. He picked up the phone, requested a car, took his materials, got in, and instructed the driver, ¡°Go to the Economic Office of the State Council.¡± ¡­ ¡°Gentlemen, this is a bold guess from my student, the current Mayor of Liangxi City, Nie Zhenbang. After reading it, I found it very shocking. What are your opinions?¡± In the State Council, the country¡¯s top economists had gathered. Professor Wang was also among the best. ¡°Old Wang, I have to say, this old chap of yours, despite heading towards twilight years, has found a good apprentice. It¡¯s a pity that such talent has chosen a career in public service. I am unsure whether it¡¯s good or bad for our field of economics.¡± Beside him, a white-haired, spirited old man sighed and began praising. The old man was an economics professor and doctoral supervisor at Huaqing University, akin to the undisputed authority in the domestic economics field. He, like Professor Wang, was also an economic advisor to the State Council. As the words fell, a stern-looking man in his fifties, nodded and said, ¡°Mister Wang, Mister Zou, I believe there is a high possibility for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s guess to be a reality. My suggestion is to withhold publishing this article to avoid frightening the snake in the grass. To deal with this matter, I suggest that we, who are present here, jointly sign a proposal and submit it to Premier Yun.¡± The speaker was the director of the Economic Office of the State Council, a renowned economist himself, and like Nie Zhenbang, he was also one of those who yed both politics and academia. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was unaware that his article was sitting on Secretary General Yuan¡¯s desk.
Forbidden City Xi Nuan Pavilion This was where Secretary General Yuan resided. Within the antique study, the two highest leaders of Huaxia sat together.
Seeing Secretary General Yuan¡¯s furrowed brows, Premier Yun reassured him with a smile, ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry too much, Premier. Since Nie Zhenbang had the foresight to predict such matters, even down to the estimated timeline around July, why not transfer him here temporarily to oversee the situation?¡± Upon hearing Yun¡¯s statement, Secretary General Yuanughed. ¡°Yes, indeed, we may not necessarily need to take such extreme measures. Now that we are already well-prepared, I believe our economists can devise a suitable n. We¡¯ll take it from there as the situation unfolds. ( Chapter 411: 394: Date with Fan Changsheng_1 Chapter 411: Chapter 394: Date with Fan Changsheng_1 Nie Zhenbang was naturally unaware of the arrangements and exchanges on the side of the government. After the article was sent out, Professor Wang called himter,plimented Zhenbang¡¯s achievements quite highly and proposed the idea of Zhenbang pursuing a doctorate degree with him. Moreover, the conditions were very favorable, he could still skip sses. All that was required was to submit a project paper every year. Zhenbang was very thankful to his mentor for his consideration. At this point, the role of the diploma was starting to stand out. Nowadays, arge number of grassroots officials in their fifties had high school and middle school dropouts listed in their career history. In Huaxia, that was a thing of the past. Now, junior college graduates were not regarded as highly educated, while bachelor¡¯s degree graduates were considered as normal. Master¡¯s degree graduates were the true focus of cultivation. Nie Zhenbang agreed readily, as he had extensive knowledge of the future, and knew well that a diploma would be an important measure for promotion in the future. He had no reason to refuse. After looking through a few documents, Yi Jun walked in from outside, looked at him, and said in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, Secretary Ding Guo is here, and it seems quite serious. What do you think¡­?¡± Lei Dingguo is here? Hearing this name, Zhenbang felt a throb in his heart. In Liangxi City, it was rumored that nothing good ever happened when you got involved with Lei Dingguo, which referred to Lei Dingguo¡¯s title as Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission. As a member of the municipal partymittee and the secretary of the disciplinarymittee, Lei Dingguo wouldn¡¯te to him for ordinary matters. Also, this man had a strong sense of independence. Although they had cooperated a few times before, they were not subordinate to each other, but merely had amon goal and interest. Of course, this interest was not personal interest but national interest. In the official circles, there were no permanent friends nor enemies; it depended on whether you could findmon ground with others. Zhenbang understood this matter quite well. Themon point between him and Lei Dingguo was to eliminate the unhealthy tendencies in the official circles of Liangxi. Zhenbang needed this to pave the way for his own ns, and Lei Dingguo needed to increase his political achievements by stepping on these corrupt officials. After a moment of thought, Zhenbang nodded, then stood up personally and said, ¡°Pleasee in!¡± At this moment, Zhenbang handled the situation very smoothly. He calcted the timing just right, making his move as Lei Dingguo walked into the office, positioning himself at the center of the office. This was the most appropriate method. If he moved too early, it would seem overly enthusiastic, giving people the feeling of being too eager. If he moved toote and only emerged from behind the desk when the other party had already walked in, it would feel like he was too arrogant and did not regard others seriously. Zhenbang pulled this off very urately, with just the right bnce. He managed to show his enthusiasm without losing hisposure. ¡°Mayor Nie, sorry for the interruption.¡± Upon entering, Lei Dingguo started speaking with a smile.
Lei Dingguo¡¯s words were also very tactful. The two were not subordinate to each other, but both served in the same region; Nie Zhenbang held a higher office, and Lei Dingguo held a deputy-level position. Their interaction was more or less like equals. His words conveyed a respectful attitude and gave Nie Zhenbang face. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, making his way towards the water cooler with light steps. With his back to Lei Dingguo, he asked casually, ¡°Old Lei, do you prefer tea or in water?¡± ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ve heard that Mayor Nie has some excellent Da Hong Pao tea here. I¡¯d like to try it. It¡¯s kind of a waste to brew it with tap water, but I¡¯ll have a cup of tea.¡± Lei Dingguo seemed very rxed. This was a demonstration of their harmonious rtionship. At the level of city bureau and county magistrates within the system, there was no such thing as who pledged allegiance to who. More often, their rtionships were based on mutual interests and mutual support. As a result, distinctions of closeness and distance naturally arose, and now, the rtionship between Nie Zhenbang and Lei Dingguo was very good. After brewing a cup of Longjing tea for Lei Dingguo, Nie Zhenbang also said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t have Da Hong Pao, but we can have a cup of Ming Qian Longjing. Served with our Zisha City¡¯s Yixing purple y teaware, even though the water is not so great, it¡¯s still not bad. The fact we¡¯re not using porcin cups is already pretty good.¡± He then returned to his own chair, looking at Lei Dingguo and asked, ¡°Old Lei, I understand your character. Is there something you came to see me about?¡± When it came to serious matters, Lei Dingguo also became serious. He took a sip of tea, as if savoring the taste of the Longjing. After pondering it over in his heart, he said, ¡°Mayor Nie, the Spinning Group¡¯s nest case is basicallying to an end. All the case files have been sorted out, and we will formally hand them over to the prosecution authorities for official charges soon. But¡­¡± The matters in officialdom are such that, even if many things have a certain attitude, what is feared the most are these turn of phrase words. Seeing Lei Dingguo¡¯s hesitating manner, Nie Zhenbang also began tough: ¡°Old Lei, is there something that can¡¯t be said, or do you not trust me?¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, a slight embarrassment appeared on Lei Dingguo¡¯s face. The conversation had reached this point already and he needed to speak. If he truly didn¡¯t say anything, then he would havee for no reason? Moreover, after this event, there certainly wouldn¡¯t be such harmony between him and Nie Zhenbang as there is currently. Shortly thereafter, Lei Dingguo spoke hesitantly: ¡°Mayor Nie, in this investigation, ording to multiple testimonies and some evidence we have gathered, I¡¯m afraid Minister Huang is also implicated, and the matter is not minor.¡± Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s demeanor became more serious, though there wasn¡¯t much surprise. He had long suspected that Huang Junshan had issues. Now, it was only a matter of confirming this. Just now, Lei Dingguo¡¯s performance clearly reflected some suspicion towards him. It seemed that his harmonious rtionship with Fan Changsheng during this period had caused Lei Dingguo to have some reservations. After all, Huang Junshan was Fan Changsheng¡¯s man. Secondly, if something could make an old Commission for Discipline Inspection member like Lei Dingguo say it¡¯s a big deal, then it must surely be a big deal. Now, the rtionships throughout Liangxi City were very delicate. Due to the bond default incident, Li Guohua had basically been marginalized. At present, his rtionship with Fan Changsheng was in a honeymoon period. If Huang Junshan were to cause the rtionship, which had just improved, to deteriorate again, it could not be ignored. Based on Lei Dingguo¡¯s temperament, if he chose to still speak up, it would mean he trusts Nie Zhenbang. If Nie Zhenbang were to vite that trust, he would lose Lei Dingguo¡¯s support. Nie Zhenbang found himself in a difficult dilemma over how to handle this matter. After a moment of silence, he nodded and said: ¡°Old Lei, why are you being so hesitant? My view is, if a problem is discovered, it should be investigated. Covering it up will only embolden some cadres. Ousting the scum from the ranks of cadres to maintain the purity of the party is a principle I will always uphold, both now and in the future. I won¡¯t change my attitude. I wholeheartedly support you on this matter.¡± After some deliberation, Nie Zhenbang decided to support Lei Dingguo. Compared to Lei Dingguo, Fan Changsheng had too many uncertain factors. If cover-ups were allowed once, they would happen again. People must be responsible for both their actions and inaction. He could not abandon his principles for his own advancement. If he did so, what would set him apart from the rest of the world? At this moment, Lei Dingguo on the couch noticeably rxed, hearing Mayor Nie¡¯s reassuring words made him feel much more at ease. With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s support, handling this matter would be much easier. Consequently, Lei Dingguo stood up and said: ¡°Mayor Nie, with your assurances, I feel much more sure about this. You go ahead with your work, I won¡¯t disturb you. I will be in touch should anythinge up.¡± As Lei Dingguo was getting up, the phone on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk rang. It was a call on his internal line. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang was busy, Lei Dingguo didn¡¯t make any further small talk and excused himself with a smile. Nie Zhenbang picked up the phone, and after a brief ¡°hello¡±, heard Fan Changsheng¡¯s voice on the other end: ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, are you busy?¡± A call from Fan Changsheng? Such a coincidence, Lei Dingguo had just left and the phone call arrived. Could it be that Huang Junshan had sensed something?
Nie Zhenbang quicklyposed himself and with a smile said: ¡°Secretary Fan. How are you? Howe you had the time to call me today? What can I do for you?¡± ¡°Well, nothing in particr, Mayor Zhenbang, are you free tonight? If possible, how about having dinner together at Yidege Special Private Dishes at seven o¡¯clock? I¡¯ve heard the steamed bass there is exceptional.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s voice came through the phone again. An invitation? Nie Zhenbang had been in Liangxi City for a long time. From Fan Changsheng¡¯s initial hostility, to the current forced harmonious rtionship, to today¡¯s active invitation to dinner. Nie Zhenbang was somewhat puzzled. He couldn¡¯t quite grasp Fan Changsheng¡¯s intentions. Does this have anything to do with Huang Junshan? As Nie Zhenbang pondered this, he fell silent for a moment and decided to ept the invitation to see what was going on. Since he had already been invited, there was no reason to refuse. Doing so might give Fan Changsheng the wrong impression. The Secretary and the Mayor couldn¡¯t always be adversaries. After all, unity within the team was an important criterion for evaluating cadres.
Therefore, Nie Zhenbangughed and said: ¡°Yidege? Alright, I¡¯ll be there on time tonight.¡± After setting up the dinner time, they exchanged a few more pleasantries before hanging up. At the citymittee, Fan Changsheng seemed pleased. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s promptness had made him happy. In officialdom, if you give me face, I¡¯ll give you face. This was a form of exchange. Fan Changsheng immediately pressed a button on his desk phone and instructed Wang Mingxuan outside: ¡°Mingxuan, arrange for a banquet to be set up at Yidege for seven o¡¯clock tonight.¡± After the office hours were over at five o¡¯clock, Nie Zhenbang stayed back. Such a scenario was toomon for him. When it was nearly six o¡¯clock, Nie Zhenbang cleaned his desk, walked out of his office, and headed for Yidege with Yi Jun. Chapter 412: 395: Parted on Bad Terms_1 Chapter 412: Chapter 395: Parted on Bad Terms_1 Yidege In Liangxi City, it is a well-known dining spot. The reason it¡¯s referred to as a spot rather than a restaurant is mainly because Yidege adopts the typical private kitchen business model. Although Yidege has made a name for itself, its actual location is not on a bustlingmercial street. It is tucked away in a secluded alley within the residential area of the Liangjiang District¡¯s Machinery and Electric Company. Yidege is situated in an old residential building on the fourth floor. What¡¯s unique about it is that Yidege only prepares one banquet table per day. No matter how many guestse, there is always just one table, and the dishes are fixed, with only a few options. As for the cost? A table¡¯s meal, excluding cigarettes and alcohol, is three thousand yuan. Surprisingly, Yidege does remarkably well in business. Arge proportion of its patrons are top influencers among Liangxi City¡¯s politicians and businessmen. Although Nie Zhenbang has never been here before, he can¡¯t help but admire the owner of Yidege. This time, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t ask Yang Qingshan to apany him. The car was driven by Yi Jun, and when they parked downstairs, Fan Changsheng¡¯s car had already arrived. Fan Changsheng and Wang Mingxuan were waiting at the door. This attitude surprised Nie Zhenbang a bit. Having Fan Changsheng personally waiting was granting him an immense amount of face. As the saying goes, undue solicitude is indicative of ill intent or theft. It seemed that things wouldn¡¯t be so simple afterward. At the entrance, Wang Mingxuan already greeted him, ¡°Mayor Nie, how do you do?¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng also smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, let Mingxuan and Xiaoyi go park the car. Let¡¯s go up first.¡± When Nie Zhenbang first saw Fan Changsheng¡¯s official car parked right at the entrance, he was a bit stunned, but he quickly realized there must be a designated parking area. Considering that both their cars were here in this narrow alley, it would indeed create a bad impression. The two of them, one behind the other, proceeded to the fourth floor. This residential building had two units per floor, but Yidege had rented out the entire fourth floor.
As soon as they entered, a young woman in her twenties greeted them. She had a melon seed-shaped face, phoenix eyes, curved eyebrows, a small mouth, and when she smiled, dimples would show on her cheeks. She was charming. She wore a white long-sleeve T-shirt, a white mini-skirt, and ck stockings. It was seductive. She had a good figure. She was busty and curvy. Upon seeing Fan Changsheng, she immediately smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, it¡¯s been a long while since youst came here. Are you tired of our vor?¡± As she spoke, she naturally stood by Fan Changsheng, exuding a seductive fragrance. asionally, her abundant chest would brush against Fan Changsheng¡¯s arm. This captivating woman, to say she could enchant all beings would not be an exaggeration. Fan Changshengughed and said, ¡°How could I be tired? I¡¯ve been salivating over Yidege¡¯s vor for a long time. Unfortunately, I haven¡¯t been able to savor it.¡± His statement was incredibly ambiguous. The suggestive nature of it made the woman blush slightly. ring at Fan Changsheng, sheughed and asked, ¡°Secretary Fan, who is this guest you have not introduced yet?¡± This woman was shrewd. She astutely understood the psychology of wanting something you can¡¯t have. Such a woman was a man¡¯s kryptonite. No wonder Fan Changsheng was so fond of Yidege. Probably those who had visited here couldn¡¯t forget this woman. On the side, Fan Changsheng alsoughed and introduced her, ¡°Xu Yun, let me introduce you to Mayor Nie of our Liangxi City. This is Mayor Nie¡¯s first time here. Today, Xu Yun, you need to showcase your talents. I¡¯ve introduced the business to you. Whether you can win over Mayor Nie¡¯s heart depends on your abilities.¡± Hearing Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, Xu Yun immediately showed an admiring expression and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mayor Nie, wee, wee. Mayor Nie, you have brought honor to us Huaxia this time. Watching those Americans apologize was thrilling for me.¡± ¡°Haha, Xu Yun, was it thrilling? I don¡¯t see much of a change, it doesn¡¯t seem to have grown much.¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng abandoned all caution and started making bold jokes in this ce. Even though he already knew that this Xu Yun was not simple, Nie Zhenbang was still a little surprised at this moment. This woman truly knew how to handle men. The way she worshipped him was something very few men could resist. Then, Nie Zhenbang smiled calmly and said, ¡°Ms. Xu, you¡¯re too kind. I am only following the rules in my work, and there¡¯s nothing meritorious to talk about. All credit goes to the state.¡± The entire house was designed entirely in a homely style. Surprisingly, there was no one else present, everything was managed by Xu Yun herself. Even the cooking was done by her. A bedroom had been converted to a dining room with a high-end circr table. The chairs had soft cushions. Clearly, Xu Yun was targeting high-end customers. Thinking about it, if she charges three thousand yuan per meal and hosts twenty meals a month, that would be sixty thousand a month and several hundred thousand a year. In this day and age, it¡¯s a huge ie. After the two of them sat down, Xu Yun left the room. At this moment, Fan Changsheng, like a boss, picked up the delicate tea set on the table and poured a cup for Nie Zhenbang. He then smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, I invited you over for dinner mainly to discuss a few personnel matters with you.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang knew that the real drama wasing. He replied with a smile, ¡°Oh? Secretary Fan, since you¡¯re interested, we can certainly discuss it. I wonder what exactly you want to discuss.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude pleased Fan Changsheng. Without refusal, this is good, and Fan Changsheng was confident in the stake he had to offer. Then, Fan Changsheng also smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, speaking of the Finance Bureau, Comrade Liu Qingquan has served as the Executive Deputy Director of the Finance Bureau for many years. This time, coincidentally, there is an opportunity. The Party School of the Provincial Party Committee is holding a training ss for young cadres on the position level. Therefore, the Municipal Party Committee intends to let Comrade Ren Yong take a sabbatical to study. In this way, a position in the Finance Bureau will be vacant. I think we can let Comrade Liu Qingquan assume the position.¡± ¡°Additionally, I think Comrade Liu Weijun, who has been the Secretary-General of the municipal government for many years, can be considered for a transfer to the Liangxi Medical College to serve as the Party Secretary of the Medical College. As for the candidate for Secretary-General, I think Comrade Yi Jun is quite suitable.¡±
Fan Changsheng put forth two proposals for personnel appointments. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t refuse either of them. If he could control the city¡¯s finances, it would undoubtedly be of great benefit to him. Not to mention other considerations, having control of finances would force many people in the city to reconsider whether they dare to offend him. As for the position of secretary-general of the municipal government, it was icing on the cake. Seeing Nie Zhenbang deep in thought, Fan Changsheng showed a faint smile on his face. He was very calm, throwing out such a big bait, Fan Changsheng wasn¡¯t afraid that Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t bite. Sure enough, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang weighed the pros and cons in his mind. Seeing Fan Changsheng¡¯s preparedness, he also pondered. Giving up control of the city¡¯s financial authority was a heavy price for Fan Changsheng to pay. It seemed that Fan Changsheng¡¯s ultimate aim had to do with Huang Junshan. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Hm, Secretary Fan, I think this is a great idea. Comrade Ren Yong is indeed a rare good cadre, and I suspect he will be a key focus of cultivation once he returns from his off-job study period. I understand Comrade Liu Qingquan well; he performs excellently in all areas. I have no problem with him taking over as Director of the Finance Bureau.¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng showed an expression of ¡®just as I thought¡¯. He then said, ¡°Brother, there¡¯s another issue I would like to consult with you about. Comrade Huang Junshan from the Organization Department came to me the other day. He said he was not feeling well and wanted to resign from his post as the Minister of the Organization Department and retire early. Considering his dedication and the great contributions he has made to the personnel organization work of our city, and understanding his health problems, I agreed to his request. Regarding the candidate for the next Minister of the Organization Department, I am considering letting Comrade Chen Haiqing, the Deputy Minister, take over.¡±
Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrowed. He had not expected that Huang Junshan would have such resolution and courage to give up all his posts and retire early. This was a way to cut off his own political future. One wouldn¡¯t choose this path unless it was ast resort. It seemed that Huang Junshan had been pushed to the brink by Lei Dingguo, and that Huang Junshan was involved in some serious matters. Now, Fan Changsheng was finally getting to the point: ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, there are some leaders in the city who are making a fuss about small matters, not dropping them easily. This is not good. We are all members of the Standing Committee. Comrade Junshan, who is in charge of the personnel work of the organization, is bound to offend some people and make some mistakes. Now that he¡¯s about to retire, I think we can forget the past. There is no need to fight to the bitter end. Mayor Zhenbang, I wonder if you share my view.¡± Having said this much, the meaning was very clear now. Moreover, Fan Changsheng was well aware of his deep rtionship with Lei Dingguo. Coupled with his background in the Disciplinary Committee and his rtionship with the secretary of the Provincial Disciplinary Committee, Sun, if he could mediate, Lei Dingguo would naturally let go to save face. Hence, Fan Changsheng hade to him. If he hadn¡¯t hadmunication with Lei Dingguo before, Nie Zhenbang might indeed have reached a deal with Fan Changsheng. But now? After some thought, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, forgive my straightforwardness. In some aspects of work, it¡¯s not suitable for me to intervene. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m powerless on this matter.¡± With this statement, it was enough. There was no need to be too explicit. As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice fell, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face instantly turned gloomy. After a while, he forced a smile and said, ¡°Heh heh, of course, of course. Nie Mayor, let¡¯s not talk about work during dinner. Let¡¯s raise our cups for a toast.¡± Since the negotiation didn¡¯t go well, the atmosphere between them naturally turned a bit awkward. They finished their awkward meal without drinking, and soon Fan Changsheng had finished eating. At this point, Nie Zhenbang also stood up and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, I think we¡¯ll leave it at this today. Let¡¯s catch up another time when we have the opportunity.¡± Watching the back of Nie Zhenbang as he left, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face was gloomy. This meeting ended unhappily. PS: Please subscribe, vote, donate, rmend, and all sorts of support~~~ Seeking patronage. (To be continued. If you like this work, feel free toe over to and vote or donate your support. It¡¯s the biggest motivation I have.) Chapter 413: 396 Fan Changsheng’s Counterattack_1 Chapter 413: Chapter 396 Fan Changsheng¡¯s Counterattack_1 After the unpleasant gathering with Fan Changsheng, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t put much thought into it. He always abides by his principles, and while he may be ruthless in achieving his goals, he is not willing to go against his own principles. Looking at the documents on the table, ever since the Textile Group was established, Huang Jiangsheng has shown somepetency, for example, by hiring arge number of sales staff. Jiangbei Province and Jiangnan Province are already developed regions for clothing industry. Upon understanding the fabric needs of these clothing factories, the Textile Group, with its strong production foundation and capacity, has signed many contracts. Everything in the Textile Group is on the right track. However, the Textile Group proposes a path of specialized development and held a shareholders meeting for the real estate development work. By unanimous consent, it was agreed that the development would be handled by anotherpany, however, ensuring the housing arrangement for the relocated residents and meeting the housing needs of the employees within the Textile Group is a must. The document finally arrived at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s desk, reading the fewrge characters annotated by Shi Hongbo on the document: ¡°Please review, Mayor Zhenbang.¡± Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Shi Hongbo was certainly capable, but he was also too smooth. He could have made a final decision as the mayor in charge of this matter, yet he pushed it to Nie Zhenbang. Thus, Nie Zhenbang took his pen and made a note on the side: ¡®Respect the decision of the Textile Group shareholders¡¯ meeting. Agree with the Textile Group¡¯s n. Signed, Nie Zhenbang.¡¯ He set the document aside and picked up another one. Just then, Yi Jun walked in, holding a document, which he put on the desk, and said, ¡°Mayor, this is the material sent from the municipal partymittee¡¯s office. Please review some of the issues to be discussed at the routine standingmittee meeting tomorrow morning.¡± He took the documents and Yi Jun exited the room. The entire document was only two pages long with the front detailing some abstract matters, like learning from Comrade Shen Yanshuo¡¯s speech at the sixth meeting of the Provincial Party Committee,prehensively advancing the process of a well-off society in Liangxi City, and so on. Nie Zhenbang roughly reviewed the content and flipped the page. But upon seeing the second page, his brow furrowed. The first issue was about Huang Junshan¡¯s retirement, the second, surprisingly, was about the personnel discussion on promoting Lu Wu, the District Secretary of Guicheng District, to the position of deputy department-level cadre of the Municipal Party Committee. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t expect Fan Changsheng to move so quickly, forcing Huang Junshan into retirement. If Huang Junshan were to retire before any incident urred, following the convention, Lei Dingguo would have to back down. If he didn¡¯t, the responsibility and pressure Lei Dingguo would have to bear would be much greater, since it would involve breaking national, not just Liangxi City¡¯s, conventions. Under such pressure, Lei Dingguo would have no choice but to back down. The second issue was even more apparent, it was directly targeting him. The position of deputy department-level cadre may sound prestigious, but everyone knew it was nothing more than a position to idle around in until retirement. Even though the rank was high, the real power was vastly different from that of a department-level official in Guicheng District. Moreover, after this, Lu Wu¡¯s career was essentially at its end. What¡¯s more important is that Lu Wu¡¯s existence was rted to his ns for the reconstruction of the old city. This was the vital point. He could be certain that Fan Changsheng must have heard some rumors, otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have made such a perfectly targeted move. Nie Zhenbang immediately picked up the phone and dialed: ¡°Mayor Xintian, do you have time tonight? Could we get together? Right, invite Secretary Lei and Comrade Kaibao as well.¡± ¡­
The regr standingmittee meeting was held as scheduled in the small meeting room of the Liangxi City Committee the next morning. At this moment, all the standingmittee members had different mindsets. Huang Junshan lost his former demeanor, his eyes shed with vengeance and resentment when he saw Lei Dingguo. Fan Changsheng sat at the head of the oval conference table, with Nie Zhenbang on his left and Zhu Zhuozhen on his right. Nie Zhenbang and Zhu Zhuozhen were sitting directly opposite each other. After a moment of contemtion, Fan Changsheng cleared his throat and said loudly, ¡°Comrades, recently, a lot of things have happened in Liangxi City. These events have made national, even international headlines. This standingmittee meeting has the fullest attendance so far. At the sixth meeting of the provincial partymittee, Secretary Yanshuo emphasized again that we should seize the current opportunity to actively attract foreign investment and be innovative under the favorable current circumstances. As the city with the strongest economy in our province, Liangxi City must put attracting investment first. We need to liberate our thoughts, go out, bring in, and I believe, we can consider linking investment attraction to performance evaluation. This would increase the enthusiasm of the majority of leading cadres.¡± After a long speech, Fan Changsheng took a sip of his tea and continued, ¡°This time, we mainly discuss two matters. Firstly, Minister Huang from the organizational department came to me and asked for early retirement. I know Minister Huang well; he is diligent andw-abiding, very disciplined, and principled, such cadres are rare. However, considering his health, I understand his desire to retire early. Considering that Minister Huang is under the provincial jurisdiction, I suggest that the municipal partymittee should discuss this first, formte a resolution, and then report it to the organizational department of the Provincial Party Committee.¡± Chapter 414: 396 Fan Changsheng’s Counterattack_2 Chapter 414: Chapter 396 Fan Changsheng¡¯s Counterattack_2 ¡°As the words fell, Nie Zhenbang nced at Zhu Zhuozhen, then said: ¡°Secretary Fan, allow me to speak a few words.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face changed slightly, but it quickly returned to normal. Heposed himself and then replied with an indifferent smile: ¡°If Mayor Nie has any opinions, of course, you can speak. We, the party, have always valued democracy.¡± ¡°Minister Huang is considering retirement, which is understandable considering his health condition. However, I believe there¡¯s absolutely no need for him to fully retire. After stepping down from his current role, he could serve as the deputy in the Municipal People¡¯s Congress or the Political Consultative Conference to rest and recuperate. Given his background as a seasoned cadre, Minister Huang has abundant experience in organizational and personnel matters. When necessary, he can still make significant contributions to our city.¡± Nie Zhenbang said with a smile. This proposal was discussed the night before. Obviously, for Huang Junshan¡¯s resignation, a medical certificate would not be a problem. Moreover, everyone involved is a provincial cadre. With Fan Changsheng¡¯s ability, getting Huang Junshan to retire was also not a problem. Therefore, the decision from Nie Zhenbang and others was appropriate for Huang Junshan to retire. As long as the city raised the matter, the officials in the province would most likely respect the city¡¯s opinion, which, by then, would not affect Lei Dingguo¡¯s investigation either. Having heard Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the other standingmittee members seemed to not know what to say. The atmosphere at the meeting was bizarre today. One¡¯s own people were insisting on retirement, whereas the opposition wanted him to continue working, ideally in his current position. Seeing this situation, Fan Changsheng timely stood up¡ªhe controlled the progress and rhythm of the standingmittee meeting. He calmly said: ¡°In that case, I propose we settle this with a vote. All in favor of Comrade Huang Junshan¡¯s retirement, please raise your hand.¡± With that said, Fan Changsheng was the first to raise his hand, followed by Li Guohua, Li Xiaoqin, Huang Junshan, Hu Youquan, and Wen Yuhe¡ªa total of six votes. With the votes count out, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face darkened. Huang Jiang did not cast a vote, which surprised Fan Changsheng. Then, when it came to raise hands, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side won by one vote¡ªopposing with seven votes¡ªbarely oveing Fan Changsheng and others. However, during the subsequent vote of Huacheng District Party Secretary Lu Wu, Fan Changsheng smoothly passed the decision of assigning Lu Wu to the Municipal Party Committee to serve as the deputy department-level official with eight votes. The position of the new District Party Secretary was temporarily vacant and was temporarily held by Standing Committee member and Executive Deputy Mayor Li Guohua. This move caught Nie Zhenbang off guard. Nie Zhenbang had anticipated Lu Wu¡¯s situation before the meeting as it was a promotion after all. With the old town renovation about to start in Huacheng District, not a few eyes were envious. Transferring Lu Wu out would open up opportunities, irrespective of whether these opportunities fell into one¡¯s hands, it meant a chance existed. Therefore, there were eight votes in support. However, no one expected Li Guohua would assume the role. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened. This move by Fan Changsheng was quite ruthless. If it were a simple case of a District Party Secretary, the achievements and merits would naturally fall mostly in his own pocket. But now? Wanting to grab achievements from Li GuoHua¡­ that was a pipe dream.
Although his goal was not entirely for the achievements, for him to painstakingly conduct investigations, n strategies, introduce funds, and transform the old city, only for the final credits to be taken by his political enemy would be iprehensible to anyone. However, as things stood, Nie Zhenbang had no other choice but to find another way. At this moment, seeing that he had gained some ground, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face looked much better. He then stood up and announced decisively: ¡°In that case, let¡¯s conclude today¡¯s meeting here. Meeting adjourned.¡± ¡­ ¡°Leader, boss, you can¡¯t not care about me this time. Our Public Security Bureau has many old 212 jeep police cars that need to be reced. This time, you have to give me some funds, I don¡¯t need much, four million will do.¡± In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, Chen Le began to act like a spoiled child, making a pitiful face. ¡°Four million?¡± Nie Zhenbang was bemused by Chen Le¡¯szy posture and teased: ¡°Chen Le, your guts are getting bigger and bigger. That¡¯s a big amount you are demanding. ¡®Four million will do,¡¯ you say, do you think that the city¡¯s finance only needs to support your Public Security Bureau? Last year, your Municipal Bureau confiscated more than ten million in fines. Why didn¡¯t you use that? You have managed the welfare quite well. But the government has no money now. At most two million, take it or leave it. If it¡¯s not enough, find a solution yourself. The violent enforcement agency is short of money. Who¡¯s going to believe that if you say it out loud?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also befuddled by Chen Le. However, the primary reason was because Chen Le was a family member. If it were someone else, Nie Zhenbang would have cared about his image. Saying this, Nie Zhenbang took Chen Le¡¯s funding request report and wrote a remark on it: ¡®Please arrange for the disbursal of funds, Head of the Finance Department.¡¯ Taking the note, Chen Le cheerfully left. However, within two days, Chen Le returned to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Chen Leined with a bitter face: ¡°Mayor, it seems that this Ren Yong is deliberately going against me. It¡¯s been two days. After giving like pulling teeth to the tune of three hundred thousand, he has disappeared. It seems like he is not nning on disbursing the funds.¡± Hearing Chen Le¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang frowned and said sternly: ¡°Old Chen, what exactly is happening? Sit down and tell me everything.¡± As it turned out, Chen Le, holding Nie Zhenbang¡¯s note, had rushed to the Municipal Finance Bureau. As the Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Chen Le had gone directly to Ren Yong and handed over Nie Zhenbang¡¯s note. Originally, Chen Le thought this was a sure thing. However, to his surprise, Ren Yong gave him a troubled look and told him there was no money in the city¡¯s finance ount. Later, Chen Le specially assigned a few staff to pressure Ren Yong, and they finally managed to squeeze out three hundred thousand from him. It¡¯s not unheard of for the Mayor¡¯s notes to not get funds. However, that situation was usually due to some unspoken agreement between the Mayor and the Finance Department. Although there was a note signed by the Mayor, the Mayor did not intend to give the funds. That is apletely different concept from the present situation. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang looked up at Chen Le and said: ¡°Old Chen, for this matter, don¡¯t make a big deal of it. Rushing to get the money isn¡¯t necessary. Take your time. For today, you should go back first.¡± After sending off Chen Le, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression turned solemn. Fan Changsheng¡¯s counterattacks were incredibly cunning and ruthless. First, he allowed Li Guohua to take over the role in Huacheng District, disrupting Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrangement. And now, he¡¯s pinning Nie Zhenbang down financially. It must be remembered that Nie Zhenbang was not the Municipal Party Secretary¡ªhe was the Mayor. If he were the Municipal Party Secretary, it wouldn¡¯t matter whether he had financial control¡ªas the Party¡¯s affairs were his responsibility. But being the Mayor and without financial control, he wouldn¡¯t be able to make a single move. Thinking about this, Nie Zhenbang picked up the phone and dialed Liu Weijun¡¯s number, saying: ¡°Secretary General Liu, could you inform the Finance Department that I will be conducting a research visit there tomorrow morning.¡±
Chapter 415: 397: Drawing the Fire From Under the Pot_1 Chapter 415: Chapter 397: Drawing the Fire From Under the Pot_1 Nie Zhenbang was going to investigate at the Finance Bureau, that afternoon, Liu Weijun just passed the message to Ren Yong from the Finance Bureau. Ren Yong rushed to the City Committee Office Building. Ren Yong was about thirty-four or five years old. He was not tall, about 1.7 meters, his body proportion was very well bnced. Overall, he looked very sharp. His looks were quite appealing. His eyebrows were very thick, in this respect, he was somewhat simr to Fan Changsheng. Seeing Ren Yonge in, Wang Mingxuan stood up smiling, pointing to the door: ¡°Mr. Ren, in you go, there¡¯re not many people in the Secretary¡¯s office right now.¡± Ren Yong pushed the door and went in, he did not have the usual awe for the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, he sat down on the sofa. Looking at Fan Changsheng who was as steady as Mount Taishan in front of the table, Ren Yong spoke up: ¡°Uncle, it seems like you¡¯re not even bothered. Nie Zhenbang is probably going to make a move against me. He blocked Chen Le¡¯s funds yesterday. Looking at that guy Chen Le, he would love to tear me apart. This time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯sing on strong, I suppose he¡¯s going to make a move against me.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly, he spoke very seriously: ¡°What are you panicking about? You¡¯re way past thirty, yet you¡¯re still so impetuous. If he¡¯s strong, let him be, a gentle breeze grazes the mountain ridge, you neither steal nor rob nor are you corrupt, what are you afraid of him for? To pick a bone, there needs to be a legitimate reason.¡± They always said nephews resemble uncles. He was satisfied with his sister¡¯s son, Ren Yong; unlike his own son, who always stays in Jiangzhou, and hang around a group of yamen born, also nning to establish apany. This annoyed Fan Changsheng a lot. In Fan Changsheng¡¯s view, all the rich and wealth were illusions, only power was real, having power meant having everything. Seeing as his son was simply not cut out for the officialdom, Fan Changsheng put all his thoughts on his nephew, Ren Yong. He was quite pleased with Ren Yong. An outstanding student from Jiangbei University who, after being assigned to Liangxi City and with Fan Changsheng¡¯s nourishment, has done several big things. With a sessful career, he became a Deputy Level official at just thirty-two. This time, hopping over to the Finance Bureau, taking on a position of the Bureau Chief which is a Director Level, and he¡¯s just thirty-five. Apart from people who have deep backgrounds like Nie Zhenbang and Li Guohua, he really demonstrated great promise. He could still hold this position for a couple more terms and by the time he retires, he reckoned his nephew would at least reach his current position. There was also a chance for the young to outdo the old. After some thought, Fan Changsheng still decided to give his nephew a heads up. Even though, in terms of age, Nie Zhenbang was younger than his nephew. But Fan Changsheng was very clear, the two were not even on the same level in terms of ability. ¡°Xiao Yong, be careful with the matters of the Finance Bureau. Nie Zhenbang is not an easy person to deal with. If anythinges up, push it to me. No matter how aggressive Nie Zhenbang is, there¡¯s not much he can do against me.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s words had a naturally domineering tone. The Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee didn¡¯t hold his position for nothing. His actions naturally exuded a kind of dignity. Upon hearing this, Ren Yong was overjoyed, he immediately stood up and shyly said: ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m reassured with your words. No matter how aggressive Nie Zhenbang is, what can he do against you? Alright, I¡¯ll go back and make arrangements first. Nie Zhenbang doesn¡¯t like ostentatiousness, right? I¡¯ll make sure to give him avish wee.¡±
The next day. Sunny and bright, a rare day. In this rainy season, the sun rarely came out in Liangxi City. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car drove straight into the courtyard of the Finance Bureau. Looking at the scene ahead, Liu Weijun furrowed his brows. As the Secretary-General of the municipal government, Liu Weijun must maintain unity with Nie Zhenbang. Although, Liu Weijun knew very well that he wouldn¡¯t have this position as the Secretary-General for long. Allegedly, he would be transferred to Liangxi Medical School to serve as the Secretary of the Party Committee. Liu Weijun was quite anxious. How could an educational and health unitpare to the Party and government agencies? With his qualifications, he could also serve as the head of a county. So, Liu Weijun was quite eager. ¡°Mayor, this Ren Yong is really out of line. I clearly informed him yesterday. Yet he behaves like this. Or, you wait a moment, I¡¯ll go down and arrange.¡± Liu Weijun¡¯s expression looked furious. Nie Zhenbangughed, Liu Weijun was not a bad person at heart. If it weren¡¯t because Yi Jun was waiting for this position, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t mind letting Liu Weijun continue his duty. ¡°Weijun, let it be. Let¡¯s go down together. Respect does not lie in appearances, let¡¯s not be too formal. I think, the arrangement of the Finance Bureau is quite good.¡± Nie Zhenbang started speaking. At this moment, Liu Weijun was stunned, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling overjoyed in his heart. Mayor Nie called him Weijun, this intimately warm address, this is something that has never happened before. In the past, Mayor Nie would address him as Secretary Liu, orrade Weijun. Now, this means that he has already won the recognition of Nie Zhenbang. Yi Jun got out of the car first and opened the door for Nie Zhenbang. After getting out of the car, Nie Zhenbang was also looking around at the Finance Bureau office building, which is a new office building in use sincest October. A white ceramic tile wall, a long rectangr office building, slightly bent. In the center is the lobby of the office building, on the columns on either side, on the left hangs a row of signs, the Liangxi City Finance Bureau. There were no weing banners on the building, no weing team at the entrance. Underneath the building, there was only one person waiting. Liu Weijun quietly introduced, ¡°Mayor, this is Ren Yong, he is Secretary Fan¡¯s nephew.¡± These words stunned Nie Zhenbang for a moment. It seemed, his change of attitude towards Liu Weijun was worthwhile, at least he was unaware of this connection. Liu Weijun, after all, was an old hand in Liangxi city, he was very clear about some of the city¡¯s inner connections. Nie Zhenbang then stepped forward. Seeing Nie Zhenbang approaching, Ren Yong also greeted him, ¡°Mayor Nie, wee, wee.¡± Hearing Ren Yong¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression was very calm and serious. He said casually, ¡°Director Ren, I¡¯ve heard that the city¡¯s finances are tight and funds are scarce. I¡¯m shocked that it¡¯s only March, not even April yet, and you¡¯ve run into this situation. There are seven or eight months left in the year. How do you n to get by? I couldn¡¯t sit still and I came to see how the finance bureau manages the hundreds of millions of annual ie and funds, all of which have run out in these three months.¡± These words were rather harsh. At this moment, Ren Yong, hearing these words, was clearly embarrassed, his face didn¡¯t look good. Fortunately, Ren Yong didn¡¯t call the others down. He wasn¡¯t losing face at the moment. After adjusting his mentality, Ren Yong also smiled and said, ¡°Mayor, this way please, everyone in the meeting room is waiting for you.¡± With Ren Yong leading the way, Nie Zhenbang and his entourage entered the meeting room of the finance bureau. At the moment, the members of the leadership team of the finance bureau¡¯s party group had already waited here.
With a nce, he caught Liu Qingquan¡¯s gaze. He nodded slightly, and then Nie Zhenbang sat down. On his left was the secretary-general of the city government, Liu Weijun, and on his right was Yi Jun. Ren Yong sat next to Liu Weijun, while the other leaders of the Finance Bureau took their respective seats. After a quick look around, Nie Zhenbang kept a straight face and said, ¡°I came to the Finance Bureau this time with a pair of ears. Mainly, I want to listen to the Finance Bureau¡¯s arrangements and budget for this year¡¯s finances. Director Ren, who is in charge of this aspect? Please introduce.¡± Raising an eyebrow, Ren Yong exined with a strained smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, I personally oversee this aspect of the work. In our Liangxi city, we follow the one-stroke policy, and so does the Finance Bureau. The main work is handled by me.¡± Following that, Ren Yong borated on the overall financial situation and nning for the whole Liangxi city, touching on estimated revenue, expenditure, and such matters. To be fair, Ren Yong was quite a talent. In terms of finance, he had a very solid foundation. All kinds of data came off his tongue easily, showing that Ren Yong wasn¡¯t one to idle.
After the report, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone shifted, and he said, looking at Ren Yong, ¡°Director Ren, a few days ago, the city¡¯s public security bureau needed an allocation of two million funds to purchase police cars and other equipment. Howe I heard that you stopped it here, and finally, like squeezing toothpaste, squeezed thirty thousand for them?¡± ¡°After a pause, Nie Zhenbang said gravely, ¡°Comrades, don¡¯t underestimate the role of the public security bureau. At present, although economic construction is the focus, a good public security environment is also necessary. While developing the economy, we should take care of the logistical support work for the public security department and let all the city¡¯s public security officers have no distractions. This is worthwhile. This is also necessary. Imagine, if the safety of life and property of the people in the city can not be guaranteed, everyone is in a state of panic. The rich would run to other cities. How could our Liangxi develop then? What is there to talk about development?¡± As soon as his words fell, everyone at the Finance Bureau fell silent. Mayor Nie was furious at the moment. His personal directive had no effect. It was already very good of him to be so calm. Moreover, this matter was handled by Ren Yong alone. Naturally, other party members wouldn¡¯t voluntarily take the me. Ren Yong knew that at this time, he had to step up. If he won, his position in the Finance Bureau would be further consolidated. From then on, this would be his territory, it would be difficult for Nie Zhenbang to intervene. If he couldn¡¯t hold on, there would be internal frictions within the Finance Bureau. Even worse, he might be sidelined. Following what he and his uncle Fan Changsheng had agreed on beforehand, Ren Yong now shifted all the issues to him. He exined with a strained smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, concerning this matter, allow me to exin. It¡¯s not that our Finance Bureau wasn¡¯t allocating funds. The fact is, we at the Finance Bureau also have difficulties. Most of the money is stuck in the ount, Secretary Fan has given a dead order, this money, cannot be moved, it¡¯s for the Liangxi Airport.¡± As soon as his words fell, Nie Zhenbang mmed the table and said in a deep voice, ¡°Ridiculous, the city¡¯s finances control the whole city¡¯s economy. It¡¯s not just for one job. The Liangxi Airport project is being taken over by the city government. It won¡¯t be sessful in a short time. Could it be said that all the cadres and masses in the city don¡¯t need money, that it should be kept in the bank to get moldy? What are you doing, Ren Yong? When did it be your concern what the city¡¯s resolution was? You just need to manage the financial expenditures and ie. How exactly it should be used in the city, naturally, the city would coordinate.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang said indifferently, ¡°Director Ren, as far as the work of the Finance Bureau is concerned, I see that you are very busy. Although it is true that the capable should do more, it¡¯s not necessary for you to do everything. I think letting Comrade Liu Qingquan be responsible for financial allocations can also help share your workload.¡± These words were absolutely ruthless. Ren Yong was stunned. He hadn¡¯t expected Nie Zhenbang to be so direct, giving him a low blow. ( Chapter 416 - 398: Strike the Snake at Seven Inches_1 Chapter 416: Chapter 398: Strike the Snake at Seven Inches_1 At this moment, the conference room was also silent, and the members of the finance bureau knew it was not their ce to talk. At a time like this, observing Mayor Nie¡¯s attitude was crucial, anyone who spoke would be deemed a fool. Plus, some people were considering that Liu Qingquan from the finance bureau was likely to rise to power. It¡¯s better to align with him now rather thanter. As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm. If Ren Yong knew that some members of his team still had this mindset, perhaps he wouldn¡¯t have blocked the budget from the public security bureau. Moreover, Ren Yong didn¡¯t anticipate that Nie Zhenbang would intervene in the internal affairs of the finance bureau without considering his status. Generally speaking, the city does not interfere with the division of work among the various bureaus; this is determined by negotiation within each unit. Because if the city interferes in everything, the nature of things would change. For example, in the Finance Bureau, I am Secretary Fan¡¯s person, Liu Qingquan is Nie Zhenbang¡¯s person, and other deputy directors also have their own channels. Now, Nie Zhenbang is interfering with the internal affairs of the finance bureau. Next, Fan Changsheng could also follow suit and readjust the division of work. Isn¡¯t this never-ending? On the surface, Ren Yong would not confront Nie Zhenbang. After all, the guilt of disobeying the leader is a severe offense. He chuckled in his heart, if you Nie Zhenbang want to disregard the rules, then Uncle can also do such a thing. If you think I¡¯mpromising, then you are gravely mistaken. At this thought, Ren Yong conveyed an appeasing demeanor, and respectfully said: ¡°Mayor Nie, your criticism is justified, we haven¡¯t fully understood the intent of the senior leadership. We have been rigid in our work, from now on, our finance bureau leadership must strengthen learning in this regard.¡± After finishing, Ren Yong nced at his wristwatch and managed a smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, it¡¯s almost half-past ten, we have prepared a banquet here, why not have your meal here before you leave?¡± No matter which faction Ren Yong belonged to, certain customs must be observed. If these basics are absent, others would say that youck respect for the leadership. This is something Ren Yong cannot afford. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t give Ren Yong this respect. His visit to the finance bureau was meant to put Ren Yong in his ce. Moreover, since he dared to intervene, Nie Zhenbang also had his own backup n. He promptly stood up and said: ¡°I won¡¯t be having a meal. There¡¯s plenty of work at the city hall. Director Qingquan, from now on, you need to assist Director Ren with the work of the finance bureau.¡± After finishing, he affectionately patted Liu Qingquan on the shoulder. Despite Nie Zhenbang being younger than everyone else in the room, his rank made him seem quite fitting for the role. Liu Qingquan also nodded, expressing gratitude, ¡°Mayor Nie, rest assured. I will fully assist Director Ren and do a good job in the city¡¯s finance work so as not to drag down the city.¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang left, Ren Yong, with a sheet-white face, could be seen heading towards his car. ording to the rules, local government officials, generally speaking, are not entitled to personal vehicles and secretaries. But rules are inflexible, while people are adaptable. The local leaders slightly better off, have only a secretary. Those others serving beneath them are assigned other duties, while the local bureaucrats in the counties and cities are much bolder. Ren Yong¡¯s car is a brand new Audi A6. Every ce has its own characteristics; if local leaders prefer a certain brand, certainly, the officials below will follow suit. It¡¯s a way to align with the leadership. Watching Ren Yong¡¯s car leave through the gate, one of the deputy directors whispered to Liu Qingquan, ¡°Old Liu, it seems like Ren Yong is heading to the municipal partymittee.¡± In the municipal office, Ren Yong looked rather peeved as he sat on the couch and said to Fan Changsheng, ¡°Uncle, Nie Zhenbang clearly crossed the line today. He doesn¡¯t understand rules at all. If everyone behaved like him, then why would we fight over positions? The ones holding the deputy positions would manage everything. It¡¯s obvious he doesn¡¯t regard you highly.¡± At least Ren Yong wasn¡¯t too angry, he still knew to use an honorific. At this moment, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face was gloomy, inscrutable, only revealing his displeasure. It was normal; anyone hearing about someone breaking the rules will not be in a good mood. Moreover, Finance is a major chip in Fan Changsheng¡¯s hand. It can be used to bnce other forces, soothe subordinates, or even to strangle others. This position, Fan Changsheng¡¯s territory, was not to be trampled upon by others. After a moment of contemtion, Fan Changsheng frowned and said, ¡°How many times have I told you not to bring familial rtions into the workce? This is a party and government office, you¡¯re a public official, a party cadre, not your uncle¡¯s cadre.¡± Ren Yong was a bit puzzled. What was happening today? Not only did he not receive any support, but he was also criticized. Feeling a bit indignant, he looked up and said, ¡°Uncle¡­ ah, no, Secretary Fan. About this matter, I¡­¡± Fan Changsheng waved his hand and said solemnly, ¡°Prepare yourself and go home, you cannot do it tomorrow, as I have to host an American Enterprise Delegation. So, the day after tomorrow, I will go and inspect the Ministry of Finance.¡± Fan Changsheng hesitated slightly before making the decision. Since you, Nie Zhenbang, do not care about face, then, naturally, I, Fan Changsheng, needn¡¯t be courteous with you. Let¡¯s all vite the rules. If you rece a person today, I will rece a person tomorrow. That¡¯s the attitude from Fan Changsheng. The importance of the Ministry of Finance makes it impossible for Fan Changsheng to give up easily. ¡­ Meanwhile, at the city government. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also meeting Chen Le in his office. Looking at Chen Le, Nie Zhenbang joked, ¡°Chen Le, for your matter, I¡¯ve really put my neck on the line. I¡¯ve even vited the rules. The two million has also been transferred to your Public Security Bureau ount. This time, no matter what, you have to handle the matter well for me. Strike the snake at seven inches, this time, if youe back without any achievement, don¡¯t think about receiving any funds this year.¡± At this moment, Chen Le stood up, with a sweep of his yfully smiling expression from his face, he said solemnly, ¡°Mayor, rest assured. Everything has been investigated clearly, this time, I absolutely guarantee to satisfy you.¡± Breaking the rules is not a capricious act of his own. However, this time it¡¯s coincided with the Public Security Bureau¡¯s own affairs. Dealing with the Ministry of Finance was also an inevitable matter. However, he didn¡¯t harbor any illusions about the position of the director of the Ministry of Finance. After all, Ren Yong had not been in office for long. A recement still needed a reason, either promotion or transfer. There always needs to be an excuse, either outstanding achievements or made some mistakes. But, these two had nothing to do with Ren Yong, and the recement route naturally would not work. Moreover, even if there was an excuse, whether or not it could pass the Standing Committee was another matter. Therefore, after much consideration, Nie Zhenbang finally decided to let Liu Qingquan assume some of the powers of the Ministry of Finance, among them, the most important funds are to be held in hand. However, if he acts recklessly, Fan Changsheng can simrly reim power in the same way, then there would be a tug of war afterwards. This was the reason why Nie Zhenbang had never acted before. But now, Nie Zhenbang was ready to take action. Because, Nie Zhenbang had set his eyes on Fan Changsheng¡¯s lifeblood. Fan Changsheng has two children, his son has been mixing with a group of the provincial Partymittee leaders¡¯ children in Jiangzhou City. His daughter, Fan Lili, has stayed by his side. Now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s target is the entertainment venue set up by Fan Lili ¨C Golden Splendid Entertainment Club. With an old father of secretary of the municipal Partymittee at her back, Fan Lili¡¯s Lisa Entertainment Ltd.¡¯s Golden Splendid Entertainment Club is the most famous and popr ce in Liangxi City. Inside, there are resident singers and exotic dancers. The first floor is a bar nightclub, the second to fifth floors are karaoke rooms, which amodate hundreds of hostesses. The sixth and seventh floors are bathing centers, naturally providing some special services. The eighth floor is arge casino, and the ninth to sixteenth floors are hotel guest rooms. This situation is a well-known secret in Liangxi City and could be easily explored without much effort. Therefore, the purpose of Nie Zhenbang at this time is very clear, he intends to use a surprise inspection of Jinbihuihuang to force Fan Changsheng topromise for his daughter. This is where Fan Changsheng¡¯s seven-inch lifeblood lies. At this moment, in therge conference room of Liangxi Public Security Bureau, all the chiefs of the divisions and units under the city are sitting in the conference room. Although Chen Le was yful when he was with Nie Zhenbang, he was now fully demonstrating the majesty of the city¡¯s public security chief. After scanning his eyes around the room, after several months of clean up and rectification, it can be said that the entire Public Security Bureau has be like an iron fortress. ¡°The following action will mark the beginning of the Liangxi City Public Security System¡¯s ¡¯98 Strike Hard Campaign. This evening¡¯s operation, all participating police forces should gather at the special police brigade¡¯s training ground at five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, confiscate allmunication devices, and prohibit anyone from contacting the outside world. I believe that everyone still has this awareness. Now, after the meeting, go back and gather the police force to report to the special police brigade. The specific tasks will be arranged after arrival.¡± Chen Le issued the action discipline and time very seriously. By five o¡¯clock in the afternoon, all the police officers participating in the operation had already assembled at the Special Police Brigade¡¯s field. For this operation, Chen Le had put a lot of effort into mobilizing four hundred police officers, and also let Feng Kuang lead a group of trustworthy people toy a trap in Jinbihuihuang in advance. After a collective meal, they rested for half an hour, then all gathered on the field again. Several inspectors and leaders of the city bureau came up, one by one confiscatingmunication devices, mobile phones, and beepers. At eight o¡¯clock in the evening, when the night was at its ¡°golden¡± moment, and nightlife was about to begin, Chen Le came out. Around him, dozens of police cars were on standby. Looking at the gathered police officers, Chen Le said in a deep voice, ¡°Depart!¡± (To Be Continued. If you like this work, please vote for rmendations and monthly tickets at Qidian ). Your support is my biggest motivation.) Chapter 417 - 399: Backing Down_1 Chapter 417: Chapter 399: Backing Down_1 Around nine-thirty in the evening, nearly ny police cars gathered around the Golden Splendid Entertainment Club, a shocking sight that immediately drew the attention of passers-by. At the entrance of a sixteen-story building, a host in a police uniform held a microphone in front of the camera and pointed to the building behind him, saying, ¡°At nine tonight, under the leadership of our Bureau Chief and Party Secretary, Chen Le, Liangxi City Public Security Bureau officially kicked off this year¡¯s crackdown. ording to our reporters, this year, the focus of Liangxi City Public Security Bureau will be on cracking down on indecency and illegality in entertainment venues, ensuring the overall security governance of the entire city. All district and city branches have signed letters of ountability. This is Zhou Xin reporting for the legal channel of Jiangbei Provincial Television Station from Liangxi!¡± The police from the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau acted swiftly. Arranged in advance, police cars surrounded the Golden Splendid building as soon as they arrived, blocking all exits, and preventing anyone from escaping. Simultaneously, under Chen Le¡¯s leadership, two hundred officers swiftly stormed the building. Screams immediately erupted from the bar and singing hall on the first floor. ¡°Leave a few people to control this area and arrest all these dancing girls. Everyone else, sweep the floors.¡± Chen Le ordered in a stern, expressionless face. In less than fifteen minutes, officers like Wang Yaowu and He Qingjun who had led the raid upstairs came down one after another. Even the normally calm Wang Yaowu had a smile on his face. He approached Chen Le and whispered, ¡°Chief, we¡¯ve caught a big fish. In a box on the fourth floor, we found some gangsters using drugs. ording to their confession, these drugs came from the Golden Splendid. Additionally, in the bathing center on the sixth floor, we caught neen pairs of men and women engaged in transactional sex. Among them, two are state officials, one a section chief of the city¡¯s transportation bureau and the other a deputy director of the Liangjiang District Transportation Bureau.¡± At this moment, Chen Le was not surprised at all. Given Golden Splendid¡¯s background, as the entertainment venue owned by Fan Changsheng, the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s daughter, it has be the most famous, safest ce for entertainment in Liangxi City. Nobody expected the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau to make a move here. It¡¯s quite normal to catch officials within the system here. ¡°Chief, we caught another big fish on the eighth floor where a crowd was gambling. We seized more than a million yuan in gambling money, and thirty-two gamblers. All of these people are now under our control. What are your orders?¡± He Qingjun also approached. Within the City Public Security Bureau, He Qingjun is a man Chen Le deeply trusts. In the entire bureau, apart from Feng Kuang, it¡¯s He Qingjun who Chen Le trusts most. As the chief of Xiliang District Public Security Sub-Bureau, he is Chen Le¡¯s top lieutenant. At this moment, outside, a car pulled up; a ck Mercedes S600, its sleek body and shiny paint glistening under the nighttime lights. Several bodyguards in ck suits escorted a young woman out of the car. The woman, with her short hair that reached her ears and average height of about 1.65 meters, bore a resemnce to Fan Changsheng. As soon as she walked in, her gazended on Chen Le, her face showing no sign of nervousness or concern. Chen Le also began to specte that this woman was probably Fan Lili, owner of Golden Splendid and daughter of the Municipal Party Committee Secretary, Fan Changsheng. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chief Chen, I¡¯ve been a little neglectfultely due to heavy workmitments. My father recently asked me to help out with some matters back home. I hope you won¡¯t be upset, Brother Chen. I¡¯ll apologize properly another time,¡± Fan Lili said with boldness as she approached. Being the daughter of the Municipal Party Committee Secretary, Fan Lili has had no obstacles in Liangxi city, and at the age of 25, she has inherited quite arge family business. Naturally, it was also this that fostered Fan Lili¡¯s character. As soon as she started talking, she brought up her father¡¯s influence. As far as Fan Lili was concerned, with such backup, no department in the city would dare cross her. So brazen in her attempts to win over state officials in the presence of so many, Fan Lili was truly a unique character. Surely, she must have been confident that no one present would dare speak out. Chen Le remained calm and simply asked, ¡°And you are?¡± At this, Fan Lili¡¯s face changed. She stared at Chen Le and said, ¡°Chen Le, don¡¯t overstep your boundaries. You know exactly who I am, and you know very well who owns this ce. Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯ve arrested some people here that you¡¯ve got something on me. Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t even do this, what makes you think you can? You¡¯re wee to shut down my ce, but let me tell you, it could open again tomorrow. Believe it or not, you are wee to try.¡± Fan Lili¡¯s words made Chen Le¡¯s face change as well, but he just chuckled internally. He thought it amusing that Fan Changsheng, a man who had been savvy his entire life, could actually have such a foolish daughter. He wondered how she ever managed to run such a huge business. Chapter 418: 399: Backing Down_2 Chapter 418: Chapter 399: Backing Down_2 She¡¯s the daughter of the city¡¯s Party Secretary, yet she couldn¡¯t see such an obvious scheme? The fact that so many police officers were mobilized without rming the Party Secretary was obviously a targeted move aimed at her status. Now, they¡¯ve seized so many things, a business suspension is inevitable, and even if pursued further, Fan Lili might have to bear criminal responsibility. But, instead of trying to calm things down, Fan Lili arrogantly tilts her head, behaving in acent manner. Unbeknownst to Chen Le, Fan Changsheng¡¯s two children have no interest in the workings of the system. His son, Fan Weiwei, prefers staying in Jiangzhou rather than returning home, and although Fan Lili lives in Liangxi City, she never concerns herself with the city¡¯s affairs. Although she bought a house and lives outside, she only has a surface-level understanding of the situation in the city. She knows Nie Zhenbang is the new mayor, and Chen Le works for him, but she has no understanding of the rtionship these people have with her father. In other words, Fan Lili always thought that because her dad was the Party Secretary and the top man in Liangxi City, everyone should respect him. It was her arrogance that led to the situation she was now in. At this moment, Chen Le was visibly upset. He turned to Fan Lili and said, ¡°Fan Lili, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. But I¡¯ll tell you this, Liangxi City isn¡¯t yours, Secretary Fan isn¡¯t just your secretary, he is the Secretary to all people of Liangxi. I¡¯ll act as if I didn¡¯t hear what you said, and I advise you to be sensible before you embarrass your fatherpletely.¡± After that, Chen Le turned to the person next to him and said, ¡°Yaowu, ording to the public security administrationw and criminalw, Jinbihuihuang is suspected of harboring prostitution, gambling, and drug trafficking. Now, I order aplete shutdown of this ce. When to reopen it will be decided after the investigation.¡± Fan Lili¡¯s face sank, her eyes filled with anger. She hadn¡¯t expected Chen Le to dare to seize her business while she unted her powerful background. Her expression turned gloomy, her gaze deadly, but now, even Fan Lili knew resistance was futile. With a cold snort, she said, ¡°Very well, Chen Le, I will remember this. We¡¯ll see.¡± Watching Fan Lili leave, the staff of Jinbihuihuang was dispirited. If the boss herself had left, they, who didn¡¯t have a powerful background like hers, could only acquiesce to Chen Le¡¯s orders. One by one, the police started sealing off the entire building. ¡­ Typically, Fan Changsheng would be asleep by ten o¡¯clock, but the banging sound from the living room roused him. He put on some clothes and came out to see his daughter sitting angrily on the sofa. Surprised, Fan Changsheng asked, ¡°Lili, why are you¡­¡±
Before he could finish, Fan Lili burst out, ¡°Dad, Chen Le has gone too far. Tonight, he brought hundreds of people to seal mypany! Dad, I am running a legitimate business. Chen Le knew I¡¯m your daughter, but he embarrassed you. You must teach him a lesson.¡± Upon hearing Fan Lili¡¯s words, Fan Changsheng stood up, aghast. He hadn¡¯t expected Nie Zhenbang to respond this quickly and he was quite annoyed. He looked at his daughter, only now realizing just how much she¡¯d misled him. If it was really a legitimate business, would Nie Zhenbang dare to take action? Nie¡¯s team had obviouslye prepared. ¡°You are very well aware of your affairs. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m old and know nothing. If you were truly doing legal business and obeying the rules, would anyone dare to harm you?¡± Fan Changsheng spoke sternly. Looking at his daughter on the couch, he wondered if he had indulged her too much. Unlike his daughter, Fan Changsheng understood the implications perfectly. The problem wasn¡¯t merely the sealing, but whaty beneath. If brought to justice, his daughter might be implicated, and imprisonment wouldn¡¯t be surprising. They were forcing him to give up the Finance Bureau. However, at this moment, Fan Changsheng had no choice but topromise, after all, it involved his own daughter¡¯s future. ¡°Deal with your issue yourself. Go see Nie Zhenbang tomorrow morning. Appeal to Nie in this matter won¡¯t help you. If Nie lets you go, you¡¯re safe. Otherwise, prepare for prison.¡± With that, Fan Changsheng got up and walked into his study. On the surface, he appeared stern, but as soon as he entered the room, he picked up the phone. Once the call connected, Fan Changsheng cheerfully said, ¡°Mayor Nie? This is Fan Changsheng. I wanted to discuss some municipal finance-rted work with you, which is why I¡¯m calling sote. Ren Yong is going to the provincial party school for studies, a one-year leave. The Finance Bureau¡¯s work is crucial to the entire city so we can¡¯t leave the Director¡¯s position vacant for too long. I think Liu Qingquan is quite capable of handling the work.¡± Hearing Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat taken aback. Fan Changsheng had really agreed topromise. When his daughter¡¯s future was at stake, he had no choice but to concede. His actions were clearly a warning to Fan Changsheng to stay away from the Finance Bureau. However, Nie Zhenbang was surprised at Fan Changsheng¡¯s audacity to vacate the Director¡¯s position as well. He quickly realized that since the power to allocate funds from the Finance Bureau was already in Liu Qingquan¡¯s hands, it was better to give up the position. This demonstrated Fan Changsheng¡¯s magnanimity. Then, Nie Zhenbang replied with a smile, ¡°Secretary Fan, I think it¡¯s a good idea. Comrade Liu Qingquan is capable, he can surely handle the work of the Finance Bureau. Also, I heard that Chen Le sealed your daughter¡¯spany tonight. This Chen Le really iswless. mping down on investment environment has always been the priority, and this time, he needs to be seriously critiqued. He shouldn¡¯t behave rashly, causing anxiety among the city¡¯s citizens.¡± Since Fan Changsheng had wisely given up the most important power of the Finance Bureau, Nie naturally had to show his attitude as well. They had to reciprocate the favors, they couldn¡¯t take advantage without doing anything in return. Fan Changsheng seemed nonchnt at this point, after a moment, he added calmly: ¡°Thanks for handling this, Mayor Nie. I am growing old; I can¡¯t keep up with energetic young ones like you. I won¡¯t keep you any longer.¡±(To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it at . Your support is my greatest motivation). Chapter 419: 400 – Changes in Liangxi City_1 Chapter 419: Chapter 400 ¨C Changes in Liangxi City_1 The next day, Chen Le, of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, personally issued a public announcement. After various investigations and evidence-gathering, Jinbihuihuang was suspected of operating obscene programs. Its night stage was shut down and a rectification suggestion was proposed, along with a fine of five hundred thousand. As for other responsibilities, the public had no idea at all, and Chen Le naturally would not exin further. Meanwhile, besides the two million allocation from the Finance Department, Chen Le had also seized more than two million from the sudden inspection on Jinbihuihuang. With such plentiful finances at his disposal, Chen Le purchased thirty Cheetah off-road vehicles at once. Of these, sixteen were left with the various detachment teams of the bureau¡¯s headquarters, with the remaining fourteen evenly distributed among the seven district bureau branches across the city. The style of operation within the Public Security Bureau, functioning like the military, was not too different from the actual military. Chen Le, as the bureau chief, achieved a new level of respect and authority within the bureau, not only for acquiring all the new vehicles at once but also for investigating Jinbihuihuang. Nie Zhenbang, on the other hand, was quite calm. His attitude had always been such, primarily considering development matters. However, if anyone crossed him, Nie Zhenbang was ruthless and cunning. Even rumors outside suggested that Mayor Nie¡¯s style was to either not move at all or, if he moved, to make sure no one could counteract. Deputy Mayor Li Guohua was once so impressive, introducing foreign-funded enterprises and steering the economic development of Liangxi City. But now, all those foreign-funded enterprises were rejected outright, and Li Guohua was busy dealing with pollution prevention projects, with no foreseeable opening date in sight. This move had essentially stripped away Li Guohua¡¯s pride and dignity. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t give this much thought. He might not be able to influence others too much, but his principle was that being an official was to benefit the public and be true to one¡¯s conscience. So, whenever he was in a ce, he considered work, and anyone who blocked his work was his enemy. ¡°Mr. Mayor, I just received an urgent notice. Secretary Fan has proposed to hold an emergency standingmittee meeting to discuss several personnel issues,¡± said Yi Jun, as he walked in and spoke quietly. Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang scoffed. Secretary Fan Changsheng did indeede up with a good idea. At this point, was he still trying to save face for him? The personnel issues most likely included the vacancy for the organization department head. Huang Junshan, being promoted to vice-chairman of the political consultative conference, was probably imminent. There couldn¡¯t be a vacancy for the position of the Standing Committee Organization Department head. Now that Nie Zhenbang had taken control of the Finance Department, Fan Changsheng would definitely fight for this position. If he even lost the organization affairs, Fan Changsheng¡¯s prestige would surely take a heavy hit, and considering his personality, it was something he would never allow. The second personnel issue was probably about Ren Yong. Fan Changsheng must handle this issue as promises were made to be fulfilled. Deals made would take a long time in a regr standingmittee and go through the secretary¡¯s office council, which wouldn¡¯t be favourable to Fan. An urgent handling now was most appropriate. It was also a good opportunity to reassign Liu Weijun to Liangjiang District as deputy secretary of the districtmittee under Ye Zhengwen. Meanwhile, officially promoting Yi Jun was also due time.
As he arrived timely and unhurriedly at the conference room of the municipal partymittee, Fan Changsheng came from the other side. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Fan Changsheng¡¯s eyes revealed a shade of resentment. Nie Zhenbang captured this moment, Fan¡¯s hatred for himself was inevitable. Should he care at all? Internal-system political rivals were more ruthless than enemies, wanting to trap their opponent in a hopeless situation. But on the surface, they needed to maintain a friendly facade. Before Fan Changsheng could speak, Nie Zhenbang approached him with a smile and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, shall we proceed together?¡± Fan Changsheng nodded, his face also revealed a faint smile and calmly said, ¡°After you, Mayor Nie.¡± The two of them, both wearing smiles, entered the meeting room one after the other, confusing the standingmittee members. At that moment, Li Guohua looked upset. Fan Changsheng was fickle. He had gotten close to him for less than two days, and he had joined forces with Nie Zhenbang again. As soon as they sat down, Fan Changsheng slowly began, ¡°I called everyone together temporarily for two main issues to discuss.¡± A very straightforward initiation made Nie Zhenbang secretly smile. After some time, Fan Changsheng was no longerposed, signaling a good sign. People tend to make mistakes and reveal ws when they are flustered. If Fan Changsheng is asposed as when he first arrived in Liangxi, he wouldn¡¯t know how to intervene. ¡°This time, the Provincial Party School is nning to host a training course for young officials. It is in response to the Central Party School¡¯s appeal for young officials steered by the Central Organization Department. This training course has strict requirements for age and position. The age requirement is under thirty-five, and the position should be at the full division level or at the vice-ministerial level. With these restrictions, Comrade Ren Yong from our city is a suitable candidate. Therefore, I n to rmend Ren Yong to study at the Provincial Party School.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s speech was concise, devoid of any superfluous words, going straight to the point. This was entirely different from Fan Changsheng¡¯s usual style, baffling the other standingmittee members. At the same time, everyone knew that the issue of Ren Yong was not the main problem. His future was a long way off regardless of how promising it might be, and it had nothing to do with the present. However, the main focus of everyone at the moment was on the new bureau chief. Fan Changsheng paused for a moment, then spoke again, ¡°In matters of personnel in the Finance Bureau, I propose Comrade Liu Qingquan, the incumbent deputy director, to take over. Thisrade is a professional trained economist, a legitimate college graduate in finance, with a solid foundation in his field. He has been deputy director of the Finance Bureau for many years, and I believe he is fully capable of performing this duty.¡± As he finished speaking, there was silence in the room. The scene was eerie. Was Secretary Fan not thinking clearly today? Nie Zhenbang, sitting beside him, nodded and said, ¡°Hmm, I think Comrade Liu Qingquan is also a very suitable choice. I agree with Secretary Fan¡¯s opinion.¡± At this moment, Li Guohua snorted coldly. Everyone knew what happened with the Jinbihuihuang case, and at this moment, when put together, they naturally understood the rules of the game. So, at this time, people would not put themselves in the position to me the secretary and the mayor. Everyone unanimously passed the appointment of Liu Qingquan. Just as his words fell, Nie Zhenbang continued in a softer voice, ¡°Secretary Fan, andrades, I would also like to raise a personnel issue. Comrade Zheng Guosheng, the current deputy secretary of the Liangjiang District Party Committee, has reached the age to be transferred to the City People¡¯s Congress for semi-retirement. For the issue of the deputy secretary of the Liangjiang District Committee, I think the Secretary-General of the city government, Comrade Liu Weijun, is quite suitable.¡± The moment these words were spoken, Li Guohua sneered. Fan Changsheng must be tasting the bitter fruit of his own brewing by now. Coborating with Nie Zhenbang is like bargaining one¡¯s own life with a tiger, isn¡¯t it? Now, just as one would expect, Nie Zhenbang is starting to make his move. The Liangjiang District is where the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government is situated, and a deputy secretary of the Liangjiang District Committee is indeed a very valuable position. With this in mind, Li Guohua responded indifferently, ¡°Mayor Nie, Comrade Zheng Guosheng hasn¡¯t retired yet. I think this matter is not urgent.¡± The incident of the postponing the People¡¯s Congress left Fan Changsheng feeling deeply unsatisfied with him. Although Nie Zhenbang¡¯s increasing strength indicated signs of reconciliation between the two, their rtionship was not as good as it had been. By now, Li Guohua had adjusted his mindset. At this moment, Li Guohua had a clear understanding. Although Jiangbei is the traditional territory of the Li family, others will not hand you power, unless it¡¯s a matter of life and death. Therefore, Li Guohua keenly realized that this was a rare golden opportunity. He would undermine this proposal to mend and win over Fan Changsheng¡¯s favor.
Hearing Li Guohua¡¯s words, Zhu Zhuozhen next to him coughed lightly and said solemnly, ¡°I also have a few things to say. I actually think that Comrade Liu Weijun is very good. As the long-time Secretary-General of the government, his administration is well ordered. Also, Comrade Liu Weijun is already at the official department-level position, and I think it is appropriate for him to serve as the deputy secretary of the Liangjiang District Committee. The Liangjiang District, as the venue of the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government, is equivalent to the Secretary of Jiangzhou City serving as a standing member of the Provincial Party Committee. Ye Zhengwen, the secretary of the Liangjiang District Party Committee, also enjoys the treatment of a deputy department level. Therefore, Liu Weijun holding a department-level position as the deputy secretary of the District Committee is precisely appropriate.¡± As Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s words fell, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face also became solemn. Recently, Nie Zhenbang seemed to be getting the upper hand all the time. Did he really think that Liangxi City had gone through a change of regime? Nie Zhen must understand that he was still the one in charge in Liangxi. Immediately, Fan Changsheng said in a deep voice, ¡°Let¡¯s put the issue of the deputy secretary of the Liangjiang District on hold for now. Let¡¯s discuss it at the next Standing Committee meeting. Now, Comrade Huang Junshan has already moved to the Political Consultative Conference, and the position of the minister of the Organization Department has been vacated. Let¡¯s all discuss a bit and see if there is a suitable candidate?¡± The position of the Minister of the Organization Department is one of the top-ranking positions in the Municipal Party Committee. Even Li Xiaoqin has ambitions for it. For a moment, the atmosphere became more subdued.
At this moment, Fan Changsheng said slowly: ¡°The Organization Department Minister is a cadre managed by the province, and the city only has the right to rmend but not to decide. I happen to have a suitable candidate. I believe Propaganda Department Minister Comrade Li Xiaoqin might be considered for the position of the Organization Department Minister. Deputy Propaganda Department Minister Comrade Guo Wenhui could take up the position of Propaganda Department Minister.¡± As Fan Changsheng¡¯s words fell, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow also furrowed. He looked up and met Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s gaze. The two exchanged nces, unable to deny that Fan Changsheng had yed a very sophisticated move. With Li Xiaoqin stepping up, a position is filled, and since they all sit on the Standing Committee, it¡¯s hard for anyone to oppose. This, in turn, woulde with less resistance than if they had to elect a new person. And with Guo Wenhui taking over as the Propaganda Department Minister, everything seems to perfectly fit. This round was far more masterful than simple re-election. As none of the standingmittee members voiced any objection, it looked like they were all taking Li Xiaoqin¡¯s feelings into ount. If they were to express opposition, they would offend Li Xiaoqin. For a while, the conference room fell into silence. ( Chapter 420: 401: Everyone is Running to the Province_1 Chapter 420: Chapter 401: Everyone is Running to the Province_1 Silence, like the deep stillness of the night. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also silently realized that something was off. He looked at Fan Changsheng¡¯s confident expression. This old man, he probably was prepared a long time ago. This was the so-called ¡°not being able to save face¡± characteristic of Huaxia people. Nobody held grudges as severe as vendettas, and though they had differing political stands, they hadn¡¯t experienced a life and death situation, rtively, their rtionship was harmonious. But now? To rashly oppose Li Xiaoqin¡¯s appointment as head of the organization department in front of these standingmittee members? This is something that just couldn¡¯t be brought up. Even Nie Zhenbang felt the same way. If he were to voice his opinion, others would see it as him being unnecessarily oppressive. Others would then worry about whether they too would be the target of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heavy hand in the future. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang also did not dare to act recklessly. Fan Changsheng appeared calm on his face, as if, he has achieved a state of neither joy nor sorrow. In fact, whether Li Xiaoqin¡¯s nomination to be Minister of Organization could pass, Fan Changsheng didn¡¯t have the slightest worry, and now it seems that this is indeed the case. He subsequently spoke slowly, ¡°Since everyone has no objections, let¡¯s settle this matter. Comrade Li Xiaoqin will be our Liangxi City Committee¡¯s rmendation to submit. As for the specifics, it will depend on the attitude of the provincialmittee.¡± The attendants all knew the implications of what Fan Changsheng said, and his air of triumph wasn¡¯t hidden. Aside from the top four posts in the citymittee, under normal circumstances, unless there is a stir from the province, the province would often consider the local opinions. Subsequently, Fan Changsheng stood up, he told in a deep voice, ¡°Zhu, concerning the appointment of staff to the Finance Bureau, I think you should take more interest. Now that the position of Organization Department Head is vacant, you¡¯ll be responsible for discussing this with Comrade Liu Qingquan, as you¡¯re the Deputy Secretary in charge of Party Mass Line and organization personnel. Thepetent take on more work. As for other matters, it will be left to the new Head of Organization Department once they start, the meeting is dismissed!¡± ¡°Mayor Nie, shall we walk together?¡± Looking at Fan Changsheng leaving the conference room with his hands behind his back, Li Guohua, Li Xiaoqin, Hu Youquan and Wen Yuhe also began to leave, but Zhu Zhuozhen stopped by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side and initiated a conversation. Watching Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s appearance, Nie Zhenbang also replied with a smile, ¡°Secretary Zhu, I¡¯m honored. Please lead the way.¡± Ye Zhengwen is a trusted follower of Zhu Zhuozhen. Among the standingmittee, Zhu Zhuozhen only has Ye as a close crony. Now,pared to him, he is a bit weaker, yet, Zhu Zhuozhen still straddles between himself and Fan Changsheng¡¯s forces. Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s intentions and calctions, though unspoken, were well apparent- However, to gain advantages while straddling between conflicting forces was no easy task. Soon, Nie Zhenbang lightly smiled, ¡°Secretary Zhu, it seems like managing personnel organization might not be an easy task for you.¡±
Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s face darkened. As the Deputy Secretary who oversaw the party-mass ideological work and personnel organization, his respect, repute and stature within the city, though not surpassing Secretary and the Mayor, should at the least be in the top three. But Zhu Zhuozhen did not get the respect and status he deserved. He had no part in the personnel organization work. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were clear to Zhu Zhuozhen who sighed, ¡°Mayor Nie, a Secretary is the head of a family. He¡¯s the ss monitor, and what are we? Concubines. However, appointing Comrade Liu Weijun as the Deputy Secretary of Liangjiang District, I believe, is very appropriate. Comrade Liu Weijun is capable and experienced. If he can work in the Liangjiang District, he would be an invaluable assistant to Comrade Zhengwen.¡± ¡°Haha, Secretary Zhu, your praise is too kind. I¡¯d like that too. However, I wonder if Weijun is fortunate enough to be on the same team as Comrade Zhengwen.¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled, paused for a while, and continued, ¡°Secretary Zhu, tonight, I n to head to Jiangzhou overnight. There are some things that I need to report to the seniors. Thus, I won¡¯t be apanying you for long.¡± Watching Nie Zhenbang leave, Ye Zhengwen approached Zhu Zhuozhen and whispered in a low voice, ¡°Secretary, Nie Zhenbang seems to be getting more and more tricky. I think, we should just cooperate with him.¡± Despite the conversation appearing normal on the surface, in reality, it revealed a lot. Firstly, when Nie Zhenbang said the organization personnel work was hard, he indirectly expressed that the Organization Department Secretary was not on the same page as him, thus rendering his position as Deputy Secretary useless. Afterwards, Zhu indicated support for Liu Weijun as Deputy Secretary of the Liangjiang District, immediately after which, Nie Zhenbang mentioned going to Jiangzhou to report to the seniors. It was quite apparent. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s negotiating condition, heading to province for lobbying, in order to prevent the Organization Department Secretary¡¯s position from falling into Fan Changsheng¡¯s hands. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s not simple. Zhengwen, Mayor Nie is a man with a broad mind and mature tactics, someone who won¡¯t be confined to Liangxi. He has endless prospects. Fan Changsheng was wrong in his judgement. Relying on Shen Yanshuo and pulling rank due to age to think he can cover the whole sky, it¡¯sical, sooner orter, Fan Changsheng will fall in this city.¡± At this moment, Zhu Zhuozhen, like an outsider, was observing the confrontation between Fan Changsheng and Nie Zhenbang. But he was the one who was seeing it the clearest. For this reason, Zhu Zhuozhen could make the wisest decision based on the situation. After sighing, Zhu Zhuozhen left the conference room quickly alongside Ye Zhengwen, and took the elevator downstairs. At the entrance, Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s official car was already waiting. As soon as he got in, he said to his secretary Tian Jiawen, ¡°Tian, call Secretary He and see if Secretary Daan is free today. I n to go and report to Secretary Daan¡¯s office in the afternoon.¡± Tian Jiawen had been Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s secretary for many years and was well-aware of these official matters. Secretary He referred to Secretary Wang Daan¡¯s secretary, He Xintian. Immediately, Tian Jiawen instructed the driver, ¡°To Jiangzhou.¡± Just as Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s official car had left the citymittee and government office building, Nie Zhenbang also came down from the building. Unlike Zhu Zhuozhen, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t bring anyone with him and even drove his own car, quickly departing from the citymittee and government offices. At this moment, on the eleventh floor of the citymittee office building, Fan Changsheng was standing by the window watching this scene. The huge floor-to-ceiling window offered a bird¡¯s-eye view of part of Liangxi City, where the number of skyscrapers was increasing. Although it was not as panoramic as before, Fan Changsheng quite enjoyed this perspective. Then, the phone on the desk rang. Without moving, Fan Changsheng let his secretary, Wang Mingxuan, answer it. After a short while, Wang Mingxuan walked over to Fan Changsheng and whispered, ¡°Secretary, we just got news that Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s car has entered the toll booth heading towards Jiangzhou.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking, the phone rang again. Following a brief conversation, Wang Mingxuan coolly said ¡°Got it¡± into the phone before hanging up. He then turned back to Fan Changsheng and reported, ¡°Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car has also hit the highway. He¡¯s also going to Jiangzhou.¡± At this news, Fan Changsheng unsped his hands from behind his back and made a gesture as if receiving something. Wang Mingxuan promptly fetched a pack of ¡®Zhonghua¡¯ cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, and lit it for Fan Changsheng. Fan Changsheng didn¡¯t smoke much, having no heavy addiction. As he grew older, he became more cautious about his health. Enjoying the nicotine stimtion as he inhaled, Fan Changsheng gazed into the distance, murmuring to himself, ¡°What a bunch of fools. Do they really think they can change their fate by running to the province?¡± As he spoke, Fan Changsheng turned away from the window and walked briskly back to his desk, crushing the cigarette butt forcefully into the ashtray. He then ordered in a deep voice, ¡°Xiao Wang, get the car ready. We¡¯re going to Jiangzhou.¡± As Nie Zhenbang hit the highway, he immediately elerated, quickly overtaking Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s official car. Driving on his own held its own pleasures, as the vehicle would maintain a standard speed only if it was being driven by an official driver to ensure safety. But Nie could drive as he pleased.
Upon leaving Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s car in his rear mirror, Nie Zhenbang took the first exit, knowing that the municipal government¡¯s official car would be let through at the toll booth because it was still within the jurisdiction of Liangxi. He u-turned outside the toll booth and ascended the ramp once more. This time however, he chose to park at the edge of the highway entrance where other cars on the main road could not spot him, promising his own safety while also maintaining a view of the oing traffic. As expected, five minutester, he saw the number one car speeding past him, causing a smile to appear on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. As he foresaw, Fan Changsheng just couldn¡¯t sit still. Seeing everyone run off to the provincial government, the next moves would depend on the face-off between the Standing Committee members of the Provincial Party Committee. On his side, Nie had the support of Governor Ning, while Zhu Zhuozhen had the backing of Wang Daan. It was still uncertain who woulde out on top. When Nie Zhenbang arrived in Jiangzhou, it was still early, only noon. Before his arrival, he had already contacted Ning Shouchang. Instead of proceeding into the provincial governmentplex, he directly entered through the back door of the residential area behind the provincial government offices and stopped right at Ning Shouchang¡¯s doorstep. Opening the trunk, he fetched a pair of special supply Maotai. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gift for Ning. The vi¡¯s door was open, and in Ning Shouchang¡¯s ce, Nie could rx. He stepped in, changing into slippers as soon as he got inside.
At this moment, Ning Shouchang was sitting on the sofa, dressed in a white shirt and a grey vest. Wearing sses and with his hair neatly groomed, he put down the newspaper he was reading as he saw Nie walk in. ¡°Governor Ning, I thought about what to bring, but I know you don¡¯t smoke. So I brought you a pair of Maotai,¡± Nie said, positioning the Maotai on the tea table. He then took a seat. Ning Shouchang picked up the Maotai, inspected it, and then smiled, ¡°Thoughtful of you, Zhenbang. This is a thirty-year-old special cheniu. Not easy to get your hands on these days.¡± Although Ning Shouchang had joined the Nie n only a couple of years ago, he made his loyalties clear. If an average official were toe bearing gifts, Ning would not be this gracious. As for the gifts¡ª it was already a big favor if they weren¡¯t tossed out the door. Ning¡¯s affable attitude was his way of assuring Nie that even though the old patriarch of the Nie family was gone, Ning was still part of the Nie n. ¡°Hehe, Uncle Ning, you really understand liquor. If it were me, it¡¯d be wasted,¡± Nie affectionately addressed Ning in a friendly manner, pausing for a moment before continuing, ¡°Governor, I¡¯ve rushed all the way from Liangxi primarily to update you on some work matters.¡± Before he could finish, Ning Shouchang interrupted, smiling, ¡°I was wondering why the three top leaders from Liangxi are all here in the province. So, you guys have an agenda, huh?¡± ( Chapter 421: 402: Eastern Development Forum_1 Chapter 421: Chapter 402: Eastern Development Forum_1 Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t at all surprised by Ning Shouchang¡¯s statement. He had his own sources of information, and Ning Shouchang, as the governor of Jiangbei, had been able to take advantage of the changing politicalndscape and be attached to the Nie family. Nheless, Ning Shouchang was no ordinary person, regardless of circumstances. Nie Zhenbang understood the strict standards his grandfather had for people. Although his uncle Nie Guodong¡¯s ability was only average, his judgment of people was inherited from their grandfather. Every rat has its path, and every cat has its way. Could Ning Shouchang, without a source of information, remain in his position as governor under such fiercepetition in Jiangbei Province? Nie Zhenbang then responded with a faint smile, ¡°Governor, you are aware as well. What is your view on the appointment of our city¡¯s organization department minister?¡± This showed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intelligence. Despite his deep background, he was constantly wary of relying on it. Others may be wary of his family background, but if he unted it, it would inevitably convey a sense of disdain. Although people wouldn¡¯t say anything upfront, they might view him negatively in private. At this point, Li Guohua made such a mistake, which led directly to his passive situation. Ning Shouchang pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, ¡°Don¡¯t concern yourself with this matter.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s calm demeanor, Ning Shouchang¡¯s eyes revealed a hint of admiration. Nie Zhenbang knew when to advance or retreat, without arrogance or impatience. His own son was an outstanding talent, but he still fell short whenpared to Nie Zhenbang. In Liangxi City, three families vied for power, and the views of Fan Changsheng were to be overthrown by a coalition of Zhu Zhuozhen and Nie Zhenbang. This is what led to the trip to the provincial capital by the three major figures of Liangxi City. However, things in the province were simr, only elevated to a higher level. It wasn¡¯t impossible to secure the position, but the cost would certainly not be small. Wang Daan wouldn¡¯t willingly relinquish the position without setting some terms.
However, it would be difficult for Nie Zhenbang, as the city¡¯s mayor to get the job. Firstly, Nie Zhenbang was an outsider with little foundation in Liangxi City. Secondly, as a mayor, this inherent defect would limit his ability if he got the job. People would rather work with Zhu Zhuozhen, who as the deputy secretary generalmits full-time to personnel affairs, and teams up with the Minister of Organization. Nie Zhenbang was a different case. If he gets his hands on the position of Minister of Organization, there¡¯s a chance he could be marginalized if the Party Secretary and the Deputy Secretary put pressure on him. Instead of that, it would be more beneficial to negotiate terms with Wang Daan. Therefore, from the outset, Ning Shouchang clearly told Nie Zhenbang that we should not consider this position. It¡¯s not in the n. Originally, Ning Shouchang thought he would need to spend some time exining this, but Nie Zhenbang had already seen the situation clearly. In light of this, Ning Shouchang continued, ¡°However, I believe that Wang Daan can offer some favourable conditions. Now that you¡¯ve brought it to the province, it¡¯s out of your hands.¡± Nie Zhenbang chuckled, ¡°Governor, I have no opinion on who takes up the minister¡¯s position, as long as it isn¡¯t one of Fan Changsheng¡¯s people.¡± After pausing briefly, Nie Zhenbang suddenly changed the topic and said, ¡°Governor, although the matter of the Minister of Organization is a side issue, this trip primarily aims to discuss my ideas on the development of Liangxi City with you.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was modest and didn¡¯t mention any specific ns, but only discussed ideas. These could be adjusted based on the leaders¡¯ preferences, but a n would give the impression that things were already settled, making it hard for the leaders to voice their opinions. As a result, their support for future actions would likely diminish. ¡°Oh? I¡¯m looking forward to hearing your ideas,¡± Ning Shouchang responded, seeming genuinely excited. Nie Zhenbang had a reputation as a skilled economist, and Ning Shouchang sincerely wanted to hear his thoughts. The economic development of Liangxi City was thriving, but it had hit a bottleneck. Maintaining this growth rate was not easy, let alone seeking innovation. Ning Shouchang was also facing the same problem in Jiangbei Province. Conditions in Jiangbei were not much different from those in Liangxi City. Nie Zhenbang was facing issues simr to those encountered by Ning Shouchang. Inside the system, there was a rumor that officials all wanted to serve posts in poor and remote areas. This was not false but true. The poorer a ce, the easier it was to achieve political results. Even a three billion yuan investment was considered minor in Jiangbei Province. In contrast, in poorer provinces, it would be a significant investment that could drive economic growth immediately. Chapter 422: 402: Eastern Development Forum_2 Chapter 422: Chapter 402: Eastern Development Forum_2 Three hundred million yuan may only boost Jiangbei Province¡¯s GDP by a few decimal points, but in poor regions, it could likely represent a whole percentage point, or even more. That is the significant impact of economic advancement. As the mayor, Nie Zhenbang must consider the development of Liangxi City, just as Ning Shouchang, being the governor, has to take into ount the development of Jiangbei Province. If Liangxi City and Jiangbei are facing the same challenges, then Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approach would be something Ning could learn from. Therefore, at this moment, Governor Ning seemed very interested. ¡°Governor, Liangxi City has a robust economic base, with five districts and two towns under its jurisdiction. Enterprises in the towns and viges of Yanling City and Zisha City are thriving. My preliminary n is to keep overall economic adjustments in Liangxi City minimal. Experience shows that this approach works. My initial idea is to provide reasonable guidance for vige operations and support the expansion and development of businesses. Our city ns to attract firms rted to these enterprises, forging aplete industrial chain from raw material acquisition and processing down to various derivative products. This will optimize our city¡¯s industrial structure. Our aim is to establishrge businesses and corporations with significant influence domestically and even worldwide, thus stimting the city¡¯s economic growth,¡± Nie Zhenbang outlined his entire n after a brief pause. At this moment, Ning Shouchang began to ponder. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n seemed grand andplex initially, but it actually came down to two simple aspects: expansion and correct guidance. However, this n confirmed Ning Shouchang¡¯s confidence. Some local officials oftenpletely reject their predecessors¡¯ ns and strategies when they take on their new roles, preferring to start new projects ording to their ideas. It seems as if they believe they cannot demonstrate their abilities unless they do so. In fact, Ning Shouchang was well aware that this behavior was driven by vanity. No leader could confidently im that they would stay in one ce forever. If that were the case, it would mean that they would never be promoted. It¡¯s a scenario no one wants to imagine. Typically, leaders stay in one position for a maximum of eight years or as little as one and a half years. By the time they leave, their extensive projects may not have yielded any results and may be abandoned by their sessors. In the end, nothing is aplished. At this moment, Ning Shouchang looked at Nie Zhenbang differently. Many local officials are reluctant to follow in their predecessors¡¯ footsteps for fear of usations of capitalizing on the efforts of others. It was rare for someone as young as Nie Zhenbang to understand and ignore such personal gains and losses. At this moment, Ning Shouchang did not hesitate to praise him, nodding and saying, ¡°Well done. It¡¯s rare to find someone like you who is able to think like this. You truly live up to your reputation. People say that you, Nie Zhenbang, are good at economic administration. I was somewhat skeptical in the past, believing it was more a case of circumstances creating heroes. But now, I believe it.¡± Ning Shouchang paused before continuing, ¡°I think your n is excellent. Building on existing advantages and not discounting the achievements of your predecessor are signs of the correct development mentality. If carried out well, the province will offer its support.¡± ¡°Governor, I have another idea I¡¯d like to discuss with you,¡± Nie Zhenbang said, appearing calm as he revealed another piece of information. This time, Ning Shouchang was even more eager. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, my boy, why are you always holding back? Is there anything you can¡¯t share with your Uncle Ning? Speak your mind quickly. There¡¯s no need to hide anything.¡± Listening to Ning Shouchang, Nie Zhenbangughed. In private, he admitted that there was no need to be so courteous between himself and Ning Shouchang.
However, this was part of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approach. After his grandfather¡¯s death and the copse of the Nie family¡¯s influence, the other ns were eager for their downfall. If he continued to be high-profile as before, he might attract attacks. Nie Zhenbang understood the principle that the tree that stands out gets cut down. So, whether in front of acquaintances or strangers, Nie Zhenbang maintained a modest and low-key demeanor. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean he would let people push him around. If there were real trouble, Nie Zhenbang would be the high-profile ¡®Third Brother Nie¡¯. After organizing his thoughts and words, he straightforwardly said, ¡°Uncle Ning, my idea is that now the trading fair in Yuedong Province is very sessful. Simr events, known as development forums, are also held abroad.¡± Raising his eyebrows at this new term, Ning Shouchang repeated it. Nie Zhenbang smiled: forums, summits and the like might be popr in Huaxia only after the World Expo and Asian Forum in the future. What Nie Zhenbang wanted to do was establish one while the field was still fresh, setting it in Liangxi City which would bring enormous benefits in the long run. He went on to exin, ¡°Uncle Ning, the term ¡®Development Forum¡¯ is merely borrowed from contemporary western terminology. Basically, it¡¯s a summit for businesses from all areas, even all over the world. We can invite globalpanies to attend and then, our Jiangbei Province, as well as surrounding areas like Hucheng, South of the Yangtze River and other eastern provinces, can present our investment projects. This organized approach to attract investment is better than the current individual efforts and can also prevent fraud from trickster investors. I intend to name this event ¨C the Eastern Development Forum.¡± Eastern Development Forum? At this moment, Ning Shouchang was stunned. He initially assumed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n was merely a proposal to attract investment to Liangxi City. However, as it involves several eastern provinces such as Hucheng, Ludong, South of the Yangtze River, and Minan, as well as coordination amongst provinces, the situation was not so simple. It would require mobilization of all the developed provinces along the east coast of Huaxia. However, Ning Shouchang was no ordinary man. If this project were sessful, with Jiangbei Province as its initiator, the benefits would be substantial. This could be a significant achievement under his governance. With this thought, Ning Shouchang was unable to sit still. He stood up and began pacing in his study. After a while, he stopped, looked at Nie Zhenbang and asked, ¡°Zhenbang, do you have a systematic n for this Eastern Development Forum?¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang nod affirmatively, Ning Shouchang immediately picked up his briefcase and said in a solemn voice, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go to the Provincial Party Committee together. We need to report this matter to Secretary Shen promptly.¡± ( Chapter 423: 403: The Advantages of Being the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee_1 Chapter 423: Chapter 403: The Advantages of Being the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee_1 The Jiangbei Provincial Committee and Provincial Government did not share the same office, but the distance between the two locales wasn¡¯t far. The Provincial Committee¡¯s courthouse was at No.1 Jiangzhou Avenue. The Provincial Government¡¯s courthouse, on the other hand, was at No.3. Between them, was the Provincial People¡¯s Congress. Exiting from Governor Ning Shouchang¡¯s courtyard and walking for about five minutes brings one to the front of the Jiangbei Provincial Government Office Building. At this moment, Ning Shouchang¡¯s secretary, Su Jinguo, had already been waiting respectfully nearby. A Toyota Land Cruiser was parked by his side, bearing the second number te of the Jiangbei Province Security Zone and the Jiangbei Armed Police Force. The first number te was naturally taken by Shen Yanshuo. Normally, upon hearing about the first or second official car of the Provincial Committee, many people would instinctively think that the te starts with an A and is followed by either 00001 or 00002. In reality, most Provincial Committee leaders¡¯ cars adopt different conventions. In some provinces, the leaders¡¯ te begins with an O, while others prefer using tes from the Armed Police Force. As it happened, Jiangbei Province used thetter. ¡°Governor,¡± Su Jinguo called out respectfully as soon as he saw Ning Shouchang and Nie Zhenbang approaching. As Ning Shouchang¡¯s trusty secretary, Su Jinguo didn¡¯t necessarily need to act this way in his presence. However, Su Jinguo was firm in his role. His caution and carefulness were evident. Nie Zhenbang also came over, extended his hand, and said with a smile, ¡°Brother Su, good to see you again.¡± ¡°Mayor Nie, you are too polite. Just call me Jinguo,¡± Su Jinguo said as he too reached out his hand for a handshake. Standing nearby, Ning Shouchang added with a smile, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not stand on ceremony. We are all on the same side here. Jinguo is older, so it¡¯s only right for Zhenbang to call him Brother Su.¡± Ning Shouchang having spoken, Su Jinguo naturally wouldn¡¯t say anything more. After ushering Ning Shouchang into the car, he smiled and said to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, let¡¯s get together this evening if you have time.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, presumably epting Su Jinguo¡¯s polite gesture of returning a favor. Judging by rank, Nie Zhenbang was at the departmental level while Su Jinguo could at most be arranged to a deputy departmental level if he were to be transferred. This was considered quite good. For demoted officials, they may even be assigned to county level positions. Furthermore, it was possible that these positions did not even offer leadership roles.
In this respect, Nie Zhenbang had indeed shown great deference to Su Jinguo, who also recognized Nie Zhenbang as a friend. That¡¯s why he extended the evening invitation. Nie Zhenbang got into the car from the other side while Su Jinguo took his usual ce in the passenger seat. The car quickly drove out of the Provincial Government Courthouse. Actually, the residential areas of both courtyards were connected. Even on foot, it would take less than ten minutes to get from one to the other. Governor Ning¡¯s decision to take the car could be seen as somewhat extravagant. However, this was not a private meeting. If it were private, there would be no need to drive. But under formal circumstances, with the image of the Governorship and subordinates in tow, there is a need to keep up appearances. Otherwise, who would respect him? The car stopped at the foot of the Provincial Committee building. Many passing staff members spontaneously paused to greet Ning Shouchang. Although a Governor, Ning Shouchang also held the position of Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee and was a familiar guest. Naturally, the people here knew Governor Ning. Since the Provincial Committee building had no elevator, Shen Yanshuo¡¯s office was located on the third floor of the office building. Because they had arranged to meet in advance, Shen Yanshuo, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, had already left his office door ajar when Ning Shouchang arrived. The door, not the secretary¡¯s office door, but Shen Yanshuo¡¯s room door, was opened. This seemed to convey the meaning of weing guests with open doors, proving Shen Yanshuo¡¯s importance and grandeur. Pushing the door open, Shen Yanshuo, who was working at his desk, looked up and removed his sses as soon as he saw Ning Shouchang. He stood up and said with a smile, ¡°Governor Shou Chang is here. Pleasee in.¡± As Ning Shouchang entered the office, Nie Zhenbang followed suit. But at this time, Su Jinguo did not follow them in. As a secretary, Su Jinguo was mindful of his boundaries. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, a look of surprise shed across Shen Yanshuo¡¯s face, but he immediately smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Nie is here too. Did youe to report your work to Governor Shou Chang?¡± Shen Yanshuo was subtly reminding Nie Zhenbang with this statement. Although Nie Zhenbang was a mayor and ostensibly reported to the governor, their ultimate allegiance was to the party. Reporting only to the governor could suggest a disregard for the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee. No matter how Nie Zhenbang responded at the moment would be improper, fortunately Governor Shou Chang was smiling and said, ¡°Secretary Shen, this time, Mayor Zhenbang has submitted a bold n to me. I have looked through it and feel it is good. However, it is too vast and extensive, so I specifically invited him from Liangxi City to report to you in person.¡± Drawn by Governor Shou Chang¡¯s remarks, Shen Yanshuo shifted his attention back. On one hand, Ning Shouchang gave a brief exnation, and on the other hand, Shen Yanshuo was curious about what the big deal was that made Governor Shou Chang say it was ¡®too extensive.¡¯ Shen Yanshuo chose to ignore the fact that Nie Zhenbang did not proactively report his work to him. After pouring a cup of boiled water for Ning Shouchang and Nie Zhenbang, he sat down in his chair, then said, ¡°Oh? Even you think it¡¯s too extensive, Old Ning. You¡¯ve piqued my curiosity, Mayor Nie. What extraordinary n have youe up with this time?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang nodded, respectfully shouted ¡®Secretary Shen,¡¯ then started his report. Compared to the initial report in front of Ning Shouchang, his n was now moreplete. As Shen Yanshuo listened, his expression grew solemn and surprise quietly crept into his countenance. Even for a top provincial official like Shen Yanshuo, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grand n made him feel a touch of emotion. One one hand, this n was essentially impossible to execute in Liangxi City, as it involved multiple provinces and their top officials. Who would even give the time of day to a mayor from a prefecture-level city? This n could truly only be implemented by the province. On the other hand, Shen Yanshuo was surprised by the audacity of Nie Zhenbang. The fact that a local department-level official dared to draft such an ambitious n clearly showed that the reputation of the Nie family was not unearned. After all, he was raised under the guiding principles of national leaders and thus had a head start over ordinary folks. Hesitating for a moment, Shen Yanshuo also began contemting. If Jiangbei Province, as the initiator, could sessfully pull off the n, then even though the development forum would rotate among different ces, Jiangbei Province would certainly benefit the most. More importantly, the dazzling potential political gain to attract attention could not be ignored. At first, Shen Yanshuo thought that Nie Zhenbang was here due to the issue concerning the head of the organization department. Now it seemed that wasn¡¯t the case, which considerably eased his mind. After considering this, Shen Yanshuo then asked, ¡°Mayor Nie, in your opinion, where would be the most appropriate ce to host the first Eastern Development Forum?¡± The real challenge arose with these words. Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang knew that Shen Yanshuo likely preferred Jiangzhou City for the forum. Even though Jiangzhou City¡¯s economy couldn¡¯tpete with Liangxi City, it was still the secondrgest economy in Jiangbei. Considering the city area, it was home to the provincial partymittee and government, along with various provincial departments, colleges, and state-owned enterprises. Jiangzhou City, with its modern metropolitan image, was a more suitable ce to host the forum than Liangxi.
Nie Zhenbang began to contemte how to change Shen Yanshuo¡¯s mind and get the forum in Liangxi. Otherwise, his n would only end up benefiting others. After contemting for a while, Nie Zhenbang carefully said, ¡°Secretary Shen, I think it would be most appropriate to have it in Liangxi City.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s response, Shen Yanshuo frowned and curiously asked Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Oh? Why Liangxi? What¡¯s your reasoning behind this?¡± The aura being emitted by the provincial party secretary was one that most people wouldn¡¯t be able to handle, but Nie Zhenbang appeared at ease. He had indeed met with national leaders many times before and this was a notch lower than that.
Gathering his thoughts, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Secretary Shen, it¡¯s not because I¡¯m the Mayor of Liangxi City that I say this, but there are mainly three reasons.¡± Firstly, this is the inaugural event and other provinces need to be contacted for coordination andmunication. The mindset of the leaders of each province is not yet confirmed, and skepticism is natural. If we were to host the event in Jiangzhou due to it being the provincial capital, it may give the impression ofmanding others, causingmunication to be a delicate issue. Shen Yanshuo nodded, acknowledging the reasoning in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. He was very aware of the cunning of the officials from other provinces unlike the others. Seeing Shen Yanshuo¡¯s reaction, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s spirits were lifted, and he continued, ¡°The second reason is the strategic location of Liangxi. To the east it borders Hucheng City, to the west the South of the Yangtze River. Whether it¡¯s Ludong or Minan, the distance to Liangxi is simr. Plus, Liangxi City¡¯s economy is nationally renowned. Hosting here would also reflect the theme of the forum and express our sincerity.¡± Thirdly, the event involving Americanpanies in the past has made Liangxi City famous worldwide, although the reactions were mixed. However, I believe that Liangxi City¡¯s reputation internationally outweighs that of Jiangzhou. If we could invite foreign capital this time, it would greatly enhance the forum. Afterprehensive consideration, Liangxi City is the most suitable choice. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Shen Yanshuo also sank into thought. It must be said, his three points gave a big shock, and more importantly, it was based on facts. Simrly, Shen Yanshuo also thought of something else. The person he trusts and relies on was the secretary of the Liangxi City municipal partymittee, in addition to Li Guohua. No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t suffer a loss. As a result, Shen Yanshuo made up his mind and said, ¡°Alright then, we¡¯ll follow Mayor Zhenbang¡¯s proposal. The forum will be held in Liangxi. This will be discussed in the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and then preparation will officially begin.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than Nie Zhenbang, nonchntly, said with a smile, ¡°Secretary Shen, Governor Ning, since both of you are here, I would like to make a request. If we n to host the forum, Liangxi City will definitely need to undergorge-scale urban transformation. Although the city can bear part of the costs, there¡¯s still a big gap. Can the province help solve part of the funding problem in Liangxi City?¡± At the end of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Shen Yanshuo¡¯s face stiffened as he jokingly responded, ¡°You Mayor Nie, you¡¯re really quick to climb up the pole to seize opportunity. Youe looking for benefits from me! If you don¡¯t state your reasons, I¡¯ll move the hosting location to another city.¡± ( Chapter 424: 404 Striking Down Fan Changsheng_1 Chapter 424: Chapter 404 Striking Down Fan Changsheng_1 Shen Yanshuo said these words with a smile, but Nie Zhenbang knew full well the authority of the Provincial Party Committee Secretary was not something he could challenge lightly. If his response was improper, Shen Yanshuo could genuinely switch locations. Any talk about Jiangzhou City not being suitable was just a facade. It would just require a little more effort on Shen Yanshuo¡¯s part. As long as Nie Zhenbang did not present apelling argument, moving to Jiangzhou for the sake of saving face would not be a big deal. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang started to put together his arguments and lobbed for funds for the renovation of the old city in Liangxi City. ¡°Secretary Shen, if the Eastern Development Forum does push through, it will be a big deal and a great benefit for our Jiangbei Province. As the host city, we definitely need to upgrade and promote our charm and image. I believe that whether it¡¯s Liangxi or any other city, there are many old districts that need quality improvement. Comparatively speaking, Liangxi City already has a solid foundation, and most of its districts are newly built in the past one or two years. The area needing renovation in the old city is notrge. The majority of the funds required can be covered by the city¡¯s fiscal budget. This should help alleviate the fiscal burden of the province. Secretary Shen, I can assure you I am not asking for an exorbitant amount.¡± Nie Zhenbang concluded his statement with a slightly humorous remark. Even though Nie Zhenbang did not like to tter, it did not mean he was incapable of reading the room. He knew full well it was essential in politics. At this moment, both Shen Yanshuo and Ning Shouchang appeared to be in good moods. Nie Zhenbang seized the opportunity to press his point. If these two leaders agreed, the matter would be settled. As Nie Zhenbang expected, after he had finished speaking, Shen Yanshuo fell silent for a moment before agreeing that the old city¡¯s renovation was necessary, no matter where. Compared to Jiangzhou City, the burden carried by Liangxi City was indeed lighter. Soon after, Shen Yanshuo nodded and said, ¡°Your argument is well-founded. Since you proposed this, you need to draft aprehensive n when you are back. You will be involved in the nningmittee.¡± Shen Yanshuo was rather shrewd about this matter. It was the first forum of its kind, and since Nie Zhenbang was the initiator, he would have more experience to contribute to the nningmittee. After the discussion ended, Nie Zhenbang stood up to leave with Ning Shouchang. Once they left the Provincial Party Committee Secretary¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°Governor, I won¡¯t go to the government office. There are many issues to address in the city, so I¡¯ll go back first.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Ning Shouchang nodded, ¡°All right then, you shouldmence work in Liangxi City as soon as possible. Currently, the entire province is looking at you. You¡¯ve made quite a name for yourself, turning Xinli City into a national model. Now you understand the pressure, don¡¯t you? Off you go.¡± Watching Ning Shouchang board his car, Nie Zhenbang exchanged a knowing nce with Su Jinguo. Both understood that they would meet for a gathering that evening. At seven in the evening, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone rang. On answering, he heard Su Jinguo¡¯s enthusiastic voice from the other end, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, where are you? I¡¯ll pick you up.¡±
Su Jinguo, on a personal level, was truly quite capable. It¡¯s no wonder he¡¯s achieved so much. What¡¯s more, Su Jinguo was not a petty man, making him a worthwhile friend. In response, Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Brother Su, there¡¯s no need for the trouble. I have my car. You just tell me where to go, and I¡¯lle.¡± On the other end of the call, Su Jinguo didn¡¯t refuse. Laughing, he said, ¡°All right then. Go via Jiangzhou Avenue. Take Yn Road, then cross Qinggang Overpass and go straight onto the second ring road. There¡¯s a fish restaurant near the Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce. It¡¯s called ¡®Fish World.¡¯ I¡¯ll wait for you at the entrance.¡± While Nie Zhenbang happily set off to meet Su Jinguo, an uninvited guest arrived at the entrance of Shen Yanshuo¡¯s residence in thepound of the Provincial Party Committee. At this moment, Fan Changsheng instructed his secretary to unload a woven bag from the trunk and then walked in. The secretary seemed quite familiar with the ce and walked towards a side door where there was a small, unlocked room used as a gift storage. Shen Yanshuo stood at the entrance, acting with dignity that made Fan Changsheng feel appreciated. As he entered, he was somewhat taken aback and said, ¡°Leader, I¡¯m ttered. How could I deserve such a reception? Where¡¯s your wife? Is she cooking? It¡¯s really a lot of trouble. Leader, I already had my dinner. I wouldn¡¯t want to trouble you.¡± Shen Yanshuo patted Fan Changsheng¡¯s shoulder and joked, ¡°It¡¯s good that you didn¡¯t bring any cigarettes or alcohol. If you did, I would¡¯ve thrown them out. Next time, don¡¯t bring any rural speciality items either. You¡¯re not a countryman, are you? Whatever ¡®specialities¡¯ you could bring would just be purchased goods. Take a seat. Dinner will be ready soon. You must eat when you¡¯re here.¡± These words made Fan Changsheng ted. After all, who could expect such treatment in the house of the Provincial Party Committee Secretary in Jiangbei Province? Probably only him. As Shen Yanshuo¡¯s old subordinate, Fan Changsheng naturally understood some of Shen Yanshuo¡¯s characteristics ¨C the kind of words he liked to hear, and those he disliked. During the meal, with Fan Changsheng¡¯s careful caterings to his tastes, both the guest and the host enjoyed themselves a lot. After dinner, Shen Yanshuo led Fan Changsheng to the study. Shen Yanshuo¡¯s wife, a gentle woman in her fifties, brought in two cups of tea. After she ced the tea on the table, she tactfully closed the door to the study room for them. Looking at Fan Changsheng who seemed somewhat restless by his side, Shen Yanshuo picked up his teacup, blew on it gently, then casually said, ¡°Changsheng, this afternoon, Nie Zhenbang came to report to me.¡± These words prompted Fan Changsheng to stand up. Then he realized that he was in Shen Yanshuo¡¯s house, with the province¡¯s top administrator seated next to him. Immediately, he sat down, feeling slightly embarrassed, and looked at Shen Yanshuo and said, ¡°Old Secretary, Nie Zhenbang came to see you?¡± Shen Yanshuo nodded. He had intentionally said this. He attached great importance to the issues of development forum. After Nie Zhenbang had left, he gave it some serious thought. This indeed was an opportunity for him. Now, it was 1998. President Yuan formally took office in 1991, one term for four years, two at most, meaning, a new leadership core would formally step onto the stage next year. Whether he could climb another step higher through this opportunity, this development forum was the key. Shen Yanshuo fully understood what Fan Changsheng was implying. If it had been before, Shen Yanshuo would certainlye forward to support him. But now? In consideration of maintaining the bnce and stability of Liangxi City, Shen Yanshuo didn¡¯t see it that way. ¡°Old leader, you agree then.¡± said Fan Changsheng, full of anticipation, looking at Shen Yanshuo. At this moment, Shen Yanshuo remained expressionless and continued with Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, ¡°Mm, I agreed.¡± Upon hearing these words, Fan Changsheng turned pale and sat down. It took him a long while toe back to his senses. He really could not understand why the old leader could be so readily tricked by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words and even give his consent. At this moment, Shen Yanshuo did not want his old subordinate to feel so down. He gently said, ¡°Changsheng, some things, do not take too seriously. Great people have said, it¡¯s good to broaden your horizons. Do not be sectarian, unity within the team is important. You are the Party Secretary, don¡¯t show off everywhere. For some things, have a calm attitude, maintain a detached perspective. Achievements will always be attributed to you.¡± After a pause, Shen Yanshuo continued, ¡°This time, in your city, on the matter of the candidate for the position of Minister of Organization of the Municipal Party Committee, Nie Zhenbang also reported to me. Therade Li Xiaoqin, taking the work of the Minister of Organization, I think, Nie Zhenbang made sense. Li Xiaoqincks experience in the organization department, hastily assuming the position mayck consideration.¡± At this moment, Shen Yanshuo was lying convincingly. If Nie Zhenbang were here, he would definitely be stunned. The Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee actually resorted to lying.
In fact, Shen Yanshuo had his considerations in doing this. If rified directly, Fan Changsheng would certainly ept it. However, he might inevitably have some thoughts. Now, since the location of the development forum had been set to Liangxi City, given Shen Yanshuo¡¯s character, everything had to be perfect. It was about his future spell and all other things had to give way. What was a little lie? Fan Changsheng was unlikely to go and ask Nie Zhenbang. Facing the candid words of Secretary Shen, Fan Changsheng felt a bit dejected. The harsh truth was that Li Xiaoqin did have seniority, but shecked working experience in the organization department, which was her biggest weakness. To his dismay, the weakness had been spotted by Nie Zhenbang. From Fan Changsheng¡¯s reaction, Shen Yanshuo knew that he had believed him. Subsequently, Shen Yanshuo continued, ¡°But, Changsheng, you do not need to worry. Regarding Nie Zhenbang¡¯s suggestion, I didn¡¯t give it any consideration, and I rejected it outright. This matter, whether it¡¯s you, Nie Zhenbang, or even Zhu Zhuozhen, none of you have a say. The provincial administration, on this matter, will make aprehensive consideration.¡± After a pause, Shen Yanshuo added, ¡°Changsheng, finally, I would like to advise you, know when enough is enough. For some things, taking a step back can be a good thing. Nie Zhenbang is very ambitious and has people watching out for him above. You might as well mind less instead of more. In the future, there will still be a broader stage waiting for you.¡±
Watching Fan Changsheng nodding in joy, Shen Yanshuo felt a bit feeble. He knew best his old subordinate who was too power-driven. It was unpredictable how much of his advice would be taken in. If these words could at least give him a wakeup call, then his own purpose would be achieved. ( Chapter 425: 405: The Parachuted Organization Minister_1 Chapter 425: Chapter 405: The Parachuted Organization Minister_1 The news that the three major figures of the Municipal Committee went to the provincial capital one after another quickly spread across the entire Liangxi City, prompting discussion among the city officials. The Minister of Organization, who controls all the official titles in the city, naturally attracts everyone¡¯s concern. Some believe that Secretary Fan would definitely win, as he is an influential figure in Liangxi City. They believed that this time would be no exception. Others, however, favored Mayor Nie and Secretary Zhu, as the alliance between the two was indeed a force to be reckoned with. Surprisingly, the provincial organizationmittee decided to appoint Sun Minghao, apletely unfamiliar person, as a vice president and member of the partymittee of the Provincial Party School. Such an appointment, dropping in from the sky as it were, was beyond anyone¡¯s expectations in Liangxi City. Despite having considered all kinds of possibilities and analyzing changes in the provincialmittee¡¯s strength, they never thought that in this provincialmittee meeting, all thirteen standingmittee members unanimously approved Sun Minghao¡¯s appointment. Sun Minghao was relieved of his current positions, and appointed as a member, standingmittee member, and Minister of Organization of the Liangxi Municipality. ¡­ At this moment, at the junction of Liangxi City and Jiangzhou City on the Hujiang Expressway, all the leaders of the Liangxi Municipal Committee Standing Committee arrived. A fleet of cars strategically parked by the roadside. ording to the news from the Provincial Committee Office yesterday, this morning, Yang Xingan, a member of the Provincial Committee and the Minister of Organization, wille to personally deliver Sun Minghao for his new position. This news was taken very seriously by the entire city of Liangxi. Everyone arrived early in the morning and waited by the roadside for Minister Yang¡¯s arrival. The weather in April was still somewhat unpredictable. Today, drizzle fell, and secretaries were holding umbres beside their leaders. Though not a physically demanding task, it was somewhat ufortable over time. Fan Changsheng was expressionless at the moment, nced at his watch, and said in a deep voice, ¡°It¡¯s still early, I estimate it will take another half an hour. Everyone may return to their cars and wait. The police car in front will notify us immediately once there is news.¡±
Nie Zhenbang got into his car as soon as Fan Changsheng¡¯s voice fell. He hadn¡¯t anticipated an airborne appointment like this. It seemed that Shen Yanshuo was taking the development forum very seriously. The expressions of the current standingmittee members showed that, including him, everyone was anxious to build a good rtionship with the new Minister of Organization. However, Nie Zhenbang also had some understanding of Sun Minghao through Ning Shouchang. Sun Minghao was not young, he should be around fifty this year. Although he was only at the deputy hall level, Sun Minghao¡¯s connectionwork in the province could not be underestimated. On the one hand, Sun Minghao had worked in the Party School for many years and many officials had been trained at the school, which meant he had established various connections. In addition, Sun Minghao also had a strong background as he was a high school ssmate and now a rtive of Yang Xingan, the Minister of Organization. This suggested he was not an ordinary figure. Looking out at the convoy through the car window, Nie Zhenbang smirked coldly. He was certain his courtesies will not have any influence on a person like Sun Minghao. As for how things will pan out in the future, he was not worried in the slightest. He would do his own things. As for how Sun Minghao would perform, there was nothing to worry about. If he hindered the progress of the forum, Shen Yanshuo would intervene without him needing to step in. Half an hour went by in a sh. The police car in charge of surveince at the front finally sent a message that Minister Yang¡¯s car wasing. The leaders of the Municipal Committee Standing Committee all got out of their cars. As ever, the expression on Fan Changsheng¡¯s face was serious, as befit the dignity of the Secretary of the Municipal Committee. Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s face was expressionless, showing no signs of joy or sadness. Li Guohua was extremely low-key at this moment. He had been quiet for a while after the incidents with the People¡¯s Congress, but Nie Zhenbang did not believe that Li Guohua would give up so easily, as it did not match what he knew of Li¡¯s character. As for Li Xiaoqin, her expression was quiteplex. Initially, she had hoped to take on this significant position, but the sudden change of ns shattered those hopes. Naturally, her mood was a bit low, which was normal for a woman. They did not have to wait for long after getting out of the car, a ck Audi slowly parked at the end of the convoy. This move surprised Nie Zhenbang. It seemed that both Minister Yang and Sun Minghao were not simple characters. Given Yang Xingan¡¯s status, his car would usually park at the very front of the convoy. In fact, the Liangxi City Committee had deliberately left a space of ten or so meters at the front for Yang Xingan¡¯s car. But surprisingly, Yang Xingan parked his car at the very back. Seeing this, Fan Changsheng didn¡¯t hesitate too much. With a wave of his hand, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Let¡¯s all go over there.¡± At this moment, with the arrival of the members of the Standing Committee of the Liangxi City Committee at the back of the motorcade, Yang Xingan¡¯s car door opened, and an umbre was promptly held up over him. With a beaming smile, Yang Xingan disembarked. Looking at Fan Changsheng, he extended a hand and said, ¡°Comrade Changsheng, therades in Liangxi City are truly too considerate.¡± Fan Changsheng also wore a smile on his face, ¡°Minister Yang, your words are killing us! You are the big boss of all provincial cadres. Today, you have brought us such an excellent cadre. It is our duty ¨C both morally and logically ¨C to personally greet him in Jiangzhou City. Weing him here is, in fact, an act of negligence on our part.¡± Hearing Fan Changsheng¡¯s words, Yang Xingan couldn¡¯t help butugh heartily, ¡°This Changsheng¡­ I remember when you were acting as the county chief in Qianzhou, you were renowned for your eloquence. All these years have passed, and your eloquence seems to have grown ever sharper!¡± Then, turning his head, Yang Xingan uttered, ¡°Mayor Nie, long time no see.¡± Hearing Yang Xingan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also stepped forward with a smile, shook hands with Yang Xingan and said, ¡°Wee Minister Yang.¡± Then, Yang Xingan turned to Fan Changsheng and said with a smiling face, ¡°Secretary Changsheng, Mayor Zhenbang, allow me to introduce to you our main man today, Comrade Sun Minghao. Sun will be working in your city, Liangxi, and you two tycoons will need to take good care of him.¡± This sounded like a joke, but there was a hint of seriousness hidden in it. Hearing this, Fan Changshengughed heartily and readily agreed. Following that, under Yang Xingan¡¯s introduction, Sun Minghao also met the other members of the Standing Committee of the Liangxi City Committee and officially acquainted himself with them.
After Yang Xingan shook hands with each of the Liangxi Municipal Committee members, he grinned and said, ¡°Comrade Changsheng, let¡¯s proceed to the municipalmittee.¡± This time, Yang Xingan didn¡¯t reject the proposal. His car was the first to start moving forward. They headed towards Liangxi City, led by the guiding police vehicle from the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau. Next, they conducted a meeting for all leading officials in the city¡¯s hall. At the meeting, Yang Xingan, representing the provincialmittee, announced Sun Minghao¡¯s appointment. After the announcement, Fan Changsheng was the first to lead a round of apuse, which was echoed by a robust round of apuse from the rest of the hall. After the conclusion of the meeting, Fan Changsheng, Nie Zhenbang, and Zhu Zhuozhen approached Yang Xingan. Fan Changsheng, on behalf of the Liangxi City Committee, smiled and said, ¡°Minister Xingan, it¡¯s time for lunch. Over here, we have prepared some drinks. We would be honored if you could join us.¡±
When it came to Fan Changsheng¡¯s invitation, Yang Xingan was quite decisive. After a brief hesitation, he epted the invitation. The group then enthusiastically proceeded to the citymittee¡¯s special reception area. Therge private room was filled with the leaders of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Council, including Yang Xingan and Sun Minghao. The table wasden with the finest dishes. However, seeing the extensive spread, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. From the moment he entered, Nie Zhenbang had been watching Sun Minghao and noticed a slight change in his expression. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°Given Fan Changsheng¡¯s usual standard, the choice of dishes is entirely based on the national banquet standard, and the liquor must be a ten-year-old Moutai. It seems that Sun Minghao is not showing disdain for the meal. It appears that Sun Minghao still has the demeanor of a teacher and is slightly disdainful of therge,vish expendituremonly seen within the system.¡± With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang felt a surge of joy. There are many ways and methods to win people over, such as: catering to their preferences, offering them gifts, property, antiques, gorgeous women, etc. His approach was also straightforward, aiming to findmon ground. From this point of view, Sun Minghao seemed to be a very approachable person. When all the guests¡¯ wine sses were filled by the waitress, Fan Changsheng stood up, raised his ss with both hands and said to Yang Xingan, ¡°Minister Xingan, we thank the provincialmittee for their support and recognition of Liangxi City¡¯s work. We appreciate your concern for our work. I¡¯ll drink this cup to you first.¡± No sooner had he said this, than Fan Changsheng resolutely drank the entire cup. Although it was a small ss, it was a clear demonstration of Fan Changsheng¡¯s respect. Yang Xingan found it difficult to refuse. He smilingly lifted his ss and also chuckled, ¡°Comrade Changsheng, we can drink, but let me say in advance, therades of Liangxi City must not advance in turns on me.¡± Upon hearing this, the Standing Committee in Liangxi City all started tough. Li Xiaoqin also stood up holding her ss. At thirty-four years old, she had maintained herself very well and exuded an appealing maturity. ¡°Minister Yang, you can¡¯t include me in that. In any case, I want to toast you separately. Here¡¯s to you,¡± said Li Xiaoqin, demonstrating unabashed boldness as she drank her wine. The atmosphere at the table quickly lightened. Nie Zhenbang drank with ease, effortlessly handling the situation. After several rounds of drinks, Sun Minghao, who had up until then been quietly drinking his wine and asionally telling a joke, stood up, raised his ss, and surprisingly walked over to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mayor Nie, let me toast to you.¡±( Chapter 426: 406: The Transformation of Li Guohua _1 Chapter 426: Chapter 406: The Transformation of Li Guohua _1 Sun Minghao¡¯s actions and words quieted the entire private room. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrowed too. If Sun Minghao was an ignorant young man, it would be easier to understand, because ignorance can be excused. But Sun Minghao is a seasoned veteran at 50 years old. It¡¯s impossible for him not to understand the rules. Was he intentionally trying to stand out and attract the hostility of other standingmittee members? Or was there some other reasons? It¡¯s more confusing now. There are many ways to build a rtionship with him, visiting him, reporting to him, and arranging private meetings, etc. There¡¯s no need to demonstrate such intentions in this setting. ¡°Minister Sun, there¡¯s a certain order to toasting. Based on age, I should be the one toasting you. But Minister Sun, what¡¯s the special meaning behind your toast?¡± After pausing, Nie Zhenbang swept his gaze over Yang Xingan. Yang Xingan, the big shot of the provincial partymittee was all smiles, whispering something quietly to Fan Changsheng, acting as though he didn¡¯t even care about the current situation. Nie Zhenbang then said with a smile, ¡°Minister Sun, if there¡¯s no particr meaning, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t drink this toast.¡± Before he finished speaking, the faces of the other standingmittee members changed, and Li Xiaoqin looked even more disgusted. At this point, Nie Zhenbang might have massively offended the new Minister Sun, and even potentially offended Minister Yang. However, Nie Zhenbang said calmly, ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s against the rules. If anyone should make a toast first, it should be me toasting my seniors.¡± Hisst sentence turned the tidepletely. Without it, Nie Zhenbang would be seen as disrespectful. With it, he showed respect for his elders. He cannot help but marvel at the beauty and depth of the Chinesenguage. Sun Minghao alsoughed at this point and said ¡°Mayor Nie, of course there¡¯s a special meaning. Mayor Nie, You¡¯re not aggressively dominant, and you¡¯ve withstood pressure to halt operations at three American-funded businesses, thereby seeking a legitimate living space for the hundreds of thousands of residents along the Liangxi River. Just this courage alone is enough for me to toast to you. Mayor Nie, your kind-hearted sentiment towards themon people genuinely impresses me. This toast is for that spirit.¡± With that, Sun Minghao looked at Nie Zhenbang, his eyes shing with sincerity. He thought to himself that Sun Minghao was a person worth getting to know. Just this considerable mindset and sentiment was enough proof. Sun Minghao is indeed a man who loves themon people. Such a person is worth knowing, regardless of his private intentions. Nie Zhenbang thought to himself, then stood up, raised his ss, very seriously and solemnly gave a nod and said: ¡°Minister Sun, you tter me. This toast, let¡¯s make it a mutual one.¡± Upon hearing this, the other standingmittee members, who were initially very serious, rxed. Only Li Guohua¡¯s expression seemed a bit awkward because he was the one who introduced the American-funded enterprises. As long as Sun Minghao and Nie Zhenbang weren¡¯t teaming up, everything would be okay. At this point, everyone was wary of such a union. Liangxi City currently has a three-headed bnce of power, Fan Changsheng being the strongest, followed by Zhu Zhuozhen and Nie Zhenbang. Sun Minghao, however, was a yer capable of influencing the power structure. Any situation could potentially lead to a reshuffling of Liangxi City¡¯s power dynamic, which required careful guarding against.
By the meal¡¯s end, both guests and hosts were delighted. In the afternoon, after Yang Xingan drove off from Liangxi City, the issue about the new Minister that had stirred great controversy finally settled down. ¡­ Liangxi City Government Office building This was a regr meeting of the municipal government team. At this moment, all members of the Party Group of the Municipal Government were sitting in the meeting room. Nie Zhenbang walked into the meeting room with his notebook, apanied by his secretary Yi Jun who was watching the clock. After scanning the room, his gaze finally rested on Li Guohua. The recent low-key behavior of Li Guohua was quite unusual. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t seem to care. At this point, Li Guohua didn¡¯t dare to be high-profile. His previous dy had upset Fan Changsheng who bore his name in endorsing the project. Furthermore, his handling of the American-funded enterprisespletely suppressed him. His previous achievements had beenpletely negated. At this point, even if Li Guohua wanted to be high-profile, he couldn¡¯t. After taking his seat, Nie Zhenbang slowly began, ¡°Before the meeting starts, let me first announce some good news, which I believe, considering your efficientmunication, everyone has basically known.¡± As he finished speaking, Liu Weijun, the Secretary-general of the municipal government, showed a humble expression on his face. But the sense of satisfaction that fleetingly passed through his eyes gave him away. Nie Zhenbang continued calmly, ¡°This morning, the Municipal Party Committee Organization Department officially issued a document. Secretary-general Weijun is going to be transferred to Liangjiang District Committee and serve as the deputy secretary there. After a seven-day public exposure period, he will officially take office.¡± The other members of the Party Group of the municipal government began to p. The position of the Secretary-general of the municipal government was rather awkward. Compared to the Secretary-general of the Municipal Party Committee, it was half a level lower. One way to move up was to be promoted to Deputy Mayor through the government route. However, in the case of Liangxi City, such possibility did not exist. For Liu Weijun, to be able to be the Deputy Secretary of Liangjiang District was indeed a great position. The congrattions given were genuinely heartfelt. A look of gratitude appeared on Liu Weijun¡¯s face. The position of Deputy Secretary of Liangjiang District was indeed a rare one for him. He was quite excited about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrangement. Chapter 427: 406: The Transformation of Li Guohua _2 Chapter 427: Chapter 406: The Transformation of Li Guohua _2 ¡°Comrade Yi Jun will take over as Secretary General of the Government. Once he officially takes office, Comrade Yi Jun will no longer serve as my secretary.¡± Nie Zhenbang said again. This was just a minor episode before the meeting started. The announcement was made to inform all party members that they would need to assist Yi Jin more in his work in the future. When the meeting venue quietened down again, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Comrades, ording to the resolution of the recent standingmittee of the provincial partymittee, the city¡¯s old city reconstruction project has been included in the ¡¯85 assault n¡¯ of the provincialmittee. As the number one economic city in Jiangbei, our city¡¯s construction is of great concern to the provincial party leaders. The provincial partymittee, Secretary Shen and Governor Ning attach great importance to the development of Liangxi City. Old city reconstruction is a problem faced by most cities. This time, the provincial partymittee and provincial government selected Liangxi City as a pilot, which is our honor, and it fully demonstrates their recognition and trust in Liangxi. For the sessfulpletion of the old city reconstruction project, I propose that a special leadership group be formed to carry out one-to-one focused research in Xishan District, Liangjiang District and the key city district of Guicheng, which is the key area of the old city reconstruction. We must ensure the smooth and sessfulpletion of the old city reconstruction project.¡± Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s serious expression, Li Guohua began to ponder. At this time, he was in the most embarrassing position. On one hand, Fan Changsheng¡¯s limited trust in him was his biggest drawback. Without the support of the municipal partymittee secretary, he would inevitably be timid about taking action. Additionally, Nie Zhenbang upied the moral high ground. This was also a major headache for Li Guohua. If he wanted to maintain a strong position and dominance in the city, he had to maintain his public exposure. In other words, he needed to steal Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thunder and attract attention. However, Li Guohua deeply realized a fact at this moment, it is not easy to attract attention. To attract attention, there was only one way, to position himself against Nie Zhenbang. But even a fool knew that at this time, Nie Zhenbang had theplete trust of his superiors. The old city reconstruction project of Liangxi City was able to be a pilot project of Jiangbei Province, which showed that the project was approved by the provincial partymittee and the provincial government. Although Li Guohua didn¡¯t know how Nie Zhenbang had achieved this, he knew very well that if he obstructed it, not to mention that Nie Zhenbang would not agree, the province would not let him go. This confrontational and destructive method was definitely not feasible. Setting aside this most direct and effective method, there was another way, which was to side with Nie Zhenbang and fully cooperate toplete the project. It was just like co-starring in a movie. Nie Zhenbang was currently the undoubted protagonist, and now what he needed topete for was the crucial role of the first male supporting actor. It was not umon in movies for the protagonist¡¯s limelight to be stolen by the supporting actors. At this moment, Li Guohua finally understood the saying that the old man had repeatedly said to him ¨C there are no eternal enemies or friends in officialdom, only eternal interests. At this moment, wasn¡¯t this exactly his situation? Clearly, the rtionship between him and Nie Zhenbang was a life-and-death struggle. But now, for his interests, he had taken the initiative to join Nie Zhenbang in his fight. It was even an initiative he¡¯d taken himself to approach Nie Zhenbang. But then again, for the sake of interests, Li Guohua couldn¡¯t care less about saving face. After all, face was nothing but illusionary. Only when he enjoyed benefits was everything real. Then, Li Guohua took over the topic and said, ¡°I agree with Mayor Nie¡¯s opinion.¡± This statement was shocking. It gave the impression that the sun was rising from the west. The other party members, especially Zhao Xintian, were surprised. When had Li Guohua changed his stance? Regarding these surprised gazes, Li Guohua was expressionless, but in his heart, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a little smug and continued, ¡°Mayor Nie andrades, after concurrently holding the post of Secretary of the Guicheng District Committee, I have the deepest feelings. Guicheng District, as the old city district of Liangxi City, has significantlygged in the construction of various infrastructure, traffic congestion, underground facilities such as drainage have been out of date. A heavy rain can cause the town to be flooded with sewage, bringing great inconvenience to the citizens¡¯ travel and living, and at the same time, seriously restricting the development of Guicheng District and affecting the overall image of Liangxi City. This time, the provincial partymittee and the provincial government are foresighted andunched the old city reconstruction project of Liangxi City. This is a great thing. We in the city must go all out and do our best to do a good job in the reconstruction of the old city and improve the overall image of Liangxi City.¡±
Li Guohua¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang frown, not because Li Guohua was saying something wrong. On the contrary, these words were very insightful. But that in itself was the reason for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s frown. Because Li Guohua had changed, he now knew the importance of advancing and retreating and focusing on interests. Li Guohua was not a fool in the first ce. After his transformation, he would undoubtedly be more difficult to deal with. This man was his biggest adversary. In any case, now was not the time to oppose him. In his own family, for instance, his grandfather and Li Guohua¡¯s grandfather had been fighting with each other their entire life. Both of them wanted to defeat the other, but none of them managed to do so. After a moment of silent contemtion, Nie Zhenbang spoke again, ¡°Comrade Guohua¡¯s statement is very insightful and all of us should pay attention to it. The reconstruction of the old city is a top priority for our city. The preliminary estimate of the investment is 3.7 billion, of which the various districts will invest a total of 900 million, the city will raise 1.5 billion, and the province will support 1.3 billion. We willplete 1 billion investment in advance this year.¡± This statement surprised all party members. The total investment reached 3.7 billion. Although it was to be carried out over several years, the investment alone would significantly increase the GDP of Liangxi City. What¡¯s more, this didn¡¯t even include the business opportunities and foreign investment that would be brought about by the reconstruction of the old city. Even in the economically developed Liangxi City, this was definitely considered a big project. No wonder Nie Zhenbang paid so much attention to it. Next to him, Zhao Xintian also raised his hand to indicate that he wanted to speak. Seeing Nie Zhenbang nod, Zhao Xintian also said in a deep voice, ¡°Such arge investment is indeed a huge deal. Such arge project indeed requires the formation of a leadership group dedicated to this project. I suggest that Mayor Nie personally be the leader of the old city reconstruction leadership group.¡± As soon as Zhao Xintian¡¯s words fell, the deputy mayor Shi Hongbo also nodded in agreement. ¡°I agree with Mayor Xintian¡¯s opinion. The old city reconstruction project is rted to the overall development of Liangxi City. It is most appropriate for Mayor Nie to personally be the group leader.¡± With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current prestige in the city government, this proposal naturally gained the approval of other members. Nie Zhenbang was satisfied with the situation. He would have nned to take the position of group leader even if no one had proposed it. However, it seemed more appropriate for someone else to propose it. In a good mood, he rxed his attitude and said loudly, ¡°The reconstruction of the old city affects various departments such as municipal administration,munication,nd and resources, sanitation, traffic and others. It is my view that all members of the party group should be included in the leadership group. In addition, the top two leaders of the three district governments involved should also be included in the leadership group. The Executive Deputy Mayor Li Guohua and Deputy Mayor Zhao Xintian should serve as the Deputy Leaders of the group, and Comrade Yi Jun should serve as the Director of the group office.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Guohua remained calm, but his heart was even more certain of his decision. From the current situation, his decision to join Nie Zhenbang in the same line of battle was indeed correct. Given his status, Nie Zhenbang could not ignore or abandon him. Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, looked at Li Guohua thoughtfully. He didn¡¯t expect Li Guohua to change so quickly. If things continued this way, it would be even more difficult to deal with him in the future. [To Be Continued. If you like this work, please vote for it at . Your support is my greatest motivation.] Chapter 428: 407: Secretary Candidate_1 Chapter 428: Chapter 407: Secretary Candidate_1 The seven-day announcement period for the candidacy went by quickly. Unless there¡¯s public outrage against the candidate, such an announcement isrgely a formality. After seven days, the Party Organization Department head, Sun Minghao, personally oversaw Liu Weijun taking office, and Yi Jun smoothly took over Liu Weijun¡¯s duties, bing the Secretary-General of the Liangxi City Government Office. ¡°Mayor, here are the profiles of several suitable secretary candidates you requested. Additionally, this is the information for tomorrow morning¡¯s groundbreaking ceremony for the old city reconstruction project at 8:00 at the Textile Group.¡± Yi Jun walked into the office, put the two sets of documents on the desk, and proficiently poured a cup of strong tea for Nie Zhenbang. Although Yi Jun was already the Secretary-General, he was still performing the secretary¡¯s duties till Nie Zhenbang¡¯s new secretary took office, without any hint of impatience. Nie Zhenbang was very satisfied with this attitude, not arrogant or impatient, devoid of any youthful brashness, always maintaining a humble demeanor. It was for these reasons he favored Yi Jun and was willing to actively cultivate and support him. ¡°Hmm, just leave them on the desk. Yi Jun, you will have your hands full until the new secretary arrives. You¡¯re not only managing lots of government issues, but also taking my responsibilities into ount.¡± Nie Zhenbang spoke with a warm smile. The change in status resulted in a change in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone. His address shifted from ¡®Xiaoyi¡¯ to ¡®Yi Jun¡¯. Not to say that Nie Zhenbang was wielding power; with their rtionship, even if Yi Jun was at the bureau level, Nie Zhenbang addressing him as Xiaoyi wouldn¡¯t create any issue. In fact, this was from Yi Jun¡¯s perspective. After all, he is a leader now. Calling him Xiaoyi is no longer fitting and maintaining the image of a leader is crucial. Nie Zhenbang then turned his gaze to the three sets of documents on the desk, paying particr attention to the top one. The arrangement of documents was deliberate, with the most important one being in front. At a nce, the name was familiar to Nie Zhenbang: Huang Xuyang. Looking at his age, 31 years old, over three years older than him. The resume photo showed a somewhat youthful face. Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. Isn¡¯t this his former dorm mate in the Chinese department at Jingcheng University? Although he only stayed in the dormitory twice in this life and studied in ss for less than a month in his four years there, from his previous life, he remembered clearly that Huang Xuyang had indeed returned to his hometown Liangxi after graduation. However, there was no news after that. Now, it seems that seven years after graduation, Huang Xuyang is just a regr clerk in the city government office, without even the treatment of a director. There seems to be no future prospects in this life either. He turned to the next page and found Huang Xuyang¡¯s resume. As expected, the familiar phrase was there ¨C graduated from the 1990 ss of the Chinese Department at Jingcheng University. Nie Zhenbang and the others had enrolled in the autumn of 1986 and graduated in the summer of 1990, thus they were traditionally identified by their year of graduation. However, Jingcheng University typically used the term ¡°ss of 90¡±. Having seen this, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t need to look further. He was certain Huang Xuyang was his old ssmate. Apanying the resume was a copy of an article written by Huang Xuyang. Nie Zhenbang read it carefully.
The main point of the article was in. It was a speech manuscript about a government work report. There were no surprises in terms of economic data and various digitized aspects in the article, which were avable at the city government records office and could be found with a quick search. However, the choice of words in the article impressed Nie Zhenbang. Being ssmates, he admired Huang Xuyang¡¯s proficiency with text. Just based on the article, Huang Xuyang was quite a qualified, if not impressive, secretary. However, after so many years since graduation, there could be changes in his mentality and attitude. His personality represented the most important aspect. Choosing a secretary was not simple. It was more serious and cautious than choosing a spouse. If a bad spouse was chosen, one could still get a divorce if ipatible. If a bad secretary was chosen, at best it could affect one¡¯s career, at worst it could end it. After seeing Huang Xuyang¡¯s files, Nie Zhenbang had lost interest in looking at the documents of the other two candidates. Although it might not be fair to them, there had never been true fairness within the system. ¡°It seems like I need to meet him in person.¡± Nie Zhenbang thought to himself, then raised his voice towards the office, ¡°Secretary-General Yi, pleasee in.¡± Even though Yi Jun was now Secretary-General, he promptly walked into the office. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he nodded and said, ¡°Mayor, you called for me.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and handed him the set of documents on the desk, ¡°Hmm, there¡¯s no need to look at the other two. Huang Xuyang is a good candidate, his age ¨C 31, is also appropriate. He¡¯s spent about seven or eight years as a regr clerk, and has smoothed off his edges. He¡¯d be able to take up this role without youthful impulse or arrogance. Please call Huang Xuyang over, and if he¡¯s suitable, he can start working for me.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Yi Jun typically kept his answers sinct, and Yi Jun also knew his boundaries. He was very pleased with Huang Xuyang, he was humble, had a steady style of work, and was a good writer. As he had no personal rtionship with him, his offer was purely from valuing talent without any ulterior motives. He wouldn¡¯t say anything more at this point. Also, Mayor Nie¡¯s character was firm. He was not someone easily influenced. If Yi Jun were to say more now, it might have the reverse effect and annoy Mayor Nie. Consequently, Yi Jun always kept his mouth shut and focused on doing his job well. ¡­ At the moment when Nie Zhenbang was firming up his selection, the secretarial section was also discussing this matter. In therge office, six junior clerks from the Secretarial Section shared a workspace. Right now, by a desk beside the window in that office, a young man in his mid-twenties turned his head and smiled, saying, ¡°Guys, who do you think will be the lucky one to take over the big boss¡¯s secretarial spot since Secretary Yi finally got promoted into his desired position? This now vacant secretarial position at our city¡¯s top level sure is an exciting prospect.¡± ¡°Brother Tan, I reckon there¡¯s a good chance it will be you,¡± a young man next to him replied with more than a hint of ttery. ¡°In our department, both you and Brother Huang have the best education, both of you have bachelor¡¯s degrees. But, Brother Huang does not have your age advantage.¡± At this moment, Huang Xuyang was out, and only then did this person dare to speak so bluntly. Another young man chimed in, ¡°Of course, Brother Tan¡¯s dad is the head of our city¡¯s Bureau of Industry and Commerce. With such connections, the big boss will definitely consider you.¡± Puffed up by this ttery, the young man surnamed Tan tried to maintain a humble demeanor, saying, ¡°Come on, that¡¯s simply groundless. Don¡¯t just say things like that.¡± Young Tan¡¯s father is Chief Tan Deli of the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau, which is why everyone was praising him so much. The young man who started speaking captured the topic again, saying, ¡°Brother Tan, why are you being so humble? If the big boss picks the other guy, people might mistake him for the mayor because he¡¯s even younger-looking than the mayor. There¡¯s no way the big boss would choose someone who might steal his limelight.¡± Age is indeed a weakness for Huang Xuyang, but they all forgot that aside from age, there¡¯s also the issue of magnanimity. At this point, the two suck-ups were close to praising Young Tan to the heavens. Just then, Huang Xuyang pushed the door and walked in. Young Tan quickly coughed aloud, reminding the two not to speak of such things anymore.
Huang Xuyang stood about 1.73 meters tall, with a slender figure. His skin was slightly dark, making him look less like an office worker. After eight years of working, his prospects were unclear, and the exuberance from his college days had long since faded. As he walked into the office and noticed the threesome¡¯s conspiratorial behavior, Huang Xuyang knew they must¡¯ve been talking behind his back. Huang Xuyang had long grown used to this. In the past few years, he had been the first Liangxi City Government graduate from Jingcheng University. Everyone believed he would definitely be chosen as the secretary whenever there was a selection. But after numerous disappointments, Huang Xuyang had lost all his confidence. He used to be full of youthful spirit and vitality, looking down on everything. Now, Huang Xuyang no longer had such an attitude. Shaking his head, he had no expectations this time around for being the mayor¡¯s secretary. He picked up the material on the desk and prepared to work.
Suddenly, the office door was pushed open and the head of the Secretarial Section, Yang Jinke, walked in with a big smile on his face. He cast a nce around the room before finally setting his eyes on Huang Xuyang and said with a smile, ¡°Xuyang, I always knew you were destined for great things.¡± Upon hearing Yang Jinke¡¯s words, Huang Xuyang stood up abruptly, disying an expression of disbelief. At that moment, it was hard for Huang Xuyang to believe this was actually happening. But Yang Jinke¡¯s attitude confirmed this for him. When had the division chief Yang ever been this friendly? ¡°Chief¡­ you mean?¡± Huang Xuyang was felt uncertain, but his attitude remained modest and low-key as always. Yang Jinke was very pleased with this. This was a real talent, not arrogant or irritable. If it had been anyone else, they would probably have been as cocky as a peacock by now. Immediately, Yang Jinke shifted his gaze to the others present, his voice stern, ¡°Look at you all. Observe Xuyang¡¯sposed demeanour. In the future, you should all learn from Secretary Huang.¡± Seeing Yang Jinke chiding everyone, Huang Xuyang was sure Yang hadn¡¯t suddenly be friendly. At that moment, all he heard Yang Jinke say was, ¡°Xuyang, I¡¯m here to formally notify you that Secretary Yi has just called and asked you to report to Mayor Nie straight away. Starting today, you¡¯ll be working with Mayor Nie for a while.¡± Hold on¡­ Does this mean I am now the mayor¡¯s secretary? Huang Xuyang was stunned. (.) Chapter 429: 408: Your Classmate is the Mayor?_1 Chapter 429: Chapter 408: Your ssmate is the Mayor?_1 Watching Huang Xuyang¡¯s excited demeanor, Yang Jinke found it quite understandable. From an ordinary staff member to bing the Mayor¡¯s secretary, although he had not yet received the Mayor¡¯s approval, being the first to step up, he had seized the opportunity. If he performed well, he would gain recognition. Next, his rank was bound to rise. Though perhaps not immediately promoted to the position of deputy secretary-general, at the very least, he would certainly be made a deputy head of the Secretarial Department. More importantly, once he became the Mayor¡¯s secretary, even if his rank was not high, he would be regarded as the Mayor¡¯s representative. All heads of various municipal departments and the political and government cadres of each district would have to treat him like a brother. Thus, the role of a secretary was not high-ranking but held significant power. Yang Jinke had already approached Huang Xuyang, lightly patting him on the shoulder affectionately and said with a smile, ¡°Xuyang, prepare yourself, go to Mayor Nie and put on a good show. From here on, it¡¯s up to you to bring honor to the Secretarial Department.¡± Once Yang Jinke had left, the younger members present wore stunned expressions, with jealousy and resentment shing in the eyes of the young man surnamed Tan. However, they were helpless. His father was only a bureau chief, holding a position equivalent to the director rank. From now on, it seemed he would likely have to address Huang Xuyang as ¡®Uncle Huang¡¯. Although it was difficult to ept this circumstance, after calming himself down for a moment, Huang Xuyang quickly returned to normal. Eight years of grind had honed his mentality to a high level, although not yet to the degree of remaining unmoved even if Taishan Mountain were to copse in front of him. But in his eight years within the system, Huang Xuyang had seen countless cases of young individuals rising to prominence and well-established individuals falling from grace. His mentality had long since reached a resolute level. Bing a secretary was still a premature thought. Huang Xuyang was no child and well understood that without Mayor Nie¡¯s approval, everything else counted for nothing. With this in mind, Huang Xuyang tidied his desk swiftly and from the small cab next to it, pulled out his briefcase. It was an older model briefcase, a hand-held type with a ck leather exterior. Much of the paint had already peeled off, making it look somewhat mottled. He had purchased it just after graduation, painfully parting with two months¡¯ worth of sry. Back then, he had fantasized about carrying this briefcase and holding the leader¡¯s teacup while apanying them on rural inspections and higher-level reports. Regrettably, even though he had the briefcase, reality had proven to be incredibly cruel and he had had to wait for eight long years. The briefcase was no longer as glossy and bright as it used to be. After sighing deeply, Huang Xuyang stride out of the Secretarial Department, took the elevator directly to the eleventh floor. The moment he stepped out of the elevator, despite his eight years of experience, he started to feel somewhat nervous. Standing at the door, staring at the five big characters ¡®Mayor¡¯s Office¡¯ on the door, Huang Xuyang felt rather jittery, and sweat had already started to bead on his forehead.
He knocked on the door and immediately a voice came from inside: ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as he entered, Yi Jun stood up and looked at Huang Xuyang. Yi Jun appeared very weing, nodding as he said, ¡°Xuyang hase,e inside, the Mayor is waiting for you.¡± Saying this, Yi Jun knocked on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s door and quietly said, ¡°Mayor, Comrade Huang Xuyang is here.¡± Upon hearing Yi Jun¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang straightened up and nodded, ¡°Oh, let him in.¡± Looking at Huang Xuyang standing in front of him, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze was very sharp, making Huang Xuyang somewhat uneasy. At this moment, Nie Zhenbangughed, he was indeed the one. Although many things had changed over the past eight years, he could still find many traces of his youthful self in his current appearance. With a wave of his hand, he indicated the chair in front of him saying, ¡°Huang Xuyang, please sit.¡± Watching Huang Xuyang nod and sit down, stable and poised with half of his buttocks perched on the edge of the sofa, Nie Zhenbang nodded in approval. Eight years of friction indeed transformed a person significantly. However, Huang Xuyang was in a good state now. As a secretary, he would face many temptations. Various kinds of people, officials within the system, grassroots leaders, political opponents, even businessmen in society would try to maintain connections with the Mayor through a secretary. An impatient person would certainly not do. This was the reason Nie Zhenbang had picked Huang Xuyang. Immediately afterwards, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Xuyang, you shouldn¡¯t feel restrained here. There are no outsiders. Don¡¯t you remember me, youd? If I hadn¡¯t seen your profile, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to recognize you. Now, seeing you in person, I¡¯mpletely sure.¡± At his words, Huang Xuyang immediately raised his head and looked at Nie Zhenbang in astonishment. After a long pause, he finally managed to say, ¡°You, you¡¯re that one from our ss¡­?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. He already knew what Huang Xuyang meant without having to hear it; thest phrase would certainly be ¡®that mysterious student¡¯. At this moment, after hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s validation, Huang Xuyang did not disy much delight. This actually pleased Nie Zhenbang. Typically, a person who felt they had been underappreciated would have an ecstatic reaction upon discovering that the grand boss of the city, the head of the city government, and the second highest-ranking individual in the municipal partymittee was actually a former ssmate. Almost everyone would assume, with such a ssmate, would they not experience a meteoric rise? Chapter 430: 408: Your Classmate is the Mayor?_2 Chapter 430: Chapter 408: Your ssmate is the Mayor?_2 However, at this moment, Huang Xuyang¡¯s usual cautiousness had greatly satisfied Nie Zhenbang. Currently, Huang Xuyang could shoulder great responsibilities. Nie Zhenbang then added gently, ¡°Xuyang, being the secretary for an old ssmate can be a considerable burden for you. Suddenly, a ssmate whom you once interacted with as an equal has be your superior. Such a shift in roles requires time to adjust to. Nevertheless, I believe that you are capable. Regarding your literary abilities, I haveplete confidence in you. No one who graduated from our Chinese ss Two is ipetent. With regards to secretarial work, you should learn more from Secretary Yi Jun; he is very experienced and can help you avoid many pitfalls. Later, get the keys from Secretary Yi. This evening, do you mind if Ie over to your ce for dinner?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Huang Xuyang nodded and replied, ¡°Mayor, I understand. You carry on with your work, I will head out now.¡± Watching Huang Xuyang leave with respect, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but admire him again. Huang Xuyang was indeed a material for greatness. Despite knowing they were old ssmates, the bond of friendship was something that couldn¡¯t be erased. In politics, connections could arise frommon origins or schools, let alone being ssmates and dormitory mates. Yet, Huang Xuyang adhered strictly to the hierarchical norms, that alone was noteworthy. Meanwhile, a feeling welled up within Nie Zhenbang. Outside the office, after Huang Xuyang exited, Yi Jun proactively picked a bunch of keys from the drawer and handed them to Huang Xuyang, exining, ¡°Xuyang, this is the key to the office, and this one is for the rest room, and this is for the storeroom. The office needs to be cleaned every day. Mayor Nie tends to workte into the night. There¡¯s a small kitchen in the storeroom where you can prepare some eggs and noodles. Also, here is the contact number for our driver, Yang Qingshan, and the directory of the municipalmittee, which contains the contact details of leaders of the standingmittee, and the heads of each district and municipal government authority. And here is the mayor¡¯s mobile phone number that is publicly avable, take it¡­¡± Listening to Yi Jun¡¯s briefing, Huang Xuyang truly understood that being a secretary was not just about drafting some articles. Immediately after, Huang Xuyang took out his notebook from his bag and noted all the details that he needed to pay attention to. This act pleased Yi Jun who then said, ¡°It¡¯s a good idea to jot things down, better a bad pen than a good memory.¡± Having said that, Yi Jun looked at Huang Xuyang and said, ¡°Xuyang, as far as I know, you haven¡¯t been assigned a house yet. In that case, now that you¡¯re working with the Mayor, there are a few two-bedroom houses avable near the governmentpound. You can temporarily move into one of them, and we will arrange for an official house for youter. I will leave this matter to you. There are still a lot of duties waiting for me at the government office. If you have any questions, feel free to seek me out anytime. As secretaries, we are as close as brothers.¡± Huang Xuyang was delighted to hear these words. Though he has not officially be the secretary yet, recalling his family situation, Huang Xuyang hesitated for a moment before he epted without refusing. He then sincerely responded, ¡°Thank you, Secretary Yi.¡± Yi Jun was taken aback for a moment, then he smiled and patted Huang Xuyang on his shoulder, ¡°Why the thanks? We¡¯re all on the same team. You¡¯ll soon figure our boss out. His character is actually not that hard to grasp. In a nutshell, don¡¯t take what you shouldn¡¯t, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± Looking at Yi Jun¡¯s departing figure, Huang Xuyang couldn¡¯t help but sigh. If not for Yi Jun¡¯sstment, he probably wouldn¡¯t have been able to disclose Mayor Nie¡¯s personality. Indeed, one must approach work with caution and humility.
Deep in thought, Huang Xuyang sat at the secretary¡¯s desk. Suddenly, the white telephone on the table rang. It was a call from the Mayor¡¯s office. Without any dy, Huang Xuyang picked up the phone and answered respectfully, ¡°Mayor, you called for me?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s voice came through the phone, ¡°Xuyang, Secretary Yi has already arranged tomorrow¡¯s schedule. We will be attending the foundationying ceremony at the Guicheng District Textile Group. The materials for the ceremony are on the desk. Take a look at them and prepare a speech for me to deliver this afternoon when work is over.¡± Listening to the busy tone from the phone, Huang Xuyang felt a stir of emotions running through him. This was kind of his first test. After contemting for a while, Huang Xuyang picked up the phone and called home. His wife, Li Fen, quickly answered. Huang Xuyang then briefly said, ¡°Fen, you should go and buy groceries now. A ssmate from Jingcheng University, who also recently transferred to Liangxi City, ising to our house for dinner tonight. Please prepare a good meal without caring about the cost.¡± From this, it can be seen that Huang Xuyang clearly prioritized his tasks. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to finish the draft in a short time. If he had called up afterpleting it at five o¡¯clock, it would have been too hurried to purchase the groceries and prepare the meal. Hence, it made more sense to call now. Moreover, Huang Xuyang did not disclose Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position, only mentioning that he was an old ssmate. This showed Huang Xuyang¡¯s maturity and restraint. The two offices were separated by a wall, and the door was ajar. This conversation was clearly heard by Nie Zhenbang, and he silently nodded in approval. He was quite pleased with his ssmate-turned-secretary. In actuality, Huang Xuyang did not realize that Nie Zhenbang had already recognized his potential, otherwise, Yi Jun would not have arranged for his housing so swiftly. Chapter 431: 408: Your Classmate is the Mayor?_3 Chapter 431: Chapter 408: Your ssmate is the Mayor?_3 Time flew by and by five o¡¯clock, Huang Xuyang finally finished writing thest word. The entire speech manuscript was not very long and was quite colloquial. While writing it, Huang Xuyang had taken a variety of aspects into consideration and had revised it twice. Taking into ount the intellectual level of the residents in the old district, the speech manuscript can be said to be appealing to both refined andmon taste. Looking at the manuscript, Huang Xuyang was quite satisfied. At this time, Nie Zhenbang also came out, carrying a briefcase. Huang Xuyang immediately picked up the manuscript and handed it to Nie Zhenbang. He naturally took the briefcase from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hand, saying, ¡°Mayor, please take a look at the speech manuscript.¡± Nie Zhenbang took the manuscript, butughed and said, ¡°Xuyang, you are a well-known talent from our Chinese ss Two, don¡¯t worry about the manuscript for now, let¡¯s have dinner at your house first, and we can look at the manuscript on the road.¡± Following behind Nie Zhenbang, he maintained a half-step distance. After closing the door, the two walked out one after the other. A half-step distance is a kind of norm, also backed by practice. Because, it has been studied that if the distance is a full step, the reaction to any event will be slower by five seconds. So, a half-step is the most appropriate distance. Walking side by side with a leader is a foolish action, simply inviting trouble. All the way along, the staff were quite envious of Huang Xuyang. Even a few middle-level officials of the municipal government, after saying hello to Mayor Nie, courteously nodded to Huang Xuyang. Previously, these leaders were considered unapproachable in Huang Xuyang¡¯s eyes, but at the moment, they greeted him with smiles, prompting a wave of emotion in Huang Xuyang. When they walked out of the government building, the second car was already waiting at the entrance. Huang Xuyang took a step first, opened the car door, and after waiting for Nie Zhenbang to get in, he sat down in the front passenger seat. At this time, Nie Zhenbang also introduced, ¡°Qing Shan, meet my new secretary, Huang Xuyang. Xuyang, this is our driver, Yang Qingshan, a military veteran. Excellent skills. Henceforth, you guys shouldmunicate more.¡± With the sound of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words falling, Yang Qingshan was the first to reach out and say, ¡°Brother Huang, let¡¯s take care of each other in the future.¡± At this moment, Huang Xuyang also smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Yang, don¡¯t be so formal. Technically speaking, you are my senior. It should be me saying these words.¡± Yang Qingshan alsoughed, ¡°Brother Huang, forget about this ¡®Secretary Yang¡¯ thing, I¡¯m just a rough guy and not worthy of the title of a gentleman. Just call me Qing Shan or Xiao Yang.¡± Seeing this scene, Nie Zhenbang nodded in approval. A driver can also be referred to as a ¡®life Secretary¡¯. Huang Xuyang wasn¡¯t wrong in saying so. A good rtionship between the driver and the secretary is very important to him, their performance made him quite satisfied.
Starting the car and guided by Huang Xuyang, they arrived at Xishan District and stopped the car at a civilian house located at the junction of urban and suburban areas of the district. At this time, Li Fen also came out from the house. Looking at the ck sedan in front of her, the prestigious license te number, and the car emblem, Li Fen hurriedly grabbed Huang Xuyang and whispered, ¡°Xuyang, didn¡¯t you say that we¡¯re having a ssmate over for dinner? Howe your ssmate seems to be connected with the mayor?¡± Looking at his wife who had been through five or six years of hardship with him, Huang Xuyang felt a bit guilty. But thinking about the fact that he has finally turned his life around made him somewhat proud. He whispered, ¡°Fen, stop guessing, Mayor Nie is my ssmate, a ssmate from the same ss.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Fen opened her mouth wide, her face full of skepticism, ¡°Your ssmate is the mayor? Huang Xuyang, just stop boasting.¡± (To be continued. If you enjoy this novel, please go to to vote or subscribe. Your support is my strongest motivation.) Chapter 432: 409: Forcing to Buy a House_1 Chapter 432: Chapter 409: Forcing to Buy a House_1 Seeing Nie Zhenbang, who had already walked over behind him, Huang Xuyang nodded and pulled his wife, Li Fen, over. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°Fen, watch what you say.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Sister-inw, you¡¯re not mistaken. Xuyang and I were indeed ssmates at Jingcheng University.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Fen was very excited. To be addressed as sister-inw by the mayor was a first for her. Now, she thought of the future. With a ssmate of the mayor watching over them, would she still need to worry about her husband¡¯s future? Even if it wasn¡¯t a literal skyrocketing rise, at least, a bright future would be absolute. Thinking about this, Li Fen showed the brightest smile on her face. It was not a hypocritical smile, but a sincere one from the bottom of her heart. ¡°Mayor Nie¡­ please,e in and have a seat. You are a highly esteemed guest who is not easy to invite over.¡± Li Fen hesitated for a moment and eventually called him the mayor. However, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Sister-inw, don¡¯t be formal. Xuyang and I have known each other for many years. Now it¡¯s a family dinner, just call me Zhenbang. The title of mayor is only used when I¡¯m at work.¡± Huang Xuyang also felt the sincerity in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. Only he knew the real rtionship between them. Although he called them old ssmates, the number of times they actually met was pitifully few. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude moved Huang Xuyang deeply. Now, heughed and said, ¡°Mr. Mayor¡­ I mean, Zhenbang. Let¡¯s go in. It¡¯s just a simple home-cooked meal. I hope you won¡¯t despise it.¡± Huang Xuyang¡¯s house was like a typical household in the south of the Yangtze River, with a small courtyard in the middle. In contrast to those who bought houses specifically for enjoyment, it was clear from the aged marks around the house that Huang Xuyang¡¯s current living conditions were not good. In the yard, there were ropes strung up with a lot of clothes hanging on them. Huang Xuyang exined, ¡°We rented the house next door to some outsiders to help with household expenses. Fen lost her jobst year. Our household is really¡­¡± Every family has its difficulties. In his memory, Huang Xuyang was from a rural area in Jiangbei Province. Living alone in Liangxi City, naturally, the standard for choosing a partner wouldn¡¯t be that high. This house was probably left by Li Fen¡¯s parents.
Walking into the main room, there were two side rooms on each side of the main hall, with a kitchen and bathroom nearby. The dinner table was set up in the middle of the hall. There were ten dishes ¨C local delicacies from Liangxi. Needless to say, Huang Xuyang¡¯s wife, Li Fen¡¯s cooking skills were extraordinary. Although privately, it was the sentiment that mattered. However, in reality, Nie Zhenbang was still the main focus. After all, his social status remained unchanged. Just because the leader was polite, it did not mean they could act recklessly. Seeing that everyone was watching him, Nie Zhenbang just smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s start. Looking at these beautiful, aromatic dishes made by my sister-inw, my appetite is rather stimted.¡± At Nie Zhenbang¡¯s signal, Huang Xuyang also brought out a bottle of wine. It wasn¡¯t a fine wine, but it demonstrated his sincerity. After three rounds of drinks, the atmosphere among everyone rxed considerably. Li Fen, emboldened by the alcohol,ughed and said, ¡°Zhenbang, now that¡¯s settled. Zhenbang, our Xuyang is your old ssmate. We will have to rely on you in the future.¡± Li Fen¡¯s words made Huang Xuyang a bit embarrassed. He tugged at Li Fen¡¯s sleeve and whispered, ¡°Fen, why would you say something like that? You don¡¯t need to worry about my work.¡± Nie Zhenbang, however, justughed and watched Huang Xuyang and his wife. Honestly, this kind of mundane married life was something he had never experienced. In his past life, he was alone. In this life, since the beginning, he has nevercked money. And An Na, Dong Wan, and Li Lixue were all women of unique talents who did not need to be concerned with these trivial matters. He understood Li Fen¡¯s attitude very well. It was a typical mindset of ordinary people, establishing connections and pulling strings, which was verymon in the system. ¡°Alright, alright, Xuyang, don¡¯t make a long face. Sister-inw is right. Since I am also working in Liangxi, I should naturally look after my old ssmates in the future. However, sister-inw, the precondition is that Xuyang should bepetent himself. What do you think?¡± Nie Zhenbang, too, said with a smile. Off to the side, Yang Qingshan also chimed in with a smile, ¡°Sister-inw, I don¡¯t think you know yet, but Brother Huang is now the boss¡¯s secretary.¡± Li Fen felt a bit awkward at this moment, as if her scheme had been unraveled. Upon hearing Yang Qingshan¡¯s words, she looked surprised but then said joyfully, ¡°Brother Qingshan, really? That¡¯s great news. I knew that he would make something of himself. He finally came into his own, ate bloomer.¡± The group started to bond over food and drink. Yang Qingshan had already earned their trust and eptance, so he naturally wasn¡¯t an issue. Huang Xuyang was also starting to let loose. They were enjoying a harmonious moment when an arrogant voice echoed from outside. A bunch of people stormed in rudely, kicking the door open. A dozen or so young men, wielding clubs and knives, red menacingly as they entered. Also, the tenants who were cooking in the courtyard were reprimanded by them. ¡°Get lost, you lot! We¡¯re not renting this ce anymore. Start packing up your stuff. If it all burns down, don¡¯t say we didn¡¯t warn you,¡± they shouted. ¡°Huang Xuyang, have you made up your mind about the house? Are you selling or not? Secretary Huang, cadre Huang. We¡¯ve given you plenty of respect. It¡¯s about time you made up your mind. After all, the boss above has spoken. You must sell the house, whether you like it or not. If you don¡¯t agree, you could try reporting us. Aren¡¯t you the chief secretary of the municipal government? You could talk to the mayor or the secretary.¡± The leader of the group, a man in histe twenties, stood out. Despite the mild weather in April, they were all in short sleeves. You could see their tattoos and showy attire¡ªa sure sign they weren¡¯t upstanding citizens. Nie Zhenbang frowned at this scene. Huang Xuyang was a government official and his wife aid-off factory worker; why would they cross paths with these street thugs? Could it be that Huang Xuyang was hiding something? Nie Zhenbang looked sternly at Huang Xuyang and asked, ¡°Xuyang, who are these people? How did you get mixed up with them?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Huang Xuyang immediately understood what he was getting at. He gave a bitter smile and exined, ¡°Mayor, it¡¯s not that I want to get involved with them. These people were hired by apany called Wealth Circle, who for the past two months, have been aggressively buying up houses in old town areas of Xishan District. They are buying entire streets, iming it¡¯s for real estate development. But their offer was too low. So¡­ I didn¡¯t sell. That¡¯s why they¡¯re targeting me.¡± Upon hearing Huang Xuyang¡¯s exnation, Nie Zhenbang rxed a bit. As long as the problem wasn¡¯t with Huang Xuyang himself, that was all that mattered.
He had never heard of the Wealth Circle Company before. And their buying up houses street by street seemed somewhat suspicious. After contemting for a moment, Nie Zhenbang said in a deep voice, ¡°What¡¯s going on with you people? Are you trying to strong-arm people into selling their properties? Buying a house should be a willing transaction. If someone refuses to sell, why are you persisting?¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, the leader next to him looked as if he had been struck. He red at Nie Zhenbang angrily and said, ¡°Kid, mind your own business. Be careful, or you might bring disaster upon yourself. ¡®Loose lips sink ships¡¯, and that applies especially to people like you.¡± Without giving Nie Zhenbang another thought, he turned to Huang Xuyang and Li Fen, ¡°Huang Xuyang, in consideration of your status as a city government employee, we¡¯ve shown you some respect. But aren¡¯t you just an ordinary secretary in the secretariat of the city government? You¡¯ve worked eight years and still remain an ordinary secretary, so don¡¯t get cocky. Now, tell us the truth. Are you selling or not?¡±
Huang Xuyang looked distressed. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t want to appear petty in front of the authorities, but he knew the financial condition of his household better than anyone else. Gritting his teeth, Huang Xuyang stepped forward and said, ¡°It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t sell. It¡¯s just that the price offered by Wealth Circle Company is too low. My property is at least four hundred square meters, and you¡¯re only offering fifteen thousand yuan. With that amount, I can¡¯t even afford a twenty-square-meter ce on the market. How would you expect me to sell at this price?¡± At the end of his speech, the man leading the group smirked maliciously, looked at Huang Xuyang and asked, ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­you won¡¯t sell?¡± He didn¡¯t wait for Huang Xuyang to respond but ordered his followers, ¡°Guys, since this old man doesn¡¯t know better, let¡¯s teach him a lesson. He seems to think we¡¯re afraid of a measly secretary. Our boss, apart from having connections in the city, also has ties in the province. So why should we be scared of a small secretary from the city government? Go ahead and drive out these tenants. Smash everything in this house that can be smashed.¡± The followers, all young men in theirte teens to early twenties, greatly influenced by the Hong Kong and Taiwan film industries at the time, were romanticized by notions of mafia loyalty and brotherhood. Excited by the order, they shouted and rushed to carry it out. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t stand idle any longer. Regardless of what type ofpany Wealth Circle was, this alone was proof they were up to no good. Nie Zhenbang stepped forward, shouting angrily, ¡°Stop! Who gave you the audacity to do this? Is there no respect forw anymore?¡± ( Chapter 433: 410 Serious Handling_1 Chapter 433: Chapter 410 Serious Handling_1 ¡°Laws? Ha ha, brothers, this kid talks to us aboutws.¡± The leader of the group seemed to have just heard the funniest joke known to man. The rest of the gang erupted inughter. Once theughter simmered down, the ringleader¡¯s gaze fell onto Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Kid, by the way you talk, you must not be from Liangxi. You¡¯re an outsider, yet you dare to act so arrogantly. You must be tired of living.¡± As he spoke, there was an apparent air of superiority about him. He jeered at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Thew, let me tell you, in Xishan district, in Liangxi City, we are thew. Our Wealth Circle Company is thew. Anyone who has a death wish,e at me! My brothers and I don¡¯t just bark without bite.¡± After he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang was fuming. He replied in a cold voice, ¡°I¡¯ve been in Liangxi City for four months and haven¡¯t heard anything about Wealth Circle Company being thew. Qing Shan, wait. Whoever dares to raise their hand, I¡¯ll break their limbs.¡± Yang Qingshan had already positioned himself in front of Nie Zhenbang. When these men walked in, Yang Qingshan¡¯s nerves were on high alert. Though he was a driver, he knew he had to step up when his superior was in trouble. To top it off, Yang Qingshan was a former scout. A few little hoodlums didn¡¯t pose any challenge. Upon hearing the Mayor¡¯s order, Yang Qingshan¡¯s innate soldierly demeanor was thoroughly ignited. The Mayor was so daring. His words were resounding: anyone who dares to act, will have their limbs broken. But verbally, Yang Qingshan affirmed, ¡°Boss, rest assured, the ones who fight, none will escape.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s audacious attitude infuriated the gangsters. In Xishan district, they were used to running riot and intimidating others. No one had ever dared to defy them, let alone in such an arrogant manner. The gang leader¡¯s face darkened. He barked, ¡°Alright, punk, you¡¯re bold enough. If I don¡¯t break your leg today, I¡¯ll give up being in the Xishan district.¡± By this point, Huang Xuyang hade over and whispered, ¡°Boss, why don¡¯t I just sell to them? After all, Manager Yi is preparing to provide me with a house. It¡¯s best to avoid trouble.¡± At this moment, Huang Xuyang also understood why some leaders, when they went out, preferred to be addressed as ¡®boss¡¯ by their subordinates. It wasn¡¯t because they liked being business owners. But in some situations, referring to them as ¡®boss¡¯ was simply more convenient. Huang Xuyang himself drew theparison: if Mayor Nie was the boss, the Secretary-General of the municipal government was essentially the manager, right?
Nie Zhenbang had a serious expression on his face and did not speak. He patted Huang Xuyang¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Xuyang, this matter isn¡¯t as simple as you think. This Wealth Circle Company is strange. Their massive acquisition of old houses and their strong-arm tactics indicate that thispany is no goodpany. Even if it isn¡¯t rted to you, knowing this, I¡¯ll intervene.¡± He gave Huang Xuyang an assured expression, his voice resolute, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, with Qingshan¡¯s skills, there¡¯s no issue handling these street hooligans.¡± While Nie Zhenbang and Huang Xuyang were talking, Yang Qingshan was already fighting the gangsters. Once he was given the order by Nie Zhenbang, Yang Qingshan didn¡¯t hold back. His initial attack was famous in the military as a tactic to control enemies. Facing the iing pipe and knife, Yang Qingshan did not flinch. He pressed his body against the weapon, swiftly closed in, grabbed the attacker¡¯s wrist, and pressed down. The attacker instantly fell to his knees. Yang Qingshan stepped forward and with a crack, the attacker¡¯s wrist was broken. The courtyard echoed with screams of agony. Twelve gangsters, Yang Qingshan took less than five minutes to neutralize the threat. The gang leader even tried to approach Nie Zhenbang, hoping to subdue him to stop Yang Qingshan. However, he underestimated Nie Zhenbang, who was even more formidable. This time, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t go all out and simply kicked the man three meters away. The sight of the gangsters huddled on the ground wailing made Yang Qingshan smirk. He walked towards the leader, causing the leader to freeze up. The leader kept stepping back, warning, ¡°Don¡¯te any closer, I¡¯ll call the police.¡± This statement made Nie Zhenbang frown. Call the police? A gangster calling the police? Seeing his reaction, it seemed like this wasn¡¯t his first time. A picture started forming in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind: a property tycoon keeping a gang of thugs at his disposal. Whenever he faced any obstacles, his thugs would take action. If they met a tough opponent, the thugs would instantly turn from attackers to victims. Law enforcement would quickly respond to their call, warning anyone who dared to resist, eventually forcing them to sumb to the pressure. Nie Zhenbang seemed to have predicted the collusion between the police and criminals, poisoning everyday citizens. He suddenly said, ¡°Qingshan, hold on for a minute. Let him call the police. I want to see if we truly have reached the point where right and wrong, and truth and falsity, are blurred.¡± Yang Qingshan nodded with a smile. He waved nonchntly at the gang leader, ¡°Kid, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you a chance. Now, you can call the police. I¡¯ll give you two minutes. After that, I¡¯ll start. Should I break one leg or all your limbs?¡± His sharp gaze and the wailing scene around them frightened the gang leader. Even gangsters were people. They only bugged ordinary people. They were equally scared when facing real tough guys. With trembling hands, he took out his phone and dialed a number. As soon as the call went through, he immediately cried out, ¡°Director Gu, help. I¡¯m Liu Xinchun from Wealth Circle Company. Here in Tongsheng Lane, Xishan District, several of my brothers and I from the demolition team have been beaten. It¡¯s brutal; my brothers¡¯ limbs have been broken. The criminals are extremely arrogant. Please hurry over.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. It seems they had coordinated their stories, even knowing to use terms such as ¡®criminal.¡¯ In no time at all, about three minutes, the ring sounds of police sirens could be heard outside. Soon, a police car pulled up next to them. Three policemen in uniform walked in. The leading officer, who was about forty, was very tall and muscr. Despite his thinning hair, he was quite striking. Upon entering, he took in the gangsters lying on the ground and asked, ¡°Who did this?¡± At this point, the leader of the thugs, bolstered by the arrival of reinforcements, no longer appeared fearful. He jumped up, pointing at Yang Qingshan, and said, ¡°Director Gu, this guy is the one who started it.¡± The middle-aged man frowned at Yang Qingshan, saying, ¡°You sure are ruthless. Maiming people for no apparent reason, your actions have resulted in multiple cases of minor injuries. This is a severe situation. Come with us to assist in the investigation.¡± At these words, Yang Qingshan merely gave a faint smile. Considering his status, he was treated respectfully by all division chiefs and was even referred to as a brother by Chen Le, the chief of the city bureau. Would he be in fear of just a precinct chief? With that, he walked over and twisted the gangsters¡¯ bodies a bit. Their cries of pain suddenly ceased with a series of crackling sounds. Standing straight, Yang Qingshan grinned, ¡°Director Gu. It was a minor trick, just dislocated their joints.¡±
By stating this, he was informing Director Gu and others that he hadn¡¯t broken anyws, at most, it was a fight. Moreover, these thugs were armed with dangerous weapons, so it was merely self-defense. However, Director Gu was unmoved. Calm as ever, he repeated, ¡°Regardless, we should go to the police station and record a statement to rify the circumstances.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t hold himself back and said sternly, ¡°Director Gu, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s appropriate. These people trespass private houses with controlled knives, we are the ones who defended ourselves. You can take a statement, but shouldn¡¯t you prioritize your case? They are criminals, and you¡¯re arresting usw-abiding citizens. What do you mean by that?¡± Director Gu¡¯s eyebrows knitted in a frown. Without hesitation, he retorted, ¡°It¡¯s not up to you to tell me how to handle my cases. All of you need to immediately follow me back to the station for questioning. The more cooperative you are, the less trouble you¡¯ll have. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for being harsh.¡±
As soon as his words fell, Director Gu looked up, but his gaze froze as he caught sight of Nie Zhenbang. Shocked, his face dripping with cold sweat, he stood motionless, unable to utter a word. The face before him was one that stunned Director Gu. Though his rank wasn¡¯t high enough to personally meet this man, Director Gu had a habit of watching the news on Liangxi TV Station. He believed it would help him understand changes in the district and the city from the news, so he was quite familiar with some of the city¡¯s leaders. Seeing Huang Xuyang beside him and knowing that Huang Xuyang worked at the city government¡¯s secretariat, he could more or less guess what was going on. Nie Zhenbang was also observing Director Gu, seeing the changes in him. At this point, it was not meaningful to press further. This man already knew his identity. He wouldn¡¯t be able to draw out any more information. Sure enough, Director Gu changed his expression to a serious one, authoritatively ordering, ¡°Xiao Zhang, Xiao Xiao, handcuff all these people and take them back to the station for punishment. They¡¯ve broken thew by carrying regted knives, trespassing private property and threatening the safety of citizens. Such behavior must be strictly dealt with.¡± However, Nie Zhenbang interrupted, ¡°Hold on!¡± He then turned to Huang Xuyang and said, ¡°Xuyang, call Chen Le from the city police bureau now and have hime over personally. He needs to see for himself what his good cops are up to. This has to be dealt with severity, no matter whatpany, what person, or what position is involved, they must be strictly punished.¡± (.) Chapter 434: 411 Foundation Laying Ceremony_1 Chapter 434: Chapter 411 Foundation Laying Ceremony_1 Deal with this seriously, they must be strictly punished. Hearing this, Director Gu¡¯s face turned pale, beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. He had heard Mayor Nie¡¯s words loud and clear. He had asked Chen Le from the City Public Security Bureau toe, demonstrating such conviction and authority confirmed without a doubt that the man in front of him, who looked surprisingly young, was none other than Nie Zhenbang, the Mayor of Liangxi City¡¯s People¡¯s Government. However, Director Gu did not dare to speak, he just stood there in silence. At this moment, upon knowing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s identity, all he could do was hope that his excellent disy of remorse might earn him some sympathy. He had given up on his position, sure that it was gone for good. All he could hope for now was to keep his job. Huang Xuyang was also very excited, as this was his first call since bing a secretary. There would certainly be more of such incidents in the future. However, the first time was always exciting. Huang Xuyang didn¡¯t open his contact book before making the call. Nie Zhenbang was very satisfied with this detail, which showed that Huang Xuyang was dedicated to his job. As a secretary, it¡¯s crucial to be aware of who one¡¯s superiors are close to, who they maintain regr rtions with, and who their adversaries are. The contact information of those close should be remembered by heart, which is an essential quality for a secretary. The call connected with a beep sound. Chen Le¡¯s voice came through first, ¡°Hello, Secretary Huang. From now on, we will berades-in-arms in the same trench. Mr. Huang, are you calling because the Mayor has some instructions?¡± Hearing Chen Le¡¯s words, Huang Xuyang was quite impressed. Chen Le lived up to his reputation. His disy alone proved it was no fluke he became the head of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau at such a young age. Just after taking on the role of secretary, Chen Le confidently addressed him correctly, disying an ability that Huang Xuyang admired. It showed Chen Le was also dedicated to his role. Huang Xuyang soon adjusted his attitude and said with a smile, ¡°Director Chen, the Mayor asked me to tell you toe to 27 Tongsheng Lane, Lianhua Street, Xishan District immediately.¡± In response to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s direct order, Chen Le didn¡¯t hesitate. He hung up, immediately grabbed his car keys from the coffee table and left, not even bothering to respond to his wife, other than muttering something about an emergency mission. Getting from the Liangjiang District Public Security Bureau to Xishan District was not a short distance. However, within just five minutes, the sound of brakes could be heard outside.
Immediately after, a group of uniformed police walked in, led by Chen Le, with the leaders of the Xishan District Public Security Sub-bureau following behind. Seeing Chen Le, Nie Zhenbang walked up, his face stern and his voice filled with anger: ¡°Chen Le, what are you doing as the head of the City Public Security Bureau? Your officers are behaving so disgracefully, tantly viting discipline. As the head of the bureau, aren¡¯t you going to say something?¡± Having worked with Mayor Nie for many years, Chen Le was well aware of his character. Once he saw Mayor Nie¡¯s stern expression, Chen Le knew that the Mayor was using the situation to teach a lesson. This gave Chen Le the opportunity to discipline the Xishan District Public Security Sub-bureau. Consequently, Chen Le lowered his head and cautiously responded, ¡°Yes, Mayor, you are correct in your criticism. I am guilty of subjective errors in party conduct, political integrity and educating officers. Please criticize and punish me!¡± The two men understood each other. Nie Zhenbang naturally would not issue any specific punishment. With a serious tone, he turned and said, ¡°The organization will handle your affairs. For now, clean up this mess that you and your men have created.¡± Having said that, Chen Le stepped forward. The situation was not veryplicated. In front of the head of the City Bureau, people like Director Gu could hardly twist the facts. Standing by, the incident was quickly understood. At this moment, Chen Le¡¯s expression changed, hemanded in a stern voice, ¡°Pei Guoqiang, what have you been doing? Dismiss the rank of theserades who tantly vited discipline immediately. People like these should all be firmly expelled from the police force.¡± Being stripped of their rank was akin to stripping them of their police status ¨C this meant dismissal. However, Director Gu and the others dared not oppose in the slightest. Witnessing this scene, Chen Le againmanded: ¡°These public nuisances recklessly carried controlled knives, threatening and assaulting the public. They pose a significant threat to public safety and property. In ordance with the Ministry of Public Security¡¯s orders, organized gangs of this nature must be dealt with strictly, severely, and swiftly in light of substantive evidence of their illegal activities. We cannot condone them. As public safety officers, we must be prepared and determined to maintain peace.¡± After this long lecture, Chen Le¡¯s tone changed, ¡°Take all these people away. Start interrogating them overnight.¡± Within a short period, a dozen or so hooligans along with Director Gu and his men were all led away. Outside, the sirens of the police cars were turned on. Carrying these people, they sped off. At this point, Chen Le walked up to Huang Xuyang, smiling softly. He quietly said, ¡°Hello, Secretary Huang. We both serve Mayor Nie. From now on, we have to strengthen our connections.¡± Chapter 435: 411 Foundation Laying Ceremony_2 Chapter 435: Chapter 411 Foundation Laying Ceremony_2 At this moment, Nie Zhenbang spoke in a deep voice: ¡°Old Chen, I¡¯m giving you a task now. I want the Economic Investigationrades to start investigating immediately. I want to see what exactly lies behind the Wealth Circle Company¨Dwhat kind of secrets and backgrounds it has.¡± ¡­ The next morning, before it was six, Nie Zhenbang woke up naturally. This had been his habit for decades and now his biological clock was tuned to it. Regardless of wind, rain, fog or snow, getting up at six in the morning was essential. Gazing at Dong Wan and Yang Anna, who were asleep next to him, a touch of gentleness shed in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes. These incredible women were willing to share one husband, which seemed inconceivable but was what touched Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart. He gently kissed both women on their foreheads and then stepped out of the room. After practicing a set of Shape-Intent Fist in the gym next to the living room, Nie Zhenbang felt refreshed. He tidied up a bit and then prepared three heartwarming breakfasts in the kitchen before eating. By the time he finished eating, it was around seven twenty. Downstairs, his driver, Yang Qingshan, was already waiting by the car. Five minutes before eight, Nie Zhenbang walked into the municipal government office building. His timing was as precise as a finely tuned machine. As he entered his office, his assistant Huang Xuyang ced a cup of tea on his desk. Looking around the office, Nie Zhenbang noted every corner¨Dall impably cleaned. He nodded in approval. His colleague had matured and be detail-oriented and steady after eight years of hardship. These virtues were essential for an excellent secretary. ¡°Mayor, this is today¡¯s itinerary. In the morning, you will attend the ground-breaking ceremony for the city-wide old city reconstruction project in Guicheng District. Afterwards at the Liangxi City Grand Hotel, you will partake in a banquet. In the afternoon, you will meet with real estate industry leaders such as the CEO Zheng Jiawei of Jiasheng Real Estate and the CEO Fu Xiaobin of Dongsheng Real Estate,¡± reported Huang Xuyang, as Nie Zhenbang took his seat. ¡°The banquet is part of the ground-breaking ceremony for the old city reconstruction project, so I must attend. These real estate bosses are central to my n. The scale of Liangxi City and the extent of its old city reconstruction project cannot be handled by government support alone; we need to involve investors. There is no doubt that property developers will be most interested,¡± mused Nie Zhenbang, nodding in understanding. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ve got it. The time is drawing near, let¡¯s head to Guicheng District together.¡± ¡­ At this moment, at the front gate of the Guicheng District Textile Group, the usually crowded streets have beenpletely cleared. The decades-old camphor trees have been transnted to the city¡¯s Department of Parks and Recreation, and they¡¯ll be relocated back here once the old city reconstruction project ispleted. This conservation is a result of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s insistence and is also the first time nt and environment protection has been given priority in an urban renewal project.
At the entrance of the Textile Group, there were rows of alleys and low buildings, characteristic of the old city district. Most residents here were family members of the Textile Group¡¯s employees and local workers. By this time, many of the old houses have already been demolished, leaving an open area that epasses more than ten thousand square meters. The rubble and construction waste scattered all around the open lot gave it the appearance of a major construction site. In one area of the field, a podium was set up. A red carpet wasid on the ground in front of it. The leadership tform was adorned with a ck marble stone inscribed with the words ¡°ground-breaking¡± in golden letters, covered by ayer of red silk cloth. As the appointed time drew near, public security police and armed police officers from all over the city began to form a cordon around the venue. Shortly after, vehicles from the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government filed into the venue one after another. The convoy was led by Fan Changsheng¡¯s special vehicle. On such a grand asion, the entire leadership team of the Municipal Party Committee was expected to attend. Li Guohua, dressed in a formal ck suit and white shirt, served as the Deputy Mayor and concurrently as the Secretary of the Guicheng District Committee. The old city reconstruction project primarily concentrated in Guicheng District, meaning that Li Guohua was the main character this time around. Fan Changsheng was also visibly excited; he had received urate information from the former leaders. The concept of the Eastern Development Forum had piqued the interests of the provinces of Ludong, Hucheng, South of Yangtze River, and Minan. Huizhou province also proactively dered interest. From the old leaders¡¯ sentiments, the organization of the Eastern Development Forum seemed to be a done deal. As the host, Fan Changsheng¡¯s political aplishments were indeed tremendous. Therefore, Fan Changsheng appeared quite cheerful. As he walked side by side with Nie Zhenbang, they exchanged whispers. Their leadership camaraderie appeared harmonious and united. On the podium, cards were set up in advance for the leaders. Once each leader took their seat in front of their card, Li Guohua walked to the podium and started speaking into the microphone, ¡°Respected leaders, guests,rades, and friends, today, we wee a major event in our city¡¯s process of reform¡ª the official ground-breaking ceremony for Liangxi City¡¯s old city reconstruction project. Now, I ask everyone to give a warm round of apuse to invite themander in chief of the ¡°Liangxi City Old City Reconstruction Construction Project¡± Command Headquarters and the Mayor of Liangxi City, Nie Zhenbang, to give his speech.¡± Most of it was ceremonial. Nie Zhenbang had already memorized Huang Xuyang¡¯s drafted speech. He stood up with his hands hanging by his sides. His speech flowed smoothly and without pause, disying a level of confidence that surprised other city leaders and invited businessmen. Themon citizens looked on in admiration; Mayor Nie was truly impressive. He never needed preparation for his speeches; his depth and mastery were truly remarkable. After Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speech ended, the next item on the agenda was naturally the ground-breaking ceremony. A dozen new shovels were lined up. Members of the Municipal Party Committee, one by one, approached the cornerstone and used their shovels to dig a bit of the yellow earth that was piled around it. ¡°Secretary Fan, you¡¯re the Secretary, and we¡¯re all waiting to see you take the first shovel,¡± said Li Xiaoqin with a smile on her face. With several cameras filming, Li Xiaoqin didn¡¯t shy away from speaking as these remarks would not be broadcasted, so there was no need to worry. Fan Changshengughed heartily, appearing somewhat smug. ¡°Ha ha, when Minister Li Xiaoqin says so, I can¡¯t refuse. Let¡¯s do it together.¡± Saying this, Fan Changsheng took the lead and dug the first shovel. Othermittee members followed suit. In the distance, a hundred thousand pre-arranged fireworks were ignited. Streaks of fire shot into the sky. Naturally, it was impossible for the city¡¯s leaders to level the entire ce. The whole thing was more symbolic than functional. When the foundationying ceremony was over, music began to y from the stage. Sitting on the leadership podium, Nie Zhenbang looked straight ahead and watched the song and dance performance on stage. Unexpectedly, Fan Changsheng leaned in and said with a smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, I have something to discuss with you.¡± ( Chapter 436: 412 Stirring Trouble on Tai Sui’s Head_1 Chapter 436: Chapter 412 Stirring Trouble on Tai Sui¡¯s Head_1 Fan Changsheng¡¯s words surprised Nie Zhenbang. He pondered in secret, ¡®Fan Changsheng being so polite, this attitude, is clearly somewhat unusual.¡¯ On the surface, though, he remained calm and smiled, saying, ¡°Secretary Fan, you¡¯re being too polite. Is there anything we can¡¯t talk about among us? If there¡¯s anything, just tell me. As long as I can do it, it¡¯s not a problem at all.¡± These words, however, were met with contempt in Fan Changsheng¡¯s heart. Anyone could say such face-saving words. He thought, ¡®If you, Nie Zhenbang, were really like that, it would mean the sun rising from the west. How could you have taken a piece of financial power away from my nephew Ren Yong¡¯s matter if you were so cooperative? And you¡¯ve even seized a handle on my daughter¡¯spany.¡¯ But on the surface, Fan Changsheng¡¯s expression remained as calm as ever. Compared to their future officialdom, these were trivial matters. Under the big picture, Fan Changsheng would not do anything rash that would break everything off, so although he held a lot ofints and anger towards Nie Zhenbang, on the surface, he maintained a harmonious attitude. ¡°Mayor Nie, actually, this is also considered official business. However, considering after all, this is an internal matter of the government. Even though I¡¯m the party secretary, the number one, I still feel like I should discuss it with you. Look, Comrade Guohua, after taking on the charge of the merger and restructuring of the Textile Group, he has removed all his other tasks in the city for the sake of doing a good job at the Textile Group. Now, the Textile Group has also been put on the right track. Don¡¯t you think it would be appropriate to adjust the division ofbor in the city government again? After all, Mayor Guohua is also the executive deputy mayor of the city government. It doesn¡¯t look good if he¡¯s not in charge of anything. People who don¡¯t know might think there¡¯s conflict among the government team and that he¡¯s being excluded.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s tone was polite, but there was nothing polite about his words. Fan Changsheng¡¯s move was ruthless. It looked like a gentle rain, but in fact, he was insinuating something, with a hidden agenda. What does being excluded and having conflicts mean? This was obviously a jab at himself. If he doesn¡¯t agree, he would give others ammunition to use against him and would leave a bad impression of disunity among the team in front of the provincial leadership. If he agrees, Li Guohua¡¯s power would be much greater. He is already a standing member of the Municipal Party Committee and the Executive Deputy Mayor, and is now also the Party Secretary of Guicheng District. The redevelopment of the old city in Guicheng District would definitely be under Li Guohua¡¯s control. If the division ofbor is adjusted, the consequences would be unthinkable. Li Guohua is indeed not simple. The impact of the People¡¯s Congress stalemate has nowe to an end, and this series of ns is all linked together. His tactics are much more ruthless than imagined. ¡°Secretary Fan, this is of course necessary. It¡¯s only natural to adjust the division ofbor in the city government.¡± First, Nie Zhenbang affirmed Fan Changsheng¡¯s statement. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first thought. As expected, Fan Changsheng seemed quite satisfied with his response when he heard it. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang sneered internally. It¡¯s impossible to have both fish and bear¡¯s paw. Let¡¯s see what you, Fan Changsheng, will choose. Then, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Deputy Mayor Li, as the Executive Deputy Mayor, not in charge of any work in the government team, naturally, is unjustifiable. However, Secretary Fan, considering that Deputy Mayor Li is also the Party Secretary of Guicheng District, the redevelopment of the old city is now a top priority in our city. This is rted to the sessful holding of the Eastern Development Forum. Under this premise, I also worry about Deputy Mayor Li¡¯s energy being limited. In my opinion, Comrade Lu Wu, after all, is the former Party Secretary of Guicheng District and is very familiar with Guicheng District. Why not let Comrade Lu Wu take on the post of Party Secretary of Guicheng District first, and talk about dealing with the old city redevelopment projectter? What do you think?¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Fan Changsheng¡¯s face twitched several times. He waspletely caught off guard. He had underestimated Nie Zhenbang, and so had Li Guohua. In this way, Li Guohua was put in a difficult situation. Agreeing to this proposal would not only require giving up control of Guicheng District but also allow Nie Zhenbang to get a deputy department-level title for free. This would be a lose-lose situation. If he disagrees, he wouldn¡¯t have a say in city government matters. In the long run, Li Guohua would lose a lot of credibility in the city, which would be detrimental in the future.
After pondering for a moment, Fan Changsheng still decided to choose the Party Secretary of Guicheng District. If the division ofbor were chosen, he feared that he would only be in charge of some less important units, such as the Bureau of Old Cadres, liaising with the CPPCC and People¡¯s Congress, and other such work. Even if he were given some areas, it wouldn¡¯t matter much in the grand scheme of things. But Guicheng District on the other hand, was crucial. If the old city redevelopment is done well, it would bring great achievements. Which is lighter and which is heavier, it¡¯s clear at a nce. Indeed, at this moment, Fan Changsheng smiled awkwardly and said, ¡°Mayor Nie¡¯s words are very reasonable. I see it the same way. At present, the redevelopment of the old city is the key and core of our work. I think it¡¯s better to let Comrade Li Guohua take charge of this area, the rank is also no problem. This can also promote the smoothpletion of the old city redevelopment project.¡± Having said that, there was not much left for them to talk about or hold interest in. At about 11:20, the song and dance performance carefully prepared by Guicheng District Government, Liangxi City Culture Bureau, and the City Cultural and Art Troupe officially ended. The citymittee leadership left one after another. The convoy headed to the banquet hall of the Liangxi Grand Hotel. This was a reception hosted in the name of Liangxi City Government. Not only did all the citymittee leaders participate, but also various rted functional departments in the city, as well as representatives of enterprises from all over the country and representatives of local businesses in Liangxi, gathered to discuss the grand n of Liangxi City¡¯s old city redevelopment. At two in the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang appeared on time in the reception hall of the Liangxi Grand Hotel. At this moment, representatives or heads ofrgepanies from the real estate and construction industry such as Jiasheng Real Estate, Dongsheng Real Estate, and Yuedong Construction Group were already waiting here. As Nie Zhenbang entered, the business owners all stood up voluntarily. Huang Xuyang, who followed him, introduced with a smile, ¡°Mayor, this is Mr. Zheng Jiawei, the Chairman of Jiasheng Real Estate. This one next to him is Mr. Fu Xiaobin, the Chairman of Dongsheng Real Estate¡­¡± Having introduced several heavyweight businessmen, Nie Zhenbang smiled and nodded, saying, ¡°Friends from the businessmunity. I¡¯m very grateful for your trust in Liangxi City. Don¡¯t be restrained, everyone, please sit.¡± ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Nie Zhenbang said with a chuckle, ¡°You all are akin to the God of Wealth here in Liangxi City. Allow me to make my stand clear: businesses that operate legally and pay their taxes dutifully will always receive unwavering support from the city government.¡± This discussion was of great importance to him; these groups represented some of the most renownedpanies nationwide. Companies like Jiasheng Real Estate and Dongsheng Real Estate were leaders in their industry. If they could participate in the redevelopment of the old city in Liangxi City, it would unquestionably spur tremendous development in the area. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was mildly surprised. He had not expected the chairman of Jiasheng Real Estate to be such a young man¡ªpossibly under twenty-five years old. The meeting proceeded in a rxed and harmonious atmosphere, much to the delight of both the host and guests. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s witty humor and extensive knowledge left a profound impression on the businessmen. Finally, Nie Zhenbang got up and said with a smile, ¡°Gentlemen, in a few days, the first project for the redevelopment of the old city in Liangxi City¡ªthe Textile Group¡¯s property development project¡ªwill officially begin to ept public bids. Any of you who are interested may want to have a look¡ªI believe there will be a project that suits everyone.¡± ¡­ Just as Nie Zhenbang stepped out of the reception room, Huang Xuyang, who was waiting at the door, came forward and whispered in his ear, ¡°Mayor, Director Chen is here. He says he has important information to report to you.¡± ¡°Chen Le is here?¡± Nie Zhenbang repeated, looking at Huang Xuyang. He was very familiar with Chen Le¡¯s work attitude. If something was so important that even Chen Le wanted to report it, it must be serious. After a moment of contemtion, he made up his mind and instructed Huang Xuyang, ¡°Take Director Chen to room 607; I¡¯ll wait for him there.¡± Room 607 at the Liangxi Grand Hotel was reserved exclusively for Nie Zhenbang. The room itself wasn¡¯t veryrge but it was a suite. Upon entering, there was a small reception area with a sofa set and a coffee table, followed by the bedroom. The decor of the room was simple and minimalist, which was also why Nie Zhenbang liked it. The Liangxi Grand Hotel did have more luxurious suites, but the superficial luxury was not to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s taste. As soon as he sat down, Huang Xuyang and Chen Le walked in. When Huang Xuyang prepared to leave, Nie Zhenbang stopped him, ¡°Xuyang, have a seat. Director Chen is not an outsider.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang turned to Chen Le and said, ¡°Old Chen, this is unlike you. What has happened that even you, the fearless Chen, find it serious?¡±
At this moment, Chen Le wasted no time and promptly stated, ¡°Mayor, we have dug up the dirt on Wealth Circle Company.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. Ever since encountering Wealth Circle Company the day before, it had been a mystery that had weighed on his mind. Now, it appeared that the truth was about to be revealed. However, on the surface, Nie Zhenbang simply nodded, maintaining a calm facade. Chen Le continued, ¡°ording to our Economic Investigation¡¯s findings, the registered legal representative of Wealth Circle Company is a middle-aged man named Huang Yousheng. But in reality, Huang Yousheng is nothing more than a penniless hooligan incapable of establishing apany. After further investigation, we discovered that the actual operator behind the scene of Wealth Circle Company is Huang Junshan¡¯s son, Huang Bo.¡± ¡°Mayor, this Huang Bo currently has at least eighty houses in the old city district spread across Guicheng and Xishan areas¡ªwith the majority in Xishan, totaling over sixty houses. I suspect that he might have acquired this knowledge in advance about the redevelopment of the old city, deliberately purchasing these houses and then capitalizing on the demolition to reap significant profits.¡± Chen Le assumed his usual role of the Public Security Bureau Director with these spective remarks.
In the end, a ruthless expression crossed Chen Le¡¯s face as he cursed, ¡°These people, they must have grown a leopard¡¯s gall¡ªdaring to profit at the expense of the government. They¡¯re digging their graves!¡± ( Chapter 437: 413 Mayor Nie is not to be Trifled With _1 Chapter 437: Chapter 413 Mayor Nie is not to be Trifled With _1 The saying ¡°To disturb the God of the Year,¡± was one that Nie Zhenbang agreed with. More importantly, he despised this kind of behavior the most, equating it to embezzling national assets. The vast amount of money spent by the city government missed the pockets ofmon people but instead, like the waters of the Changjiang River, it flowed copiously into private pockets. This behaviour was the equivalent of profiting from disaster. As for these individuals, his attitude was to resolutely eliminate them and stop the practice entirely. However, this Huang Bo proved to be somewhat clever. He had even been wise enough to use a stand-in to conceal his identity. He needed to be aware that ording to regtions issued by the Central government, the children and spouses of leading cadres are strictly prohibited from engaging inmercial activities. ording to the ordinance, issued in 1994 by Jiangbei Province, children and spouses of leading cadres are not allowed to engage in any form ofmercial activities within their area of jurisdiction. That is to say, ording to the regtions of Jiangbei Province, if the children and spouses of leading cadres want to engage in business, they can ¨C but not in the ce where they hold office. They must conduct business in a different location. Clearly, Huang Bo vited this provision. However, Huang Bo was smart. He found an unrted stand-in to act as the legal person, making it impossible to pick on this issue. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang said to Chen Le: ¡°Old Chen, as long as you understand this matter, that¡¯s fine. For now, do not startle the snake in the grass. Given that Huang Bo went to the trouble of finding a stand-in, he¡¯s not a simple person and can even be said to be sly. In theing days, first work on figuring out the specifics of the properties they own and in exactly which area they are concentrated. As soon as you have any news, inform me immediately.¡± Chen Le, at this moment, thoughtfully nodded his head and spoke solemnly, ¡°Mayor, I understand. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± After Chen Le had left, Nie Zhenbang also stood up. After considering for a moment, he turned to Huang Xuyang and said, ¡°Xuyang, prepare the car, we¡¯re heading to the Disciplinary Committee.¡± Despite appearing to only consider for a moment, this move was made after careful consideration. At this juncture, using regtions as a deterrence was unrealistic. Furthermore, it was certain that Huang Bo was prepared to confront the city government. Even though Huang Junshan had served as the Organization Department¡¯s head for several years and had promoted many leaders under him, he had now retired to the CPPCC, but his influence was still undeniably there. Undoubtedly, Huang Bo received inside information early on. He took advantage of the fact that the public had not caught wind of this, and heavily purchased these old properties, even resorting to underhanded buying and selling tactics.
Once the old city reconstruction projectmenced, any sudden change would be impossible. Huang Bo could then use these properties as bargaining chips and demand unreasonable terms. Forcefully demolishing them? Clearly, that was out of the question. Not to mention that Nie was not willing to resort to such ruthless means. Even if they resorted to such action, Huang Bo would probably not be frightened. After all, he was not an ordinary citizen. After careful consideration, Nie Zhenbang decided to first manage things from the Disciplinary Committee¡¯s end. The investigation into Huang Junshan by the Disciplinary Committee had been going on for a while now and would probably conclude soon. If measures against Huang Junshan were suddenly taken at this juncture, it would, in effect, divert Huang Bo¡¯s attention and even serve as a cautionary tale to others. In addition, if able to bring down Huang Junshan, it could eliminate Huang Bo¡¯s protective umbre. Thus, after careful deliberation, he made this decision. Going to the Disciplinary Committee was essentially the same as going back to the city government. The car headed straight to the City¡¯smittee and governmentpounds and directly entered the City¡¯smittee main building. The door to the office of the Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee on the eigth floor was wide open. As soon as Lei Dingguo saw Nie Zhenbanging in, he stood up and joked, ¡°I just got back from the hotel and you called.¡± Once seated, Lei Dingguo personally poured a cup of green tea for Nie Zhenbang. In his typically straightced manner, Lei Dingguo began to tease, ¡°Mayor Nie, all I have here is ordinary green tea. If you feel under-served, you¡¯ll only have quality tea if you bring it yourself.¡± ¡°Haha, Secretary Lei, do good teas still present a challenge? Next time, I¡¯ll have Xuyang bring some over to you. Hosting guests may be out, but ensuring you have an adequate supply for yourself isn¡¯t a problem.¡± After this, Nie Zhenbang changed the topic and got down to business, ¡°Old Lei, I came over mainly to understand how the investigation into Huang Junshan¡¯s case is progressing?¡± Upon hearing this from Nie Zhenbang, Lei Dingguo¡¯s expressions hardened, bing more serious. Although their rtionship was cordial and they got along well, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words crossed Lei Dingguo¡¯s line. The Disciplinary Committee¡¯s affairs were his domain, and now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s casual inquiry into the progress of the Huang Junshan case caused him to ponder. What did this imply? Was there an ulterior motive, or did he feel he was now able to supervene on his authority? The implications were difficult to decipher. ¡°Mayor Nie, how did you suddenly be interested in this case?¡± Lei Dingguo regained hisposure but avoided the topic. Seeing Lei Dingguo¡¯s expression, Nie Zhenbang also knew why he was nervous. When he had arrived, he had anticipated this reaction. Looking at Lei Dingguo, heughed and said, ¡°Old Lei, you¡¯re being overly nervous. You know me well, don¡¯t you?¡± After retelling Huang Bo¡¯s situation, he looked at Lei Dingguo and said, ¡°Old Lei, keep this under wraps for now. I¡¯ll do something about it on my side, and when the results of Chen Le¡¯s investigationes out, if feasible, I will take other measures. The purpose of my visit this time is to disrupt Huang Junshan¡¯s ns first.¡± Hearing this, Lei Dingguo felt somewhat embarrassed. It seemed he had been unreasonably suspicious. Lei Dingguo chuckled, avoiding the awkward atmosphere, he said, ¡°We¡¯ve basically finished investigating Huang Junshan. At the very least, the evidence we currently hold proves that a few years ago, he had epted bribes from Qiu Zhenjun, then the Director of the Dahu District Finance Bureau, during the adjustment of the Dahu District leadership team. After that, he helped Qiu Zhenjun with his election as Deputy District Head of Dahu District. This by itself is enough to demonstrate that Huang Junshan is suspected of selling official positions.¡± Pausing slightly, Lei Dingguoughed and said, ¡°Originally, my n was to gather more evidence before taking action. However, since you¡¯re in a hurry, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to start working now.¡± This was Lei Dingguo¡¯s way of making amends. Though his behavior just now was meant to express his views, it unavoidably would have caused some discord in their long-standing friendship. Now, Lei Dingguo¡¯s actions were an apology to Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang saw through this clearly. Consequently, he stood up with a smile, reached out his hand, and sincerely said, ¡°Secretary Lei, I¡¯ll skip the formalities and just thank you for your help.¡± Lei Dingguoughed out loud and said, ¡°Zhenbang, if you¡¯re going to be formal, you¡¯re not treating me as a friend. Huang Junshan is a problematic figure, investigating him is part of our job. It¡¯s just a matter of starting early, it won¡¯t affect the overall situation. Just rx.¡± True to his reputation, Lei Dingguo got things done quickly and decisively. After reaching an agreement with Nie Zhenbang that afternoon, he submitted the report to the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission. The urate data and several testimonies made a bulletproof case. Very soon, the Commission issued an investigation notice to the Liangxi City Committee, the City Discipline Inspection Commission, and the City Political Consultative Conference. Seeing this, Fan Changsheng¡¯s brow furrowed unhappily, but he had no choice but to cooperate with the work of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission. The n was quickly agreed upon to impose a ¡°double regtion¡± on Huang Junshan. In a KTV room at the Liangxi Century Huanian Hotel, a ss was smashed, startling everyone. A man in his mid-twenties shouted angrily, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, damn you, I will fight you to the end. If you dare touch my father, I swear, I¡¯ll ruin your old city renovation.¡±
This man who escted the situation was Huang Junshan¡¯s son, Huang Bo, the shadowy boss of Wealth Circle Company. His friends, all of them children of bureau directors or district chiefs, stood by him. At this moment, the room fell into silence. A few ¡°Misses¡± who were there to apany them also restrained theirughter and smiles, they recognized the tension in the atmosphere. After a moment of silence, a fat man on the side tried to lighten the mood, ¡°Junior Huang, don¡¯t be angry, it¡¯s probably just a bluff. It¡¯s not like the Disciplinary Inspection Commission is hell. Even if they take him in, he¡¯ll get out eventually. If there were really solid evidence, wouldn¡¯t they just send him directly to the prosecutor¡¯s office?¡± Another young man with narrow eyesughed darkly, ¡°Junior Huang, what¡¯s there to be afraid of? We hold so many properties now, we¡¯re not afraid of Nie Zhenbang, are we? We won¡¯t sell these properties even if we¡¯re choked to death. The old city renovation will be a joke by then. I bet, Nie Zhenbang would have to leave Liangxi with his tail between his legs.¡±
The words of these friends somewhat reassured Huang Bo ¨C yes, they wouldn¡¯t sell these properties even at the point of death. They weren¡¯t afraid of forcible demolitions, either. If they stalled the old city redevelopment, it could not be implemented. If someone from the city government were to step in, Nie Zhenbang would surely have to step down. Huang Bo nodded and said, ¡°Alright, we hold these properties in our hand. We won¡¯t sell them, no matter who asks.¡± However, at that moment, Huang Bo¡¯s cellphone rang. The caller was the son of the Director of the Xishan District nning Bureau, and the news about the renovation of the old city had alsoe from him. As soon as he answered was a panicked voice from the other end, ¡°Junior Huang, it¡¯s not good. The city government altered the n. Tongsheng Lane, which was originally nned for renovation in Xishan District, has been excluded. The city government¡¯s decision is to protect the historic buildings.¡± The volume on the cellphone was quite loud, and Huang Bo had deliberately switched it to speakerphone. Everyone heard the news. The faces of the people present turned pale. Thinking about their grand derations just moments ago, they realized they had made a tremendous mistake. They couldn¡¯t offend Mayor Nie.( Chapter 438: 414: Meeting an Old Acquaintance_1 Chapter 438: Chapter 414: Meeting an Old Acquaintance_1 May in Liangxi is indeed a season of pleasant scenery. After a month¡¯s preparation, the old city renovation project, starting with ten batches of old city renovation units, officially opened the curtain on public bidding. The reason for the month-long preparation time is mainly due to the size of the entire scene. There are ten projects, including four traffic transformation projects. One is the asphalt road transformation project for several main roads in Liangxi. A few years ago, cement roads were popr, but after use, there are many problems. On the one hand, they are prone to decay and, on the other hand, they generate a lot of noise. Now, the most advanced asphalt road technology abroad has attracted the attention of Liangxi City. After multiple considerations, they decided to introduce it. This kind of asphalt road is the same as the one in political textbooks where capitalists pave the road with cotton. There is a specially made bufferyer beneath the road surface that acts as a shock absorber. This project alone involves several main roads in the city with total investment exceeding three hundred million yuan. In addition, there are three other traffic projects for road expansion and widening in Xishan, Guicheng and Liangjiang Districts. As many roads are involved, the investment is not small, with an investment of about one hundred million yuan for each. However, the highlight of this tender is the redevelopment of slums, six projects, six parcels ofnd, including ground buildings and rted relocation of residents. How to resettle them is not a small problem. Among them, even the smaller five projects, two in Xishan District, one in Liangjiang District, one in Guicheng District, each is estimated to invest at least two hundred million yuan. Thergest real estate project located in Guicheng District has and area of over three thousand nine hundred acres involving two street offices and five neighborhoodmittees. It also includes a stinkyke of more than three hundred acres within Guicheng District. This project is thergest investment project, with an estimated total investment of at least thirty billion yuan. The Liangxi City Convention and Exhibition Center was built with the new building of the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government. The azure ss curtain wall reveals a modern atmosphere. The space that can amodate fifty thousand people at the same time ranks first in Jiangbei Province. Here, it will also be the main venue for the Eastern Development Forum. At this moment, in the golden hall of the exhibition center, there is a story regarding the name of the golden hall. When naming it, Fan Changsheng hesitated for a moment. However, thinking of the famous Vienna Golden Hall, he chose this clich¨¦ name. At this moment, the Golden Hall is filled with powerful enterprises andpanies from all over the country. At the forefront, several main leaders of Liangxi City Committee are seated. In the middle of the hall, a huge projector is ced. Next to it, a few staff members are working briskly. The preliminary project understanding work has beenpleted. Yesterday, all biddingpanies have submitted the deposit and tender to Liangxi City Government. Today, under the notarization of Jiangbei Province Notary Office, the opening of tenders and the announcement of the final winning unit will bepleted. This makes the atmosphere of the venue somewhat tense. At this moment, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, Hu Youquan, as the host, has gone up, and after a whole heap of polite words, he begins to get to the point: ¡°Distinguished guests, elites of the businessmunity, representatives of enterprises, the bidding ceremony begins now! Now, let¡¯s invite the secretary of the citymittee, Comrade Fan Changsheng to open the first tender for us.¡±
This is merely a formality, with a simple purpose: to convey through the media that this old city renovation project is led andmanded by Fan Changsheng himself. As for this, Nie Zhenbang does not care. Such tricks and means used on ordinary officials without a background can smear the other¡¯s merits and achievements. However, his identity and background are ced here, which Fan Changsheng cannot erase. At this moment, Li Guohua¡¯s mouth lifts at the corners, he sneers and whispers: ¡°Idiot, is Nie Zhenbang afraid of such a small trick?¡± After Fan Changsheng¡¯s bid opening, the staff also began to work briskly. Beside, more than twenty notaries from Jiangzhou are patrolling strictly. This bid opening adopts the method of on-site opening and on-site counting. Theoretically, it does indeed reduce the chance of underhand operations. They try their best to be fair, just, reasonable and legal. After the bid opening, the counting starts, looking at the specific nningyout and renderings from each different project, looking at the investment schedule, and looking at the bid price and conditions that can be offered. More than an hourter, finally, Hu Youquan took the stage again and announced loudly: ¡°Firstly, we announce the first project, the asphalt road renovation project for main city roads of Liangxi Avenue, Jincheng Avenue, and Yn Road. For this project, a total of sixpanies participated in the bidding. Finally, Jiangbei Province Transportation Engineering Company, with an investment of 2.82 billion yuan and a construction period of three months, won the bid sessfully.¡± After this, Hu Youquan announced the bidding results for several other projects. Naturally, some were delighted, others were gloomy. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang became somewhat curious. This time, Jiasheng Real Estate and Dongsheng Real Estate have arrived ambitiously. And from his interaction with Zheng Jiawei and Fu Xiaobin, both seemed extremely interested in the projects in Liangxi. However, there hasn¡¯t been any movement up to now. Could it be that they both have their eyes on thisst big project? Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang instructed Huang Xuyang behind him in a low voice, ¡°Xuyang, can you check what the situation is with Jiasheng and Dongsheng? See if they are participating in the bidding for thisst project.¡± This time, the project bid invitations of Liangxi City had twopletely different types. For municipal infrastructure renovation projects like traffic reform, the lowest bid price, shortest project duration, and overall advantages were considered. As for real estate projects, it adopted a format simr to an auction. However, it was different from the auction, which simply refers to thend and the buildings on it. After the auction, how to develop and construct is not the government¡¯s concern. But Nie Zhenbang¡¯s idea was different. This time since it involved urban renewal, there would certainly be disputes if such an approach is used. Inter generations, how many tears were shed in countless urban renovation projects. Nie Zhenbang certainly wouldn¡¯t allow such a thing to happen. So, this time the bidding for real estate projects all applied a policy ofnd prices being 10% cheaper than market prices with other benefits like waiver of construction nning fees. However, every one of these real estate projects would need to provide 20% of the total area, or 20% of the total number of residential houses for affordable housing. These houses would have to be sold to the disced residents at cost price or below. The biggest of these projects, ording to the presentnd prices in Liangxi City, has already reached 600,000 per acre even at below market prices, which totals to 2.4 billion for 4000 acres ofnd. In addition, the 360-acre Neihu increases thend cost greatly. Furthermore, this project involves more than 1,200 discement households, meaning that under Nie Zhenbang¡¯s policy, more than 1,200 sets of affordable housing would have to be provided to secure this estate. This doesn¡¯t even include the 10% affordable housing n within the project. At this point, Huang Xuyang came from behind and said in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, I¡¯ve found out that Jiasheng, Dongsheng, and Yuedong Construction Company are jointly participating in the bidding for the tenth project.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang calmed down. That made sense. Just thend cost amounts to 2.4 billion, a figure hard for anypany to bear. They could secure it, but it would affect thepany¡¯s cash flow. So, it was most appropriate to jointly take on this project. As for Yuedong Construction, it certainly has its own agendas. In a joint bid, the infrastructure work in this project would naturally go to Yuedong Construction, which is also a big piece of the pie. At this moment, Hu Youquan was smiling and said, ¡°Now, let¡¯s invite Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Fan Changsheng, to personally reveal the final bid for thest project, the tenth project.¡± Full of confidence, Fan Changsheng took nine sessful bids just now, drawing in billons in funding for Liangxi City. Though nearly 800 million will go to municipal finances, any calction shows it as a profit. Nowes this big final piece. Fan was somewhat impressed by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nning.
Then he walked slowly onto the tform, took the envelope from Hu Youquan, and announced with a smile under the scrutiny of the notary public, ¡°The final bid for project ten is¡­¡± Dragging out his voice, Fan Changsheng¡¯s gaze scanned over the crowd, then asserted, ¡°From the Zhou n Group in Jingcheng. The bidding price is 3.061 billion.¡± As his words fell, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. His eyebrows furrowed. Zhou n Group, he had never heard of it, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. At this moment, Fan Changsheng continued, ¡°Now, let¡¯s invite President Zhou and otherpany representatives to get ready for the contract signing. Let¡¯s invite the Mayor of Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government, Nie Zhenbang.¡±
In high spirits, Fan Changsheng acted like a night club host. Although puzzled, Nie Zhenbang quickly adjusted. Even though he had a good impression of Zheng Jiawei from Jiasheng and Fu Xiaobin from Dongsheng. But bidding? Naturally, there are winners and losers, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t ponder too much on it. Then he adjusted his clothes and went up. However, seeing a certain personing up next to him, Nie Zhenbang was stunned for a moment, and didn¡¯t anticipate encountering an old acquaintance at this time. ( Chapter 439: 415: Covert Operation? _1 Chapter 439: Chapter 415: Covert Operation? _1 Zhou Chen, the man who had brought him endless humiliation in his previous life, and whom he had repeatedly demeaned in this life. After fleeing from New Li City several years ago, Zhou Chen had essentially lost all grounds to work within the system. Unexpectedly, after a few years, this guy had left the system and started doing business. No wonder the Zhou n Group managed to secure this kind of project. Inside the system, the Zhou family might have be insignificant, but outside, they were still untouchable. With such advantages and the support of favorable policies, it would be strange if Zhou Chen didn¡¯t be wealthy. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Zhou Chen had a smug smile on his face. This time, he came for the pickings. The old city refurbishment was initiated by Nie Zhenbang, but now, once it was in his hands, the goal was simple: to snatch Nie Zhenbang¡¯s credit. An ordinary person might not be able to steal Nie Zhenbang¡¯s political gains. However, with brother Hua¡¯s background, it was possible. ¡°Hehe, Mayor Nie, we meet again.¡± Zhou Chen, with the attitude of a winner, now had even fewer inhibitions than before after stepping out of the system and seemed even more powerful than Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang had a fair understanding of Zhou Chen¡¯s intentions. He had been suppressed by him in Jingcheng and had even been driven back to the Chunan Province. Afterwards, in New Li City, he made a fool of himself and lost face to work within the system. It could be said that Zhou Chen had always been suppressed. Now, several yearster, he re-emerged, this time as an investor. He couldn¡¯t offend Zhou Chen too much, or else he would leave a bad impression. Therefore, Zhou Chen seemed very pleased this time. With a gentle smile, Nie Zhenbang also stepped forward and shook hands out of courtesy, almost immediately letting go. He then smiled and said, ¡°President Zhou, we meet again. We wee you to invest and thrive in Liangxi City. This promotes growth in our city. We wee any investor who has strength.¡± These words made Zhou Chen¡¯s face drop, but he didn¡¯t lose his temper. Nie Zhenbang was beating around the bush, implying something about ¡°having strength¡±. Did that mean that the Zhou n Group didn¡¯t have any strength? Losing his temper would make others believe that the Zhou n Group was ipetent. Skipping unnecessary chit chat, the signing ceremony began. Media from many provinces and cities, along with some economic media, all arrived on site. Under a flurry of camera shes, the representatives of the enterprises and Nie Zhenbang, representing the Liangxi City Government, signed their names on the contract. After the signing ceremony, there was a break before a reception banquet hosted by Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government would be held at night. It was to celebrate the sess of the signing and provide an opportunity for other businessmen. With tenrge projects and some not feasible for a singlepany, businesses that didn¡¯t win the bidding might use this opportunity to find a cooperative opportunity. ¡°Mayor, Zheng Jiawei is seeking an audience outside. What do you think?¡± In the city government office, as Nie Zhenbang was reading his document, Huang Xuyang came in from outside. ¡°Oh? Zheng Jiawei is here? Looks like he¡¯s here for project number ten. Hispanies Jiasheng and Dongsheng conducted substantial preparation, but the result was not what they anticipated. It¡¯s hard for an enterprise such as Jiasheng toe away empty-handed. His visit was expected.¡± After thinking for a while, Nie Zhenbang nodded. He wanted to hear Zheng Jiawei¡¯s take on the issue. With all the irregrities surrounding the bidding for the tenth project, he suspected the situation wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed. He adjusted his sitting position and said, ¡°Hmm, let him in.¡±
With Huang Xuyang leading the way, Zheng Jiawei followed. Unlike most people, Zheng Jiawei didn¡¯t appear nervous. It wasn¡¯t surprising considering Jiasheng Real Estate was argepany in the real estate industry, and it wasmon for them to interact with leaders at the department level regrly. Also, Jiasheng is not a localpany. Hence, they didn¡¯t feel much fear towards Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Mr. Zheng, what brings you here?¡± Nie Zhenbang decided to get straight to the point. Zheng Jiawei was a businessman and it would be best not to indulge in the roundaboutnguage characteristic of those within the system. Zheng Jiawei was somewhat overweight, with bright eyes. At this moment, he did not appear destabilized by the unsessful bid. This behavior made Nie Zhenbang silently admire him. He might be young and inherited thepany from his father, but the magnanimity he disyed was impressive. At this point, Zheng Jiawei organized his thoughts and calmly said, ¡°Mayor Nie, thank you for meeting with me despite being busy. Regrettably, Jiasheng Group couldn¡¯t contribute to the economic development of Liangxi City this time. However, I believe there will still be opportunities for cooperation in the future.¡± They started with polite small talk which indicated that Zheng Jiawei was a reasonable man. Then, Zheng took a turn in the conversation, saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, there¡¯s a detail about this bidding process that I¡¯ve thought about and decided I¡¯d better discuss with you. In this round for Project Ten, our joint bid with Dongsheng Real Estate and a constructionpany in Yuedong was 3.06 billion. Of this,2.9 billion was in cash and the other 160 million was allocated for the redevelopment of Neihu. Our n was to connect Neihu and Liangxi River to create a circting water system with a modern high-end residential area centered around theke. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen.¡± Nie Zhenbang gave Zheng Jiawei a meaningful look, pondering as he did. Zheng¡¯s conversation skills were top-notch, simply informing him what their bottom line was while avoiding any mention of the Zhou n Group¡¯s behaviour. However, to anyone with discerning eyes, the Zhou n Group¡¯s bid was too precise, exceeding theirs by only a million. Their overall nning concepts were also eerily simr. In this world, things couldn¡¯t be that coincidental. There had to be something fishy going on here. This was where Zheng Jiawei showed his cleverness, bringing up the doubts about the situation but not making any direct usations. Had Zheng straightforwardly suggested that Liangxi City was up to some ndestine scheming, in order to maintain a positive investment image for the city, Nie Zhenbang might well have tly denied it. As it stood, the way Zheng put it made people more willing to ept it. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang chose not to borate on the matter. He simply smiled, ¡°Chairman Zheng, why didn¡¯t we see President Fu?¡± ¡°Mayor Nie, I¡¯m sorry, President Fu has already left Liangxi City.¡± Zheng Jiawei replied apologetically. He had mastered the art of gaining wealth through harmony to perfection, Nie Zhenbang realized. It seemed that Dongsheng Real Estate was now growing cold towards Liangxi City but there was nothing he could do about it. With that, he made up his mind. This was a dead end investigation. If Li Guohua had forged ahead with this, then he would have made sure there were no loose ends and nothing was traceable. Nothing woulde from pursuing it, except for stirring up trouble. So Nie Zhenbang wore a shallow smile and said: ¡°Chairman Zheng, regardless, we¡¯d still like to thank Jiasheng Real Estate for its trust and support for Liangxi City. I¡¯m confident the truth will eventuallye out. Even if this project didn¡¯t work out, there will be plenty more opportunities in the future. It¡¯s a golden era of reform and opening up now, opportunities are everywhere. I believe we¡¯ll find a better project for cooperation soon.¡± This was his implicit promise to Zheng Jiawei. For apany like Jiasheng Real Estate, Nie Zhenbang was more than willing to give his unequivocal support and encouragement. When he had sent Zheng Jiawei off and was alone once more, his expression turned serious. After all, Zheng Jiawei was an outsider; it did no good to disclose too much to him and possibly tarnish the image of the government. At that moment, his mind was upied with thoughts about Zhou Chen. He was the face of the Zhou n Group and seemingly sessful, but everyone in Jingcheng¡¯s circles knew that the Zhou family had been in decline since the elder patriarch had passed away. Zhou Chen himself had be a dispensable figure in Jingcheng, merely another satellite in Li Guohua¡¯s orbit. This corporation ¨C Zhou Chen probably didn¡¯t have the final say in its affairs. But why would Li Guohua include Zhou in the old city development project? Unlikely for money; at this level, money didn¡¯t mean much other than to cover the bases. What mattered more was political achievement. It seemed that Guohua had Zhou bid for Project Ten with the intention of monopolizing the entire redevelopment of the old city, effectively sidelining Nie Zhenbang as chiefmander. On top of that, there would be media publicity casting him in a positive light with the public. Therefore, Nie would be excluded from the credit for future sesses. As both families were of simr status and the Nie family was rtively on the back foot, public opinion would ultimately be the measure of their political achievements. Understanding the situation now, Nie Zhenbang grew deeply concerned. As he was about to leave his office, he heard a familiar voice: ¡°Secretary Huang, how are you? May I ask if Mayor Nie is in his office?¡± Nie Zhenbang paused at the sound. It was Sun Minghao, who held a role in the organization that had no direct rtionship with his own position. What could his unexpected visit mean? Nevertheless, he didn¡¯t dare to dally. He immediately rose from his desk and swiftly walked out of the office. (
Chapter 440: 416: A Great Disturbance_1 Chapter 440: Chapter 416: A Great Disturbance_1 Regardless of the purpose of Sun Minghao¡¯s visit, Nie Zhenbang knew he must maintain an appropriate attitude. He didn¡¯t know much about Sun Minghao, but from what he had seen so far, he found their personalities to bepatible. Thisid the groundwork for possible cooperation. Just as Huang Xuyang was about to speak, Nie Zhenbang emerged from the inner office, smiling: ¡°Minister Sun is here, pleasee in.¡± Having said that, he deliberately addressed Huang Xuyang: ¡°Xuyang, when Minister Sun visits in the future, there¡¯s no need to announce him. Let hime straight in.¡± Although aware that this was merely a polite gesture, Sun Minghao still appreciated the respect from Nie Zhenbang and responded with a smile: ¡°Mayor Nie, you¡¯re too kind. I apologize for the intrusion.¡± Nie Zhenbang wees Sun Minghao to his inner office, serving him a cup of premium Longjing tea and cing a pack of Panda cigarettes on the table. He didn¡¯t return to his desk but sat down on the sofa, then said with a smile, ¡°Minister Sun¡¯s visit brings honor to my humble office. May I ask the purpose of your visit?¡± Having asked the question, Nie Zhenbang adopted a casual demeanor, and looked at Sun Minghao. His directness bypassed conventional courtesies, circling right to the point, a strategy of his. Sun Minghao, having a simr character to him, must also have a simr way of handling things, thus his direct approach. Sure enough, Sun Minghao listened without showing any trace of impatience or irritation, but instead a calm expression as if everything was as it should be. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang was pleased, confirming that his deductions were correct. Being open-hearted would likely bring the two closer, which would help him draw Sun Minghao to his side. Having Sun Minghao, the Organization Minister, on his side would greatly benefit his future ns and work. At this moment, Sun Minghao brewed his thoughts and said with a slight smile, ¡°Actually, there¡¯s nothing in particr. As I¡¯m new here, I¡¯m still familiarizing myself with the situation. Certain matters are yet to be sorted out, so I thought I¡¯d drop by the government office while I¡¯m touring around.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang fell into thought. Sun Minghao indeed adopted a cautious attitude. His situation seemed not so favorable, for typically the entire Organization Department was Fan Changsheng¡¯s domain. Now the Provincial Party Committee had parachuted in a new Organization Minister, Sun Minghao, who happened to be Organization Minister Yang Xingan¡¯s son-inw. However, personal rtions wouldn¡¯t help here. If it were an insignificant matter, Fan Changsheng might step back to give some face to Yang Xingan. But when it affected the promotion and dismissal of staff, a crucial card in the hands of the Party Secretary, Fan Changsheng would not yield. Not only would Fan Changsheng not back down, Deputy Secretary Zhu Zhuozhen certainly wouldn¡¯t either. With them both having ced trusted aides in the Organization Department, Sun Minghao would certainly find it hard, even if he wasn¡¯t entirely marginalized. His statement about ¡®things not yet in order¡¯ hinted at hisck of control over the Organization Department. His motive for visiting today was rather straightforward ¨C to cultivate rtionships.
Sun Minghao hoped to join forces with Nie to counter the pressure from Fan Changsheng and Zhu Zhuozhen, if not to gainplete control of the Organization Department, at least to share some of its power. Of course, this was an offer Nie couldn¡¯t refuse. Having Sun Minghao assist in the Organization Department would undoubtedly be beneficial. Looking at Sun Minghao, who still maintained a calm demeanor, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat astounded. Sun might seem like a schoolteacher on the outside, but he was no simple character. ¡°Minister Sun, you¡¯re being too modest. Wouldn¡¯t the work of the Organization Department be easy for you? However, I do have a n I¡¯d like to discuss with you. If the n can be implemented, it could aid in your work,¡± Nie Zhenbang said after ttering Sun Minghao, then pitched his n. On the surface, Nie Zhenbang seemedpletely at ease. He had been contemting this n to implement in Liangxi City for quite some time but never had the chance to push it forward. Now, with Sun Minghao¡¯s arrival and involvement from the Organization Department, the n could surely be implemented with double the results. Furthermore, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t worried about Sun Minghao declining the n. At this point, Sun Minghao stood alone, and although he had Yang Xingan¡¯s support, he couldn¡¯t always rely on his inws for everything. If Sun Minghao wanted to get a foothold, he would need power in the Organization Department, if not all, at least enough to make his words count. Whether one n, two ns, or three, as long as it benefited him, Sun Minghao would naturally agree. Chapter 441: 416: A Great Disturbance_2 Chapter 441: Chapter 416: A Great Disturbance_2 As expected, Sun Minghao¡¯s eyes lit up as he listened to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. His purpose for this visit was to seek Nie Zhenbang¡¯s support, and he hadn¡¯t expected such an opportunity. Without any hesitation, Sun Minghao responded with a smile: ¡°Oh? Hearing what the mayor has to say has piqued my interest. Could you borate on the specific n, Mayor Nie?¡± Nie Zhenbang was quite open about Sun Minghao¡¯s question ¨C this matter was meant to be discussed, so there was no need to be secretive. Nie Zhenbang then said with a smile, ¡°Minister Sun, it¡¯s not really something new. I¡¯ve tried this n before when I was in New Li City, and it worked well. But this time, it¡¯s more detailed.¡± Upon hearing this, Sun Minghao fell into thought. After a while, he opened his mouth wide in surprise: ¡°Mayor Nie, are you referring to the public reception regtions that were piloted in New Li City and are now implemented throughout the Xibei Autonomous Region?¡± Sun Minghao had conducted extensive research on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s achievements. He was a cadre from the Party School and had a keen interest in theoretical research. The public reception regtions that had made a big stir in the Northwest Region were naturally a subject of his research. However, seeing Nie Zhenbang nod in acknowledgment, Sun¡¯s expression turned serious. He was familiar with these regtions, which were essentially norms for Party and government officials, primarily in controlling public funds for official receptions. He could imagine that if this n was implemented, it would definitely draw opposition. Whether it could withstand this pressure was hard to say. But Nie Zhenbang seemed very calm, smiled slightly, and continued, ¡°In part, but it¡¯s not entirely about official receptions. This time, my consideration is to set up a clear behavioral standard for all party and government officials in the city.¡± ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n, strict rules would first be set for official receptions, official cars and official investigations funded by public money. For instance, based on the living cost in Liangxi City, official receptions should strictly be limited to fifty yuan per person per meal. For amodation, it should not exceed a hundred yuan per person per night. In terms of official cars, there should be a mandatory rule that Party and government officials are strictly prohibited from using official cars outside of normal working hours. Any private use of official cars would be investigated and punished. For official investigations, any out-of-province investigation involving more than five people must have a detailed n and purpose. Hearing all these rigid rules, Sun Minghao was stunned. At this moment, he felt Nie Zhenbang was out of his mind. This wasn¡¯t just a n; it was like dering war on all the officials in Liangxi City. He could imagine the massive shock to all city officials once this n was announced. In this era, the concept of separation between public and private affairs was still blurred, especially for leaders with certain ranks who are allocated dedicated vehicles. They considered these vehicles their own. Going out for a social engagement in the evening, having a littleworking ¨C weren¡¯t all these part of their job duties? And now it¡¯s suggested that they should be punished for this? Was this some kind of joke? ¡°Mayor Nie, I must say, this n is quite shocking. If it is really implemented officially after being announced, I¡¯m afraid¡­the pressure will be immense,¡± Sun Minghao voiced his concern after a moment of silence.
This was something Nie Zhenbang was quite satisfied about. Sun Minghao¡¯s forthrightness showed his character. After all, speaking one¡¯s mind could potentially offend people. Nie Zhenbang knew this well ¨C a n devoid of resistance would surely not be a good one. What did it mean to harm the interests of the majority? In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s concept, the interests of the general public were the real majority. Whenparing to the stunning amount of ¡°Three Public Expenses¡± that he remembered from his past life, the resistance at this moment might still be rtively small. Those who wish to achieve great things must possess the courage and determination to forge ahead. If one just yed follow-the-leader, then that person wouldn¡¯t be Nie Zhenbang. Of course, he couldn¡¯t make it alone. Man is mortal; he certainly wasn¡¯t a god. Taking on the world single-handedly was still beyond his capability. Nie Zhenbang then added with a smile, ¡°Minister Sun, my n is to formally discuss this at a Municipal Party Committee meeting in a few days. If it passes, we will officially implement it citywide. Moreover, my intention is to set up a special supervisory group jointly led by the Organization Department and the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission. If any cadre vites the regtion, penalties, from deducting points in the Organization Department¡¯s assessment to administrative demotion, could be imposed based on the circumstances. If the vition involves illegal activities, it would be referred to thew enforcement authorities for prosecution. Minister Sun, this is the same principle as when our national predecessors established the country. Without bloodshed or sacrifice, how could chaos be rectified, and unhealthy tendencies be reversed? If I, Nie Zhenbang, don¡¯t even have this courage, I might as well sitfortably in the office of a ministry, waiting for promotion.¡± Thisst sentence struck a chord with Sun Minghao. It was said that Nie Zhenbang had an extraordinary background, with several of his elders being high-ranking provincial and ministerial officials, and his grandfather was a founding figure of the country. It seemed that the rumors were true. Such a earth-shattering n would make any ordinary official break into a cold sweat just thinking about it, let alone discussing it. This wasn¡¯t just a n ¨C it was a path to professional suicide. A misstep in execution could lead to public outrage and ruin one¡¯s political future. However, Sun Minghao saw an opportunity for himself in this n. The formation of a supervisory group jointly led by the Organization Department and the Discipline Inspection Commission meant that he could decide on the group members from the Organization Department¡¯s side. This was his opportunity to turn the tables. At this moment, Sun Minghao hesitated, pondered a bit and made a decision. He nodded and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, I support this n. Although the ¡°Three Public Expenses¡± seem insignificant now, I predict that they will be a malignant tumor for our party in the future. If we can find a solution at the budding stage, I believe this would be beneficial for the entire nation.¡± Hearing Sun Minghao¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat moved. There was nock of talent. The fact that Sun Minghao could predict so far into the future wasn¡¯t something that he, with his memories of a past life, could match. This was a real skill. However, it seemed that most of the talented individuals were being stifled within the system. With Sun Minghao¡¯s support, Nie Zhenbang then discussed the n with Lei Dingguo. Unlike Sun Minghao¡¯s reservations, Lei Dingguo showed excitement upon hearing the n and quickly agreed with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s idea. He also promised to support it at the uing Secretary¡¯s Office Meeting. Afterwards, Nie Zhenbang discussed the matter with Zhao Xintian and Peng Kaibao. Upon seeing the n, both were shocked by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s bold idea, even more so than Sun Minghao. Peng Kaibao, after all, was still part of the military system. Although he was a member of the Municipal Party Committee, his organizational affiliation was still with the military. With regard to the affairs of the Municipal Party Committee, Peng Kaibao was more of a spectator. At this moment, he was shocked and looked at Nie Zhenbang, saying, ¡°Mayor, this is a very bold initiative. If this n is put forward, it will likely cause an uproar.¡±( Chapter 442: 417 Too minor a position_1 Chapter 442: Chapter 417 Too minor a position_1 Committee Small Conference Room At this moment, the air conditioner in the small conference room is fully on, and the exhaust fan is humming away. Despite being mid-May, the weather feels swelteringly hot. The leaders are all wearing short-sleeve shirts. Nie Zhenbang looked calmly at Fan Changsheng, who was holding a cigarette that had burned down to the nub, enough for him to feel the heat in his fingers. It was then when Fan Changsheng became aware and put the cigarette butt into the ashtray in front of him. Looking around at everyone, Fan Changsheng spoke in an indifferent tone, ¡°This secretary¡¯s office meeting is just a routine one. We¡¯re discussing some proposals for the regr standingmittee meeting. Unexpectedly, Mayor Zhenbang has proposed such a significant n. I¡¯m somewhat caught off guard. Let¡¯s each express our views and speak freely. There¡¯s no outsiders here, let¡¯s unite in our thoughts and understanding before deciding whether to bring it to the standingmittee for discussion.¡± These words may seem in, but they contain hidden implications. Uniting our thoughts before making a decision implies very clearly that I do not agree with this proposal. Zhu Zhuozhen also frowned, pondering the true intentions of Nie Zhenbang. Although they had a good rtionship due to the senior cadres affair, it was just that¨C merely good. It wasn¡¯t an iron-d alliance. Everyone was a key leader of the citymittee. Apart from Fan Changsheng, the ss monitor, there¡¯s not much difference between other deputy monitors and regrmittee members. If this proposal is implemented, it would undoubtedly offend arge number of people. Nie Zhenbang is not foolish. He only proposed it after the people¡¯s congress in March; otherwise, bing the mayor would have been impossible. What makes Zhu Zhuozhen uncertain is thest few sentences in the proposal ¨C establishing a Supervision Leadership Group by the Organization Department in conjunction with the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission to monitor the implementation of work regtions among party and government officials. This is no trivial power. The Organization Department can determine whether someone has vited discipline with a single word. If implemented, the Organization Department would be a department everyone fears and tters. Zhu Zhuozhen hesitated because of this. Is Nie Zhenbang considering this for himself or for Sun Minghao? It is worth pondering. Besides, Zhu Zhuozhen had heard that Sun Minghao went to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ce yesterday. Today, this proposal wasunched; saying there¡¯s no inside story seems hardly realistic. Huang Jiang took a more indifferent approach. Due to the particr nature of the political and legal works, this proposal has little effect on it. At most, it would impact things like official reception standards. Still, there are always other ways around.
As for Nie Zhenbang, Huang Jiang was unwilling to offend him. As the secretary of the political and legalmittee, due to the presence of Chen Le, the chief of public security, Huang Jiang could see more things. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions seemed brilliant and legendary, but they always carried profound meanings. These were Huang Jiang¡¯s in-depth findings. Many events seemed unfavorable at the time, but turned out to be incredibly correct. This puzzled Huang Jiang. Could Nie Zhenbang possibly have the talent for making extremely urate predictions? Huang Jiang attributed these peculiar phenomena to innate talent. Some people are naturally cut out for politics. Therefore, Huang Jiang had no objections on this proposal. After slight meditation, he said slowly: ¡°Since no one else is speaking, then let me make a start.¡± I generally agree with this n. While it may potentially cause some disruption throughout the city, it holds vast significance in the long run for improving party-public rtionships and the government¡¯s positive image among the public. As a new idea emerges, it naturally creates a shock, just like state-owned enterprise reform. Growing pains are inevitable. But, won¡¯t the rules on the use of official cars and inspections be somewhat excessive? Localrades have to report and seek permission for working overtime or going out on study trips. Would this dampen the enthusiasm of grassroots cadres?¡± Huang Jiang¡¯s speech was quite clever. He first expressed his attitude, agreeing to the implementation of this n, but then negated the guidelines for the use of official cars and inspections. He merely raised an opinion without any conclusivenguage. This was clever, so Huang Jiang wouldn¡¯t offend anyone no matter the oue. After Huang Jiang finished speaking, Lei Ding Guo spoke up. Unlike Huang Jiang¡¯s half-supporting attitude, Lei Ding Guo clearly supported the proposal. Afterward, Zhu Zhuozhen shook his head slightly, ¡°This matter involves too many aspects, once announced, I fear it will have a significant impact on the whole city, and it may severely damage the morale of grassroots cadres. I reserve my opinion.¡± At this point, Fan Changsheng clearly saw that there was no further need for discussion. Lei Dingguo¡¯s support, partial support from Huang Jiang, plus Nie Zhenbang, who proposed the n himself, that¡¯s two and a half votes already. Zhu Zhuozhen voiced objections, leaving only himself. Of course, if he were to use his veto power as the secretary, it could be immense. However, Fan Changsheng did not intend to use it. The veto right, a special privilege given to the heads of partymittees at all levels, its deterrent effect is more significant than its actual use. Also, in Fan Changsheng¡¯s heart, he did not want the n to be rejected here. Once this n is out, Nie Zhenbang will certainly be a target. Fan Changsheng was indeed delighted by this. This is you putting yourself in opposition to the city¡¯s cadres. Since you are keen on dooming yourself, I wouldn¡¯t pull you back. Then, Fan Changsheng nodded and said, ¡°I suggest we put it up for discussion at the standingmittee. I feel that the advantages of this n outweigh its disadvantages.¡± In the following standingmittee meeting, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat surprised. Once the n was put forth, Zhu Zhuozhen was the first to criticize. Considering the n had already been implemented in the Xibei Autonomous Region and produced excellent results, grappling the conflicts among nationalities and elerating the economic growth, it was impossible to oppose. Therefore, Zhu Zhuozhen decided to veto the proposals concerning official cars and inspection trips. Afterward, Huang Jiang expressed simr sentiments. Subsequently, Ye Zhengwen, Wen Yuhe, Li Xiaoqin, Hu Youquan, and others on the standingmittee all expressed the same attitude. Under these circumstances, Nie Zhenbang had no choice but to ept the resolution of the standingmittee reluctantly. Although unwilling, his good n to curb public expenditures was forcibly altered into a standard for official receptions. Overall, it was due to his lower position in the hierarchy. Now, Nie Zhenbang came to understand the bitterness of politics. His n¡¯s miserable fate was primarily because his position was too low and it infringed on the rights and interests of vested interests. Every cadre in the city, including Fan Changsheng, used official cars as private cars, If this n were really implemented, wouldn¡¯t the leaders have to ride bicycles to work? Such a thing is at best a publicity stunt. If this was required daily, nobody could bear it, it was natural for the n to be modified to the extent of it being a mess. ¡°Mayor Nie, don¡¯t take it too hard, achieving the current results is already very good,¡± Lei Dingguoforted him on the side. Sun Minghao also nodded in agreement. This time, Sun Minghao witnessed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s power in the city. At this moment, it was Sun Minghao¡¯s best choice to coborate with Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t afford to make a mistake at this time. Sun Minghao echoed, ¡°Mayor Nie, Secretary Lei is right. Governing arge country is like cooking delicate food. We can¡¯t rush things. There will always be opportunities in the future.¡± Nie Zhenbang waved his hand and said calmly, ¡°Partners, it¡¯s okay. I was psychologically prepared for this. You don¡¯t have to worry. Now I¡¯m considering how to implement the official reception standard. You know, there exist misceneous funds amongst the units directly under the city. How many can really be implemented is hard to say. Any system, its goodness is one aspect, but even the best system requires people to execute it. For this, I¡¯ll need your help.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were sincere, which ounted for the smooth sailing of his career within the system. The most important part is Nie Zhenbang¡¯sck of selfishness and his unparalleled sincerity. Thus, scrutinizers could not find any loophole or w in him. Neither intrigue nor treachery worked against Nie Zhenbang, which is why others fell t. After the interim regtions on the official reception standard were discussed and passed at the standingmittee, the next day, the Liangxi City Municipal Party Committee and Government, the Organizational Department of the Municipal Party Committee, and the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission jointly issued documents to all four major organs across the city and the bureaus andmittees directly under the city and the districts, cities, and counties below. The full text of the Liangxi City Official Reception Standard was published. The issuance of the regtions caused an uproar among the city¡¯s cadres. At the grassroots level, there was a lot of discussions, dissatisfaction, adaptation, and approval from those who had a deep understanding of Nie Zhenbang.
However, despite the uproar, the resolution of the municipal partymittee clearly could not be changed. Moreover, the city¡¯s determination was soon reflected concretely in the work. The day after the documents were issued, the Organizational Department jointed the Discipline Inspection Commission formally inaugurated the Supervision Leadership Group. After a week-long adaptation period, the Supervision Group, with personnel drawn from both the Organizational Department and the Discipline Inspection Commission, formed pairs and conducted secret investigations throughout the city and counties below. Several instances of excessive receptions were caught on the spot, including a banquet which had no direct connection to official receptions and was merely a luxurious gathering of the unit¡¯s leaders. The behavior of these individuals were swiftly published in the Liangxi Daily along with the disciplinary oues from the Organizational Department. A negative record was added to these cadres. After three such records, they could be warned within the party. Naturally, no cadre would like this. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the city lightened a lot. Since taking on the role of a secretary, Huang Xuyang¡¯s family moved from their old house in Tongsheng Lane, Xishan District, to the municipal government residential area. Under the personal arrangement of Yi Jun, a three-bedroom house was allocated to Huang Xuyang. Meanwhile, Li Fen¡¯s work was also arranged ¨C she was specially amodated and assigned to work in the Women¡¯s Federation.
All of this was brought to him by Nie Zhenbang. This point was very clear to Huang Xuyang. Therefore, Huang Xuyang put his heart and soul into his work. Knocking on the door and walking into the room with a cup of tea, Huang Xuyang ced it on the office table and said, ¡°Mayor, I heard that a dozen City People¡¯s Congress representatives co-wrote some materials and submitted them to the province. They im that the official reception standard you promoted has disrupted the normal working environment in Liangxi City. They requested that the provincial partymittee veto it.¡± (.) Chapter 443: 418 Criticized_1 Chapter 443: Chapter 418 Criticized_1 Seeing that Nie Zhenbang did not respond, Huang Xuyang wisely kept silent. As a secretary, apart from performing his main duty, he also served as the liaison and confidante for leadership. If something needed to be conveyed but it was inappropriate for the leader to say it directly, it was his duty to ry that message. A secretary should be vignt and perceptive in his daily work. The citymittee and the city governments weren¡¯trge, yet they weren¡¯t small either. There was really no such thing as a secret within these institutions. Often, news about an event would spread quickly throughout the city, and it was the secretary¡¯s job to filter through all the information and hand over the pieces that interested his leader. Regarding how these pieces of information would be handled, that was a matter for the leadership to decide. ¡°Mr. Mayor, I will take my leave now.¡± Huang Xuyang already understood the essence of secretaryship. Such a reaction was normal, protests merely through letters? It seems the bacsh isn¡¯t all that great. A slight smile appeared on the corner of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mouth as he started to ponder. Just a simple public reception regtion had already caused dissatisfaction among many people; one can just imagine the situation that may arise if the nes to fruition. There is a possibility that the cadre below might even resort to actions like hunger strikes or even suicide by hanging in protest. In the following days, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t seem to pay attention to this issue at all. He continued with his routine, asionally visiting the Guicheng District or Xishan District to inspect the progress of the old city renovation project. The economic development of Liangxi City seemed to be booming, with the renovation project alone expected to boost this year¡¯s economic figures. However, this was not what Nie Zhenbang wanted. After all, these projects were one-shot deals and it was not sustainable to rely on infrastructure construction year after year. The economic growth driven by real estate and megaprojects could notst. Truly finding a suitable path for Liangxi City¡¯s development was difficult, and he himself was still exploring. Liangxi City has a flourishing economy inmodities, transportation,merce, and manufacturing. However, none of these industries has formed any distinctive characteristics. They may be well-known nationwide, but none of them carries significant impact ¨C this is a constraint on Liangxi City¡¯s economic development. Oveing this obstacle and treating some of these industries as a priority is a serious consideration. While Nie Zhenbang was lost in thought, the telephone on his desk rang. Hepletely ignored it. After two rings, Huang Xuyang twisted the door handle and entered the room, saying, ¡°Mayor, it¡¯s a call for you. Secretary Li Hao from the provincial government is calling¡­ Secretary Shen has requested you toe to Jiangzhou.¡± Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang immediately snapped out of his thoughts, quickly trying to figure out why Shen Yanshuo would have his secretary call him. Is it about the public reception regtion? It was nine out of ten that the issue was indeed about that. Nie Zhenbang hummed in acknowledgement and then responded, ¡°Xuyang, inform Qing Shan that I will descend in ten minutes and head to Jiangzhou.¡± When Nie Zhenbang arrived at the provincialmitteepound, it was just eleven o¡¯clock. He looked at his watch and then instructed Huang Xuyang and Yang Qingshan, ¡°Xuyang, find a ce for you and Qing Shan to park. Make your own lunch arrangements and I¡¯ll call you when I need you.¡± He walked straight up the stairs to the third floor of the provincialmittee office building. Shen Yanshuo¡¯s office was on the far east, upying several rooms¡¯ worth of space. This was a matter of convention; as the secretary of the provincialmittee, Shen Yanshuo represented Jiangbei Province, and it would be a disservice to the province if his office were shabby.
After knocking on the door, a voice from inside invited him in. Nie Zhenbang pushed the door open and seeing Li Hao half-stand to greet him, he also smiled, ¡°Hello, Secretary Li. It¡¯s good to see you.¡± With that, he took out two packs of Zhonghua cigarettes from his briefcase and casually threw them into Li Hao¡¯s semi-open desk drawer. He pointed to the office inside and whispered, ¡°Secretary Li, is there any chance Secretary Shen is avable right now?¡± Li Hao¡¯s face hinted at a mild difort but he stillughed, ¡°Mayor Nie, you have inconvenient timing. Liu Jiawei, the director of the Provincial Public Security Bureau, is currently inside reporting to Secretary Shen. He just walked in and will probably be in there for at least an hour or two. Maybe you could return in the afternoon?¡± This stunned Nie Zhenbang. It seems that Shen Yanshuo indirectly expressed his dissatisfaction to him. Shen had strictly asked him over the phone to rush to the provincial partymittee as quickly as possible, but when he arrived, Shen suddenly became busy. This was clearly illogical. It was evident that Shen Yanshuo was attempting to suppress him. ¡°Hehe, alright then. I will make sure to return after two in the afternoon. Secretary Li, do you have time for lunch? Let us dine together,¡± Nie Zhenbang proposed, chuckling. The suggestion to dine was more of a formality than a genuine invitation and Li Hao would likely decline. As expected, Li Hao smiled, ¡°Sorry, Mayor Nie. With my superior in attendance, it¡¯s not appropriate for me to leave. Let¡¯s meet another time when there¡¯s an opportunity.¡± Departing the provincialmittee office building, Nie Zhenbang strolled onto the street and casually bought some fruit before heading towards the provincial governmentpound. Almost half past twelve, Nie Zhenbang casually strolled into the courtyard of Ning Shouchang in the government family residential area. Chapter 444: 418 Criticized_2 Chapter 444: Chapter 418 Criticized_2 At this moment, Ning Shouchang was not home. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s arrival, his wife greeted him with enthusiasm: ¡°Zhenbang is here. Please, take a seat. Old Ning should be back shortly.¡± As senior members of the provincialmittee, they were wee to constantly attend banquets if they wished. However, Ning Shouchang seldom dined out unless it was forrge receptions, from which he could not easily extract himself. Other than these, he chose to eat at home diligently. After roughly ten minutes of idle sitting, the sound of an opening door echoed from outside. Ning Shouchang walked in, barely surprised by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s presence, and greeted him casually, ¡°Zhenbang is here.¡± Taking a briefcase from Ning Shouchang¡¯s hand and cing it next to him, Nie Zhenbang appeared veryfortable and easygoing, just like he was with his old acquaintances and former leaders. ¡°I received a call from Secretary Shen this morning, asking me toe over. I haven¡¯t had lunch yet, so I thought I¡¯de here to steal a meal,¡± Nie Zhenbang remarked jokingly. Ning Shouchangughed heartily, replying: ¡°You, others might not know who you truly are, but do you think I don¡¯t? The industries you have quietly taken over are enough to rival the wealth of a country. Are you really short of food?¡± Smiling and scolding, Ning Shouchang eximed, ¡°Sit down, you¡¯re already here, it¡¯s not like I can just usher you out now.¡± The Governor¡¯s family dinner was very simple and in, with two dishes each of meat and vegetables, apanied by a bone kelp soup. That was their lunch for the day. Since they did not drink any alcohol, the meal was quickly consumed. After the meal, Ning Shouchang took a seat on the couch. From a cigarette tube on the coffee table, he took out a cigarette and offered one to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Have one.¡± Nie Zhenbang was very skilled, taking the cigarette and quickly lighting one for Ning Shouchang as well. Ning Shouchang was not much of a smoker and adhered to a strict limit of no more than five cigarettes per day. He would have one after each meal and potentially twoter in the evening while he was working. Taking a deep inhale and blowing out a cloud of smoke, Ning Shouchang slowly voiced, ¡°You¡¯ve been ensnared by Secretary Shen this time, haven¡¯t you?¡±
Ning Shouchang¡¯s direct statement made Nie Zhenbang feel a bit unseemly, but he nheless nodded in agreement, ¡°Yes, when I came to Jingcheng, I stopped by the provincialmittee. Li Hao said that Secretary Shen was engaged in talks with Liu Jiawei, and asked me toe by in the afternoon.¡± The so-called ¡®talks¡¯ were merely an excuse. Liu Jiawei had actually gone to Jingcheng to participate in a meeting held by the Ministry of Public Security. Regardless, on the bureaucratic scene, such pretexts were usually found to justify actions. As a subordinate, it is not appropriate to barge in to verify whether the leader is actually taking a report or not. ¡°Zhenbang, this time the official reception regtions that your Liangxi city put in ce were a little too hasty. Although you managed to pass through the Standing Committee¡¯s discussions, you¡¯ve left the province somewhat ambushed. This disruptive local regtion should have been indicated to the province in advance. It is perfectly normal for Shen Yanshuo to exert control over you,¡± Ning Shouchang analyzed. The primary issue was the initial establishment of the regtion, which left mid-to-high level officials in Jiangbei Province feeling somewhat uneasy. Additionally, there were quite a few seasoned bureaucrats in Liangxi who had strong reservations, which added to the frustration of Shen Yanshuo, a person who immensely values stability. He saw Nie Zhenbang¡¯s move as ying with fire and believed that the list of oversights could have potential implications on the stability of Liangxi City. Furthermore, if there is one breach of conduct now, there are likely to be more in the future. There will always be possibilities of establishing such rules. If there is no reprimanding, it simply won¡¯t work. Nie Zhenbang paid a visit to Ning Shouchang¡¯s residence and spent time until around one-forty, when he eventually excused himself. He leisurely strolled over from the provincial government housing to the provincialmittee housing area and made it to the provincialmittee office building by one fifty-five. At this moment, the door to the office of the Provincial Committee Secretary was firmly shut. After roughly two minutes of waiting, Shen Yanshuo passed by, trailed by Li Hao. Upon seeing Shen Yanshuo, Nie Zhenbang immediately approached him and greeted, ¡°Secretary Shen.¡± Shen Yanshuo ndly nodded in response: ¡°Mayor Nie is here. Please,e in.¡± Nie Zhenbang entered Shen Yanshuo¡¯s office, and soon after Li Hao also entered, pouring a cup of green tea for Nie Zhenbang and filling up Shen Yanshuo¡¯s cup with more hot water, then making his leave. However, Shen Yanshuo processed the documents on his desk and told Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mayor Nie, please wait a moment, until I finish reading this document.¡± After speaking, he turned his attention back to his work and started reading. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat awkward. Standing in the office, he felt at odds, neither sitting nor standing, facing an awkward predicament. After about fifteen minutes of waiting, Shen Yanshuo finally looked up again and gestured towards the couch, saying nonchntly, ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± Following his words, he lowered his head to get back to reading. This period of waitingsted a further half hour. Despite his dissatisfaction, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t have any other options. The signalsing from Shen Yanshuo now were quite apparent: He intended to rebuke him. To approach the situation with soothing words or softly spoken suggestions would not have been a true reprimand. Observing Nie Zhenbang, who showed no signs of perturbation and maintained a serene facade even after waiting for nearly fifty minutes, Shen Yanshuo felt admiration. He put his documents aside, removed his sses, and looked up at Nie Zhenbang, stating seriously, ¡°Mayor Nie, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve recently implemented an official reception regtion in Liangxi City. The public¡¯s reaction has been quite strong. Many representatives from the Municipal People¡¯s Congress, many officials, and veteran cadres have already reported the circumstances to me. What are you trying to do by bypassing the necessary provincialmitteemunication for such a major event? Do you disregard your organization and the chain ofmand?¡± Shen Yanshuo¡¯s scathing words weighed heavily. A person of lesser grit might have been cowed, but Nie Zhenbang, well-ustomed to confrontations, bore the critique. Afterposing himself, Nie Zhenbang lowered his stance and agreed, ¡°The Secretary¡¯s criticism is valid. We, the Liangxi City Committee, indeed acted too hastily on this matter. We overlooked the superiors¡¯ feelings, and we will certainly rectify this. Please rebuke me, Secretary.¡± Hearing this, Shen Yanshuo raised an eyebrow. This little one had be increasingly shrewd, attributing collective responsibility to the citymittee. It was, after all, an affirmed decision of the Liangxi Municipal Committee Standing Committee. For a while, Shen Yanshuo was at a loss for words. (
Chapter 445: 419 Huaxia’s Number One Village_1 Chapter 445: Chapter 419 Huaxia¡¯s Number One Vige_1 ¡°Mayor, ahead, the leaders of Yanling City are already waiting by the road. What do you see?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s official car was speeding along the Liangyan First-ss Highway. Looking at the group of people waiting at the border between Yanling City and Xishan District, Huang Xuyang turned his head to report to Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Oh, therades from Yanling City are here, Qing Shan, pull over.¡± Nie Zhenbang instructed. After being criticized by the Provincial Committee, how would things continue as they were? Shen Yanshuo couldn¡¯t harm his own career. On one hand, this matter was an overall decision of the Standing Committee and a collective decision. Although he was the one who proposed it, it could have been rejected at the Standing Committee. If it was approved, it was a collective decision. Punishment couldn¡¯t be focused on one person only, it¡¯s the rule. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang was clear about Shen Yanshuo¡¯s intentions. It was nothing more than expanding on a topic and seizing this chance to target him. Nie Zhenbang had long thought of visiting Yanling City. However, due to certain unavoidable circumstances, the pre-arranged trip was postponed. The car pulled over, and Nie Zhenbang got out without waiting for Huang Xuyang to open the door for him. This was one of his habits. Some leaders cared about ceremony and wouldn¡¯t get out of the car unless someone opened the door for them, but Nie Zhenbang was different. He cared about what needed to be cared about, and when it wasn¡¯t necessary, he didn¡¯t bother overdoing it. Whenever the Mayor goes on a trip, Yi Jun, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Government, is certain to follow him. Others apanying them included Zhao Xintian and Shi Hongbo. At this moment, Yi Jun walked beside Nie Zhenbang and pointed to a man in his fifties introducing him, ¡°Mayor, this is Comrade Wu Kaichu, the Secretary of Yanling City¡¯s Municipal Committee.¡± Nie Zhenbang was also sizing up Wu Kaichu. At the age of fifty-one or fifty-two, it was normal amongst senior officials at the county level. His stature was not tall, merely around five feet, and he looked very lean overall. The most distinctive feature was Wu Kaichu¡¯s dark skin which made him appear much older. Most officials in their fifties looked like they were in their forties. Yet, Wu Kaichu, with his wrinkled skin, looked like an old man. At this moment, Wu Kaichu stepped forward with his hands outstretched with enthusiasm, ¡°Mayor Nie, we have been looking forward to your visit. You are an economic expert, and now, the economic development of our Yanling City is eagerly awaiting your guidance.¡± The attitude of Wu Kaichu surprised Nie Zhenbang. This old man from Yanling City held significant power. Any achievements that Yanling City could im were pretty much orchestrated by this old man. From vige official to township official, and finally to his current position, the old man had considerable prestige in Yanling City.
Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t quite believe these words of ttery. In his opinion, expectations for his visit were nothing more than pleasantries. The truth was that Yanling City wasn¡¯t far from Liangxi City; just a forty-minute drive. If they truly intended, they could have gone to the city to seek knowledge. However, since his appointment as the Mayor, he hadn¡¯t seen Wu Kaichu even once. Only Wu himself knew how sincere he was in his words. Nie Zhenbang responded with a smile, ¡°Secretary Wu, you tter me. I have been wanting to visit Yanling City for a while now but haven¡¯t been able to because of various duties in the city. The development of Yanling City¡¯s rural economy is well-known across the nation. I¡¯m d I finally made it.¡± After being introduced by Wu Kaichu and shaking hands with Wu Guoqiu, the Mayor of Yanling City, as well as other city leaders, Nie Zhenbang gently smiled and said, ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s not stand around here. Let¡¯s head to the Yanling Municipal Committee.¡± At this time, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t make any extra moves, like inviting someone into his car. The convoy started moving again. The leading car from Yanling City Public Security Bureau was in the front, followed by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car, and after that, the official cars of Zhao Xintian and Shi Hongbo. Behind them were the cars of the Yanling City Municipal Committee. At this moment, in Wu Kaichu¡¯s car, Wu Kaichu and Mayor Wu Guoqiu were sitting together, watching the convoy speed ahead. Wu Guoqiu also spoke, ¡°Secretary, don¡¯t you think Mayor Nie has some other motives for this visit?¡± A look of slight contempt appeared on Wu Kaichu¡¯s face, he spoke in a deep voice, ¡°What other motives could there be? It¡¯s nothing more than a routine visit. Yanling City has a good reputation. As a city leader, who wouldn¡¯t want toe, get a share of the limelight? Haven¡¯t numerous leaders visited Yanling City over the years?¡± Wu Kaichu¡¯s words revealed a sense of arrogance. This was no surprise since Yanling City¡¯s economic construction was among the best in Liangxi City. As the Secretary of the Municipal Committee, Wu Kaichu had several titles: National Model Worker, May First Labor Medal recipient, and National Outstanding Grassroots Party Secretary. He was recognized as a leader in economic construction. At the same time, Wu Kaichu was also a delegate to the National People¡¯s Congress. He left a deep impression on central leaders, including Secretary-General President Yuan and Premier Yun. Such a person might only officially be the Secretary of the Municipal Committee of a county-level city, but any attempts to pressure him with authority wouldn¡¯t work on Wu Kaichu. Wu Guoqiu nodded inplete agreement. Indeed, Yanling City was a big cake, and the leaders who were after their political achievements wanted to dig pieces of it. However, these achievements were not that easy to dig up, and whether they could be dug up or not depended on one¡¯s capabilities. ¡°Secretary, do you think Mayor Nie may havee for the business reception regtions this time?¡± Wu Guoqiu once again threw out an idea. Hearing this guess, Wu Kaichu fell into deep thought, pondering, ¡°On that front, it¡¯s indeed possible. The business reception regtions are initiated by Mayor Nie, it¡¯s inevitable that there will be some factors. I think, we should strictly implement the reception ording to the business reception standards during lunchtime.¡± For an old hand like Wu Kaichu, knowing to say just the right things to different people had be second nature. Nie Zhenbang is the founder of the Business Reception Regtions. Wu Kaichu didn¡¯t have to think twice about adhering strictly to these standards. The motorcade arrived swiftly. In less than ten minutes, the cars had already entered Yanling City District and went straight into the office building of the Yanling Municipal Government and Committee. The entire building is fan-shaped, with a perennial greenwn and a fountain right in front. nking the fountain are two city sculptures, representing the spirit of Yanling City. The group directly entered the Municipal Committee¡¯s meeting room, with Nie Zhenbang naturally sitting in the main seat. To his left was Zhao Xintian, the Standing Committee and Deputy Mayor, and Shi Hongbo to the right. Beside Zhao Xintian was Wu Kaichu, with Yi Jun, Secretary General of the Municipal Government, next to Shi Hongbo. Once settled, in front of everyone was a small bottle of mineral water produced in Yanling City. His gaze sweeping across everyone, Nie Zhenbang spoke with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s my first visit to Yanling City, and I must say I¡¯m impressed. Amazing to think we¡¯re in a metropolis. This time, I am here to observe and listen. Now, I¡¯d like Secretary Kaichu and Mayor Guoqiu to brief me on the situation in Yanling City.¡± Then, without any hesitation, Wu Guoqiu borated on the situation in Yanling City. Afterward, in the Banquet Hall of Yanling Hotel, a feast was held to wee Nie Zhenbang and his delegation.
In the afternoon, the group drove to the most famous West Vige of Yanling City. This ce was both Wu Kaichu¡¯s base and hometown, approximately seventeen kilometers from Yanling City District. As the car entered the boundaries of West Vige, straight cement roads ran through, crisscrossed with modern factory buildings and small vis on both sides. There were no traces of a rural area here. While Nie Zhenbang had seen pictures of the vige in his previous life, witnessing it in person was still quite a shock. On the road stood an archway with the words ¡°Wee to West Vige, China¡¯s Number One Vige¡± emzoned across it. The grandeur was indeed unmatched. While in West Vige, they visited vige-run enterprises and factories, vige library, and various ces where cultural activities were held.
Inside the vigemittee office building in West Vige, the meeting room was full to the brim. Wu Kaichu too was expectant, it appeared that Nie Zhenbang was about to speak. From his heart, Wu Kaichu had little respect for Nie Zhenbang, the economic expert. Despite a primary school education, didn¡¯t he sessfully develop West Vige into a national model too? At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also mulling something over. The people of West Vige were proud, and the officials of Yanling City were even more so. From today¡¯s visit, he had sensed it. Pride could be a good thing or a bad thing, but it wasn¡¯t something easy to control. Thus, Nie Zhenbang needed to reflect on this. ¡°Today¡¯s visit has indeed given me quite a shock. West Vige has realized Elder Nan¡¯s grand ambitions¡ªevery household with lights and telephones, concrete roads instead of muddy paths, and cars for transport. This is good. At the start, manyrades have shared their views with me, saying that the area of West Vige is too small and hoping that the Municipal Government will support expanding the boundaries of West Vige. However, I have a different opinion on this matter.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words made the officials of West Vige immediately disappointed, their faces saying it was as they expected. Seeing their despondent faces, Nie Zhenbang remainedposed, continuing, ¡°Now, after merging with the surrounding nine administrative viges, West Vige¡¯s area isrger than that of a town. Further expansion, I feel, would be inappropriate. The enterprises in West Vige are doing well, but that¡¯s not enough. The mindset of the vige officials is rather rigid.¡± As soon as his words came out, a wave of discussions erupted. How could a municipal mayor and bureau-level official¡¯s statement stir up such amotion, just like in a marketce? Only in a ce like West Vige was this possible. From the side, an official from West Vige couldn¡¯t help but stand up, ¡°Mayor Nie, we disagree with what you said. If our thinking process was rigid, how could we have grown our enterprise so heavily? Mayor Nie, you¡¯re just being an armchair critic. If you say that we¡¯re being rigid, then why don¡¯t you guide us?¡± As soon as his words fell, the entire room became quiet. Zhao Xintian¡¯s expression subtly changed as he looked towards Wu Kaichu, who, at this moment, was still calm and unperturbed. Was this questioning born out of Wu Kaichu¡¯s instructions? (To be continued. If you like this novel, please vote and give your support on , your support would be my greatest motivation.) Chapter 446 - 420: IPO Concept_1 Chapter 446: Chapter 420: IPO Concept_1 Zhao Xintian¡¯s face changed, but he lowered his voice and said to Wu Kaichu, the Secretary of the Yanling Municipal Party Committee sitting next to him, ¡°Secretary Wu, what is your Yanling city doing?¡± Often at the grassroots level, Zhao Xintian himself climbed up step by step from the grassroots, needless to say, he was well aware of the workings at this level. The area under West Vige¡¯s jurisdiction may appear to be a single vige on the surface, but in reality, its power, poption control, and capital were stronger than some remote impoverished counties, equating to the status of a township in Liangxi City. West Vige, likely the only administrative vige in Liangxi and even across the country where vige officials hold administrative ranks. The internal structure of West Vige included a vige party branch and a vigemittee. In addition to these two vige teams, there was also the corporate structure of the West Vige Group, with the Party branch secretary also serving as the Chairman of the West Vige Group. All this demonstrated how West Vige differed from other administrative viges. As for the grassroots party members and officials, they might not have much idea about the leaders at the provincial department level. Contradicting the higher-ups, that was impossible. It¡¯s like Yanbei¡¯s Qiu Vige back in the day, where a vige party secretary didn¡¯t even take the provincial party leaders seriously. However, these grassroots officials werepletely obedient to their immediate superiors. Therefore, Zhao Xintian was questioning Wu Kaichu at that moment. In Zhao Xintian¡¯s view, such open defiance of Mayor Nie could only be due to Wu Kaichu¡¯s negligence. Before Wu Kaichu could respond, Nie Zhenbang pulled Zhao Xintian aside, stopping him with a look, then stood up and said, ¡°Since everyone has spoken, I would like to say a few words.¡± Nie Zhenbang looked around at everyone, including the two party and government leaders of Yanling City, pondering that perhaps this was orchestrated by Wu Kaichu and Wu Guoqiu. The development of West Vige and Yanling City had made these people very arrogant, but of course, achieving such outstanding results justified a bit of pride. However, now he needed to shatter this arrogance, to make these people recognize their shorings, and to make use of them. So, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words at this moment were quite blunt. He scanned the crowd and spoke in a deep voice, ¡°Firstly, let¡¯s not talk about praises orpliments. We have enough about the glory of West Vige. I don¡¯t think adding or subtracting my words will make any difference. Now, bringing up these points seems a bit boastful. Today, we are here to discuss West Vige¡¯s shorings.¡± Everyone¡¯s ears perked up at these words, Wu Kaichu was no exception. As the former secretary of West Vige, Wu Kaichu held West Vige in high regard. Otherwise, he would not have incorporated the surrounding administrative viges into West Vige even after he became the secretary of the Yanling Municipal Party Committee. ¡°However, this is not enough. Limiting itself to a single vige, West Vige¡¯s development will fall into a stalemate. I presume West Vige¡¯s development has already been somewhat dyed. Yet, Yanling City is just so big, the area of Liangxi City is notrge either. So, does every development have to be aplished through vige-town mergers? In fact, in economics, there¡¯s a term for this kind of development. We call it a nk effect.¡± After these words, even Wu Kaichu fell deep into thought. His initial disdain was reced by a serious expression. Indeed, as Nie Zhenbang stated, the development of West Vige had always followed this pattern. Whenever West Vige hit a development bottleneck, it would merge with surrounding administrative viges, bringing in poption,nd, other professional skills, and characteristic industries. This would usher in a golden period for West Vige¡¯s development. After assimting and transforming all of these, despite all its changes, West Vige remained powerful and effective. However, this required merging with more administrative viges to promote development. Wu Kaichu had been contemting this issue, but without much effect. This was normal, given that Wu Kaichu¡¯s level of education was only primary school. Although he had learned a lot over the years, his achievements were limited. He could not solve this problem. ¡°Mayor Nie, how do you think West Vige can break free from this development cycle?¡± Wu Kaichu suddenly asked. Hearing Wu Kaichu¡¯s words, a smile spread across Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. Wu Kaichu¡¯s mindset was changing. This was a good sign, a good omen. What they feared most was indifference from these people. Now that Wu Kaichu was contemting this issue, it showed he had recognized the value of his own words. ¡°Comrade Kaichu, that¡¯s the issue I¡¯m about to address,¡± said Nie Zhenbang, a calm smile on his face, giving off an aura of profound wisdom. He then cut straight to the chase, ¡°For West Vige to develop, the best approach is to go beyond its borders.¡± ¡°Expanding outwards?¡± For a moment, discussions broke out again in the venue. However, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Indeed, to expand outwards. To take West Vige¡¯s management model and advanced experiences out, to take West Vige¡¯s production and management philosophies out, and to take West Vige¡¯s capital out. That is what I mean by expanding outwards.¡± ¡°In terms of capital, the West Vige Group can consider bing a standardizedpany and get listed on the Hucheng Stock Exchange. We can integrate social capital to enhance the overall economic strength of West Vige. In terms of actual industry, don¡¯t limit yourselves to just one location. Yanling City may not have much space left for West Vige to grow, but the rest of the country offers vast opportunities. For instance, the mechanized agriculture project in West Vige was born out of the necessity to liberate the vige¡¯sbor force. Here in West Vige, its only purpose is to free up thebor force. But change your frame of thinking! What if we take onrge-scalend contracts for mechanized agricultural operations in the Northeast or Southern regions under the name of the West Vige Group? That way, it broadens the Group¡¯s operational scope. Plus, it generates economic and social benefits for the local region, thereby spurring their development. Agriculture is not the only industry we can expand in. We can do the same with West Vige¡¯s industries. Don¡¯t worry about hiring local workers and perceive it as a loss for West Vige. Remember when we merged administrative viges? Wasn¡¯t it more or less the same hiring process? Moreover, if we merge, the shares of all of you present today would dilute, and that¡¯s simply not beneficial.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯sst statement made the vigers of West Vigeugh. Their welfare treatment, along with the various privileges they enjoyed as vigers, were indeed superior. When the administrative viges were being merged in the past, some vigers opposed it. But thanks to Wu Kaichu¡¯s influential reputation, the process went smoothly. Now, pointed out by Mayor Nie, everyone felt a little embarrassed. Having said all these, Nie Zhenbang sat down leisurely. In his past life¡¯s memories, these strategies and ns were West Vige¡¯s development models. Nie had no doubt that these ns would stir the hearts of the vigers of West Vige. At that moment, Wu Kaichu was taken aback. He frowned upon intellectuals in the past. His life experience led him to think that intellectuals only knew theories and didn¡¯t know how to put them into practice. But now, after listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s speech, Wu realized for the first time that he was wrong, and he was utterly mistaken. This kind of development model is equivalent to unlimited extension of West Vige nationwide. As long as the West Vige Group takes action, there will be numerous ¡°West Viges¡± all over the country. Although these ces won¡¯t truly be West Vige, the greatest beneficiary would be the West Vige Group. The present West Vige would be the core West Vige. Upon realization, Wu Kaichu stood up and took the lead in apuding. Given his behavior, the officials from Yanling City along with the vige officials and vigers of West Vige gave the most enthusiastic round of apuse. Wu Kaichu left his seat and walked behind Nie Zhenbang. He looked at him sincerely and said earnestly, ¡°Mayor Nie, I sincerely apologize for my earlier negligence. Please forgive me.¡± A man in his fifties apologizing to a young man was a testament to Wu Kaichu¡¯s frank personality. Nie, understanding Wu¡¯s worries, smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Kaichu, you¡¯re being too hard on yourself. I understand your caution. West Vige had many missteps in the past due to misguided direction from certain leaders. To be wary now is only normal. What I proposed is just a theoretical n. The actual effectiveness would depend on West Vige¡¯s own exploration. Harmonizing rtions with local governments, managing rtions with the local popce ¨C these are not easy tasks. For the West Vige Group to expand, there is a long road ahead.¡± Nie¡¯s words further stunned Wu. Nie¡¯s pragmatic attitudepletely won him over. He nodded, saying, ¡°Mayor, you don¡¯t need to say that. We, West Vige, have always been crossing the river by feeling the stones. We take the path step by step. The thing we fear the least is a challenge. Rest assured, Mr. Mayor. West Vige will show that we can deliver.¡± Then, Wu continued, ¡°Mr. Mayor, after your speech, I feel enlightened. It¡¯s more educational than ten years of reading. I have an idea now.¡± Pausing with a sigh, he said, ¡°I used to think intellectuals were ipetent. But now, I realize that I was mistaken. It¡¯s theck of knowledge that¡¯s the problem. I¡¯m considering setting up a schrship fund in West Vige, to encourage the younger generation to read more, read better books. At that time, I would like to invite Mr. Mayor to our schrship inauguration.¡± The change in Wu Kaichu¡¯s address from Mayor Nie to Mr. Mayor signified his change of heart. From the initial superficial politeness and respect to sincere attitude, this change delighted Nie. In the system, there are several types of subordinates. The first kind is loyal, who no matter the situation, will always follow the lead. The second kind is ordinary, who have their own opinions and resolve. As the saying goes, ¡°Birds of a feather flock together¡±; these subordinatespletely support their leader in the pursuit of the same goals. The third kind is the loyal follower of a political rival. Clearly, it is impossible for somebody like Wu to be molded into the first type. Not only does heck the age advantage, but his experience also makes him hard to conquer. However, Nie could see right now that Wu belonged to the second type. Holding multiple esteemed titles, these were Wu¡¯s amulet; unless there were severe issues, even Fan Changsheng would have to give him due respect. If Nie could obtain Wu¡¯s support on some issues, it would significantly benefit his economicyout in Liangxi City. With this thought, Nie responded cheerfully, ¡°That¡¯s great! Education is the foundation to a hundred-year n. Mr. Kaichu, it¡¯s wonderful that you thought of this. This is the kind of thing I¡¯m most interested in, and I will definitely attend.¡± Chapter 447 - 421 Illegal Buildings_1 Chapter 447: Chapter 421 Illegal Buildings_1 ¡°Mayor, your tea.¡± Huang Xuyang walked into the office and ced Nie Zhenbang¡¯s purple y teacup on the table, but continued to stand nearby. Huang Xuyang¡¯s strange behavior made Nie Zhenbang curious. Since returning from his inspection of Yanling City, all aspects of work in Liangxi City had gotten back on track. The city¡¯s economy was thriving, and even without him, it would naturally continue along this trajectory. Liangxi City¡¯s geographical advantage was unparalleled. In Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, even if a pig were appointed mayor here, Liangxi City¡¯s economy would still grow, albeit at varying speeds of development. ¡°Xuyang, is there anything else?¡± Nie Zhenbang asked curiously. Compared to two months ago when he first became his secretary, Huang Xuyang had somewhat evolved, exuding self-confidence in his speech and demeanor. This was the transformation brought about by a change in status. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s query, Huang Xuyang hesitated before speaking, ¡°Mayor, I heard that in Guicheng District recently, many projects have resorted to violent demolitions.¡± Violent demolitions? Upon hearing this phrase, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. This was his primary concern regarding urban renewal projects. Demolitions involved manyplexities, and violent tactics could significantly impact a project. This was something that could not be tolerated as it would eventually leave ordinary citizens defenseless. After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Nie Zhenbang stood up, ¡°Xuyang, call Qing Shan to prepare a car. Let¡¯s go to Guicheng District.¡± Just as Huang Xuyang turned to leave, Nie Zhenbang stopped him again, ¡°Wait a moment, don¡¯t use car number two. Coordinate a moremon vehicle.¡± The second car was too conspicuous. Everyone knew it was the mayor¡¯s official vehicle and its presence would paint a falsely peaceful image between developers and locals. As soon as they left the government office building, a car, a simple ck Santana arranged by Huang Xuyang, was waiting at the entrance. These vehicles used to serve as official cars for the Liangxi City Government, now some used and others stored. It was rare to find such an inconspicuous car. Once they were in the car, Yang Qingshan cheerfully suggested, ¡°Mayor, this car is a bit old. The air conditioning isn¡¯t great. Shall we roll down the windows?¡± ¡°No need, we won¡¯t be traveling far. Let¡¯s go directly to check the project sites in Guicheng District,¡± Nie Zhenbang replied in a low voice. While driving into Guicheng District, the traffic became congested. Guicheng District was an old city district with narrow roads, so traffic jams weremon, especially now that many roads were under construction or half-closed. The congestion worsened considerably. Seeing the endless stream of cars ahead and ncing at his watch, Nie Zhenbang paused briefly before instructing, ¡°Qing Shan, Xuyang and I will get down here. Find a ce to park the car and meet uster.¡± Nie Zhenbang wore a ck, shiny, striped T-shirt and dark blue casual cks, which made him look mature and steady. This was how most officials dressed ¨C of any ten officials, six would be dressed this way. After walking less than a hundred meters from the roadside, they came to a pedestrian path which led to Guicheng District¡¯srge construction site. Next to him, Huang Xuyang began to exin, ¡°Mayor, the uing site is Lot 7 project, won in a bid by Wanhe Real Estate. The project is now called Wanhe Blue Sky City.¡± Huang Xuyang¡¯s familiarity with the development projects in Guicheng District pleased Nie Zhenbang. As his secretary, Huang Xuyang only needed to perform basic secretarial duties. Yet, he had gone out of his way to familiarize himself with these projects, showing his dedication. Such a work attitude was the foundation of a person¡¯s sess. Nie Zhenbang did not hesitate to express his approval, ¡°That¡¯s great, Xuyang. It¡¯s good to learn and listen a lot, but at the same time, reflect on these things.¡± Having said that, Nie Zhenbang strode forward. The ce was undergoing demolition and expansion of roads; the first structures to be taken down were the low-rise houses along the highway. Road expansion fell under government civil engineering works, and the demolition andpensation standards were rtively straight forward with stringent legal regtions, hardly causing any significant issues. Upon entering, they found many old residents gathered together. Some of them were preparing to move or demolish their houses. As they hadn¡¯t witnessed any forced demolitions, Nie Zhenbang believed Huang Xuyang¡¯s word as he knew that Huang Xuyang wouldn¡¯t lie about such matters. So, they continued to move forward only to encounter a standoff between two groups. ¡°Jia Lao Liu, let me make this clear, it¡¯s better for you to demolish this house soon to avoid forcing our hand. Look at the Hu family, didn¡¯t we just demolish their cest night? Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. If there are any valuables at home, they might be buried when the timees,¡± one man threatened. Chapter 448: 421 Illegal Buildings_2 Chapter 448: Chapter 421 Illegal Buildings_2 At this moment, two groups of people are confronting each other. Leaning against this side of the house, a slightly bald man in the middle looks somewhatplicated. The man who is talking seems to be the leader of the demolition team this time. He is tall, bulky, with a buzz-cut and a thick gold chain around his neck. These people should all be local residents. This is one of the mostmon methods developers use¡ªwin over and employ a group of semi-underground characters locally to carry out the demolition. These people are very familiar with the surroundings, they can be called fellow vigers. Generally, under the pressure of threats and intimidation, as long as the conditions are not overly harsh, most people will choose to sign the demolition agreement. Jia Lao Liu hesitated for a moment, seeming to ovee the fear in his heart, and said to the man, ¡°San Bao, we are all neighbors, so don¡¯t be too ruthless. Your people injured Da Liu and others. How do you exin that? Demolishing houses are fine, but you should be reasonable. Da Liu¡¯s family has how many mouths to feed, why only consider sixty square meters?¡± ¡°Bullshit! Jia Lao Liu, Da Liu¡¯s houses are all built by himself and they are illegal constructions. Compensation cannot be calcted by their area, this is the government¡¯s regtion.¡± San Bao seemed very righteous. Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang already understood. The people in the shanty town, the houses here were constructed decades ago. Generally, families that have two houses are considered pretty good. At that time, the living conditions were considered abundant, but over the years, many families have added a dozen members, and now the houses are not enough. In this case, they naturally try their best to construct some sheds, hence the name ¡°shanty town¡± came from. The city actually introduced policies for illegal buildings, apart from supplementing the cost, thepensation is strictly prohibited to be calcted by area. However, this regtion is in reference to the shanties built after March of this year. It does not include any construction prior to that. Unexpectedly, these developers have taken advantage of this loophole. ¡°True, there is such a regtion. But this regtion only applies to shanties newly built after March this year. The ones built half a year prior to that arepensated on a half-area basis. Those beyond half a year, arepensated fully. This house of Da Liu¡¯s, does it belong to the new ones or the old ones?¡± Nie Zhenbang suddenly spoke up. As soon as he finished speaking, San Bao¡¯s face changed. Jia Lao Liu and the others all said: ¡°The boss is right. We knew about this use and therefore were unwilling to sign the contract. Da Liu¡¯s family has old and young members and has more than a dozen people. Those sheds were built years ago and the area exceeds two hundred square meters. However, they stubbornly only recognize sixty square meters. Isn¡¯t this bullying?¡± The so-called policy from above, countermeasure from below. Unexpectedly, these developers acted in such a way, holding the redheaded documents of the citymittee and city government. The uninformed public might indeed be intimidated by them. After hesitating for a moment, Nie Zhenbang said to Huang Xuyang on the side: ¡°Xuyang, call Li Guohua and have all the bosses of these projectse to the Guicheng Committee and District Government. Today, we will hold an on-site office meeting here at Guicheng District.¡±
Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, you could say, threw a stone at a thousandyers of waves. For a while, both sides of the standoff were stunned. San Bao and the others were as pale as paper, fearing that Mayor Nie might investigate them for something. For all these people, though they are not exactly gangsters, they are not exactly decent people either. The inherent fear of the government is ingrained in them. Jia Lao Liu and others, however, were exhrated. With this, they see hope. They see hope for the new house. This is exactly Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intention. This kind of thing spreads among themon people the fastest and most widely. Television broadcasts might not convince them, but things that really happen around them would surely let them believe without doubt. Waving his hand, Nie Zhenbangughed and said: ¡°Fellow neighbors, urban renewal is a key project of the city. It relies on everyone¡¯s support and cooperation. But it should not damage everyone¡¯s interests. Here, I assure you all, the citymittee and city government will give you a satisfying result.¡± The office building of the Guicheng Committee and District Government, in the same yard, is divided into two separate buildings. The left one is for the District Committee and the right one is for the District Government. When Nie Zhenbang arrived here, the persons in charge of the six real estate projects and the relevant leaders of the Guicheng Committee and District Government had already been waiting here. Li Guohua and Zhou Chen were sitting here imposingly. Walking into the office, Nie Zhenbang directly sat in the main seat, scanned the crowd, and started: ¡°Comrades, bosses, this time I came here on a sudden whim, but I did not expect to see such a bad scene. Certainpanies, under the name of the citymittee and city government, taking the spirit of the red-headed documents out of context, are suspected of embezzling people¡¯spensation areas and properties. Such behavior is extremely bad. Here, I won¡¯t name names, I hope that the relevantpanies, if they have such matters, will handle them properly.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Zhou Chen immediatelyined: ¡°Mayor Nie, while ensuring the interests of the people, you should also take into ount the difficulties of us developers. After the urban renewal started, these people started building illegal constructions rampantly. In our project at the Royal Scenery Lanh Lake, there were even illegal constructions exceeding several thousand square meters. Our demolition work also cannot proceed smoothly. Sometimes, we are forced to take some measures.¡± As expected, it was Zhou Chen who took the lead. Nie Zhenbang sneered in his heart. It was foreseen that Zhou Chen would stand out. Not provoking the rich and the officials, these enterprises appear untouchable from the outside. But in front of him, they dare not be presumptuous. Only Zhou Chen is suitable, his background has destined that Zhou Chen fundamentally holds no fear towards him. He, as the boss of the biggest real estate project, speaking on behalf of these developers, is only natural. As soon as he finished speaking, it indeed caused resonance with other developers. With someone taking the lead, these bosses further expressed their grievances, talking about how many illegal constructions there are in their own projects and so on. Nie Zhenbang, however, couldn¡¯t have been clearer to these tricks. This is a typical trick of shifting the me and changing the concept. The intention of Zhou Chen and Li Guohua is not hard to guess. They throw the responsibility onto him and run off with the political achievements. They indeed y a smart game. But Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t fooled. Immediately, Nie Zhenbangughed lightly, and said: ¡°My purpose for this trip is just for this matter. Since it is an on-site office meeting, I think we should have a field visit. Let¡¯s first go to President Zhou¡¯s building site.¡± ( Chapter 449: 422: Dominant Method_1 Chapter 449: Chapter 422: Dominant Method_1 A group of people, all huddled together, casually checked out the six ongoing real estate projects under the guidance of these real estatepany heads or person-in-charge. Looking at the many new buildings in these old urban areas. Exposed brick walls, asbestos tiles, and even in many houses, they hadn¡¯t even used cement or lime, they were entirely made of a mix of mud and gravel. Some houses didn¡¯t even have doors or windows, just hollow openings. Walking into such a house, the ground was entirely made of soil. It was in a state of utter disarray with all kinds of construction materials haphazardly discarded. Standing next to them, Zhou Chen wore a smug expression. You, Nie Zhenbang, aren¡¯t you here to catch us for illegal operations? Seeing this situation, what will you do? Tear them all down? The local residents might kill themselves in response. If they¡¯re left standing, the situation will lead to a vicious cycle. People are naturally inclined to take advantage of situations, and make a profit. If others make money doing this, I can too. By that time, the investment environment in Liangxi City will be ruined. Mayor Nie ¨C who is adept at building the economy- will fall from grace. When word gets out, people will say that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s economic development ns only work in a ce as clean and straightforward as New Li City. In a truly prosperous region, wouldn¡¯t he be useless? ¡°Mayor Nie, as you can see, such illegal buildings are not only found within the range of our Royal Scenery Lanh Lake project, but also in the other five real estate projects involving old city renovation projects in the city. These stubborn people are like wolves smelling the scent of meat. Overnight, these buildings sprung up like mushrooms after a spring rain.¡± Zhou Chen¡¯s remarks were somewhat crude, referring to people as ¡®stubborn¡¯ and ¡®wolves¡¯, using these belittling terms, were somewhat disagreeable to hear. However, Nie Zhenbang had to admit that what Zhou Chen said wasrgely true. These so-called factories and pigsties built with mud and sand, and various other assorted names. These ces didn¡¯t even have a road. Some were built entirely within their ownnds, these weren¡¯t businesses, these buildings had only one purpose ¨C to wait for demolition, relocation, andpensation, ¡°How much area do these buildings cover in Guicheng District? Also, roughly how muchnd do they cover in Xishan and Liangjiang Districts? Mayor Guohua, you need to implement this immediately, arrange for colleagues from the nning bureau topile a list, and make sure to photograph these illegal buildings for records.¡± After some thoughtful consideration, Nie Zhenbang gave orders to Li Guohua standing next to him. Li Guohua nodded. As the executive deputy mayor of the municipal government, by fortunate coincidence, he also wore the title of secretary of the Guicheng District Party Committee. Liangxi city¡¯s old city renovation project was under his purview as the deputymander of the project headquarters, so indeed these matters fell within his responsibilities. At the moment, he appeared very cooperative and said, ¡°Mayor, rest assured, we will immediately follow your instructions and start a census of all the illegal buildings in the city.¡±
Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression was quite solemn. This floodgate absolutely had to remain shut. His character was such that, he would never allow the people to be aggrieved. He always considered the needs and welfare of the people. However, he wouldn¡¯t tolerate people trying to make profits out of opportunities like this. He then turned to Chen Yao, the director of the nning bureau who had followed him there, and said, ¡°Director Chen, what exactly does your nning bureau do? In one night, there are so many illegal buildings in the city. This speaks to your inefficiency.¡± Chen Yao kept his head low. Despite the heat of the zing sun, he felt surprisingly cold. The prestige of Mayor Nie was undeniable. What happened to Ren Yong from the Finance Bureau? Even though he¡¯s a nephew of the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, he was ousted at a word from him. On the surface, Ren Yong was sent to study at the Party School of the Provincial Party Committee. After thepletion of the study, he would be reassigned. But which senior officer in the city didn¡¯t know that this was only a facade maintained by the secretary? After the financial power was stripped away, continuing to serve as the nominal head of the Finance Bureau was pointless. Chen Yao knew very well that he didn¡¯t have the same background as Ren Yong and needed to tread carefully. Right now, Ren Yong was on his best behavior. He nodded and said, ¡°Yes, yes, the Mayor is right to criticize. We in the nning bureau have fallen short in this matter, and I will surely rectify it.¡± At that time, some of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s anger subsided. He wasn¡¯t really trying to topple Chen Yao. At this time, changing themander would be troublesome. It would take some time for a new bureau chief to limate to the work. If they changed personnel, by the time the new person would be ready, it would be toote. This warning was meant to force Chen Yao to put his heart into his work. Politics is just like the strategising of ancient emperors. Americans are also quite adept at it, with their ssic carrot and stick policy. ¡°Director Chen, let¡¯s not dwell on self-criticisms. The focus is to improve the current work. The nning Bureau needs to immediately form a nning Law Enforcement Team to regte the situation in Guicheng, Xishan, and Liangjiang districts. The main focus is Guicheng District. Based on your city¡¯s nning Law Enforcement Team, the local nning Bureaus will provide assistance. From now on, no new buildings shall be approved within the red line, and all ongoing projects must stop. If any new illegal buildings are found, they must be stopped and even demolished immediately. For this, I will have the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau, the City Court, and the City Urban Management Law Enforcement Bureau, and other relevantw enforcement departments to assist you. If you still can¡¯t do this well with all these support from the city, then you should not be the director anymore.¡± Issues like unauthorized buildings are ultimately due to the public trying to take advantage. This is rted to the moral standards of the masses and has nothing to do with anything else. This is a matter that can only be dealt with by using a heavy hammer. Find one, demolish one. Talking alone yields no results whatsoever. ¡°Yes, Mayor, with your support, if I still cannot do well, you won¡¯t have to dismiss me, I¡¯ll pack up and leave on my own ord.¡± At this moment, Chen Yao is also making promises with confidence. At this point, Chen Yao sees the situation very clearly, Mayor Nie is furious. It¡¯s suicidal to haggle at this time. Rather than that, it¡¯s better to agree straightforwardly. After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mood calmed a bit, he looked around at everyone and said in a slow tone, ¡°Don¡¯t stand here any longer, let¡¯s borrow the conference room of the Guicheng District Committee, gather the leaders of the party and government of Liangjiang and Xishan districts, as well as therades of relevant departments, and have another meeting.¡± ¡­ ¡°Brother Hua, what do you think Nie Zhenbang is doing? Is he trying to enact strictws in troubled times? Isn¡¯t this like lifting a rock only to drop it on his own foot? He¡¯s about to ruin his longstanding people-friendly image, isn¡¯t he?¡± Taking advantage of the brief gap before the meeting, Zhou Chen converged with Li Guohua. At this moment, Li Guohua¡¯s face had an indifferent expression. This time was the first time he really worked with Nie Zhenbang. But Li Guohua saw Nie Zhenbang¡¯s decisive nature. All along, Li Guohua thought that Nie Zhenbang was a peaceful gentleman, a good old man. But now, Li Guohua found that he was wrong, terribly wrong. Taking a soft sip of tea, he said casually, ¡°Zhou Chen, no wonder you were driven out of New Li City by Nie Zhenbang. Indeed, you¡¯re not in the same league.¡± His words made Zhou Chen somewhat embarrassed. He chuckled and said, ¡°Brother Hua, don¡¯t you know my capabilities yet? I can¡¯t handle these internal system matters. Not to mention me, there are not many people in Jingcheng who can handle them. What about Yang Anbang? He runs a booming business, world-renowned, yet he can¡¯t handle them either. Neither can Liu Kun, Li Hua, Zhao Xinglong. Can you tell me what¡¯s going on?¡± Li Guohua smirked, then exined, ¡°This move has shown me Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ruthless and decisive side. He could get where he is today, garner the support of Elder Nan and Secretary Yuan, his reputation is indeed justified.¡± Said Li Guohua, continuing, ¡°Zhou Chen, this time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions are the most appropriate method. The thought of the general public has not yet reached that level. Good and bad are mixed, this is inevitable. This matter can only be handled by adopting a strong measure, expressing to all citizens the government¡¯s attitude and determination, can only then curb the trend of illegal construction. As for those that have been built, it¡¯s simple. I suspect Nie Zhenbang has a frontline n. He would never allow the public to be exploited, but he wouldn¡¯t let people take advantage of him either.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Li Guohua¡¯s secretary Huang Bao came in from outside, ¡°Secretary, the leaders of Liangjiang and Xishan districts are here. We¡¯re ready to start the meeting.¡±
In the grand conference room of Guicheng District, leaders from Liangjiang, Xishan, and Guicheng districts, as well as the heads of departments such as nning, urban management, public security, and others are seated. With this level of meeting, these section-level officials are not qualified to sit at the front of the conference table. Nie Zhenbang looked serious as he scanned the crowd. After repeating the words he said to Chen Yao during the site visit earlier, he continued, ¡°Regarding the existing buildings, all the officials in the three districts must take action. Leaders of each relevant neighborhood office and town must implement this one by one, and all themunity and vige officials must also go deep into the grassroots level, exin the government¡¯s policies to the public, and cooperate with the nning Bureau to do a good job in inspecting. Once an illegal building is discovered in any district, the city will punish it severely. Depending on the severity, the responsible officials in each district may be warned, demoted, or even dismissed. And the leaders of each neighbourhood and town will be dismissed without exception.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face showed a murderous momentum, he said in a deep voice, ¡°My position is to ensure the fundamental interests of the people. But for those with ulterior motives who want to take this opportunity to get rich, my attitude is, no leniency. Severe punishment to the end.¡± (
Chapter 450: 423: Settling Accounts After Autumn_1 Chapter 450: Chapter 423: Settling ounts After Autumn_1 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were severe and stinging, stirring up the representatives of the real estate developers listening outside the conference room. Having the most frequent interactions with the government and having reaped the most policy benefits, these real estate developers seemed to feel it was quite reasonable. From their perspective, Liangxi City was now back on the right track. After Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Li Guohua chimed in without hesitation, ¡°Comrades, Mayor Nie¡¯s words are profound. Currently, the mindset of the masses has not yet reached a high level of selflessness. It¡¯s amon phenomenon for people to look out for their own interests. However, the government cannot becent about this. We must take it seriously and deeply implement the spirit of Mayor Nie¡¯s speech. Those who dare to deceive the government will be punished severely and the buildings that ought to be demolished will be demolished resolutely. No excuses will be tolerated.¡± At Li Guohua¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow furrowed. Was Li Guohua so altruistic, cooperating with him wholeheartedly and even deliberately ttering him in front of the junior officials? Nie Zhenbang knew Li Guohua¡¯s character well. He was not the type to willingly ept defeat. If he backed down at this moment, it would indicate surrender, which was obviously impossible. This could only mean one thing ¨C Li was exaggerating his determination to crack down on illegal buildings, even suggesting the demolition of buildings that have already beenpleted under the pretext of cracking down on illegal construction. The situation could escte, causing conflicts that might even alert the provincialmittee and government. If it turned sour, he, Nie Zhenbang, would be the unlucky one. What a cunning scheme. He nced at Li Guohua, whose eyes dodged away from his prating gaze. Nie Zhenbang then continued, ¡°I would like to add a few points on illegal construction. In ordance with the No. 3 Red Head Document of the City Government, for any new construction within the demolition boundary, if it is being built or nned to be built without any legal contract, it must be strictly controlled. But, like I said before, buildings that were constructed more than six months ago, even without proper legal procedures, should be protected. New buildings established after the groundbreaking ceremony of the old city renovation project should be put on hold, with no further decoration or alteration.¡± Scanning the room, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone became severe again, ¡°In other words, you must follow the rules andws in your work, managing and punishing illegal construction while also taking appropriate measures in your work. Do not act arbitrarily or take advantage of the situation for personal vendetta. If the vition is found, the person involved will be immediately dismissed, the rted leaders will be disciplined, and a record will be kept in the personnel file.¡± Nie Zhenbang was not afraid of these people ignoring his words which were closely rted to their livelihood. The leaders would also be careful, as having a record in the personnel file was much harsher than being scolded or writing a self-criticism and could be an obstacle in their promotion. They had to take it seriously. Seeing the thoughtful expressions on the faces of the leaders below, Nie Zhenbang was no longer worried about them overreacting. Changing his tone, he looked around and said, ¡°Having talked about the illegal buildings, now let¡¯s move on to the developers.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen, who was listening in from the side, seemed stunned; it seemed Nie Zhenbang was going toy down thew hard.
¡°During the old town renovation project, we discovered some citizens hoping to benefit from the cheap costs, but the developers also have their own problems. Quite a fewpanies, including Wanhe Real Estate, Zhou n Group, Zhangjiang Real Estate, Hesheng Real Estate, and others, have been found to have numerous irregrities during the demolition process. As I said this, all the government officials in the room lowered their heads, remaining silent.¡± Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang let out a coldugh in his heart. He suspected that some of these officials had had shady dealings with the developers. Not necessarily taking huge bribes, it could be a meal, a few cigarettes, or spending time at some entertainment venues. Such small favors weremonly used by developers to establish good rtions with everyone, from leaders to regr staffers. It¡¯s amon saying that a small demon is harder to deal with than the king of hell. Since these officials had benefitted from the developers, they often turned a blind eye to the developers deceiving the public with those ¡°red head¡± files. Now that Nie Zhenbang had openly mentioned it, the room was silent. No one dared to speak up. They were not fools. Coming forward now would only serve to make themselves a negative example for Mayor Nie to use. Nie Zhenbang had a clear understanding of these people¡¯s attitudes and didn¡¯t want to dig too deeply into it. It¡¯s a world where nothing is absolutely white or ck. Huaxia is a nation that values etiquette, and its people prioritize reciprocity inmunication. If he were to scrutinize every matter, he would be a loner and may even end up being betrayed and knocked down by others. As long as it¡¯s not serious disciplinary issues like corruption or bribery, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t interfere. After a moment of contemtion, he extended three fingers, ¡°From what I know, the developers¡¯ vitions are mainly focused on demolitionpensation. To summarize, there are three methods¡ªthe first is to exploit documents about illegal constructions. They rejectpensation for illegal constructions made by the people who were relocated. The second, they take advantage of measurement errors and deduct the estimated area to lessen thepensation. The third method, they rece concepts and give cashpensation to avoid house-for-housepensation.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s summary, Zhou Chen and the other developers kept their mouths shut. These three tactics were the mostmonly used tricks for construction developers, and they could cut costs by more than half with these methods. After Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, he observed Zhou Chen and the others. Seeing their reactions, he knew he was mostly correct. Then he said gravely, ¡°What you do not wish on yourself, you shall not do to others. If you despise the people for their illegal constructions, has it urred to you that your actions might also be despised by the public? You¡¯ve even exploited the name of the government, indirectly ruining its image in the eyes of the public. This has seriously damaged the public¡¯s trust in the government and its shining image of fairness. This can have an extremely negative impact. In light of this, my suggestion is to punish these viting corporations.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than the developers began making a fuss. Zhou Chen was the first to jump out, protesting loudly, ¡°I object! Mayor Nie, Liangxi City is chopping us down after climbing up. And though you are the mayor, you don¡¯t represent the city government in making decisions. We will apply to the provincial partymittee and the provincial government. Your actions are seriously harming investors.¡± Sure enough, Zhou Chen made a move. Li Guohua had made a smart move by having Nie to take the me, andter, with some maniption by Li, the media and newspapers would be full of reports praising Vice Mayor Li Guohua¡¯s efforts in urban renewal. Of course, anyone would want such a favorable situation. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face fell, and he said in a deep voice, ¡°Zhou n Group has adopted the aforementioned three ways in the demolition and relocation of the tenth project, significantly reducing thepensation, which umtes to an amount exceeding ten million yuan. The city government¡¯s decision is to cancel all previous demolitions, recalcte andpensate for the demolition. At the same time, Zhou n Group will be fined twenty million yuan and all preferential policies will be revoked.¡± Even Li Guohua didn¡¯t expect that Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t care about Zhou Chen¡¯s protest and went straight to the punishment. Then, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Wanhe Real Estate, in the process of demolition, exploited loopholes in the red-head document to deceive the public. Thepany is fined five million yuan and ordered to rectify immediately.¡± Following this, Nie Zhenbang casually handed out fines ranging from one million to five million yuan to several other viting businesses. After the announcement of the punishment decision, Nie Zhenbang said in a heavy voice, ¡°Chairman Zhou, you should know that I am the Mayor of Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government, elected by six million Liangxi residents. I am the legal representative of the Liangxi City Government. If I don¡¯t represent the government, who does? Your vitions have justification. If you are not satisfied with the punishment, you can appeal to the provincial partymittee and provincial government, or you can withdraw your investment. This is the stance of the Liangxi City Government. We protect businesses that abide by thew and operate legally, but for those that break the rules and operate illegally, we are strict. We will deal with vitions as we discover them, no leniency, nopromise.¡± At this time, people like Li Guohua couldn¡¯t say anything, the concept of hierarchical levels was strong within the system. In a public arena, members of the citymittee had to uphold the image and authority of the Secretary. The same applied to the city government. If at this juncture he, Li Guohua, raised any objections, it would be deemed as disregarding higher-ups and ack of organizational discipline. This could invite ridicule; Nie Zhenbang might be mocked temporarily, but everything would proceed as usual afterward. Moreover, even if this decision were to be brought to the city government office meeting for discussion, it would get approved. For himself, Li Guohua, it would be a total loss. It wasn¡¯t worth risking his political future over this. So, after Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Li Guohua voiced his position, ¡°I support Mayor Nie¡¯s decision. Legal honesty should not only be a principle of government behavior but also a principle forpanies and individuals. If you feel aggrieved because of the people¡¯s illegal constructions and increased costs, would your illegal demolitionpensations also aggrieve the public? Mayor Nie, I propose that a demolition inspection and settlement team be set up immediately, led by the city government, to investigate households that have already been demolished or who have signed demolition agreements, to minimize damages.¡± With the top two figures of the city government having voiced their positions, the developers in the room were no fools. Representatives from several developers like Wanhe Real Estate, after a moment of contemtion, very readily epted the penalties. Several hundred thousand yuan was not a big deal for the developers. The costs of recalcting the losses of those relocated would be much higher. If they could ept that, would they worry about a few hundred thousand yuan in fines? Immediately, they all nodded their heads, signaling their agreement to ept the penalties. Zhou Chen at this moment looked quite embarrassed. He originally intended to use the threat of withdrawal to pressure Nie Zhenbang, but it seemed Nie Zhenbang was not affected at all. At this point, Zhou Chen seemed to have forgotten about the enormous assets that Nie Zhenbang secretly controlled. Upon hearing Li Guohua¡¯s endorsement, Zhou Chen got the hint. Almost immediately, he lowered his stance and voice, ¡°Mayor Nie, you are correct in your criticism. We will fully cooperate with the government to recalcte and rectify our mistakes. On behalf of the developers here, I deeply apologize to the city government. Please rest assured, Mr. Mayor Nie, we will ensure high-quality and efficient progress in the urban renewal project.¡± (
Chapter 451: 424: Acting with the Flow_1 Chapter 451: Chapter 424: Acting with the Flow_1 City Government Office Building Li Guohua¡¯s office is located on the eleventh floor of the government office building, on the same floor as Nie Zhenbang. However, their offices are diagonally facing each other. Directly opposite Nie Zhenbang is the city government¡¯s small conference room, which is usually used for the Mayor¡¯s office meetings or briefings. Li Guohua¡¯s officeyout is roughly simr to that of Nie Zhenbang; an outer office area along with arger office space, a rest room and a kitchen toilet. Though small, it is fully equipped. The decoration style of Li Guohua¡¯s office is entirely different from that of Nie Zhenbang, reflecting the typical American style and disying the pragmatism of Americans. At this moment, Zhou Chen walked in with a huff. Upon seeing Zhou Chen, Li Guohua¡¯s secretary, Huang Bao, who had already stood up, sat down again. Zhou Chen walked straight into Li Guohua¡¯s office, casually threw his briefcase on the coffee table as he entered, and sprawled out on the sofa. ¡°Did you pay the fine?¡± Nie Zhenbang asked with a smile. As the Executive Deputy Mayor and Secretary of the Guicheng District Committee, Li Guohua has two office locations. One is here, and the other is in Guicheng District. Usually, when inspecting projects at the construction site, he doesn¡¯t visit his office in Guicheng District, since he is somewhat superstitious and taboo. Since he is a deputy bureau-level official while the Secretary of the Guicheng District Committee is a department-level post, going back to a department-level office implies a demotion for him. In the officialdom, everyone dreams of a promotion while a demotion is cruel for anyone. Therefore, Li Guohua never works in Guicheng District Committee office. Zhou Chen was quite irritated at this time and said with some attitude: ¡°I paid it. What else could I do if I didn¡¯t? I know Nie Zhenbang, he does what he says. If I don¡¯t pay, he dares to kick me out. Besides, Brother Hua, you have expressed your support. Although I don¡¯t understand why you decided to back Nie Zhenbang, I, Zhou Chen, will never drag you down.¡± Zhou Chen then sat up straight and looked at Li Guohua with puzzlement: ¡°Brother Hua, why are you bing more and more timid? It feels like you¡¯re afraid of Nie Zhenbang. After Elder Nie leaves, the Nie family will be a rootless duckweed. Are you afraid of him?¡± Li Guohua smiled lightly, there was a sh of disdain in his eyes. Elder Zhou was very wise. Before the founding of the People¡¯s Republic of China, he was not considered a core figure of the central high-level leadership. However, with careful nning, he gradually brought the Zhou family into the ranks of political families in Jingcheng that cannot be ignored. It¡¯s a shame that the second generation of the Zhou family didn¡¯t turn out well. Until now, they only have a province or ministry level post. The third generation, exemplified by Zhou Chen in front of him, is a disappointment. To describe them as ¡®disappointing¡¯ would be putting it nicely ¨C they¡¯re more like good-for-nothings. This is perhaps the most fitting description. However, Li Guohua would not say these words at this moment since he still has use for Zhou Chen, who can be regarded as a faithful dog under hismand.
Subsequently, Li Guohua said slowly: ¡°It¡¯s not about being afraid. It has nothing to do with fear. Do you think that after Elder Nie¡¯s death, Nie Zhenbang has no backing? Leaving aside Zhuang Aiguo, who is the representative of the Nie family and is a standingmittee member of the Politburo, even Nie Zhenbang¡¯s wife Yang Anna has the backing of Elder Yang. Given the Yang family¡¯s fondness for Yang Anna, if Nie Zhenbang gets into trouble, he won¡¯t ignore it. Besides, Elder Nan and the Nie family have some affection for each other. From this level, everyone is equal. The difference is that we can use or leverage our rtionships anytime we want, while Nie Zhenbang will not use these rtionships unless it¡¯s a matter of life or death. After all, these are a matter of human rtionships. Use it once, and it gets used up one more time.¡± Hearing this, Zhou Chen became even more puzzled: ¡°Brother Hua, in that case, why can¡¯t we just p Nie Zhenbang to death, preventing him from ever turning over again?¡± At this moment, Li Guohua took a deep sigh and patiently said: ¡°Zhou Chen, you need to understand that in the system, it¡¯s not just about struggles. If we were constantly struggling, we wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to touch a hair on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s body because we would already have been pped dead ourselves.¡± Thinking of this, Li Guohua himself felt incredibly frustrated. This is where Nie Zhenbang is smart. His transparent maneuvers leave no room for Li Guohua to maneuver. Some time ago, Li Guohua was keen to find fault with Nie Zhenbang; Even at the expense of inciting a voting boycott at the National Congress. However, in the end, he nearly got himself implicated. Since then, Li Guohua has been contemting and now he has arrived at a conclusion. Things like this need to be slowly nned. Now, the smart thing about Nie Zhenbang is that he has positioned himself on the high moral ground, attacking him will be seen as defiance. Not only would the provincial partymittee disapprove, but the central government would also not spare him. This is what leveraging power entails. After the death of Elder Nie, Nie Zhenbang has mastered this technique to an extremely high level. While thinking about this, Li Guohua looked at Zhou Chen again, and said: ¡°Chen, do you know why we feel constrained and frustrated everywhere? It is not that we cannot fight Nie Zhenbang, but that we cannot fight the current political situation. Because Nie Zhenbang is now clinging to the current political form and the situation. To fight against him is tantamount to fighting against Secretary Yuan himself. Under such circumstances, do you think we can win?¡± This essible exnation made Zhou Chen understand a bit: ¡°Brother Hua, in that case, it seems like we don¡¯t have a way to deal with Nie Zhenbang now. So, what should we do?¡± ¡°Solution?¡± Li Guohua pondered for a moment, then shook his head. ¡°None. That¡¯s why I urged you to pay the fine without fuss. It¡¯s also why I¡¯m cooperating with Nie Zhenbang. Because I¡¯ve decided to go with the flow,¡± he said. Upon hearing ¡®go with the flow¡¯, Zhou Chen¡¯s expression instantly dimmed. If this was the case, weren¡¯t they following in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s wake? Weren¡¯t they bing hisckeys? How would they overthrow Nie Zhenbang then? For instance, Nie Zhenbang was currently cracking down hard on developers and illegal constructions, didn¡¯t Li Guohua¡¯s actions make him look like a henchman? Perhaps detecting Zhou Chen¡¯s changing demeanor, a hint of derision shed in Li Guohua¡¯s eyes. He sighed indifferently, ¡°Zhou Chen, remember, political struggles aren¡¯t just about life-or-death battles and mutual destruction. After thest public incident, I realised that if we fought directly, Nie Zhenbang might not fall, but we¡¯d be knocked down first. Going with the flow may seem as if we¡¯re cooperating with Nie Zhenbang, but he¡¯s also cooperating with us. Now, it¡¯s a test of patience. Whoever makes the fatal mistake or gets tarnished first will be seized upon, trampled and possibly annihted. That¡¯s what political struggle entails.¡± He paused for a moment, watching Zhou Chen deep in thought, then continued, ¡°If struggles were that in and simple, would our grandfathers¡¯ generation even have factions? If it¡¯s all about struggles, how could the country develop? Struggles are merely undercurrents of the prevailing developmental trend. The central government must bnce all faction rtionships. All factions are going with the flow, mainly waiting for someone to slip up. Do you understand now?¡± At this point, Zhou Chen seemed to understand a little better. In the sh between reform and conservatism years ago, hadn¡¯t the Nie family rose to prominence by going with the reformist trend? His own family, however, appeared to have been left behind. Weren¡¯t those firm reformist factions wiped out by the historical wave? Zhou Chen then gave a thumbs up in admiration, ¡°Brother Hua, that¡¯s a brilliant move. In this way, Nie Zhenbang definitely can¡¯t figure out our intentions. He¡¯ll inevitably make a blunder out of anxiety and concern, and when that happens, our chance wille.¡± Li Guohua nodded in approval, ¡°Not bad, Chen. It¡¯smendable that you¡¯ve managed to understand this.¡± In high spirits, Li Guohua¡¯s attitude and tone towards Zhou Chen changed. From addressing Zhou Chen by name, he switched to calling him ¡®Chen.¡¯¡± After a pause, Li Guohua harrumphed, ¡°That old man, Fan Changsheng, seems to have a better grasp of this than anyone else. He¡¯s long understood the logic of going with the flow. Now he¡¯s sittingfortably in his office at the Municipal Committee, unaffected by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s work and lending his full support. He¡¯s smoothly umting political merits. He¡¯s certainly ying hardcore.¡± Li Guohua¡¯s adjustments swiftly shifted the dynamics in Liangxi City, uniting the entire municipal team surprisingly fast. Major Nie¡¯s proposed projects received full support. Naturally, this change further solidified Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position in Liangxi City, increasing the number of officials reporting to him. As for the old city renovation project, it went into full swing. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words hung like a sword over their heads, always threatening to strike with the slightest slip-up. These self-serving individuals soon realized dirty tricks were futile.
Before long, including weekends, nningw enforcement vehicles could often be seen patrolling the demarcated area of the renovation project. Illegal constructions were effectively curtailed. Some victims of demolition, who had not received fullpensation, got their due after reevaluation. Compensations for illegal buildings were issued after in-depth evaluations by professional construction cost estimators. Thepensation offered by the government essentially covered the cost of the materials and wages, making the homeowners repay theirbor investment and the original green seedling subsidy. Although there were objections, disturbances to such matters would eventually fade away within a few days. The changes during this period eased Nie Zhenbang¡¯s workload considerably, reminiscent of his efficient days in Xinli City. The length of overtime work shortened significantly. After work, he would apany Yang Anna and the other twodies on walks through the night markets of Liangxi City, creating a pleasant atmosphere. Currently, Li Lixue¡¯s belly was growingrger with six months of pregnancy. The bulging abdomen and the added weight, while making her heavier, also radiated a maternal glow. What delighted Nie Zhenbang more was that Dong Wan and Yang Anna had also conceived. It was indeed a double celebration.
As time entered June, Nie Zhenbang started getting busy. Good news arrived from Yanling City. West Vige Group had signed a contract with the Huaxia Industrial and Commercial Bank and Industrial and Commercial Securities. The group¡¯s listing preparation team was officially established, marking the countdown to its listing. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang got a call from the central government. ( Chapter 452 - 425: Taking Charge in Crisis_1 Chapter 452: Chapter 425: Taking Charge in Crisis_1 Seeing the area code disyed on the phone, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart skipped a beat. A call from Jingcheng City, his family? Nie Zhenbang immediately dismissed the possibility. His family could reach him through his personal cell phone; there was no need to go through official channels. He picked up the phone, just about to say something, when a voice on the other end beat him to it, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, right? I¡¯m Deputy Director of the Secretary Bureau of the State Council, Tong Shian. Following the instructions of the higher-ups, I need to inform you to report to the State Council at nine o¡¯clock on the morning of June 17th.¡± Nie Zhenbang looked at his watch. It was already the afternoon of June 15th, which meant that he had to return to Jingcheng City tomorrow. Such urgency, what could it be about? He couldn¡¯t help pondering. The voice on the other end, perhaps sensing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s confusion, immediately exined, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the details now. Come here first and then we can discuss. When you arrive, report directly to Director Zhang. Also, we¡¯ve already notified the Jiangbei Provincial Committee. For the time being, you¡¯re on temporary assignment, but your organizational affiliation remains with Jiangbei. Start preparing soon.¡± With that, Tong Shian promptly hung up the phone. Director Zhang, of the State Council¡­ There was only one Director Zhang in the State Council Office ¨C Zhang Houpu, a ministerial-level official. Realizing this, Nie Zhenbang rxed. Whatever the matter was, it couldn¡¯t be bad. If it were, there wouldn¡¯t be so much hassle. Just one phone call and the Jiangbei Provincial Committee would take immediate action. Nie Zhenbang hung up the phone and ordered, ¡°Xuyang, book a ticket to Jingcheng City for tomorrow immediately. Prepare a vehicle, I¡¯m going to Jiangzhou tonight.¡± ¡°Xuyang, after I leave, carry on with your work as usual. Maintain close contact with Director Chen and Mayor Xintian. If anythinges up, I¡¯ll call you. If there¡¯s any situation in the city, contact me immediately.¡± On the way to Jiangzhou Airport, Nie Zhenbang instructed his secretary, Huang Xuyang. Huang Xuyang nodded. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation and seemed somewhat flustered. He hesitated for a moment and then asked, ¡°Mayor, why is this so urgent?¡± Nie Zhenbang shook his head, sighing, ¡°I don¡¯t know. This time, it¡¯s a direct order from the State Council. They simply informed the Jiangbei Provincial Committee. I am not clear about the specifics, but I guess it¡¯s not bad news. Don¡¯t lose your heads, follow the prearranged n, work steadfastly, and no one can pick at it.¡± Nie Zhenbang had already left Jingcheng City Airport by noon the following day. Outside, Nie Jiamin was waiting, the gleaming stars denoting his senior military rank on his shoulder couldn¡¯t be overlooked. Once in the car, Nie Jiamin smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, this time, I think I¡¯m going to be moved to another post.¡± In the military, there are several systems: one is the mainbat forces,monly known as Type A forces. Then there are the logistics departments, which belong to the civil service system of the military;Lastly, there are the Provincial Military Districts and City Military Sub-districts systems,monly grouped with reserve forces and some Type B forces. What Nie Jiamin referred to as being moved was to these types of departments, mostly such as being transferred to a city to serve asmander of a military sub-district or some other rank. Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang chuckled, ¡°Jiamin, did you bump your head or something? You¡¯re going to leave the Xibei Military Region, an elite field force, to join these paramilitary units. And you seem happy about it.¡± At this, Nie Jiamin scoffed, ¡°Zhenbang, you don¡¯t know this. This is the Elder¡¯s idea. He is now serving in Jingcheng City Military District as a high-level official. Some things in the military aren¡¯t as you would think. At my current level, further promotion in the field forces would inevitably draw suspicion. So, the Elder made arrangements for me to serve as the deputymander of the WangHai City Military Region in Minan Province. This way, my military affiliations would change to the Yuedong Military Region. Going to a local military district counts as avoiding suspicion.¡± ¡°You seem happy to duck suspicion, don¡¯t you harbor the slightest wish to be in the field forces?¡± Nie Zhenbang asked, teasing his cousin. Now Nie Jiamin seemed somewhat embarrassed, ¡°Sure, at first, I did resist. But now I¡¯vee around. I¡¯m a young achiever and this detour to WangHai could also solve a big personal issue. In a few years, when the Elder retires, I cane back. Think of the next few years as a vacation.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound bad at all. I think it¡¯s about time you took this step. In a few months, I¡¯m going to be a father. My elder brother¡¯s child will also be born soon. You, my boy, need to get a move on.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s return to Jingcheng didn¡¯t alert anyone. After resting at home for one night, he made his way to the State Council first thing the next morning. Upon presenting his pass to the guards at the main gate, he entered the office area of the State Council quite adeptly, and without much trouble found the State Council Office. Nie Zhenbang knocked and entered the office of the director of the State Council, greeting with a nod, ¡°Comrade, hello. Is Director Zhang in? I¡¯m Nie Zhenbang from Liangxi City.¡± As soon as the words fell, Zhang Houp came out from the inside. When he saw Nie Zhenbang, Zhang Houpughed and said, ¡°Zhenbang is here, so early. Luckily, at this time, the Prime Minister should be free. I¡¯ll take you over now.¡± ¡®Could it be that the Prime Minister is calling on me because of the economic crisis this year?¡¯ Nie Zhenbang thought to himself but maintained hisposure. In the office of the State Council, even a seemingly insignificant official could well be at the department-level. Nie Zhenbang dared not be negligent and remained conscious of his image at all times. Under the guide of Zhang Houp, he walked directly into the Prime Minister¡¯s office. The ancient-style office, adorned with the national emblem and party g, highlighted the dignified ambiance of the State Council. About a minute after Zhang Houp entered the office, he came out again, nodded at Nie Zhenbang, and said, ¡°Zhenbang, go in. The Prime Minister is waiting for you. This time, you will be in the spotlight again.¡± By the time one reaches Zhang Houp¡¯s rank, they would be privy to many events. He was aware of some of the deeds Nie Zhenbang had aplished, and thus understood that this seemingly humble young man had done quite a lot for the country. Walking into the Prime Minister¡¯s office, before Nie Zhenbang could speak, the Prime Minister, who was sitting at his desk, spoke up first, ¡°Zhenbang is here. Sit first, let me finish this report.¡± Seeing the Prime Minister¡¯s red eyes and his fervently writing demeanor, Nie Zhenbang felt a stir in his heart. It seemed that the Prime Minister had pulled yet another all-nighter. At the level of the Prime Minister and the General Secretary, their personal gains and losses seemed trivial. They bore the weight of the entire country in their hearts. That was the spirit of serving the country and the people. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stood up, walked to the water dispenser in the outer room and poured a cup of strong tea for the Prime Minister, which he ced on the desk. Typically, such behavior from Nie Zhenbang, a subordinate ¡ª and one ranked at the departmental level only ¡ª would be considered inappropriate. To move around the Prime Minister¡¯s office at will, what¡¯s that about? However, given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background and status, it could be justified as a mark of kinship. At that moment, the Prime Minister put down his documents, lifted the teacup, took a sip, and remarked, ¡°Youd have probably consumed half of my tea by now.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, ¡°Prime Minister, please take care of your health. Staying upte is harmful to your health. You shouldn¡¯t fret over this bit of tea.¡± At Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, the Prime Minister also burst into heartyughter. After theughter subsided, his face turned serious. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he spoke formally, ¡°Zhenbang, do you know why I transferred you here this time?¡± At this point, the financial crisis in Donggang had started to show signs. The Hang Seng Index in Donggang had been fluctuating frequently, which hinted that international capital, especially the sly fox Soros who had wrecked havoc in Thand, Indonesia, and Dongying, was preparing to make a move against Donggang or Huaxia, the country behind Donggang. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Prime Minister, it must be because of the situation in Donggang.¡± The Prime Minister, an approving look on his face, responded, ¡°Right, based on the surveince and research of our economic experts, we have initially estimated that international hot money, the capitalistic crocodiles sweeping through Southeast Asia, are ready to make a move against us. A few months ago, your article urately predicted the economic transition from Indonesia to Dongying and then to Donggang. This time, our country is determined to ensure the special status of Donggang at all costs.¡± After a brief pause, the Prime Minister¡¯s expression turned grave, ¡°I have already reported the matter to the General Secretary and Elder Nan. Elder Nan and the General Secretary believe that, since Donggang only reverted to us a year ago, in order to ensure its prosperity and stability and to enhance the faith and recognition of the Donggang citizens towards the country, we need to show our international image to the world. Proim to the world that our government can, and has confidence to ensure the prosperity of Donggang. The state has decided, no matter what the cost, to maintain financial order in Donggang.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, this was expected. In his past life, this was how the situation yed out. This time, in this life, there won¡¯t be any change either; it was inevitable. If Donggang experienced economic turmoil just one year after returning to Huaxia, the country¡¯s international reputation would have been lost. For the sake of the national image, retreat is not an option. This time the Prime Minister continued, ¡°Of course, for this financial crisis, the country must dispatch a professional economic team to be stationed in Donggang Special Administrative Region. To confront these international capitalist crocodiles directly. When choosing the Chief Expert, the experts of the Financial Advisory Committee, unanimously rmended you to be the Chief Expert this time.¡± These words left Nie Zhenbang stunned. Originally, he thought he would be transferred to participate in the case, he had not expected to take on such a heavy responsibility. ¡°Prime Minister¡­ I¡­¡± No sooner had Nie Zhenbang begun to speak than the Prime Minister stopped him. ( Chapter 453 - 426 Dominating Donggang_1 Chapter 453: Chapter 426 Dominating Donggang_1 Looking at Nie Zhenbang wanting to refuse, Prime Minister Yun spoke gravely, ¡°Zhenbang, you have to believe in yourself and the experts from the Financial Advisory Committee. This is our decision. Currently, Donggang¡¯s finance is on the brink of extreme danger, there is no room for hesitation. I believe that even in the face of danger, you will be able toplete the task perfectly.¡± After a pause, Prime Minister Yun extended two fingers, ¡°To fully support you, this time, we are giving you two conditions. The first condition, Huaxia Exchange Company, State Treasury Department, Central Bank, have decided to activate the national foreign exchange reserves, a total of 300 billion US dors. Second, all the financial experts in the country, including your teacher Professor Wang, or any other economic experts you want to select, you can choose immediately. I will coordinate other matters. So, believe in yourself, also trust in the vision of your mentors. For them, such a high level of economicpetition is a great shock to their bodies and their mental strength. Considering various factors, you are indeed the right person.¡± At this point, it was impossible for Nie Zhenbang to refuse. Although the capital of 300 billion seems a little less, Nie Zhenbang was not worried, Li Lixue had more than trillions in reserve funds. A lot has been invested all over the world in various sectors, but the liquid capital of four to five hundred billion is not a problem at all. With that in mind, Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Alright, I promise toplete the task.¡± Even though he said so, Nie Zhenbang was under a lot of pressure. Prime Minister Yun pressed him on the grounds of national interests, and he had topromise and obey, but once he took up this matter, Nie Zhenbang knew this was not an easy journey. In his past life, the country won, but it was a miserable victory, almost a Pyrrhic victory. Now, he was entrusted with great hopes and heavy responsibilities, but Nie Zhenbang was not sure whether he could win. After all, he didn¡¯t participate in these matters in his previous life. Even if this has changed, it isn¡¯t impossible to lose this financial gamble. But if he lost, he would probably be a national sinner. By then, even though he would be protected by Elder Nan and his merits, he would be safe, but he wouldn¡¯t have a future in officialdom. Now that he¡¯s agreed, does it matter if he thinks it¡¯s worth it? He couldn¡¯t go back to the Prime Minister¡¯s office and say that he regrets and doesn¡¯t want to go anymore, obviously, that¡¯s impossible. ¡°Director Zhang, this is the list of personnel I need. I will leave for Donggang tomorrow, and I hope that these people will arrive in Donggang within two days.¡± In Director Zhang¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang took out the list that he carefully selected. In the office provided by Prime Minister Yun, there are profiles of renowned economists from all over the country, even professional operations personnel from securitiespanies. Anyone with a certain reputation in the financial field has a profile. Looking at this list, Director Zhang was stunned, he looked at Nie Zhenbang, somewhat surprised, ¡°Zhenbang, are you sure it¡¯s these people, no adjustments or changes needed? Zhenbang, you need to think it over, these people are some young talents that have emerged in recent years. This is not a joke. It can even be called a war.¡± Director Zhang¡¯s surprise waspletely within Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expectation. The people he chose were all young with the eldest being only forty, the youngest even just twenty-five. However, this was deliberate, young people are fast learners, quick on their feet, and flexible in their thinking, all of which are advantages. As for experience, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care. This kind of financial war was a first time for everyone including the old experts and professors. Hence, it would be better to choose young people. The most important point was that young people were easy to manage. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t want an eminent expert to question him at a crucial moment. Mary wars could be even crueler than military wars, where opportunities can be lost in an instant. He wouldn¡¯t regret it then, would he? Thus, Nie Zhenbang chose young schrs. ¡°Director Zhang, the old professors and experts have their strengths that we don¡¯t need to discuss, the younger ones have their advantages, and the most important thing is obedience. This is war, and what I need are absolutely obedient people.¡± Nie Zhenbang said with a smile. He believed that with Zhang¡¯s years of serving as an official, he didn¡¯t need to make things overly clear. Indeed, as soon as Zhang heard these words, he paused for a moment, and then nodded with a smile, ¡°Alright, then we¡¯ll go ording to your list. I will arrange for people to call them immediately. Your credentials are all prepared. After you arrive at Donggang Airport, the Bank of Huaxia there will pick you up, in advance, I wish you a sessful journey.¡± Traveling alone, with just a suitcase of a few changes of clothes can be considered as travelling light. When he walked out of Donggang Airport, it was already early evening. The night view of Donggang was indeed the most captivating. Like a morousdy, she had uncloaked her charming ck veil, and the lighthouse of Victoria Harbour highlighted the prosperity of the metropolis. ¡°Hello, are you Mr. Nie Zhenbang?¡± The moment he stepped out of the airport, two young men greeted him. No surprise crossed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. The time of his flight and his arrival would have been arranged by the country. Even his photo and how he looked would have been known to these people.After all, he nodded, ¡°Yes, I am. You must be staff from the Bank of Huaxia.¡± One of the slightly thinner men nodded, ¡°Yes, Mr. Nie, we are staff of Bank of Huaxia in Donggang. My name is Han Qi. This time, I will be serving you and your expert team as your exclusive service personnel. If you need anything in the future, please let me know.¡± With that, Han Qi made a gesture of invitation, ¡°Mr. Nie, this way please.¡± An ordinary Dongying Linzhi car picked up Nie Zhenbang and drove straight out of the airport. In about forty minutes, it slowly entered the Zhong Yin Donggang Building. Through the internal elevator channel for employees, they went straight up to the sixty-seventh floor of the Zhong Yin Donggang Building. As soon as they got out of the elevator, Han Qi introduced to Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Mr. Nie, there are a total of sixty-five guest rooms here. This floor will be used exclusively for your use from now on.¡± Looking at his room, it¡¯s a suite with a bedroom and a matching living room. The living room serves as the reception room. The decoration is very ssic and elegant, yet it reveals a solemn and majestic style. ¡°Mr. Han, don¡¯t worry about the amodation. I don¡¯t have too many requirements, as long as I can live in it. Have you prepared the dedicated trading room? Let¡¯s go and have a look now.¡± Nie Zhenbang attached great importance to trading, which was rted to the sess or failure of this time. He proposed to have a field visit as soon as possible. Han Qi smiled and nodded, and he got a deeper impression of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pragmatic attitude. He said, ¡°Sure, Mr. Nie, please follow me. The trading center is on the seventieth floor.¡± The top floor of the Zhong Yin Donggang Building was the seventieth floor, which was originally called the ¡°Sevenfold Hall¡±, a ce for grand banquets. The hall had a big table that could seat 24 people, a number of sofas on both sides, a prep room, a storage room, and men¡¯s and women¡¯s restrooms on the south side. The entire floor was onerge room with a high, sloping ss roof, grand in scale. This was also a masterpiece of the famous Huaxia architect Mr. Bei Luming. However, at this moment, the entire floor had beenpletely cleared. In the spacious hall, office desks were arranged in four rows, each desk equipped with a brand-newputer. Two huge screens were installed on the wall for Nie Zhenbang and others to monitor the market. Han Qi also introduced, ¡°Mr. Nie, this was set up by a professional team we hired. All theputers are thetest professional IBM models, each costing five thousand US dors. We also have thetest ADSL broadband to ensure high-speed inte ess without any dy. In addition, the Eastern Harbor Securities Exchange and severalrge brokerages in Donggang will provide us with trading seats at any time.¡± At this point, Han Qi led Nie Zhenbang into the neighboring prep room and restrooms to have a look. He continued, ¡°Here, there is aprehensive logistical system for everyone to use. Mr. Nie, is there anything else we need to prepare? If there is, feel free to mention it, and we will do our best to provide logistical services.¡± As for logistics, Nie Zhenbang really had nothing more to say. The Donggang branch of Zhong Yin had done an excellent job. Nie Zhenbang was very satisfied and said, ¡°Mr. Han, you are too kind. You¡¯ve thought of everything. We have no questions on our side.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Han, there is one more question.¡± This sentence caught Han Qi off guard. Nie Zhenbang had just said there were no questions, but now he had one. Understanding the misunderstanding, Nie Zhenbang exined with a smile, ¡°Mr. Han, don¡¯t misunderstand, it¡¯s not a hardware issue. I was wondering, what stocks are there now in the London Harbor market?¡± London Harbor stocks refer to Donggang stocks listed on the London Stock Exchange and quoted through the Automatic Quotation International System. All twenty-nine blue-chip stocks of Donggang are listed in London. Trades are transacted in a dealer market with an average of eight dealers making bid-offer spreads for each blue-chip stock. Normally, London harbor stocks and Donggang blue-chip stocks don¡¯t affect each other much. But when there is a sudden change in the external environment¨Cor major news is released after the Donggang market closes, London Harbor stocks respond first, affecting the performance of the Donggang market on the following trading day. For example, if the Eastern Harbor Bank Union suddenly announces a rate cut after a Friday interest rate meeting, London Harbor stocks often skyrocket to reflect this good news. If other external factors remain stable, the Donggang stock market would generally open higher on the following Monday, following the London Harbor stocks. Han Qi was a bit surprised. Generally speaking, London Harbor stocks don¡¯t matter much, but Nie Zhenbang asked about them. Han Qi seriously replied, ¡°Mr. Nie, there hasn¡¯t been much change in Donggang¡¯s blue-chip stocks over the years, it¡¯s still the samepanies.¡± In order to win this battle, Nie Zhenbang must have a strategy in ce. Simply operating in this market is obviously not enough. And London Harbor stocks are an indispensable link in his n. If Soros and his people are trying to short Donggang, then he must be prepared. Looking at Victoria Harbor in the distance through the ss curtain wall, from a height of over three hundred meters, there was a feeling of looking down at the city, it was like ruling the world. Taking a deep breath, Nie Zhenbang said again, ¡°Mr. Han, if possible, can you please arrange a meeting with Donggang¡¯s richest man, Mr. Li Chao for me?¡± ( Chapter 454: 427 Unity and Cooperation_1 Chapter 454: Chapter 427 Unity and Cooperation_1 Donggang¡¯s wealthiest person, Li Chaoren, is a globally recognized figure. This time, Donggang¡¯s financial crisis, cannot solely rely on national support. After all, Donggang only returned to the countryst year, and moreover, it has had some preparations, including many Red Chippanies listed on the Eastern Harbor Securities Exchange. However, the main power still lies with the local tycoons in Donggang. In order tobat international capital, like Soros, joining forces with these local bigwigs can undoubtedly produce exponential results. Li Chaoren, as the richest man in Donggang, outshines others in prestige and influence. If we can get him on our side, there will be no problem with Donggang. At this moment, Han Qi showed a look of admiration. The Mr. Nie before him, the chief of a national financial expert group, was quite young. Initially, when she met Nie Zhenbang, she somewhat underestimated him, thinking that his high position was due to the advantages of his ancestors. However, now it seems, Nie Zhenbang works meticulously and methodically. He¡¯s no ordinary man, he¡¯s a truly capable one. ¡°Alright, Mr. Nie, Mr. Li Chaoren has always maintained close contact with the central government, and Mr. Li himself is deeply concerned about the country¡¯s development and construction. However, in my opinion, we need to notify therades in the Liaison Office in the harbor about this. After we make ns with Mr. Li, it would be good for us to meet him in person,¡± Han Qi cautiously advised. Li Chaoren is a highly esteemed figure who is taken seriously by even national leaders. Over the years, Elder Nan and many other national leaders have met him. So, when Nie Zhenbang spoke about arranging a meeting with Li Chaoren, Han Qi gently reminded him that this might imply him seeing himself as a superior figure. Han Qi seems to be a good person who carefully reminded him early in their acquaintance. However, Nie Zhenbang had no concerns. The Hidden Dragon Financial Group he controlled was a giant in the world of overseas Chinese. Moreover, in recent years, there have been plenty of business coborations between Hidden Dragon and Li Chaoren. He wasn¡¯t overestimating his power. Even ten Li Chaorens couldn¡¯t equate to his wealth. However, Nie Zhenbang is a gentleman. As an elder by age, it was his duty to visit Li Chaoren. He quickly agreed, saying, ¡°You¡¯re right, I was a bit rash, carrying some domestic official-style habits. As a junior, I should visit Mr. Li. Additionally, when you make contact, you can tell him that Nie Zhenbang of Jingcheng ising to visit. Don¡¯t contact the Liaison Office, though. Even though the state¡¯s intervention ismon knowledge, it should not be made public. That¡¯s why the Bank of Huaxia was chosen to act on this operation. As for the rest, please arrange it for me. If possible, select a location for a reception to invite the seniors of various Donggang Chinese-fundedpanies.¡± Han Qi nodded in understanding. As a representative of the Bank of Huaxia assisting Nie Zhenbang and his team, he certainly had his unique capabilities. Less than half an hourter, Han Qi returned to him, smiling and saying, ¡°Mr. Nie, I¡¯ve arranged a meeting with Mr. Li. As soon as he heard it was you, he immediately invited you over.¡± Han Qi wondered why Li Chaoren valued Nie Zhenbang so highly upon hearing his name from Jingcheng. However, considering Li Chaoren¡¯s status, aside from national leaders, even local officials treated him respectfully. How he was making such a request in the evening puzzled him. Setting aside his inner doubts, Nie Zhenbang, led by Han Qi, went directly to Li Chaoren¡¯s Mid-hill Vi on Gang Ind.
The Mid-hill Vi area was the most concentrated area for the wealthy in the entirety of Donggang. At the moment, the grand iron gates of Li Chaoren¡¯s vi, which upies more than six thousand square meters ofnd, were wide open. Li Chaoren was standing at the entrance of his vi, giving Nie Zhenbang the highest form of courtesy by greeting him personally. ¡°Zhenbang, it¡¯s been nearly eight years since west saw each other, right? I never thought that we¡¯d meet again in Donggang,¡± Li Chaoren looked spirited and intelligent behind his ck-rimmed sses. He was sincerely weing his guest. Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said: ¡°Mr. Li is being too polite, I always admire you for your character and wisdom. And I¡¯ve benefited a lot from observing your conduct.¡± Following Li Chaoren¡¯s lead, everyone walked into the living room. As soon as they sat down, the servants came up with freshly brewed tea. After respectfully setting it down, they retreated, fully reflecting the upbringing and family traits of Li¡¯s family. ¡°What a great tea, Uncle Shi¡¯s tea is top-notch Cloud Slice. It¡¯s faintly fragrant and lingers in your mouth.¡± Nie Zhenbang praised. Li Chaoren alsoughed heartily: ¡°Haha, Zhenbang, you¡¯ve learned how to sweet talk now. I came from a humble background, so there¡¯s no legacy of family culture really. Over the years, as I¡¯ve aged, I¡¯ve grown fond of tea. I¡¯m just being pretentious. There¡¯s no need topliment me.¡± Having said that, Li Chaoren shifted the topic while maintaining a calm smile: ¡°Zhenbang, I guess you came here because of Donggang¡¯s economic situation. I was wondering who the nation would send over this time. I wasn¡¯t expecting they¡¯d send you. I was somewhat worried about the situation in Donggang before, but now, with you in charge, I can rest easy.¡± Chapter 455: 427 Unity and Cooperation_2 Chapter 455: Chapter 427 Unity and Cooperation_2 Han Qi, a senior manager of the Bank of Huaxia in Donggang, was slightly taken aback by this statement. Although he was not very familiar with the domestic affairs of Huaxia, he was well-versed in the matters of Donggang. He was aware that these international spective funds had been wreaking havoc across Southeast Asia and Dongying, making significant profits and now they had turned their attention to Donggang. Even though their assault had not officially begun, the situation in Donggang was already tense. The steady rise of the Hang Seng Index in recent days was a clear sign of their tactics. In this context, even the most prosperous tycoons of Donggang, including Li Chao, found themselves on edge. But why did they have such faith in Nie Zhenbang? Nie Zhenbangughed modestly and said, ¡°Uncle Shi, you¡¯re too kind. My presence here primarily represents the resolution of the central government. With full state support, we have both the confidence and the abilities needed to maintain the economic prosperity and stability of Donggang. Yet, I need to request the assistance of everyone present.¡± After a pause, Zhenbang continued: ¡°We can¡¯t do it alone. Donggang itself is the main force, and Uncle Shi is like a mighty mountain, providing stability amidst all the uncertainties. We¡¯ll undoubtedly need your assistance. Your decisions have the power to move the Hang Seng Index.¡± At this time, Li Chaoughed heartily. He didn¡¯t deny Zhenbang¡¯s words ¨C it wasn¡¯t ttery but a stark truth. ¡°Nephew Nie, you give me too much credit. Maintaining the stability and prosperity of Donggang is the duty of local entrepreneurs and financiers like us. Even if you hadn¡¯t mentioned it, we would have fully cooperated,¡± said Li Chao, nodding in agreement. Zhenbang added: ¡°Uncle Shi, I also need your help in contacting and inviting the prominent tycoons of this city to join us in the banquet hall of the Bank of Huaxia tomorrow evening. On behalf of the central government, I would like to host them.¡± His meaning was clear. By hosting the wealthy on behalf of the government, he aimed to unite the wealthy of Donggang into a collective force, as divided strength results in a lesser impact than a consolidated one. Although Li Chao was a businessman, as a member of the Chinese ethnic group, he had an innate understanding of such a request. He quickly figured out Zhenbang¡¯s intentions and nodded, ¡°Sure, this would be for a good cause in Donggang. Contributing to the city¡¯s stability and prosperity aligns with my ambitions. Rest assured, Nephew Nie, I will invite everyone to the gathering tomorrow evening.¡± After these exchanges, Zhenbang¡¯s purpose for visiting Li Chao had been aplished. He politely excused himself after a short while, and Li Chao once again saw him off graciously.
The next morning, the members of Zhenbang¡¯s selected work team gradually arrived. Apart from himself, the Prime Minister had also appointed two deputy team leaders to assist him. However, Zhenbang had handpicked these individuals himself, and the Prime Minister had merely formalized these appointments. The two deputy team leaders were Zhang Yunfan, working at the Huaxia Academy of Sciences, and Huo Gang, the chief trader from Jiuding Securities. Zhang Yunfan had a deep understanding of national and global economic systems, making him crucial for the skirmishes involving Donggang¡¯s and Huaxia¡¯s policies and financial systems. Huo Gang, a young economist and prominent schr of international economy, had extensive practical experience and a keen understanding of the rapidly changing securities market, making him an invaluable asset. Other team members were also prominent young talents from within the country. Zhenbang had managed to gather virtually all of Huaxia¡¯s distinguished young experts. After surveying the team, Zhenbang said sternly, ¡°Cutting through all the formalities, I hope you realize the severity of the situation. Here, my only requirement is absolute obedience. We might need to maintain this discipline for a month, or maybe longer. Our goal is to entirely defeat the international spectors led by Soros and protect the national interests and stable economies of Donggang. Is this clear to everyone?¡± Under these circumstances, there was no time to y nice or patronize their talents. There was an urgent need to unite the team quickly in a military-style order. Zhenbang was confident that they wouldprehend and appreciate his abilities as they began working together. Zhang Yunfan and Huo Gang took the lead and pledged, ¡°Yes, we guarantee thepletion of the task.¡± Pleased with their uniform response, Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Now, let¡¯s get to work immediately. The first thing to do today is for some of you to gather Donggang¡¯s economic data from the past decade. The trading team, on the other hand, should start short selling the Hang Seng Index using these pre-established ounts with maximum leverage. But keep the operations small and under the radar. I am giving you five days toplete this task.¡± Short-sell the Hang Seng Index? The room fell silent. No one said a word. However, a few of the younger and more impulsive members were visibly taken aback. The international spectors were known to short-sell the Hang Seng Index. They were supposed to be defending the market, not joining the ranks of spectors. But given Zhenbang¡¯s resolute instructions, they dared not challenge him. Zhenbang took out a bank card and inserted it into a nearby machine, initiating the transfer of arge number of national funds into various ounts. The sound of ttering keyboard keys echoed in the hall. That evening The banquet hall on the 60th floor of the Zhong Yin building was a dazzling sight. The stars in attendance were not entertainment celebrities, but about thirty of the most prominent figures in the financial sector of Donggang, each one of them powerful enough to influence the city¡¯s economy with a mere stomp of their foot. Apanied by Li Chao and the head of Bank of Huaxia in Donggang, Zhenbang entered the venue and walked straight to the stage. He smiled and expressed, ¡°Wee, everyone. Your presence gives me great confidence that we will defeat the spectors and triumph in our economic defense of Donggang.¡± No sooner had his wordsnded than someone said, ¡°Mr. Nie, may I ask how you n to defend Donggang?¡± Zhenbang recognized the man from a briefing ¨C he was the chairman of Donggang Securities, a man of resolve. He responded with a restrained smile, ¡°We will discuss the specifics of our n at tomorrow¡¯s meeting. But as a small teaser, I¡¯ve already issued our first operation order today: we¡¯re short-selling the Hang Seng Index!¡± Chapter 456: 428: The Battle Begins_1 Chapter 456: Chapter 428: The Battle Begins_1 Short selling the Hang Seng Index?! When they heard this news, the originally bustling banquet hall quieted down instantaneously. Following this, these elites in the room couldn¡¯t help themselves. In small groups, they quietly began to discuss: ¡°Short selling the Hang Seng Index? Isn¡¯t that just fueling the fire?¡± ¡°Mr. Zheng is right. The objective of these international hedge funds is to short sell the Hang Seng Index, forcing the Hong Kong government to step in and protect the market from crashing. Given the government¡¯s financial capabilities, they would naturally be unable tobat these international capital predators. This is why the Maind government has sent representatives here. Surprisingly, this representative from the Maind government seems to be quite useless. Before he starts to stabilize the market, he is already ruining his own prospects. Shorting the Hang Seng Index first is just adding insult to injury. As things stand, the Hang Seng Index definitely won¡¯t hold, and aplete crash is imminent. I¡¯m afraid many people will be jumping off buildings soon.¡± All thesements, without exception, were heard clearly by Li Chao. Several notable figures from Hong Kong, including Mr. Bao, Li Estate and others, as well as Mr. Shao, who controlled the media in Donggang, all walked up to him. Mr. Bao, a former seaman, still possessed the frank and bold spirit of a sailor. Although he had now amassed a fortune, his temperament hadn¡¯t changed much. Managing to withhold his temper, he softly said to Li, ¡°Brother Li, this young man¡­ does he even know how to handle finances? Even ayman like me knows that short selling the Hang Seng Index will only add fuel to the fire.¡± Seeing the puzzled expressions of the others, Li Chao found himself in a difficult position. He stepped forward and softly asked Nie Zhenbang, ¡°My dear nephew, what is going on? Short selling the Hang Seng Index? Isn¡¯t that just shooting ourselves in the foot?¡± Nie Zhenbang scanned the room, studying the owners of Donggang¡¯s fortunes. The only one present who was engaged in the financial industry was the chairman of the Donggang Securities, a man who didn¡¯t have a traditional background in finance. It seemed like the announcement had been a bit abrupt. He smiled and said, ¡°Uncle Shi, I think today¡¯s banquet cannot continue. It¡¯s still early, so why don¡¯t we move to a conference room? I¡¯ll give everyone a detailed exnation.¡± With such a matter, the fewer people who know, the better. Announcing the decision to short sell the Hang Seng Index in public was already extremely bold. Who knows if there are people with ulterior motives here? If word were to leak out, it would be a disaster. Naturally, this deep secret couldn¡¯t be divulged under such circumstances. If the opponents learned about it, they would lose all advantages. Seeing this situation, Nie Zhenbang had no choice but to temporarily change his ns. Without a clear exnation now, these people might not sleep well when they get home. If, out of fear, someone did something drastic, the losses could be quite severe. The measure of these losses would be in the tens of billions. At this time, Li Chao naturally did not have any objections. After quickly consulting with the people next to him, he nodded in agreement.
Here, the management team of the Bank of Huaxia, especially Han Qi, who is the appointed contact person, was outstanding. Within ten minutes, a small conference room was set up. The term ¡®small¡¯, in this case, was rtive to those conference rooms that can amodate hundreds of people. In fact, the room was not small, amodating over sixty people. It was spread out in an oval configuration. As the group entered the conference room and sat down, Nie Zhenbang brought out aptop. After connecting it to the multimedia projector, an ups and downs chart of the Hang Seng Index appeared on the screen. Nie Zhenbang then said: ¡°Respected elders, you are the pirs supporting Donggang¡¯s economic stability and social prosperity. Pleasantries aside, we can now confirm that international hedge funds are targeting Donggang.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°What is certain is that Donggang¡¯s HK dor has a very robust mary system, unlike the fragile Thai baht or Indonesian rupiah. Hence, I deduce that the international hedge funds¡¯ attack on Donggang will not start with foreign exchange as before. Considering that Donggang is one of the world¡¯s top three financial centers and is renowned for its great economic freedom, I think the most probable attack strategy of international hedge funds is to short sell the Hang Seng Index massively, forcing Donggang securities to suspend trading or crash. Financial properties have a knock-on effect; once securities are breached, they will forcefully short sell the HK dor and release the HK currency they hold to depress the HK dor. Thereby putting constant pressure until Donggang¡¯s economypletely copses.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, everyone gasped. Initially, they all thought the attack would start with the HK dor; they hadn¡¯t expected securities to be the target. One of them questioned with his hand raised, ¡°Mr. Nie, may I ask, how can you be so sure that these people will attack the Hang Seng Index? Also, does this have anything to do with your heavy shorting of the Hang Seng Index?¡± Nie Zhenbang was quite pleased. This person¡¯s unconscious cooperation saved him the trouble of taking the initiative to speak out. This question-and-answer format made his point more convincing. He nodded and said, ¡°Good question. First of all, looking at the Hang Seng Index, I have conducted detailed research on its economic data over the past ten years. Today, the Hang Seng Index is exactly 8712, and it has risen by more than five percent this week. Everyone in Donggang is cheering, but I feel that this is just a harbinger of an impending storm. If I am not mistaken, the spectors have already started to quietly set up their positions, gradually shorting the Hang Seng Index.¡± All of these things happened in his past life. From the closing index of July 17th, in less than a month¡¯s time, the Hang Seng Index fell from 8712 to a record low of 6544. This was a period of darkness and doom for the people of Donggang. After the stock index, international spectors attacked the futures market and then the foreign exchange market, heavily selling the Hong Kong dor. This led to the famous ¡®Battle of Hong Kong¡¯. The reason why I heavily shorted the Hang Seng Index is because I want to take the other side by surprise in the following week. During this period, we will divert some of our funds to support Donggang¡¯s local blue-chip stocks and some major index shares. This is why I hope you all can cooperate with me. Because, before the international spectors withdraw from short selling, my n is to pull out. After that, we will turn the ship around and drastically raise the Hang Seng Index, leveraging the government¡¯s credibility and utilizing the massive funds we¡¯ve earned to deal the heaviest blow to these spectors.¡± The words of Nie Zhenbang left the bosses standing there, mouths agape. It was only at this moment that they truly believed in Nie Zhenbang. During the weekend, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t demanding. The team members could take the opportunity to visit Donggang, go shopping, visit Ocean Park, or even experience Donggang horse racing at the Happy Valley Racecourse. Early Monday morning, before the opening of the market, everyone had already gathered in the auditorium. Nie Zhenbang stood at the back, watching the Hang Seng Index candlestick chart on the big screen, which had no time-sharing trend. He pondered for a moment then issued the first order, ¡°After market opening, the operating team will continue to increase short positions. Remember, don¡¯t startle the snake in the grass. I¡¯m afraid Soros and others are also shorting the Hang Seng Index now. Our joining in will certainly speed up the decline of the Hang Seng Index. Han Qi, on your end, get in touch with the local tycoons like Li Chao and tell them to cooperate with the funds we¡¯re allocating to them. Absorb shares and maintain a slow decline, don¡¯t fall too fast.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strategy was clear. In the financial market, information is highly transparent. It¡¯s clear who¡¯s shorting and who¡¯s absorbing shares. Since they were shorting, they absolutely couldn¡¯t absorb shares at the same time. Allocating funds to Li Chao and others would lull their opponents intocency and create the illusion that thepany was protecting its own shares. On Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side, the shorts could only make the likes of Soros think that this was anotherpany hoping to get its share of the pie. After five straight days of short selling, arge number of short positions had umted in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hands. Although Li Chao and others were also protecting the market, not only with state funds but also their own, the Hang Seng Index had fallen by 4.3% by the end of the week, closing at 8257. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was deep in thought. If the trend followed history, the index would fall to around the 8000 level in the following week, and then drop by 11% in one week. The index would go as low as 7000. That would be the fiercest moment of the battle and when the spectors would close out their positions.
At the same time, inside a skyscraper in Donggang, Soros and a group of international financial spectors had set up their temporary office. A room filled with dozens ofputers served as their headquarters. A white man handed Soros a document, saying, ¡°Sir, ording to our investigation, this mysteriouspany shorting the market is using an ount from a small brokerage firm called ¡®Dagang Securities¡¯. Moreover, it is said that the Chinese government has now stepped in. A significant amount of Li Chao and others¡¯ funds is supported by China.¡± Hearing this, Soros was less worried. The Chinese Government was overestimating their abilities. With thebined funds they could mobilize exceeding 7 trillion US dors, the power of international spectors wasn¡¯t something they could imagine. Soros paused for a moment and then ordered in a deep voice, ¡°Call those greedy guys. Next week will be thest week to ce orders. After that, we will start enjoying the joy of harvest.¡± (
Chapter 457: 429 Thrilling_1 Chapter 457: Chapter 429 Thrilling_1 ¡°Huaxia¡¯s government? Humph, they overestimate themselves. Do they think that just because of theirnd size, they canpete with international spectors? The funds I, Soros, control, although less than 60 billion, including the funds of several alliances, are all manipted under my name. The total sum is just over 400 billion. And yet, it already represents an inevitable force within spective capital. Combined with my sessful operations in Southeast Asia and Dongying, I have umted an extensivework and prestigious status in the realm of spective capital. Those who follow the trend are countless. The subsequent follow-ups amount to at least 3 trillion US dors, a force notparable to that of a Huaxia government. Attempting to resist it is like trying to crack a stone with an egg. This time, I want Huaxia to witness the power of capital. It¡¯s a pity that Huaxia¡¯s economic strategy is well-rounded, and itsrge state-owned assets make it difficult to copse,¡± Soros pondered, the corners of his mouth revealing a victorious smile. ¡°Hmm, the Huaxia government is stepping in, so why haven¡¯t they made a move yet?¡± Soros promptly stood up and instructed his assistant Clerk, ¡°Clerk, go look into it. My instinct tells me that something isn¡¯t quite right. The silence of the Huaxia government is perplexing.¡± Soros was very cautious. Such a matter was not trivial; a tiny oversight in the financial realm could be lethal. Although Soros appeared to be high-spirited and indomitable on the surface, this facade was merely for other spectors to see. His goal was to give the spectators a sense of sureness, to draw more spective capital into the fray, and to suppress the Huaxia government manipting things from behind the scenes in Donggang. However, Soros himself was extremely meticulous and careful. This strategy was key to Soros¡¯s sess. Being a world-renowned hedge fund, Soros naturally had his own intelligencework. Clerk came back soon afterwards, with a file in hand, he reported quietly: ¡°Boss, I¡¯ve figured it out. The Huaxia government dispatched a task forceposed of financial and international economic experts. They have already joined the Zhong Yin Building in Donggang a few days ago. They were already nning a cocktail party in advance. More importantly, ording to reliable information I¡¯ve received, the funds that Donggang¡¯s Li Chaos and others have been using to defend the market this week, a significant portion of it hase from the Huaxia government. I would hypothesize that this is a ploy by Huaxia, aiming to secretlyunch a devastating attack on us at a critical moment.¡± Hearing this, Soros nodded his head, scoffing, ¡°Foolish Huaxians, behaving like frogs at the bottom of a well. A week from now, they¡¯ll discover that they can¡¯t resist the power of spective capital.¡± ¡­ Inside the Zhong Yin Building conference room, Nie Zhenbang nced at Li Chao and others before saying, ¡°Everyone here, it¡¯s time. I am prepared to start selling shares aggressively as soon as the market opens on Monday, with the goal of suppressing the index. After a full week of selling, my objective is to push down the Hang Seng Index from its current level around 8250 to roughly 6800 within a week. However, the 6500 level is a significant benchmark for the Hang Seng Index in Donggang. It absolutely must not fall below this level; otherwise, it will trigger panic selling from retail investors and we¡¯ll be inadvertently teaming up with Soros.¡± Selling shares and shorting are just auxiliary methods. The primary tactic is, having the goods in hand, which is to have the stocks. To suppress the stock index, the selling of stock is the best way, especially when most of these people are the bosses of the Hang Seng blue-chippanies. Once thesepanies move, the index will significantly drop. Nie Zhenbang realized clearly from the expressions on everyone¡¯s face; in Dongang, this is a free market economy, an international city known for its economic liberalization. Unlike the domestic scenario where many tasks carry political objectives and the tasks have to be done even at a loss, these people will not lift a finger without any potential profit. Even though they share mutual animosity, substantial profit is needed as motivation.
Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stated solemnly, ¡°During this period, the Hang Seng Index futures that I short will be allocated ording to the amount of shares each of you sells. Simply put, except for the right to maintain the minimum shareholding, the rest can be sold. The more that¡¯s being sold, the more I will cover the losses for everyone.¡± These words settled the apprehensions of the Donggang tycoons. As soon as selling began, stock prices could only go lower. Checking in and out meant bearing a huge loss. Now, with someone covering it, there were naturally no problems. Moreover, when the counteroffensive begins, the stock will be at a low position. Then, they can gradually buy back. Even after this operation, the stocks held by everyone present could reach new heights. No one could refuse such an attractive proposition. The two-day market closure passed. On Monday morning, as soon as the market opened, the entire poption of Donggang was drawn to the stock market. There was arge amount of selling from more than twenty blue-chippanies that held arge share of the Hang Seng Index. In no time, after ten minutes of price negotiation, stocks opened significantly lower, with the Hang Seng Index dropping directly from around 8257 to 8011 at opening. Chapter 458: 429 Thrilling_2 Chapter 458: Chapter 429 Thrilling_2 Thisrge gap, a massive 3.8 percent, had created thergest low opening gulf since the beginning of stock trading in Donggang. Then, under the leadership of these blue-chip stocks, various stockmentators began to voice pessimistic opinions. Many asserted analytically that hot money was entering the market alluding that Donggang might experience a rerun of the Southeast Asian financial crisis. Within an hour of opening, the Hang Seng Index had plunged to around 7800. At the same time, the East Harbor Securities Exchange announced an immediate two-hour suspension of trading. This meant that there would be no more trading that morning and the battle would resume in the afternoon. At this moment, on the 70th floor of the Bank of Huaxia Cheers erupted in the trading hall. Typically, theseposed economists and traders, mostly young schrs averaging 30 years old, were jubnt over such a monumental victory. ¡°Team leader, most of our short positions were concentrated around 8700. We would have earned at least 600 billion US dors by now with the index at 7800. However, these are just hypothetical gains, these short positions still need to be taken over to turn into actual profits.¡± Deputy team leader Huo Gang enthusiastically pointed out. A profit margin of 900 points was sufficient. If the pressure on the market were to continue and the Hang Seng Index were to drop further, these short positions could potentially turn into worthless pieces of paper if no one ever epted them, thus nullifying the investment made. Considering this issue, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment and then made his decision: ¡°Starting from tomorrow, let¡¯s gradually release our short positions. We shouldn¡¯t do everything all at once. Scatter all of these out. Don¡¯t alert ourpetition too early.¡± As Zhenbang was discussing how to make a profit by closing his positions, Soros was also busy with his ns to steadily decrease the value for that week. He nned to join up with other hot money to massively sell off various stocks and suppress the Hang Seng Index, then disrupt the foreign exchange market by selling off the Hong Kong Dor until the Hong Kong government is unable to manage, ultimately leading to a total financial copse. However, now, this sudden significant decrease had thrown the rhythm off and many hot money investors are clueless. Numerous calls were being made to Soros. ¡°George, what¡¯s going on? Didn¡¯t we still have a week? How did the Donggang index drop so fast?¡± Sorosus full name was George Soros. Usually, he¡¯s called George by his friends.
¡°Mr. Soros, have you already begun? By doing this, you are breaching our agreement.¡± This was the query of the ordinary partner. Soros was also bewildered. Could it be some unknown hedge funds acting on their own? However, on the surface, Soros could not reveal any sign of panic. He calmly exined to the others, ¡°Of course, everything is under control. This is the doing of a mysterious partner of mine. The aim is to test the bottom line of the Huaxia government. Now it seems, the Huaxians dare not move. Gentlemen, enjoy this feast to your heart¡¯s content.¡± After hanging up the phone, Soros¡¯ expression darkened. He instructed his assistant, ¡°Clerk, investigate immediately. Who¡¯s selling shares and suppressing the Hang Seng Index? Also, tell our people to be ready to square off their positions at any time.¡± As trading opened in the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side gradually released their short positions to close their positions. These orders, as soon as they appeared on the futures market, were immediately snapped up. This downward trend of the market meant that whatever order they could get their hands on was money. There was no reason not to take them. Eventually, under this two-tiered pressure, by closing time, the Hang Seng Index was suppressed at 7792 points. Fromst weekend¡¯s 8257 points, it sharply plunged by more than 400 points, nearly 500 points. Over the next three days, headed by Lee Superhuman, these blue-chippanies continued to secretly sell off a small number of shares. The stock market was further suppressed. However, the daily drop was not as crazy as the first day. On Tuesday, the stock index closed at 7582, dropping 210 points. On Wednesday, the stock index dropped to 7415, down more than 160 points. On Thursday, the stock index closed at 7210, a decrease of 205 points. In just four days, the Donggang stock index plunged from a high of 8700 to around 7200, a full drop of 1500 points. Trillions of funds evaporated in this round of downturns. Zhenbang liquidated a massive number of short positions, amounting to millions. ording to the leverages in the futures market, the funds involved reached trillions of US dors. The profit earned well exceeded Zhenbang¡¯s expectations, not 600 billion US dors, but over 900 billion US dors. With thepensation paid out for the losses of severalpanies, Zhenbang made at least 600 billion US dors. At this time, Zhenbang didn¡¯t have much short positions left. As trading started on Friday, Zhenbang firmly said: ¡°There¡¯s no longer any need to hide. Release all our short positions in trades of 100,000.¡± With this order from Zhenbang, everyone understood, counter-attacking would begin. At this moment, without any hesitation, a sea of short positions was released, and the entire futures market had begun to quake. Chapter 459: 429 Thrilling_3 Chapter 459: Chapter 429 Thrilling_3 However, without much hesitation, these short positions were swiftly cleared by the funds. At this moment, on Soros¡¯s side, he was also stunned by the moves in the futures market. After a short silence, Soros¡¯s face changed, and he voiced solemnly, ¡°Damn, we¡¯ve been fooled. These cunning Huaxia people¡­ Convey my orders. We need to sell all our short positions as much as possible. Also, inform others to unload their stock holdings, further depressing the stock index. Likewise, release our Hong Kong dors to suppress the currency market, to cause absolute chaos for the Eastern Harbor government. Today, we must push the stock index below 6500 otherwise, we¡¯ll be in danger.¡± Just as Nie Zhenbang had squared off all the short selling orders on his side, the control room erupted in cheering. However, Huo Gang suddenly eximed, ¡°Bad news, the stock index has begun to dive.¡± On theputer monitors and the big screens, one could see that the stock index, which had previously been falling slowly, suddenly plummeted. The Eastern Harbor Hang Seng index rapidly fell from 7000 points, breaching the 7000 points mark. Subsequently, in less than half an hour, it had broken through the 6800 mark. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang realized that perhaps, history had taken a turn at this moment. Under his influence, the financial defense of Eastern Harbor would not proceed like in the past. Today should mark the beginning of the fight. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang ordered solemnly, ¡°In two hours, ce long positions on the futures market. It¡¯s time for a counterattack.¡± He then turned to Han Qi and said, ¡°Director Han, get in touch with people like Li Chao right away, recollect as many shares as possible. Also, liaise with the Hong Kong government. Ask them to make a firm stance to maintain the financial stability of Eastern Harbor. Notify the Eastern Harbor Securities Exchange that due torge fluctuations in stock prices over the week, trading will be suspended this afternoon, and to be resumed the next Monday. Also, get in touch with the Central Government¡¯s Office in Hong Kong, ask for their cooperation, and express the central government¡¯s strong confidence in supporting Eastern Harbor.¡± This is the advantage of government intervention. No matter how powerful spectors are, they are still just spectors. They can¡¯t influence the government. At most, they can bribe some media outlets to spread bearish sentiments. That¡¯s about it. However, when the government steps in, it¡¯s a different story. The credibility of the government is iparable to any media outlet. Moreover, the resources that the government can use are far greater. And the suspension of trading is the best method, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s trump card. Temporarily stopping your sell-off. This is the government¡¯s rogue-like behavior, although it¡¯s unorthodox. There¡¯s simply nothing that spectors can do. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Han Qi nodded his head and immediately began to set things into motion. At this time, the Eastern Harbor¡¯s stock market was undergoing a thrilling battle. The drastic movement of the index led the market into pessimism. Soon after, at noon closing, the securities exchange announced a notice. Due to therge fluctuations over the week, trading would be suspended in the afternoon and resumed on Monday.
Reading the announcement from the securities exchange, Soros was stunned. He sat on his chair, his face gloomy. As a top fund manager in the world, Soros¡¯s keen insight was extraordinary. At this moment, Soros had a bad premonition that he might suffer a loss in Eastern Harbor this time. PS: Rmendation for a book Yang Xueguang started from scratch, went through all kinds of hardships, passed various tests, stepped by step on the official path, showcasing extraordinary political talent, and suddenly one day he found out that he was the legendary member of the Tide Party¡­ An official¡¯s journey to sess, a smooth path to high positions! Title: Path to High Positions Also, seeking for monthly tickets, this month, Old Cai, feels guilty about the long-time no updatest month and hesitates to ask for monthly tickets without creating a single chapter. However, the monthly tickets are slow. Here, I am asking for a monthly ticket for somefort. Chapter 460: 430 London Port Stocks_1 Chapter 460: Chapter 430 London Port Stocks_1 At noon, the Eastern Harbor Securities Exchange issued a suspension notice, startling the local investors of Donggang. In the afternoon, the first Chief Executive of the Donggang Special Zone held a press conference at the Chief Executive¡¯s residence. The spacious newsroom in the Chief Executive¡¯s residence was packed with over a hundred people. Now, the eyes of the entire world were centered here. The financial crisis in Donggang, the international capital flow, Soros, the Huaxia government, all were news topics that could attract worldwide attention. Now that these issues had converged, it was impossible not to draw attention. Lianhe Zaobao, The Times, Wall Street Journal, CNN, and many other media outlets and news agencies from around the world were all gathered in the newsroom. All television media outlets had secured their spots for camera cements, with the best spots naturally taken by the local Phoenix Station and the state television station from the maind. For a moment, when Chief Executive Tong entered the newsroom escorted by officials from the Special Administrative Government, shes from cameras filled the room with brilliant light. ¡°Dear members of the press and guests, Donggang Special Zone¡¯s current economy has suffered a ruthless attack by some malicious organizations. Mr. Tong will speak on this matter on behalf of the Special Administrative Government,¡± the emcee introduced the basic situation, leading into the main topic. The efficiency of the Special Administrative Government was indeed exceptional. As the emcee¡¯s voice faded, Chief Executive Tong stepped forward and began his statement in a heavy Hong Kong-ented Mandarin, ¡°This past week, the market index dropped by over 20 percent, thergest weekly drop in nearly two decades. The foreign exchange and futures markets have also suffered a heavy blow. But with the support of the central government, I believe that the Donggang government has the ability, determination, and confidence to lead Donggang towards a brighter future, to maintain the prosperity, stability, and healthy development of Donggang¡¯s economy. This is the goal and direction of Donggang Special Administrative Government¡¯s efforts, and also the hope of the central government. After discussing with colleagues in the Special Administrative Government, with the approval of the government and the treasury, the Special Administrative Government will use its reserve funds and foreign exchange reserves to intervene in the foreign exchange and stock markets, striving to maintain financial stability.¡± Following the Chief Executive¡¯s speech, dozens of representatives and executives from the blue-chip and red-chippanies in Donggang issued strong condemnations against the international capital flow, and announced ns to execute share buybacks in theirpanies to maintain shareholder confidence. Soros became increasingly uneasy when the news came out. He paced back and forth in his office, mumbling, ¡°There must be a conspiracy. These people of color are simply despicable.¡± Suddenly, Soros paused, opened his mouth wide in shock, and murmured, ¡°Hong Kong stocks, London Hong Kong stocks!¡± Clerk stepped into the room at that moment as well. Seeing his boss acting almost as if he had lost his mind, Clerk was dumbstruck. He always saw his boss as the epitome of calm andposure. Nothing had ever driven him to such madness before. This wasn¡¯t like him at all. Everything was going ording to the n, so what was causing all the tension now? Wasn¡¯t a significant market drop exactly what they wanted to see? ¡°Boss, what are you talking about ¡®London Hong Kong stocks?¡± Clerk asked quietly.
As Soros¡¯s professional assistant and a financial expert, Clerk had simply been caught off guard. He quickly grasped the situation and eximed in surprise, ¡°Boss, you¡¯re suggesting that those damn Asians will use the traders in London¡¯s Hong Kong stock market to absorb arge number of Hong Kong stocks in London, thus influencing the Donggang index?¡± ¡°Exactly. The London stock market¡¯s unique feature is that it requires a dealer for transactions. Unfortunately, we can¡¯t participate in it. This creates an opportunity for Donggang and Huaxia ¨C by using the London stock market, they can boost the confidence of Donggang investors. Then, once the market opens, if they aggressively purchase stocks to support the market, there will definitely be follow-up orders. If we can¡¯t break through the 6500 psychological barrier, we¡¯d be in danger,¡± Soros exined. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re overthinking it. It¡¯s just the London stock market. Even if it does have an effect, it can only influence the stock market. It shouldn¡¯t significantly affect our grand n. Our main strategy is our hedging in the foreign currency market, that¡¯s our trump card,¡± Clerk casually stated. His tone was rather dismissive. Following their rampage against the Southeast Asian countries, this young assistant was filled with confidence in himself, the fund, and Soros. If they could toy around with Dongying, there was no reason Donggang¡¯s Special Zone would be any different. Soros sighed and turned to his assistant. ¡°Clerk, don¡¯t becent. Operating a hedge fund is no less than waging war with any country. This is a war in the field of economics. Any oversight can lead toplete copse. Don¡¯t underestimate the power of individual investors. Huaxia has an old saying, I think it goes somewhat like this, ¡®Without the umtion of small streams, there would be no river or sea. Without the umtion of small lumps of dirt, there would be no mountains.¡¯ Its meaning warns us to never be careless. The London market, although it¡¯s an offshore market requiring a dealer for transactions, can influence Donggang¡¯s individual investors. If these people don¡¯t panic and hold their stocks firmly, then we can only admit defeat. Do you understand?¡± The timing between the London Hong Kong stocks market and Donggang stock market meant that the London market starts trading right after the Donggang¡¯s market closes. Today was destined to be the day when London¡¯s Hong Kong stocks market made a name for itself. On this day, negotiation agreements were concurrently made with the operators by the 28 blue-chip stocks listed in London. The total investment reached several billion US dors. When the news reached Donggang, the whole harbour was in an uproar ¨C a sign of things toe. It meant thesepanies were defensive about their stocks, and moreover, they had used such a massive amount of capital, demonstrating their full strength. Meanwhile, the Huaxia government and the official media have been consistently publicisingmentaries by news analysts over thest two days, including the live interview with Premier Yun Bo from the central government. Premier Yun¡¯s powerful and resonant speech which articted his unwavering confidence and resolute determination to maintain the prosperity and stability of Donggang, greatly elevated the spirits of the people in Donggang. After two days of brewing, the confidence of Donggang¡¯s stock investors had already been stirred. When the market opened, basically, there were no sellers present any longer. Almost all had increased their holdings. Nie Zhenbang on the other hand, was also fuelling this trend further using multiple orders. The stock that closed at around 6800st Friday has been continuously climbing and is now near 6900, appearing to break through the 7000 threshold soon. ¡°Team leader, this isn¡¯t good! Arge amount of sell orders has appeared in the market; most of them are stocks of red chips, small and medium-sized enterprises and some tech firms. The market index is being suppressed once again. ording to estimates, there¡¯s still a trend of further falls,¡± Huo Gang shouted while he was trading. Unexpectedly, there were so many stocks from thesepanies in the hands of these retail investors. And these people had already abandoned their strategy, no longer suppressing blue chips and turning to attack these small and medium-sized enterprises and red chips instead. At this point, the blue-chippanies were powerless. They were capable of protecting their own stocks only, not assisting others. This was already considered a tremendous feat. Falling below 6800 shortly after and then 6750 within half an hour, it stirred panic among the retail investors yet again. The confidence they had recently managed to build was crumbling at this moment; without government intervention, they were all panic-stricken. Around ten-thirty, the stock index plummeted dangerously close to 6600. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang, observing the market trends and transactions,manded in a deep voice, ¡°They should be running out of cards. Buy in, buy as much as we can. Prior to market close, we must boost the index above 6800 again.¡± In ordance with the consecutive set of orders handed out, with Nie¡¯s funds and a vast number of ounts, they began aggressively acquiring securities. Inside the bustling trading hall of Eastern Harbor Securities Exchange, where thousands had gathered, an utterly depressing atmosphere lingered, shrouded in a monotonous green lighting from the screens. Suddenly, a voice bellowed, ¡°Look, look quickly! The trading volume is magnifying ¨C the market is being driven up. The government has taken action!¡± This announcement immediately erupted in cheers, breaking the silence with deafening cries of jubtion. Following this, a young man shouted: ¡°Topping up! Only a fool wouldn¡¯t top up at this moment. Opportunities are fleeting. With the government stepping in, it¡¯s a sure-win situation.¡±
This call to action reanimated the previously gloomy market, and the yellow-vested brokers in Donggang Securities Exchange began to bustle about. Under the surveince of various securities firms, retail investors resumed trading. By noon, the index had risen again, returning to around 6800. At this moment, in the trading hall on the 70th floor, joyous cheers of victory erupted once more, and the deputy team leader, Zhang Yunfan, was also beaming with delight. ¡°Team leader, this time the retail investors must have suffered heavy losses. I think we can essentially wrap things up now. As long as they¡¯ve used up their chips, they¡¯ll have no means left and will be forced to retreat.¡± Nie Zhenbang was still maintaining a calm demeanor, looking at the data presented by various securities firms. This morning, from ten thirty to noon, the funds added by small and medium investors were the dominant force. This was what pleased Nie Zhenbang. Mobilising these forces would give them hope for victory in the defense battle. Then, Nie Zhenbang said in a deep voice, ¡°Yunfan, we can¡¯t dere victory prematurely. Judging from the current situation, it is surprising that these international retail investors hold such arge number of shares. This must have been premeditated. There¡¯s still a tough battle to fight in the afternoon. Now, let everyone eat and rest. Recharge and prepare for the work in the afternoon.¡±
At this moment, Soros, who had been looking grave all this while, finally cracked a smile, ¡°Finally, they have taken action. With such arge volume, the funds must be strained now, and they will have to prepare funds to resist the potential impact on the currency market. I am curious to see how you will hold up this afternoon.¡± ( Chapter 461: 431 Final Battle_1 Chapter 461: Chapter 431 Final Battle_1 In the afternoon, as the market opened, Nie Zhenbang immediately sensed the heavy atmosphere. In the stock market, a lot of sell-offs mysteriously appeared, but the transaction volume was not very high. Stock prices repeatedly surged, fell back, decreased, and then rose again. This was the calm before the storm. Seeing the rxed expressions of the traders beside him, Nie Zhenbang beckoned and said, ¡°Yun Fan, Huo Gang,e here.¡± The two men, seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s serious expression, came over somewhat puzzled. Zhang Yunfan asked, ¡°Leader, have you found something new?¡± Nie Zhenbang pointed at the trend chart and said, ¡°Yun Fan, Huo Gang, look at the sell orders, fills the fifth price point with many open shorts. Now, the transaction volume is so sluggish. Huo Gang, do you think this is the calm before the storm? ording to the nature of spectors, they shouldn¡¯t just stop now. Based on our estimates, they should have the ability to suppress the Hang Seng Index below 6500. Previously, with our help, the Hang Seng Index only reached around 6600. Is that it? Very unlikely.¡± Huo Gang looked serious, opened the K-line chart and said after taking a look, ¡°I¡¯m afraid the next wave of suppression is about to begin. They¡¯re strategically nning to suppress the market at the end of the session, then seize the momentum and directly suppress it when the market opens tomorrow. They want us to fail miserably.¡± London¡¯s Hong Kong stocks only affect some blue-chip stocks, if the trick is used once, it won¡¯t be surprising anymore. To further use London¡¯s Hong Kong stocks will not be too useful. Nie Zhenbang hesitated for a moment, then asked, ¡°Yun Fan, how much capital do we have on hand now?¡± As for this question, Zhang Yunfan didn¡¯t need any calctions at all. The entire control of funds was in his mind, he immediately answered, ¡°Previously, we made nearly 900 billion USD from shorting the stock index. Then, wepensated these blue-chippanies, costing nearly 400 billion. After today¡¯s market stabilization, only 200 billion is left, plus the 300 billion USD from the state. We don¡¯t have much avable funds now. We need to reserve some funds as a reserve for the foreign exchange market. Now, we can only use at most 150 billion.¡± Resources are scarce when they are needed. Nie Zhenbang realised, knowledge in books, and into his hands, even money, can be seem scarce. Thousands of billions of assets, equivalent to more than half of the United States¡¯ GDP, are still inadequate. This is bewildering. It seems that his own funds will inevitably be used. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang said solemnly, ¡°I¡¯m afraid this is still not enough. On the stock market, my principle is to take as much as there is. Take it freely, boldly, without any hesitation. As for the funds in the foreign exchange market. I¡¯ll figure out a way to move 500 billion USD from Tenglong Holdings, which should be sufficient.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s statement shocked the two of them. Both were well-known schrs and experts in the field domestically, and imed to have aprehensive understanding of the economy. Yet, they both were unsure about whatpany Tenglong Holdings was.
Zhang Yunfan spoke up, ¡°Leader, may I ask, is this Tenglong Holdings reliable? Can apany take out this much of capital?¡± Zhang Yunfan couldn¡¯t help but doubt. After all, the world¡¯s richest man, Mr. Gates, didn¡¯t have that much cash. The total market value of Microsoft is probably only around 300 billion USD, how is this possible? Nie Zhenbang knew very well that if he didn¡¯t disclose a bit of information to them at this point, they absolutely wouldn¡¯t believe him. They¡¯d definitely think that he was lying. He nodded and said, ¡°Tenglong Holdings, it¡¯s normal that you guys don¡¯t know about it. Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not apany, there is no registration, it should be considered an organization. However, speaking of the industries under Tenglong Holdings, you should be quite familiar. Wal-Mart Group and National beauty group are both industries under Tenglong Holdings.¡± Upon hearing this, they both gasped. If this is true, Tenglong Holdings could bepared to the legendary Rothschild family. However, at this time, they no longer doubted anything. The stock market maintained a lukewarm pattern. When it was two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, suddenly, there were continual sell-offs on hundreds of stocks, with no exceptions. These sell orders had onemon feature; each one reached the maximum transaction volume for stock trading. The prices began to drop sharply with the continuous appearance of these sell orders. At the same time, a securities trader stood up at this moment, and said seriously, ¡°Leader, spectors can¡¯t stand it anymore, they¡¯ve started in the foreign exchange market.¡± Hearing this news, Nie Zhenbang pped his hand on the table, and shouted, ¡°Good! The spectors no longer have chips. This is a sign of their final struggle. Using the shock in the foreign exchange market topletely destroy the currency system of Donggang, the goal is simple and direct. To destroy Donggang¡¯s currency. By then, Donggang will be the fish on their chopping board, subject to their ughter. Give my order, sweep on the stock market fully, the index must reach above 7050 before the close. Also, notify the Donggang Special Administrative Government, they must intervene in the market, repurchase the Hong Kong dor fully. Be sure to stabilize the exchange rate of the Hong Kong dor against the US dor in the range of 7.5 to 1.¡± On Soros¡¯ side, at this moment, Soros also clearly knew that the final battle hade. From the release of the Hong Kong dor reserve, there is no turning back once started, it can only be a fierce battle to the end. At that moment, Clerk walked in, quite ted, ¡°BOSS, the Donggang Special Administrative Government has made a move. They are using their foreign exchange reserves to fully repurchase the Hong Kong Dor, they are trying to maintain the stability of the foreign exchange market.¡± Soros snorted disdainfully, and spoke in a deep voice, ¡°To maintain it is simply impossible. They can¡¯t buy back all tens of trillions of Hong Kong Dors, the Donggang government shouldn¡¯t be able to afford 100 billion US Dors.¡± Ten minutes passed. Not only did the stock index not fall, it even slightly increased. The situation in the foreign exchange market was extremely stable. This made Soros somewhat ufortable. Perhaps, targeting Donggang was a mistake. Donggang¡¯s refined financial system and its strong financial assets had far exceeded his expectations. It was a tough nut to crack, unlike the easy targets like Thand and Indonesia. Twenty minutes¡­ Half an hour had passed. At this moment, the Hang Seng Index in Donggang had reached 6900 points, it had increased furtherpared to the afternoon opening. Not a small amount, after nearly forty minutes ofpetition, not many chips were left in the hands of the market operators. On the foreign exchange market side, it remained as stable as ever. Soros looked grim. If the battle could not be resolved today, things would getplicated. Then, Soros said in a deep voice, ¡°Clerk, call the people in the alliance. The total attack has begun, all the chips in hand, fully released, for the foreign exchange market, double the intensity, before the market closes, the stock index and exchange rate must be suppressed, otherwise, it will be difficult tomorrow.¡± Clerk nodded and said, ¡°BOSS, understood, the strength of the Donggang Government will definitely copse, as long as the foreign exchange market crashes, the stock index will be meaningless. I will arrange it immediately.¡± With Soros¡¯smand down, the final madness began. The operation hall and all the securitiespanies started to get busy. Now, the entire securities industry in Donggang was serving Nie Zhenbang, as huge amounts of funds were distributed, it immediately absorbed the selling pressure, and the stock index was slowly rising. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang had a smile on his face. In a deep voice, he said, ¡°Yun Fan, how about the buying desire of retail investors?¡± Zhang Yunfan immediately reported, ¡°Very strong, the continuous rise of the stock index gives retail investors high confidence, these people, all want to buy on the rise but not on the fall.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Very good, after the opponent¡¯s chips are exhausted, you can start selling stocks in small amounts, remember to control the index, just keep it above 7000 points.¡± Before Nie Zhenbang could finish speaking, Han Qi had already walked in, with a serious expression,ing to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side, he whispered, ¡°Chief Nie, Chief Executive Tong of Donggang Special Administrative Region has called, the funds of the Donggang Special Administrative Region Government have run out. Now, we need the help of the central government to maintain the foreign exchange market.¡±
The trading volume reached 200 billion US Dors in just half an hour, which shocked Nie Zhenbang. Then, Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Mr. Han, please reply to Chief Executive Tong that the central government will not neglect the special administrative government. Whates next is up to us.¡± With a wave of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hand, 500 billion US Dors of funds quickly entered the foreign exchange market, instantly suppressing the exchange rate, which had already been pushed down to 11 to 1, back into the 8 range. At this moment, the ratio was 7.75 to 1. After the market closed, on Soros¡¯s side, it was utterly deste, and many market operators had lost their capital. There was no one left to take the short positions. The next day as the market opened, the stock index maintained a stable trend, opening slightly higher. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s order was to start selling in small amounts, as soon as it hit the market, these emotionally excited retail investors and institutions quickly scooped it up.
These stocks, Nie Zhenbang had nned to sell sooner orter, he wouldn¡¯t hold on to them, the Donggang market needed free cirction. On the foreign exchange market, the situation was far more turbulent, with fierce attacks on Donggang¡¯s foreign exchange market. The trading volume in a minute was described in terms of billions, and even tens of billions. This was an international currency war. Once, Soros and others used this method to short the Thai baht and Indonesian rupiah, destroying the economies of two countries. This was crueler than military warfare, and the losses were even greater. At this moment, facing Donggang, this piece of fat meat, Soros couldn¡¯t wait to enjoy this feast. (.) Chapter 462: 432 Are you the Mayor?_1 Chapter 462: Chapter 432 Are you the Mayor?_1 On the surface, Soros seemed quite certain, but within, he was somewhat fearful and uneasy. This wasn¡¯t some kind of special ability, but simply the acuity and vignce developed by a top individual long wielding influence in the financial field. At this moment, Clerk burst into the office, which slightly annoyed Soros. Clerk, as his assistant, had always been stable, so why was he acting like this today? In a deep voice, he said, ¡°Clerk, my god, what¡¯s happening? Is there a fire?¡± Clerk seemed very urgent, anxiously saying, ¡°It¡¯s been eaten up, all eaten up.¡± Hearing Clerk¡¯s words, Soros sat down with a heavy voice, ¡°Clerk, pass on my orders. The short positions on the index, clear them immediately. Close out as many as you can. We have already lost.¡± At this point, to continue the struggle was meaningless. Soros was not the kind of person who can¡¯t afford to lose. Grabbing the phone, he conveyed his intentions to other major yers of the international hot money. For a moment, the capital started to be chaotic, everyone was looking out for themselves, trying to recoup their losses. On Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side, seeing this, he let out a sigh of relief, his fist clenched tightly. At this moment, afterpleting this battle, Nie Zhenbang also had a lingering sense of fear in his heart. One mishap, and his future could bepletely ruined. With the Nie family¡¯s current generation, expecting to rise again would be a hope for the next generation. But fortunately, they had won this time. In the next few days, the stock index continued to rise. After a week, the stock index stood back above 8200 points. The exchange rate also held steady at 7.5 to 1. By this time, it could finallye to an end. At this moment, Han Qi also entered the operations room. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, he had lost the tension he had twenty days ago, and casually said, ¡°Mr. Nie, just now, I received a phone call from Mr. Li Chao and other bigwigs from Donggang. The Donggang Special Administrative Government, as well as the businessmunity, have prepared a victory banquet and invite you to attend.¡± Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t hesitate at this moment. After thepletion of the battle, he returned to his identity as the Mayor of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government. As a mayor, the most important job is to develop the economy of Liangxi City. Isn¡¯t this a rare opportunity to attract investment? He nodded immediately, ¡°There is no problem on my part. Since it¡¯s an invitation from the special zone government, as the representative of the central working group, it¡¯s natural to attend. The victory belongs not only to the Donggang Government but also to Huaxia.¡±
August 9th. The ballroom of the governor¡¯s mansion of the Donggang Special Administrative Government. At this moment, the most high-profile banquet in Donggang was being held here. It can be said that the most influential people in Donggang had gathered here. Outside the mansion, it seemed to have be a luxury car exhibition, with Mercedes-Benz S600, BMW 7 series, Rolls-Royce Silver Charm series. Bentley, stretched Lincoln and various other top luxury brands all lined up, dozens in total. In the banquet hall, the tower of champagne flute was yet to be filled with champagne. It was empty and sparkling. Quite an eye-catcher. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car arrived at the entrance of the governor¡¯s mansion, Chief Executive Tong, Li Chao, Mr. Bao, Li Estate and other big names in the business and political circles of the local harbor had alle out to greet them. This caused the socialitedies who came to the banquet to look sideways. Who was this person that was being greeted personally by the bigwigs from the harbor? Could this be a high-ranking official from the maind government? An inconspicuous car, the door opened, and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s figure appeared in everyone¡¯s sight. This surprised the celebrities present. ¡°So young, who is he that even the Chief Executive and Li Chao havee out in person to greet him?¡± Someone who knew the context exined with a smile, ¡°This is the man who saved Donggang and defeated the international capital. This level of reception, he truly deserves.¡± At this moment, Chief Executive Tong also began to speak in his strange Mandarin. ¡°Leader Nie, wee, wee. You havee to Donggang, and we should have entertained you sooner. Please forgive the dy.¡± Chief Executive Tong could be the first Chief Executive of the Donggang Special Zone, naturally, he also had a keen political insight. His words were watertight, showing a humble attitude first. It¡¯s not easy for a person who cares about formalities to get angry. After all, one does not p a smiling face. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang originally was not a petty person. He also smiled and said, ¡°Chief Executive Tong is being too courteous. Zhenbang is just here to assist the Donggang government as per the centralmittee¡¯s assignment. This time, the Donggang government has shown a strong cohesiveness. This victory belongs to everyone, not just me.¡± This humble statement won the favor of the wealthy people of Donggang. Mr. Bao also sighed, ¡°Young man, you¡¯re incredible.¡± Next, Nie Zhenbang shook hands with Li Chao, Mr. Bao, Mr. Shao, Li Estate, and other people one by one. Under the crowd¡¯s watch, he entered the banquet hall. On the side, a waiter had already prepared arge jug of champagne. Opening the champagne, Chief Executive Tong and Nie Zhenbang together poured the champagne into the champagne pyramid. Starting with pouring wine into the ss at the very top, they let the champagne slowly flow into the sses below, until, in the end, all the sses were filled. Chapter 463: 432 Are you the Mayor?_2 Chapter 463: Chapter 432 Are you the Mayor?_2 Then, as the most distinguished guest of the event, he savored the top-flight champagne. This is a cherished ritual in Western banquets. Li Chao and the others are all from Donggang, naturally acting as hosts just like Chief Executive Tong. The banquet wasn¡¯t being held under any particr person¡¯s name, but rather jointly by the Donggang Special Administrative Government and the Donggang businessmunity. So, these people naturally did not mind. Besides, even if they did, the first ss of champagne was rightfully Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. Once these formalities wereplete, melodious music began to echo through the banquet hall. This kind of Western style banquet is primarily aworking event, the purpose ofworking overshadows that of dining. Moreover, many middle-ss girls dressed to the nines with the full intent of attending such a banquet, hoping for a chance encounter. The goal being that if they manage to catch the eye of a wealthy young master, they could marry into a rich family andpletely transform their lives. Of course, in such settings, people like that aren¡¯tmon. However, the nature remains the same, with many richdies, gathered in small groups, sipping champagne elegantly, discussing French fashion or Italian trends. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was gathered with Chief Executive Tong, Li Chao, and others. Just then, Mr. Bao chuckled and said, ¡°Mr. Nie, where did you acquire such superior operational skills? You¡¯ve shown me a thing or two with your ¡®earn first, oppresster¡¯ strategy. I happen to want to venture into the financial world butck suitable candidates. Mr. Nie, if possible, I¡¯d like to hire you to be the president of my newpany. You can set your own annual sry. Besides, I¡¯ll give you an additional 40% of the managing stock. If you are willing to sign a ten-year contract, these 40% shares will be yours.¡± This is a big move, absolutely a big move. While the boss provides the funds, Nie Zhenbang can get 40%. Mr. Bao is a well-known figure in the shipping industry, known as the Ship King of the world. His investment is by no means small-scale. Venturing into the financial world would involve at least a billion-dor investment. Only Li Chao remained silent. He was fully aware of Tenglong, the behemoth behind Nie Zhenbang. That¡¯s not something Mr. Bao could afford. Meanwhile, Li Estate alsoughed and said, ¡°Mr. Nie, you can consider it. If you agree, I am willing to invest one billion Hong Kong dors. Your share does not change. For the rest, I will negotiate with Mr. Bao.¡± At this moment, Chief Executive Tong also smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Nie, which financial institution do you work for? If possible, on behalf of the Special Administrative Government, I would like to hire Mr. Nie as our Chief Economic Advisor. The sry would be approximately one million Hong Kong dors. What does Mr. Nie think?¡±
This was another shocking piece of news. An annual sry of one million isn¡¯t much, but the important thing isn¡¯t the sry, it¡¯s the prestige thates with the title of Chief Economic Advisor to the Special Administrative Government. A title that money cannot buy. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and nodded to everyone, expressing gratitude by saying, ¡°Chief Executive Tong, Mr. Bao, Mr. Li, first of all, thank you for your sincere invitations. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not grateful. The reason is that I have a somewhat special identity. Since I¡¯m a government worker, I was temporarily reassigned here and will need to return to my original post after.¡± ¡°May I ask what your position is, Mr. Nie?¡± Mr. Bao, being the direct character that he is, immediately asked. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed and said, ¡°In my regr job, I serve as the mayor of the People¡¯s Government of Liangxi City, Jiangbei Province.¡± Upon hearing this, even Li Chao was taken aback, let alone Mr. Bao who eximed in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re a mayor? What a pity that such a talent is not being used to its full potential.¡± The people of Donggang, heavily influenced by the West, don¡¯t view the position of mayor the same way as those domestically do. To them, a specialist¡¯s position is far more gratifying. Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Bao, to each their own. I can still do research in the economic field, and I also can promote local economic development by using what I¡¯ve learned. Being able to serve the people and bring them prosperity is one of my pursuing goals. I am satisfied with my current job. Therefore, I cordially invite you all to attend the Eastern Development Forum held in our city in mid-October. Representatives from Ludong, Hucheng City, Jiangbei, south of the Yangtze River, and Minan provinces will be there. The market in maind China is vast. As giants in the business world, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to go and take a look. Perhaps, you may find some business opportunities.¡± On Nie Zhenbang¡¯s invitation, these people agreed to give him some face and attend the forum. As for whether there will be good opportunities, they would see when the timees. There was no forced buying or selling, nor mandatory investment requirements. It¡¯s just one trip. There is no loss. Having received these promises, Nie Zhenbang then extended an invitation to the Donggang Special Administrative Government, and Chief Executive Tong readily agreed to attend this forum. After the banquet, receiving themitments from these Donggang moguls was a big win. The next morning, Nie Zhenbang and his delegation boarded a flight to Jingcheng. Back in Jingcheng and once again in Prime Minister Yun¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang felt a little apprehensive as the Prime Minister immediately stood up with a smile to greet him. In a panic, he said, ¡°Prime Minister, your grand gesture is quite overwhelming for me.¡± Chapter 464: 432 Are you the Mayor?_3 Chapter 464: Chapter 432 Are you the Mayor?_3 At this moment, the Premier also burst into heartyughter, ¡°Zhenbang, this time, I heard about your matter in Donggang. Donggang Special District even sent a thank-you letter specifically for this. You orchestrated from themand center, annihting far away, this time, you caused the international spective capital to be defeated and return in low spirits. You have significantly increased the international influence of our country and fully demonstrated ourprehensive national power. This is a great achievement. I should indeed wee you personally.¡± In the Premier¡¯s office, Nie Zhenbang also handed his detailed report to the Premier. This kind of public service involves such arge amount of national funds that a written report is necessary. After discussing the international economic environment and the state of affairs, as well as the reform of state-owned enterprises with the Premier, the Premier was very satisfied and then allowed Nie Zhenbang to leave. While in Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang went home to see the olddy. Ever since the old master passed away, the olddy lived alone, which was somewhat cold and lonely. Fortunately, Ziyu was in Jingcheng to apany her. However, Ziyu is still young and could not always stay with the olddy. Therefore, every time Nie Zhenbang returns to Jingcheng, unless it is urgent, he will definitely go to see the olddy. Later, in the evening, Nie Zhenbang met and gathered with a few direct subordinates from the Central Discipline Inspection Commission. Liu Bin is now the director of the Fifth Room. After many years, he is finally getting ahead. At this moment, Gao Wei is already the director of a department. Along with Zheng Gensheng, Tan Xiongbin and others, they gathered at the Capital Restaurant. After dinner, they all dispersed. Liu Bin was about to get married. Unexpectedly, Liu Bin¡¯s marriage partner was introduced by his family. The Liu Bin Family is a military family, and the partner is someone Nie Zhenbang knows ¨C Wu Qingyi, the daughter of themander of the 21st Army in the Xibei Military Region. At this moment, thinking about it, Nie Zhenbang could not even imagine what the icy Wu Qingyi¡¯s expression would be like. Because of the wedding preparations, Liu Bin didn¡¯t stay much longer and quickly left. Here, Gao Wei and Zheng Gensheng, as Nie Zhenbang¡¯s closest subordinates in the Discipline Commission, left the Capital Restaurant together. Gao Wei, however, smiled and said, ¡°Brother, this time, my old man is nning to help me make some arrangements and assign me as the deputy secretary of the Disciplinary Committee in Wanghai City, Minan Province. What do you think?¡± What has happened? Jiamin is going to be the deputymander, and Gao Wei is going to be the deputy secretary of the Discipline Committee. Why are all the children of high-ranking officials flocking to WangHai? Nie Zhenbang, however, smiled and said: ¡°This is a good thing, work experience in the local area is very important. I think it is better for you to go to WangHai.¡± After sending off Gao Wei, at this moment, Zheng Gensheng smiled and said, ¡°Old leader, there is something, I don¡¯t know whether to say or not. For Secretary Mu, I think, you might as well take this opportunity to visit.¡±
Hearing this sentence, Nie Zhenbang was shocked. If Zheng Gensheng didn¡¯t say it, he would have forgotten it. Secretary Mu, in a few months, is probably going to Zhongyuan Province, isn¡¯t he? This is the future second inmand, and what¡¯s more, Secretary Mu is close to Crown Prince Shen Xiuchao. Every four years, in another two years, Shen Xiuchao will take the throne. He really does need to build some rtionships. ( Chapter 465: 433 First Meeting with Crown Prince Shen_1 Chapter 465: Chapter 433 First Meeting with Crown Prince Shen_1 As he prepared to meet with Secretary Mu, Nie Zhenbang became serious. This was his first battle at work in the Youth League Central Committee, and Secretary Mu was his first direct superior. There was a certain importance and respect given to this rtionship in the bureaucratic system, often likened to that between a student and their enlightened mentor. Of course, there was a distinction. Not just anyone would have a connection with Secretary Mu, as a high-ranking official at the provincial and ministerial levels, he wouldn¡¯t know just anyone either. Nie Zhenbang was different. The Youth Civilization Number left a profound impression on Secretary Mu, it was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s capital, the reason he was qualified enough to be paying this visit. However, to visit someone, a gift waspulsory. The Chinese culture emphasized the principles of propriety, justice, integrity and honor, reciprocation of courtesies. The terms ¡°etiquette country¡± and many others, confirm that Huaxia is a country that pays great attention to etiquette. Barehanded visits would not do. It would imply a disregard for the host. On the other hand, Nie Zhenbang was having difficulty in choosing what gift to bring. Cigarettes or alcohol? Even if they were exclusive products, for someone like Secretary Mu, obtaining them wouldn¡¯t be an issue. Moreover, giving these items as gifts would be quitemon. How about jewelry or precious gems? Immediately dismissing the idea, Nie Zhenbang thought it was also toomon, carrying the suspicion of a bribe. At Secretary Mu¡¯s level, material possessions were external things, giving these as gifts would not only prevent any conversation, but he might also be sent away. Moreover, it would also leave a poor impression, making it counterintuitive. An elegant item? Tea? Ancient paintings, perhaps? These could be distinguished gifts, but good tea leaves are hard to find. A small red robe could be given, but it would seem insincere, like presenting Buddha with borrowed flowers. Antique calligraphy and paintings? It would be hard to find an excellent piece in a short time. Buying them from outside? That could also pose a risk of bribery. After much consideration, Nie Zhenbang finally decided to give a gift that aligned with Secretary Mu¡¯s taste, yet wasn¡¯t overly valuable. Finding Secretary Mu¡¯s phone number and address would not be an easy task for outsiders, but for Nie Zhenbang it was simple. At present, Secretary Mu, as the first secretary of the Youth League Central Committee, also held the position of dean at the Youth Politics Institute. He resided on the Qingzheng campus. After calling and informing Secretary Mu of his visit, thetter was quite delighted to hear from Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang was a prominent figure who emerged from the Youth League Committee after the Youth Civilization Number project, he was practically a close subordinate of Secretary Mu. Secretary Mu had always been attentive to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s career, especially his sustainable development strategy and investment attraction policies in New Li City. These actions had deeply satisfied Secretary Mu, even giving him a sense of great benefit.
At Secretary Mu¡¯s level, he viewed issues from a central perspective, and many things had a resonant and enlightening effect on him. Therefore, he valued Nie Zhenbang and even personally waited for him at home at the arranged time for the visit. This was a significant show of respect for Nie Zhenbang. Upon seeing the item Nie Zhenbang was carrying, Secretary Mu frowned and said sternly: ¡°Nie, you¡¯re now resorting to the local technique of gift-giving. This practice doesn¡¯t work here. Whatever you¡¯ve brought, you¡¯ll have to take back.¡± At this, Nie Zhenbangughed and replied: ¡°Secretary Mu, you misunderstand. This isn¡¯t a gift, but rather photocopies of articles by the master of ssical studies, Mr. Ji. Considering your interest in ssical studies and your busy schedule preventing you from keeping up, I took the liberty of bringing these.¡± Secretary Mu was well-educated, but a much less known aspect was that he used to be a disciple of the renowned schr of ssical studies, Mr. Mu Cheng. He possessed a profound foundation in ssical studies. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Mu Dingjian showed a satisfied and appreciative expression. He patted Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder and said: ¡±You are thoughtful, Nie. Come in and sit.¡± Once they were seated on the sofa, Mu Dingjian personally served tea to Nie Zhenbang, then sat down, smiling: ¡±Zhenbang, I¡¯ve been closely following your work achievements. The sustainable development strategy in New Li City, and your efforts around environmental protection, have been excellent. Three years after you left New Li City, the city¡¯s economic development remains high. While the local team deserves credit, your groundwork is also a significant part of this sess.¡± After a brief pause, Mu Dingjian started praising him about the Eastern Development Forum and handling of the American factory in Liangxi City. As for the work on the Disciplinary Committee, Mu Dingjian deliberately overlooked it. As a senior official, Mu Dingjian was clear about many things. Going to the Disciplinary Committee had its benefits, but it might have a significant impact on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s future. After saying all this, Mu Dingjian changed the topic: ¡±Zhenbang, some things require leaving some space. Chinese people value moderation and diplomacy. The principle of too rigid leads to easy damage, you should understand. Anything, you need to grasp the right degree. Even in maintaining unity and stability, there is such a thing as too much.¡± This was Mu Dingjian¡¯s advice to Nie Zhenbang. Politics is all about bnce. Of course, suppressing rivals is a way to highlight oneself, but this is actually the most undesirable approach. In the process of suppressing others, it¡¯s inevitable to leave the leadership with a sense of being overly zealous. This may make them wonder if promoting you could result in them bing your next target or stepping stone. If we look at the national leaders who took office after Elder Nan, all of them practiced restraint and modesty. They were low-key and moderate in their actions, reaching the pinnacle of such an approach. Secretary General President Yuan, for example, kept a low profile before bing the Secretary General and before entering the central government. Simrly, Crown Prince Shen Xiuchao also followed this approach. Even the future Crown Prince followed suit. They all understand that showing off can lead to attracting unnecessary attention. With theseparisons in mind, Nie Zhenbang realized the advantages of being low-key. He humbly acknowledged, ¡°Elder Leader, you¡¯re right. I was immature in dealing with some matters. I¡¯d need more of your guidance in the future.¡± Hearing this, Mu Dingjian was very satisfied. He saw great potential in Nie Zhenbang. Given his family background and personal abilities, he believed that with some guidance, Nie Zhenbang had a promising future. For himself, developing such a rtionship was also a good deed. Mu Dingjianughed and responded, ¡°Zhenbang, what I¡¯m saying is this: strive for unity, be humble. Don¡¯t abandon your principles. Stick to what must be adhered to. Do not discard the basic principles of party discipline. That¡¯s what I call being high-profile in actions. As the saying goes, with justice on your side, one can go anywhere; without it, you can hardly take a step. As long as you hold onto the truth, everything else is a paper tiger.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang felt reassured. The meaning of Mu Dingjian¡¯s words was very clear: as long as he stood on the side of reason, Mu Dingjian would not ignore him. Given the rtionship between Mu Dingjian and Shen Xiuchao, it also meant that the future Secretary General would look after him too. This was a significant advantage. From there, the conversation between the two became more harmonious. Nie Zhenbang learned a great deal about political wisdom from Mu Dingjian. Just as Nie Zhenbang was preparing to leave, Mu Dingjian looked at his wristwatch and said to him, ¡°It¡¯s already three in the afternoon. This is a good opportunity for me to introduce you to someone.¡±
At these words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart pounded. Could Mu Dingjian mean to introduce him to Shen Xiuchao? To understand, Shen Xiuchao was presently a member of Elder Nan¡¯s faction, part of his direct lineage. With Elder Nan¡¯s support, his children became incapable. Shen Xiuchao is now the real power holder of the Nan faction. Even Mu Dingjian was part of this. To receive Shen Xiuchao¡¯s recognition would be hugely beneficial for his future. Under Mu Dingjian¡¯s lead, the ck Mercedes with a military te set off, heading straight in the direction Nie Zhenbang anticipated. After passing several checkpoints and security checks, they finally arrived at the heart of the Forbidden City. Nie Zhenbang was no stranger to this ce. His grandfather had formerly worked and lived here, and Nie Zhenbang, being family, had also lived here.
At the entrance of the Huayun Pavilion, a middle-aged man standing there greeted them with a smile, ¡°Secretary Mu, the leader is waiting for you.¡± Mu Dingjian introduced him with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, this is Huang Yunshan, the leader¡¯s first secretary. He¡¯s a bit younger than your father, you can address him as Uncle Huang.¡± Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare to be disrespectful. As a close confidante of the Crown Prince, he respectfully greeted: ¡°Uncle Huang.¡± Huang Yunshan responded with a smile, ¡°Indeed a tiger¡¯s son from a military family. Governor Guowei has a capable sessor. If you need any help in the future, feel free to call me.¡± This was where Huang Yunshan excelled as a people person. The heir of the Nie family, a focus of cultivation, and nephew of Nie Guodong and son of Governor Guowei. Now, approved by Mu Dingjian and about to be introduced to the leader. Naturally, it was important to maintain good rtions with such people. Huang Yunshan was well-versed in extending suchmon courtesies. As they entered the room with Mu Dingjian, Shen Xiuchao walked out. Although his appearance was just as Nie Zhenbang remembered from his past life¡ªa medium-built man with silver-framed sses, personable, and elegant¡ªhe couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. After all, he was facing the future Secretary General of Huaxia. ( Chapter 466: 434 Focus on Agriculture, Rural Areas and Farmers_1 Chapter 466: Chapter 434 Focus on Agriculture, Rural Areas and Farmers_1 At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was intently observing the leader in front of him, who held ranks and glories such as a standing member of the Political Bureau, secretary of the Central Secretariat, principal of the Central Party School, and Vice President of the country. ording to his memory, at the end of this year or the beginning of next year, during the Two Sessions, he would be appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission and the National Military Commission. This was President Yuan preparing for the transition at the turn of the century. By then, President Yuan would also step down as General Secretary and retain his position as Chairman of the Central Military Commission. After a year of transition, President Yuan would retire, and the stage would then be Shen Xiuchao¡¯s. This is the core of Huaxia¡¯s fourth-generation leadership team. Even Nie Zhenbang, born into the influential and noble Nie family, could not help but feel an inexplicable sense of excitement and anticipation. He stepped forward, showing great respect, and sincerely said, ¡°Hello, sir.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Shen Xiuchaoughed and said to Mu Dingjian, ¡°Comrade Ding Jian, is this still the fearless Nie Zhenbang we remember?¡± In New Li City, he defied the city¡¯s Party Secretary, got rid of the Regional Tax Bureau Chief, and even pulled down the Autonomous Regional Chairman from office. He was very determined in the anti-corruption department, and in Liangxi City, he even blocked American investment and made the U.S. government apologize. All these impressive achievements seemed somewhat inconsistent with his performance at the moment. Shen Xiuchao¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang feel a bit embarrassed. As he entered Shen Xiuchao¡¯s office, the Huayun Pavilion, the antique Ming-Qing Dynasty furniture was all fit for royalty. The rosewood carved openwork sofa was a rarity. As the saying goes, ¡°Nine out of ten rosewood are hollow¡±, indicating the rarity of rosewood. Once seated, Huang Yunshan, the personal secretary, had alreadye in, carrying a tea tray. After serving tea to Mu Dingjian and Nie Zhenbang, he retreated immediately. Having served beside the leader for many years, Huang Yunshan would not have any oversights in these minor details. At this moment, Shen Xiuchao took the initiative to say, ¡°Zhenbang, I have been paying attention to your actions in Donggang. You were decisive and unconventional, costing the spectors a lot. More importantly, maintaining Donggang¡¯s stability and economic prosperity holds significant political significance, far exceeding its economic significance.¡±
Mu Dingjian smiled genuinely, showing his admiration for Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Sir, don¡¯t tter him anymore. This kid doesn¡¯t takepliments lightly. When he gets back to Liangxi, who knows what kind of trouble he¡¯ll stir up.¡± This remark caused Shen Xiuchao to burst intoughter. Indeed, every time Nie Zhenbang was about to undertake some big action, he would inevitably stir up something either before or after. Nie Zhenbang knew well that being overly intimate would not help him gain the favor of the leader and Secretary Mu. It took time to build rtionships and trust. These things could not be built overnight. At this time, asking the leader or Mu Dingjian to openly discuss the politicalndscape and the movements of different families with him was impossible. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rank was still not high enough, and he hadn¡¯t reached a level that allowed the leaders to fully trust him. Yet, at this moment, if he wished to leave a deep impression on the leader, he had to present something tangible. Not fame, not wealth, not gold or silver. For Shen Xiuchao, these things were not important anymore. He was a genuine national leader, with dedicated cars and jets at his disposable, as well as a personal health doctor. These worldly possessions that were not brought in birth nor taken in death, even a provincial governor wouldn¡¯t put much emphasis on these, let alone him. Thus, to win Shen Xiuchao¡¯s favor, Nie Zhenbang must prove his worth in governance. Conveniently, Nie Zhenbang had some ideas of his own. Observing that Mu Dingjian seemed very satisfied, Nie Zhenbang knew that Secretary Mu was pleased with his performance today. He then carefullyposed his words and said softly, ¡°Leader, Secretary Mu, I¡¯ve been in politics for almost eight years, especially after spending a few years in Xibei Autonomous Region and another two with the Disciplinary Committee, I¡¯ve had some immature thoughts about governance. I wish to report these thoughts to you.¡± The so-called immature ideas were nothing more than polite words. Would Nie Zhenbang dare to present them if his ideas were truly immature? Embodied in the proposals, no doubt, were his countless scrupulous deliberations and weighings on advantages and disadvantages. Nie had a magical type of intelligence. In the eighties, several articles seeded in prediction on the Soviet Union, and his meticulous maneuvering had allowed the nation to reap huge benefits. Moreover, the strategy for sustainable development that sparked the aplishments of New Li City was also his idea. Over the years, this strategy has showed its significant strengths domestically. Now, he has something new to report, observed Shen Xiuchao, his gaze full of intrigue. Nie Zhenbang was no ordinary man¨Cyouthful as he seemed in his thirties, he was as shrewd as the old politicians. Clearly, he was trying to establish rtions with Shen with the simple aim of maintaining his family¡¯s and his own status within the first group once Shen assumed power. From the era of Elder Nan, or even from the time Taizu favored the Nie family elder, the Nies had held power for three generations. Shen would be the fourth. His family was the first to hold such a record domestically. Were it not for theck of sessors in the Nie family, Shen Xiuchao would be slightly worried about them seizing his power. Thankfully, there was no such predicament. In response to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s goodwill, Shen Xiuchao warmly epted it, nodding with a smile before joking with Mu Dingjian, ¡°Comrade Dingjian, this Nie is overly modest.¡± Nie Zhenbang blushed slightly, as if unmasked, and chortled: ¡°You overestimate me, sir. What I intend to report to you actually concerns issues rted to agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.¡± These rural issues were, in reality, issues that had arisen under Shen Xiuchao¡¯s government. Now, however, Shen found himself a bit confused. Nie Zhenbang smiled and rified: ¡°Sir, this is simply a concise term I use. Specifically, ¡®three rural issues¡¯ refer to issues concerning agriculture, rural areas, and farmers. With nearly 800 million rural inhabitants in our country, the farmers have direct implications on our national stability and development. Solving the three rural issues is equivalent to resolving half of our nation¡¯s challenges.¡± ¡°Ah, the three rural issues? What a ssical and spot-on term. Can you borate?¡± Shen Xiuchao praised, his curiosity piqued. These ideas were actually summarizedter on, but Nie Zhenbang seemed to spin them effortlessly. Showing no consciousness of concept infringement, he thought it better to voice them now to garner national attention. If presented earlier, it could benefit the masses, thus contributing to the nation.
He organized his thoughts then slowly began, ¡°Sir, in my years working in the Inspection Department, I have been to many rural areas and even served in remote regions of the Western Region. Based on my experiences, it¡¯s clear that the countryside is truly poor, the farmers are extremely hard-working, and agriculture is indeed precarious.¡± This statement only surfaced two yearster when a rural official in a city of Chubei Province wrote to the state council. Now, brought up by Nie Zhenbang, it certainly left Shen Xiuchao astounded. But having worked extensively in impoverished, remote areas, Shen shared the sentiment deeply. After a long silence, he nodded solemnly, ¡°Zhenbang, your statement indeed captures the essence of the farmer¡¯s problems.¡±
Nie Zhenbang nodded and continued, ¡°Sir, three rural issues essentially involve three facets. Firstly, rural issues are essentially about reforming the rural household registration system. The imbnce between urban and rural development has widened the gap between cities and rural areas, which is the root of the conflict. The surplus ruralbor force seeking employment elsewhere disys the crux of the issue. Secondly, agricultural issues actually concern the industrialization of agriculture. The exceedingly low prices of agricultural products significantly dampen farmers¡¯ enthusiasm for cultivation. Food and agriculture are the lifelines of a nation and must never be shaken. Thirdly, the farmer issues can be subdivided into two parts: the reduction of farmers¡¯ burdens and the issue of public quality.¡± He paused for a brief moment before continuing: ¡°Currently, the coverage rate for nine-yearpulsory education is about 79 percent nationwide. Among those not covered, more than 95 percent are rural poption. Their resistance towards the family nning policy is also an issue that cannot be ignored. The corrtion between the increasing birth rate and poverty is a reflection of the quality of the farmers. How to improve the quality of farmers is the issue that the state needs to study. A strong public makes a rich nation, so improving the quality of farmers who make up two-thirds of the national poption is crucial.¡± ¡°Relief measures. At present, in addition to the normal national agricultural taxes, the different policies and regtions in each province and city have led to varying amounts of agricultural reserves in each township. The names of these are numerous and intricate, often linked to the administrative expenses of their local organizations. There have also been instances of farmers resisting taxes in many ces. In my opinion, this is the most significant issue. I suggest, if possible, the elimination of agricultural taxes to truly reduce the burden on farmers and boost their enthusiasm for farming.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words left Shen Xiuchao deeply affected. One thought alone ran through his mind: this man was a true talent. However, Shen Xiuchao had no other ideas. Officers like Nie Zhenbang needed to serve locally to maximize their effect. At the moment, Shen Xiuchao¡¯s admiration for talent spurred, and after some consideration, he said seriously, ¡°Zhenbang, cote these ideas into a written report and submit it to me as soon as possible. ( Chapter 467: 435 This is a Big Trouble Now_1 Chapter 467: Chapter 435 This is a Big Trouble Now_1 Hearing Shen Xiuchao¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang was thrilled. He already had the documents at hand, all from previous work. Soon he humbly nodded, ¡°Comrade Shen, I¡¯ve got the written materials ready. I can bring them over soon.¡± Shen Xiuchao, being a man of action, also nodded, ¡°Kept at your Jingcheng home right? Just make a phone call and have that little guy Jiamin get it for you.¡± Nie Jiamin felt a wave of emotions upon receiving the call. His younger brother was proving to be more surprising than he¡¯d anticipated, now even establishing rtions with the Crown Prince. He quickly scanned Nie Zhenbang¡¯s written materials. Compared to his oral presentation, they were more detailed and thorough. His insights into the ¡°Three Rural¡± issues were profound, and many of his ideas and ns were very appealing. Shen Xiuchao closed the materials, looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Zhenbang, your stance is well thought out and insightful. As a member of the Communist Party, we need forward-thinking cadres like you.¡± This surprised Mu Dingjian. As Shen¡¯s right-hand man, he knew Vice Chair Shen was not one to easily praise subordinates. This praise for Nie Zhenbang showed he held him in high regard. At that moment, Shen Xiuchao changed the subject and said with a smile, ¡°I heard the Eastern Development Forum is due to start in less than two months. That¡¯s great. I n to attend. National emphasis is on the East¡¯s development strategy. Provinces with advanced economies in the East can innovate and bring about regional development, which is worth emting and should be supported by the state. I will take a look at the opening ceremony.¡± Shen Xiuchao then instructed to his secretary outside, ¡°The Eastern Development Forum¡¯s opening ceremony in Liangxi City, take note, we¡¯ll attend in October.¡± His first secretary was not just for note-taking. At Shen Xiuchao¡¯s level, there was more than just domestic politics. There were also numerous foreign affairs activities to participate in. Writing them down was partly for reference and mainly for work coordination and scheduling of international activities at that time. Nie Zhenbang was delighted and stood up, ¡°Comrade Shen, your presence is the greatest affirmation to Jiangbei Province and the five provinces of the East. We will be well-prepared to receive you.¡± After all, Shen Xiuchao was already a regr Politburo member, and sparing a few hours to meet with Nie Zhenbang was already a significant focus on the Three Rural issues. At this moment, Huang Yunshan came in and whispered, ¡°Comrade Shen, it¡¯s time to depart. Severalrades are waiting to bid you farewell at Yun Guangge. The special ne for the Asia-Pacific summit is ready.¡±
With this, both Nie Zhenbang and Mu Dingjian tactfully rose to their feet, bid their farewells, and left. Driving out of Huayun Pavilion in Mu Dingjian¡¯s official vehicle, he gave Nie Zhenbang some instructions, treating him as one of his confidants. In the end, Mu Dingjian told Nie Zhenbang that if he ever needed help, he coulde to him. This was Ding Jian¡¯s recognition and promise to Nie Zhenbang. After parting ways with Ding Jian, Nie Zhenbang met with several others in Jingcheng. Gao Wei was already nning his transfer. The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection was ready to release him and was waiting for a transfer order from Wanghai city. After spending two nights in Jingcheng, Nie Zhenbang took a flight back to Jiangzhou. As the ne gentlynded at Jiangzhou Airport, Nie Zhenbang was full of mixed feelings. A month ago, Prime Minister Yun summoned him to Donggang, at which time his future was uncertain. Should he fail, his political career would end. Now, not only had it not ended, but he also gained the appreciation of the Crown Prince and the trust of Secretary Mu. With their support, his path was set to be a smooth one. Stepping out of the airport, Nie Zhenbang felt refreshed. The impact of Elder Nie¡¯s death had reached its weakest point. Current Secretary Yuan, followed by Shen Xiuchao and then Mu Dingjian, all national leaders were supporting him. Others who wanted to suppress him had to consider whether they could withstand the anger of these big shots. Soon, Nie Zhenbang found Huang Xuyang and Yang Qingshan in the crowd. He had already informed them of his flight schedule by phone. Upon seeing him, both men came over. Huang Xuyang took Nie Zhenbang¡¯s briefcase and handed him a cup of tea, while Yang Qingshan took his suitcase. Looking at the two, Nie Zhenbang smiled and asked Huang Xuyang, ¡°Xuyang, how has the situation in the city been during the month I¡¯ve been away?¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much change. Vice Mayor Li has been very popr this month. ordingly, Vice Mayors Shi and Li have be closer. Everything else is proceeding as nned, especially the old city renovation. However, it seems that quite a few of the Zhou family¡¯s vis are being built with substandard materials.¡± Chapter 468 - 469: 435 This is a Big Trouble Now_3 Chapter 469: Chapter 435 This is a Big Trouble Now_3 The Donggang Special Administrative Government is participating? That¡¯s a good thing, expanding the influence of the East Development Forum, bringing in port capital, this also presents a rare showcasing opportunity. What¡¯s this about ying big? Shen Yanshuo muttered a condemnation in his mind. He was about to speak, ready to criticize Nie Zhenbang. However, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°After that, I returned to Jingcheng and visited Secretary Mu of the Youth League Central Committee. Following Secretary Mu, I also went to see Chief Xiu Chao. This time, after hearing about our East Development Forum, Chief Xiu Chao was quite interested and immediately instructed his secretary, Comrade Huang Yunshan, to jot down. Stating that in October, he wille to Liangxi to attend the opening ceremony of the East Development Forum. As this involves Chief Xiu Chao, I dare not make a decision on this matter.¡± Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Shen Yanshuo drew a cold breath. The only person who could be referred to as Chief with this name was his own family¡¯s leader, Crown Prince Shen Xiuchao. He didn¡¯t expect that Nie Zhenbang, of this level, had such a wide range of connections. This rtionship, Shen Yanshuo could affirm, was definitely not due to the influence of the Nie family, it was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s own skill. This kid is quite extraordinary. Given time, he might be another Chief Xiu Chao. However, at this moment, Shen Yanshuo dared not neglect. If he could invite Shen Xiuchao, it would greatly benefit Jiangbei. It¡¯s really like Nie Zhenbang said, they¡¯ve really yed a big hand this time. After pondering for a moment, Shen Yanshuo made his decision, ¡°The matter of Chief Xiu Chao attending the meeting must be taken seriously. After you go back to Liangxi, you should also prepare as soon as possible. This time, the provincial government will also send a preparatory group to station in Liangxi City. We must show the spirit and development achievements of Jiangbei and Liangxi.¡± After pausing for a moment, Shen Yanshuo still felt anxious, he added, ¡°This preparatory work, you must pay high attention to it, and treat it as a political task. In terms of coordination, I willmunicate with Comrade Sheng Xiu, and fully support your work. The province will also hold a standingmittee meeting to discuss and arrange for the reception. Comrade Zhenbang, not only the province is looking at you, Comrade Xiu Chao is also watching you. You must sessfullyplete the task. Do you have confidence?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang showed no sign of tion. Such a task, whichcks many benefits, if done well, would be a merit of the collective team. Although, as the host, the benefits are limited. However, if it¡¯s not done well, as the main responsible person, the responsibility would be much greater. Such a task could be considered as thankless work. However, since it has been given to him, Nie Zhenbang could only insist, ¡°Please rest assured, sir. I will make sure to prepare for the East Development Forum.¡± Shen Yanshuo was very satisfied with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s stance, agreeing with a nod. This decision was made after consideration. It was Nie Zhenbang who invited Shen Xiuchao. He could not make assumptions about the rtionship involved. What if someone else was put in charge of this matter and Shen Xiuchao didn¡¯t approve? What would we do? If this happened, it would be a loss of face for Jiangbei Province. Instead of this, it would be better to go with the flow and let Nie Zhenbang take charge. This way, he might win some favor with Shen Xiuchao. (
Chapter 469 - 470: 436 Mayor Nie Wants to Demolish the House_1 Chapter 470: Chapter 436 Mayor Nie Wants to Demolish the House_1 ¡°The Central Three Rural Work Conference was recently held in Jingcheng. At the meeting, Vice President of the State, Comrade Shen Xiuchao emphasized the importance of the Three Rural Work for our country¡¯s economic and social development and maintaining overall stability ¡­¡± This was a report from the ¡°Daily at Seven¡± news program of the national television station. Watching this, Nie Zhenbang was deeply impressed. He didn¡¯t expect that in just one day, the Crown Prince had already started taking action, holding a Central Three Rural Work Conference. Perhaps, the next step would be to establish a Central Three Rural Work Leadership Group, followed by pilot schemes of agricultural tax reductions in several provinces. This was leadership! Such efficiency shocked even Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Husband, I want to talk to you about something.¡± At this moment, Li Lixue walked up to Nie Zhenbang, her big pregnant belly protruding. With all three of his women pregnant now, it was quite a challenge for Zhenbang. Looking at Li Lixue, although she was a bit heavier than before, she appeared even more charming. This maternal glow was not something you could find in ordinary women; it was unique to expectant mothers. Already nine months pregnant, Nie Zhenbang quickly helped Li Lixue to sit down, smiling, ¡°Lixue, when have you ever been so formal with me? What¡¯s up? Is there a problem at home?¡± Feeling the love from Nie Zhenbang, Li Lixue shook her head. There was some emotion in her eyes. Because of Zhenbang¡¯s attitude, noble women like Wan would probably be willing to persist despite facing the wrath of their own families. Perhaps that was why she was so willing to go along with him. ¡°No, it¡¯s not at home. It¡¯s about Chun Shan. He, Tiger and Long are managing Tenglong¡¯s industries abroad together, and recently, they seem to have offended some people. I¡¯m thinking, should we get Chun Shan toe back?¡± Li Lixue said somewhat hesitantly. Tenglong was technically an industry under her name but everyone knew that it was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. Now, with her younger brother wanting toe back, it seemed a bit awkward. He didn¡¯t help with his brother-inw¡¯s work, and on top of that, he asked Li Lixue to speak up for him. It was no wonder she was hesitant. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang smiled, lovingly caressing Li Lixue¡¯s flowing hair, ¡°Silly girl, what¡¯s so hard to say about this? Long and Tiger are not quiet characters by nature; Chun Shan will get into trouble with them sooner orter. It¡¯s good to let hime back. He¡¯s also in his twenties now, going on thirty. It¡¯s time for him to find someone and get married. Let him stay here for a while after hees back, and arrange everything ordingly.¡±
Hearing this, Li Lixue excitedly leaned in, kissing Nie Zhenbang passionately, ¡°My dear, you are really great. My love¡­ I want you!¡± Nie Zhenbang seemed somewhat moved. All three women were pregnant and he had been in Donggang for some time. After over a month, indeed, there was a feeling of pent-up desire. But he hesitated, ¡°Lixue, this isn¡¯t appropriate. You are pregnant after all.¡± Before he could finish, Li Lixue had already sealed his mouth with hers. ¡­ A silent night passed. The warmth and emotions were beyond words. After getting up and preparing breakfast for his three women, Nie Zhenbang took his briefcase and stepped out. Huang Xuyang and Yang Qingshan were already waiting for him downstairs. Seeing Nie Zhenbange over, Huang Xuyang approached, took the briefcase and opened the car door for him. Huang Xuyang didn¡¯t feel any unease or awkwardness doing these tasks. His situation made him very clear-headed. He had been an ignored little secretary in the course of seven years, but his life had changedpletely. Li Fen¡¯s job was also arranged at a very good ce. In the end, Huang Xuyang decided to have Li Fen in the police department, working as an internal staff. Moreover, whenever he visited an area, the leaders of various counties and cities, the heads of various bureaus andmittees in the city, all treated him politely. This was the reason why he didn¡¯t want to socialize. Otherwise, he would have social gatherings every day, not to mention that they never repeated any of those. This was a part of his job as a secretary, and Huang Xuyang had no loss of face in it. As soon as he got in the car, Yang Qingshan turned his head and asked, ¡°Mayor, are we going to the city government?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to Guicheng District first. Hmm, let¡¯s go take a look at the Royal Scenery Lanh Lake project.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s seemingly casual words revealed his intentions directly. When the car entered the construction site of the Royal Scenery Lanh Lake project, Zhou Chen and the leaders of the Guicheng District Government were already waiting at the site. District Head Xiong Chuxun was also standing nearby. As soon as he got out of the car, Zhou Chen greeted him with a smile. Ever since the in-depth discussion with Li Guohuast time, Zhou Chen fully understood the principle of going with the flow. Though Nie Zhenbang was not present this past month, Zhou Chen did not y any tricks. Zhou Chen was no fool. Matters likend expropriation were impossible to hide, and he was clear whether or not he had vited anyws. Just because Nie Zhenbang was not present didn¡¯t mean he had left Liangxi. He was merely away on business and would definitely deal with him on his return once he learned of any misconduct. There was no need to take such risks. ¡°Mayor Nie, wee, thank you for the concern and love the municipal government has shown to our Zhou n Group. We feel the attention and care from the local government. Please rest assured, Mayor Nie. We, the Zhou n Group, are highly respected for our strict quality control. We will certainly deliver an outstanding masterpiece property to Liangxi City.¡± For someone like Zhou Chen,ing from a prestigious family, such official and formic words didn¡¯t require any thoughtful preparation but came very naturally. Nie Zhenbang sneered inwardly. On this construction site, there was a specially erected shed, marked as ¡®Rebar Processing Shed No. 1¡¯. Inside it, piles of rebar were strewn on the ground. At first nce, it indeed seemed normal. Such tricks weremonly used by developers, the sheds and construction sites were specially set up to handle government inspections. If not, it would be quite easy to see through their ruse, wouldn¡¯t that be inviting trouble? Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang pretended to be unaware and said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and take a look. The renovation of Lanh Lake is a top priority for the city this year. Even though it¡¯s still being carried out by the Zhou n Group, after all, it is a municipal public project.¡±
A leadership inspection is always like this ¡ª surrounded by arge group of people unless it¡¯s a secret visit. Otherwise, hoping to quietly see some real issues is virtually impossible. Who would present the bad side during such inspections? Wouldn¡¯t that be idiotic? Upon reaching a standalone vi under construction, Nie Zhenbang seemingly became interested, stopped, turned to Zhou Chen, and said, ¡°President Zhou, this must be your high-end product, right? The design looks good. Why don¡¯t we go in for an on-site inspection?¡± As his words dropped, Zhou Chen¡¯s face instantly turned gloomy. The first phase of the entire project mainly consisted of these stand-alone and semi-detached vis, excluding thend not yet developed. Honestly, Zhou Chen¡¯s positioning was indeed quite good, fully capturing the essence of high-end luxury. Being from a prestigious family with profound background, he handled such luxurymunity projects skillfully. However, there wouldn¡¯t be an issue if Zhou Chen had been doing it all above board. But Zhou Chen was not an honest man; he was sly and sneaky. Except for the first dozen vis at the entrance, all the rest were built with inferior steel.
No wonder Zhou Chen was frantic. When he had initially bid for the project, he hadn¡¯t thought it through, but now, seeing the huge pollutedke that needed cleaning up, he was baffled. Naturally, he thought of reiming some losses through these means. In Zhou Chen¡¯s view, for these vis that were no more than three stories high, using stretched rebar would be absolutely fine. At this moment, hearing that Nie Zhenbang wanted to go up to the site, Zhou Chen became somewhat apprehensive. At this time, a lot of the rebar was still exposed, and it would be quite clear upon inspection. ¡°Mayor Nie, you see, ording to our rules, one has to wear a safety helmet to enter the site. We didn¡¯t prepare any here,¡± Zhou Chenughingly tried to dissuade him, but his excuse sounded veryme. ¡°Safety helmet? President Zhou, surely yourpany can¡¯t becking such basic equipment as safety helmets, right? Or does your management not need to inspect the sites?¡± As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang pointed to a few people behind Zhou Chen and said, ¡°Comrades, you head to the project department and fetch some safety helmets.¡± At this moment, Zhou Chen was left with no other choice. He seized this opportunity to step aside and dialed Li Guohua¡¯s number. As soon as Li Guohua picked up, Zhou Chen quickly lowered his voice and anxiously said, ¡°Brother Guohua, something bad has happened. Nie Zhenbang is here inspecting the construction site. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s going to discover our use of inferior steel.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Guohua frowned deeply and scolded, ¡°What the hell are you doing, Zhou Chen? I warned you not to be greedy for such petty benefits. We¡¯re all from prestigious families, we should act on arger scale. You never listen. Since you did it, why didn¡¯t you guide him towards the image-enhancing projects?¡± After scolding him thoroughly and venting his anger, Li Guohua spoke in a heavy tone, ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll be right over.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang epted the safety helmet handed to him and headed straight upstairs. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to the construction happening below. But once he reached the top and saw the workers reinforcing the steel, he smiled and asked, ¡°Master, what is the grade of these rebars?¡± This question stumped the workers, as they were honestborers and did not dare to lie in front of the leading cadres. Moreover, construction engineering has its inherent standards. The cement of different grades of rebar can¡¯t be messed around with. In a few breaths, Nie Zhenbang seemed to understand everything. As he stood up with a stern expression, he looked at Zhou Chen and said, ¡°President Zhou, what¡¯s going on with the Zhou n Group? Why aren¡¯t the marks on the rebars in ordance with the rules? How could people live in such houses? How can our Liangxi City Government still trust the Zhou n Group?¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang turned his head towards Xiong Chuxun and rebuked angrily, ¡°Xiong Chuxun, what does your Guicheng District Government do? There¡¯s no supervision at all?¡± ¡°Xuyang, now call the Construction Bureau and the Municipal Engineering Company. Let them send technical professionals immediately to inspect and evaluate all the buildings here. Those buildings that fail to meet the regtions should all be demolished!¡± (The story continues. If you like this work, please vote and support on . Your support is my greatest motivation.)
Chapter 470: 436 Mayor Nie Wants to Demolish the House_1 Chapter 470: Chapter 436 Mayor Nie Wants to Demolish the House_1 ¡°The Central Three Rural Work Conference was recently held in Jingcheng. At the meeting, Vice President of the State, Comrade Shen Xiuchao emphasized the importance of the Three Rural Work for our country¡¯s economic and social development and maintaining overall stability ¡­¡± This was a report from the ¡°Daily at Seven¡± news program of the national television station. Watching this, Nie Zhenbang was deeply impressed. He didn¡¯t expect that in just one day, the Crown Prince had already started taking action, holding a Central Three Rural Work Conference. Perhaps, the next step would be to establish a Central Three Rural Work Leadership Group, followed by pilot schemes of agricultural tax reductions in several provinces. This was leadership! Such efficiency shocked even Nie Zhenbang. ¡°Husband, I want to talk to you about something.¡± At this moment, Li Lixue walked up to Nie Zhenbang, her big pregnant belly protruding. With all three of his women pregnant now, it was quite a challenge for Zhenbang. Looking at Li Lixue, although she was a bit heavier than before, she appeared even more charming. This maternal glow was not something you could find in ordinary women; it was unique to expectant mothers. Already nine months pregnant, Nie Zhenbang quickly helped Li Lixue to sit down, smiling, ¡°Lixue, when have you ever been so formal with me? What¡¯s up? Is there a problem at home?¡± Feeling the love from Nie Zhenbang, Li Lixue shook her head. There was some emotion in her eyes. Because of Zhenbang¡¯s attitude, noble women like Wan would probably be willing to persist despite facing the wrath of their own families. Perhaps that was why she was so willing to go along with him. ¡°No, it¡¯s not at home. It¡¯s about Chun Shan. He, Tiger and Long are managing Tenglong¡¯s industries abroad together, and recently, they seem to have offended some people. I¡¯m thinking, should we get Chun Shan toe back?¡± Li Lixue said somewhat hesitantly. Tenglong was technically an industry under her name but everyone knew that it was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. Now, with her younger brother wanting toe back, it seemed a bit awkward. He didn¡¯t help with his brother-inw¡¯s work, and on top of that, he asked Li Lixue to speak up for him. It was no wonder she was hesitant. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang smiled, lovingly caressing Li Lixue¡¯s flowing hair, ¡°Silly girl, what¡¯s so hard to say about this? Long and Tiger are not quiet characters by nature; Chun Shan will get into trouble with them sooner orter. It¡¯s good to let hime back. He¡¯s also in his twenties now, going on thirty. It¡¯s time for him to find someone and get married. Let him stay here for a while after hees back, and arrange everything ordingly.¡±
Hearing this, Li Lixue excitedly leaned in, kissing Nie Zhenbang passionately, ¡°My dear, you are really great. My love¡­ I want you!¡± Nie Zhenbang seemed somewhat moved. All three women were pregnant and he had been in Donggang for some time. After over a month, indeed, there was a feeling of pent-up desire. But he hesitated, ¡°Lixue, this isn¡¯t appropriate. You are pregnant after all.¡± Before he could finish, Li Lixue had already sealed his mouth with hers. ¡­ A silent night passed. The warmth and emotions were beyond words. After getting up and preparing breakfast for his three women, Nie Zhenbang took his briefcase and stepped out. Huang Xuyang and Yang Qingshan were already waiting for him downstairs. Seeing Nie Zhenbange over, Huang Xuyang approached, took the briefcase and opened the car door for him. Huang Xuyang didn¡¯t feel any unease or awkwardness doing these tasks. His situation made him very clear-headed. He had been an ignored little secretary in the course of seven years, but his life had changedpletely. Li Fen¡¯s job was also arranged at a very good ce. In the end, Huang Xuyang decided to have Li Fen in the police department, working as an internal staff. Moreover, whenever he visited an area, the leaders of various counties and cities, the heads of various bureaus andmittees in the city, all treated him politely. This was the reason why he didn¡¯t want to socialize. Otherwise, he would have social gatherings every day, not to mention that they never repeated any of those. This was a part of his job as a secretary, and Huang Xuyang had no loss of face in it. As soon as he got in the car, Yang Qingshan turned his head and asked, ¡°Mayor, are we going to the city government?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to Guicheng District first. Hmm, let¡¯s go take a look at the Royal Scenery Lanh Lake project.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s seemingly casual words revealed his intentions directly. When the car entered the construction site of the Royal Scenery Lanh Lake project, Zhou Chen and the leaders of the Guicheng District Government were already waiting at the site. District Head Xiong Chuxun was also standing nearby. As soon as he got out of the car, Zhou Chen greeted him with a smile. Ever since the in-depth discussion with Li Guohuast time, Zhou Chen fully understood the principle of going with the flow. Though Nie Zhenbang was not present this past month, Zhou Chen did not y any tricks. Zhou Chen was no fool. Matters likend expropriation were impossible to hide, and he was clear whether or not he had vited anyws. Just because Nie Zhenbang was not present didn¡¯t mean he had left Liangxi. He was merely away on business and would definitely deal with him on his return once he learned of any misconduct. There was no need to take such risks. ¡°Mayor Nie, wee, thank you for the concern and love the municipal government has shown to our Zhou n Group. We feel the attention and care from the local government. Please rest assured, Mayor Nie. We, the Zhou n Group, are highly respected for our strict quality control. We will certainly deliver an outstanding masterpiece property to Liangxi City.¡± For someone like Zhou Chen,ing from a prestigious family, such official and formic words didn¡¯t require any thoughtful preparation but came very naturally. Nie Zhenbang sneered inwardly. On this construction site, there was a specially erected shed, marked as ¡®Rebar Processing Shed No. 1¡¯. Inside it, piles of rebar were strewn on the ground. At first nce, it indeed seemed normal. Such tricks weremonly used by developers, the sheds and construction sites were specially set up to handle government inspections. If not, it would be quite easy to see through their ruse, wouldn¡¯t that be inviting trouble? Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang pretended to be unaware and said calmly, ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and take a look. The renovation of Lanh Lake is a top priority for the city this year. Even though it¡¯s still being carried out by the Zhou n Group, after all, it is a municipal public project.¡±
A leadership inspection is always like this ¡ª surrounded by arge group of people unless it¡¯s a secret visit. Otherwise, hoping to quietly see some real issues is virtually impossible. Who would present the bad side during such inspections? Wouldn¡¯t that be idiotic? Upon reaching a standalone vi under construction, Nie Zhenbang seemingly became interested, stopped, turned to Zhou Chen, and said, ¡°President Zhou, this must be your high-end product, right? The design looks good. Why don¡¯t we go in for an on-site inspection?¡± As his words dropped, Zhou Chen¡¯s face instantly turned gloomy. The first phase of the entire project mainly consisted of these stand-alone and semi-detached vis, excluding thend not yet developed. Honestly, Zhou Chen¡¯s positioning was indeed quite good, fully capturing the essence of high-end luxury. Being from a prestigious family with profound background, he handled such luxurymunity projects skillfully. However, there wouldn¡¯t be an issue if Zhou Chen had been doing it all above board. But Zhou Chen was not an honest man; he was sly and sneaky. Except for the first dozen vis at the entrance, all the rest were built with inferior steel.
No wonder Zhou Chen was frantic. When he had initially bid for the project, he hadn¡¯t thought it through, but now, seeing the huge pollutedke that needed cleaning up, he was baffled. Naturally, he thought of reiming some losses through these means. In Zhou Chen¡¯s view, for these vis that were no more than three stories high, using stretched rebar would be absolutely fine. At this moment, hearing that Nie Zhenbang wanted to go up to the site, Zhou Chen became somewhat apprehensive. At this time, a lot of the rebar was still exposed, and it would be quite clear upon inspection. ¡°Mayor Nie, you see, ording to our rules, one has to wear a safety helmet to enter the site. We didn¡¯t prepare any here,¡± Zhou Chenughingly tried to dissuade him, but his excuse sounded veryme. ¡°Safety helmet? President Zhou, surely yourpany can¡¯t becking such basic equipment as safety helmets, right? Or does your management not need to inspect the sites?¡± As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang pointed to a few people behind Zhou Chen and said, ¡°Comrades, you head to the project department and fetch some safety helmets.¡± At this moment, Zhou Chen was left with no other choice. He seized this opportunity to step aside and dialed Li Guohua¡¯s number. As soon as Li Guohua picked up, Zhou Chen quickly lowered his voice and anxiously said, ¡°Brother Guohua, something bad has happened. Nie Zhenbang is here inspecting the construction site. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s going to discover our use of inferior steel.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Guohua frowned deeply and scolded, ¡°What the hell are you doing, Zhou Chen? I warned you not to be greedy for such petty benefits. We¡¯re all from prestigious families, we should act on arger scale. You never listen. Since you did it, why didn¡¯t you guide him towards the image-enhancing projects?¡± After scolding him thoroughly and venting his anger, Li Guohua spoke in a heavy tone, ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll be right over.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang epted the safety helmet handed to him and headed straight upstairs. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to the construction happening below. But once he reached the top and saw the workers reinforcing the steel, he smiled and asked, ¡°Master, what is the grade of these rebars?¡± This question stumped the workers, as they were honestborers and did not dare to lie in front of the leading cadres. Moreover, construction engineering has its inherent standards. The cement of different grades of rebar can¡¯t be messed around with. In a few breaths, Nie Zhenbang seemed to understand everything. As he stood up with a stern expression, he looked at Zhou Chen and said, ¡°President Zhou, what¡¯s going on with the Zhou n Group? Why aren¡¯t the marks on the rebars in ordance with the rules? How could people live in such houses? How can our Liangxi City Government still trust the Zhou n Group?¡± With that, Nie Zhenbang turned his head towards Xiong Chuxun and rebuked angrily, ¡°Xiong Chuxun, what does your Guicheng District Government do? There¡¯s no supervision at all?¡± ¡°Xuyang, now call the Construction Bureau and the Municipal Engineering Company. Let them send technical professionals immediately to inspect and evaluate all the buildings here. Those buildings that fail to meet the regtions should all be demolished!¡± (The story continues. If you like this work, please vote and support on . Your support is my greatest motivation.)
Chapter 471: 437: No respect_1 Chapter 471: Chapter 437: No respect_1 ¡°Mayor Nie! Please wait a moment.¡± As Nie Zhenbang was about to order for thepulsory demolition, suddenly a voice called out from outside. Li Guohua, apanied by his secretary and several leaders from Guicheng District, walked in. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, a look of embarrassment appeared on Li Guohua¡¯s face. That Zhou Chen, he was utterly disgraceful for doing such low-down things, and for such small gains. It was aplete insult to the term ¡®aristocratic youth¡¯. However, at this moment, Li Guohua had no choice but to defend Zhou Chen. After all, Zhou Chen was Li Guohua¡¯s most trusted person among his peers. If he didn¡¯t save Zhou Chen, who among the noble youths of Jingcheng would support him? This was impossible, so for this reason, Li Guohua had to put on a brave face. ¡°Oh? Is it Deputy Mayor Guohua? Do you need something? I was in the mood for an inspection and came here, but I didn¡¯t expect to find that the Zhou n Group is suspected of skimping on materials. Whatever it is, let me handle this first.¡± Nie Zhenbang turned his head, smiled faintly, and spoke. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was deliberately ying dumb. He knew what Li Guohua was after, but by ying dumb, it was clear that he was not giving Li Guohua any chance to plead. As his words finished, Li Guohua¡¯s face changed. He hesitated for a moment before stepping forward and said quietly, ¡°Mayor Nie, regarding the Zhou n¡¯s project, should we reconsider? The Zhou n Group is a well-knownpany domestically and this project is one of the key projects in our old city renovation this time. Shouldn¡¯t we think in the long term?¡± Long-term considerations? Nie Zhenbang sneered. Li Guohua was making a good calction, long-term considerations would only mean trivializing everything. More importantly, at that time, Li Guohua would have saved face and would not be too much affected. This opportunity is not always avable. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang sternly said: ¡°Deputy Mayor Li, don¡¯t you know the nature of this situation? How should I think long-term about this? These buildings have used substandard steel, there could be problems. If people move in and the building copses, who will be responsible? Can you bear this responsibility? There is no room for negotiation. The Zhou n Group must pay the price. All the houses that have used substandard steel should be demolished. And there will be a fine of ten million yuan.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were somewhat exaggerating. Although the quality of these buildings wasn¡¯t high, they were not high-rises that would copse. At most, the lifespan of these buildings would be greatly reduced. However, the initiative was now in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hands.
In the face of the public, Nie Zhenbang spoke out righteously, and Li Guohua couldn¡¯t favor anyone too much. On the one hand, he needed to uphold the authority of the senior leaders. On the other hand, if he said too much, he would inevitably portrait himself as a conspirator. After a moment of silence, Li Guohua¡¯s face turned dark as he looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, while it¡¯s true that there are suspicions of skimping on materials in the Royal Scenery Lanh Lake project, the specific harm still needs to be tested by a professional technical team. Moreover, as a key project in our Liangxi City and our city¡¯srgest investment introduced this year, you should also consider our city¡¯s reputation in society. As for stopping work, demolitions and penalties, I suggest we discuss it at the Standing Committee meeting, would that be appropriate?¡± Li Guohua¡¯s words made Nie Zhenbang frown, using the Standing Committee to press me? But at this moment, Nie Zhenbang began to ponder. Now, if he insisted on tearing down these buildings, it is possible, after all, he had righteousness on his side. However, if he really did that, it would inevitably give the impression to Fan Changsheng and others in the municipal standingmittee that he was bing increasingly domineering. This would be extremely detrimental to his future work. Upon considering this, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said: ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take this matter to the Standing Committee for discussion. Xuyang, keep a close eye on it, cooperate with Xiong District leader and the professional technical staff, inspect and assess these illegal vis, and give me the report tomorrow morning.¡± After saying that, Nie Zhenbang turned around and walked away, heading straight outside. With this incident happening, the intended inspection was naturally impossible to continue. This was obviously a distrust of Li Guohua and others. Zhou Chen stood on the side with a gloomy face. When Nie Zhenbang¡¯s men had finished their inspection and left, Li Guohua said in a deep voice: ¡°Let¡¯s go. Is there any point in staying here?¡± ¡°Brother Hua, Nie Zhenbang is truly too arrogant. Earlier at the construction site, even after we presented such posture, this kid still acted with such a high-and-mighty attitude. It is clear that he is picking a fight with us.¡± As soon as he walked into the Zhou n Group¡¯s office in Liangxi, Zhou Chen plonked down onto the sofa, venting his dissatisfaction. No wonder, the Zhou n Group, at first nce, seems to be doing well, but it¡¯s just a shellpany created by Zhou Chen, regrly indulging in empty-handed tricks. This is why Zhou Chen, as a member of the upper ss, couldn¡¯t let go of those tens of millions. But now, not only did he fail to save those tens of millions, on the contrary, these buildings would have to be demolished. Along with fines, Zhou Chen¡¯s losses would be even greater. At this moment, Zhou Chen also felt an immense pain and could only resort to this method to stir up Li Guohua¡¯s animosity. After that, even if a rectification was carried out, it would mean less loss than demolition. Hearing Zhou Chen¡¯s words, Li Guohua at the moment was also enraged and said in a deep voice, ¡°You, take responsibility for your actions. ming others, won¡¯t help you. I already told you not to worry about this small amount of money. The substandard steel you purchased, how much did you really save? On the entire project, it sums up to a few millions. But now, Nie Zhenbang found this loophole and has put me on the defensive as well.¡± ¡­ ¡°Mayor, the report is out. ording to the city¡¯s construction engineeringpany, and the building design institute¡¯s professional assessment, these buildings have a lifespan of less than twenty years. Moreover, they pose significant safety risks and are unlikely to withstand an earthquake greater than a magnitude six.¡± The next morning, Huang Xuyang with bags under his eyes walked into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, cing a thick assessment report on the table. Looking at Huang Xuyang¡¯s condition, Nie Zhenbang felt reassured. Judging from his current performances, Huang Xuyang truly deserved encouragement. Immediately, Nie said, ¡°I¡¯ll take the report. I¡¯ll call a standingmittee meetingter on. You must have been up all night yesterday, go take some rest. If I need anything, I¡¯ll call you.¡± He walked into the small meeting room in the municipalmittee, stepping on the cue. At this moment, the members of the standingmittee were already seated. At exactly eight-thirty, Fan Changsheng walked in, managing his time perfectly. He nced at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Let¡¯s start.¡± The moment the words fell, Li Guohua took the initiative to speak, ¡°Secretary Fan,rades, let me say a few words. Recently, the headquarters carried out an investigation on all the construction projects in the city and found quite a few problems. Several construction sites seemed to be cutting corners to save costs and increase profits. Especially the Zhou n Group¡¯s Royal Scenery Lanh Lake project, where they used substandard steel. I suggest stopping the Zhou n Group¡¯s project immediately, ordering a rectification, and imposing a fine of one million, setting an example for others.¡± Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his eyebrows. Li Guohua¡¯s calctions were truly spot on, opting for a preemptive strategy to shift the standingmittee¡¯s mindset, leading them to think that Vice Mayor Li is impartial and does not favor his personal connections. Now, if Nie opposed the punishment, they would inevitably find him too harsh. In this era, there were only a few cadres like him with a sense of justice, they were considered the minority. Even if they spoke a few fair words, they were considered good cadres. Those who dedicate their lives to the people were rare. None of the standingmittee members will live in these houses, naturally they won¡¯t understand.
As he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang cleared his throat and said, ¡°Secretary Fan,rades, regarding Vice Mayor Li¡¯s proposal, I have a few things to add.¡± He brought forth the assessment report in his hand, passing it around to the standingmittee members and then said, ¡°ording to the city¡¯s Building Design Institute¡¯s survey and tests, not only will the lifespan of the buildings be greatly reduced, they are also unable to withstand an earthquake of magnitude six or higher. I believe this is not just a vition- such buildings must be forcefully demolished and suchpanies must be sternly dealt with.¡± At that moment, Fan Changsheng was in deep thought- Nie Zhenbang was really not giving him any face. Normally, for the sake of face, the members of the standingmittee would somewhat rx the punishment when someone raised opinions. But Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current action was definitely to follow the proper procedures of duty. Doing so was a heavy p on Li Guohua¡¯s face. Just as Fan was about to speak in defense of Li Guohua to maintain the mutual checks and bnces strategy, which ensured his dominant position, Nie Zhenbang slowly said, ¡°Secretary Fan, I am not nitpicking. The renovation of the old city is rted to the Eastern Development Forum two months from now. At that time, Vice Chairman Shen of the Central Committee will be there in person.¡± (To be Continued. If you like this story, please visit to vote for it. Your support is my greatest motivation.)
Chapter 472: 438 Citywide Mobilization_1 Chapter 472: Chapter 438 Citywide Mobilization_1 Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, not only was Li Guohua stunned on the spot, speechless for quite some time, but Fan Changsheng was also surprised, staring at Nie Zhenbang, trying hard to discern something from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. Unfortunately, Nie Zhenbang remainedposed and rxed at this moment, giving off an air of indifference uponpleting his statement, as if whether or not he would report to the higher-ups was uncertain. Fan Changsheng inwardly scoffed. Very quickly, he made a judgment in his heart. Such a matter, especially one involving national leaders, Nie Zhenbang certainly would not dare to lie about. In reference to the Vice Chairman Shen, there is also one person who goes by this title in the province, but he is just an old cadre who has retired from the political consultative conference of the province. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words included the central government, so it certainly doesn¡¯t refer to him. Therefore, at the national level, there is only one Vice Chairman Shen, that is Shen Xiuchao, the current standing member of the Politburo, secretary of the Central Secretariat, and Principal of the Central Party School. He is the future ruler of Huaxia and the future top leader, not to be taken lightly or belittled. Offending him equals severing one¡¯s own political future. Moreover, Fan Changsheng was quite certain that Nie Zhenbang absolutely would not lie about such a matter. If he dared to fabricate such a story, would the province let him off the hookter? Immediately after, Fan Changsheng also lightly coughed, nodded, and said, ¡°Mayor Nie¡¯s opinion is very insightful and correct. The old city¡¯s renovation, which pertains to the overall image of our city, is an indispensable part of this eastern development forum. Improving the city¡¯s image quality shouldn¡¯t merely focus on the surface. We have always opposed cosmetic acts that are not in line with the spirit of pursuing practical results. As for the Royal Scenery Lanh Lake project, I share Mayor Nie¡¯s opinion, it must be handled strictly.¡± After Nie Zhenbang finished his sentence and upon learning that Shen Xiuchao would attend the eastern development forum in Liangxi City, Li Guohua knew that Zhou Chen was likely to suffer a major blow. Seeing things now, it was indeed so. At this moment, Li Guohua had no choice but to nod and stated, ¡°I agree with Secretary Fan¡¯s opinion to punish them severely. I suggest that the Zhou n Group demolishes and rebuilds all these shoddy constructions. Also, they should be fined two million.¡± In regards to thisst sentence, Li Guohua yed a trick by reducing the fine stated by Nie Zhenbang from ten million to two million. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t bother to speak up anymore. At any time, one shouldn¡¯t be too assertive. Being overly dominant would pressure and endanger others, making them band together in self-defense. Nie Zhenbang did not want to see such a scene. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang lightly chuckled at this moment and indifferently said, ¡°I agree with Deputy Mayor Li¡¯s handling opinion.¡±
The standingmittee of the Liangxi City Committee could roughly be divided into three camps. Among them, Fan Changsheng had a slight advantage, followed by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s camp. Zhu Zhuozhen had the smallest faction among these three camps, but it was also capable of deciding the final oue. Next, during the vote by members of the standingmittee of the citymittee, a punitive resolution against Zhou n Group was smoothly passed with thirteen votes in favor and zero against. This was then handed over for supervision and execution to the City nning Bureau, City Architectural Design Institute, and Guicheng District Government. After discussing this matter, just as Fan Changsheng was about to speak, the door to the meeting room was pushed open from the outside. Fan Changsheng¡¯s secretary, Wang Mingxuan, was standing at the door. Once seeing Fan Changsheng¡¯s nod, he immediately walked in and whispered a few words in Fan Changsheng¡¯s ear. Fan Changsheng looked up at everyone once again and announced seriously, ¡°Comrades, I just received news. The Jiangbei Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government had also previously convened a meeting of the standingmittee of the provincialmittee. In rtion to the Eastern Development Forum, the province decided to establish a preparatory leadership group headed by the full-time deputy secretary of the provincialmittee, Wang Daan. Secretary Wang Daan will personally serve as the team leader and will arrive in Liangxi City shortly to oversee the city¡¯s preparation work.¡± This statement confirmed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. If it wasn¡¯t for Vice Chairman Shen¡¯s nned visit, the project, which had initially been ted to be handed over to the Liangxi City Government, suddenly had a preparatory leadership group from the provincialmittee set up for it. The intent was naturally clear. The Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government could no longer afford to be careless at the moment. Vice Chairman Shen was personally attending, and any mishap would not only lead to criticism of Liangxi City but could jeopardize the political careers of the major figures in the Provincial Party Committee. This was the true reason for the Provincial Party Committee¡¯s emphasis. As Fan Changsheng¡¯s words ended, the full-time deputy secretary of the citymittee, Zhu Zhuozhen, spoke up, ¡°This news is invigorating. Since Vice Chairman Shen will be present, I suggest that we adjust our preparations ordingly. Besides, the construction of municipal government projects and urban beautification projects should be improved in various aspects.¡± Before this, the Eastern Development Forum had been hosted by the Liangxi City Government, with the Jiangbei Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government entrusting the preparation work to Liangxi City. In terms of scale, Liangxi City had been preparing as per the provincial and ministerial standards. Now, with Vice Chairman Shen nning to attend, the scale naturally had to be elevated to the national level. Not only Vice Chairman Shen but also deputy state-level leaders from the Chinese People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference, the National People¡¯s Congress, and the State Council are likely to apany him. All these require preparation. ¡°Additionally, in terms of publicity, I suggest we should also increase investment. Recently, Comrade Zhang Shunan from the Radio and Television Bureau at the Broadcast Center has proposed several times that a modern satellite television signal transmission van should be provided for the center. My point is, in order to support the uing Eastern Development Forum, we need to demonstrate Liangxi¡¯s city and economic construction achievements to our brother cities across the country. I suggest, the City Committee should consider strengthening these aspects.¡± The Minister of Propaganda, Li Xiaoqin, added to the conversation. National leaders, especially the future Secretary General, Vice Chairman Shen, have also excited all of the permanent members of the Liangxi City Committee. If they could achieve extraordinary results in their individual work areas and receive recognition from Vice Chairman Shen, their future career paths would be smooth sailing. Seeing this, Fan Changsheng sneered. Now, without reservation, everyone is jumping out. It¡¯s human nature, they¡¯re all envious of the benefits involved. Who wouldn¡¯t want to show their face in front of a superior, especially the future number one? His gaze swept over everyone. Zhu Zhuozhen¡¯s performance at this moment was particrly interesting. Wang Daan is the head of the Provincial Committee¡¯s preparation team. Under such circumstances, Zhu Zhuozhen, as a close subordinate of Wang Daan, had a curious performance that was worth scrutinizing. After a moment of contemtion, Fan Changsheng smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, do you have any additional opinions?¡± At this moment, Fan Changsheng had decided to let Nie Zhenbang charge ahead. The news of Vice Chairman Shen¡¯s participation in the Eastern Development Forum was first disclosed by Nie Zhenbang. Things that even he didn¡¯t know were known to Nie Zhenbang in advance. What that implies was worth contemting. As the secretary, this was not the time to seek personal glory orpete for limelight. It was impossible to monopolize the benefits under such circumstances, and trying to do so could potentially provoke collective anger. The idea was to ensure everyone benefits, letting Nie Zhenbang take the lead was Fan Changsheng¡¯s n. Upon ncing at Fan Changsheng, the secretary of the citymittee showed a detached demeanor closing his eyes to meditate. In his mind, he silently criticized Fan Changsheng for his shrewd scheming. However, after pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang slowly said, ¡°Since Secretary Fan puts it in that way, let me make a fewments.¡± When he said ¡®a few¡¯, it was nothing more than a figure of speech. He gave a small smile to himself. Since Fan Changsheng had offered this opportunity, why should he hesitate? Hesitating and wavering would get him nowhere. Though it might offend other standingmittee members, it could also be a great chance to establish his own prestige in themittee meetings. Therefore, he said unaffectedly, ¡°The importance of the Eastern Development Forum, I believe, need not be further stressed.¡± ¡°I feel it is necessary to emphasize that, besides the leaders from five eastern provinces, Vice Chairman Shen, as well as the Donggang Special Administrative Government, will participate in the forum. The scale of the forum will thereby be elevated. This is a great opportunity for the city of Liangxi to showcase our urban development and distinctive spirit. It is a check and recognition of our work.¡± At the conclusion of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s remarks, all the othermittee members were deeply thoughtful. Some even nodded in agreement.
Indeed, what he said was correct. Nowadays, the nation advocates a focus on economic construction. Both material and spiritual civilizations must be grasped and improved for their mutual development. The image of a city is not only reflected in the number of skyscrapers orndmarks. The overall quality of the city¡¯s residents, as well as their spirit and cultural life, are all criteria for assessing the goodness of a city. Seeing the other standingmittee members nod in agreement with his viewpoint, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°Regarding the city¡¯s infrastructure construction, it¡¯s August now, and the Eastern Development Forum is set tomence in just two months. We don¡¯t have time to initiate any new projects. My idea is to leverage our existing infrastructure and prioritize crucial municipal infrastructure and transportation projects. We can even propose a slogan ¨C ¡®Work diligently for 60 days to honor the 49th anniversary.''¡± ¡°Furthermore, in aspects such as culture, education, and health care, the entire city should take action. We should divide each area of the city into sections based on administrative divisions, adopting methods like contracted sanitation. We should clean up once a week to elevate the city¡¯s sanitation environment to a new level. The city¡¯s treasury should increase investment in municipal projects like streetlight and city park renovations. The standingmittee members and the city atrge shoulde to a consensus ¨C to clear the path for the Eastern Development Forum, mobilizing the entire city.¡±
After finishing, Nie Zhenbang smiled at Fan Changsheng and asked, ¡°Secretary Fan, these are the main thoughts I have. Do you have anything to add?¡± ( Chapter 473: 439 Birth of Daughter_1 Chapter 473: Chapter 439 Birth of Daughter_1 After the Standing Committee meeting, under this broader context, the entire team of the Liangxi City Committee put aside their personal thoughts, even Li Guohua, who had already received a call from home. Vice Chairman Shen, who currently is set to seed President Yuan, had a certainty that left no room for doubt. This time, Vice Chairman Shen would be inspecting Liangxi City personally. Although Nie Zhenbang¡¯s performance didn¡¯t matter, everyone tried to leave a good impression on him. As a result, the Liangxi City Committee was united as never before. From the Propaganda Department, two of the million-dor satellite television broadcast vans were purchased at once to equip the Liangxi City Radio and Television Center. Moreover, a significant upgrade was given to the production equipment for television programs. The Liangxi City Committee personally issued instructions to recruit specialized talents in journalism and media. Such talents were enrolled under the special talent recruitment program, guaranteeing their treatment in all aspects. In the municipal engineering department, the city reced outdated streetlights on the main roads with brand new octagonal pce-style lights. Each road had its characteristic. The green belts on both sides of the road have also been renovated with arrays of tree canopies, a flourish of flowers and nts, rock carvings, and bonsai motives varying from ce to ce, yet all having their unique style. Even on Liangxi Avenue, the city¡¯s main road, valuable French ne trees were imported. In no time, Liangxi¡¯s cityscape scaled a new level. In cooperation with this, the public security bureau received orders from the citymittee and notice from Nie Zhenbang. In response, Chen Le did not dare to cken his efforts. He was well aware of the situation in his jurisdiction and had be familiar with it over the past year. For a time, many street hooligans received warnings from the police in their jurisdictions to stay put during this period: any trouble and no one could save them. However, some petty thieves did not take this to heart and continued operations as usual. But, after a series of crackdowns on these recalcitrant elements, fundamental changes urred in the public security situation throughout Liangxi City. ¡°Mayor, our nning bureau will strictly follow your instructions given at the old city renovation project site in Guicheng. We will thoroughly implement the spirit of the citymittee, strictly control all old city renovation projects, and guard this checkpoint,¡± said Chen Yao, director of the Liangxi City nning Bureau, as he sat in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, reporting his work. The assertiveness disyed by Nie Zhenbang made Chen Yao dare not swindle at this point, considering how unusually harmonious and united the Liangxi citymittee was. Chen knew if the Mayor was displeased, no one would clean up his mess. ¡°Good, Director Chen. Looking at the situation, it¡¯s apparent that our nning bureau colleagues have worked hard. However, this isn¡¯t enough. As both individuals and officials, we should adopt a preventive mindset. Although the demolition work has beenpleted smoothly, it has revealed many issues. As an essential department in urban construction, the nning bureau should not limit itself to merely supervising the public. We need to intensify the supervision of the project works. We must firmly curb any attempts to modify nning privately or evade regtion by rounding corners,¡± Nie Zhenbang apuded before offering a word of advice.
Such positive feedback from Nie Zhenbang excited Chen Yao. Although Chen was older than Nie, as a subordinate in their professional capacity, Chen had no leverage for negotiation. Chen Yao nodded and said, ¡°Yes, I will heed Mayor¡¯s reminder. In the Zhou n Group¡¯s project, we have issued administrative decisions jointly with the construction bureau and other relevant departments. Many buildings using substandard steel have been demolished already.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mobile phone in his hand suddenly rang. Nie had two phones. One was the publicly-announced Mayor¡¯s number ¨C his work phone for day-to-day liaison with other governmental officials. The other was his personal phone. Few people knew this number, mostly personal friends and trusted subordinates like Chen Le, Yi Jun, Yang Qingshan, and Huang Xuyang. Others were from Jingcheng, like Liu Kun and Zhao Xinglong, as well as his family members. The phone went ringing. Thinking it couldn¡¯t be the officials on the city side ¨C considering they had his fixed line number, and even Huang Xuyang had not contacted him on the phone he held. When such people needed him, they wouldn¡¯t take this route. Consequently, Nie Zhenbang looked at Chen Yao sitting on the couch, gestured with his hand, and said, ¡°Director Chen, that would be all for now. You may go back. If there¡¯s anything, feel free to find me.¡± This was merely words offort, but they were very effective. Such assurance gave Chen Yao the confidence and left him worry-free, allowing him to tackle ongoing matters more freely. Nie Zhenbang then waved Chen Yao off, pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket and saw that the iing call was from Dong Wan. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 474: 439 Birth of Daughter_2 Chapter 474: Chapter 439 Birth of Daughter_2 Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang stood up immediately. It was a call from Dong Wan. At present, all three women were pregnant, had something happened? As soon as he answered the call, Dong Wan¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Zhenbang, are you busy?¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang let out a sigh of relief. With her tone of voice, it seemed there wasn¡¯t anything urgent. He then heughed and replied, ¡°Wan, do you need anything?¡± At this moment, Dong Wan spoke softly, ¡°Mm, Zhenbang, I¡¯ve felt a bit unwell these past few days. Li Xue said it could be pregnancy-rted. I¡¯m thinking of going back to Jingcheng for a while for some rest and prenatal care. Also, after giving it some thought, I think it¡¯s better if Li Xue gives birth in Jingcheng. It¡¯s getting close to her due date, and if truebor starts, it¡¯ll be toote to get there.¡± ¡°Going to Jingcheng for confinement?¡± Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. ¡°Yes, Zhenbang, think about it. Here, you can¡¯t possibly take care of all of us. An Na and I in our current state probably won¡¯t be much assistance either. It will definitely be more convenient in Jingcheng. Besides, as you know, Uncle Nie and the others are all in Jingcheng¡­¡± Dong Wan¡¯s voice remained calm and gentle as always. Hearing Dong Wan¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang understood. Truly, it was uncertain if they could hire help here. At worst, they could ask Huang Xuyang¡¯s wife Li Fen to help. But Dong Wan was right. This would be the first of kind in the Nie family¡¯s fourth generation. It would be advantageous if Li Lixue could gain the family¡¯s eptance while on confinement in Jingcheng. Back to the call, after some deliberation, Nie Zhenbang nodded and agreed, ¡°That sounds good. You stay put at home, I¡¯ll have a word with my big uncle and let him make arrangements at Liangxi Airport. We¡¯ll charter a small business jet to Jingcheng.¡± After hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang calcted the time. Li Lixue¡¯s due date was on the day after tomorrow at any timebor could start. It should be no problem for him to take a week off from his work. Although his work in Liangxi City was important, he couldn¡¯t neglect his personal life. Li Lixue had silently contributed a lot at his side, even managing Tenglong¡¯s enormous fortune. Having their first child without him by her side, would bepletely uneptable. Nie Zhenbang immediately called his Uncle Nie Guodong, and without any hesitation, agreed straightaway.
Now with his uncle¡¯s approval, Nie Zhenbang felt reassured. Having the Commander of Jingcheng City Military District on board, this minor issue would not be a problem at all. Afterward, Nie Zhenbang called Ning Shouchang. ording to the rules within the system, at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s level, a director general, if he absents from work for a day or half without permission, especially for non-work-rted reason like him now having to leave the province and rest for a week, he need to apply for a leave from his executive unit. ording to these rules, Nie Zhenbang should apply for leave to the Provincial Party Committee Office and the Provincial Government Office. However, the circumstances were unusual, so after some contemtion, Nie Zhenbang simply chose to call Ning Shouchang directly. Ning Shouchang, on his end, agreed promptly to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s leave request without asking any further questions. Hanging up he said to Huang Xuyang ¡°Xuyang, I have some personal matters and will be heading to Jingcheng for a few days. Keep an eye on the City¡¯s work, and contact me anytime if somethinges up.¡± Money talks. Less than two in the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang and his party of four drove their car directly into the Military Liangxi Airport of Liangxi City. By now, a Bombardier Challenger series business jet from Eastern Airlines was waiting on the tarmac. The airport¡¯s station chief, a colonel of about fifty, greeted him, ¡°Mayor Nie, it¡¯s a pleasure. I didn¡¯t expect you to be Commander Nie¡¯s nephew. My name is Liang Zhenjun, I hope our military and civilian sides can maintain our close rtionship.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled. Currently, the Liangxi City Government had been working hard on the militarisation of Liangxi Airport. It was necessary to build good rtions with the military at this time. After exchanging a few pleasantries, Nie Zhenbang apologetically said, ¡°Station Chief Liang, I am sorry. There are some urgent matters that need to be addressed in Jingcheng. After I¡¯ve returned, I wille to visit you.¡± Upon boarding the ne, two well-trained flight attendants came over to greet them. An Na was amazed, ¡°Brother Zhenbang, this ne is too good. I think we also need to buy one for our family.¡± Yang Anna might have gotten married and put on aposed demeanor of a sophisticateddy in public, but in front of her family, she was still childlike in character. The flight attendant next to them introduced, ¡°Sir and esteemeddies, this is Bombardier¡¯s Challenger series business jet. Apart from the two crew members and two flight attendants, it can amodate eight more passengers. At the tail of the ne, there¡¯s an area for catering and a restroom. Therge horizontal sofa and these first-ss seats can be flexibly arranged. I am the chief flight attendant of this trip, my name is Zhang Lin. If you need anything, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask.¡± After all, it took a certain level of professionalism in them to be selected as flight attendants for business jets. Plus, their ability to coordinatending at a military airport was not something ordinary flight attendants could take lightly. The ne took off very quickly. To consider the pregnant woman, all three of them took on a semi-reclining position. Nevertheless, the smoothness of the business jet made Nie Zhenbang interested. With his financial resources, not to mention a tens of millions business jet like this, even an intercontinental jumbo jet from Boeing or Airbus that cost over a hundred million dors would be no problem. He figured he¡¯d be working away from home quite a bit in the future. Having a private jet like this would be very convenient for both him and his women. Around five in the evening, the nended steadily at the military airport in the southern suburb. Nie Zhenbang had already arranged for this to happen in advance. Li Lixue was immediately admitted into the obstetrics and gynecology department of the military general hospital. Dong Wan and Anna, however, wanted to go back home to check on things. ¡­ Outside of the delivery room in the maternity ward of the military general hospital, many members of the Nie family were waiting. Ye Shuxian, the mother-inw, had hurried back from Yanbei. Nie Ziyu was also standing by. Eldest brother Nie Jialei and his wife were also waiting nearby. Yang Anna and Dong Wan were sitting nearby, and Yang Anbang and Dong Wu from the Dong family were also apanying them. Nie Zhenbang, on the other hand, was pacing around. His elder sister, Nie Guoping, wasughing and scolding him, ¡°Young man, now you know what it¡¯s like to be anxious and worried. Rx and don¡¯t worry. Childbirth isn¡¯t that dangerous. I¡¯ve seen Li Xue¡¯s prenatal test report and she shouldn¡¯t have any problem with a natural birth. You¡¯re just a typical case of anxiety because it involves yourself.¡± Next to her, Anna teased, ¡°Mom, this is too scary. I¡¯m afraid to give birth now.¡±
As soon as she finished speaking, Nie Ziyu joked, ¡°My dear Anna, my poor sister-inw, are you scared? I heard that childbirth can be very painful, and it might also alter your figure.¡± The two girls had been ssmates since they were young. Nie Ziyu naturally tried to act more familiar. Yang Anna caught on immediately and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Alright, Nie Ziyu, you dared to scare me. Hum, believe it or not, I can leak news tomorrow and marry off this hateful little aunt of yours.¡± Nie Zhenbang felt very nervous. After all, this was his first child. He was about to be a father, right? Also, he hadn¡¯t been able to give Li Lixue a proper spouse title. Would the child end up like him? Various thoughts were flying through his mind, giving him a sense of gain and loss. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, muttering to himself, but he had already made up his mind. No matter how many obstacles he faced, even if he had to let go of his officer title, he would never let his child suffer even a little bit.
Just then, a loud cry sounded from the delivery room. A doctor walked out, took off his mask, smiled, and said, ¡°Dir. Nie, congrattions. You have a girl. She weighs six jin and seven liang. Both mother and daughter are safe. The nurse is currently cleaning the baby. After tending to the mother, they can bothe out.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang instantly copsed onto the ground. At this moment, it felt as if he had just been through a tough battle, muttering to himself, ¡°I¡¯m a father now. I¡¯m a father now.¡± ( Chapter 475: 440 Jingcheng Situation_1 Chapter 475: Chapter 440 Jingcheng Situation_1 The eldest brother Nie Jialei had a son and named him Nie Minwei. As for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s daughter, she did not have a name yet, but already had a nickname, Yaya, which was simple and easy to remember. After staying at the Military General Hospital for three days, the olddy personally ordered Li Lixue to take the child to the old Nie residence for postnatal confinement. The old Nie house was located in an old alleyway in Jingcheng, a traditional siheyuan with several courtyards. Not all its neighbours were high-ranking officials or wealthy people. After the old man¡¯s death, security was basically withdrawn, making the ce inconspicuous. It wasn¡¯t a big deal for Li Lixue to move in. Moreover, when the olddy spoke, the Nie brothers naturally had no objections. As for Nie Zhenbang, he was more than happy. The olddy was subtly telling Li Lixue that the Nie family recognized her as a daughter-inw, although they had no formal recognition. In fact, among the children of Jingcheng¡¯s prominent families, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s situation was not rare. However, none of them did it as spectacrly as Nie Zhenbang. Usually, the legitimate wives were all from political marriages. Those without formal recognition weremon women, or daughters of officials from other ces. But Nie Zhenbang was even more domineering, causing Dong Wan, the only daughter and heiress of the Dong family, to willingly debase herself to be with him. Yes, in the eyes of the children of Jingcheng¡¯s famous families, Dong Wan¡¯s behavior was a ssic case of self-degradation. Seeing Li Lixue¡¯s current situation, Dong Wan seemed quite delighted. If there was one, then there must be a second one. Furthermore, Dong Wan was now living in the old Nie house as well. As a result, Mr. Dong seemed to harbor less resentment towards the Nie family, and his attitude softened a bit. After all, it was his precious granddaughter. If the Nie family did not force her and she was willing, then there was nothing he could do exceptment that daughters are bound to marry. In his heart, Mr. Dong would hate to disown his granddaughter. Now that he had a granddaughter, Nie Guowei, who was currently the Governor of Yanbei Province, even took the time toe back to visit the sleeping Yaya. Nie Guowei sighed, and simply patted Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shoulder, saying, ¡°Zhenbang, you are stronger than me.¡± Nie Zhenbang also understood the meaning behind his words; Nie Guowei was still feeling guilty about the incidents from the past.
At this moment, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t harbor much resentment either. He smiled and said, ¡°Dad, the past is the past. We should be looking forward. I believe that mom, down in the underworld, would be happy to see me now.¡± ¡­ The old man¡¯s study was now empty. Usually, Nie Guodong stayed at the Jingcheng Military Districtpound, where he also had his own house. Nie Guowei was mainly in Yanbei. The third generation of the Nie family was spread out, making it hard for them to gather together. At this moment, they were all gathered. In the wooden living room of the study, Nie Guodong sat in the middle, Nie Guowei to his left, and Nie Zhenbang to his right. The brothers Nie Jialei and Nie Jiamin sat on the single couches. From this, it could be seen that the Nie family was temporarily led by Nie Guodong, but Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position was indisputable. He was the undisputed third generation heir of the Nie family. ¡°Since the beginning of this year, the situation in Jingcheng has been somewhat subtle. After this term ends, I¡¯m afraid Guowei and I will have to make some moves,¡± remarked Nie Guodong astonished. Nie Zhenbang understood this very well. Take his Uncle Nie Guodong, for instance, who was already fifty-five this year. Although not very old, he had already served two terms as themander of the Jingcheng Military Region. When the timees for a change of leadership, after President Yuan¡¯s retirement, the new General Secretary will surely instate his most trusted people. No matter how good the rtionship between himself and Shen Xiuchao was, that was about him, not Nie Guodong. Politics can be treacherous; even the heart might overturn. Especially now when he was not part of the actual faction. At the side, Nie Guowei nodded in agreement: ¡°Big brother is right. Next year is the term change for every province and city in the country. I guess I might also have to make a move, with the greatest possibility of returning to a Ministry in Jingcheng.¡± Indeed, this was a connected issue. The military was just one aspect; local governments would also have to pave the way for the new General Secretary. This was inevitable. ¡°Dad, Uncle Second, it can¡¯t be that serious, right? Our Nie family may have lost grandfather, but isn¡¯t nobody daring to touch us now? This time, if you both have to make a move, somebody must be promoted to the Politburo, right?¡± Nie Jamin casually voiced his opinion. At that moment, Nie Guodong looked ratherplex. He nced at Nie Zhenbang beside him. In the past, Nie Guodong didn¡¯t understand, but now he had reached a position where he had ess to high-tech military equipment, giving him a glimpse of something. The Nie family is untouchable for many reasons. One aspect of this is due to the affinity of Elder Nan. As long as Elder Nan is around, the Nie family remains solid as Mount Taishan. On the other hand, it is also due to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s covert contributions to the country. Among the Nie lineage, at the supreme echelon of the Central Leadership, only Zhuang Aiguo remains. Soon, Zhuang Aiguo will retire. There are a few within the Nie lineage currently serving as members of the Central Committee, but when ites to entering the Political Bureau, this is not something that is decided by positions or ranks. ¡°Jiamin, do you think just anyone can get into the Political Bureau? It is not a matter of entertaining guests or settling favors. The seats in the Political Bureau are limited. In Jingcheng, each political family is vying for a position. If only our grandfather was still here, it would be doable. Now that grandpa is gone, it is uncertain if the Nie family can still get a seat.¡± Jialei Nie reprimanded. As the eldest brother, Nie Jiamin had some fear of him. At this moment, after being reproached, he could only smile awkwardly and bow his head, not saying a word. Nie Zhenbang was pondering in his heart. His own anticipations about the changing situation in Jingcheng were starting to fall into ce. From a few perspectives, one of them being Nie Jiamin¡¯s relocation, signifying that Nie Guodong is trying to avoid suspicion,ying a solid foundation for his further advancement to the vice-chairmanship of the Military Commission. Once he is appointed as the vice-chairman, his entry into the Political Bureau is inevitable since he has already been promoted to Deputy State level. Secondly, The Gao family had relocated Gao Wei to WangHai. Was it such a mere coincidence that the offspring of the Jingcheng nobility were flocking to WangHai? Considering the recent storm in WangHai, this is likely Secretary General Yuan¡¯s nning for the sessor. Additionally, there was the visit to Secretary Mu. At first, this seemed to be a simple visit to a former leader. However, in the end, Secretary Mu had arranged a stunning meeting, connecting him with Shen Xiuchao. Granted, his exceptional performance on the three agricultural issues had gained the attention of Vice Chairman Shen. Yet, it could not be ruled out that Vice Chairman Shen was using this to gain support for his own advantage.
Having understood these circumstances clearly, the situation bes more transparent. It seems that there are still a few qualified individuals in Jingcheng who are not content with Vice Chairman Shen¡¯s rise to power. As for this, Nie Zhenbang simply sneered. Historical facts prove who eventually emerges as the victor. Knowing these circumstances, if he still doesn¡¯t know which side to align with, then he is as good as a pig and his seven or eight years immersed in the system are wasted. ¡°Zhenbang, do you have anything to say?¡± Suddenly, Nie Guodong was looking at Nie Zhenbang and spoke. This statement undoubtedly expressed Nie Guodong¡¯s stance. At this moment, Nie Guodong had ced Nie Zhenbang at the same level as himself. In the past, Nie Zhenbang had salvaged the situation by virtue of a few articles and strategies, and pulled the Nie family out of the conservative faction. Not only did they avoid the decline of the conservative faction, but they also gained huge benefits. This incident was deeply ingrained in Nie Guodong¡¯s memory.
Although the situation was not as dangerous as before, political matters do not allow room for carelessness. The slightest slip could lead to irreparable damage. Even though Nie Guodong had limited talents, he was not narrow-minded. Nie Guodong was well aware of his capabilities and limitations. This was why he took the initiative to seek Nie Zhenbang¡¯s advice. Under the subtle situation of the current mandated family changes, all families in Jingcheng are acting to maximize their interests. The prestige and connections of the Nie family in the military are naturally a tempting bite. ¡°Uncle, Dad, I believe at present, it is best for us not to interfere in anything. Our generation, elder brother, Jiamin and I, can fool around a bit. However, you and Dad are in this position and cannot act rashly.¡± Nie Zhenbang thought for a moment before slowly speaking. Nie Guodong nodded in agreement. This approach was simr to the one they had taken before ¨C staying out of the matter so that whoever takes over would bring benefits. However, Nie Zhenbang proceeded, ¡°But, Uncle, this time it¡¯s different. I believe that you have a chance to enter the Political Bureau. My dad is eligible in terms of rank, but he does not have any advantage in age, being only 48.¡± Nie Guodong was delighted at the prospect of entering the Political Bureau ¨C a dream of everyone in politics. Nie Zhenbang only saw advantages and disregarded familial affection, which made Nie Guodong appreciate his nephew¡¯s uniqueness even more. ¡°Uncle, I suggest that after returning to the Jingcheng City Military District this time, you should hold a study session that emphasizes politics, contemtes the bigger picture, and underscores principles. You must highlight the theme of rallying closely around the Central Leadership Group with Secretary General Yuan at its core and following the Party¡¯s lead. I suspect that if you handle this matter well, your chances of being promoted to the Political Bureau should not be an issue.¡± Nie Zhenbang suggested his n at this point. Upon hearing these words, Nie Guodong contemted briefly and then understood. Taking this course of action would undeniably show Secretary General Yuan and the future Secretary General his stand. After a smooth transition, as a subduer of the dragon and a meritorious official, it would be strange if he wasn¡¯t promoted. After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued with a smile, ¡°Additionally, I suggest elder brother also go down to the grassroots level for some practical experience.¡± Chapter 476 - 441 The Liangxi Airport_1 Chapter 476: Chapter 441 The Liangxi Airport_1 Going to the grassroots? This suggestion of Nie Zhenbang made the other members of Nie family fall into contemtion, including Nie Jialei who was also thinking. He was now a deputy director of a department, and at the deputy ministerial level. ording to Nie Jialei¡¯s own n, he should endure for another year or two, get promoted to full ministerial level, then after a few years, go down to the local level when he was thirty-six or seven. This was the most basic model for scions of Jingcheng. On the side, Nie Guodong deeply and affirmatively nodded, ¡°Going down, indeed, even Taizu once said, the vast countryside, presents great opportunities.¡± These words touched the nerve of Nie Guowei, who sat nearby ufortably. Was it not these words thatnded him in the rural areas of Yanbei years ago? Nie Zhenbang also felt deeply. Among the second and third generation of Nie family, Nie Jiamin was indeed a political idiot. Fortunately, Nie Jiamin also knew what could be done, and what could not be done. This was his merit. Although Nie Jiamin did not get a chance to enter high-level politics, he also did not face the danger of failure. Nie Jialei¡¯s political consciousness was actually quite good. Unfortunately, this eldest brother, brought up under Nie family¡¯s mainstream education, was a bit too conservative, always too strict in everything. The political field still demanded some time for him to adapt. As for the second generation, his father, and his uncle, Nie Zhenbang did not feelfortable giving opinions. Compared to them, Nie Guodong was much better. At this moment, Nie Jialei also understood and nodded, ¡°Zhenbang, do you mean to steer clear of the muddled waters of Jingcheng ande back when the situation bes clear?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and then said, ¡°Yes, elder brother is now a deputy minister. To rise from this position to a full ministerial level is a hurdle. In Jingcheng, there are opportunities, but it is not under one¡¯s control.¡± These words precisely broke down the essence of Jingcheng¡¯s current situation. With every family having its ns and arrangements in this situation, the positions in Jingcheng¡¯s departments had be a battlefield of many soldiers for a bowl of rice. Instead of waiting for chances in this status quo, it¡¯s better to seek opportunities locally. Then, Nie Zhenbang looked up and said, ¡°Uncle, I have a favor to ask. We¡¯ve had some talks with the Jiangzhou Military District about Liangxi Airport, but the results have not been satisfactory. Could you help me with it?¡± Regarding the matters that might help Nie Zhenbang, Nie Guodong appeared very pleased. Without any hesitation, he readily nodded and said, ¡°The conversion of Liangxi Airport from a military one to civilian use, is a good thing. Commander Fang Dajun also mentioned it when I worked with him in Jiangzhou. Too many military airports cause a lot of small airports to struggle. Our national military spending is limited ¨C these are practical issues. To change your thinking and be able to find a new approach is certainly a good thing.¡± However, Nie Guodong did not say out loud what he really thought: civil airports can be easily converted to military use in times of war. The days passed quickly. After seeing his granddaughter, Nie Guowei named her Nie Fei, a very simple name. This revealed Nie Guowei¡¯s attitude. He wanted her life to be simple, and she need not carry too many responsibilities and burdens. On Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side, as the mayor of Liangxi City, he was getting busy with work. The Eastern Development Forum was of particr importance, so he decided to return to Jiangbei immediately. The conversation with his uncle, Nie Guodong, was intentional. The City Government of Liangxi City had been in talks with the relevant airport authorities regarding the conversion of Liangxi Airport from a military airport to a civilian one, and although themunication between them had been smooth, the issue of conversion was still unsettled. This time, capitalizing on the momentum prior to the Eastern Development Forum, Nie Zhenbang wanted to resolve the issue once and for all. If the Liangxi Airport could be transformed into a civilian airport, it would greatly boost the city image and economic development of Liangxi City. His uncle had already contacted Commander Fang Dajun of the Jiangzhou Military District. As Liangxi Airport was under the jurisdiction of the Jiangzhou Military District Air Force, their opinions were paramount. For his first visit, Nie Zhenbang was quite concerned about the gifts. Although he had brought two limited-edition Panda cigarettes and several bottles of thirty-year-old Maotai ¨C these were the very gifts that his uncle Nie Guodong had brought as presents for Commander Fang. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang was well aware of his uncle¡¯s intentions. Aside from establishing a rtionship based on the airport issue, his uncle was also making connections for his future. Nie Guodong wanted to be promoted to deputy chairman of the militarymission, and without the support of the major military districts, his ascension would be impossible. He did not dare to offer cigarettes, cash, gold, or jewelry as gifts. Instead, Nie Zhenbang eventually found an appropriate gift at a military goods store. He arrived at the gate of the Jiangzhou Military District by taxi. Getting out of the car, Nie Zhenbang took out his phone and dialed a number. Soon, a voice came through on the other end, and he said, ¡°Excuse me, is this the Commander¡¯s office? This is Nie Zhenbang.¡± Commander Fang Dajun¡¯s heartyughter soon came from the other side of the phone, ¡°Haha, Zhenbang, you arrived so quickly. Your uncle just called, and now you¡¯re here. Are you at the gates? Alright, I will have Staff Yune pick you up.¡± Chapter 477 - 441 The Liangxi Airport_2 Chapter 477: Chapter 441 The Liangxi Airport_2 After less than five minutes, a military off-road vehicle drove out from the gate. It parked directly beside Nie Zhenbang, and a major officer in his thirties stepped down. He walked up to Nie Zhenbang and asked with a smile, ¡°May I ask if you are Mr. Nie Zhenbang?¡± Nie Zhenbang also burst intoughter. As Staff Yun could serve as Fang Dajun¡¯s adviser, he must be a special person. He then also reached out his hand and said, ¡°You must be Staff Yun. Hello, hello. I am Nie Zhenbang.¡± After loading up the car with the items, the car drove all the way into the military district, stopping in the residential area. Fang Dajun¡¯s residence was a typical Jiangbei-style small garden where Fang Dajun was waiting at the door. At this gesture, Nie Zhenbang stepped up briskly and said, ¡°Commander Fang, you are too kind. Zhenbang is not worthy.¡± Nie Zhenbang, with his well-mannered demeanor and modestnguage, was being assessed by Fang Dajun. Then, Fang Dajun also burst into a heartyugh saying, ¡°Zhenbang, there¡¯s no need to be so formal. When your grandfather served in East China, I was one of his soldiers. So, technically, I¡¯m an old subordinate of his. You can just call me Uncle Fang.¡± Nie Zhenbang, not minding the informalities, immediately replied with, ¡°Uncle Fang.¡± Upon entering the living room and sitting in their respective ces, Nie Zhenbang put the gift from his uncle on the coffee table, smiling as he said, ¡°Uncle Fang, this is a gift my uncle asked me to bring to you. He said you enjoy good wine. These bottles have been wasted sitting in his ce. Wine should be appreciated by those who know its true worth.¡± Upon hearing this, Fang Dajunughed heartily. The military supply of Panda liquor was no surprise. Given Fang Dajun¡¯s position, he also had ess to certain supplies. The militarymunity had its own exclusive products that were no less significant. But the wine was indeed a good wine. The 30-year-old special supply Maotai was a rare find. Only well-established families like the Nie¡¯s, Yang¡¯s, and Li¡¯s, could afford to have such reserves. Inspecting the Maotai, Fang Dajun¡¯s eyes revealed undisguised pleasure. Yet, he set the wine on the table, and, smiling, he said, ¡°Zhenbang, your uncle is considerate. After all these years, he still remembers my fondness.¡± Nie Zhenbang also chuckled. Fang Dajun was not a simple man. Such a top-level senior officer who had seen blood and experienced war, had an indomitable will unlike others. Afterwards, Nie Zhenbang ced his gift on the table andughed, ¡°Uncle Fang, this is a token of my esteem. It¡¯s a military model of the United States¡¯ Nimitz nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. I hope you will like it.¡± On hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Fang Dajun brightened up with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, how considerate! You knew of my hobby. The Nimitz nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, I had the opportunity to board one myself when I apanied President Yuan. The Americans were stingy and only gave me a model of the USS Lincoln. They never gave me a model of the Nimitz, you have filled a regret of mine today.¡± The model was exquisitely detailed. Many parts were made of alloys. The entire model measured 99.87 millimeters in length, proportional to Nimitz¡¯s full-length size of 332.9 meters. The model even included fine details and similitudes like themand tower and interception warne models. It was indeed a rare military model collectible. Seeing Fang Dajun¡¯s affection for the model, Nie Zhenbang felt a sense of relief. He had correctly guessed that Fang Dajun had a special fondness for the Navy. Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Uncle Fang, I believe that in the future, your collection will not only consist of foreign aircraft carrier models. In the not-distant future, I am confident that your collection will include one of our own Huaxia¡¯s aircraft carrier models.¡± Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t lying. In this life, under his n and participation, Huaxia¡¯s national strength, particrly its military strength, was far superior to his past life. The military technology of the former Soviet Union wasn¡¯t an exaggeration, and the industrial strength also raised the country¡¯s industrial sector a notch, enabling it to smelt its special steel. There¡¯s been a qualitative improvement in military technology. Upon hearing this, Fang Dajunughed heartily, ¡°Good, good. Young people should have such aspirations and courage. You¡¯re truly a tiger, Zhenbang, you¡¯ve spoken the words of my heart.¡± At this point, Fang Dajun changed his tone and took the initiative to speak, ¡°Zhenbang, your uncle has mentioned your matter to me. The conversion of Liangxi Airport from military to civilian use is a good thing. Today, with the economic construction, Liangxi Airport, which was once a strategic airport, has now transformed into a training airport. Its function has greatly diminished. The high maintenance costs each year pose a heavy burden on both our Jiangzhou Military District and the country. In this regard, I have made a detailed report to the General Staff and the Military Commission. We have no objections to this proposal put forth by Liangxi City.¡± With Fang Dajun speaking like this, it was just as Nie Zhenbang had expected. In his previous life, Liangxi Airport was formally converted from military to civilian use in 2004. This suggested that there weren¡¯t many obstacles for the military turn-over of Liangxi Airport. It just happened six years earlier this time around. After a moment of contemtion, Nie Zhenbang nodded and expressed, ¡°Uncle Fang, in recent years, the rapid economic development in Liangxi City could greatly benefit from having an airport. We appreciate the military¡¯s strong support for local economic construction. In terms of the military¡¯s conversion to civil use, if the military faces any difficulties, particrly in terms of military personal¡¯s job transfers, we, in Liangxi City, will go all out to do a good job in employment cement for airfield military personnel and their families. We¡¯re determined not to add any troubles for the military.¡± Upon hearing this, Fang Dajun was very satisfied. Nie Zhenbang was on the right track. Currently, with regard to the conversion of Liangxi Airport to civilian use, the main opinions are concentrated in this area. If Liangxi City can make this promise, then the resistance will basically be gone. Fang Dajun immediately motioned, ¡°Zhenbang, I will discuss this matter with Minister Lin as soon as possible. Afterwards, we will hold a Military District Party Committee meeting. Once we have a result, I will inform you.¡± ( Chapter 478: 442: The Trouble Caused by Pest Control Operation_1 Chapter 478: Chapter 442: The Trouble Caused by Pest Control Operation_1 It was already ten o¡¯clock at night. At this moment, the rich nightlife of Liangxi City was just getting started. The whole Liangxi City District was bathed in brilliant lights, painting a picture of tranquillity and harmony. In the Liangjiang District, on Jianghua Road, this ce is the famous entertainment district of Liangjiang. Neon lights flickered along the street, where numerous taxis were parked, all waiting for customers. The nighttime business is different from the day, and waiting for passengers in such ces is the most profitable. The whole street was lined with bars, KTVs, nightclubs, dance halls, and bathhouses. Many women dressed provocatively walked through, their mboyant makeup and seductive attire attracting attention. At both ends of Jianghua Road, stood tworge hotels, one of which was the Jinding Hotel, the first five-star hotel in the history of Liangxi City. It was invested and built by the Glorious Group, whose boss surnamed Guo, was rumored to be a distant rtive of CPPCC Chairman Guo. At this time, it was the golden time for nightlife. However, it was also the time for the government to clock out. But at this moment, the entire building of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau was brightly lit. To the left of the Public Security Bureau building was arge conference room that could amodate thousands of people for meetings. At this moment, it was filled with police officers ready for action. The conference room on the ninth floor of the bureau office building was also brightly lit. The 110mand center on the top floor was busy monitoring the city¡¯s various intersections and streets. To ensure peace and order in the city, one must put in genuine effort beyond mere mouthing of words. At this moment, all the members of the Bureau Party Group were seated in the conference room, all of them experienced smokers. At this moment, the room was filled with smoke. In the center, Chen Le, the Director of the Public Security Bureau, took his seat. To his left was the Political Commissar Ouyang Changqing, and to his right was the Executive Deputy Director, Chen Xiongfei. Following them were Deputy Directors Wang Yaowu, Li Shan, Luo Jiahua, and the newly appointed Deputy Director Jiang Shian, who used to be the head of the Liangxi Traffic Police Division. Then came the squadron leaders, the first and second leaders of each subdivision, and the head of the bureau office.
Chen Le nced around at everyone, pretty satisfied with the current situation of the bureau. Mostly, each squadron was at hismand. His followers, several subdivisions, also had his people, even people like He Qingjun, now controlled a subdivision. No fish can survive in overly clear water. Now, he controlled most of the crucial departments and his orders were carried out to the letter. It was good this way. If everyone in the bureau was his person, then he, as the director, would have maxed out his power. After all, the upper-level partymittee, the government, and the provincial department leaders would not want a situation fully controlled by one person. This would practically be a private army. If something became uncontroble, it would cause huge problems. So, the current situation was the limit of his control. Chen Le¡¯s gaze was sharp as he scanned the room. Some subordinates couldn¡¯t bear it and dared not meet his eyes ¨C a true testament to his absolute authority. Then, Chen Le cleared his throat and dered solemnly, ¡°ording to a public report, some criminals are engaging in illegal sex services and buying and selling drugs in the Jinding Hotel in our city. Based on this situation, I have submitted a detailed report to the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government. Secretary Fan of the Municipal Party Committee and Mayor Nie attach great importance to this. Mayor Nie has even personally given instructions.¡± With that, Chen Le waved a document in his hand. At the top of the red-headed document was written in bold carbon ink, ¡°Please let the Public Security Bureau sternly handle this to ensure the public¡¯s peace and safety.¡± It was beautiful cursive writing that flowed like clouds and water, reminiscent of the style of Wang Xizhi, a famous calligrapher. This was indeed Mayor Nie¡¯s note. Setting down the document, Chen Le dered solemnly, ¡°Comrades, as of now, the first Eastern Development Forum is less than a month away. In the past two months, our bureau has carried out a two-month campaign to crack down on pornography and illegal activities, severely punishing thefts, robberies, and other criminal activities. This has drastically improved theprehensive public security situation in our city. Although this achievement ismendable, it is not enough. Now, some daring criminals are using the luxury and extravagance of big hotels as a cover to gamble and openly engage in the sex trade. This has severely tarnished the overall image of our city. These big hotels have be ces of filth and corruption. In ordance with the spirit of the documents from the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, we will take action tonight and conduct surprise inspections of several major hotels in the urban area. We aim to severely rectify and maintain theprehensive public security in the urban area. We will contribute to the smooth opening of the Eastern Development Forum.¡± Involvement in the Eastern Development Forum caused all the members of the bureau¡¯s party group, the first and second leaders of each subdivision, and the leaders of each squadron to fall silent. The situation in the city was already very clear. The bigshots of the Municipal Party Committee had temporarily put aside their shady dealings and had be harmonious and united. To oppose Chen A at this time would be the equivalent of opposing the Municipal Party Committee, wouldn¡¯t it? Chen A, this was an alias for Chen Le within the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau. This era waspletely different from the pre-reform period when any leader was addressed by their title. Superiors addressed their subordinates affectionately asrades, and subordinates addressed superiors by their titles. Or, if they were close, they were referred to as ¡°old leader,¡± ¡°old director,¡± and other simr titles. Chapter 479: 442: The Trouble Caused by Pest Control Operation_2 Chapter 479: Chapter 442: The Trouble Caused by Pest Control Operation_2 Now, in formal asions, the titles are standard. However, in private, the titles be varied. Among them, the most famous one is the term ¡®boss¡¯. As for the origin of Chen Le¡¯s alias Chen A, isn¡¯t A the beginning of the alphabet? Doesn¡¯t it represent the first? Next to him, Ouyang Changqing also stressed, ¡°Comrades, Director Chen¡¯s speech is profound. Everyone needs to take it seriously. This operation is rted to the overall image of Liangxi City and its economic development. It is also a testament to the trust and support the Municipal Party Committee and local governments have in our public security and legal work. Now, let¡¯s have Director Chen assign the tasks.¡± Chen Le doesn¡¯t beat around the bush. Having been a leader for many years, his speech and behavior naturally exude the aura and authority that a police director should possess. After a nce at the crowd, Chen Le immediately said, ¡°This time, apart from Yanling and Zisha¡¯s branches being in charge of their respective cities, all other district bureaus and teams in the city will be coordinated by the Municipal Bureau. He Qingjun, you and the Public Security Brigade will make a surprise inspection of hotels and hostels in Guicheng District ¡­¡± The orders were issued one by one. Finally, Chen Le suddenly changed his tone and said solemnly, ¡°Jianghua Road, the East Bank of Liangjiang District, will be under my personalmand. The Municipal Bureau¡¯s Special Police Squad will assist in the operation, along with two hundred officers drawn from Yanling and Zisha cities. Now, let¡¯s synchronize our watches. The operation will start at exactly half past ten. All team leaders, note that to prevent leaks, allmunication equipment will be confiscated.¡± With Chen Le¡¯smand, everyone in the meeting room stands up. The officers who were waiting in therge meeting room downstairs also stand up and follow their leaders out of the Municipal Bureau. Chen Le is thest to depart. At this moment, the chiefs from the Municipal Bureau¡¯s Special Police Squad and the bureaus of Yanling and Zisha cities are all awaiting his arrival. In front of the Municipal Director, this is a rare opportunity to show oneself. Everyone is giving their all. Under Feng Kuang¡¯s guidance, allmunication equipment was collected,belled with their respective names. Chen Le motioned with a wave of his hand, stating solemnly, ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± ¡­
Jinding Hotel As the first 5-star hotel in Liangxi City, Jinding has signified luxury and status since its opening. Those who can afford to spend here are either wealthy or noble. Many of them are foreigners from multinationalpanies. The Jinding Hotel¡¯s bathing center, elegantly named Bishui Bay Health Club, is not only a special feature of the hotel but also the most famous ce. Located on the fourth floor of the hotel, Bishui Bay upies an entire level, with a whopping 4800 square meters of operational space, thergest in both Liangxi City and Jiangbei Province. What¡¯s more famous is not its scale but the sauna services introduced from Yuedong Dong Bay City, making it a ce irresistible to people. Here, there are more than six hundred sauna technicians, all beautiful women selected from ces across the country. Various types and services are avable here. In Liangxi City, Jinding also has another name, ¡®Little Dongwan¡¯. At eleven o¡¯clock, it is the golden time of business for Bishui Bay Health Club. At this moment, more than 60% of the six hundred plus technicians are at work. The description ¡®profit pouring in like a cascading river¡¯ simply no longer suffices to describe the business here. ¡®Raking in cash¡¯ might be more appropriate. At this moment, several business cars suddenly stop outside the hotel. From each car, seven to eight young men step out and step directly into the elevator when they enter the hotel. Some go to the fifth floor, some to the third. The security guards at the hotel entrance cannot help but wonder why so many people should move together. At this moment, the sound of police sirenses from Jianghua Road. Looking over, dozens of police cars form a long line, their lights shing. Temporary traffic control is in ce all around, and the convoy is heading towards the hotel. Arge number of fully armed police get off the cars one after another, followed by journalists from Liangxi City TV Station. Just then, a policeman approaches, shows his ID, and says gravely, ¡°This is a surprise inspection by the Liangxi City Public Security Department. Immediately notify your hotel manager. This time, our bureau director Chen Le is personally leading the team.¡± While this policeman is talking with the security guard, the other officers storm inside. Some quickly approach the main service desk and take control of the staff there. Others rush up to the fourth floor via the stairs and elevators as nned. At this moment, it is chaotic in Bishui Bay. The staff of Bishui Bay start to scream. Chen Le leads from the front. Upon entering the fourth floor, several men and women who look like managers block his path. A morous-looking woman smiles and says, ¡°Leader, what are you doing? Our boss, Boss Guo, and Vice Mayor Li have a rtionship¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t use these pointless rtionships here. Vice Mayor Li, if he doesn¡¯t want to get into trouble, should stand aside and cooperate with the police operation.¡± Chen Le speaks solemnly. By the side, the other officers have already rushed inside. Along with the inclothes officers who were arranged beforehand to control the entrances and exits on the fourth floor, any chance of escape is practically eliminated. Many room doors are kicked open violently, the fair, naked bodies inside are almost blinding. Seeing so many officers, followed by media journalists, the female technicians all kneel on the ground, clutching their chests, their heads buried deeply. The men, either frantically searching for their clothes,Hide in the toilet or the bed, all kinds of ugliness, everything. ¡°This ce is suspected of prostitution, drug trafficking, and providing a ce for drug users. Who is the person in charge here? Please apany us back to the station.¡± Chen Le speaks again. Upon receiving the report, Chen Le was sure it was true. Such ces, the more background they have, the bolder they be. ¡°Brother, I wonder which branch you¡¯re from. In consideration of our boss¡¯ face¡­ how about a fine? If we were to shut down, it would be embarrassing for all of us.¡± The morous woman speaks again, her expression showing little fear. ¡°Insolent! Who are you? You dare to threaten a public servant! Open your eyes and see, this is our bureau director Chen Le.¡± Qin Aihua, the director of the Liangjiang District Public Security Sub-bureau, suddenly roars. At this moment, Zhang Zhen, the captain of the Special Police Squad,es out and quietly says to Chen Le, ¡°Director, there¡¯s trouble. Someone has jumped.¡± (.)
Chapter 480: 443: Li Guohua Sets a Trap_1 Chapter 480: Chapter 443: Li Guohua Sets a Trap_1 ¡°Jumped off the building?¡± Chen Le felt a sinking feeling in his heart. He hadn¡¯t expected someone to go as far as jumping off a building just to avoid punishment. At this moment, the morous woman also didn¡¯t dare to speak. For her to be in charge at such a ce, she had to be someone well-informed. Who was Director Chen? As being in charge of such an establishment, she had many dealings with the police. She was also well aware of some of the internal affairs of the police. In the entire Liangxi, there were only a few directors surnamed Chen, but in the city bureau, there was only one ¨C Chen Le, Cheng Le, the head of the city bureau. This was a big shot closely connected with the mayor. And now, he was leading the operation himself. There was no option but this time but to ept her bad luck. Chen Le, with a significant look, nced at Qin Aihua next to him. The Jinding Hotel was in Liangjiang¡¯s territory, and Qin Aihua had not heard a trace of wind about it? Now, it was even quite deliberately said like this, seemingly to censure the other party. But, in reality, the situation might not be that simple. After a moment¡¯s contemtion, Chen Le instructed: ¡°Zhang Zhen, pass my order, have everyone brought back to the city bureau for investigation and record-taking. Enforce punishment on those who deserve it, detain those who need to be detained, bring back the person in charge here and investigate strictly. Block off this ce entirely. Let us go down and take a look.¡± When Chen Le took the leaders down to the base of the Jinding building, at that moment, arge number of onlookers were gathered outside the entrance of the Jinding Hotel. The police officers on standby had already set up a cordon. Seeing Chen Le approach, the crowd cleared a path. At that moment, on the marble ground, a middle-aged obese man d only in a pair of red underwear was sprawled out, his head smashed in. One could even see white brain matter flowing out. The police chief of Yanling City, Zheng Yong, who had been waiting downstairs, came forward: ¡°Director Chen, this man jumped from the window on the fourth floor. Possibly, he didn¡¯tnd firmly. Each floor of the Jinding Hotel is quite high. The height of floors one to four adds up to a total of eighteen meters. When he fell, hended headfirst. He died on impact.¡± Speaking, Zheng Yong continued in a low voice: ¡°Director Chen, I know this man, Deputy District Chief Li Yaozu of Liangjiang District. I heard he¡¯s a distant rtive of Deputy Mayor Li. I¡¯m afraid his death will cause a lot of trouble.¡±
Listening to Zheng Yong¡¯s words, Chen Le¡¯s brow furrowed. He hadn¡¯t expected this regr operation against prostitution to uncover something so unexpected. A deputy division level official needing a woman, wasn¡¯t that easy to deal with? Was it necessary toe to this sort of ce? If it had been a division level or deputy division level official, that would be normal. But a deputy division level one? Chen Le had never heard of such a case. Moreover, he was the standing deputy district chief of Liangjiang District, a man with actual power. Only an essory exposure, and wouldn¡¯t the woman automaticallye forward? Li Yaozu was probably afraid of being caught red-handed. If this came out, Li Yaozu¡¯s political career would be over. The city would probably make an immediate decision to dismiss him. A government leader publicly visiting prostitutes, wasn¡¯t this smearing the reputation of the city partymittee and city government? He hadn¡¯t expected that in trying to avoid arrest, Li Yaozu would lose his life. As for Li Yaozu, Chen Le didn¡¯t have too many thoughts. If such a person died in such a situation, well, he died. What could his family do? For the sake of their reputation, they probably wouldn¡¯t make too much fuss. Instead, it was Zheng Yong. He appeared very casual on the surface, the typical image of a country bumpkin. However, he was unexpectedly thorough. This was somewhat surprising to Chen Le. This man was worth paying some attention to. He could be a good cadet to train. Having thought of this, Chen Le said: ¡°Call the Forensic Division to move the body back for forensic identification, and then send it to the funeral parlor to inform the family to im the body. You handle the follow-up matters here.¡± ¡­ At the top floor of Liangxi Grand Hotel, in the luxury suite, as the official hotel for the city partymittee and city government, Li Guohua had an exclusive suite here. Theyout was two bedrooms and a living room. A big bedroom with a queen-size bed and white furniture looked very simple, yet impressive. Next to that, there was a small room, which the city party officials could use as an office. Therge living room was decorated as a guest room. Italian genuine leather sofa, beige leather surface, in the middle was a marble coffee table with a bonsai on top. In the corner on the left, there was a high tripod stand on which a vase was ced. The whole room was very grand. On the floor was an exquisite and luxurious Turkish carpet. At this moment, Li Guohua was sitting on the main seat of the sofa. On the left, on a single seat sofa, a middle-aged man around forty was sitting. Seeing Li Guohua resting with his eyes closed, the man felt a bit troubled, gritted his teeth, took out a card from his pocket, ced it on the coffee table, and handed it over, smiling: ¡°Mayor Li, I need to trouble you a bit more with this matter. For the sake of Little Tao, you have to help me no matter what. Last time, Nie Zhenbang openly hit Little Tao in Jingcheng. This grudge has festered. This time, it¡¯s not a big deal that he raided my hotel. But he was obviously trying to embarrass you. Isn¡¯t it clear to everyone the kind of rtionship I have with you? By doing this, he¡¯s tantly disrespecting you.¡± At this moment, Li Guohua opened his eyes. Guo Yulong, this man, appeared to be versatile. Using his distant kinship with the Guo family, he reached his current position, he did indeed have some ability. He saw clearly then that Guo Yulong¡¯s im of distant kinship wouldn¡¯t save him from anything. At this point, Guo Yulong had to cling onto him, Li Guohua. However, Li Guohua was no fool. He didn¡¯t value money to such an extent. While it was fine to ept money in certain situations, the money Guo Yulong offered was too risky for him. ¡°Boss Guo, what on earth are you doing? At this point, the city is already unified in understanding. Everything has to make way for the Eastern Development Forum. Now, you are acting against the trend. Not only will Nie Zhenbang deal with you but you won¡¯t get through Secretary Fan either. You must go by the book in this matter. Take your stuff back. There definitely will be fines. As for the leading figures among your subordinates, they are bound to be sentenced. As for the suspension for rectification, I will help you a bit. It should only be a matter of days,¡± Li Guohua said indifferently. He did not react to Guo Yulong¡¯s provocation. This kind of trick was toomon, there was no way he was going to fall for shared resentment. As for the shutdown for rectification, Li Guohua was not worried. Liangxi City was not that big and the Jinding Hotel, being a five-star hotel, would be the main hosting group. The Municipal Party Committee wouldn¡¯t take any drastic measures. It was at this time, however, that Huang Bao walked into the room. In a whisper, he said, ¡°Mayor, the family of Li Yaozu is here. They¡¯re quite agitated and would like to meet you. What should we do?¡± Upon hearing these words, a flicker of surprise shed in Li Guohua¡¯s eyes. He turned to Guo Yulong and calmly said, ¡°Boss Guo, now, there is a good opportunity.¡±
Seeing Guo Yulong¡¯s surprised expression, Li Guohua grinned and exined, ¡°Boss Guo, think about it. Li Yaozu, where did he die? A surprise inspection by the Municipal Bureau drove a man to jump off a building. The mishandling of such a major incident greatly reflects the insufficiencies in municipal policew enforcement. The family of the deceased has someints. Wanting to vent some emotions at the government is normal. Life is the most precious thing, it shouldn¡¯t be lost in vain.¡± This was a sudden idea of Li Guohua. Nie Zhenbang is acting mighty now, isn¡¯t he? He even managed to drive a Li family member to death. Although Li Guohua knew very well this issue would most likely not yield any result, it would surely be worthwhile if he could make Nie Zhenbang ufortable. However, this kind of method couldn¡¯t be put on a stage. Hence, Li Guohua could only incite Guo Yulong to do it. With Guo Yulong¡¯s financial support, they could stir up some trouble with the help of Li Yaozu¡¯s family members and some other individuals in the society. This would indeed put some pressure on Nie Zhenbang. Seeing Guo Yulong¡¯s hesitation, Li Guohua calmly urged him, ¡°Boss Guo, for matters like this, you have got to be bold and daring. Hesitation isn¡¯t like you at all. The Jinding incident, I will bear it in mind, tomorrow I willmunicate further with Secretary Fan. After all, you are one of Liangxi City¡¯s major taxpayers. Whatever happened below wasn¡¯t really up to you. Having be coteral damage, you still have to take care of this, don¡¯t you?¡±
With that said, if Guo Yulong still didn¡¯t understand what Li Guohua meant, he wouldn¡¯t have been capable of creating such a huge family business. Guo Yulong¡¯s position in the Guo family was a bit awkward. While he was considered a coteral rtive, the rtionship is so distant that they could almost be regarded as distant kin, rted only through amon ancestor. It was only because of his rise in business that he gradually approached the core of the Guo family. Asking the Guo family to fully support him, however, was not practical. Guo Yulong saw this situation clearly. This was just an opportunity for him to leverage his connection with the Guo family to facilitate his business. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t be trying to curry favor with Li Guohua. With a resolute gritting of his teeth, Guo Yulong nodded and said, ¡°Alright, Guohua, I will follow your arrangements for this issue.¡± Li Guohua nodded to Huang Bao. Shortly after, a woman in her thirties with lingering charm entered. She was slightly plump and her sharp, mean eyes were particrly striking. Following her were several middle-aged men who vaguely resembled her. As soon as the woman entered, she began to weep, ¡°Guohua, you must help our Yaozu. The damned Public Security Bureau. Our Yaozu died in such a miserable way and they are still trying to smear him. They are literally crapping on our Li family¡¯s head.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Li Guohua roared, his face turned grave. He watched as the woman threw a tantrum on the floor, and sternly said, ¡°Huang Qiue, don¡¯t y these games with me. You know very well whether Li Yaozu died from whoring or not. A deputy director-level official, if he wants a woman, there¡¯s no need for him to hire prostitutes. You don¡¯t think you bear any responsibility? If you want to tell this story outside, it¡¯s fine. But you bring these words here. Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± After a pause, Li Guohua continued, ¡°Li Yaozu brought this on himself. Not party disciplined, is already giving consideration to his death.¡± Upon hearing these words, Huang Qiue panicked. Her tears and pretense of innocence stopped abruptly, she stood up and said, ¡°Guohua, Yaozu was a member of the Li family after all. You can¡¯t ignore that.¡± That was the exact response Li Guohua was aiming for, he smiled and responded, ¡°Huang Qiue, I don¡¯t have a good solution. But this gentleman here can guide you in the right direction. If this matter is handled appropriately, you as a widow raising an orphan can livefortably for the rest of your life. There won¡¯t be any major problems.¡±( Chapter 481: 444 Wicked People Have Their Own Nemesis_1 Chapter 481: Chapter 444 Wicked People Have Their Own Nemesis_1 Three days had passed since the raid on Jinding Hotel and the city-wide crackdown. Jinding Hotel remained cordoned off as usual on its fourth floor. Moreover, the owner of Jinding Hotelplied courteously by paying a fine of three million. For a while, this stirred up the atmosphere in hotels across the city. Even apany as deeply-rooted as Jinding had sumbed, so if others couldn¡¯t see the situation clearly, they might as well close their doors and head home. At this moment, it was peak working hours, and numerous police officers were gradually arriving at the main entrance of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, ready to start their busy day. Just then, four or fivemercial vehicles screeched to a halt at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau. From the vehicles, a diverse crowd of men, women, old and young descended. Leading the group was a chubby woman in herte thirties with piercing triangr eyes. She gestured and shrieked, ¡°Hang those banners for me. Today, we are here to demand justice. Is this still a society governed by the Communist Party? Under the bright sky, the police station is taking lives recklessly and ruining reputations. Isn¡¯t there anyone in charge anymore?¡± Upon seeing this, three security guards, who were guarding the main gate, rushed over. The head of the security department, a bona fide police officer, scolded loudly, ¡°What are you doing? Who are you guys to start trouble at the entrance of the Public Security Bureau? Immediately remove all this mess. If there are any issues, send a few representatives to the Bureau¡¯s Appeals Department. Otherwise, you can go to the City Appeals Department. Disrupting the regr operation of a government agency is illegal.¡± ¡°Oh, so we have a leader here, iming we¡¯re breaking thew? I don¡¯t care. Your Public Security Bureau¡¯s people drove my husband to his death and ndered him for soliciting prostitutes, ruining his reputation. I¡¯m telling you, today, I¡¯ve brought these fellow vigers here to demand justice.¡± Huang Qiue disyed her defiant guts at that moment. At this time, Huang Qiue clearly remembered what Hua Shao had said to her ¡ª if she made a show of things, her future would be worry-free. The gathered crowd, young and old, had been hired by Guo Yulong. The older and younger ones were rtives of these ruffians. They hade here to stir up trouble, the bigger, the better. Only in this way could they make Nie Zhenbang ufortable, right? So, these people were not afraid of the security department head¡¯s stern words. Among them, a middle-aged man even barked, ¡°Think you can scare me? I grew up fearing nothing! Hang the banner. We¡¯ve informed the TV station. Let these people see clearly. This is a government institution, this is the Public Security Bureau, so recklessly taking lives. We strongly demand that the municipal partymittee and municipal government hold the director of the Public Security Bureau responsible.¡± Soon, a red banner was hung up, itsrge white text visible from a distance: ¡°Disregard for life. Indifference to lives lost. Deliver us justice. Severely punish the criminals.¡± Meanwhile, Huang Qiue¡¯s son and a few children were kneeling on the side, in front of them a few papers detailing their version of events. Theypletely omitted the truth of Li Yaozu soliciting prostitutes, framing him as a selfless official with a glorious image who had been falsely used by the Public Security Bureau of being a client of prostitutes at Jinding Hotel, and had ultimately been pushed off the fifth floor by the police, resulting in his death.
If uninformed members of the public saw this, they would undoubtedly be incensed. Now, dozens of spectators had already gathered around. Such a major incident had already rmed the Public Security Bureau. At that moment, a few more vehicles pulled up alongside, carrying media journalists from Jiangzhou. They rushed towards Huang Qiue and her group, cameras aimed and snapping away. Huang Qiue put on an expression of deep grievances at that moment, portraying herself as a victim, while the Public Security Bureau was made out to be the culpritmitting all sorts of evil deeds, tarring people with the brush of scandal to cover up the truth. At this moment, Chen Le, along with the leaders of the Public Security Bureau, stepped outside. Chen Le¡¯s expression was grim as he looked at the hanging banner and the crowd gathered around. He was extremely annoyed. He had deliberately intended to downy the situation in order to protect Li Yaozu¡¯s reputation, but now, it seemed, he hadnded himself in a heap of trouble. As soon as Chen Le stepped out, Huang Qiue rushed at him, fully demonstrating her shrewish nature, resorting to scratching, pinching, biting ¡ª every method under the sun. A scene like this didn¡¯t require Chen Le to lift a hand. Several policemen beside him had already rushed out and grabbed Huang Qiue. At this point, several reporters had already approached Chen Le. ¡°Hello, could you pleasement on the incident where the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau was used of reckless disregard for human life? Is the chief of your Bureau, Chief Chen, here? Can we interview Chief Chen?¡± The reporter continuously pressed, firing off questions without pause. At this moment, Chen Le nced at the reporter and said, ¡°I am the director of the Bureau, Chen Le. Regarding Li Yaozu¡¯s case, our bureau will soon hold a press conference to report to the public. Please distinguish between truth and falsehood and do not be deceived by those with ulterior motives.¡± Chapter 482 - 444 Wicked People Have Their Own Nemesis_2 Chapter 482: Chapter 444 Wicked People Have Their Own Nemesis_2 The reporter was sharp and quickly picked up on the key point of the conversation: ¡°Director Chen, could you please exin what you mean by ¡®being deceived¡¯? Does this case have hidden aspects? Or are you suggesting that Deputy District Chief Li Yaozu was really caught in the act of soliciting a prostitute?¡± ¡°Thisrade journalist, in respect of Li Yaozu¡¯s status, we intended to keep this case confidential. But since you¡¯ve asked, I will respond.¡± Chen Le looked at Huang Qiue indifferently, a cold smile ying on his lips. You think you can turn ck into white. Little do you know, I¡¯ve made thorough preparations for this.¡± Then, Chen Le solemnly said, ¡°On August 26th, our bureau conducted surprise inspections of all hotels in the city. During the inspection at Jinding Hotel, Li Yaozu attempted to evade ourw enforcement officers but identally fell from the exterior wall of the fourth floor. He died instantly due to a severe head injury¡­¡± Before Chen Le could finish, Huang Qiue struggled to interject: ¡°Chen Le, you¡¯re ndering him. My husband was always honest and diligent in his work. He had a good reputation in the Liangjiang District. You¡¯re framing him. I have evidence and witnesses to prove that my husband was not on the fourth floor.¡± Huang Qiue scoffed. She was convinced that Chen Le and his team had no defence against her usations. Guo Yulong had already arranged for the masseuse who was with Li Yaozu at the time to leave Liangxi and Jiangbei. As for those clothes, she could easily use Chen Le and his team of intentionally removing them. She thought it would be difficult to find any eyewitnesses. Just as it¡¯s hard for a fair official to settle a family dispute, she believed she could frame the police and get Chen Le demoted or fired. Huang Qiue expected Jinding to pay the fine graciously and believed Chen Le didn¡¯t suspect anything given how calmly she had identified and cremated Li Yaozu. However, she had misjudged Chen Le. He was well-prepared for all this. Every pitiful person has something hateful about them. I was initially prepared to save Li Yaozu some face, but if this is how it¡¯s going to be, then I¡¯m not going to show any mercy.¡± Chen Le snapped back at her: ¡°You need to back up your words with evidence. An impartial result will determine how your husband died.¡± Chen Le continued: ¡°Since this is the case, I¡¯m going to briefly announce the preliminary results of the media interviews.¡± Seeing Chen Le¡¯s confidence, Huang Qiue felt an inexplicable fear. Chen Le then announced: ¡°During our surprise inspection, the city television station sent three reporting teams to cover the situation. From this, everyone can judge the authenticity of the event. Also, although Li Yaozu¡¯s clothes left at the scene have been collected, we took photos of the scene and run tests on the traces left on the window. Li Yaozu was confirmed through fingerprint matching. We believe these pieces of evidence are sufficient to exin the situation.¡± Huang Qiue lost all her confidence. She had not expected Chen Le to be prepared. She realized that creating further fuss was meaningless, and she would only be aughing stock. She might even reach a point where she can¡¯t face anyone. Huang Qiue left in disappointment. The reporters understood what happened, but Chen Le didn¡¯t stop there. Since everything was out in the open, Chen Le held a press conference in the afternoon. He presented the fingerprint identification certificate and the statement of the masseuse involved, as well as a few eyewitness testimonies. At this point, everything was out in daylight. Meanwhile, Huang Qiue, along with her two brothers, went angrily to Jinding Hotel. The moment she stepped in, sheshed out at a receptionist: ¡°Where is Boss Guo? I¡¯m looking for Guo Yulong.¡± The situation at the city police bureau had already reached Guo Yulong. He gave Huang Qiue 100,000 yuan to stir up trouble to help Li Guohua. The agreement was to give another 500,000 yuan once the task was aplished. Since Huang Qiue failed, there was no need for him to be polite now. Guo Yulong had arranged not to see Huang Qiue. The hotel manager stepped up: ¡°Ms. Huang, Boss Guo has advised that we should put an end to this matter. There¡¯s no need for any further involvement.¡± On hearing these words, Huang Qiue lost her temper: ¡°What? Guo Yulong dares to y me? He dares to offend the Li family? Does he have a death wish?¡± ¡°Ms. Huang, please watch yournguage. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. What Li family? You¡¯re just a widow. Do you still count as part of the Li family?¡± The hotel manager was given the green light by Guo Yulong to talk back. Then he signaled the security: ¡°Guards, get these three people out of here. What are you people doing, letting all sorts of riffraff in? This is a five-star hotel, not a charity house. If you allowed them in again, you might as well quit your jobs.¡± The security were upset about being scolded and they were not in a good mood. When Huang Qiue attempted to rush in, they easily pushed her to the ground. Their patience was running thin, and they were about to turn violent. Without the backing of Li Yaozu, Huang Qiue¡¯s family lost their influence and were no longer aggressive. ¡°No, I can¡¯t let it go like this. If Guo Yulong refuses to see me and dares to mess with me, I¡¯m going to see Li Guohua. If I am provoked, I might as well break off all ties.¡± At that moment, Huang Qiue waspletely infuriated. ( Chapter 483 - 445 Chen Le’s Counterattack_1 Chapter 483: Chapter 445 Chen Le¡¯s Counterattack_1 At this moment, having heard his younger sister¡¯s words, Huang Qiusheng, Huang Qiue¡¯s elder brother, appeared terrified. Both Huang Qiusheng and his brother, Huang Qiuliang, were old hooligans who indulged in idleness. They engaged in small construction projects, part time jobs, problem-solving for others and helping people get jobs within the system ¨C activities like these supported them, all thanks to the power exercised by their brother-inw, Li Yaozu. For a long time, the two brothers have been subservient to their sister. In fact, they were somewhat apprehensive of her. Seeing her ferocious demeanor, they started to fear her. They knew her personality very well. Otherwise, their brother-inw wouldn¡¯t have had to resort to frequenting seedy ces. Huang Qiuliang stepped forward and whispered, ¡°Third sister, you must think this through. Li Guohua is not someone we can afford to offend.¡± By this point, Huang Qiue was utterly infuriated by Guo Yulong. She had just lost five hundred thousand instantly. She was used to avish lifestyle, and now with her husband¡¯s death, she felt helpless. She smirked coldly and sneered, ¡°What¡¯s so great about Guohua? This time, that bastard Guo Yulong dared to y tricks on me. It must be his idea. I want to see what he¡ªLi Guohua has to say. He isn¡¯t up to any good either. If he gives me a hard time, I¡¯ll make it tough for everyone, and we will all just part ways.¡± ¡­ ¡°Guohua, you have to back me up. That jerk Guo Yulong promised me five hundred thousand but now he¡¯s nowhere to be found. Not only that, but his security guards also gave me the boot. Guo Yulong is nothing but a dog to the Li family. You have to set things right for me.¡± In Li Guohua¡¯s suite, Huang Qiue angrily stated her case. Her words furrowed Li Guohua¡¯s brow. His face darkened as he shouted angrily, ¡°Huang Qiue, don¡¯t bring your shrewish ways before me, I warn you. You are not even worthy of mentioning the Li family. Li Yaozu was just a distant rtive on the outskirts of the Li family. What do you consider yourself to be, to threaten me like that?¡± After a pause, Li Guohua spoke in a low tone, ¡°I know nothing about your dealings with Guo Yulong. What does it have to do with me? Get lost!¡± Yet, in his heart, Li Guohua was somewhat disgruntled with Guo Yulong. His way of conducting affairs was questionable. This issue involving Huang Qiue had unnecessarily reached him. However, if Huang Qiue had maintained a better attitude and lowered her stakes a bit, he might have given Guo Yulong a call. But now, Huang Qiue¡¯s high-handed attitude was irksome to Li Guohua. Even if he decided to discipline Guo Yulongter, he wouldn¡¯t do that for starling Huang Qiue. If he gave in to this harridan, how would he show face? ¡°Damn it, Li Guohua, so he too has turned his back! Good! Very good, let¡¯s see how I deal with them.¡± Huang Qiue left the Liangxi Grand Hotel cursing all the way. Looking at her two brothers waiting by the door, she yelled angrily, ¡°You two good-for-nothing fellows, I always told you to engage in some substantial work when Yaozu was still in power, but you never paid heed. Now, you see the result. Get out, both of you, get out!¡± ¡­ At the moment, at the City Public Security Bureau, Chen Le was engrossed in inspecting files. As the Eastern Development Forum was drawing near, variousprehensive security measures had to be implemented continuously without anyxity. Additionally, the security of the various provincial and city delegations attending the exhibition, the security of the Donggang Special Administrative Government delegation, and the security of Deputy Chairman Shen, were all within his responsibility. The burden was heavy, leaving Chen Le no room to ck off. Just then, there was a knock at the door. As the door creaked open from the outside, Feng Kuang poked his head in and whispered, ¡°Director, Huang Qiue is here, causing a scene in the lobby downstairs, demanding to see you.¡± ¡°Huang Qiue? What on earth does this woman want now? Is she here to stir up trouble? Kick her out. If she refuses to leave, have her arrested and detained for a few days. People like her need a taste of their own medicine or else they¡¯ll think that they own Liangxi City.¡± Chen Le frowned and spoke sternly. However, Feng Kuang didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he came further into the room and whispered, ¡°Director, Huang Qiue didn¡¯t cause a scene this time. As soon as she arrived, she began to mutter about wanting to see you. Moreover, she came alone. It seems she¡¯s pretty upset. She¡¯s seething with rage. I suspect there might be some hidden story. Shouldn¡¯t we¡­?¡± On hearing these words, Chen Le¡¯s brow furrowed. He spoke in a low voice, ¡°Feng Kuang, you and Bureau Chief Xiong Fei need to address her. This woman behaves like a madwoman. Let¡¯s see what she has to say.¡± At this moment, Feng Kuang appeared a bit uneasy and continued,¡±Sir, I¡¯ve tried, and Bureau Chief Xiong Fei also tried, but she isn¡¯t listening to anyone except you. What do you think¡­?¡± Chen Le was now mulling over Huang Qiue¡¯s intentions. Was she nning to resort to hooliganism if her initial n of bringing others to create a ruckus didn¡¯t work? She hade alone. Eventually, Chen Le decided to meet Huang Qiue. Nodding his head he said, ¡°Alright, bring her in. I would like to see what tricks this woman is up to.¡± Under Feng Kuang¡¯s guidance, it wasn¡¯t long before Huang Qiue was led into Chen Le¡¯s office. Seeing Feng Kuang beside him, her gesture clearly implied that she wanted him to leave. However, Chen Le calmly said, ¡°Huang Qiue, my secretary, Feng Kuang, can stay. Whatever matter you have, feel free to speak up.¡± Chen Le had no intention of letting Feng Kuang leave at this time. If Huang Qiue were toter frame him, there would be no way for him to clear his name, even if he were to jump into the Yellow River. Huang Qiue was struggling and hesitating at this moment. But after a while, she abruptly said, ¡°Director Chen, I want to expose Li Guohua. This man is a beast in human skin, extremely perverted. To my knowledge, Li Guohua regrly patronizes a private room at the Liangxi Grand Hotel, inviting high-ss prostitutes to serve him. Sometimes, he also hosts debauched parties with foreigners.¡± Upon hearing Huang Qiue¡¯s words, Chen Le sprang to his feet. This news was truly shocking, especially since it involved Li Guohua. If it were true, Li Guohua would lose all face in Liangxi City and would have no chance of advancement for several years. Supressing his excitement, Chen Le said gravely, ¡°Huang Qiue, you need to think this through. You are attempting to smear a leader. If things go wrong, you will be held ountable byw.¡± Once having dered it, Huang Qiue seemed to be out of her hesitation and instead appeared forthright. Looking at Chen Le, she said, ¡°Director Chen, I understand that. What¡¯s true is true and what¡¯s false can¡¯t be made true. Those bastards Li Guohua and Guo Yulong tricked me, inciting me to make a scene at the police station and promising to give me 500,000 yuan, but they didn¡¯t follow through. The incident has caused such amotion. My family¡¯s reputation, including Yaozu¡¯s, is ruined. He¡¯s already dead and now he¡¯sbeled as a john who jumped off a building. I have nothing else in mind, so don¡¯t me me for being harsh. This was also what Li Yaozu told me. Li Guohua is quite influenced by the West¡¯s nonsensical stuff and often organizes such parties. Li Yaozu wanted to go, but I strictly forbade him. I only heard about it by chance. As for whether it¡¯s true or false, isn¡¯t it a specialty of your Public Security Bureau to investigate these things? You will know once you check it.¡± With a turn of his eyes, Chen Le said gravely, ¡°Check it? You make it sound so easy. It¡¯s against regtions to investigate a city and a government leader without cause. Your im is just hearsay, not evidence. I know about the matter now, Huang Qiue. You may go.¡± Seeing that Chen Le was unmoved, Huang Qiue burst into anger, cursing loudly, ¡°Chen Le, I knew all along that you guys would stick together. Trusting you was my own blind faith. Li Guohua is a pervert through and through. Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t he be married by now?¡± After gesturing for Feng Kuang to see Huang Qiue out, Chen Le sank into contemtion. Judging from Huang Qiue¡¯s performance, this matter seemed unlikely to be false. But just as he had previously stated, investigating Li Guohua was no trivial matter. One wrong move could not only alert Li Guohua and scare him off, but Chen Le himself would also have to bear responsibility. However, Chen Le had to admit Huang Qiue¡¯s point made some sense. Some of Li Guohua¡¯s actions were thought to be quite abnormal. In the city of Liangxi, there was no gossip associated with Li Guohua. To outsiders, Deputy Mayor Li appeared as a dignified and decent representative. And yet, given his family background, it was unusual that he was still unmarried in his thirties. These offspring of established families usually opt for political marriages. Even the city mayor married into the Yang family. Chen Le found it hard to believe that the Li Family made no arrangements for Li Guohua. Having thought of this, Chen Le suddenly stood up, his eyes showing a hint of determination. He would investigate this matter, no question. Since Li Guohua got Huang Qiue to stir up trouble for him, Chen Le would return the favor, making things difficult for Li Guohua. If this investigation were to uncover any wrongdoing, it might not necessarilynd Li Guohua in prison, but it would for sure put an end to his political career. Chen Le was by nature stubborn. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say he was decisive and ruthless. Back in his Lixian days, Chen Le, then just a deputy director of the county bureau, dared to depose the county party secretary along with Nie Zhenbang. That incident is a testament to Chen Le¡¯s character. ¡°However, this case can¡¯t be overtly investigated. If Li Guohua noticed anything suspicious, I¡¯d be finished. Not only would I fail to uncover anything, I¡¯d likely face disciplinary action. Feng Kuang and a few trusted subordinates can only act under the table. After all, with no support from senior leaders, the sole investigation of a standing vice mayor and member of the citymittee will jeopardize my position.¡± Having thought to that point, Chen Le had already formted a detailed n. Seeing Feng Kuang walk in, Chen Le said in a low voice, ¡°Feng Kuang, keep a lid on this matter. Gather a few trusted subordinates and conduct covert surveince on Li Guohua in theing days. Keep me updated on the investigation. For now, I need to pay a visit to the city government.¡± After giving those orders, Chen Le prepared to report this matter to Nie Zhenbang. After all, Nie Zhenbang was his superior. If he could get the backing of Nie Zhenbang, Chen Le¡¯s own responsibility would be significantly lessened. ( Chapter 484: 446: Knocking Down Li Guohua_1 Chapter 484: Chapter 446: Knocking Down Li Guohua_1 ¡°Mr. Mayor, Director Chen from the Public Security Bureau is here,¡± Huang Xuyang entered the office and reported in a low voice. Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang immediately lifted his head. With the Eastern Development Forum approaching, urban redevelopment and expansion projects had also reached a critical moment. All projects were working overtime in an attempt to bepleted before the opening of the Eastern Development Forum. As the Mayor, Nie Zhenbang was inevitably swamped. Fortunately, An Na and others had gone to Jingcheng, allowing him to have a peace of mind knowing that someone was taking care of things there. Nie Zhenbang was momentarily surprised at Chen Le¡¯s arrival, followed by a smile, ¡°Quickly let Chen Le in. There are some things I need to discuss with him.¡± Normally, Chen Le and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rtionship didn¡¯t require any formalities. However, since Nie Zhenbang got a new secretary, Chen Le and Yi Jun had been strictly observing this boundary. Nie Zhenbang was clearly aware of this change; Chen Le didn¡¯t abuse the favor, he remembered his ce. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t bother with formalities when Chen Le walked in. With a wave of his hand, he directly asked, ¡°I heard that a few days ago, the family members of Li Yaozu, whomitted suicide by jumping off a building in Liangjiang District, came to you to cause trouble. Is that true?¡± The incident had already spread through Jiangbei TV station, newspapers, and media outlets throughout Jiangbei Province. It was now quitemon knowledge in the province. Looking at Chen Le, Nie Zhenbang sternly said, ¡°It was reckless of you. There were no prior signs of such a big scandal. Not reporting it to the Municipal Committee and the City Government initially, as soon as the media reported it, the incident of a Liangxi City Government official visiting prostitutes andmitting suicide to evade inspection, has now be aughingstock throughout the province. It has put the Municipal Committee and the City Government in a very passive position. Secretary Fan has quite a fewints about you.¡± Chen Le was familiar with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character, and he quickly responded with a smile, ¡°Mr. Mayor, don¡¯t you know me? I have found out that Li Guohua deliberately incited Li Yaozu¡¯s wife to create a scene. They thought I didn¡¯t have any evidence and wanted to take this opportunity to get me. They didn¡¯t expect to offend Huang Qiue in the process.¡± Pausing for a moment, Chen Le became serious, ¡°Mayor, I¡¯m here specifically for this matter. Li Yaozu¡¯s wife agreed to cause trouble for Li Guohua and Guo Yulong, but now, Guo Yulong does not want to honor his promise. Yesterday, Huang Qiue came to me and reported some things about Li Guohua.¡±
After Chen Le repeated the things reported by Huang Qiue, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯splexion also became serious. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also weighing the options. This was indeed an opportunity, but the current situation in Jingcheng was delicate. Any move could have serious consequences. Taking action against Li Guohua may provoke a bacsh from the Li faction, potentially leading them to target the Nie family. Now, Nie Zhenbang was not just carrying his own future, but also the fate of his family. The Nie family must have someone enter the Politburo during this change of guard, which would provide a basic guarantee for the Nie family. If this caused his uncle to fail to enter the Politburo, the loss would be significant. This was the reason for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s hesitation. After pondering for a while, Nie Zhenbang had made a decision. Looking at Chen Le, he said seriously, ¡°Old Chen, I don¡¯t need to speak much about the importance of this matter. I believe you understand it well. This must be kept confidential. Do not act rashly without absolute assurance of sess. Keep me informed about this at all times.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang made his decision. Opportunities to pull down Li Guohua were notmon. It would be a pity to let it pass. If he could use the opportunity of the Eastern Forum, he could even get Li Guohua transferred elsewhere over the provincial-ministerial threshold. After that, it would be even more difficult to pull down Li Guohua. As for the impact on the overall situation in Jingcheng, there certainly would be drawbacks. However, every benefit has its cost. Risk often coexists with opportunity. Even if the Li family suppressed them, wouldn¡¯t it also be an opportunity? At this time, perhaps Vice-Chairman Shen would think that the Nie family would be more receptive. After finishing, he looked at Chen Le¡¯s expression. Nie Zhenbang was quite pleased; there were no emotional fluctuations. In this aspect, Chen Le had proven his qualifications. ¡°Mr. Mayor, I understand. rest assured, I will personally follow up on this matter.¡± With that, Chen Le stood up. ¡­ Outside the Liangxi Grand Hotel, a ck sedan was parked on the sidewalk across the street. Inside the car, two young men watched the constant stream of peopleing and going from the Liangxi Grand Hotel. Around nine in the evening, a ck Audi drove directly into the hotel. Feng Kuang, who was in the control center, spoke into his microphone, ¡°Target has entered the hotel, all units be on the lookout.¡± At that moment, upstairs in the hotel, two young men, drunk as skunks, staggered arm in arm, mumbling gibberish now and then. The elevator took them straight to the eleventh floor of the Liangxi Grand Hotel. As the elevator doors opened. The two men stumbled out. A waiter, who had been waiting for them, came forward: ¡°Gentlemen, I¡¯m afraid this floor is reserved for city government officials and is not avable to the public.¡± At the waiter¡¯s words, one of the men cursed, ¡°What do you mean this floor is off-limits? Is there an inessible area in a hotel? Get us a presidential suite, I have plenty of money, cash ain¡¯t an issue.¡± The waiter stood his ground, responding, ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not about money. This floor is specifically for government officials. If you want a presidential suite, please go up to the top floor. Please understand my predicament, otherwise, I¡¯ll have to call for security.¡± On hearing the waiter mention calling security, the other man stepped forward with an apologetic smile, ¡°Sorry, my friend is drunk. We¡¯ll leave immediately.¡± After stepping out of the eleventh floor, the two men found a secluded spot. Their drunken stupor visibly gone, they spoke quietly, ¡°Commander Feng, we couldn¡¯t get in. There¡¯s someone on duty in the corridor 24 hours a day. It¡¯s impossible to get close to Li Guohua¡¯s room and check the situation.¡± Listening to the report from the team upstairs, Feng Kuang frowned, angered. Nothing was more frustrating than watching an offender roam freely while powerless to apprehend him. At this moment, an observer nearby spoke, ¡°Commander Feng, look, a few more people went in. Among them is a prominent American professor from Liangxi University. ording to our week-long observation, Li Guohua visits here approximately every three days, and this man is always present. It seems that they are in frequent contact.¡±
Feng Kuang watched the foreigner enter the building and cursed softly, ¡°Such hypocrisy. The Li family has really produced a rare kind. If the Li family knew that all that he learned abroad were such things, they would be literally pissed off.¡± After a moment of contemtion, Feng Kuangmanded in a steady voice, ¡°Inform all other groups to continue monitoring. Find out where they meet. These people have unique identities and high-profile statuses. They wouldn¡¯t just pick any ce.¡± After another week of observation, it was now early September. The Eastern Development Forum was less than a month away. Feng Kuang and his team, after observing for a while, had basically figured out the meeting ce of Li Guohua and hispany. What shocked Feng Kuang even more was that among the participants in Li Guohua¡¯s gatherings, apart from a few fixed sex workers, there were some seemingly honorable family women.
¡°Chief, we have now more or less traced the ounts. Just as Huang Qiue said, Li Guohua has a long-term private room at the Liangxi Grand Hotel. Moreover, Li Guohua, every three days, meets foreign nationals or famous entrepreneurs in the presidential suite on the top floor of the Liangxi Grand Hotel,¡± Feng Kuang reported, then continued, ¡°ording to statistics, the number of participants is generally between three to five. They go in individually, and approximately ten minutester, women follow. If we weren¡¯t paying close attention, we wouldn¡¯t have noticed it. Their operations are quite secretive.¡± Additionally, due to the special feature of the top floor, there are dedicated waiters outside the floor providing 24-hour service, along with stationed security personnel. It would be extremely difficult to catch them red-handed. If they wanted to control the outside without rming Li Guohua and hispany, they would have to act swiftly. Listening to Feng Kuang¡¯s report, Chen Le started to ponder, such action couldn¡¯t be handled by him alone. One mistake and if they couldn¡¯t catch Li Guohua red-handed, there would be a fierce counterattack from Li Guohua. The charge of privately investigating a superior leader is unavoidable. This matter must be decided by Nie Zhenbang. With this in mind, Chen Le stood up and said in a deep voice, ¡°Feng Kuang, prepare for action at any time. I¡¯m heading to the city government to report to Mayor Nie.¡± In the city government office, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brow. This was a rare opportunity. If they could expose Li Guohua this time, his political career wouldn¡¯t just hit a snag, but the backing and focus from the Li family would also cease. However, Li Guohua¡¯s father, Li Jiangshan, who currently served as secretary of the Hucheng Municipal Committee and member of the Political Bureau, along with the Li family¡¯s patriarch still being alive, whether they could withstand these pressures was an issue. Most importantly, what will they do if they failed to catch him on the spot? All these were considerations and challenges to face. Chen Le too was deep in thought. After a while, he clenched his teeth and said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, why don¡¯t I lead the team personally to arrest Li Guohua? If we seed, all will be well. If not, I will take the me. This way, you won¡¯t be implicated.¡± ¡°Chen Le! Do not say that again,¡± Nie Zhenbang interrupted, not waiting for Chen Le to finish. Looking at Chen Le, Nie said seriously, ¡°In my life, I have never abandoned arade. I will shoulder whateveres. Now, how certain are you about this operation?¡± Chen Le was solemn and quiet for a moment before saying, ¡°Considering Li Guohua¡¯s status and their covert nature, I don¡¯t think these people are wary. If we can control the floor¡¯s service staff and security guards swiftly, I am 90% confident.¡± After hearing Chen Le¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment and then stood up, ¡°Chen Le, go to the military sub-district immediately and ask Commander Peng to dispatch some unfamiliar faces. Act as foreign businessmen and rent a presidential suite. Take control of the situation as quickly as possible. Whether we can bring down Li Guohua depends on you. My political future and career are now in your hands.¡± Chapter 485: 447 Shocking the Nation_1 Chapter 485: Chapter 447 Shocking the Nation_1 Entrusted with a significant task¡ªno, at this moment, it could no longer be described as simply entrusting with a significant task. Nie Zhenbang was essentially cing his political future into Chen Le¡¯s hands. Nie Zhenbang was gambling too. Although he, as a superior, intended for his group¡¯s future to follow his path, he ultimately needed to construct a faction that belonged solely to him. New Li City was a part of this and Chen Le and Yi Jun were both considered his closest allies. Under these circumstances, if he were to sacrifice these allies for his personal gain, although no one would say anything at present, it would inevitably leave a bad impression in the minds of people like Chen Le. In the system, small details are given top priority. Sometimes, a minor detail could cause a major upheaval. Li Guohua¡¯s current situation is a vivid example of this. Li Guohua himself probably didn¡¯t know that his and Li Yaozu¡¯s distant rtives¡¯ affiliation and some hearsay messy news had led to this opportunity to bring him down. Half a million was not a significant amount for Li Guohua, yet it turned out to be the trigger to end his political career. Hearing all this, Chen Le¡¯s expression changed. He was deeply moved and said with a grave voice, ¡°Mayor, rest assured. I will definitelyplete the task.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang did not cken and reiterated, ¡°Old Chen, you have been with me for many years. You are familiar with my style. If we move, we must make it lethal. In military warfare, it¡¯s called defeating the enemy with one move, a lethal approach. The same rule applies in politics. We must make solid ground and never let the enemy recover. This is my style. For this operation, you must n every detail meticulously. Think three times before you act. Now, go into action. I¡¯m waiting here for your good news.¡± Watching Chen Le leave, Nie Zhenbang clearly understood Chen Le¡¯s character. If the young man was sessful, that would be one thing. But if he failed, he would likely take all the responsibility upon himself. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang sat down and made a call to Zhao Xinglong in Jingcheng. The moment the call connected, Zhao Xinglong¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Third Brother, what brings you here today?¡± Nie Zhenbang cut straight to the point, ¡°Xinglong, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. I hear your aunt works at Huaxia Youth News. Could you do me a favor? I¡¯ll have some photos of Li Guohua¡¯s publishedter.¡±
Being from prominent families, Zhao Xinglong understood immediately. Reporting Li Guohua¡¯s scandalous news in the news, and without hesitation, he replied cheerfully, ¡°Li Guohua¡¯s misfortune is joyful news! I¡¯ve hated him since seeing his triumphant face at the Dynasty Club. Leave this task to me. Wen¡¯s aunt works at the Southern Metropolis. I¡¯ll see if any others have media connections and promise to cover the news no matter what.¡± Listening to Zhao Xinglong, Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of getting into a mess? After all, Li Guohua¡¯s news is not a small issue. Once it breaks out, Li Guohua is doomed.¡± Zhao Xinglongughed heartily, ¡°When have you ever seen me, Zhao Xinglong, afraid of anything? My old man never interferes in government affairs. It¡¯s not easy for the Li family to infiltrate the military against us. Don¡¯t worry about this.¡± This move was meticulously nned by Nie Zhenbang after hearing from Chen Le. As he had mentioned earlier, his style was either not to take action at all, or if he did, it would be a move nobody, no force could change. He believed that once this issue was made public nationwide, Li Guohua¡¯s reputation would be swept away. Even if he wasn¡¯t dismissed, he¡¯d surely be transferred out of Liangxi. Afterward, the Li family would probably give up on him, resigning him to live out his remaining years quietly in some corner. While Nie Zhenbang was nning, Chen Le began to take action. At around 9:30 in the evening, Li Guohua showed up at the entrance of the Liangxi Grand Hotel. Chen Le felt a sigh of relief. This time was half an hourter than Li Guohua¡¯s usual, and Chen Le almost thought he wouldn¡¯te. Three minutes after Li Guohua entered the hotel, two foreigners followed, and then the foreign teacher from Liangxi University also entered the hotel. Seeing this, Chen Le was delighted. He turned to Feng Kuang and said, ¡°Feng, it looks like a big gathering today. This is great. Their private room will be very lively, which can provide us a lot of cover. When we go upter, we must break the door the first time. The door to the presidential suite is sturdy, I authorize, you can use firearms.¡± Feng Kuang nodded as well. As the head of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau, Chen Le was a public figure; many social celebrities and system cadres in Liangxi City knew him. Therefore, Chen Le couldn¡¯t appear in this operation, for once he stepped into the Liangxi Grand Hotel, he¡¯d probably be warmly invited by the director of the Liangxi City Reception Office. Chapter 486: 447 Shocking the Nation_2 Chapter 486: Chapter 447 Shocking the Nation_2 Around nine fifty, several women, some dressed innocently and others morously, also entered the hotel. Standing nearby, Feng Kuang said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect they would hire escorts tonight. This will make things even easier.¡± Chen Le nodded in agreement. This would provide an excellent headline for the news: Deputy Mayor openly visiting prostitutes, partaking in group lewdness. This headline alone would be enough to cast a shadow over Li Guohua. At ten o¡¯clock sharp, Chen Le ryed his instructions to Feng Kuang once again, who then promptly led his team into the hotel. They navigated smoothly to the top floor. Upon reaching the doorway of the stairwell, they were met by several inclothes officers, who said in a low voice, ¡°Feng Squad, are we ready to proceed?¡± Checking his watch, Feng Kuang saw that it was only ten past ten and replied, ¡°Hold on, ording to the information we¡¯ve gathered, their gathering won¡¯t end until after eleven. This is just the beginning. Let¡¯s wait a bit longer. We¡¯llmence the operation at half past ten.¡± This kind of tedious waiting could be excruciating, but these people were the elite of the police force, familiar with this type of stake-out situation. Time quickly approached half past ten. Feng Kuang¡¯s facial expression morphed from its previous casualness to stern seriousness. He ordered in a low voice, ¡°Xiao Wang, Xiao Zhou, you two will enter as bodyguards first. Our informer is in the presidential suite number two. You need to secure the two staff members and two security guards as soon as possible. The rest of us will act immediately once you seed.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhou both performed some warm-up movements, and then they walked in casually. At this moment, a security guard came to greet them as they approached the stairway entrance, ¡°Sorry, gentlemen, this is the Presidential Suite, you cannot enter.¡± ¡°We are the bodyguards for Mr. Deng in the second presidential suite. We have been stationed here these past few days. Our boss just assigned us a task,¡± Xiao Zhou replied promptly. The security guard considered this, then picked up his walkie-talkie and announced, ¡°Front Desk, Front Desk, please check with Mr. Deng in the second presidential suite to see if his bodyguards have gone out.¡± Although the Liangxi Grand Hotel is a government hotel, it operates in line with international standards. This level of service was indeed worthy of the five-star status of Liangxi Grand Hotel.
At this moment, the door to the second private suite opened. Two men in their thirties came out and went directly to the front desk. One of them asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? You¡¯re familiar with my bodyguards, why are you checking?¡± The other man ced his hands behind his back, silently gesturing. When Xiao Wang and Xiao Zhou saw the hand signal, they nodded knowingly. Xiao Wang walked over. When he got close, the four men sprung into action, they were all experts in hand-to-handbat, including Mr. Deng¡¯s two men who were elite from the military. In the blink of an eye, all four of them had been subdued. Feng Kuang burst in with three others, instantly showing their police badges and spoke quietly, ¡°We are from the Public Security Bureau. You must unconditionally cooperate with our investigation. Xiao Wang, keep these four under strict control. If anyone dares to speak, shoot them immediately. We can attribute it to desperate resistance.¡± Thement was an intimidation tactic by Feng Kuang to keep them in fear. Upon seeing them nodding their heads in terror, Feng Kuang stood up andmanded, ¡°Xiao Zhou, you¡¯ll pair up with Old Deng, I¡¯ll pair up with Old Xiong and Chen Bin you¡¯ll take the photos. The others will provide backup. Let¡¯s move.¡± When the team reached the entrance of the Presidential suite, Feng Kuang didn¡¯t bother to knock. He pointed his Type 64 pistol at the door lock and fired three continuous shots, turning the lock into shards. Before those inside had a chance to react, Feng Kuang and the others had already stormed in. Currently, in the living room of the Presidential suite, four pairs of men and women were engaged in various sordid acts, their bare bodies on disy. Li Guohua was in the same state, naked, with a woman both in front and behind him, each striking a provocative pose. Upon seeing Feng Kuang and his team, the women immediately began to scream. Chen Bin, who had followed Feng Kuang into the suite, quickly raised his camera, snapping numerous photos before anyone had a chance to react. When Li Guohua saw this, he instantly understood. He knew Feng Kuang ¨C Secretary to Chen Le of the City Public Security Bureau. Since he was leading the team, the rest didn¡¯t need to be said. In response, Li Guohua kicked off the woman in front of him. His naked body felt no difort in the open air. He looked at Feng Kuang and spoke with a deep voice, ¡°Feng Kuang, you and Chen Le dare to plot against me? Do you know who I am? There are people you can¡¯t afford to offend. Let me tell you, even if I, Li Guohua, resign from public office, it would be as easy as crushing an ant to crush you.¡± Having said this, Li Guohua calmly picked up his clothes, took his time putting them on, and then smiled, ¡°Feng Kuang, you¡¯re a smart man. But there¡¯s no future with Chen Le, since he¡¯s simply following Nie Zhenbang. If you followed me instead, I promise you, within a year, you¡¯d be the Deputy Director of the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau. Once I be the mayor and Nie Zhenbang is driven away, you¡¯ll be the Director of the Public Security Bureau, or even the Secretary of Politics and Law Committee. By then, you¡¯d be a standingmittee member of the Liangxi Municipal Committee. Just think about it, you¡¯re only in your twenties and already a deputy department-level cadre. Your future would be very promising.¡± ¡°Wow, Vice Mayor Li, what a tactic for winning people over. Crush me, huh? That does make me a little scared.¡± Feng Kuang chuckled with yful interest. Looking at Li Guohua indifferently, he said, ¡°I wonder if Vice Mayor Li knows, after my demobilization, the first person I met was Mayor Nie, he arranged this job for me. Do you think I would be bought by you?¡± After that, Feng Kuang¡¯s tone changed, and hemanded sternly, ¡°Get all these women dressed. Capture these people and bring them back to the bureau for sudden interrogation. The charge of group licentiousness is not a minor one.¡± At midnight, Nie Zhenbang was still waiting in his office for news from Chen Le. His phone rang, and as soon as he picked it up, Chen Le¡¯s excited voice came through, ¡°Mayor, we¡¯ve nabbed them. All in the act. We¡¯ve already developed the photos, and you wouldn¡¯t believe how unseemly Li Guohua looks. I¡¯m on my way back now with the photos.¡± On this end, Nie Zhenbang hung up the phone and immediately dialed Zhao Xinglong, ¡°Xing Long, get yourputer ready. I¡¯ll send over the files soon, it must be on the news by tomorrow. Otherwise, if the Li family gets prepared, we¡¯ll be on the back foot.¡± This matter not only concerned Li Guohua¡¯s future, but also the reputation of the Li family. By tomorrow, given the Li family¡¯s sources, they might know within the next three hours, and once they have time to block the media, this whole operation would fall through. ¡­ At 8:00 AM, Elder Li of the Li family was in his vi with a gloomy expression, rap-rapping his cane. ¡°Disgrace, he¡¯s a disgrace to our family! Sent him to the United States, and he only brought back such disgraceful behavior? Shameless! Utterly shameless!¡±
¡°Dad, we received the news after 5:00 AM. Some newspapers had already been distributed. Despite trying hard, we were only able to intercept some of the newspapers. Southern Metropolis, Huaxia Youth, and Jingcheng Morning News slipped through our fingers. By now, I¡¯m afraid the whole country knows. What do you want to do about it?¡± said a man in his fifties standing beside Elder Li. This was Li Guohua¡¯s second uncle, Li Jianghe. His head was down as if ming himself for not managing well, yet the smirk leaking through his eyes betrayed him. Chapter 487: 448: Li familys Revenge_1 Chapter 487: Chapter 448: Li family¡¯s Revenge_1 ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Li Jianghe? Are you dense or is shit blocking your brain? Such a simple thing and yet you still have to ask me. This expose isn¡¯t just a blow to Li Guohua, but it¡¯s also, on a deeper level, being helped along by that old bastard from the Yang family, who naturally has to support his son-inw, especially if it can strike at me. How could he possibly miss such an opportunity? Otherwise, could such major news be reported without the approval of the Central Propaganda Department?¡± Elder Li roared. A thrill of joy surged within Li Jianghe. The angrier the old master was, the more displeased he would be with his eldest son and eldest grandson, Li Guohua. Even his eldest brother, Li Jiangshan, might be implicated this time. Wouldn¡¯t he then be given more important responsibilities? ¡°Dad, please calm down, I think you are right; Yang Guangrong from the Yang family is currently the Deputy Minister of the Central Propaganda Department. It¡¯s very likely that he is behind this.¡± Li Jianghe lowered his head, joining in the conjecture. At this moment, Elder Li¡¯s rage had subsided. At this level, his mentality had already been honed to an unparalleled fortitude. If it were not for the severe blow to the entire Li family, Elder Li could even remain calm as a mountain, hiding his emotions well. After pondering for a moment, Elder Li spoke in a deep voice: ¡°Jianghe, call Vice Minister Xing of the Central Propaganda Department immediately, and ask him to suppress these negative news reports at all costs. Also, arrange for some media to disclose that the Mayor of Liangxi City, Nie Zhenbang, lives a corrupt, polygamous life. We don¡¯t need to catch Nie Zhenbang doing anything, we just need to shift the focus. That¡¯s enough.¡± Saying this, Elder Li gestured for his second son to leave and then dialed Li Jiangshan¡¯s number. At this moment, Li Jiangshan was also under intense scrutiny. The moment the newspapers and media came out that morning, Li Jiangshan had felt that the members of the Standing Committee of the Hucheng Municipal Committee looked at him differently. Inside the office, the secretary had already sorted the newspapers and documents ording to their importance and urgency. At a nce, to his surprise, he found that the Huaxia Youth Daily was at the top of the pile. This annoyed Li Jiangshan. What was going on? Even his usually reliable secretary had made a mistake today. Just as he was about to call him in for a reprimand, the headline on the front page caught his eye: Li Guohua, Deputy Mayor of Liangxi City, apprehended for organizing an orgy! Is this a case of corruption among party members, or an isted incident? After reading the entire report, Li Jiangshan finally understood why everyone was looking at him strangely today. Li Guohua was his son, and this major scandal would undoubtedly impact him as well. This was a political stain on his reputation ¨C if he couldn¡¯t even manage his own son, then how would he manage the people? Don¡¯t underestimate this stain; at a critical moment, it could cause his downfall.
At that moment, the telephone on his desk rang. As soon as Li Jiangshan answered it, Elder Li¡¯s voice came through: ¡°Jiangshan, concerning Comrade Huang Bingchun¡¯s case from a while back, you need to intensify your efforts. Don¡¯t worry, getting on someone¡¯s bad side is inevitable in certain works. Whether they should be investigated or not, we must investigate.¡± Li Jiangshan nodded and said in a deep voice: ¡°Dad, I understand.¡± Given that the Nie family dared to act this way, it meant that the Li family shouldn¡¯t feel guilty for their actions either. It doesn¡¯t matter whether this was an ordinary investigation by the police that happened to reveal something, or who Chen Le was subordinate to, everyone knew exactly what¡¯s happening. At a time like this, if it¡¯s you, it is you; if it¡¯s not you, it¡¯s still you; Nie Zhenbang and even the entire Nie family can¡¯t escape responsibility. After hanging up the phone, Elder Li immediately dialed the number of Shen Yanshuo, the Secretary of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee. By now, the Jiangbei Provincial Committee was also in chaos. When such a major incident urred in his jurisdiction, Shen Yanshuo was extremely annoyed. Meanwhile, at the same time the Li family was taking action, Nie Zhenbang also received a call from his uncle: ¡°Zhenbang, what¡¯s going on? How could you suddenly go after Li Guohua? Now the Li family has started to take action, and our cadres in the government system have all been somewhat affected.¡± Uncle¡¯s tone was somewhat usatory. The Nie family¡¯s roots within the government system were too shallowpared to the government monster that was the Li family. The moment the Li family fought back, the Nie family might even be in danger of copsing. Nie Zhenbang, however, wasughing at this moment, saying: ¡°Uncle, don¡¯t worry, there are risks for wealth, and the Nie family is now in a difficult situation. But, this is only temporary. In Jingcheng, there will be leaders who don¡¯t want to see our Nie family fall. Rest assured. I know how to handle it.¡± The next day, the front page headlines of many national media newspapers once again reported a bombshell news: Nie Zhenbang, the Mayor of Liangxi City was involved in polygamy, leading a corrupt and decadent life, filled with extravagance and debauchery. The article was extremely detailed, even reporting the name of Li Lixue. As for Dong Wan¡¯s name, the Li family dared not reveal it at this time. If they provoked the anger of Elder Dong now, the Li family would have no way to deal with it if the Dong and Yang families joined hands. The third day, the Jiangbei Provincial Committee held a press conference in Jiangzhou City, announcing the decision of the Provincial Committee to relieve Comrade Li Guohua from his duties as a member and standing member of the Liangxi City Committee. They requested the Jiangbei Provincial People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee to strip Li Guohua of his qualifications as a representative of the Provincial People¡¯s Congress. They also requested the Liangxi City People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee to remove Li Guohua from the standing deputy mayor of the Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government. He received a serious disciplinary action within the party and was dismissed from his public position. Given the concrete evidence in hand, the Li faction dared not make any covert moves. At this time, it was clear that Li Guohua had been abandoned. Only in this way could Li Jiangshan¡¯s reputation be preserved, his position secured, and his association with the matter cleared. Meanwhile, Qin Shifeng, the Minister of the Central Propaganda Department, also made a stern criticism at the Central Propaganda Work Conference, targeting some newspaper media that were irresponsible, disregarding the facts, and reporting recklessly. He aggressively criticized their damaging reputation of the party and government leaders. He requested that all national news propaganda media should maintain a high degree of consistency with the central government, and should follow the party¡¯s lead. Qin Shifeng¡¯s stance could be seen as President Yuan¡¯s stance. As for Li Lixue, they could not find any information about her. Naturally, the media offensive against Nie Zhenbang had disintegrated. This moment in the small meeting room of the Jiangbei Provincial Committee was extremely tense. The members of the Standing Committee were all sitting solemnly. The incident in Liangxi City had caused the Jiangbei Provincial Committee to bear the responsibility of misjudging characters. Although it was a collective resolution by the Provincial Committee, being ridiculed by the leaders of brother provinces and cities naturally left no one in a good mood. Shen Yanshuo¡¯s expression was very serious. He nced around at everyone and said solemnly: ¡°This is the second time we have held a standingmittee meeting in the past three days. The incident in Liangxi city is a profound lesson for all of our provincial leaders. Now, with the continuous development of reform and opening up, the rise in wealth and the improvement of people¡¯s living standards, some capitalist ideas are also emerging. Extravagance and decadence, corruption. Li Guohua¡¯s case gave us a big lesson. I suggest that ideological education of party members and cadres should be carried out in the province, the cultivation of hardworking and simple work style should be strengthened, and justice should be promoted. The Provincial Party School is rmended to initiate thought education training sses for county and bureau-level cadre leaders, strengthen the ideological work of party and government leaders in the province, and firmly prevent simr incidents from happening.¡± As for Shen Yanshuo¡¯s words, all the standingmittee members nodded slightly. Regarding such issues that involve serious matters, there would be no one who would dare to oppose them. After the proposal was approved, Shen Yanshuo changed his tune and continued: ¡°In the incident in Liangxi City this time, Comrade Nie Zhenbang performed very well. After the city government¡¯s executive deputy mayor got into trouble, he quickly adjusted his work scope. He ensured the smooth progress of the old city renovation project in Liangxi City and signed a civil-military co-operation agreement with the Liangxi Airport and Jiangzhou Military District at the same time, which is a great thing for Liangxi City. Comrade Nie Zhenbang¡¯s work ability and outstanding nning and guidance given to Liangxi City¡¯s economic development process were excellent¡­¡± As these ttering words were spoken, the expressions of the standingmittee members varied. Wang Daan, the full-time deputy secretary of the Provincial Committee, seemed unperturbed, Nie Zhenbang hadunched an attack against Li Guohua,pletely offending the Li faction. Shen Yanshuo, as the leader of the Li faction in Jiangbei Province, had to step forward. He had seen such praise and criticism many times, and although he could not deny it, it was the most effective. Wang Daan did not disclose this, if Nie Zhenbang were to leave, Zhu Zhuozhen, had the best chance to seed in Liangxi City. Wang Daan would naturally not refuse such a good thing for himself. Ning Shouchang¡¯s brows also furrowed at the side. Everyone was well-aware of the true intention behind Shen Yanshuo¡¯s words. However, at this moment, it was also not appropriate to say anything. Negating this achievement? Shen Yanshuo probably couldn¡¯t wait for that. Moreover, even if this trick doesn¡¯t work, there will certainly be other tricks.
Sure enough, Shen Yanshuo turned his words and continued: ¡°Comrade Nie Zhenbang¡¯s abilities are strong. The Central Committee has repeatedly advocated and reiterated that party officials should be younger and more educated. Comrade Nie Zhenbang is not yet thirty, making him one of the youngest provincial cadre officials in the country. In terms of educational attainment, he is a graduate student from Jingcheng University. His practical work ability is strong and such employees should be ced in more important positions. As superiors, we should give such employees more room to y. I suggest that this time, Nie Zhenbang is nominated by our Jiangbei Province to participate in the fall ss of the Central Party School for provincial-level cadre officials.¡± This is the revenge of the Li faction. Since the evil path doesn¡¯t work, then you¡¯ll have to walk the upright and open path. You have outstanding work achievements, right? In light of this, we fully affirm you, and then take this opportunity to send you to the Party School. When the study is over and you are transferred back to the province, they will arrange you a department at the provincial level, whether they freeze you or do something else, they will definitely not let you continue like this. As his words fell, Ning Shouchang stood up at the side, hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Secretary Shen, let me say a few words.¡± (
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 488: 449 Final Deployment_1 Chapter 488: Chapter 449 Final Deployment_1 Ning Shouchang spoke. It was something he had anticipated. By chance, Ning Shouchang had be the governor, but struggled without solid support in higher ranking. Without hesitation, he allied himself with the Nie family. Little did he know, the old man of the Nie family would pass away like this. This incident had since be a joke in Jiangbei Officialdom. However, Ning Shouchang still acknowledged his affiliation to the Nie family. On many asions, he had supported the Nie family, winning him the fondness of many. At the very least, they wouldn¡¯t worry about being betrayed when cooperating with someone like Ning Shouchang. Shen Yanshuo nced at Ning Shouchang nonchntly, a smile on his face as he asked, ¡°Does Governor Shou Chang have any additionalments?¡± This question was very craftily posed, setting the tone, because previously, what Shen Yanshuo has proposed was to send Nie Zhenbang to the Central Party School for studies. Now, by asking if Ning Shouchang had any additionalments, the implications were very clear. The warning was subtly included as well. Ning Shouchang chuckled bitter-sweetly as he was quite upset about the situation. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s audacity was simply overbearing. He dared to act against the Li family. Even when the old man was alive, such an act had to be carefully considered. Nietheless, Nie Zhenbang did it anyway without even notifying him in advance to prepare. At this moment, it seemed that Nie Zhenbang going to the Central Party School was set in stone. Even without Shen Yanshuo¡¯s warning, Ning Shouchang knew that there was nothing he could do. Then, Ning Shouchang nonchntly said, ¡°I also agree with Secretary Shen¡¯s proposal. Comrade Nie Zhenbang¡¯s abilities in various aspects are indeed not bad. If he can study at the Central Party School, he¡¯s definitely capable of handling bigger responsibilities. This is a rare opportunity, and it shows the Provincial Committee¡¯s regard for Comrade Nie Zhenbang. However, Secretary Shen, you know that the Eastern Development Forum is about to start. Shouldn¡¯t we let Nie Zhenbangplete his tasks here before leaving?¡± Ning Shouchang paused and then continued casually, ¡°As we all know, the old city renovation project in Liangxi City has been under the charge of Li Guohua and Nie Zhenbang. Now, with Li Guohua being expelled, only Nie Zhenbang is left. If he leaves for his studies now, there might be issues with transitioning. Worst case scenario, if it affects the Eastern Development Forum, it would be a heavy blow to the Jiangbei Provincial Committee.¡± After speaking, Ning Shouchang was also observing the changing expressions on others¡¯ faces. Wang Daan, the deputy secretary of the Provincial Committee who works full-time, Sun Daliang, the Secretary of the Provincial Disciplinary Committee, and Huang Yuesheng, the standing deputy governor, all nodded in agreement. This was a known matter. Wang Daan valued the uing Eastern Development Forum, and Sun Daliang maintained a good rtionship with Zhuang Aiguo through his work at the Disciplinary Committee. The Huang family, whom Huang Yuesheng was a part of, was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s uncle and thus obligated to help. Ning wasn¡¯t objecting to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s transfer, he was just asking for a dy of about twenty days. This favor would surely be granted by the other standing members of the Provincial Committee. As expected, upon hearing Ning Shouchang¡¯s words, Long Dianqin, the Commander of the Provincial Military Region,mented: ¡°I think it can be done. Nie Zhenbang is indeed well-versed in matters at hand. Suddenly changingmands now could lead to serious problems.¡±
Subsequently, Yang Xingan, Minister of the Organization Department of the Provincial Party Committee, Yi Jingchao, Minister of Propaganda, and Li Dongmin, Secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Committee, all expressed simr sentiments. Shen Yanshuo, at this moment, didn¡¯t mind dying a mere twenty days, and since there wasn¡¯t an appropriate candidate to rece Nie Zhenbang for handling the Eastern Forum, Shen agreed, ¡°Since everyone¡¯s opinions align, I¡¯ll go with the flow. The matter of Comrade Nie Zhenbang going to the Central Party School for studies can be discussed after the end of the Eastern Development Forum.¡± Upon hearing Shen Yanshuo¡¯s words, Ning Shouchang breathed a sigh of relief. The events this time had rattled everyone from the Nie family within the government system, and being described as walking on thin ice was not an exaggeration. From this point on, there was not much more he could do for Nie Zhenbang. If he dared to act against Li Guohua, and managed to invite Vice Chairman Shen, Nie Zhenbang himself would have to make his moves once the Eastern Development Forum starts, if he wanted to avoid being shelved. ¡­ In the golden autumn of October, when osmanthus flowers are fragrant, it¡¯s a season of harvest. However, for the members of the Liangxi City Committee, it was a crucial test. If they performed well, they¡¯d be met with joy and immense glory. If not, the Jiangbei Provincial Committee would lose face in front of the neighbors province and city. As the host, the Liangxi City Committee would definitely face criticism, and their future might be bleak. At the moment, an extended meeting of the Liangxi Municipal Committee was being held in the City Committee¡¯s main conference room. All thirteen standingmittee members of the Liangxi Municipal Committee were present, along with the heads of various district, county, and city governments and departments, leaders of the municipal government departments, and members of the Municipal Political Consultative Conference, People¡¯s Congress, and military sub-district. They all sat down in peace and solemnity. Inside therge conference room, all four air conditioners were fully operating. Cold air was blowing outward, the curtains were drawn, and even though it was already autumn, the temperature in Liangxi City still remained somewhat scorching hot. Furthermore, this meeting was the first official expanded standingmittee meeting after the Li Guohua incident. The aftershocks of Li Guohua¡¯s case had left numerous cadres in Liangxi City with a sense of trepidation. Political rivalry was at y. Recently, the direction signaled by newspaper coverage had circled around Liangxi City, leading officials from grassroots backgrounds and low-level cadre families to perceive the power struggles in the central political sphere for the first time. It was indeed startling and disconcerting. At this moment, Fan Changsheng also felt some apprehension. Nie Zhenbang had a strong political backing and acted with fearless audacity. Now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s days in Liangxi were numbered. At this juncture, there was no need to provoke him. If Nie were to drag him down in a fit of rashness, to whom could he turn for constion? He did not possess Nie¡¯s formidable connections. After casting a casual nce at Nie Zhenbang, who sat next to him with a grave propriety, Fan Changsheng promptly smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, as the head of the leading group for the East Development Forum, would you please discuss the schedule and ns?¡± Nie Zhenbang appeared calm at this moment, already aware of the provincialmittee¡¯s decision. The oue was something he had anticipated long before. He had considered the consequences whilst making a move against Li Guohua. Now, it was toote for regrets. In the meantime, Nie Zhenbang had given it a lot of thought. Apparently, he was still too immature. If he ended up being ced on the shelf and suppressed, how could he realize his lofty dreams? However, Nie Zhenbang harbored no regrets. If he always used such an excuse, even when he reached the top, he would have topromise due to one factional struggle or another. This was not in his nature. However, what he hadn¡¯t expected was that after toppling Li Guohua, the fallout would be so far-reaching that even Fan Changsheng was now wary of him. For a moment, in Liangxi city, Nie¡¯s word had be absolute authority. Over the past few days, he seemed to recapture the feelings he once had in New Li City. Concerning the Eastern Development Forum, Nie Zhenbang took it seriously. After contemting for awhile, he said, ¡°Today is the 3rd of October. The forum opens on the 6th, leaving us with only three days. The renovation of the old city, including the shanty towns, the upgrading of highways, and the citywide street lighting project, have allpleted ording to the initial n. The construction and preparation of each venue are ongoing in an orderly manner. Provinces that have confirmed their participation have sequentially moved into the exhibition hall to begin their setup. Specific departments are in charge of these tasks. Here, I would like to emphasize some particr aspects of the work.¡± Since Fan Changsheng willingly handed over the control, Nie was not going to be polite. Most likely, this would be thest expanded standingmittee meeting he would attend in Liangxi City. Then, Nie Zhenbang said solemnly, ¡°First of all, security reception. During the conference, all staff members of the city¡¯s two five-star hotels, seven four-star hotels, and thirteen three-star hotels, must be active, ensuring cleanliness and security. All personnel of the Municipal Public Security Bureau must report for duty without rest. The Patrol Police Brigade must perform round-the-clock uninterrupted patrols in all districts of the city to ensure absolute security. All members of the traffic police detachment must be mobilized. All traffic arteries and intersections must have round-the-clock patrols. The Special Police Brigade, as the main security force for provincial and ministerial leaders as well as Vice Chairman Shen, must ensure a fool-proof implementation of every travel route.¡± ¡°Secondly, the sanitation department, food safety department, and the sanitation bureau should perform a thorough clean-up of the city¡¯s streets,munities, and other areas. We need to showcase the best side of Liangxi to the attending provincial and city officials, as well as Vice Chairman Shen.¡± ¡°The third aspect concerns the Municipal Committee¡¯s Office of Affairs, the City Government¡¯s Office of Affairs, the City Investment Promotion Bureau, the Economic Commission, and other departments. They must do a good job of liaising and connecting the various exhibition areas to provide enthusiastic service, letting our guests feel like they are at home.¡± ¡°And the fourth area concerns the power, water, andmunication departments. They must ensure the provision of electricity, water, andmunication services to the hotels where the delegates are staying during the conference. There must be a thorough examination of core areas in the exhibition halls, with special focus.¡± At this point, the standingmittee members attending the expanded Municipal Committee meeting couldn¡¯t help but admire Nie Zhenbang. Mayor Nie¡¯s capability was indeedmendable. He managed this entire project extensively and meticulously and even presented it in an impromptu manner, which proved that all of these details were already nned out in Mayor Nie¡¯s mind. Sitting at his side, Fan Changsheng felt a sense of wonder. Nie Zhenbang was truly an outstanding individual. In just under a year in the Liangxi City, he had transformed many aspects of the city¡¯s environment. Various enterprises had also been introduced into the high-tech zone of Liangxi City, coupled with the old city renovation, Liangxi airport, and his guidance to the West Vige Group. All of these were impressive achievements. One must note that it wasn¡¯t easy to achieve this in a city with an already thriving economy like Liangxi. Given more time, more aplishments would likely emerge.
Just as Fan Changsheng was sighing in awe, Nie Zhenbang abruptly changed his tone, his face turned solemn, ¡°Everyone in charge of these matters must take them seriously, get directly involved, and if any link were to pose a problem, don¡¯t me me for being merciless. Here, I will make a stand on behalf of the Municipal Committee and Municipal Government: anyone who causes a problem, will be dismissed without exception if the circumstances are serious.¡± (.) Chapter 489: 450 Opening Ceremony_1 Chapter 489: Chapter 450 Opening Ceremony_1 That statement, fraught with murderous intent, made all themittee members wince. It was clear to everyone that Mayor Nie was not joking. They clearly distinguished between a warning and a serious threat. Nie Zhenbang was also satisfied with this atmosphere. Regardless of different factions or personal motivations, in the face of greater issues and trends, everyone had to make an all-out effort. This was the way to promote normal social and economic development. Having said that, he turned to Li Xiaoqin, the only female official among themittee members, the permanentmittee member and head of the Municipal Committee¡¯s publicity department, asking, ¡°Minister Li, your department is managing and nning the opening ceremony and the g. How are the preparations going?¡± ording to the n of Liangxi City, a grand opening g will be held at 8 pm on October 5th. At midnight, a heavyweight leader will announce the opening of the Eastern Development Forum after the bell rings. Since the G is rted to performing arts, it¡¯s most suitable for the publicity department, which is in charge of news media, to handle it. The g is crucial as it marks the beginning of the Eastern Development Forum. All local resources are tilting towards it, with the expenditure reaching 20 million yuan. Nie Zhenbang was a bit worried at that moment. At Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Li Xiaoqin looked a little ufortable. As a member of the Municipal Committee and the head of publicity, why should she be scolded by Nie Zhenbang? However, she didn¡¯t dare to utter these words. upationally, Nie Zhenbang was the deputy secretary of the Municipal Committee, and thus he technically had the authority to supervise her work. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang was a full-rank official, while she was only a deputy-rank official. On top of that, even Secretary Fan was taking orders from Nie Zhenbang. How could she challenge that? Consequently, Li Xiaoqin nodded, opening the notebook in front of her and said, ¡°Secretary Fan, Mayor Nie. The municipality is co-hosting the g with Jiangbei TV Station.¡± When she mentioned this, Li Xiaoqin seemed very proud of herself. It¡¯s not an ordinary feat for a prefecture-level city to coborate with a provincial satellite TV station. Of course, with the involvement of high-ranked officials like the secretary and the mayor, it was easier since they were the superiors of the TV station¡¯s chief. However, her ability to negotiate this coboration was a testament to her capability. Seeing that all themittee members around her were listening attentively, Li Xiaoqin suddenly felt bored as no one expressed admiration. Then she continued, ¡°In terms of the lineup of performers, it can be said to be quite luxurious. Two nationally famous TV presenters will host the g. The top domestic team from Hucheng City will be in charge of lighting and stage design, ensuring international standards on the hardware side. As for the performing stars, we invited four top folk singers in the country and other first-line stars from recent years, including powerful singers from Hong Kong and Taiwan such as Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung. The lineup is undoubtedly strong.¡±
Hearing this, Fan Changsheng frowned. What was Li Xiaoqin up to? Was she behaving like a star-struck youth, chasing after celebrities, without any focus on promoting the main theme withrge-scale song and dance performances? Then, he coughed lightly and said, ¡°Minister Li, regarding the singers and movie stars, it would be best if we keep it moderate. This is the Eastern Development Forum. The G should stick closely to the theme. We should focus more on promoting the main theme of the program.¡± ¡°Yes, Secretary Fan, we indeed have programs in that regard. We¡¯ve enlisted a professor from the Central Dance Academy to guide the choreography of severalrge-scale dances. Furthermore, dancers from the city dance troupe, the Jiangbei Armed Police Force Art Troupe, and provincial song and dance troupe will participate,¡± Li Xiaoqin replied, looking somewhat embarrassed, as her lengthy exnation was negated by one sentence from Secretary Fan. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang interjected, ¡°Secretary Fan, it¡¯s not as serious as you think. In this era, we advocate a diversity of talents. I think Minister Li¡¯s ideas are very good. She not only upholds the main theme but also considers international influence. This ismendable.¡± Fan Changsheng¡¯s face changed, thinking to himself, ¡°You¡¯re feeling smug now. Just wait and see, in less than a month, you¡¯ll be kicked out of Liangxi City.¡± ¡­ On October 4, the entire leadership of the Liangxi Municipal Committee and Municipal Government gathered at the Liangxi exit of the Hujiang Expressway. As time went by, under the guidance of the patrol car from the Jiangbei Provincial Public Security Department, the convoy slowly drove out of the expressway exit and parked nearby. This time, almost all the leading cadres of the provincialmittee were present. Everyone didn¡¯t take individual official vehicles, but instead used two Toyota Coasters. Just then, the window of the vehicle in front rolled down, and Shen Yanshuo, the Provincial Party Committee Secretary, appeared in the window. Looking serious, he nced at everyone and said sternly, ¡°You all like to make a show of force and enjoy formalities. Comrade Changsheng, get in.¡± Having said that, the convoy started again. Nie Zhenbang scoffed at this moment. It was normal for Shen Yanshuo to be hostile towards him. In the afternoon, the members of the Liangxi Municipal Committee, in essence, had been sidelined. The primary reception duties had been handed over to the Jiangbei Provincial Committee. Chapter 492: 452: The Unexpected Visitor_1 Chapter 492: Chapter 452: The Unexpected Visitor_1 Upon hearing Shao Daheng¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also revealed a smile, turning his gaze to the nearby Li Chao, deserving to be Donggang¡¯s richest man whose actions were extraordinary, at this moment, unterally making decisions for Tenglong by investing twenty-five billion. Such magnanimity was truly extraordinary. However, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care, being part of the Cinema City project was rather appealing to him. With this verbal agreement settled, both the Liangxi City Government and the staff brought by Li Chao, King of Chartering, and Shao Daheng got busy. They had to find a site for the project, sign the specific agreement, wait for representative from the mysterious Tenglong Group to arrive, and so on. These trivial matters all needed to be handled. That afternoon, inside the signing hall of the Liangxi International Convention and Exhibition Center, over a hundred media outlets gathered. Nie Zhenbang and Shao Daheng, representing the investors and the government, signed a memorandum for the project, signifying that both parties had reached a preliminary agreement. A ten billion investment was not thergest sum at the Eastern Development Forum. For instance, the investment agreement signed between Huaxia Petrochemical and the Ludong Provincial Government exceeded this sum, simrly, Li Estate¡¯s investment in the Lu-Hu Expressway was far beyond this figure. However, those investments were either scattered across the whole of Ludong Province, or they were for infrastructure construction that involved three provinces and cities. Compared to Liangxi City¡¯s ten billion investment, which was all concentrated here, nothing was as startling as this cooperation in Liangxi City. The next day, at the Eastern Development Forum, officials from the five eastern provinces and the Donggang Special Administrative Government convened a seminar in the multifunctional conference hall on the second floor of the Convention Center with the theme ¡°Development?Opportunity?Strategy?Win-Win¡±. After exchanging views on some of the obstacles faced during the process of reform and economic development, and issues encountered in the reform of state-owned enterprises, the second Eastern Development Forum was officially scheduled to take ce this time next year in Hucheng City. On the third day, with the five-day exhibition already at its halfway point, many enterprises and various local governments had also deepened their understanding andmunication. This day marked the outbreak of contract signing. The signing hall on the first floor was almost filled with signing activities. By the end of the day, the Forum had reached a peak in the amount of signed contracts, with a total of 125 projects sessfully signed. These projects involved industries such as chemical engineering, construction, metallurgy, biopharmaceuticals, tourism, urban infrastructure construction, and real estate. They were spread across the five eastern provinces and the Donggang Special Administrative Region. The total amount of signed contracts reached 1.3 trillion, averaging ten billion per project. On the fourth day, even though the signing fever had subsided, nearly eighty projects were signed with a total amount of four hundred billion. By this stage, it was safe to say that the leaders of various local governments who participated in the exhibition were all beaming with joy. They had never expected such huge rewards. The funds brought home equated to enormous political achievements. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also busy in his office. There was only one day left. In the evening, the closing ceremony of the Eastern Development Forum would be held. As the host, although supervised by the Provincial Committee, many tasks and details still had to be handled by Liangxi City, as the Provincial Committee and the Provincial Government were in charge of the big picture.
At this point, Huang Xuyang suddenly walked in from outside. Without lifting his head, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Xuyang, didn¡¯t I tell you? Don¡¯t bother me unless it¡¯s something urgent.¡± However, Huang Xuyang quietly said, ¡°Mayor, Director Su is here.¡± These words made Nie Zhenbang look up; within his circle, Su was only used to refer to one person, Ning Shouchang¡¯s secretary, Su Jinguo. Following this, Nie Zhenbang also put down his work at hand and stood up. Although Su Jinguo¡¯s position wasn¡¯t high-ranking, Su Jinguo was the governor¡¯s right-hand man and, ording to an age-old convention, he couldn¡¯t be dismissed lightly. At this moment, Su Jinguo walked in from outside the door, looked at Nie Zhenbang and smiled, saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, it¡¯s important to bnce work with rest. Proper rest is necessary, don¡¯t think you can handle it because you are young. When you get old, health problems could pop up.¡± Nie Zhenbang alsoughed, ¡°Su, stop pulling my leg, it¡¯s just this time. The Eastern Development Forum held in Liangxi City is both a blessing and a curse for me. Once this period is over, everything will be easier. Su, have youe specifically for something important this time?¡± When it came down to business, Su Jinguo¡¯s expression turned serious and he said softly, ¡°Zhenbang, you¡¯ve got yourself into trouble this time. Secretary Shen¡¯s move was aboveboard. It¡¯s a trap that you have to jump into even if you know it¡¯s there. Now, put down the work in your hand first, the governor wants to see you.¡± After Vice Chairman Shen and others left, Governor Shou Chang moved into the number one courtyard of the small embassy. Following Vice Chairman Shen¡¯s departure, Shen Yanshuo also returned to Jiangzhou and would onlye back for the closing ceremony tomorrow. However, after following Su Jinguo out the door and getting in the car, Nie Zhenbang realized something was amiss. The route to the City Committee guest house should have taken them straight past the front of the City Committee and City Government Office building, and it was less than three hundred meters up the street. But the car made a right turn and started moving straight ahead. ¡°Brother Su, where are we going? Isn¡¯t the governor at the City Committee guest house?¡± Nie Zhenbang asked with confusion. At the moment, Su Jinguo had an amused smile on his face. He responded: ¡°Zhenbang, it¡¯s best not to concern yourself with too many things, juste with me.¡± In the back of Liangjiang Pedestrian Street, they stopped in front of a teahouse styled in traditional Chinese decor. The teahouse was located in a quiet area, with few people lingering around. Led by Su Jinguo, Nie Zhenbang went straight up to a private room on the second floor. Upon entering, Nie Zhenbang was stunned. Besides Governor Shou Chang, Qiao Yiren, the deputy secretary of the Minan Province Committee who was leading the delegation this time, was seated across from him. The two were asionally exchanging whispers. Nie Zhenbang was familiar with Qiao Yiren. The image of Qiao Yiren¡¯s background came to mind. The Qiao family was a significant political n in Jingcheng. While it was better not to mention old Mr. Qiao, Qiao Yiren himself held great significance as he was a potential future leader. Indeed, Qiao Yiren¡¯s experiences were worthy of his learning. Qiao Yiren hade up diligently from the ground level, from being a county head. What made him even more exceptional was he remained humble and nondescript, even up to now. His dealings were incredibly unassuming. This was something he needed to learn from. He stillcked some finesse and flexibility in his work. In handling some matters, his tactics had been too naive. Adjusting his initial shock, Nie Zhenbang immediately said: ¡°Governor. Uncle Qiao.¡± His statement left Governor Shou Chang stunned. Did Qiao Yiren also have connections with Nie Zhenbang? No wonder even someone of Shou Chang¡¯s status did not know this. Qiao Yiren kept a low profile and never said much about his family background. Over the years, along with the Qiao family purposefully keeping a low profile, very few truly knew about Qiao Yiren¡¯s identity. This was kept mostly within certain families in Jingcheng. As Governor Shou Chang had originally been amoner and only recently aligned with the Nie family, it was understandable he didn¡¯t know. Seeing Shou Chang¡¯s astonished look, Qiao Yiren smiled and exined: ¡°Governor Shou Chang, Zhenbang¡¯s father and I were ssmates. Hence, Zhenbang calls me uncle.¡±
Shou Chang didn¡¯t quite believe this im, but being clever, he wasn¡¯t going to get hung up on this issue. He turned to Nie Zhenbang and said with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, this time, it¡¯s essentially Vice Secretary Qiao who¡¯s looking for you. I¡¯m merely acting as an intermediary. I have some things to attend to on my side. Since you two already know each other, you can continue chatting. I¡¯ll take my leave first.¡± Shou Chang¡¯s response made Nie Zhenbang think. It seemed the main person seeking him out this time was Qiao Yiren. But, the Qiao and Nie families had been neither close nor distant in the past. What did Qiao Yiren want from him? Was it about the WangHai matter? While deep in thought, Qiao Yiren said with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, your actions against the Li family this time were rather impulsive and reckless. And now, you¡¯ve gotten yourself caught up in it.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang furrowed his brows, replying in a deep voice, ¡°Uncle Qiao, in life, there are some things one should do and some things one should avoid doing. We can¡¯t just consider our own interests and prospects. People like Li Guohua are only more dangerous the more power they have. I¡¯m not being self-righteous. If given another chance to make this decision, I think I would still choose to do it.¡±
These words made Qiao Yiren feel rather satisfied. When he came here, Qiao Yiren had his own considerations. He had once served as the deputy mayor of WangHai and knew the situation there clearly. It was a far-reaching setup with a vastwork of rtionships involved. Even some leaders from the Minnan Provincial Committee Standing Committee were implicated. This was why Qiao Yiren had been considering it. Conveniently, Nie Zhenbang was now in his sights. After researching and investigating his previous experiences, Qiao Yiren found Nie Zhenbang to be principled. Most importantly, Zhenbang handled matters with great experience. Generally, he either didn¡¯t take action or when he did, it will be an irond case. Plus, his two-year stint in the discipline inspectionmission made Qiao Yiren very satisfied. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Qiao Yiren calmly asked, ¡°Zhenbang, if you were to take up a position in WangHai, what would be your thoughts?¡± Chapter 493: 453 No Other Choice_1 Chapter 493: Chapter 453 No Other Choice_1 Transferred to work in Wanghai? Nie Zhenbang was taken aback. Last time, Nie Jiamin and Gao Wei had already arrived in Wanghai. Was this also the doing of Qiao Yiren? In his memory, a major smuggling case involving the Eastern Sea Group, which was infamous in Wanghai, was to break out next year. ording to this timeline, this year they should have already begun a covert investigation. Subsequently, Qiao Yiren was promoted from Vice Secretary of the Provincial Committee to Acting Governor. Assigning him to work in Wanghai, was it in order to investigate this case through him? Such a matter indeed required Nie Zhenbang¡¯s consideration. The Eastern Sea Group case was an extensive one involving hundreds of officials. Arge number of senior officials in Wanghai had fallen from grace because of this case. Would he be able to withstand this? At this moment, Qiao Yiren also chuckled lightly. Selecting Nie Zhenbang also stemmed from various considerations. On one hand, he indeed valued Nie Zhenbang¡¯s abilities and moral integrity. In addition, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s family background would ensure that he would dare to assume responsibility after bing involved in this matter. On the surface, within the Minnan Province Committee, his being the full-time deputy secretary made him the undisputed third inmand. However, the saying goes ¡®only the drinker knows his water is hot or cold¡¯. In reality, his life wasn¡¯t easy. The rtionships he had with the leaders of the Provincial Committee were not harmonious as it seemed on the surface. Each person had their own thoughts and agendas. As a city of sub-provincial level, both the secretary and mayor of Wanghai hold the rank of vice-ministers and other vice positions equate to the level of head of department. This made the situation in Wanghai look like a microcosm of the Provincial Committee. From top to bottom, if he personally interfered, apart from not knowing where to start, another issue would be the strong obstructing force that would arise, giving Qiao Yiren a feeling of being unable to take a step forward. This time, the ruckus that had been stirred up in Liangxi City had also given Qiao Yiren some ideas. As for the Li family, Qiao Yiren definitely was not afraid of them, disregarding the rtionship he had with Secretary Yuan, it was evident that there was no chance of a harmonious coexistence between him and the Li family. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Qiao Yiren said, ¡°Zhenbang, what is your decision? To go and work in Wanghai, serving as the executive deputy mayor of Wanghai. You will be in charge of economic construction, assist in overseeing political affairs andw, and connect with the work at Wanghai customs.¡± Wanghai City is a sub-provincial city, and as executive deputy mayor, he would also be a department level official, which is considered ateral move. For Nie Zhenbang, given his age which is not yet thirty, it is unrealistic to elevate him to a vice-minister. This isn¡¯t just about Nie Zhenbang, it¡¯s also because the central government will not approve the emergence of such an anomalous individual in bncing various factors.
Nie Zhenbang also hesitated. At this moment, he had no other choices. If he didn¡¯t go to Wanghai, Qiao Yiren would certainly no longer manage this matter. Between them, they were neither rted by blood nor marriage, nor did they have any personal rtionship. Even though there were grievances between Qiao Yiren and the Li family, it was still unrealistic for him to offend the Li family without rhyme or reason purely for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sake. However, after studying at the Party School, how he himself gets arrangedter would be another matter. At that time, being promoted to a department, being appointed to a vacant position, the rank being department level, disying the like treatment of vice-ministry level. This could silence many mouths. This matter mainly resulted from his excessive actions. The wealthy families in Jingcheng had a sense of impending disaster, because by pulling down Li Guohua, he had already incurred public wrath. ¡°Vice Secretary Qiao, can I bring a few people with me?¡± Nie Zhenbang asked again. As he said this, Nie Zhenbang had already decided in his heart. On one hand, Qiao Yiren¡¯s bright future was enough for Nie Zhenbang to take a gamble; doing a good job in Wanghai would leave a good impression in Qiao Yiren¡¯s heart. Having a good rtionship with the three top leaders, or even all four top leaders, was a unique situation in Huaxia. On the other hand, if he chose not to go and stayed in Liangxi, he would definitely be sent to the Party School for studies. By then, aside from being shelved, just the fact of being dormant was unbearable for himself. Holding office was not only for the sake of filling a position, but more importantly, how he could benefit the local residents. This was his pursuit. Therefore, going to Wanghai was also a good option. Although there were great risks, there were also great opportunities. If he did a good job in Wanghai, it would be a significant political achievement, and one that could be made public. Not getting promoted would be difficult. Since he had already decided to agree to Qiao Yiren¡¯s request and take up office in Wanghai, matters concerning this ce had to be considered as well. Firstly, Chen Le would definitely be the prime target. After that, Yi Jun, as well as Huang Xuyang, Yang Qingshan and others who had followed him, had to be arranged properly. ¡°No way, Zhenbang. To be honest, you should understand your situation as well. Even though I am moving you over there, it indeed requires considerable effort on my part. The Li family is currently watching you like a tiger eyeing its prey. As for the others, I am helpless to assist.¡± Without giving it a second thought, Qiao Yiren immediately rejected Nie Zhenbang¡¯s idea of bringing his team to work in Wanghai. Listening to Qiao Yiren¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang nodded as well, having expected this already. Now, it merely confirmed his conjecture. Immediately after, Nie Zhenbang looked at Qiao Yiren and said, ¡°Vice Secretary Qiao, generally speaking, I am willing to take up the post in Wanghai. However, before going, I hope Vice Secretary Qiao can help me arrange some subsequent matters. If possible, I would like Zhao Xintian to seed as the executive deputy mayor of Liangxi City. In addition, I would like Chen Le to seed as the Secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee and director of the Public Security Bureau. Furthermore, I want Ning Zhiyuan, the current Mayor of Zisha City, to serve as the executive deputy mayor of the municipal government, and Yi Jun to serve as the Mayor of Zisha City. Vice Secretary Qiao, this isn¡¯t a condition, it¡¯s a request. These people have followed me for many years. I can¡¯t just leave them behind. Settling them down well is also my responsibility.¡± At this, Qiao Yiren¡¯splexion altered subtly. He had heard of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s political acumen before. But now, he had seen it for himself. Zhenbang¡¯s demands seemed unreasonable, yet they were not impossible to address. In Liangxi City, with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s departure, Zhu Zhuozhen was most likely to take the position of the mayor. To gain Ning Shouchang¡¯s support, Wang Daan would agree to Zhao Xintian taking on the role of Executive Deputy Mayor, and the position vacated by Zhu Zhuozhen would be highly attractive to Huang Jiang, the Secretary of the Municipal Politics and Law Committee. Chen Le taking over this position could then be facilitated effectively. Of course, this wouldn¡¯t be without itsplications. As the instigator of the Li Guohua incident, the role Chen Le yed in the Liangxi City Public Security Bureau was critical. His desire to be promoted to the Secretary of the Municipal Politics and Law Committee and join the Standing Committee would require meticulous nning and execution. As for Ning Zhiyuan¡¯s cement, it seemed quite straightforward. Few in the Jiangbei Provincial Committee would dare to risk offending Ning Shouchang by blocking the career progression of his son. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ns for Yi Jun were very resourceful. The positions of Secretary-General of the Municipal Government and Director of the Municipal Government Office seemed morous but were often thankless. Whether Zhu Zhuozhen would utilise Yi Jun fully or sparingly remained in question. His transfer to Zisha City would be the most suitable. As for Yang Qingshan and Huang Xuyang, they were cadres at the division level and their cements would be much easier to arrange. They could serve in either the city¡¯s various departments or the townships. The presence of figures like Zhao Xintian would ensure there were no major issues concerning the two. Qiao Yiren, destined to be a central figure, had invested significant time in understanding the nature of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rtionships and affairs in Liangxi City after deciding to propose thetter¡¯s appointment in Wanghai. Upon weighing these thoughts, Qiao Yiren said in a deep tone, ¡°Transferring Yi Jun to Zisha City is feasible. As for your secretary and driver, with Zhao Xintian and others looking out for them, I believe it won¡¯t be an issue. However, I can¡¯t promise you anything regarding Chen Le¡¯s case. It carries far-reaching implications. The Li family needs a scapegoat.¡± Qiao Yiren was strikingly candid, understanding that overpromising would only raise doubts in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind about his move to Wanghai. Qiao Yiren would ensure that his people didn¡¯t experience unnecessary setbacks. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang responded, ¡°Vice Secretary Qiao, I ept your offer. I¡¯m going to Wanghai. Regarding Chen Le, I trust that you won¡¯t put me in a difficult position.¡±
Hearing this, Qiao Yiren burst intoughter, ¡°Well done, Nie Zhenbang. Guowei¡¯s son is indeed of great merit. You even dared to put your Uncle Qiao in a bind. Rest assured, I¡¯ll handle the matter concerning Chen Le.¡± After Nie Zhenbang left, a man in his thirties walked into the tea house and naturally began to pour some hot water into Qiao Yiren¡¯s teacup. He then whispered, ¡°Secretary, you¡¯re making a big bet this time. Is it worth it?¡± Qiao Yiren responded with a serene smile, ¡°Liang, some matters cannot be measured in terms of worthiness or unworthiness. You don¡¯t understand Nie Zhenbang. Despite being just under thirty, who elsemands as much respect from Elder Nan, President Yuan, Prime Minister Yun, and even Vice Chairman Shen in Huaxia? I believe he¡¯s the only one.¡± Qiao Yiren¡¯s secretary, Liang Yuan, was taken aback by this revtion. If it came from anyone else, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it.
At that moment, Qiao Yiren rose from his seat and said to Liang Yuan, ¡°Liang, prepare the car. We¡¯re going to Jiangzhou to visit the Secretary of Jiangbei Province, Shen Yanshuo.¡± The matter of Liangxi City wasn¡¯t just about Ning Shouchang¡¯s support. Qiao Yiren could only find a breakthrough with Shen Yanshuo. At Shen Yanshuo¡¯s current position, the so-called ¡®Li Faction¡¯ wasn¡¯t as distinct. Except for Li Guohua¡¯s special status as the eldest son and direct descendant of the Li family, Shen Yanshuo wouldn¡¯t have been this severe. This is the basis for cooperation. Qiao Yiren firmly believed that nothing could hinder cooperation. If there was no cooperation, it only meant that the offer conditions and sincerity were inadequate. Meanwhile, in the second courtyard of the municipal government¡¯s residential area, Nie Zhenbang was seated in the main seat in the middle. Chen Le, Zhao Xintian, Ning Zhiyuan, Lu Wu, Huang Xuyang, He Qingjun, and Yang Qingshan were all present. Looking at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s serious expression, the atmosphere in the living room was a bit heavy. These individuals were all considered his staunch supporters and they all had one thing inmon ¨C youth. In several years, these men might be important officials in various provinces, forming the strong core of the Nie faction. However, at the moment, they seemed rtively inexperienced. After looking around at everyone, Nie Zhenbang said in a sober tone, ¡°The reason I called you all here is to discuss something important. After the closing of the Eastern Forum, I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be transferred elsewhere.¡±(.) Chapter 494: 454 Leaving Arrangements_1 Chapter 494: Chapter 454 Leaving Arrangements_1 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words once again subdued the atmosphere in the living room, causing great surprise amongst the crowd. They all looked at each other in shock. Initially, they had thought that, after Li Guohua had beenpletely toppled, it was now a great opportunity to flex their political muscles. But this remark was like a bucket of cold water dashed directly on their heads. Huang Xuyang was most perturbed at the moment. Unlike the others, although he had resolved his deputy division-level problems,pared to the others, he was still weak. Seven or eight years of trials and tribtions had given Huang Xuyang a clear understanding of the fickleness of human rtionships. His half-year stint as a secretary also showed him the advantages that power could bring. ¡°Mayor, you¡¯re being transferred? Howe we didn¡¯t hear any rumors in advance? Are you, this time, taking anyone with you?¡± Huang Xuyang asked softly, as this concerned his future. He had to be shameless and ask directly in front of everyone. Nie Zhenbang understood Huang Xuyang¡¯s thoughts well and could empathize. Looking at everyone, he shook his head and said, ¡°This time, when I take up my new appointment in WangHai, I¡¯m going alone. I won¡¯t take anyone with me.¡± Nie Zhenbang paused here and exined, ¡°This time, I think you all should know what¡¯s going on. After Li Guohua¡¯s incident, the provincialmittee had significant objections to my actions. Therefore, they decided that I should go to the Central Party School for training after the conclusion of the Eastern Development Forum.¡± After ncing at everyone, he continued, ¡°On the surface, this is a promotion. But what¡¯s really going on, I think, doesn¡¯t need to be spelled out. So, this time, with this opportunity to go to WangHai, I naturally wouldn¡¯t give it up.¡± The people here were his trustworthy team in Liangxi City, just like those he had in New Li City. However, these people now in Liangxi City may not have it as good as those in New Li City. Despite this, they were equally important to him. For this reason, Nie Zhenbang chose to be forthright, not concealing anything about the matter. Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhao Xintian started to ponder. The strength of the backing that Nie Zhenbang showed surprised him. No wonder he dared to do so. If it were them, they would have to obediently go to the Central Party School for training, wouldn¡¯t they? At the same time, Zhao Xintian¡¯s thoughts started running wild. With Mayor Nie leaving, two significant positions would be vacant in Liangxi City ¨C the Mayor and the Executive Deputy Mayor. As the Deputy Mayor on the Standing Committee, he should stand a high chance of being promoted.
Immediately, Zhao Xintian nodded and said, ¡°Mayor, rest assured. As long as we are here in Liangxi City, we will do our utmost to protect Director Chen.¡± Zhao Xintian¡¯s words pleased Nie Zhenbang greatly. Although Zhao Xintian was rmended by Governor Shou Chang, in a sense, Zhao Xintian should be considered Governor Shou Chang¡¯s man. However, after knowing him for a while, Zhao Xintian¡¯s capabilities and character had indeed impressed him. Looking at Chen Le, Nie Zhenbang spoke directly, ¡°Old Chen, I won¡¯t mince words. After I leave, I¡¯m afraid the majority of Li Guohua¡¯s wrath will fall on you. At the provincial level, you have the support of Governor Shou Chang. Furthermore, after I leave, you should make more visits to Secretary Dong Min. The more the better. Making more visits can benefit your work. Following that, it will be on you, Zhiyuan and Xintian to manage Liangxi City.¡± Upon hearing this, Chen Le looked rather optimistic,ughing heartily and said, ¡°Mayor, don¡¯t you know what kind of person I am? Just go and take your position in WangHai at ease. I¡¯ll be fine. As a grown man, I know when to bend and when to keep my head down. I understand this principle very well.¡± Following that, Nie Zhenbang added, ¡°Before I leave, I have talked to the Minnan Province Committee¡¯s Deputy Secretary Qiao about some requests. For the personnel arrangements here in Liangxi City, Zhu Zhuozhen will probably be appointed as Mayor, and Huang Jiang will take up the full-time Deputy Secretary position. With that, Xintian stands a high chance of bing the Executive Deputy Mayor. Also, I n to move Zhiyuan up from Zisha City to be a Deputy Mayor in the Standing Committee and send Yi Jun to Zisha City as Mayor. Xuyang, I intend to send him to a township in Zisha City, and Qing Shan can be arranged to be in the Public Security Bureau. As for Lu Wu, he may still serve concurrently as Guicheng District Party Secretary.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s series of words were like hisst testament, mentioning almost everyone¡¯s subsequent arrangements, except he left out Chen Le, but no one seemed panicked about this unusual situation. This made Nie Zhenbang very satisfied. This kind of calmness was what he wanted to see, only with this kind of unppability could these people be tied together, forming a considerable force even after his departure, that Fan Changsheng dared not act recklessly. Then, looking at Chen Le, he sighed and said, ¡°Regarding the position of Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, technically, Chen Le moving up to Huang Jiang¡¯s vacant position would be most appropriate. However, if that were to happen, the association would be too significant. On this matter, Deputy Secretary Qiao was not able to give me a definitive answer, and we can only fight for it as best we can. Of course, if Chen Le can join the Standing Committee, that would be the best scenario. If Chen Le cannot move up, I believe with both of you, along with the concern from Commander Peng, Secretary Ding Guo and Huang Jiang, Fan Changsheng will not hold all the power. Therefore, you will have no problem protecting yourselves.¡± As for who would lead after his departure, Nie Zhenbang did not mention it. Although it might lead to a disadvantage, where everyone present may harbor their own thoughts and it¡¯s probable that no one would ept anyone else¡¯s leadership, causing division in the end. If that were to happen, they only had themselves to me. There are no shortcuts in politics and it is not about one¡¯s self appointing and supporting. If they could not even bear this small storm, they would not be able to handle significant tasks in the future. Just as Nie Zhenbang was holding an internal meeting, at this moment, in the family residential area of Jiangbei Provincial Committee, Court No. 1, inside Shen Yanshuo¡¯s study. The deputy secretary of Minan Province, Qiao, was now sitting in the chair in the study. ¡°Secretary Shen, your study is elegantly decorated, and the utensils are simple and ancient. Along with the pavilions and buildings of the courtyard, theyplement each other very well.¡± Deputy Secretary Qiao started the conversation with a smile. Upon hearing these words, Shen Yanshuo alsoughed heartily, ¡°Secretary Qiao, you tter me too much. I must say, I envy you. The geographical advantages of Minan Province are much better than those of ours in Jiangbei. Wanghai City was among the first cities to reform and open up as a special economic zone in the country. This kind of advantage is definitely not something we in Jiangbei canpete with.¡± After a few pleasantries that didn¡¯t bring much substance, Qiao Yiren¡¯s face turned serious. He picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and smiled, ¡°Secretary Yanshuo, it will be the year of re-election in another two years. It¡¯s also the turn of the century. The economic construction and spiritual civilization construction in Jiangbei Province are there for all to see. I am afraid that at that time, Secretary Yanshuo, you may have to take another step further and join the Political Bureau.¡± The ¡°join the Political Bureau¡± mentioned here wasn¡¯t anything else, but the usual term in the political system which trantes into Shen Yanshuo and his fellow centralmittee members entering the Political Bureau. Hearing these words, Shen Yanshuo looked somewhat embarrassed. He hadn¡¯t wanted to join the Political Bureau; Li Jiangshan from the Li faction had already be a member of the Political Bureau and was also the Secretary of the Hucheng Municipal Committee. If Li Guohua hadn¡¯t been implicated this time, it wouldn¡¯t have been impossible for him to join the standingmittee during the election at the turn of the century. But, what now? Most likely, by the year of the re-election, Li Jiangshan¡¯s political career would have reached its end. At this moment, when brought up by Qiao Yiren, the desire in Shen Yanshuo¡¯s heart was stirred. Those who engage in politics all hope to progress and if possible, continue to progress until they can no longer progress any further. Thinking of this, Shen Yanshuo sighed and subsequently said, ¡°Secretary Qiao, we are neither children normon folks. We both understand the situation very well. Joining the Political Bureau is not a simple matter.¡± A gleam of delight shed across Qiao Yiren¡¯s eyes. He was d Shen Yanshuo still had his ambitions. Since he did, why not give him a push? Moreover, looking at the cadres from the Li faction, both Li Jianghe¡¯s level and capabilities were somewhatcking inparison to Li Jiangshan. Overall, Shen Yanshuo was the most suitable. If he were to lend a hand, it would be a further blow to the Li family. As a result, Qiao Yiren chuckled yfully, ¡°Secretary Yanshuo, man can conquer nature. Your current attitude seems a bit negative.¡± Shen Yanshuo, rather surprised,ughed heartily and waved his hand, ¡°Secretary Qiao, let¡¯s not talk about me. Let¡¯s discuss you. You havee all the way to Jiangzhou to see me. Is there something you need?¡±
At this moment, Qiao Yiren paused for a moment and very formally said, ¡°Secretary Yanshuo, indeed I came over this time because something hase up. I find Nie Zhenbang a very capable colleague. He performs well and has effective methods of doing his work. What¡¯s more, on the principle of party discipline, he is exemry. This is why I have feelings of appreciation for him and intend to arrange for Nie Zhenbang to be transferred to Wanghai City to serve as the standing deputy mayor. Therefore, I specifically came here to discuss this with you.¡± As soon as Qiao Yiren arrived, Shen Yanshuo had already known that there must be something important. The rtionship between the two of them hadn¡¯t been particrly close before. This time, it was definitely not going to be simple since Qiao Yiren came to visit personally. However, even Shen Yanshuo didn¡¯t expect it would be about Nie Zhenbang. He knew that Nie Zhenbang was someone the Li family had explicitly stated they want to suppress. All of a sudden, Shen Yanshuo was put in a difficult position. On the one hand, he could possibly gain Qiao Yiren¡¯s support and even President Yuan¡¯s support, ensuring his entry into the Political Bureau. On the other, he can win the favor of the Li family. As a result, he was in a dilemma with this decision. After a brief silence, Shen Yanshuo asked again, ¡°Secretary Qiao, is this your only request?¡±
To be honest, Shen Yanshuo saw everything very clearly. Even if he disagreed now and even if Nie Zhenbang was sent to the central party school for full-time study, at that time, Qiao Yiren could force him to drag Nie Zhenbang from the school and send him to Wanghai through the Central Organization Department. Now, Qiao Yiren hade directly to him and gave him such a generous offer. If this was the only thing he wanted, Shen Yanshuo absolutely wouldn¡¯t believe it. Upon hearing Shen Yanshuo¡¯s words, a smile appeared on Qiao Yiren¡¯s face. Heughed heartily and said, ¡°Good, straightforward! Since Secretary Shen has said so, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. This time, I want to send Nie Zhenbang to Wanghai. This guy has put me in a difficult position, I¡¯m thinking after he leaves, Zhao Xintian would assume the post of the executive deputy mayor, Ning Zhiyuan the standing deputy mayor, and Chen Le the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee. How does that sound to you, Secretary Shen?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Yanshuo immediately stood up. Realizing he might have appeared too irate, he quickly sat back down and sternly said, ¡°Everything else is negotiable, but the matter regarding Chen Le is absolutely impossible. Even if I were to break with the Li family, there are some things that need to be done. Chen Le¡¯s matter, advancing one step further, is absolutely impossible.¡± ( Chapter 495: 455 Father-in-laws Reminder_1 Chapter 495: Chapter 455 Father-inw¡¯s Reminder_1 Hearing Shen Yanshuo¡¯s decisive words, Qiao Yiren also nodded with a smile at this moment, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s follow Secretary Yanshuo¡¯s suggestion. Regardless, Secretary Yanshuo, we need to give some exnation to the Li family, I can understand that.¡± Shen Yanshuo had also seen it clearly at this moment, given the Li family¡¯s usual style, the candidate for the game would definitely not be his turn. Rather than getting this position and then going to the National People¡¯s Congress or the CPPCC for a constion job, he might as well make a gamble at this moment. This is Shen Yanshuo¡¯s current mindset. While the Li family provided some help to get him where he is today, those are only rtive, he also cultivated sessors for the Li family in this position. It would be difficult to determine who owes who. Just like the current Secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, Zhuang Aiguo, from a certain perspective, Zhuang Aiguo should belong to the Nie system. But, at this moment, does any domestic family really see Zhuang Aiguo as part of the Nie family? Even if the old man of the Nie family is here, when dealing with Zhuang Aiguo, he would probably treat him as an equal, because Zhuang Aiguo already has this level and qualification. After getting Shen Yanshuo¡¯s work done, Qiao Yiren immediately returned to Liangxi City. On the evening of October 10th, a grand closing ceremony was held at Azalea Square in Liangxi City. The next day, leaders and staff from the eastern five provinces and the Donggang special zone were departing Liangxi by ne in session. At the same time, in the afternoon of the same day, the Jiangbei Provincial Committee held a special standingmittee meeting. The meeting decided to dismiss Nie Zhenbang from the positions of member, standing member, and deputy secretary of the Liangxi City Committee, and proposed to the Liangxi City People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee to dismiss Nie Zhenbang from the position of Mayor of Liangxi Municipal People¡¯s Government. This dismissal document, like a gust of wind, instantly exploded in the Jiangbei officialdom. Many first and second leaders of the cities in the province have their eyes on Liangxi City, and the position of mayor of Liangxi City is something everyone dreams of. Then, several appointment and dismissal documents quickly calmed down the officialdom of Jiangbei. The provincialmittee decided that Zhu Zhuozhen, deputy secretary of the Liangxi City Committee, was nominated as deputy mayor and acting mayor. Huang Jiang, secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Political and Legal Committee, was appointed as deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, no longer serving as secretary of the Political and Legal Committee. Executive deputy mayor, Zhao Xintian, nominated as executive deputy mayor. The original mayor of Zisha City, Ning Zhiyuan, was appointed as a member and standing member of the Liangxi City Committee, and nominated as a candidate for deputy mayor. In addition, the secretary of the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s Political and Legal Committee was held by Leng Yecheng, deputy secretary of the Jiangzhou City Committee¡¯s Political and Legal Committee. This series of measures arepletely arranged ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s request, the only difference is that Chen Le did not ascend to the position of Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee in this confrontation. This is inevitable, Chen Le, is the direct responsible person for Li Guohua¡¯s downfall, coupled with Chen Le¡¯s current high-level treatment at the deputy bureau level, with Chen Le¡¯s age and experience, there is room for further advancement, but reasons can be found to stop it. Naturally, it will not be entirely as hoped.
On this side, after the series of decisions of the provincialmittee were sent to various cities and provinces, Nie Zhenbang is now packing his things. As for the job arrangements for Yi Jun, Huang Xuyang and others, they are not under the jurisdiction of the provincialmittee, this aspect, believe it or not, is not a problem, Fan Changsheng has always been looking at Shen Yanshuo. At this time, it is impossible not to listen to the call. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s things are few and simple, several books on economics and national public policy. Two sets of changing clothes, this is all Nie Zhenbang¡¯s belongings in the mayor¡¯s office. Looking at Huang Xuyang, who seemed a little depressed, Nie Zhenbang alsoughed: ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xuyang? Looking at your mood, it seems to be not very good.¡± Huang Xuyang¡¯s expression seemed a bitplicated, his mouth moved a few times, and he said in a low voice: ¡°Zhenbang, thank you.¡± At this time, Huang Xuyang used the identity of a ssmate, and the meaning of his words was also very clear. He was thanking Nie Zhenbang for appointing him as secretary. Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbangughed. He put thest book into the suitcase, stood up very freely, walked to Huang Xuyang¡¯s side, patted Huang Xuyang¡¯s shoulder and said: ¡°Xuyang, what are you saying? Don¡¯t think too much. I chose you, of course, there are some ssmates¡¯ feelings in it, but the main reason is your own ability. We graduated from the same ss, do you think I don¡¯t know your ability? Before, you just didn¡¯t meet a suitable tform to show your talent. Long-term suppression has made you doubt and distrust yourself. I didn¡¯t do anything, all opportunities were won by your own efforts.¡± Speaking of this, Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment, and smiled: ¡°Has the Organization Department talked to you yet?¡± ¡°Well, I talked this morning. Secretary of the Daji town partymittee in Zisha City.¡± Huang Xuyang nodded and replied. This position surprised Nie Zhenbang. Fan Changsheng was generous this time, and even raised Huang Xuyang¡¯s level by half, directly bing the head of the partymittee secretary. This will also benefit Huang Xuyang¡¯s future prospects. Then, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said: ¡°Daji Town, not bad, it¡¯s a good ce, close to Guicheng District, this time, Daji Town is within the scope of the demolition and relocation of Liangxi Film City, go to Daji Town, there will definitely be a lot of things, cooperate with investors of the Film City, and do a good job of demolition and resettlement for the local people. Be broad-minded. There will be many jobs and business opportunities in Daji Town. You should have a long-term perspective. You should focus on sustainable development. In the future, if you have any doubts, you can ask Mayor Yi for more advice, or you can go to the city to findrade Zhiyuan and Xintian. I believe, you will have a meteoric rise.¡± After saying these, Nie Zhenbang picked up his suitcase, walked out of the mayor¡¯s office, without much nostalgia. Here today, gone tomorrow is the rule for both soldiers and officials. It¡¯s a joke that he has to leave Liangxi, a prosperous economic area, before his ns have been unfolded, but it¡¯s quite helpless. This is inevitable. Along the way, numerous office workers came out of the office, stood in the corridor, looked at Nie Zhenbang, and nodded in greeting. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personal charm has indeed affected these people. In thete night, in most of the lit offices of the municipal government, the presence of Mayor Nie can always be felt. Downstairs, Yang Qingshan had already waited on the side. As soon as he saw Nie Zhenbang, he hurriedly opened the car door. This would be thest time Yang Qingshan served as Mayor Nie¡¯s personal driver. Afterwards, Yang Qingshan would join the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau, serving as the head of the first brigade of the Public Order Division. The car drove towards Liangxi Jiangnan Airport. After the airport¡¯s military-to-civilian transition, only two routes were currently open: one from Jingcheng to Liangxi, and the other from Liangxi to the South China Sea. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s itinerary was to return to Jingcheng for a two-day stopover. He would wait for the Organization Department of the Minnan Provincial Committee to announce his appointment and to carry out the nomination publicity, after which Nie Zhenbang would head to Minnan Province. By the time they arrived back at Jingcheng City Airport, it was already midday. Yang Anbang and Yang Anna were waiting at the exit as he stepped out of the airport. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yang Anna excitedly waved her hand, behaving as if they hadn¡¯t seen each other in a very long time. As soon as they got into the car, Yang Anbang, who was driving, said, ¡°You kid, the strategy you yed recently scared me into a cold sweat. You really dare to y. You know the Li family well. They are famous for their protective nature. I heard that the old man of the Li family was so angry that he spat blood. The Li family has already dered that they will fight with you to the end.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang sneered and calmly said, ¡°Second brother, I feel that as your business grows, your courage seems to shrink. Worrying about everything. So what about the Li family? Spat blood? He might not have much time left to live. Jingcheng, let alone Huaxia, is not ruled by the Li family alone. Fight to the end? Let theme. I, Nie Zhenbang, have never been afraid of anything since I stepped into this circle at the age of sixteen.¡±
These remarks were incredibly domineering. Anna, who was almost a mother now, pped her hands excitedly and said, ¡°Exactly, second brother, you like to boost others¡¯ ambitions and undermine our morale. That Li Guohua is not a good person, he deserves it. If anyone wants to mess with big brother Zhenbang, they should see if we agree.¡± Yang Anbang smiled bitterly at this moment. It was indeed rare to encounter such a wonderful sister and brother-inw. If it weren¡¯t for the remaining influence of the Nie family, and the ambiguous attitude of the Yang and Dong families, followed by President Yuan¡¯s suppression, and Vice Chairman Shen¡¯s attendance at the Liangxi forum opening, which caused the Li family great concern, could it really have been so easy? Immediately, Yang Anbangughed, ¡°Alright, alright, I can¡¯t reason with you two. Zhenbang, this time when we return, father wants to see you.¡± ¡­
The original Jingcheng Municipal Committee¡¯s family residential area in Dongcheng district of Jingcheng. When Yang Shengli served as the Executive Deputy Mayor of Jingcheng, he also had a house here. Since Yang Shengli¡¯s wife has always been working in Jingcheng, this house was preserved. At this moment, Yang Shengli sat in the study of this four-bedroom t, looking at Nie Zhenbang who was sitting across from him. Compared to their first meeting, Yang Shengli looked much older. After all, he was already 52, approaching 53. There was a silent pause between the father and son-inw. After a while, seeing no intention of his father-inw to speak, Nie Zhenbang had to brace himself and asked, ¡°Dad, did you want to see me?¡± Hearing this, Yang Shengli nodded, a slight smile appearing at the corner of his mouth, cursing in his heart, ¡°Little punk, I thought you were going to keep your mouth shut.¡± Then, he said solemnly, ¡°I heard that you are to take up a position in WangHai. Did you discuss this matter with your uncle?¡± Within the Nie family, Nie Guowei was always overlooked by the aristocratic families of Jingcheng. Having such a father, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t know whether he should feel fortunate orment. As for the Li family affair, Yang Shengli didn¡¯t mention it again. The incident was over, at most, they were political opponents. Anything else? Given Yang Shengli¡¯s status, it was not something he would care about. If there was a fight, the Yang family wouldn¡¯t sit idly by and watch their son-inw being bullied. The Yang family, with four brothers in the family, was no pushover. ¡°I¡¯ve discussed it briefly. As you know the situation in our family, my uncle is now focusing on ideological education work in the military. I can make decisions about my own matters,¡± Nie Zhenbang replied respectfully. A glint of appreciation flickered in Yang Shengli¡¯s eyes. Nie Guodong yed this hand beautifully. At the time of the power transition, he would likely have a seat. This strategy was likely devised by this young man. Yang Shengli knew better than anyone the capabilities of the Nie brothers. However, thinking of WangHai, Yang Shengli¡¯s brows furrowed. He said solemnly, ¡°Zhenbang, after this New Year, I expect to be transferred back to Jingcheng to serve as the Party Secretary. This time, the situation in WangHai might not be as simple as you think.¡± (.) Chapter 497: 456: WangHais Water is Very Deep (First Update, Soliciting Monthly Tickets)_2 Chapter 497: Chapter 456: WangHai¡¯s Water is Very Deep (First Update, Soliciting Monthly Tickets)_2 The grandfather referred to here is, of course, not Old Nie, whose ashes are half-buried in Mount Babao. By default, it refers to Elder Yang of the Yang family. The so-called Love for the house extends to the crows on its roof. The value Elder Yang ced on his granddaughter naturally reflected in his attitude towards Nie Zhenbang. Gazing at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughtful expression, Yang Shengli felt somewhat emotional. His son-inw was politically gifted, but his tactics were still juvenile. For example, in the Liangxi incident, he could have reported Li Guohua¡¯s misdeeds through conventional channels, which would have also cost Li his position, and saved Shen Yanshuo the trouble of preserving the Li family¡¯s honor. That would have been a win-win situation. However, Nie Zhenbang chose a path that provoked the Li family, which was not wise and showed his immaturity. Immediately, Yang Shengli nodded and said, ¡°In the next few days, you should spend some quality time with An Na. I think she seems somewhat prenatally depressed. Try tofort her. Furthermore, you should visit your grandfather. In Jingcheng, it would be useful to leverage the rtionships you can, both with Elder Nan and Secretary General Yuan, and even Vice Chairman Shen. Hua Xia traditions emphasize ceremony and respect. As the saying goes, no one can fault you for being too respectful. Now is the time for you to visit your elders and leaders. It will also be beneficial to you.¡± At this moment, his mother-inw walked in. Seeing Yang Shengli¡¯s serious demeanor, sheughed and said, ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t mind him. He¡¯s addicted to micromanaging things. Just be cautious and you¡¯ll be fine. Whether it¡¯s in Wanghai or elsewhere, aren¡¯t all these territories part of our nation? What is there to fear? Come, let¡¯s have dinner.¡± The words of his mother-inw made Yang Shengli chuckle. Standing up, he retorted: ¡°What does a woman know? I¡¯m saying this for his own good. The Nie family only has him as their hope. If he fails, the Nies might decline.¡± After having dinner at his father-inw¡¯s house, An Na stayed behind. Nie Zhenbang, however, alone left for the Yang mansion. Elder Yang hadn¡¯t much to say about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s transfer to Wanghai; he spared his words and only offered: ¡°Think thrice before you act.¡± In summary, the message is clear: Nie Zhenbang should n carefully before acting and always be cautious. The very next day, Nie Zhenbang arrived at the Xishan Sanatorium. Showing his special pass, identification card, and work permit, he was allowed into the heavily guarded area. Since his retirement, Elder Nan had been living there, keeping a low profile andpletely out of the public eye. So much so, there had been rumors of his death in the past couple of years. As he entered Elder Nan¡¯s yard, he found the old man performing Tai Chi. Two years had passed since theirst meeting, and Nan looked even older. His spirit seemed to have faded, and his now all-white hair showed signs of his advanced age. Seeing Nie Zhenbange in, Elder Nan finished his set of Tai Chi and sat down at the stone table under a tree in the yard. He smiled and remarked, ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since youst visited, young man.¡±
¡°Grandfather, you¡¯ve aged,¡± Nie Zhenbang replied with some emotion. Elder Nan waved his hand and chuckled, ¡°Ignorant child, birth, aging, sickness, and death are the facts of life. They are the cycle of nature. Ancient emperors imed to live forever, but have you ever seen one who did? New generations rece old ones. Remember what the Chairman once said: ¡®This world belongs to us, but also to you. But ultimately, it¡¯s yours.''¡± Nie Zhenbang sat down beside the stone table. There were fruits arranged on it. He peeled an orange and handed it to Elder Nan, then said, ¡°Grandfather, I came to say goodbye this time. I estimate that I am going to Wanghai City for work.¡± Upon hearing this, Elder Nan fell silent for a moment before responding slowly: ¡°Zhenbang, since my retirement, I have been indulging in learning and bing quite cultured, studying Taizu¡¯s poetry. Over these years, I¡¯ve gained some insights. Of all the poets, I especially appreciate Zhou Dunyi¡¯s prose poem ¡®The Language of Flowers¡¯.¡± Nie Zhenbang began to ponder this, as he was well-aware of ¡®The Language of Flowers¡¯ as a Chinese Literature graduate. The most famous line in it states: ¡®Out of the mud, yet unsoiled; bathing in clear waves, without vanity.¡¯ Could it be that grandfather was giving subtle approval to what I did in Liangxi, or cautioning me about my impending journey to Wanghai? At this moment, Elder Nan casually nced at Nie Zhenbang. Some things couldn¡¯t be explicitly stated. They required insight and understanding, which had to be acquired on one¡¯s own. The health care physician then arrived and said, ¡°Leader, it¡¯s time for your physical therapy.¡± Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang naturally couldn¡¯t stick around. He stood up and bid his farewell. A visit to Secretary General Yuan was not something he could arrange on his own. Checking his watch and seeing there was still time, Nie Zhenbang proceeded to Qingzheng. In Mu Dingjian¡¯s office, Ding Jianughed upon seeing him: ¡°The Leader said you¡¯d being today. I didn¡¯t believe it but here you are.¡± Guided by Ding Jian, Nie Zhenbang once again entered Vice Chairman Shen¡¯s residence. Seeing Nie Zhenbang sitting straight and serious, Vice Chairman Shen revealed a smile of satisfaction on his face. He nodded approvingly and said: ¡°The Eastern Development Forum was excellent, yielding fruitful results. This experience should be promoted nationwide. Central and remote western regions should learn from this model of sess.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was somewhat taken aback. Apparently, even at this point, Vice Chairman Shen was already considering the strategy of developing the Western Region. After a moment, Vice Chairman Shen continued: ¡°This time, you¡¯re going to Wanghai, a great ce indeed. This special economic zone is of great significance to you. I¡¯ve seen your work record. You have experience working in the Western Region and in developed areas like Liangxi. Going to the Wanghai Special Economic Zone is a new challenge for you. It will be crucial for you in the future in terms of overall nning. So, work hard.¡± Given the circumstances, the Vice Chairman¡¯s actions made it clear that he supported Nie Zhenbang¡¯s move to Wanghai. After absorbing some guidance, Nie Zhenbang and Ding Jian bid farewell and left the Forbidden City. During the rare free days, Nie Zhenbang chose to stay at his old mansion. Yah, his baby, was now a month old and living afortable life, eating and sleeping without causing much fuss, making it easy for the caretakers. At the same time, it was decided that An Na, Dong Wan, and the others would temporarily stay back instead of going to Wanghai due to their pregnancies. Despite the inconvenience of being in Jingcheng, they were at least near to their families. After spending a leisurely week at home, the Organization Department of Minnan Province Committee officially released a document of appointment and dismissal, appointing Comrade Nie Zhenbang to the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee as a member and standingmittee member, and nominating him as the Executive Deputy Mayor of Wanghai Municipal People¡¯s Government. PS: Brothers and sisters, it¡¯s June, and I have decided topete for the monthly votes. Starting today, I¡¯m on it. This is the first update of the day, the second oneing this afternoon, the third at 8 p.m. As for the fourth? That¡¯s up to all of you. (.)
Chapter 501: 460 Shi Yiwus Fierce (Five updates today, ask for monthly ticket)_1 Chapter 501: Chapter 460 Shi Yiwu¡¯s Fierce (Five updates today, ask for monthly ticket)_1 ¡°Secretary Shi, hello, I am Nie Zhenbang. I will be working in Wanghai City from now on, if there is any abruptness or mistakes, I hope the old squad leader will criticize me.¡± Nie Zhenbang took the initiative to approach at this moment. Standing tall and straight, his body exuded a vibrant spirit. This momentum made Nie Zhenbang¡¯s aura quiteplete. At such an awkward moment, the solution was to step forward on his own ord. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Shi Yiwu turned his head to nce at him. He didn¡¯t extend his hand, merely nodded in acknowledgement, saying: ¡°Comrade Nie, well done. You look the part.¡± Shi Yiwu¡¯s words were extremely condescending. In his speech, he implicitly brought down Nie Zhenbang a notch. They were no longer equal. When the group of people was approaching the citymittee auditorium, Shi Yiwu now walked up to the podium in line with Sun Yuzhou. This detail further demonstrated Shi Yiwu¡¯s arrogance and disdain. Regardless of your own vice-ministerial post and being on the standingmittee of the Minan Provincial Committee, and holding the title of Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee. But doing officialdom to this degree, don¡¯t you really understand that this deputy secretary of the provincialmittee is merely equivalent to a member of the standingmittee of the provincialmittee? As for Sun Yuzhou, he is a legitimate member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Committee. If ites to holding titles, the title of Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee can also be held. Moreover, he represents the Provincial Committee. It rtes to the prestige and face of the Provincial Committee. Doing so was extremely excessive. At this moment, the auditorium that could amodate 1,800 people was packed. On both sides of the front desk, there were photographers tracking and filming, and many local media reporters from Wanghai City were gathered below the stage. Above the rostrum, the banner hung high, in red and white letters ¡°Wanghai City Leadership Cadre Meeting¡±. On the rostrum, Sun Yuzhou was seated on the left, Shi Yiwu was on the right, next to Sun Yuzhou was Wang Yaguang, the mayor of Wanghai City. Next to Shi Yiwu, were Hu Zhongcheng, the Chairman of the CPPCC, Zhang Zusi, the full-time Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Qi Siyuan, the Secretary of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission, Gu Dongliang, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, Liu Yafu, the Minister of Organization, Lin Mohan, the Minister of Propaganda, Zhao Dingguang, the Deputy Mayor of the Standing Committee, Liu Sicun, the Secretary General of the Municipal Party Committee, Zhang Zhengguang, the Commander of the Military Region, Jiang Li, the Minister of the Municipal Party Committee United Front Work Department, and Zhao Fei, the Secretary of the High-tech Zone Work Committee. All the standingmittee members of Wanghai city were seated on the rostrum. Nie Zhenbang sat on the right of Hu Zhongcheng, the Chairman of the CPPCC. In this regard, Shi Yiwu understood. Some small excesses innguage and behavior did not represent anything, and Sun Yuzhou could not use this to cause trouble. However, when it came to seating, Shi Yiwu strictly abided by this bottom line. He still gave up the main seat. It is important to know, in Huaxia, since ancient times, the left has been respected. This has continued since the Qin dynasty, although there have also been eras where the right side was respected. However, traditionally, the left is more respected. Now, on the stage, there are fifteen people, with Sun Yuzhou ced right in the middle.
¡°Shi Yiwu, he appears to be crude on the surface, he speaks and behaves without any reservations. But it seems now, this man is not that simple.¡± Nie Zhenbang thought deeply. After everyone sat down, Liu Sicun, member of the Municipal Standing Committee, and Secretary General of the Municipal Party Committee, walked to the front of the podium, and said into the microphone: ¡°Next, let¡¯s invite Comrade Sun Yuzhou, member of the Provincial Standing Committee, and Minister of Organization of the Provincial Committee, to read out the appointment and removal decisions of the Provincial Committee.¡± Following Liu Sicun¡¯s remarks, Sun Yuzhou stood up. In front of him, a microphone was also set up. After ncing at the leaders present, Sun Yuzhou said solemnly: ¡°ording to the spirit of the 20th meeting of the Standing Committee of Minan Provincial Committee, after careful consideration of the Standing Committee of Provincial Committee, it is decided to relieve Comrade Lin Xiaoming of his post as member of the Standing Committee of Wang Hai Municipal Party Committee and dismiss him from his position as executive Vice Mayor of the Municipal Government. There is a new appointment. Comrade Nie Zhenbang is appointed as a member and standingmittee member of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, and is nominated as a candidate for the executive deputy mayor of the Wanghai People¡¯s Government.¡± Then, Sun Yuzhou read out Nie Zhenbang¡¯s resume ording to the book: ¡°Nie Zhenbang, male, 29 years old, from Yanbei Tang City, graduated with a Master¡¯s degree in Economics. He entered the Chinese Department of Jingcheng University in 1986. Worked at the National Youth League from 1990-1992. From 1993 to 1995, he was transferred to Li County, Bazhou City, Xibei Autonomous Region to serve as deputy county head, county head, and when Li County was promoted to New Li City, he served as mayor and secretary of the municipal partymittee. In the meantime, he studied and graduated from the master¡¯s program under professor Wang Shisheng, a professor of economics and doctoral supervisor at Jingcheng University. From 1995-1997, he was transferred to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and served as the Standing Deputy Director of the Fifth Discipline Inspection and Supervision Room, a regr bureau-level cadre. From 1997 to 1998, he served as the deputy secretary of the Liangxi Municipal Party Committee in Jiangbei Province and mayor of the municipal people¡¯s government.¡± After finishing the resume, Sun Yuzhou followed by saying: ¡°Comrades, Comrade Nie Zhenbang¡¯s work ability is evident to all. Such arade to enrich our cadre team in Wanghai City is a full illustration of the central government¡¯s attention and concern to our Wanghai City. Now, let¡¯s invite Comrade Nie Zhenbang to give his inauguration speech.¡± Below the stage, all the leaders¡¯ eyes were on him. Nie Zhenbang was not bothered by this attention. The reason is simple, it was nothing surprising. Due to his age and experience, he was destined to be the focus of these leaders. He stood up, walked to the front of the podium, paused for a moment, and then dered loudly: ¡°Respectful Minister Sun, leaders,rades. Wanghai City is one of the first special economic zones to open up in our country. It is my honor toe to Wanghai City to take up a post. It¡¯s also a challenge for me¡­ The standingmittee of Wanghai City Committee is a united andbative team. I believe that under the leadership of Secretary Shi, Wanghai City will certainly achieve more remarkable achievements.¡± If it had been when he had first arrived in Li County, a speech of this sort might have caused some worry and fear. But now? After eight years of honing, it had be a well-trodden path, performed effortlessly. Following this, Shi Yiwu, on behalf of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, weed and expressed anticipation towards Nie Zhenbang¡¯s assumption of the post. Naturally, these were nothing more than some superficial, formic speeches, devoid of any real significance. After Shi Yiwu¡¯s speech had concluded, the secretary-general of the Municipal Party Committee, Liu Sicun, dered the meeting adjourned. At this moment, Shi Yiwu rose to his feet and, smiling, turned to Sun Yuzhou beside him: ¡°Minister Yuzhou, as it turns out, it¡¯s already lunchtime. To express our gratitude to the Provincial Party Committee for sending us such a capable cadre, and to wee Nie and help him settle in, we have arranged a little repast at the Wanghai Hotel. We hope you¡¯ll join us.¡± At present, Sun Yuzhou was full of pent-up anger at Shi Yiwu¡¯s attitude. After all, he himself was a standingmittee member of the Provincial Party Committee, for Shi Yiwu to behave like this was clearly disrespectful. Still, would he stoop to attend this meal? Immediately, Sun Yuzhou replied indifferently: ¡°Secretary Shi, there¡¯s no need for formalities. Secretary Chen of the Provincial Party Committee has asked me to go and investigate the organizational work in Haiquan City. I won¡¯t be staying for lunch, perhaps some other time. There will always be opportunities.¡± Hearing Sun Yuzhou¡¯s words, Shi Yiwu¡¯s smile abruptly disappeared. He chuckled awkwardly, ¡°Well, seeing as Minister Yuzhou has been tasked by Secretary Chen, I won¡¯t press any further. In the future, we look forward to your continued support and guidance for the work in Wanghai City.¡± At this moment, Sun Yuzhou disyed no expression, he merely nodded, walked over to Nie Zhenbang, and said with a smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, I¡¯ve sessfullypleted my job here. The organization has great faith in and affirmation of your abilities. Do your job well.¡± Sun Yuzhou deliberately spoke a few words to Nie Zhenbang, the goal was clear ¨C to build momentum and support for Nie Zhenbang. If Shi Yiwu hadn¡¯t acted so assertively, Sun Yuzhou might not have gone so far. Yet, Shi Yiwu¡¯s behavior today, while intending to intimidate Nie Zhenbang, had gone a bit too far, impugning not only Nie Zhenbang but also causing Sun Yuzhou to lose face. Thus, Sun Yuzhou now felt no reservations in showing his support for Nie Zhenbang. Watching Sun Yuzhou¡¯s car slowly drive out the gate of the municipal government building, Shi Yiwu¡¯s previously somewhat smiling face instantly darkened. He spat strongly on the ground, staring at the car¡¯s departing back. He muttered to himself, ¡°Hmph, who does he think he is, rejecting my hospitality.¡± Although Shi Yiwu spoke quietly, it was loud enough for those near him, including Nie Zhenbang and Wang Yaguang, to hear clearly. Shi Yiwu was aiming to indirectly insult Nie Zhenbang and put pressure on him. The goal was to remind Nie Zhenbang about who was in charge in Wanghai City.
After finishing his statement, Shi Yiwu took two steps. A ck Bentley Continental four-door sedan slowly pulled up in front of Shi Yiwu, its license te reading ¡°Nan D-00630¡±. Shi Yiwu¡¯s secretary, Zhang Xiaohai, ran over to open the car door for him. Nie Zhenbang was dumbfounded. Was this Shi Yiwu¡¯s official car? Beside him, Wang Yaguang noticed Nie¡¯s surprise and proceeded to exin with a smile, ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, this is Secretary Shi¡¯s official car. The first car, in fact, is used by Hu Zhongcheng of the CPPCC. Secretary Shi¡¯s birthday is the 30th of June, and thus he chose this license te. Also, this car is from the city¡¯s receptionmittee for foreign guests. Secretary Shi¡¯s use of it is said to be temporary. It¡¯s not considered excessive.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang finally had a preliminary understanding of Shi Yiwu¡¯s character, summed up in two words: wild. He spat wherever he pleased, without hesitation even in front of Wanghai City¡¯s leaders. He showed no respect to Sun Yuzhou, a leader at the same level from the Provincial Party Committee. His official car was the only unique one in Wanghai City. It was supposedly a guest reception car that was temporarily borrowed, but Nie Zhenbang clearly understood the situation. This was merely a superficial exnation ¨C in reality, this was Shi Yiwu¡¯s official car. Despite all this, this wildness was only superficial. Shi Yiwu¡¯s crudeness and arrogance were clearly just on the outside. However, Shi Yiwu¡¯s real nature was probably not simple. The wildness inside him was what Nie Zhenbang truly feared.
PS: I am moved and excited. The votes have increased by 90 fromst night¡¯s 43 to now 130, putting us in the top ten of urban novels. This chapter is a reward for 100 votes, plus the guaranteed three daily releases. In addition, I believe reaching 150 votes is not far off. If we can get to 200 votes, there will be six releases today, an 18,000-word explosion! ( Chapter 502: 461 WangHai and Fei Xings Show Off (Five Updates Burst, Request for Monthly Tickets) _1 Chapter 502: Chapter 461 WangHai and Fei Xing¡¯s Show Off (Five Updates Burst, Request for Monthly Tickets) _1 At noon, in the banquet hall of the Wanghai Hotel, more than a hundred tables were set. The all-seafood banquet was not to Mayor Nie Zhenbang¡¯s liking. Such an ostentatious wee banquet was for show, not for him. Once word of the extravagance got out, there would inevitably be criticism among themon people. In terms of drinks, they did not use the usual domestic fine liquors like Maotai or Wuliangye for public affairs receptions. On each table instead, was the Eastern Sea brand¡¯s cigarettes, liquor, and even branded lighters. At this moment, everything in WangHai bore the shadow of the Eastern Sea Group. A city with the influence of a singlemercial group is an unhealthy phenomenon. No wonder the central government was somewhat dissatisfied with the status quo in WangHai. There was apany that appeared to be superseding the government, a situation that any incumbent government would not want, nor allow. The entire meal was somewhat strange. It was supposed to be a wee banquet for Nie Zhenbang, but because of Shi Yiwu¡¯s disy, curiously, no one in the hall drank a drop of alcohol. Without the usual toasting and bottoms-up, the meal was quickly over in about ten minutes. At this moment, Shi Yiwu stood up: ¡°Take your time, Nie. I have some other things to attend to.¡± Once the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee spoke, regardless of Shi Yiwu¡¯s tone, he had given a reason. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t exactly ask Shi Yiwu about his affairs. Nie Zhenbang then replied with a smile, ¡°Since Secretary Shi has things to handle, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m almost finished eating.¡± Soon after Shi Yiwu got up, Wang Yaguang, who was sitting nearby, stood up as well and said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mayor Zhenbang. There¡¯s been talk of a typhoon forecast from the Central Meteorological Station and the Maritime Bureau in recent days. I need to go coordinate some disaster preparations.¡± After Wang Yaguang, Zhang Zusi, the Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, also stood up. Zhang Zusi, who was in his fifties and appeared quite robust, said, ¡°Mayor Nie, take your time eating. There¡¯s lots of work to be done in the city. I¡¯ll go first.¡± The scene was awkward. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened. The reception banquet in his honor had not started for twenty minutes before the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, the mayor, and the Deputy Secretary left one after another. Although they all had excuses, the message was clear: this was a deliberate snub to Nie Zhenbang.
Just then, the door was pushed open. Five or six people walked in, escorting a man in his forties. The man was somewhat overweight, had a clean-shaven head, and sharp eyes. He looked around,ughed heartily, and said, ¡°I heard we have a new leader in WangHai City. I came to offer my congrattions.¡± This must be the chairman of the Eastern Sea Group Lin Zhengxing. Nie Zhenbang thought secretly. He asked Liu Sicun, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee who was sitting next to him, ¡°Secretary Liu, who is this man?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face was somewhat serious, and the atmosphere was awkward. Nie Zhenbang was holding a bellyful of anger. The sessive tactics of Shi Yiwu annoyed Nie Zhenbang greatly. As the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and a deputy minister-level cadre, he couldn¡¯t show any emotion right now. But Lin Zhengxing was just a businessman and infamous for his unscrupulous dealings. Yet he acted so arrogantly. Was this some veiled threat? Liu Sicun also looked somewhat embarrassed. He had heard Nie Zhenbang¡¯s discontent. He then introduced with a forced smile, ¡°Mayor Nie, let me introduce you. This is Mr. Lin Zhengxing, the Chairman and General Manager of Eastern Sea Group, a gshippany of WangHai, renowned nationwide in the stic, electronic, automotive, and energy sectors. General Lin is an outstanding representative of WangHai¡¯s businessmunity, deeplymitted to our city¡¯s development. He has made significant contributions to education, social welfare, and infrastructure construction. Secretary Shi, Mayor Yaguang, and Deputy Secretary Zusi all value and care about the development of Eastern Sea Group. Everyone in WangHai affectionately calls General Lin as ¡®Fei Xing¡¯.¡± Although Liu Sicun¡¯s words seemed to be a simple introduction, they revealed much more. Nie Zhenbang was very well aware of this. In his previous life, after therge smuggling case of the Eastern Sea Group broke out, many big and small officials were implicated. The current Secretary-General Liu Sicun was one of them. Naturally, he would speak for Lin Zhengxing under such circumstances. At this moment, Lin Zhengxingughed heartily. There was no timidity of a businessman in front of government officials. On the contrary, he seemed like he was the one in power. He waved and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, you¡¯re ttering me too much. As a businessman, my contributions to our hometown are still not enough.¡± With that, Lin Zhengxing turned his head and said with a subtle smile, ¡°Secretary-General Liu, as a localpany in Wanghai City, we should show some respect to Mayor Nie¡¯s assumption of office. Therefore, I propose that all expenses for today¡¯s wee banquet should be borne by me. Alcohol will not be in short supply.¡± His words darkened Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. This was outrageous, even arrogant! This was a governmental function, and no matter how influential his businesspany might be, this act was clearly overstepping boundaries. It belittled the government. Nie Zhenbang then stood up and calmly said, ¡°Secretary-General Liu, you all continue eating, I¡¯ve had enough.¡± Nie Zhenbang had his own approach when dealing with Lin Zhengxing. Conventional methods such as keeping a low profile, not alerting the snake in the grass, and conducting secret investigations simply wouldn¡¯t work against the Eastern Sea Group. Lin Zhengxing had managed to establish an intricatework of rtionships in Wanghai City. He had created a massive umbre of protection that intertwined with various factions of government officials. Each official had backers and supporters, resulting in formidable resistance. Under such circumstances, if he were to hold his tongue, it wouldn¡¯t coincide with his current status. As a young and vigorous senior official being insulted by a businessman, it would be abnormal to tolerate it. His reaction was consistent with his temperament at the moment, ensuring that Lin Zhengxing didn¡¯t harbor any suspicion. Watching Nie Zhenbang turn and leave, the atmosphere became quite awkward. The other citymittee leaders remained silent, showing no intention of taking a stance. Liu Sicun forced a smile and said to Lin Zhengxing, ¡°General Lin, Mayor Nie just took office and is not yet ustomed to his work, such misunderstandings are somewhat inevitable.¡± At this point, there was a hint of a smile on Lin Zhengxing¡¯s face. If the new Mayor Nie had remained calm and unaffected, he would have been slightly worried. But with this disy, he was not concerned. Everybody has weaknesses, and he was always confident in his strategy of enticing people with money. In addition to that, offering fame, attractive investments for their children to study abroad, and other various enticing and corrupting means, he firmly believed that there was nobody in this world who couldn¡¯t be won over or corrupted. If he hadn¡¯t seeded yet, it would simply mean he hadn¡¯t found the person¡¯s weakness. Subsequently, Lin Zhengxing cordially said, ¡°Secretary-General Liu, you are too courteous. I understand that Mayor Nie is unfamiliar with the affairs of Wanghai. When you and other leaders have the time, feel free to visit the Red Pavilion ¨C all expenses will be on me.¡± After saying this, Lin Zhengxing was escorted out of the hotel by a crowd. Standing by the hotel entrance, Nie Zhenbang sent him a prying nce. A ck stretched Lincoln car pulled up beside him, with two Mercedes S600 cars serving as escorts, front and back. This disy exceeded Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expectations of Lin Zhengxing¡¯s influence in Wanghai City. Noticing Nie Zhenbang, Lin Zhengxing managed a faint smile without uttering a word. He stepped into his car and drove away.
¡°Nie, you wouldn¡¯t have expected this, would you? This is the grandeur of the Wanghai¡¯s tycoon. When I came here, I was also shocked by this spectacle.¡± A voice came from behind. Turning around, Nie Zhenbang found Gao Wei looking at him with amusement. ¡°You, I didn¡¯t expect I would alsoe to Wanghai. Let¡¯s find a ce and invite Jiamin too. We can have a get-together.¡± Nie Zhenbang said, smiling. Being new in Wanghai, he waspletely unfamiliar with the situation. Which officials had good rtions, which ones were involved in murky affairs; he was in the dark about the city¡¯s general structure. Gao Wei and Nie Jiamin had been here a month earlier, surely they could help him grasp the basic situation in Wanghai City. Gao Wei walked up, smiling, and said, ¡°Nie, you have no idea. Beforeing to Wanghai, I thought we, the offsprings of noble families, were pretty influential. But after getting here, I realized we¡¯re outdatedpared to these tycoons.¡±
¡°Kid, stop teasing me with your cryptic words. Do you think you can slip away from this matter?¡± Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment, his face turning serious, he spoke in a stern voice, ¡°No individual or organization can act above thew and the government. That¡¯s an unshakeable bottom line. Anyone who vites this line is doomed.¡± PS: Currently ranked ninth in the city section with 140 votes. Begging for a guaranteed monthly vote of 200 votes, it¡¯s not far off. Brothers and sisters, 200 votes, and it will immediately explode to six more!!! (.) Chapter 503: 462 Brothers Gathering (Five Updates Burst, Request for Monthly Tickets) _1 Chapter 503: Chapter 462 Brothers¡¯ Gathering (Five Updates Burst, Request for Monthly Tickets) _1 Speaking, Nie Zhenbang turned his head to Gao Wei said, ¡°Wei Zi, you have your brother Jiamin¡¯s contact information, right? Get in touch with herter. At eight in the evening, we¡¯ll go out and meet up.¡± After setting the time with Gao Wei, Gao Wei had just left for less than a minute when a voice came from behind: ¡°Mayor, Mayor Nie, I finally found you.¡± The voice, out of breath and panting, made Nie Zhenbang turn his head to see a man around forty-five years old. His hair was neatly parted to one side, meticulously groomed. His white shirt was apanied by a red tie, ck leather shoes were polished to a high gloss. He was indeed a person who cared about his appearance andportment. Seeing Nie Zhenbang looking somewhat puzzled, the man smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, let me introduce myself, I am the Secretary General of the Municipal Government, An Guoyu. Mayor Nie, regarding your amodation, your house is still being renovated. In the meantime, I have temporarily arranged for you to stay at the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse. Shall I show you the ce?.¡± The Wanghai Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse is located diagonally across from the Wanghai Hotel, a distance of less than 500 meters. It¡¯s just opposite the City Party Committee and the City Government. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s room was arranged on the third floor of the Hong Yan Lou in the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse. As soon as he entered the main entrance of the guesthouse, a woman in her thirties came forward: ¡°Hello Mayor Nie, I am Ma Fei, Deputy Director of the Reception Department of the Municipal Party Committee.¡± Ma Fei was probably between 165 cm and 168 cm tall. For a woman to have such a height was already considered tall. Furthermore, Ma Fei had an excellent figure and her splendid bosom was quite grand. She had fair skin and her facial features were rather delicate. Overall, Ma Fei was considered a very attractive woman. It was not easy for a female cadre within the system to do well, especially for those like Ma Fei who could be called upon to serve the leaders at any time. However, judging from the way that Ma Fei was now, this woman was not a simple character. At this point, Secretary General of the Municipal Government, An Guoyu, also came up and nodded with a smile: ¡°Director Ma, Mayor¡¯s amodation arrangement is being handed over to you. Make sure that Mayor Nie has no worries about his work.¡± Secretary An, you¡¯re speaking as if I hadn¡¯t done a good job of serving the leaders in the past. Don¡¯t worry, I will arrange everything perfectly for Mayor Nie.¡± At this point, Ma Fei shot An Guoyu a look which emanated a poise, causing an unanticipated jolt in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart.
Following Ma Fei directly to the third floor, a twenty-year-old waitress came over at this time. To be chosen to work at the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse, especially in a ce like Hong Yan Lou which is dedicated to serving the leaders of the Municipal Party Committee, whether it was her figure or her appearance, she was considered a top pick. At this moment, Ma Fei smiled and said, ¡°Bai, this is our newly appointed Mayor Nie, who will be temporarily living in suite 302. During the time Mayor Nie is here, you will be in charge of arranging for his daily needs.¡± The young girl looked a little shy and innocent. After seeing Nie Zhenbang, she was surprised. She had never seen such a young mayor before. Looking around the suite, it had one bedroom, a living room and a bathroom. The room had a moderate design style, after all, suites like these for public figures, none of the leaders would stay in for a very long time. It was not appropriate to have too much personalization in the interior design. The furniture was made of ck walnut, the walls were snow-white, and the bedroom was furnished with arge bed, a wardrobe, and a desk. Outside was a sitting room,plete with apletely traditional ck leather couch. There was arge vase made of cloisonne standing in a corner. Walking into the bedroom, the young girl¡¯s face also turned a little pink: ¡°Mayor, this is a bathtub with a massage function.¡± These words felt a bit ambiguous, Nie Zhenbang noticed this as well. He responded indifferently, ¡°Comrade Bai, where is the dining area? Will there bete-night snacks served here at night?¡± At this moment, Ma Fei walked in from outside the door, smiling and saying, ¡°Mayor, rest assured, We have staff members from Hong Yan Lou who take turns on a 24-hour duty cycle. They will be avable to serve you at any time.¡± This statement was yet another one that could be misinterpreted. Ma Fei, this woman, was too beguiling, exuding a light fragrance from her body, a seductive aroma. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang did not seem to show much interest and his words and actions were quite serious, after a few words, Ma Fei left with Bai. ¡°Wenna, you must seize this opportunity. Your auntie has gone to great lengths to bring you into the small reception of the Municipal Party Committee. Whether you can secure a position here depends on your performance. Mayor Nie is a young man in the prime of life.¡± As soon as she left Nie Zhenbang¡¯s room, Ma Fei whispered to the waitress Bai Wenna next to her. The young girl gritted her teeth, appearing to struggle for a moment. After a long pause, she nodded, ¡°Auntie, I will work hard.¡± At this moment, however, Nie Zhenbang was unaware that he had just been calcted by two women on his first day in Wanghai City. In his bedroom, Nie Zhenbang went straight to sleep, a capability he had honed during his years in the Xibei Military Region. Over time, he had developed an instinct to sleep whenever he was bored ¨C a great way to pass the time. The situation in Wanghai City could only be described as unfathomable. Although he remembered the Eastern Sea Group, what he had seen and heard were only superficial. With his mindset at the time, it was unlikely that he would take the time to seriously study these aspects. Now, he could only im thatpared to others, he could quickly find some breakthroughs. As for other aspects, they were of no help. It was unlikely he¡¯d figure out his mission so soon after arriving, so instead of daydreaming, it was better to have a good sleep. By around seven o¡¯clock, Nie Zhenbang woke up, dressed neatly, and after freshening up, he left his room. At this moment, the service staff at the door had changed. Seeing Nie Zhenbange out, the service staff immediately came to greet him and whispered, ¡°Mayor Nie, would you like to have a meal?¡±
¡°No, I just woke up and I¡¯m not really hungry. I¡¯ll just go for a walk. No need to arrange any security. Also, don¡¯t notify Deputy Director Ma.¡± Nie Zhenbang waved his hand indifferently and walked out of the Municipal Party Committee Guesthouse. The streets of Wanghai City were clean and distinctive. WangHai was considered one of the top spots among seaside tourist cities. The streets were lined with trees bearing the breath of the subtropics, and there was a faint smell of seawater in the air. It gave Nie Zhenbang a whole new feeling. The safety environment in Wanghai was quite good, and the city¡¯s construction and development were also admirable. However, Nie Zhenbang was clear that this prosperity was built on the substantial profits generated by the Eastern Sea Group. The gradual recovery of Wanghai City after several years of adjustment following the copse of the Eastern Sea Group in his previous life said it all.
At around eight o¡¯clock, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone rang with a local Wanghai call. Without a second thought, it was surely Gao Wei. As soon as he picked up, Gao Wei¡¯s voice came over, ¡°Third Brother, the location is set. It¡¯s sses Seafood Stall, one of the most famous seafood stalls in Wanghai.¡± As thenterns began to light up and the charms of the Wanghai night scene unfolded, he hailed a taxi and headed straight to sses Seafood Stall. He saw Gao Wei and Nie Jiamin waiting by the roadside. Nie Zhenbang had never been a big fan of seafood, and let Gao Wei order. He simply requested a serving of stir-fried pipis and scallops and sat on the side. Fresh draft beer was brought over. Now, on his first day in office, it wouldn¡¯t attract too much attention. This was the most rxing time. Once his exposure on Wanghai Television starts increasing, opportunities like this would be hard toe by. ¡°Third brother, I¡¯ve heard about your incident. One word, awesome! I¡¯ve long been annoyed with Li Guohua. Now that he has lost his reputation, he¡¯s lost face to stay in the system. As for that crap ce Liangxi, it¡¯s not worth us going there. It¡¯s also good here in Wanghai. If the three of us brothers put our heads together, what are we afraid of?¡± Nie Jiamin gulped his beer and disdainfully talked. Next to him, Gao Wei was smiling. He took out a pack of special cigarettes from his pocket, handed one to each, and asked with a smile, ¡°That old man, Shi Yiwu, has be a Local Emperor in Wanghai. Hees and goes in a Bentley. Isn¡¯t he afraid of his ass getting burnt? Third Brother, how did you let Shi Yiwu get away with being so arrogant today?¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled faintly. Most people grow through setbacks. The saying goes, ¡°Let one setback make you wiser.¡± If he wasn¡¯t growing at this point, how could he have achieved what he has? Nothing could be done about Shi Yiwu, that was for certain. At least for now, no drastic actions could be taken against the Eastern Sea Group which had broad implications and involved many officials. Any slight mistake could potentially break the chain of clues and yield no results. This was, of course, uneptable. With a faint smile, Nie Zhenbang did not answer Gao Wei¡¯s words, but appeared a bit enigmatic. Just then, the sound of loud engines echoed down the spacious street. Immediately afterward, intense braking sounds rang out at the street corner as two sports cars, one red and one yellow, charged out from around a corner, followed by a police motorcycle. PS: 148 votes, brothers and sisters, thank you. Looking forward to 200 votes, would our dear siblings dare to bring out their treasured monthly votes? ( Chapter 505 - 464 Secretary Candidates (Five Updates Burst Finished, Request for Monthly Tickets) _1 Chapter 505: Chapter 464 Secretary Candidates (Five Updates Burst Finished, Request for Monthly Tickets) _1 Nie Zhenbang was quite pleased. Zhao Haining¡¯s performance at that moment caught Nie Zhenbang¡¯s admiration, making him believe that such a person was worth cultivating. Seeing Nie Zhenbang approach, Zhao Haining, who had originally nned to call a colleague and a tow truck, also stopped his work and asked in confusion, ¡°Do you need anything?¡± Nie Zhenbang stood there, emitting a natural aura that made Zhao Haining dare not to ck off. His words were also very courteous. ¡°Officer Zhao, just now, I witnessed the whole incident. Those two men, one is a rich kid from the Eastern Sea Group, and the other is the son of Deputy Mayor Zhao. Aren¡¯t you afraid of repercussions?¡± Nie Zhenbang asked with a smile. His words made Zhao Haining¡¯s face look a bit hard. After a moment of silence, Zhao Haining nodded and said, ¡°Yes, I am afraid. Getting this job wasn¡¯t easy; my father had to go to great lengths for it, putting in a lot of money just to get me into the department. But there are some things that if I fear and thus fail to do, I think, will weigh on my conscience.¡± Zhao Haining¡¯s answer satisfied Nie Zhenbang. It seemed that he saw a reflection of himself in Zhao Haining¡¯s helpless eyes at the moment. He then patted Zhao Haining on the shoulder with a smile, encouraging him, ¡°Well done, sticking to one¡¯s ideas is the right thing to do. Keep working hard, I believe you will be an excellent police officer.¡± Back at the sses Trays, Gao Wei grinned, saying, ¡°Looks like this Zhao Haining is about to skyrocket.¡± As for Gao Wei¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang seemed very indifferent. Everyone will have someone they are satisfied with or value highly. This was not something rare. He picked up the draft beer on the table, took a sip, then said, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, how far he goes depends on his own ability.¡± After exchanging some information about Jingcheng, they all left. He hailed a taxi from the sses Trays and returned to the Municipal Government Guest House. As soon as he entered the door, Ma Fei greeted him with a smile, saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, wouldn¡¯t it be better to inform us when you go out? We could arrange some security personnel.¡± Upon hearing Ma Fei¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face turned grim. He didn¡¯t find Ma Fei very appealing¡ªshe was too smooth and flirtatious. There were many types of women in the system: those who were beautiful and capable; those who were beautiful and had backers; and those who were not beautiful at all. Upon observation, it was still unclear which type Ma Fei belonged to, but it was certain that the first type was definitely included. ¡°Deputy Director Ma, is the public safety in Wanghai City poor?¡± Nie Zhenbang asked in an indifferent tone. Hisment left Ma Fei somewhat embarrassed. She hadn¡¯t expected Nie Zhenbang to respond this way. Normally, when greeted with a smile and concern, leaders wouldn¡¯t have much to say. But Nie Zhenbang hadpletely overturned Ma Fei¡¯s expectations. The new mayor was quite unusual; he didn¡¯t y by conventional rules. After a moment of reflection, Ma Fei chuckled and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, I was just concerned about your safety.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had be a clueless man who didn¡¯t understand women¡¯s hints. He nodded indifferently and said, ¡°Deputy Director Ma, you should also rest early.¡± After finishing his sentence, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t bother with Ma Fei anymore and walked straight into Hong Yan Lou. ¡°Mayor, this is your office. If there is anything you need to improve or redecorate, please let us know. The office administration bureau has a dedicated renovationpany. If needed, they can work overnight.¡± An Guoyu, the Secretary General of the city government, stood beside Nie Zhenbang and spoke with a smile. As the saying goes, ¡®birds of a feather flock together¡¯. Secretary-General An Guoyu was somewhat simr to Mayor Wang Yaguang in character; both of them had a genial disposition. At this moment, he stood by Nie Zhenbang, slightly half a step behind, introducing the office to him. The office building of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government had a grandyout. The main office alone covered an area of at least one hundred square meters. The hefty ck desk looked steady and authoritative, and the leather swivel chair was veryfortable. On the right was a floor-to-ceiling window that offered a sweeping view of outside streets and the city hall¡¯s za. On the right, there is a row of ck bookshelves. Various thick books were neatly arranged inside, even the Party history was seen in the most eye-catching position. Behind the desk is a side door leading to a rest room, which also includes a storage room and a toilet. On busy days, one could make some instant noodles here. The rest of the office space is assigned for a smaller office, this naturally is the future workce for the secretary. After hesitating for a moment, he nodded and said, ¡°There¡¯s no need for major changes. Just take down these calligraphy and paintings, besides, It would be fine to repaint the walls.¡± There¡¯s an unwritten rule within the system, new leaders must make some adjustments to the arrangement made by their predecessors, otherwise, it might gives people a sense of casualness. Even within the system, there are a lot of taboos. Some officials who have been caught in scandals do not want to use the offices left behind by them, as some leaders have taboos against them. Furthermore, there are things like office politics, Fengshui, and the sort. Over the past ten or more years of reform and opening up, all kinds of superstitions that supposedly disappeared have sprouted up like mushrooms after the rain. Fengshui and fortune-telling, which were once regarded as feudal superstitions, have now be a dependency for many officials. Nie Zhenbang did not believe in these things, nor cared about them. However, in such circumstances, some rules that should be carried on, Zhenbang chose to inherit. An Guoyu, holding a notebook, was diligent. He noted down Nie Zhenbang¡¯s requests and then took out a stack of document materials from his briefcase and passed them to Nie Zhenbang, saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, please take a look. These are some suitable secretary candidates that I found from secretary¡¯s office of the city government bureau, and all of their resumes are attached. Let me know if you find them unsuitable, I could select some others for you.¡± There¡¯s a saying, a new official must take hold of three things in office: a secretary, a house, and an office. The first one being a secretary, shows its importance. Generally, there are two ways to source the secretary for a leader. The first one is to bring their own secretary when taking up office. This way, the leader knows the person well, the secretary would be easier and nuclear-free to use as they don¡¯t need to go through a familiarization period, and they know their leader¡¯s habits, working style, and personal preferences. In that case, the only other option is to select a secretary from the secretary¡¯s office of the city government. This approach has its own advantage. In general, the secretaries in the municipal government¡¯s secretary¡¯s office belong to the local cadre, and are more familiar with the local conditions. However, the downside is more significant. You might not know the secretary¡¯s personality and background. One might hand-pick a secretary only to find that they are the rtive of a political rival. Selecting a secretary is a crucial matter for Nie Zhenbang. If the secretary is not chosen wisely, it can affect his entire job. Looking at An Guoyu, Nie Zhenbang sat down in his chair and nodded, ¡°Put it down. Later, I will take a closer look. Also, bring me the government work reports from Wanghai City for the past few years.¡± To understand a city, the most superficial method is to read the government work report. It shows the political, economic, cultural, and social situations in the city, and one can glean some information from it. After An Guoyu left, Zhenbang picked up the pile of secretary profiles on the table. He just skimmed through the first one and then put it aside. As for the second one, he didn¡¯t even look at it before putting it aside. This was due to his years of work experience. Selecting a secretary is typically seen as a rare opportunity that can change people¡¯s lives. Naturally, the Secretary-General who is in charge of this matter will receive rmendations from various parties. Ordinarily, the Secretary-General would put some important rmendations on the top. But consequently, this isn¡¯t found effective. A newly appointed official would naturally be skeptical of candidates with connections. Later, it was believed that the second profile was actually the most rmended candidate. Nie Zhenbang naturally understood these tricks. After reviewing several files, Zhenbang frowned. This time, An Guoyu presented five candidates. Zhenbang hasn¡¯t reviewed the first two yet, but the following three, in terms of age, were suitable candidates. They were all between twenty-five and thirty-one years old, which shows that An Guoyu has considered Zhenbang¡¯s situation adequately. However, none of these three candidates stood out in terms of experience, education, or ability. Looking at the two profiles he had put aside, Zhenbang picked up the first one and started reading. Li Jupeng, 26 years old, graduated from the Chinese Department of Wanghai University. None of these were what interested Zhenbang. However, there was a crucial piece of information in it: this Li Jupeng was the nephew of Qi Siyuan, the Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission and a Standing Committee member of the Municipal Party Committee. Chapter 506: 465: Mayor Nie is Not Simple (Seeking Guaranteed Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 506: Chapter 465: Mayor Nie is Not Simple (Seeking Guaranteed Monthly Tickets)_1 Li Jupeng! An Guoyu sure knows how to devise schemes. This Li Jupeng is quite good in many aspects. His capabilities are solid, as can be gleaned from an article attached behind his profile. A very standard speech script. In it, his grasp of contemporary terminology used in politics and the pulse of the current era is spot-on, demonstrating that his literary foundation is indeed excellent. The only pity is that hecks a bit in regard to some of the newer perspectives. The article is, after all, just conventional. However, this approach is understandable to some degree. After all, Li Jupeng might not be aware of his own character ¨C whether he tends to be conservative, aggressive, or prone to futuristic thinking. None of these are clear. In such a scenario, this type of article is the most appropriate. Yet, the most perplexing thing is that there is absolutely no necessity to report on Li Jupeng¡¯s personnel rtionship background since he is not a direct rtive. This alone reveals that it is a deliberate ploy. Next, having looked at a second personnel file, I find this man very young. His file doesn¡¯t reveal anything peculiar. It seems hees from a good background, has a clean te, and adequate abilities. Yet, the more it is so, the less interested Nie Zhenbang bes. The reason: he is too perfect, too suitable. Anything extreme is suspicious. Nie Zhenbang knows that things that deviate from the norm are bewitching: his secretary is his eyes and ears; a good source aids his work; a bad one ruins it. Just at this moment, An Guoyu, carrying a thick stack of documents, walked in. Perhaps, he has brought with him all the government work reports from the past decade. It ismendable that a high-ranking office such as a Municipal Government Secretary General would carry out this task personally, regardless of whether An Guoyu is doing this to show off or not. ¡°Secretary General Guoyu, you have been working hard. There¡¯s so many files that you could have asked someone from the records room to help you carry them. Yet here you are, doing it yourself,¡± Nie Zhenbang cordially acknowledged, shifting his form of address from Secretary General An to Secretary General Guoyu. This subtle change pleased An Guoyu a bit. Setting down the documents, heughed and responded, ¡°These local government reports were allpiled and archived by me. The staff in the records room don¡¯t know the details. If Mayor Nie needs these resources, I can process them faster.¡± Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, picked up Li Jupeng¡¯s file, and smiling, asked, ¡°Secretary General Guoyu, what do you think of this Li Jupeng?¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, An Guoyu froze slightly, a hint of surprise and regret flitting across his face; a change not missed by Nie Zhenbang. It was just as he thought. There was indeed an issue with the second secretary candidate.
If it wasn¡¯t for his keen observation, surpassing that of an average person, he wouldn¡¯t have noticed the slight emotional shift in An Guoyu. ¡°Mayor, regarding this Li Jupeng, there is indeed something to mention,¡± An Guoyu quickly adjusted his mood and replied with a smile. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang had no intention to interrupt, An Guoyu continued, ¡°Mayor Nie, Li Jupeng is the nephew of Qi Siyuan, the Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee. The original n of Secretary Qi was to ce Li Jupeng in the Disciplinary Committee department. However, this young man, being naturally at odds with Secretary Qi¡¯s approach, stubbornly insisted on joining the municipal government¡¯s secretary department.¡± Ruminating for a moment, An Guoyu suggestively said, ¡°Mayor Nie, as you may know, Secretary Qi is a heavyweight. Consequently, this made Li Jupeng¡¯s work within the secretary department somewhat awkward. Despite a work tenure of four years, during which he performed well in all aspects.¡± Thesements from An Guoyu were very measured, typical of the old fox that he was. His demeanor would never appear overly unusual in any given situation. He already had a good grasp of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mindset, realizing that his preferred candidate didn¡¯t hold much chance at this point. Instead of forcing his hand, he decided it was best to curry favor with the Mayor without offending Qi Siyuan, thus securing a good rapport with Nie Zhenbang. Hearing An Guoyu¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also fell into contemtion. The implications in An Guoyu¡¯s statement were clear: Li Jupeng¡¯s identity as the nephew of the Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee. Any leader would have hesitations and considerations. At least on certain key issues, Li Jupeng would lean more towards Qi Siyuan. This was also the direct reason he had never followed any leader. His identity had somewhat hindered him. However, this did not bother Nie Zhenbang. From his memory, Qi Siyuan was not involved in the Eastern Sea Group case, indicating he was an upright cadre. This alone was grounds for potential cooperation. Personally, Nie Zhenbang always acted openly and honestly, doing nothing he wouldn¡¯t dare to share with others. Even if Li Jupeng was Qi Siyuan¡¯s direct rtive, so what? What Nie Zhenbang needed was a secretary who was familiar with WangHai and capable, not ackey who merely obeyed orders. In this aspect, he was more assured of Li Jupeng than others. Additionally, appointing Li Jupeng as secretary could also subtly improve rtions with Qi Siyuan, an action well worth the effort. Thinking about this, Nie Zhenbang also said solemnly, ¡°Secretary-General Guoyu, I think we should let Comrade Li Jupeng work with me for a while before making a decision.¡± This sentence confirmed Li Jupeng¡¯s position as Secretary. However, he still needed some time to adapt. Whether or not Li Jupeng could satisfy Nie Zhenbang would depend on Li Jupeng¡¯s abilities. The news of Mayor Nie choosing his secretary, appointing Li Jupeng, the nephew of Qi Siyuan from the Commission for Discipline Inspection, spread around Wanghai City when Li Jupeng got up to report to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office. At this moment, Li Jupeng was still absorbed in a state of excitement. He was very agitated. After waiting for four years, he finally had his opportunity. As a disciplinary officer, Li Jupeng found the job beneath him. Due to his youthful rebellious spirit, Li Jupeng chose to abandon his uncle¡¯s support, desperately wanting to forge his own path to prove his abilities. However, the harsh realities of life made Li Jupeng regret his decision. A small number of humiliating experiences still haunted him. Unexpectedly, just when he was about to lose hope, he found a turning point. He had actually received provisional approval from the newly arrived Deputy Mayor, Nie Zhenbang. Upon arriving at Mayor Nie¡¯s office, as soon as Li Jupeng entered, he adjusted his state of mind and suppressed his excitement. He said softly, ¡°Mayor!¡±. Nie Zhenbang looked at Li Jupeng and found him to be a very capable person. Then he nodded, took out a mobile phone, a ck contact book, and a notebook from his drawer. He said, ¡°Qi, these are for you. Also, the notebook has my schedule. For the next two days, I¡¯ll focus on reviewing some documents and won¡¯t make any other arrangements. You and Secretary-General An can discuss the arrangements for the days after. From now on, I¡¯ll follow your schedules.¡± Thest sentence, said in a jovial tone, lightened the atmosphere in the office considerably. Li Jupeng released a sigh of relief, and felt a hint of awe towards Mayor Nie¡¯s imposing demeanor. It seemed that Mayor Nie was only a few years older than him, but in his presence, he felt even more nervous than when he was with Secretary Shi. In fact, Li Jupeng didn¡¯t know that this was merely a natural reflection of his mental state. The main reason for his nervousness was that he was now Nie Zhenbang¡¯s secretary. At the time when Li Jupeng started getting limated to the role of secretary, many city leaders were also paying attention to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s selection of secretary. In the municipal partymittee, Shi Yiwu was sitting quietly at his desk, his expression serious, not uttering a word. In the office, Liu Sicun, the secretary of the municipal partymittee, took a look at Shi Yiwu and said softly, ¡°Secretary, there is probably more to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions than meets the eye. Qi, as we know, has always been at odds with us. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s selection of Qi¡¯s nephew as secretary indicates that there is likely some ulterior motive. Moreover, there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure whether I should say or not.¡± Hearing this, Shi Yiwu¡¯s brow furrowed, and he said discontentedly, ¡°Comrade Sicun, you were always very level-headed. Why are you being so hesitant now? A Communist¡¯s mindset should always be open and above board. If there¡¯s anything you want to say, just spit it out. Don¡¯t be coy.¡±
Liu Sicun was reprimanded by Shi Yiwu, which made him feel somewhat embarrassed, but he responded with a smile, ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re right, Secretary, I¡¯ve picked up some bad habits from being in this position for so long. I must make efforts to learn more.¡± Then Liu Sicun continued, ¡°Secretary, I heard that Nie Zhenbang was specifically requested by Vice Secretary Qiao from Jiangbei Province. To do this, Vice Secretary Qiao had to get central leaders involved. This matter seemsplex; I think it is probably targeting WangHai.¡± Hearing this, Shi Yiwu waved his hand and said solemnly, ¡°Comrade Sicun, don¡¯t make a mountain out of a molehill. No matter what Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intentions are foring here, as long as I am here in Wanghai City, he will not be able to turn things upside down. The achievements of WangHai have been recognized by the central government. They are not that easily negated by anyone. Don¡¯t bring this matter up again. But I must admit that I underestimated Nie Zhenbang, he has quite the initiative just from this alone.¡± On the ninth floor of the municipal partymittee office building, which belonged to the city disciplinarymittee¡¯s office floor, at the secretary¡¯s office of the city disciplinarymittee.
Qi Siyuan listened to his secretary Song Chunwang¡¯s report with a calm demeanor. Mayor Nie had actually chosen Li Jupeng to be his secretary? All the leaders of WangHai knew that Li Jupeng was his nephew. Despite being new to the area, Nie Zhenbang also had to know this. After all, there would surely be others who would tell him. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang still chose Li Jupeng to be his secretary ¨C does this mean he considered Li Jupeng¡¯s abilities more or does he have other intentions? Mayor Nie is not simple. Thinking this, Qi Siyuan nodded and said gravely, ¡°ChunWang, let¡¯s stop discussing this matter now.¡± PS: Seeking votes and all kinds of support!! Feeling low today. My brothers, can you cheer me up? To be continued¡­ If you like this work, please vote and rmend at . Your support is my greatest motivation. Chapter 507: 466: Not giving Fei Xing face (Seeking Guaranteed Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 507: Chapter 466: Not giving Fei Xing face (Seeking Guaranteed Monthly Tickets)_1 For two days, Nie Zhenbang had stayed in his office, not venturing outside. He read with painstaking detail the past decade¡¯s worth of government work reports. Yet, his study led him to a shocking conclusion ¨C the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s influence had permeated almost all sectors of Wanghai City. Electronics, pharmaceuticals, chemical engineering, petroleum, stics, real estate, hotels, and even taxi services, half of all taxis in Wanghai City were now under the control of the Eastern Sea Group. It could be said that the whole development of Wanghai City was severely distorted and imbnced. Its prosperity, built entirely on the sess of one business consortium, was a mockery of the government, exining why so many officials had fallen after the outbreak of the Eastern Sea Group case. It had be a habit of Nie Zhenbang to review documents and familiarize himself with the local situation each time he took up a new post. This was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s nature. He never engaged in battles he was not certain of winning ¨C a habit he had always adhered to. During these two days of perusing documents, Nie Zhenbang had also been observing Li Jupeng. They say youth is impetuous, and Li Jupeng¡¯s swift rise to bing a secretary for the leadership could have inted his ego. But Nie Zhenbang was somewhat pleased to observe that Li Jupeng was quiteposed. Each day for the past two days, he had arrived at the office around seven-thirty, cleaned up, prepared a hot cup of tea, and then sat at his own desk for the remainder of the day. Nie Zhenbang had a basic understanding of what Li Jupeng was studying. It was not a pretense ¨C he did not merely arrange some study materials on his desk and then while away the hours twiddling his thumbs. He was genuinely studying, a behavior that raised Nie Zhenbang¡¯s regard for him even more. From outside, the sound of a knock on the door was followed by the lurch of the door being pushed open. Li Jupeng entered and stood by, his voice just loud enough to be clearly heard, yet not so loud as to be harsh. ¡°Mayor Nie, the Eastern Sea Group is holding a cocktail party at the Sea View Grand Theater tomorrow morning to celebrate their tenth anniversary. Invitations have been sent to the city¡¯s leaders. What are your thoughts?¡± Nie Zhenbang was quite satisfied with Li Jupeng¡¯s performance as a secretary, believing that he had mastered the essence of the role. Seeing Nie Zhenbang in deep thought, Li Jupeng added, ¡°Confirmed attendees from the city include Secretary Shi, Mayor Wang, Deputy Secretary Zhang, Secretary General Liu, and other standingmittee leaders. Leadership from several districts will also participate. In addition, it¡¯s said that Vice Chairman Yan of the Central Government ns to attend the ceremony in a private capacity.¡±
It sounded hard to believe that in Jingcheng, one of the five separate provincial-level cities directly under the Central Government, everyone from the municipality¡¯s party secretary to ordinary officials would be moring to curry favor with a conglomerate. Yet that¡¯s precisely what was happening. But in reality, it wasn¡¯t strange at all. In his past life, Nie Zhenbang had heard about the infamous smuggling case involving the Eastern Sea Group, which was then considered the country¡¯s first case following its formation. Rumor had it that several high-ranking Central Government officials were implicated in the Eastern Sea Group case. And although these were merely rumors, Nie Zhenbang knew there was no smoke without fire. Why else would Vice Chairman Yan decide to attend in person? However, the scenario differed slightly from his memory, suggesting that some changes might have urred from the moment the Nie family weathered the storm unscathed. In his previous life, his father-inw Yang Shengli had not been made secretary of Jingcheng¡¯s partymittee, a position that ended up going to a loyal follower of Secretary General Yuan. This led to considerable ire from Gu Qingshan, the Chair of the People¡¯s Congress, who had always coveted that position. Later, Secretary General Yuan sessfully ced his own candidate in the role of Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, causing dissatisfaction from Prime Minister Yun. Yun therefore decided to dig up the Eastern Sea Group case. While this happened, Gu Qingshan simply stood by and watched. The intertwining struggles between these three political heavyweights wereplex. Overall, it seemed unlikely that the Eastern Sea Group could survive such a storm unscathed. However, the circumstances were different in this life. Previously, Secretary General Yuan had insisted on closing the investigation for fear of its broad implications. But now, he was actively investigating the case. The post of Jingcheng¡¯s Party Secretary had been secured by the Yang family. The rtionship between Prime Minister Yun and Secretary General Yuan also seemed to be well-maintained. This was confusing to Nie Zhenbang. The appointments of Gao Wei and the Deputy to WangHai, coupled with the reserved attitudes of various families in Jingcheng, seemed inappropriate. Thinking this through, Nie Zhenbang decided to decline the invitation. At this time, he needed to demonstrate his independent and unorthodox style. The more he defied norms, the more reassured Lin Zhengxing and Shi Yiwu would be. None of them would ever expect him to act so brazenly. One might argue that dogs that bark don¡¯t bite. But if he could effectively bring down the Eastern Sea Group, what was wrong in being a dog that can both bark and bite? ¡°Well, we won¡¯t go. Arrange a field study at the Public Security Bureau instead tomorrow morning. Public security work has always been key to maintaining social stability and ensuring safety. Economic development cannot proceed without public security. Inform Secretary An and let him make the arrangements. We¡¯ll head to the Municipal Public Bureau for the field study at eight o¡¯clock tomorrow morning.¡± Nie Zhenbang issued the instructions with a serious tone. Hearing this, a hint of surprise appeared on Li Jupeng¡¯s face, but he said nothing and then nodded, ¡°Yes, Mayor.¡± Watching Li Jupeng turn around and leave, a trace of a smile also appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. He was very pleased with Li Jupeng¡¯s performance in recent days. If Li Jupeng had just voiced any objection to his declining to attend the reception hosted by the Eastern Sea Group, his tenure as secretary would probably havee to an end. ¡°Secretary-General, the mayor asked to visit and inspect the city¡¯s public security bureau tomorrow. I ask for your assistance in arranging the schedule.¡± Li Jupeng started speaking in An Guoyu¡¯s office, which left An Guoyu stunned. Tomorrow is the day of the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s tenth anniversary celebration. This significant event will not only be attended by key leaders of the municipal partymittee, but even several leaders from the province will take part. The purposeful timing of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s inspection tour was a clear attempt to throw his weight around. After hesitating for a moment, An Guoyu decided not to say anything. Li Jupeng is just a secretary, one who had just assumed the position and certainly could not influence Nie Zhenbang¡¯s decision. ¡­ Early the next morning, Nie Zhenbang was already waiting downstairs, his official car, a ck Audi A6, was parked downstairs. The driver was a young man around twenty-two years old who had just returned from the Army. It was not yet determined how suitable he was. Whether he could be the dedicated driver would depend on the young man¡¯s performance. An Guoyu also stayed by his side. Technically, ording to the rules, An Guoyu didn¡¯t have to be here. He could have arranged for one of the deputy secretaries from the municipal government office to apany him on the inspection.
However, after much deliberation, An Guoyu decided to apany Mayor Nie. Around 8:10, the car slowly entered thepound of the Public Security Bureau. The Wanghai City Public Security Bureau office building was a square-shaped structure. A ten-story building, the top floor housed the 110 Command Center of the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau. At this moment, below the building, two lines of policemen in uniform were already standing. As soon as they got out of the car, a man about forty years old came over to greet them. Seeing this scene, An Guoyu frowned. The Wanghai City Public Security Bureau¡¯s party group consisted of nine members, the bureau chief and politicalissar constituted the first and second leaders, plus the head of the disciplinary inspection team, five deputy directors, and the director of the office. At present, only one bureau leader, Xiao Shanming, who was in charge of public security indoctrination and police training and held the lowest rank, was present. Wasn¡¯t this a in show of disrespect to Mayor Nie?
At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face also darkened. In such a scene, he was clear about who was the leader and who was not. ¡°Mayor Nie, wee. I am Xiao Shanming, deputy director of the Public Security Bureau. Thank you for inspecting our bureau.¡± Xiao Shanming greeted him with a bitter smile. This was indeed a tough situation for Xiao Shanming. But as the lowest-ranking deputy director, he knew Mayor Nie would be furious with this situation. Still, Xiao Shanming had to face it squarely. No doubt, this must be a test prepared for him by Lin Zhengxing, Shi Yiwu, and others. They must know about his scheduled visit to the Public Security Bureau, and their behavior was designed to leave him in an awkward position. At this point, many distinguished guests were visiting the Eastern Sea Group, including the vice chairman of the National People¡¯s Congress from Minan region who had already visited Wanghai City, as well as several provincial leaders who were present too. Along with the main leaders of the Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee, these people were confident that he would not dare to re up. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang sneered inwardly. On the surface, he remained unruffled and smilingly said, ¡°Deputy Director Xiao, the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau is one of my most important functional departments. It is aw enforcement agency rted to the lives and property of Wanghai¡¯s six million people. The work of the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau directly affects the economic situation and development of Wanghai. I have no choice but to take it seriously. Deputy Director Xiao, let¡¯s go to the meeting room. Today I am here just to listen. The main characters are still you.¡± As he finished speaking, Xiao Shanming¡¯s face turned somewhat troubled. Having inadequate knowledge about the operations of the Public Security Bureau¨Cthe number of cases solved, the number of arrests made, household registration work,munity work, cadre education system work, and so forth¨Cmade giving a report a muddle and seemed to be utter nonsense. Immediately, Xiao Shanming approached him and whispered, ¡°Mayor, as you see, Bureau Chief Zhou and the others are maintaining order at the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s tenth-anniversary celebration¡­ Perhaps after they finish¡­¡± Before he could finish, Mayor Nie¡¯s voice rose as he said sternly. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Deputy Director Xiao, call Zhou Qingguo immediately and tell him that I want him toe back right now. It¡¯s significant that many leaders are present at the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s celebration. However, not all the leaders of the Public Security Bureau should be there. Are you telling me that without Zhou Qingguo, the city¡¯s police officers are incapable of performing their duties? That¡¯s absurd! If that¡¯s the case, then he, Zhou Qingguo, has failed as a leader!¡± At this moment, An Guoyu was shocked to hear Mayor Nie¡¯s words. It was a clear sign that he was not respecting Fei Xing¡¯s, and the city and provincial leaders¡¯ authority. ( Chapter 508: 467 Confronting the Leader_1 Chapter 508: Chapter 467 Confronting the Leader_1 Sea View Grand Theater At the moment, at the scene of the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s 10th-anniversary celebration, Zhou Qingguo hung up the phone, his face not looking too good. ¡°Director Zhou, what¡¯s going on? Is Mayor Nie angry?¡± Standing beside him, Wei Zhenmin, the executive deputy director, began to ask with a smile. This situation was something Wei Zhenmin had already anticipated. In such a grand event, among the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau leadership team, only one was at home, the others were all here at the Eastern Sea Group event. It would be strange if there wasn¡¯t any outcry. However, Wei Zhenmin¡¯s tone seemed very rxed. He was keen to see how things would unfold, how could Nie Zhenbang, an executive deputy mayor, dare to confront the secretary and General Lin? ¡°It was a call from Old Xiao, Nie Zhenbang blew his top at the Public Security Bureau. He said that since the Eastern Sea Group is holding a celebration, and considering that central and provincial city leaders are attending, it is only right for the Bureau to send police to ensure safety. However, if I should personally step in for such a minor matter. This suggests the ipetency of the bureau¡¯s team. Now, he wants me to go back straight away,¡± Zhou Qingguo said with helplessness. Looking around at the members of the Public Security Bureau¡¯s leadership team, he said in a somber voice, ¡°Mayor Nie has spoken, it suffices to have one deputy director in charge here. The rest of you, return immediately or bear the consequences.¡± This statement made everyone fall silent. Despite Nie Zhenbang being a new leader who had just taken office, he was, after all, a leader and certainly had his ways. Rumors about him were many in Wanghai City, such as his strong rtionship with Governor Jia, and him being a close subordinate of Secretary Qiao, and so on. Although these rumors were hearsay, no one within the system dared to deny their authenticity. The mere fact that Organizational Minister Sun Yuzhou personally escorted him was enough to prove Mayor Nie¡¯s extraordinary standing. At this time, Zhou Qingguo and the others dared not defy this order. Otherwise, they could lose their positions unexpectedly. ¡°Director Qingguo, what¡¯s wrong? You look quite worried.¡± At this moment, a voice came over, Secretary of the Municipal Committee Shi Yiwu, walked over holding a ss of champagne. Right now, Secretary of the Municipal Committee Shi Yiwu, Mayor Wang Yaguang, along with the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Political and Law Commission Liu Guotao, Chairman of Eastern Sea Group Lin Zhengxing, and a group of people were surrounding an elder aged around sixty-five or sixty-six, walking over. At this moment, Zhou Qingguo was delighted in his heart. With all these top leaders present, including the Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference, Yan, Nie Zhenbang would be insignificant if he could gain the approval and recognition of these people.
Immediately, Zhou Qingguo lowered his voice and said, ¡°Leaders, General Lin, Deputy Mayor Nie just called, asking me to report back, which has put me in a difficult position.¡± As his words fell, Shi Yiwu spoke solemnly, ¡°What¡¯s Nie Zhenbang up to? He conducts inspection neitherte nor early, instead choosing to do so at this time. He utterly disregards the overall situation. Eastern Sea Group is the star enterprise of our city, and General Lin is a representative of the National People¡¯s Congress. This is the leading enterprise of our Wanghai City, the key support project of the city and province. The development of Eastern Sea Group is more important than anything else. What does he intend to achieve by doing this? Let him be! If an issue arises while all these senior leaders are here, who will be held responsible? Nie Zhenbang?¡± Just after his words trailed off, Yan, the vice chairman,ughed and said, ¡°Comrade Yiwu, don¡¯t get too excited. Deputy Mayor Nie is also working. I¡¯m just an old man, this isn¡¯t an official trip. We don¡¯t need to be too formal, we still have to do what¡¯s necessary. We can¡¯t neglect official duties for personal reasons.¡± Once Vice Chairman Yan spoke, Shi Yiwu¡¯s expression eased a bit. He looked at Zhou Qingguo and said, ¡°Director Zhou, since the elder leader has spoken, go back and give your report. Be quick about it. At this time, the overall situation must be our top priority.¡± But at this moment, Lin Zhengxing walked over, smiling, ¡°Old Yan is right, the public security environment and work in Wanghai City has always been a model for the Minan Province, Director Zhou¡¯s contribution ismendable. How about, on this asion, we all take a trip to the city Public Security Bureau.¡± Even though Lin Zhengxing seemed amiable on the surface, in truth, he was extremely angry. Nie Zhenbang was truly disrespectful. Not attending the ceremony was fine, thework formed by the Eastern Sea Group didn¡¯t depend on the inclusion or exclusion of one person. But such a direct call to have people return was equivalent to a p in his face. He had indeed intended to say those words earlier, simply put, he wanted to show Nie Zhenbang hisworking background and give him a warning. Vice Chairman Yan was taken aback for a moment, then he burst intoughter, ¡°Since General Lin proposes this, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to go have a look.¡± Upon hearing Vice Chairman Yan¡¯s words, Zhou Qingguo nearly jumped up in joy. He looked excited, with Old Yan¡¯s intervention, what could Nie Zhenbang possibly do, regardless of how powerful he was? A line of people, in a grand procession, their convoy passing through the urban area of Wanghai City, marched straight into the building of the Public Security Bureau. Zhou Qingguo and the others hustled into the meeting room on the ninth floor of the bureau. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was seated in the middle of the room. Seeing Zhou Qingguo and his party enter, Nie Zhenbang scoffed coldly, saying, ¡°Director Zhou, you must be busy with official duties.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang had no idea that he had already fallen into a trap set by Lin Zhengxing. His words, however, upset Shi Yiwu, who followed behind. Senior leaders and the deputy secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Committee were visiting Wanghai for a celebration. Even though their visit was private, security was still essential. He had asked Zhou Qingguo to take charge, what was this meant to be? Was Nie Zhenbang trying to challenge him? Immediately afterward, Shi Yiwu entered the room as well, his face grave as he sternly retorted, ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, that¡¯s some official aura you¡¯ve got there. Deputy Chairman Yan and Secretary Yang of the Provincial Political and Legal Committee are visiting Wanghai. Comrade Qingguo, as the Director of the Public Security Bureau, naturally needs to ensure good security. There¡¯s nothing wrong with that, is there?¡± Shi Yiwu¡¯s words prompted Nie Zhenbang to stand up. Following behind Shi Yiwu were Deputy Secretary and Mayor Wang Yaguang, Full-Time Secretary Zhang Zusi, and two individuals Zhenbang did not recognize. The elder in the middle seemed to be the Deputy Chairman Yan from the Political Consultative Conference. Using their power to suppress him, huh? If third brother doesn¡¯t show some power, they would truly treat him like a sick cat. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang asserted gravely, ¡°Secretary Shi, you are the secretary of the Municipal Committee, the leader of our team. But Secretary Shi, please mind your words when you speak. You can address me as Comrade Zhenbang, or Deputy Mayor Nie. As for the security work, of course it has to be done. However, shouldn¡¯t you think it overkill for a minor security task to require the whole party team of the City Public Security Bureau to organize it? Is this distrust of the work of the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau, or is it that the work of the Bureau is actually not up to par? If it is thetter, I think Director Zhou should find an able cadre to take over his position.¡± Shi Yiwu felt rather helpless. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were fair and just. Referring to Nie as ¡®Little Deputy Mayor Nie¡¯ indeed carried a slight derogatory tone. Regardless of age, using ¡®Little Nie¡¯ in private is eptable. Although he held deputy-provincial level rank, Nie Zhenbang held main hall level rank. Both of them were part of the Standing Committee. Shi Yiwu¡¯s address was indeed problematic. What¡¯s more, his remarks about the Public Security Bureau left Shi Yiwu indubitably cornered. ¡°How presumptuous! Nie Zhenbang, do you have any respect left for your superiors, for organizational discipline? Is this how an Executive Deputy Mayor should talk? Secretary Shi is the secretary of the Municipal Committee, and he is older than you, so there is nothing wrong with his addressing you as ¡®Little Mayor Nie.¡¯ When a superior returns to his hometown for an inspection, of course Wanghai City should provide thorough security. Are you saying¡­ you¡¯re not weing the superior?¡± From the side, the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Political and Legal Committee, Yang Jinke, couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and began reprimanding him. ¡°And who might you be?¡± Nie Zhenbang retorted rudely. Nie Zhenbang was always a man who showed respect when he received it. Yang Jinke¡¯s words, however, managed to infuriate him.
Turning to Deputy Chairman Yan beside him, Nie Zhenbang asserted, ¡°Within the Party, there are no notions of age or size, everyone uniformly refers to each other asrades. This is the glorious tradition of our Party. So, because Secretary Shi is older, I should respect him. That¡¯s natural. But him continually addressing me as ¡®Little Nie¡¯, is this how you show respect to arade?¡± His words made Shi Yiwu¡¯s face turn ashen. Yet, he couldn¡¯t find any argument against Nie Zhenbang¡¯s retort, his words held a kernel of truth. His prior references did indeed contain tones of belittlement and contempt. Nie Zhenbang continued in a serious tone, ¡°The leader returns to his hometown to guide the work. Naturally, we must ensure security. However, the Municipal Committee and Municipal Government have not received any notice from the Office of the National Committee of the Chinese People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference. Since the leader is returning to his hometown in his personal capacity, naturally he does not want big publicity and interference with the normal working order of the city. Given that the public security environment in Wanghai City has been advanced year after year. Do we still need to be so cautious?¡± His words took everyone present aback. For his audacity was too great, too great, to the extent that he was disregarding even Deputy Chairman Yan. People wondered what gave Nie Zhenbang such audacity to be so brazen.
Deputy Chairman Yan¡¯s face also darkened. The implications in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words carried a hint of ridicule towards him. A dignified leader of the nation, so eager to attend a banquet of a businessman in Wanghai, made it appear as if he was currying favor. In fact, Deputy Chairman Yan had admiration for talents, and he himself led an honest and modest life. As for Nie Zhenbang, Deputy Chairman Yan had a certain understanding of him. He was the grandson of Elder Nie, the son of Nie Guowei, the son-inw of Elder Yang and Yang Shengli, the Secretary of the Jingcheng Municipal Committee¡ªwith an illustrious lineage and deep-seated family background. However, he himself had his own position, his own status in Jingcheng. Even Secretary-General Yuan was respectful in his presence. The reason was simple: he was a card partner of Elder Nan and had a good rtionship with him. To put it bluntly, Nie Zhenbang was striking him in the face. Following that, Deputy Chairman Yan responded with a smile, ¡°It¡¯s normal for a youngrade to be a bit hot-headed. However, when speaking and doing things, one should still understand the order of seniority.¡± ( Chapter 509: 468: The Tradition of Supporting the Military Must be Developed (First Update)_1 Chapter 509: Chapter 468: The Tradition of Supporting the Military Must be Developed (First Update)_1 A look of joy spread across Lin Zhengxing¡¯s face. This Nie Zhenbang was really crossing the line. He had no respect or restraint. Lin was still contemting how to make Vice Chairman Yan step forward. But now, Nie Zhenbang had stirred up the vice chairman¡¯s anger himself. It would be hard for him not to meet a deadly end this time. While everyone was exhrated, Nie Zhenbang began to contemte at heart. At present, everyone in Wanghai City was scheming to see him scolded ruthlessly. In this way, they would intimidate some Wanghai City officials with ulterior motives. That was precisely the reason why Shi Yiwu repeatedly intimidated him. If he yielded to such pressure, those officials who were familiar with the situation in Wanghai City and even understood the ins and outs of the smuggling case of the Eastern Sea Group would surely not dare to act rashly. This would have a significant impact on his future work ns. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang decided to fight back unreservedly to show the officials in Wanghai City what he was capable of. This could instill confidence in many andy a solid foundation for future strategies. Then, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°The criticism from the leader is valid, respecting the old and loving the young is essential. I believe after Secretary Shi hears, he would certainly keep in mind your teachings.¡± As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang turned to Zhou Qingguo standing beside and said, ¡°Director Zhou, since there is such an important security task, let¡¯s postpone the report for a few days. You can report to me in my officeter.¡± After he finished talking, Nie Zhenbang looked at Vice Chairman Yan of the CPPCC and said, ¡°Leader, if there is nothing else, I will leave first. You can take a good look at the economic development of Wanghai City. Look around more.¡± After watching Nie Zhenbang leave, Lin Zhengxing came up and said in a low voice, ¡°Leader, Nie Zhenbang is really out of the line.¡± Originally, Lin Zhengxing wanted to use this opportunity to stir up Vice Chairman Yan¡¯s dissatisfaction and rage towards Nie Zhenbang. However, much to his surprise, Vice Chairman Yan looked at Lin Zhengxing with profound meaning and said, ¡°I heard that the motto of ¡®Merchant¡¯s Treasure¡¯ is hanging in General Lin¡¯s office. General Lin, you should consider more onmercial development and contribute more to the economic construction of Wanghai and the country.¡±
Those words were more like a warning. Lin Zhengxing was told to follow the rules of a businessman, to dwell more onmercial development. It was a tant usation that Lin Zhengxing interfered too much. Now, even Elder Yan had seen that Lin Zhengxing was just using him for his own purposes. With such an incident urring, the ceremony of the Eastern Sea Group became aughing stock. In the afternoon, Vice Chairman Yan left Wanghai by ne to return to Jingcheng. There was no point in staying in Wanghai any longer. Even if he had any objections or opinions about Nie Zhenbang at this moment, it was not the right time to strike. There will be plenty of opportunities in the future to suppress Nie Zhenbang. ¡­ ¡°Secretary-General An, it has always been a tradition in Wanghai City to support the military and its families. Wanghai is also a national model city for such support. This time, I n to visit the Wanghai City Military Region tofort and see our people¡¯s soldiers.¡± In the office, Nie Zhenbang said to An Guoyu. Nie Zhenbang became notorious in Wanghai City after that incident. His words alone made it difficult for the City Party Secretary, Shi Yiwu, to step down. Facing the central leadership, he showed no fear. When he asked ¡°who are you,¡± Yang Jinke, the deputy secretary of the provincial political and legalmittee, was left speechless on the spot. These various anecdotes spread like wildfire in Wanghai City. Just when the leadership and officials of all sizes of Wanghai City were waiting to see the drama unfold around Mayor Nie, they suddenly found that these big shots seemed to have forgotten about it. Home they might make rain, but, when it came to Mayor Nie, it was not even thunder. An Guoyu did not know. After Vice Chairman of the CPPCC returned to Jingcheng, following an ordinary game of bridge with Elder Nan, Elder Nan suddenly muttered, wondering how Nie Zhenbang was doing in Wanghai. When he asked, Elder Nan¡¯s private secretary informed Elder Yan about the truth that Nie Zhenbang was the adopted grandson personally recognised by Elder Nan. Upon hearing this, Elder Yan retreated. Though he held the vice-national level position with the CPPCC, it was an idle job, a retirement position. He might hold sway over local cities, but in Jingcheng, among the various families, he was just a marginal figure. Elder Nan¡¯s family members were people whom even Secretary General Yuan had to treat courteously. Nie Zhenbang, though a godson, was also someone special. Besides, Elder Nan¡¯s words did notck a warning to him. Upon realizing this, Elder Yan backed off. No one knew what happened in the Forbidden City in Jingcheng. But now, all the leading officials in Wanghai City had a consensus: to avoid provoking Mayor Nie as much as possible. He was not an easy one to deal with. At this moment, hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, An Guoyu was very courteous and nodded, ¡°Mayor, after your orders, most of the things have been prepared. A thousand kilos of pork, two thousand kilos of various vegetables and another fiftyputers.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. At this time, it was not a holiday or a special asion, and these items were already generous enough. Just the fiftyputers cost over a hundred thousand. For a regr condolence visit to the local garrison, this was indeed a very generous gift. ¡­ The gate of the Wanghai City Military Region. Yellow warning grid lines are drawn on the road surface, indicating a military restricted area. At the moment, all the gates of the military region are open. Two pairs of soldiers holding gongs and drums stand at the entrance. Above the gate, there is a banner reading ¡°Warm wee to city leaders for their guidance and work¡±. Indeed, this phrase is correct. The local military region, including provincial-level ones, are traditionally headed by the local partymittee¡¯s top leader, who also acts as the first politicalmissar of the military region. Themander of the military district, or the politicalmissar, also serves as a standingmittee member within the local Party Committee. At this moment, with the arrival of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s convoy, Commander Zhang Zhengguang, Deputy Commander Nie Jiamin, and other leaders of the military region¡¯s partymittee are already waiting at the entrance. Zhang Zhengguang appears very enthusiastic. He is aware of Deputy Commander Nie Jiamin¡¯s background, and he understands the rtionship between Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin. The reputation of the Nie family within the military far exceeds their connections in local government. Cadres in the military generally hold much respect for members of the Nie family. Nie Zhenbang descends from the car, followed by Deputy Mayor Zhao Dingguang, Secretary-General of the city government An Guoyu, and other leaders of the city government for afort visit. At the same time, reporters from Wanghai TV Station and Wanghai Daily are following.
At this time, the videographers and newspaper reporters have already secured good positions. The moment Zhang Zhengguang and Nie Zhenbang shake hands, a flurry of camera shes goes off. Next, a Wanghai TV Station¡¯s field reporter lifts her microphone facing the camera and says, ¡°This morning, Nie Zhenbang, a member of the Municipal Party Committee and the executive deputy mayor, visited the city¡¯s military region to offerfort to local garrison soldiers. Deputy Mayor Zhao Dingguang and Secretary-General of the city government An Guoyu apanied him.¡±. ¡°Mayor Nie, wee, wee. Thank you for the support and assistance from the leaders of the Municipal Party Committee to our garrison, and thank you for your care,¡± Zhang Zhengguang said, greeting them warmly with a smile. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang smiles and responds, ¡°Commander Zhang, you¡¯re too courteous. Taking care of the military is a tradition of Wanghai City, and as a model city for ¡®Supporting the Army and Cherishing the People¡¯, we must continue to carry forward this tradition. Since the period of the Red Army of workers and peasants, the Party and the army, together with the people, have established deepyers of emotion, as intimately connected as fish and water. These are proud traditions of our Party. During the economic construction and development of reform and opening up in Wanghai City, the army has yed a significant role in economic development and social stability. This is a necessity.¡±
Nie Zhenbang, learned in Chinese, is smooth in delivering these official-sounding phrases. For a Chinese literature-educated person such as Nie Zhenbang, formting these political terms offers no challenge, theye naturally to him. Next, in the auditorium of the military region, an borate handover ceremony is held. The fiftyputers donated by the Wanghai City Government are symbolically received by representatives of the soldiers from the military region. Afterward, at the symposium in the conference room of the military region, Nie Zhenbang delivers a passionate speech once again. When the session ends, Nie Zhenbang stands up and says with a smile, ¡°Commander Zhang, Deputy Commander Nie, should we move together?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s remark catches Zhang Zhengguang off guard ¡ª it¡¯s too direct. Giving no consideration to the need to transfer others, seeing Zhao Dingguang¡¯s expressionless face on the side, Zhang is left wondering about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intentions. Suppose Nie Zhenbang intended to seek his help. In that case, he could have easily sent the message through Nie Jiamin. So why do it this way? What is read between the lines? Contemting, Zhang Zhengguang nods and smiles, ¡°Of course.¡± At this moment, Zhao Dingguang and others hesitate to proceed together. Seeing Zhao Dingguang walking ahead, asionally ncing sideways, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face breaks into a smile. He thus says, ¡°Commander Zhang in bright daylight, I won¡¯t beat around the bush. Based on my visit to Wanghai, one could surmise why I¡¯m here. In the future, certain tasks will undoubtedly require your assistance.¡± Listening to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Zhang Zhengguang nods. As themander of the military region, Zhang generally never interferes with local affairs, local politics. However, this gives Zhang Zhengguang the unique perspective of seeing things more clearly, as an outside observer. Today, the situation in Wanghai City appears tranquil and peaceful on the surface, exuding an atmosphere of stability and prosperity. Yet Zhang Zhengguang understands clearly that at any moment, a serious storm could be brewing. Of course, he also understands why Nie Zhenbang needs his help. It is straightforward ¨C Wanghai City¡¯s current public security and even the armed police system haspletely copsed. PS: Please support with monthly votes (.) Chapter 510 - 469: Confrontation at the Standing Committee (Second Update)_1 Chapter 510: Chapter 469: Confrontation at the Standing Committee (Second Update)_1 November 7, 1998 This was the standard convening time for the bi-monthly Standing Committee meeting. The topics concerning the Standing Committee had already been determined at the previous secretary¡¯s office meeting. Liu Sicun, the secretary-general of the Municipal Party Committee, had also already distributed documents rted to the discussions and issues of the Standing Committee meeting to each permanentmittee member. 9 AM All the standingmittee members were present in a small conference room on the 15th floor of the Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee office building. At such gatherings, there is no need for seating arrangements; everyone naturally finds their own seat. At 8:55, Zhang Zusi, the full-time deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, took a leisurely stroll into the room. Zhang is a very low-profile man among the standingmittee members, maintaining an unobtrusive presence. Around 8:57, Mayor Wang Yaguang also walked in. Usually a friendly man, he appeared a bit serious at this moment, silently sitting down in his designated spot. At 9 o¡¯clock, the conference room door was pushed open from the outside, just in time for Shi Yiwu to stride in. Behind him, his secretary Zhang Xiaohai held a teacup and a briefcase which entuated Shi¡¯smanding presence. Shi took the cup from Zhang Xiaohai and sat down in his own seat. ¡°The meeting will begin,rades. Please set aside the work in your hands for now.¡± Shi Yiwu said solemnly as he looked around at the attending standingmittee members. In a serious tone, he continued, ¡°The main topic of this meeting is to study the spirit of Secretary General Yuan¡¯s speech at the Central Economic Work Conferencest month. We must persist in sustainable economic development. The topic is profound and insightful. Comrades, we must all study deeply and understand the essence of the central leadership¡¯s thought.¡± Upon hearing this sentence, Nie Zhenbang felt a wave of joy. Finally, the central government has taken this step. From a broad perspective, this measure will have a substantial impact on the future economic development strategy of the entire Huaxia. At the very least, once this rigid rule is issued, there will be fewer instances of blind development across the country. This will also bring some benefits to ordinary people. On a personal level, this approach was first pioneered by him in New Li City, and regardless of the circumstances, this achievement will partly be credited to him. After a round of discussion and study, Shi Yiwu once again said, ¡°The second topic of discussion is about personnel matters. The issue of the position of the director of the municipal finance bureau. Comrade Zhang, as the full-time deputy secretary, could you inform us about the situation?¡± Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang looked at the organizational minister Liu Yafu sitting beside him. Ordinarily, personnel arrangements are part of the organizational minister¡¯s duty. Although the full-time deputy secretary is in charge of party and mass affairs and personnel work, they only provide guidance and do not involve themselves in specific tasks. Otherwise, there would be no point in appointing an organizational minister. However, in Wanghai City, Zhang Zusi has essentially taken up the responsibilities of Liu Yafu. It must be said that this is quite a pity for Liu Yafu. ¡°Well, regarding the position of the director of the Finance Bureau, the general situation is that due to his age, Director Zou of the Finance Bureau has reached retirement. Considering Director Zou¡¯s health, he won¡¯t be able to finish this term. After considering various factors, the city has decided to select a new director to take over Director Zou¡¯s role and ensure that the city¡¯s financial management and construction work are well serviced,¡± Zhang Zusi said. His voice was not very loud and even seemed a bit weak. However, everyone in the room could hear him clearly. It had to be said that Zhang Zusi was not a simple character. Zhang Zusi then looked at Liu Yafu and said, ¡°Minister Liu, does the organization department have any opinions?¡± At this moment, Liu Yafu appeared very calm upon hearing this. With no noticeable emotional fluctuations, he opened his notebook and began to read in a textbook manner, ¡°After detailed investigations and research by the organization department, there are currently two suitablerades. One is the current deputy director of the Finance Bureau, Xu Jianhua. Thisrade is an undergraduate from Minan University¡¯s Department of Finance and Economics. His professional capabilities are outstanding. He has worked in the Finance Bureau as a regr cadre, a deputy chief of the nning Section, a chief of the Budget Section, a chief of the Personnel Section, a deputy director, and is now the executive deputy director. In a nutshell, he is very familiar with the bureau¡¯s work process and does not require limation. In fact, he has been effectively managing the bureau¡¯s work.¡± Liu Yafu paused briefly and then continued, ¡°Another candidate is the current deputy principal of the Municipal Party School, Comrade Bao Zaihua. Thisrade¡¯s political integrity and work style are quite solid¡­¡± By this point, Nie Zhenbangpletely lost interest in listening further. The organization department¡¯s evaluations are more or less the same, fitting a formic model. Every candidate has numerous highlights to his name. However, to the outsiders who don¡¯t understand the inner workings, it might seem very fair and just, as if all the candidates are equally suitable, the results of a truly democratic election carefully considered by the partymittee and the government. But in reality, it¡¯s not like that at all. Take the present for instance. Among the two candidates, Bao Zaihua, is clearly just a bystander merely apanying the Crown Prince. Regardless of how suitable he is, could he be more suitable than Xu Jianhua? Furthermore, Bao Zaihua¡¯s strengths, mostly lie in his strong political acumen and high ideological quality. But these traits and his actual working capability are worlds apart. Anyone with a discerning eye would understand the hidden meaning behind Shi Yiwu¡¯s words. Subsequently, the other standingmittee members also sequentially expressed their own opinions and views. Since the focuses for figures like Gu Dongliang, the secretary of the Political and Legal Affairs Committee, and the Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee are different, they wouldn¡¯t risk offending Shi Yiwu over the appointment of a mere director of the finance department. At this moment, Shi Yiwu turned to Nie Zhenbang with a smile, ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, do you have any suggestions regarding the candidate for the director of the finance department?¡± Ever since he was cornered by Nie Zhenbang, causing him to lose face previously, Shi Yiwu had considerably restrained his demeanor. At the moment, he spoke in a calm tone to Nie Zhenbang. Shi Yiwu was a wily politician, did he think he could fool Nie by asking for his opinion while hiding the real purpose beneath the surface? He had just arrived in WangHai City, and if he were to voice any opinion or view, it might give the standingmittee members the impression of him being domineering. Criticizing the arrangements of staffing upon just reaching WangHai, wasn¡¯t that a disy of dominance? This could harm his reputation in WangHai City. Not wanting that oue, Nie Zhenbang casually said, ¡°Secretary Shi, I have no opinions. After all, I just arrived in WangHai City and am not too familiar with therades here. As the saying goes, without investigation, there is no right to speak. I fully respect the standingmittee¡¯s resolution.¡± Following this, there were no surprises in the meeting. In the voting of the standingmittee, Xu Jianhua was unanimously elected as per the standingmittee¡¯s resolution. He simply had to wait for the end of the pre-appointment announcement period, and then he could take office as the new finance department director. However, at this moment, Qi Siyuan suddenly chimed in, saying: ¡°Secretary Shi,rades, I have something that I¡¯d like to mention here.¡± Qi Siyuan¡¯s unexpected move stunned everyone, and even Shi Yiwu was caught off guard, his face turning grim. He had a bad feeling about Qi Siyuan¡¯s statement due to his identity as the secretary of the disciplinarymittee. Typically when the inspector took the initiative to speak out, most could guess the subject of his discourse. After a deliberate pause, Shi Yiwu soberly said, ¡°Comrade Qi, why don¡¯t we leave this matter for the next standingmittee meeting?¡± Suddenly, Nie Zhenbang interjected: ¡°Secretary Shi, I think since Secretary Qi has brought up the topic, we might as well let him speak. Since Secretary Qi finds it necessary to discuss, it must be something urgent. If we leave it to the next standingmittee meeting, it will just dy the matter further. That¡¯s not the way to go.¡± Shi Yiwu¡¯s face unintentionally twitched at Nie¡¯s words. Nie Zhenbang had cleverly grasped his point of vulnerability. Shi Yiwu didn¡¯t believe that Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t understand. His previous talk about postponing implied that he would rather discuss it privately beforehand. The standingmittee meetings were public asions. This did not leave room for anything that needed further operations to be arranged. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s clever act of ying dumb left Shi Yiwu in a helpless state. He coldly red at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°In that case, Comrade Qi, please state your business.¡± Then Qi Siyuan¡¯s gaze flickered towards Nie Zhenbang. Following that, Qi Siyuan said: ¡°Secretary Shi,rades, I received an anonymous usation letter against the Vice Mayor of WangXia, Comrade Guo Liangwen,st night.¡± Qi Siyuan, then, brought out the already copied documents from the table and distributed them to everyone present. He continued: ¡°The usation states that Guo Liangwen is guilty of epting bribes, keeping a mistress, and maintaining a corrupt life. Also, they mentioned a few properties owned by Guo Liangwen in Wanghai City. I think since they are so certain, why doesn¡¯t the Disciplinary Committee head the investigation of Guo Liangwen.¡± After his words, the meeting room fell silent. A few momentster, Liu Sicun, the secretary-general of the municipal partymittee,ughed awkwardly, saying, ¡°Secretary Qi, these faceless users, who can¡¯t even write their names ¨C it would be imprudent to believe them outright and investigate ourrades at the basic level. Otherwise, we might harm their enthusiasms if they turn out to be innocent.¡± Secretary Zusi also nodded, saying: ¡°Secretary Liu is correct. If we have to investigate based on every detailed anonymous letter, the Disciplinary Committee will be overwhelmed. If they¡¯re able to supply such specific information, they should directly approach Secretary Qi to rify the situation. We are all working for the country and the government. From time to time, we offend some people. Sometimes, a strict approach towards some local enterprises can provoke jealousy. Therefore, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need for an investigation.¡± PS: My old house in my hometown copsed in the recent heavy rains. Luckily, nobody lives there and there were no casualties. I will go check back when the weather is better. I estimate I may have to returnter. I deliver two continuous updates, the third one around eight, the fourth one around ten, and I ask for monthly vote support. (.) Chapter 511 - 470: Winds Stirring and Clouds Gathering (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets) _1 Chapter 511: Chapter 470: Winds Stirring and Clouds Gathering (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets) _1 The benefits of knowing in advance are evident. Despite Nie Zhenbang not being entirely clear about the whole case of the Eastern Sea Group, since he already has a rough idea, the overall context bes gradually clear as he finds himself at the heart of the reality,bined with what he already knows. He nced indifferently at Zhang Zusi and Liu Sicun, a nce, however, that made the two men feel as if they were being scrutinized. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s yful smirk seemed to ridicule and mock them. ¡°I think that since someone has reported it, there must be some issues. If it¡¯s a false usation, it wouldn¡¯t be imed so confidently. The number of properties, whether there¡¯s a problem with the lifestyle, doesn¡¯t require an investigation, it¡¯s clear from a single question. As for the problem of anonymous reporting, it can also be considered from another point of view. The informer is worried about being attacked and retaliated against, so adopting such a safe method is quite normal. I agree with Secretary Qi¡¯s opinion, let¡¯s investigate. If there¡¯s an issue, correct it; if there isn¡¯t, then strive harder. Furthermore, if Comrade Guo Liangwen is innocent, an investigation from the organization could help clear his name,¡± Nie Zhenbang stated casually. Shi Yiwu¡¯s face looks a little gloomy. What¡¯s the matter with Zhang Zusi and Liu Sicun? Why did they stop talking after just one sentence? Seeing the somewhat oppressive atmosphere in the conference room, Shi Yiwu said solemnly, ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, you speak so lightly. Investigate? Don¡¯t you know the impact you¡¯ll have on the cadres below once you decide to investigate, and the psychological burden to them? You¡¯re taking these issues so lightly. As a leader, you should concern and care for the leaders at the base level. You can¡¯t make a big fuss out of a simple denunciation letter. How are we supposed to lead a team if things go this way?¡± These words sparked considerablemotion among the other standingmittee members in the conference room. Shi Yiwu¡¯s ability to stir up emotions is indeed remarkable. There¡¯s another aspect ¡ª the reason why Shi Yiwu¡¯s word carries weight in Wanghai City, and why hismitments are binding, mainly lies in his position. Being the Secretary of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee and holding the post of Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, he is a member of the Provincial Party Committee¡¯s Standing Committee. He has some sway in the personnel affairs of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee¡¯s standingmittee. This is his deterrent power. Other standingmittees, unless necessary, would not casually offend Shi Yiwu. At this moment, if I don¡¯t have a strong counterattacking attitude, I¡¯m afraid, this so-called investigation would just be empty talk. Then Nie Zhenbang responded solemnly, ¡°Secretary Shi, I think you might be overreacting. A single whistleblower¡¯s letter, and you take it so lightly. Our party has always paid attention to the work of handling petitions, which is an important channel to get intimate knowledge of public opinions. Indeed, we have to consider some cases which defame and falsely me others. Therefore, the existence of the partymittee¡¯s discipline inspection department is to make up for this situation.¡± His words made many standingmittees nod subtly. The base-level cadres are afraid of the discipline inspectionmittee because the inspection of cadres is very cautious. Basically, the discipline inspectionmittee starts to investigate when things are on the verge of exposure. This, in turn, has led to the powerful deterrent force of the discipline inspectionmittee. In fact, the discipline inspectionmittee is just the disciplinary inspection department of the party. It practices the regtions of the party and does not have legal significance. When the disciplinary inspectionmittee handles a case, it must ultimately transfer it to the judicial prosecution department. Seeing that Shi Yiwu looked displeased, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t care. Others might fear Shi Yiwu and his identity as a member of the Provincial Standing Committee, but he did not. He did not speak about his main purpose foring here¡ªto investigate the Wanghi case. As for his own background, unless he makes fundamental mistakes, Shi Yiwu will not be able to move him. Then Nie Zhenbang said solemnly, ¡°As a Party member and cadre, if you are afraid of and fear investigation by the Disciplinary Committee, can you still be a Communist Party member? In my opinion, such people aren¡¯t qualified to be regarded aspetent party members. Are they willing to live under the reputation of corruption and dereliction of duty? Isn¡¯t the investigation by the Disciplinary Committee a good chance to vindicate themselves?¡± As the sound of his voice fell, the Secretary of the Political and Law Committee, Gu Dongliang, also nodded and said, ¡°I think Mayor Nie¡¯s opinion is good. The investigation of the disciplinemittee is not a definitive judgment. It¡¯s a responsible attitude towards therades below. I think, we canunch necessary investigations on Deputy District Chief Huang Liangwen, to return his innocence.¡± Commander Zhang Zhengguang, who had been keeping silent and observing the proceedings during the Standing Committee Meeting, also resounded strongly at this moment, ¡°I agree to investigate. Mayor Nie is right. If we are upright in our actions and sit properly in our conduct, why should we fear investigation by the Disciplinary Committee? All the nderous remarks are paper tigers that can¡¯t stand scrutiny.¡± ¡°Alright, since there are divergent views, let¡¯s vote on it. Those in favor of carrying out an investigation on the Deputy District Chief of Wangxia District, Huang Liangwen, please raise your hands.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang decisively raised his hand first. Then, Qi Siyuan, the secretary of the municipal discipline inspectionmittee, also raised his hand. The Secretary of the Political and Law Committee, Gu Dongliang, and themander of the military subdistrict, Zhang Zhengguang, also raised their hands. Just now, the three of them clearly took their stances. If they don¡¯t raise their hands now, wouldn¡¯t they be contradicting themselves and pping their faces? On another note, othermittee members began to hesitate. The impact of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words is enormous. This almost escted the issue. If they don¡¯t raise their hands, wouldn¡¯t they be deemed unfit to be qualified party members? After hesitating for a while, Liu Yafu, the Minister of the Organization Department, and Lin Mohan, the Minister of Propaganda, also raised their hands. There were six votes now. Shi Yiwu watched this unfold with a furrowed brow. Nie Zhenbang was truly ruthless, using such words to pressure everyone. Sure enough, at this moment, the Minister of the United Front Work Department, who was also the only female member of the standingmittee, Jiang Li, also raised her hand. Mayor Wang Yaguang, a typical good guy and a fence-sitter, also smiled and said, ¡°Well, I think an investigation would be a good idea. If we clear up the details, it would proverade Huang Liangwen innocent.¡± As he spoke, Wang Yaguang also slowly raised his hand. At this point, unless Shi Yiwu used his veto as the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, there was simply no way to counter Nie Zhenbang¡¯s move. However, it was absolutely impossible to use the veto in such a situation. If word got out to the provincialmittee, who knows what pressure it would put on Shi Yiwu. Furthermore, it might also spread some unfavorable rumors to further damage Shi Yiwu¡¯s credibility. After a moment¡¯s silence, Shi Yiwu raised his hand and said, ¡°Since this is the consensus among us, I will go with the flow and proceed with the investigation.¡± ¡­ Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Eastern Sea Group, on the fourth floor, there was arge private KTV club. This ce, known as the Hongyun Building, had be famous nationwide since the Eastern Sea case broke out. The entire building was designed and decorated by Lin Zhengxing, with a KTV club, billiard room, cinema, bathhouse, massage parlor, and more. This ce, however, was not open to the public. Instead, it was used by the Eastern Sea Group to win over and corrupt officials. Here, as long as you wished and had the means, you could meet B-list singers and actors, and even A-list celebrities. In a KTV room on the fourth floor, Teresa Teng¡¯s ¡°Small Town Story¡± was ying at a moderate volume on the screen. A few men sat silently on the ck leather sofa, and a man next to them spoke solemnly, ¡°Old Zhao, we can¡¯t let Nie Zhenbang carry on like this. Huang Liangwen, although we don¡¯t know much, if he can¡¯t withstand the pressure and confesses, that could implicate a lot of people. It¡¯s possible they may trace it back to us.¡± The face of Zhao Dingguang was rather gloomy at the moment. He was well aware of the methods and thinking of the Disciplinary Committee, having previously worked there himself. This was the reason why he and his group had strenuously resisted at the standingmittee meeting earlier. After a moment, he spoke in a low voice, ¡°Sicun, in this situation, what is most important is for us to remain calm. We must not panic. With Secretary Shi and General Lin on our side, we have nothing to fear. The sky is not going to fall in Wanghai City.¡± These words made Lin Zhengxing burst intoughter. He turned to Liu Sicun and said, ¡°Old Liu, you have been the Secretary for too long. You are too cautious. I reckon the investigation will be assigned either to the military region or the armed police. Both sides have my people, who can inform me at any time. If Huang Liangwen knows what¡¯s good for him, we have nothing to worry about. Otherwise, rest assured, I know what to do in this situation.¡± With that, Lin Zhengxing turned to Liu andughed again, ¡°Old Liu, Old Zhao, and Mr. Zhang, we recently brought in a new group of girls here. They are indeed quite good. What do you think? Let¡¯s go up to the fifth floor and have some fun together.¡± Nie Zhenbang had no idea that Huang Liangwen was currently under the watch of Lin Zhengxing and the others. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was in his office reviewing some documents when his secretary, Li Jupeng, walked in and whispered, ¡°Mayor, the Police Chief, Xiao Shanming, is here from the Municipal Public Security Bureau.¡± ( Chapter 512: 471: Difficult to Make a Move (Fourth Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets) _1 Chapter 512: Chapter 471: Difficult to Make a Move (Fourth Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets) _1 Xiao Shanming is here? That was somewhat unexpected for Nie Zhenbang. In Wanghai City, most officials, even all officials, wouldn¡¯t think highly of him. Currently, in the eyes of officials in Wanghai City, the faction of Shi Yiwu is the best to align with. After all, Secretary Shi is a member of the provincial Party¡¯s Standing Committee and has a say in the deployment and personnel arrangements of officials in Minan Province. This is even more so in Wanghai City. In Wanghai City, Nie Zhenbang also knew of a popr saying: follow Secretary Shi, and tomorrow you¡¯ll be promoted. Even though the saying is coarse, it fully represents the psychological state of officials in Wanghai City today. Even if it¡¯s hard to approach the high-ranking Secretary Shi, Mayor Wang Yaguang is a good choice too. Although Wang Yaguang is a kind person, there are advantages to this. He always yields to Shi Yiwu, so Shi Yiwu would give him some face in certain matters. If he offended Wang Yaguang too much or acted overly domineering, Wang Yaguang would fight back, and Shi Yiwu wouldn¡¯t have it easy either. But Xiao Shanming is different. He hasn¡¯t chosen to align with the influential Shi Yiwu or Wang Yaguang. Instead, he hase to report to me on his own initiative. Nie Zhenbang then nodded to Li Jupeng and said, ¡°Well, Jupeng, please invite Director Xiao in.¡± Upon seeing Xiao Shanming, Nie Zhenbang was reminded of the righteous traffic cop, Zhao Haining, that he encountered on the street that night. By now, with some time having passed, Lin Jingrong and Zhao Jie must have made some time. Nie Zhenbang has a good impression of Zhao Haining. After all, at this time, there are few people who dare to enforce thew impartially in the face of power. In Wanghai City, Zhao Haining stands out. Nie Zhenbang feelspelled to protect him, both morally and rationally. Lost in thought, Xiao Shanming had already been led in by Li Jupeng. The impression Nie Zhenbang had of Xiao Shanming now was different to when he had visited the Municipal Public Security Bureau for research. At present, Xiao Shanming¡¯s face showed less fakeness and shiness, but more sincerity. Although Xiao Shanming was still very cautious, he stepped in, saluted, and said,¡± Mayor Nie.¡± However, he did not sit down, which indicated that Xiao Shanming was careful in his details. Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Director Xiao, please take a seat and let¡¯s talk.¡± At this moment, Xiao Shanming did not hesitate and sat down in the chair in front of the desk. He took out a notebook from his briefcase, and then began, ¡°Mayor, I primarily came over to report on the work of the Municipal Public Security Bureau.¡± After Nie Zhenbang took office, the Standing Committee of the Wanghai City People¡¯s Congress quickly approved his appointment as Executive Deputy Mayor. As Executive Deputy Mayor, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s role was to assist the mayor in city government work, and he was specifically in charge of economic construction and development, liaison with political and legal departments, and managing rtions with the military and armed police locally.
Since Qiao Yiren had Nie Zhenbange over to be Executive Deputy Mayor, it stands to reason that he certainly wouldn¡¯t let Nie Zhenbang¡¯s power be too small. Taking charge of political and legal affairs, and liaising with the military and armed police was a good opportunity for Nie Zhenbang to consolidate his power. Xiao Shanming reporting to Nie Zhenbang was in no way a mistake. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang had no reaction, Xiao Shanming pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Mayor,st year, the Municipal Police Vocational College passed the joint review by the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Education. This year, it will be officially renamed Wanghai Public Security College. ording to the regtions, the Public Security College will be jointly constructed by the department and the city. The leadership level is set at the deputy department level. Personnel appointments will be managed by our Wanghai City¡­¡± When Xiao Shanming referred to it as reporting, there wasn¡¯t much to actually talk about. He was responsible for publicity, education, and police officer training. The news about the Public Security College falls within his job duties. If Xiao Shanming were to report on how many cases were solved citywide in the past year, how many suspects were arrested, or how effective theprehensivew enforcement had been, Nie Zhenbang would definitely dismiss him. Right now, Xiao Shanming¡¯s report revolved around his own duties, which made Nie Zhenbang quite satisfied. Xiao Shanming was a man worth observing. Immediately, Nie Zhenbangughed and said, ¡°Director Xiao, the education and training of police officers is something that needs to be pushed forward and done well. The establishment of the Public Security College also shows the attention given by the higher authorities to police education in our city. In this respect, you have proven your capability. Now, even though the national distribution system has been abolished, most of the new police force will still have toe from these professional colleges. Educating students properly and helping them form correct values are of great importance. This is something worth recognizing.¡± Having said that, Nie Zhenbang took a different tack and said: ¡°Director Xiao, speaking of this, it reminds me of an incident involving arade named Zhao Haining from the traffic police squadron. He¡¯s remarkable. Never dares to oppose the mighty, always upholds the truth. Steadfast inw enforcement, he maintains a polite and respectful attitude when enforcing thew. It¡¯s rare toe by such arade. We should recognize him. Spread his story among all the police officers in the city. Policing bears a great responsibility in maintaining peace and safety, which is an inescapable duty. Such examples should be highly promoted and praised.¡± At this moment, Xiao Shanming made a mental note of the name Zhao Haining. Shortly after saying a few more things, Xiao Shanming stood up. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also stood up, he smiled and said: ¡°Comrade Shanming, keep up the good work. Be ready at all times.¡± Thisment made Xiao Shanming feel a surge of excitement. He was well aware of the dynamics at y on the officialdom. The fact that Xiao Shanming chose not to be corrupt did not mean that he was na?ve. In this day and age, apletely fair and clean official simply did not exist. On usual days, epting a few packs of cigarettes or invitations to dinner aremon, as long as they do not vite principles. From the start when Mayor Nie politely addressed him as Director Xiao, and now addressing him as ¡®Comrade Shanming¡¯, the implied meanings were profound. This suggests that Mayor Nie has epted him. Additionally, the words from Mayor Nie had excited Xiao Shanming. Setting up an exemry model, preparing for the education of students. This indicates that Mayor Nie has an understanding of the situation within the Municipal Public Security Bureau. Currently, the entire police force is morally corrupt. Of course, that does not mean that all the police officers have been bought by Eastern Sea Group. However, under these circumstances, Xiao Shanming had to be suspicious even of those who acted impartially. Who knew if there were any covert spies for other leaders mixed in? But students were different; they were like nk tes, malleable and eager to be righteous, passionate young people who yearned to be just and unbiased policemen. This was an opportunity. At this point, Xiao Shanming began to admire Mayor Nie. It seemed that Mayor Nie already had ns in mind. Otherwise, how could he have such a clear view of the situation in WangHai City? After Xiao Shanming left, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brows furrowed. The words just spoken to Xiao Shanming were merely encouragement. As a leader, in a disadvantageous situation, one must be good at guiding and motivating. Here, the so-called motivation is not to push others to do wrong, but to fill subordinates with confidence. Seeing the gleam in Xiao Shanming¡¯s eyes, Nie Zhenbang knew that Xiao Shanming was now full of confidence. But was it really that simple? Xiao Shanming¡¯s position in the bureau was embarrassingly minor. The amount of personnel under his influence was minimal. As for the students, could they really make a difference? Quite evidently, that was impossible. They were only students. They did not have an official police badge yet and did not havew enforcement powers. They could not be used as regr officers. So, Mayor Nie had simply wanted to tell Xiao Shanming that he was aware of the situation in the Public Security Bureau and in Wanghai. For a moment, Nie Zhenbang had a feeling of helplessness. Under Shi Yiwu and the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s operation in the past decade, Lin Zhengxing, renowned for his shrewd maneuvers and extensivework, had fortified WangHai City like an unbreakable fortress. Lin Zhengxing had many connections beyond WangHai City, in Minan Province, and even in Jingcheng. These connections could potentially be obstacles to solving the Yuhai case. This was a vastwork, under whichy an imprable alignment. Finding a breakthrough wouldn¡¯t be easy. Nie Zhenbang sighed, and for the first time, he felt a hint of despair. Now, he could only rely on the case of Huang Liangwen.
A dam built a thousand miles long could be destroyed by an ant hole. In this case, for Nie Zhenbang, for Qi Siyuan, and for the entire Yuhai case, Huang Liangwen was like a rust spot on this imprable fortress. The only way was to pick out this rusty part, digging deeper and making the hole bigger, thereby beginning with the anti-corruption fight and opening up the Yuhai case. Just at that moment, Li Jupeng walked into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office with a somber expression. Seeing Nie Zhenbang in deep thought, Li Jupeng dismissed any formalities and whispered into Nie¡¯s ear: ¡°Mayor, something big has happened. Secretary Qi of the Disciplinary Committee just called. Huang Liangwenmitted suicide at the Armed Police Marine Police Brigade¡¯s reception house!¡± Chapter 513: 472: Thunderous Means_1 Chapter 513: Chapter 472: Thunderous Means_1 In the guesthouse of the Haijing Wanghai Detachment of Minan Province¡¯s Armed Police Force, there were currently quite arge crowd gathered. Outside the door, the detectives from the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau Criminal Investigation Detachment had already set up a cordon. The third floor of the guesthouse was jam-packed with people. When Nie Zhenbang arrived, both the Forensic Identification Department and the coroners from Wanghai City Public Security Bureau were already at the scene. Qi Siyuan is an old member of the Discipline Inspection Commission and his work experience is incredibly rich. He would never demonstrate such ignorance. Nie Zhenbang stood outside the door, briefly inspecting the arrangement inside the room. At his side, Gao Wei, Deputy Secretary of the City Discipline Inspection Commission, spoke in a low voice, ¡°Huang Liangwen¡¯s room was arranged entirely by me. There¡¯s nothing in the room that could be used for self-harm or suicide. In addition, to prevent anyone from smuggling something in the food, all the meals are examined by a dedicated person. And there are also staff from the Discipline Inspection Commission present in the room.¡± Gao Wei¡¯s words were meant to assure Nie Zhenbang that he took personal responsibility for these arrangements, so there should be no problems at all. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face turned somewhat gloomy as he surveyed the room. Standing to the side, Qi Siyuan remained silent. He was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s previous position as the head of the Fifth Discipline Inspection Department of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection¡ªonce his direct superior. Even Secretary Ding Jiashu of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission had to show respect to Mayor Nie. ¡°Secretary Qi, has the police¡¯s death reporte out? Based on the initial inference, what caused the death?¡± Nie Zhenbang asked in a grave voice. At that moment, Qi Siyuan seemed a bit awkward. It wasn¡¯t that he was in a difficult position, but the death report issued by the city¡¯s Public Security Bureau was so surprising that he felt somewhat embarrassed to disclose it. After a moment of silence, Qi Siyuan nodded and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, ording to the inference of the Criminal Investigation Detachment, they believe it was sudden death. They think it¡¯s very likely that he choked to death while eating.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face also froze. No wonder Qi Siyuan looked like that. This cause of death was far too far-fetched. A child might choke to death on food, but Huang Liangwen was not a child; he was a grown man. Even if he choked on food, his body¡¯s natural protective reflexes and subconscious reaction would have caused Huang Liangwen to cough it up. It¡¯s impossible that he choked to death while eating.
Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang said in a serious tone, ¡°Who is in charge of the Public Security Bureau this time? Huang Liangwen¡¯s body must be dissected.¡± As soon as his words fell, Gao Wei, looking rather distressed, said in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want to carry out an autopsy. These past few days, under a tremendous amount of pressure, Huang Liangwen has confessed to his illegal and disciplinary vitions. Moreover, he¡¯s given up several important leads, implicating several mid-level officers and leaders from the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau. We fully understand that this must be a case of murder. The culprits are afraid. They fear that our continued deep digging will expose them all. However, Huang Liangwen¡¯s family is currently very emotional and strongly opposes the autopsy. Furthermore, there have been some unfavorablements made about our Discipline Inspection Commission. Our work has been put on the defensive.¡± Watching Gao Wei report to Nie Zhenbang, Qi Siyuanughed inwardly. With Gao Wei there, his job at the Discipline Inspection Commission has be much easier. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face became even more serious at this moment. This move was one that only a skilled yer could pull off. By eliminating Huang Liangwen, the Discipline Inspection Commission¡¯s investigation has been put on the back foot, followed by initiating a public opinion assault, forcing the Discipline Inspection Commission into a passive state. By spreading rumors that the Discipline Inspection Commission¡¯s harsh investigation drove Huang Liangwen to suicide, themission is then busy dealing with the public opinion pressure. Even if they manage to ovee this, under such pressure, the city¡¯s Discipline Inspection Commission would probably not dare to take any drastic actions in the future. At this moment, the cries of several women suddenly erupted, ¡°Liangwen, oh, how miserable your death was, tell me, how did you die so mysteriously, it¡¯s so unjust. How are we, the widow and orphan, going to live?¡± ¡°Big brother, tell me, why did you have to leave us like this. Framed for something you didn¡¯t do, even after death, you still have to bear a tainted name.¡± As if on cue from these two women¡¯s sobbing, several men standing in the corridor of the third floor were ovee with emotion and began to shout loudly. ¡°What is the government doing? What is the city¡¯s Discipline Inspection Commission investigation team doing? This is obvious persecution!¡± ¡°Yes, we must petition. We¡¯ll take our petition to the Provincial Party Committee, we need an exnation for the family of the deceased.¡± Upon hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face darkened, and he asked, ¡°Who are these people and who let them in?¡± At his side, the acting deputy director of the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau, Niu Chao, stepped forward, lowering his head and saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, these are all family members of Comrade Huang Liangwen. The twodies here are Huang¡¯s wife and sister. These gentlemen are his brothers-inw, uncles and brothers. They were allowed in after Secretary Qi and I had discussed the situation due to the gravity of the incident.¡± Niu Chao¡¯s response was impable. It would have been inhumane to keep the deceased¡¯s family outside under these circumstances. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow furrowed. From their words, he sensed something unusual. Huang Liangwen was indeed willing to exchange his own life for the safety andfort of his family. Unfortunately, Huang was mistaken. Regardless of who secretly informed Huang and made him change his course, the materials were enough to condemn him. Then, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Old Qi, the investigation into Comrade Huang Liangwen can be closed. The conclusion of the case should state ¡®fear of punishment drove him to suicide.''¡± His words made the family members of the deceased stand up in shock. Huang¡¯s wife yelled at Nie Zhenbang as if she were a market quarreler, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, have you lost your humanity? Huang Liangwen is already dead, and yet you still want to throw filth on him.¡± Nie Zhenbang looked intently at the woman with a fierce gaze and asked in a deep tone, ¡°You are Huang Liangwen¡¯s wife?¡± The hint of murderous intent in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes frightened the woman. Trying to suppress her fear, she retorted angrily, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Huang Liangwen¡¯s wife. What of it? You not only drove my husband to death but now want to smear his reputation too? This matter is not over. I will go to the Provincial Party Committee to report your killing. I will report your elimination of dissent and violent revenge!¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang turned to the side and said to Gao Wei, ¡°Deputy Secretary Gao, may I borrow one of your offices? We should invite all of Comrade Huang Liangwen¡¯s family over.¡± In the room, seeing the angry faces around him, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t report to the Provincial Party Committee, we have to. You all know whether Huang Liangwen has done anything wrong. Whoever incited Huang Liangwen matters not; our judgment of the case won¡¯t change by anyone¡¯s words.¡±
Upon seeing some rxation on the faces of Huang¡¯s family, Nie Zhenbang rejoiced internally. If they made a big fuss, the disciplinarymittee would be put into a passive position. Once Huang Liangwen¡¯s case was settled, they could follow the clue and continue their investigation. Then he said again, ¡°In thest few days, Huang Liangwen has cooperated with the disciplinarymittee¡¯s investigation and confessed to many things. ording to our calctions of Huang¡¯s vitions, even if we investigated thoroughly, at most, he would only lose his job, be expelled from the party, and receive a maximum of three years in prison. But suddenly, something like this happens. Who could have instructed Huang Liangwen? You¡¯re not considering these things; instead, you¡¯re aiding and abetting him. Is this the right way to handle things? If you remain obstinate, we¡¯re prepared to take this case to the Provincial Committee, or even the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, at which point Huang¡¯s reputation will undoubtedly be ruinedpletely.¡± After this mix of threats and scares, finally, Huang¡¯s family seemed to understand. They left with their heads hung low. Nie Zhenbang turned to Qi Siyuan and Gao Wei, ¡°Old Qi, Gao Wei, it seems our opponents are no ordinary opponents. We¡¯ve just begun, and this kind of thing has happened, indicating that some people are already scared. Looking at this, we can¡¯t use this ce anymore. I suggest we move the investigative team to the military district. I just don¡¯t believe they can really do whatever they want.¡± Upon hearing this, Qi Siyuan nodded and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, ording to Huang Liangwen¡¯s confession, he was introduced to a man named Chang through Director Jiang of the Exit and Entry Administration Department of the City Public Security Bureau. In thend approval process in Wangxia District, he epted a bribe of more than one million. ording to our information, this Chang is a trusted general under Lin Zhengxing of the Eastern Sea Group.¡±
From Qi Siyuan¡¯s tone, it seemed he was excited about the case against the Eastern Sea Group. The sessful prosecution of the entire corporation would undoubtedly be a great achievement, hence his excitement. However, Qi Siyuan was ignorant of the significant resistance behind the Eastern Sea Group. If they were to take action against the group rashly, with just a hint of movement here, Qi Siyuan might be transferred. Then, Nie Zhenbang took a deep breath and said, ¡°Old Qi, haste makes waste. The Eastern Sea Group is not as simple as you think. We can¡¯t act recklessly in this littlemotion. We need to go step-by-step. I suggest, based on Huang Liangwen¡¯s confession, we need to immediately detain Director Jiang of the Exit-Entry Administration Department of the City Public Security Bureau and put Niu Chao under double regtions.¡± After a pause, he continued, ¡°In times of crisis, we must resort to drastic measures. At this moment, if we involve the Standing Committee, it may alert the snake in the grass. Old Qi, you can take action directly. If anything happens, you and I will bear it together.¡± ( Chapter 514: 473 Secretary Shi is Angry_1 Chapter 514: Chapter 473 Secretary Shi is Angry_1 Inside the Hongyun Building of the Eastern Sea Group, the sixth floor of the red-walled building was where the utmost luxury resided. The exquisite bar, a small private pub, and the bar cab containing a variety of top Euro wines. Among them, at the most conspicuous position, two porcin bottles of fifty-year-old special Moutai were the most esteemed. Ordinary bottles with no other trademarks, the two words on the bottle, ¡°Moutai¡±, already represented its identity. This special supply wine was produced at the time of the founding of the nation and distributed as a celebratory victory endowment. Only senior-level officials during the founding of the country had the privilege of owning such wine. Even General Secretary Yuan, byparison, was just a technician in a factory back then, far from eligible to receive an allocation. Back then, every national-level official received an allocation of two bottles. Deputy Ministers would receive one bottle. Vice-national-level officials would receive six bottles in total. Even when including the military forces, there really aren¡¯t many left. Furthermore, most of them had been consumed at the time. With the liberation of the country and the nationwide victory, everyone, from themon people to Taizu himself, was over the moon. This was their special victory wine, the celebration wine, and most of it was consumed. The fact that Lin Zhengxing still managed to keep two bottles speaks volumes about the value of the wine. More importantly, it showcases Lin Zhengxing¡¯s impressive background. Shi Yiwu was on the sofa, restful and expressionless. Liu Sicun, the Municipal Committee¡¯s secretary-general, Zhao Dingguang, the standing vice mayor, and Lin Zhengxing from the Eastern Sea Group all sat next to him. At this moment, Lin Zhengxing gave Liu Sicun a subtle nce. Liu Sicun nodded and then said in a low voice, ¡°Secretary, national affairs are bing increasingly chaotic because of Nie Zhenbang. If you do not speak out, Wanghai City will be thrown into turmoil.¡± ¡°Leader, Secretary Sicun¡¯s words aren¡¯t false. Last time, when we investigated Huang Liangwen, we opposed it. We urged caution but Huang Liangwen ended upmitting suicide. And now, look what happened. Qi Siyuan and Nie Zhenbang have teamed up, and have even started to investigate officials. They didn¡¯t even follow the Standing Committee¡¯s procedures, investigating the Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau, Niu Chao. They are not putting you in their eyes at all,¡± Zhao Dingguang chimed in, adding fuel to the fire.
Shi Yiwu opened his eyes and with a solemn expression, he said, ¡°The tree desires stillness but the wind will not cease. It seems that as I grow old, people are forgetting about me.¡± ¡°Secretary Shi, what are you talking about? Nie Zhenbang is nothing more than a clown. This time, we have a few chances for Australian immigration visas. This required hefty efforts from several handymen friends overseas. I¡¯ve heard that Young Master Shi has always wanted to see the world. Well, here¡¯s the perfect chance,¡± said Lin Zhengxing with a smile. As if, to him, it was not robbing of power but just a simple pleasure trip. When this generous offering was presented, Liu Sicun and Zhao Dingguang felt envious. For people like them, wealth and family were important. Once any incident transpired within the country, it was difficult to protect wealth. Therefore, many officials were enthusiastic about immigration. This isn¡¯t any Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan visa, nor is it a visa to small Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia or Mysia. This is Australian immigration. Shi Yiwu couldn¡¯t contain his excitement at this point. If his family and assets were overseas, what did it matter even if he was ruined? Living one¡¯s life is fundamentally for oneself and one¡¯s family, isn¡¯t it? What¡¯s the use of having too much money domestically when you can¡¯t spend it? Eventually, Shi Yiwu nodded and said, ¡°General Lin, you¡¯re more considerate than my own parents. You¡¯ve gone through such inconvenience for Shi Chong, that troubles me.¡± Lin Zhengxing burst intoughter. Money, beauty, fame coupled with an immigration n¡ªthese were the four powerful weapons used by Lin Zhengxing to win over and corrupt officials. Past events had sufficiently proved the massive effectiveness of these means. In Lin Zhengxing¡¯s own words, those were his foolproof ways. When these methods were deployed, neither gods nor Buddhas could resist. ¡°Secretary Shi, you tter me. Considering our rtionship, these are things I should do. As for Young Master Shi, I happen to have a vi in Sydney. If Young Master Shi does not mind, after he moves there, I can arrange to transfer the ownership to him.¡± Now that Shi Yiwu had epted the immigration visa, he wouldn¡¯t mind that vi either. As expected, after a moment of contemtion, Shi Yiwu readily nodded. ¡°Since General Lin is so sincere, it would seem petty of me not to ept,¡± he said. Having said that, Shi Yiwu turned to Zhao Dingguang beside him, ¡°Dingguang, this time around, the death ofrade Huang Liangwen was way too polite. An excellent cadre of our party unfairly lost his life; it always gives you pause. In light of this, I think we should take this as a wake-up call and hold a citywide ideological education conference.¡± That was Shi Yiwu¡¯s quid pro quo to Lin Zhengxing. Seeing that he¡¯d already epted so much, it was only right for him to reciprocate somehow. At that, Zhao Dingguang instantly understood Shi Yiwu¡¯s words. He wanted to make hay out of Huang Liangwen¡¯s death. Even though Nie Zhenbang kept insisting that Huang Liangwen had confessed to a lot, everyone in the official circles knew that Nie Zhenbang was merely trying to pacify Huang Liangwen¡¯s family with these words. At least for Shi Yiwu, with Huang Liangwen dead, there was no one to substantiate the ims. Nie Zhenbang might say it was Huang Liangwen¡¯s confession, but he could argue that it was extracted under duress¡ªin fact, Huang Liangwen killed himself because he couldn¡¯t bear the brutal torture any longer. Then, Zhao Dingguang nodded and said, ¡°Yes, I will strictly follow Secretary Shi¡¯s directives. Also, I think we need to unify the narratives across the municipal propaganda department. At present, many city media outlets are still singing praises for Nie Zhenbang, and this situation isn¡¯t ideal. I suggest we rectify this.¡± Shi Yiwu nodded, turned to Liu Sicun beside him, and said, ¡°Sicun, please arrange a meeting with the propaganda department¡¯s Minister, Lin Mohan, for me. Also, I think there needs to be a re-alignment of understanding at the standingmittee level. Otherwise, there could be big trouble.¡± At this point, Lin Zhengxing also nodded with a smile and said, ¡°Secretary Shi, since you¡¯re here, why not have some fun before you go? I know you like singing, and here we have Dongying¡¯stest karaoke audiovisual system.¡± Then, Lin Zhengxing pped his hands, and a few young and extremely beautiful women dressed in high-slit cheongsams walked in. They led the three men into individual rooms. As for the activities there¡ªwhether it was singing or something else¡ªLin Zhengxing did not wish to inquire. His ce, allegedly the headquarters of the Eastern Sea Group, was in fact a venue for courting and corrupting party and government officials. These servers had all been chosen and trained with great care, their services ranging from drinking and singing to whatever services the guests desired. After seeing the three off, Lin Zhengxing immediately got up and pped his hands. A man appearing to be a manager walked in and spoke softly, ¡°Big brother!¡± At this moment, the pleasant demeanor had vanished from Lin Zhengxing¡¯s face, reced with an incredibly serious gaze. He nodded andmanded, ¡°As per the rules, record everything. I sense that the tide is turning. Nie Zhenbang is here to make a move against us. Better get more evidence in hand in case these duplicitous politicians turn on us someday.¡±
¡­ As Shi Yiwu made arrangements, the media climate in Wanghai City began to change rapidly. On November 18th, Shi Yiwu went to Wangxia District to attend the memorial service of deputy district governor Huang Liangwen. During the service, Shi Yiwu was very active in his high praise of Huang Liangwen, and he called him a good cadre of the party, who gave his life as a testament to his cause. Speaking, he alluded to certain leaders in Wanghai City with ulterior motives were undermining the city¡¯s economic development. He said that this was absolutely uneptable. On November 22nd, the day when the municipal standingmittee was scheduled to convene, all standingmittee members had taken their seats by nine o¡¯clock in the morning inside the Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee office building. Given recent fluctuations in Wanghai City¡¯s politicalndscape, all themittee members were feeling particrly tense. At nine o¡¯clock sharp, Shi Yiwu slowly walked into the conference room, took his seat, and swept the room with a robust gaze. He then said, ¡°Let¡¯s start the meeting by addressing this issue. Since Wanghai City is in a state of panic following the investigation and subsequent suicide of Comrade Huang Liangwen by the disciplinarymission, there is widespread discontent among the lower echelons. Somerades,pletely disregarding the grand scheme of Wanghai¡¯s economic development and stability, are attempting secret maneuvers. What is going on? Are they nning on investigating others in secret? What does this mean? Do they even acknowledge my existence as Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee? Do they acknowledge the organization?¡±
Shi Yiwu¡¯s voice was stern, and the other standingmittee members remained silent. Qi Siyuan¡¯s investigations into Niu Chao and Director Jiang from the Immigration Department of the Public Security Bureau were secrets to the lower-ranking officials but clear to those present at this meeting. By doing this, Qi Siyuan was defying public anger. One step further, if Qi Siyuan dared to do so this time, what would stop it from happening next time around? Could Qi Siyuan¡¯s power in the standingmittee of the municipal party still be restrained? Who could really withstand an investigation in this day and age? Seeing that the attitudes of the othermittee members had shifted due to his words, Shi Yiwu sneered. ¡°You¡¯re still not ready for a fight, Nie Zhenbang.¡± (.) Chapter 515: 474 Denunciation by Word and Pen_1 Chapter 515: Chapter 474 Denunciation by Word and Pen_1 As his words fell, nearby, Deputy Mayor Zhao Dingguang also coughed, attracting all attention to himself. Inadvertently, Zhao Dingguang¡¯s gaze fell upon Nie Zhenbang and Qi Siyuan seated beside him. He sneered inwardly, thinking that if they didn¡¯t yield this time around, Nie Zhenbang might as well be an emperor. Only emperors could act without any considerations. Even the General Secretary had to consider the bnce among various factions within the country. To him, politics has always been an art of bnce, if Nie Zhenbang could go about his duties and keep people from finding any problems, that would be bearable. Or, if he could find crucial witnesses and evidence, that would also be eptable. However, relying only on the confession of a dead man? Laughable indeed. Immediately afterwards, Zhao Dingguang said solemnly, ¡°Secretary Shi was absolutely right. Recently, there have been numerous rumors in the city. Bureaucrats are fearful and anxious, and many are even distracted from their work. The death of ourrade Liangwen has greatly shocked everyone. It¡¯s inappropriate to secretly investigate a deputy bureau-level cadre without collective discussion or agreement, Such behavior has serious implications.¡± After a short pause, Zhao Dingguang sternly said, ¡°Secretary Shi,rades, I think such behavior is atrocious. Not to mention the total disregard for organizational discipline, somerades have already dismissed their party principles and turned the actual power departments into their private armies, presumptuously investigatingrades who have been tested and proven. I suggest reporting this matter to the provincialmittee and conduct a serious investigation. We must identify those undermining the unity and development of Wanghai City.¡± At this moment, Zhao Dingguang¡¯s tone was severe as if he was the General Secretary. Nie Zhenbang looked at Zhao Dingguang¡¯s self-righteous demeanor with an indifferent expression. On the official scene, once someone got a hold of your fault, you could never expect them to let go ¨C even though they were colleagues, the position you upied could be what they dreamed for. Even if they themselves didn¡¯t need it, it would be a great resource for their subordinates. At such times, they would want nothing more than to step on you and send you to hell. Such is the brutal struggle within the system. Sure enough, once Zhao Dingguang finished, Liu Sicun, Secretary-general of the Municipal Party Committee, slowly voiced his agreement, ¡°I fully concur with Mayor Zhao. We have nationalws and family rules. The selfish interests of a few cannot be allowed to affect the work of the entire city. I propose that the municipal partymittee establishes an investigation team to thoroughly examine the death of Comrade Liangwen.¡± After Liu Sicun finished speaking, Zhang Zusi also expressed his views, ¡°I believe the proposals by Mayor Dingguang and Secretary Sicun are practical and objective. As party cadre leaders, we should always prioritize party discipline and principles. We should prioritize impartiality and embrace a spirit of seeking truth from facts. This is the basic quality required of a party member.¡± Pausing for a moment, Zhang Zusi unintentionally directed his gaze at Nie Zhenbang and Qi Siyuan. He continued, ¡°However, in the investigating Niu Chao and others in the wake of Comrade Liangwen¡¯s death, this approach is clearly against party principles. Therefore, as the Deputy Secretary in charge of public sentiment, I deeply regret this incident and request a profound review and criticism from the organization. This is my oversight. I suggest severe sanctions against those responsible for this incident and do not intend on showing any leniency.¡± One after another, everyone seemed to want to outdo each other in severity and ruthlessness, apparentlypeting to see who could be fiercer.
At this moment, Qi Siyuan¡¯s expression darkened. The investigation of Niu Chao was agreed upon by both Nie Zhenbang and himself. However, what Qi Siyuan hadn¡¯t anticipated was the fact that Niu Chao had a strong ability to resist investigations and interrogations. He had overlooked that aspect. As a police academy graduate, Niu Chao had a well-rounded knowledge of working in public security and had developed a method for examining prisoners. At the same time, he was mentally tough. During the interrogation, even when confronted with the leads provided by Liangwen, Niu Chao firmly protested his innocence. He did not expose any ws whatsoever. Moreover, he had prepared a strong defense for himself, and there was no avable proof to justify ims against him from another angle. Thus, it had turned into a pretext for Shi Yiwu and others to carry out their attack. Qi Siyuan regretted his negligence. ¡°I agree with Deputy Secretary Zhang¡¯s opinion. The investigation of Comrade Niu Chao was indeed not in ordance with the rules. In this regard, I think, Secretary Qi of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission should provide an exnation and a resolution. As for whether Comrade Liangwen died to prove his innocence ormitted suicide out of fear of punishment, I think it is still too early to make any conclusions. Moreover, the investigation of Comrade Liangwen was also ratified by a show of hands at the Municipal Party Committee Standing Committee. Now that there¡¯s a problem, assigning the responsibility solely to Secretary Qi is irresponsible,¡± said Liu Yafu, Minister of the Organization Department of the Municipal Party Committee. Notwithstanding, Liu Yafu was intensely suppressed by Zhang Zusi. And despite his dissatisfaction with Zhang Zusi and others, it did not prevent him from voicing his support now. After all, Qi Siyuan¡¯s actions were met with dissatisfaction among the regr members of the Municipal Party Committee. ¡°Minister Liu, I think it¡¯s a bit inappropriate to say that. At that time, we were strongly opposed to conducting a double regtion investigation on Comrade Huang Liangwen.¡± Zhao Dingguang had just finished speaking. Only to be kicked by Liu Sicun sitting next to him. Zhao Dingguang suddenly realized what he¡¯d implied, that Secretary Shi, who had voted in favour at the time, was now being implicated himself? Looking up at Shi Yiwu, sure enough, in Shi Yiwu¡¯s eyes shed a hint of discontent. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows were also furrowing. After Liu Yafu finished talking, Minister of Propaganda, Lin Mohan, quickly followed with his stance. Essentially, he too was suggesting an apology and a written self-criticism, but he conveniently glossed over the matter involving Huang Liangwen. A brutal verbal attack. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt that Qi Siyuan seemed to be the scapegoat bearing everyone¡¯s anger. Biting self-criticism rose within Nie Zhenbang. He had been too naive, too confident, thinking that in the face of facts, evidence and overwhelming psychological pressure, Niu Chao would confess honestly. That way, when Shi Yiwu and others finally collected their thoughts, any attempts to find loopholes or excuses would bepletely shut down by simply unveiling Niu Chao¡¯s testimony. Regrettably, the reality had been contrary to his expectations. Shi Yiwu and others had regained their momentum, while Niu Chao had remained obstinate against all odds. This turn of events had thrust Qi Siyuan into an embarrassingly awkward predicament. If he didn¡¯t speak up for himself at this moment, the pressure on Qi Siyuan would be unbearable. Regardless of the alliance he¡¯d formed with Qi Siyuan, Nie Zhenbang had to intervene. If he just remained an onlooker now, his future prospects in Wanghai City would be ruined. Just as he was preparing to speak, a voice beside him interjected. ¡°I have something to say.¡± The speaker was Wang Yaguang. To this, Nie Zhenbang sneered. Wang Yaguang, the quintessential fence-sitter, would swing whichever way the wind blew. At this point, with Shi Yiwu and others clearly in the ascendancy, it¡¯d be no surprise if Wang Yaguang¡¯s remarks merely fanned the mes. ¡°I believe we should view matters from different perspectives. Admittedly, Comrade Siyuan¡¯s actions this time were somewhat radical. However, I think his intentions were good. First, regarding the issue with Huang Liangwen, just as Minister Yafu mentioned, we can¡¯t determine whether it was an act of protest against corruption. But since we had leads, not investigating would be shirking our duties. It would constitute negligence. The investigation into Comrade Niu Chao is also justifiable. At present, isn¡¯t the situation clear? Comrade Niu Chao has proven to be a goodrade capable of withstanding scrutiny.¡± While speaking, Wang Yaguang looked at Qi Siyuan and said, ¡°Secretary Siyuan, I must criticize you here. We¡¯re all veteran party members, yet your actions were rash. I believe that this time, Comrade Siyuan, you should make a written self-criticism to the municipal partymittee with a deep understanding of your mistakes.¡± Wang Yaguang¡¯s unexpected stance left everyone stunned. Nie Zhenbang was dumbfounded. Had the sun risen from the west today? That Wang Yaguang had spoken up in defence of Qi Siyuan and himself was remarkable. Shi Yiwu had a simr reaction, his brows faintly furrowed, clearly displeased. Wang Yaguang¡¯s action today was beyond his expectations and caught him off guard. Nie Zhenbang quickly recovered. Regardless of Wang Yaguang¡¯s motives, whether to bnce the power dynamics within the standingmittee or to curry favour with him, he had to seize this opportunity. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also spoke, ¡°Mayor Wang¡¯s opinion is very insightful. The party¡¯s discipline inspection and supervisory department inherently has a high degree of independence. I think Secretary Siyuan¡¯s decision to interrogate Niu Chao on short notice was a result of the need for secrecy and timely action to prevent any leaks. This should be eptable. The facts have proven that Comrade Niu Chao holds strong political beliefs. If we are to criticize Secretary Qi simply on this matter, how are we to carry out the work of the disciplinarymittee in the future? Might as well let Secretary Qi hand over the work of the disciplinarymittee and let the standingmittee of the municipal partymittee manage it.¡±
Chapter 516: 475 Merchant Zheng Jiawei_1 Chapter 516: Chapter 475 Merchant Zheng Jiawei_1 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s statement was both spiteful and venomous. In it, he hadid a huge trap for Shi Yiwu. ording to the regtions of the Commission for Discipline Inspection, themission at all levels is under the jurisdiction of the Party Committee at the corresponding level and is managed by the higher Commission for Discipline Inspection. Moreover, the work of the Commission for Discipline Inspection has rtive independence. If there are objections to local officials, they can initiate investigations first. Only those cases that need to be filed for review must be reported to the same level Party Committee for discussion and resolution. This point allowed Qi Siyuan¡¯s investigation of Niu Chao to tread a fine line. Moreover, if Shi Yiwu agreed, it would be tantamount to usurping the power of the Commission for Discipline Inspection. The superior Party Committee and the Commission for Discipline Inspection would not allow this. If it were the case, the power of the Commission for Discipline Inspection to supervise officials would be rendered meaningless. The Commission had been established to limit autocratic power. If the Wanghai City Party Committee took over this power, wouldn¡¯t Wanghai be an independent kingdom, void of any supervision? When Shi Yiwu heard Nie Zhenbang¡¯s statement, his face darkened, and he sternly said, ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, what do you mean by this? Are you taking things out of context? Acting petnt?¡± Seeing the situation bing tense, Zhang Zusi also fell into deep thought. If things really escted and reached the Provincial Committee, it would lead toplications. This incident could be roughly divided into two parts. One part was Huang Liangwen¡¯s matter which had been approved by the Standing Committee. Huang Liangwen¡¯s death had been confirmed as a suicide by the Municipal Public Security Bureau, hence removing any responsibility from the City Commission for Discipline Inspection. The other part was the Commission¡¯s investigation into Niu Chao. While Qi Siyuan has somewhat vited the rules, he was not explicitly wrong. If things got out of hand, the Provincial Commission¡¯s intervention would also be a big problem. Subsequently, Zhang Zusi smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Shi, Secretary Qi, I think we should leave this matter at that.¡± The verbal attacks at the standingmittee meeting disappeared almost instantly. Liu Sicun¡¯s face didn¡¯t look too good. He had initially thought this was a great opportunity to undermine Qi Siyuan and Nie Zhenbang, but the situation took a sudden turn. Continuing would have been pointless. Moreover, in his haste, he offended Secretary Shi without intending to. If this matter continued, Shi Yiwu would likely not agree. ¡°Mayor Nie!¡± After the meeting, Qi Siyuan unexpectedly called out. Nie Zhenbang immediately stopped, smiled, and said, ¡°Secretary Siyuan, why don¡¯t we go to my office for a while?¡±
Inside Nie Zhenbang¡¯s office, just as they sat down, Li Jupeng came in with a cup of tea. Facing his uncle, Li Jupeng dutifully whispered, ¡°Secretary Qi, please have some tea.¡± Assessing Qi Siyuan¡¯s demeanor, Nie Zhenbang understood that today¡¯smittee meeting was too dangerous. He could sense that Qi Siyuan was feeling quite shocked. At this time, Nie Zhenbang could somewhat empathize with Qi Siyuan¡¯s state of mind. Unlike himself, Qi didn¡¯t have a deep political background. If the incident was escted, while Shi Yiwu and others would not be left unscathed, Qi himself would have to bear considerable responsibility as well. Not to mention, he might lose his position as the Secretary of the Wanghai City Commission for Discipline Inspection. Nie Zhenbang softened his voice, ¡°Secretary Qi, I didn¡¯t expect Niu Chao to have such strong resistance to questioning. This was my responsibility. I nearly put you in danger.¡± Hearing this, Qi Siyuan appeared much calmer. He was satisfied with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude. Qi Siyuan saw why Nie Zhenbang was different from others. He had gradually climbed up from the grassroots level to reach a position where most people would never reach in their entire lives. Qi Siyuan had seen his fair share of betrayal on the political field. There¡¯s a saying that actors are heartless and prostitutes are unfaithful. If you ask Qi Siyuan, these are individual cases. On the contrary, in politics, heartlessness and ruthlessness are moremon. People who were acting friendly towards you in the morning could kick you to the ground in the afternoon and dissociate with you. It was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s kind who were the exceptions. However, his words were well received by Qi Siyuan. At least, he was not a discarded piece. After pondering for a moment, Qi Siyuan alsoughed, ¡°Mayor Nie, saying it like that is not fair. We made that decision together back then. I underestimated the situation.¡± He paused for a bit and said solemnly, ¡°However, Mayor Nie, judging from the current situation, it seems that Shi Yiwu and others are already prepared. It is not realistic to continue with the covert investigation. In this regards, I think we should pause for a while.¡± As he said these words, Qi Siyuan felt somewhat uneasy at heart. After all, this behavior smacked of running away from the battlefield. Even though his position made him unafraid of Nie Zhenbang, it was still somewhat difficult to save face. Yet, what Qi Siyuan hadn¡¯t expected was that Nie Zhenbang would reply with a smile, ¡°Qi Secretary, even if you didn¡¯t say it, I would have brought this up. At this point, I think, we cannot act rashly.¡± Once Qi Siyuan had gone, Nie Zhenbang returned to his desk. Although on the surface, Nie Zhenbang had agreed to temporarily stop the investigation, this was nothing more than a stop-gap measure. The investigation and work in Wanghai City had to break new ground. As of now, although he was certain that many leaders were implicated in the Eastern Sea Group case, knowledge alone was not enough. Without any concrete evidence, such hasty assumptions would not hold in front of the Central Leadership. They wouldn¡¯t set up a special investigation just based on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s word. Otherwise, where would the Central Government¡¯s face be? At this moment, Nie Zhenbang needed to obtain sufficient and beneficial evidence. Only then could he persuade the Central Government to set up a special investigation team. This was also why he was so desperate to find some evidence. However, the sudden death of Huang Liangwen, coupled with Niu Chao¡¯s might, hadpletely disrupted Nie Zhenbang¡¯s ns. This situation left Nie Zhenbang with an overwhelming feeling of helplessness. At this moment, directly confronting Shi Yiwu wasn¡¯t out of the question, given his family background. Even with the Lin Zhengxing of the Eastern Sea Group having connections everywhere, they couldn¡¯ty a finger on him. Selecting this path, however, would give Lin Zhengxing and his group an excuse to attack him. This would lead to a ¡®lose-lose¡¯ situation where, most likely, even after bringing down Lin Zhengxing, he himself would not retain his position. Even if Qi Siyuan hadn¡¯t mentioned it, Nie Zhenbang would have brought it up himself. ¡­ In the following period, Wanghai City seemed exceptionally quiet. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s focus shifted primarily towards the economy. Currently, in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s view, the economy of Wanghai city was entirely a deformed, morbid growth, one that totally vited thews of market economics. This was because the entire development of Wanghai was built on the growth of the Eastern Sea Group. ¡°This area is rather good, with the beaches of Wanghai up front. The terrain is open, with perfect bnce between the mountains and waters. I think arge scale real estate development can be established here. Nowadays, the domestic real estate industry is gradually heating up. Wanghai city¡¯s real estate industry also needs to introduce fresh blood, with marketpetition we can ensure growth.¡± Nie Zhenbang, apanied by the leaders of Wanghu District, stood on a beach inside Wanghu District, and spoke his thoughts. Over time, Nie Zhenbang had conducted a thorough investigation into every aspect of Wanghai City and the resulting discoveries had left him somewhat disheartened. Currently, the entire economy of Wanghai city bore the mark of the Eastern Sea Group.
It was no wonder then, that in the previous life, the closure of the Eastern Sea Group had led to a massive setback in Wanghai city¡¯s economy. It took almost five years to gradually recover. Nheless, now that he was here, he had to gradually change this situation. Although they couldn¡¯t touch the Eastern Sea Group right now, the undercover investigations hadn¡¯t ckened. Nie Zhenbang was very clear that there would always be a chance to get the goods on the Eastern Sea Group. However, Wanghai City could not repeat its past mistakes. Introducing real estate businesses into Wanghai was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first step in addressing the economic development of the city. Once this step was achieved, the economy of Wanghai city would gradually be active, enabling it to break free from the influence of the Eastern Sea Group and truly enter a positive cycle. ¡°Yes, Mayor Nie. We have carried out multiple consultations with professionals regarding the development of this area, and have also initiated preliminary contact with Jiasheng Real Estate and other big-name domestic real estatepanies. However, apart from Jiasheng Real Estate, who have shown some interest, the rest seem unimpressed,¡± Qiu Mingyuan, the secretary of the Wanghu district partymittee, said with a smile.
Just then, a group of five to six people walked over from below the beach. The young man in front said with a smile, ¡°Director Wu, our Jiasheng¡¯s intention is to have you reduce thend price a bit. But as apensation, Jiasheng will build a series of matching safeguard resettlement housing projects during construction. This model isn¡¯t very well-known in Minan, but in Liangxi City, it has yielded impressive results.¡± As soon as he heard this, Nie Zhenbang immediately grew curious. He turned to look at the young man leading the group on the beach. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help but smile, he hadn¡¯t expected Zheng Jiawei of Jiasheng Real Estate to be in WangHai as well. At this moment, Zheng Jiawei also saw Nie Zhenbang. He hesitated a bit, then walked over towards their group. (.) Chapter 517: 476 Land Auction_1 Chapter 517: Chapter 476 Land Auction_1 That Nie Zhenbang was present here was unexpected to Zheng Jiawei. Although, as a real estate entrepreneur and quite a renowned one domestically, Zheng Jiawei and Jiasheng Real Estate primarily operate in Jiangnan Province. If Jiasheng Real Estate were to have a project in Liangxi, Zheng Jiawei would indeed concentrate on it. However, Jiasheng Real Estate does not have any projects in Liangxi City. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s resignation in Liangxi and his appointment in WangHai were only announced in Jiangbei Daily and Minan Daily, which are party news from each province. It was only normal for Zheng Jiawei not to be aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s transfer. Though, while Zheng Jiawei was unaware that Nie Zhenbang had already been transferred to Wanghai, he still recognized the people around Nie Zhenbang. The Wanghu District¡¯s Secretary was very respectful, and beside him, the Secretary-General of the Liangxi City Government, An Guoyu, appeared rather friendly. Thus, Zheng Jiawei knew that Nie Zhenbang was not just an ordinary person. Considering both emotion and reason, it was the moment for him to go up and greet Nie Zhenbang. Even better, if Mayor Nie could say a few ttering words for him, it would be the most opportune situation. ¡°Mayor Nie, I didn¡¯t expect to meet you in Wanghai City. Are you here on an inspection?¡± Zheng Jiawei looked at the smiling Nie Zhenbang, and alsoughed as he spoke. As his words fell, the Secretary from the Wanghu District also looked surprised and asked, ¡°Mr. Zheng, you know Mayor Nie?¡± He knew who Zheng Jiawei was. Lately, Wanghu District was in contact with numerous real estatepanies, intending to develop the resources in this area. But he did not expect that Zheng Jiawei was an old acquaintance of Mayor Nie. It seemed his work focus and thoughts needed to be adjusted. Within his capabilities, he should help Zheng Jiawei as much as possible. Before Zheng Jiawei could say anything, the Secretary-General of the city government, An Guoyu,ughed and exined, ¡°Mr. Zheng, for the ¡®inspection¡¯, you are right. We, the Wanghai City Government, are indeed nning to develop this vicinity. This area, adjacent to the urban area of Wanghu District and backed by the Quanwang Expressway, is, ording to our city government¡¯s preliminary ns, to be developed into a high-end residentialmunity in our city. We wee knowledgeable and insightful investors like yourself.¡± After a pause, An Guoyu continued, ¡°Mr. Zheng, let me formally introduce you. Mayor Nie has now been transferred from Liangxi City and currently serves on the Standing Committee of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee as the Executive Deputy Mayor.¡± Seeing Zheng Jiawei¡¯s surprised expression, Nie Zhenbangughed, ¡°Mr. Zheng, it¡¯s a small world. Who would have thought that fate would bring us together again in Wanghai City. Last time, in Liangxi City, Jiasheng Real Estate unfortunately failed to secure the bidding rights. I was very regretful indeed. I hope this time, we can have good cooperation.¡± These words from Nie Zhenbang were deliberately said in such a way. Although they seemed ordinary, they were enough to bring significant benefits to Jiasheng Real Estate. Much thought had gone into saying them. Firstly, the management philosophy of Jiasheng Real Estate coincided with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s viewpoint.
In his past life, after witnessing the moral decay of real estate entrepreneurs and the loss of conscience by some unscrupulous ones, the slim-profit and people-oriented mindset of Jiasheng Real Estate significantly satisfied Nie Zhenbang. At this time, Nie Zhenbang did not mind providing some help to Jiasheng Real Estate within the scope of his authority. Although Zheng Jiawei was young, he was an all-rounded person. Otherwise, he would not have been able to be the general manager of Jiasheng Real Estate at such a young age. Of course, part of the reason was that it was a family business. However, if Zheng Jiawei was a rich yboycking any abilities or real knowledge, he probably would not have been able to hold such an important position. In his contemtion, Zheng Jiawei stepped up, smiling, ¡°Mayor Nie, all the leaders, since we are all destined to meet here, and it¡¯s almost noon now, why don¡¯t I invite everyone for a casual lunch?¡± Zheng Jiawei had indeed caught the essence of being a businessman. A chance encounter alone, although it left an impression on Mayor Nie, was not enough. At this moment, everyone, including An Guoyu, looked at Nie Zhenbang. In front of Mayor Nie, no one would speak out of turn, and all would wait for Nie¡¯s response. If Mayor Nie agreed to have lunch, they would definitely go. If Mayor Nie refused the offer, others would definitely follow his lead. This was a matter of principle. If Mayor Nie did not go and they had already epted the offer, wouldn¡¯t that put the Mayor in an awkward position? Seeing the sincerity on Zheng Jiawei¡¯s face, Nie Zhenbang also began tough, jokingly saying: ¡°Secretary An, would this be considered as us epting a bribe? Ha ha, that¡¯s okay, as Zheng¡¯s invitation is so heartfelt. If we refuse, wouldn¡¯t it seem like us Wanghai City officials not valuing investors? However, Mr. Zheng, let¡¯s be clear, this meal must be on me as a token of gratitude for your support of Wanghai City¡¯s economic work.¡± These words from Nie Zhenbang were not mere courtesy remarks. At present, the presence of the Eastern Sea Group, a behemoth in Wanghai City, has created a deformed state of economic development. To break this deadlock, it is urgent to inject some fresh blood to strike the stagnant economic pattern of Wanghai City. Once a leader earns money and seeds in Wanghai, opportunities would follow. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were indeed sincere at this moment. At this point, Zheng Jiawei was a bit embarrassed. Initially, he wanted to invite for a meal to foster rtions between both parties. But now, while his invitation was epted, Mayor Nie demanded it to be his treat instead, thus deviating from his original intention. When he was hesitating, An Guoyu next to him smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Zheng, aren¡¯t you and Mayor Nie old friends? Don¡¯t you understand the mayor¡¯s personality? He would never attend a banquet without paying. You are an investor, and the government should host you. It¡¯s customary.¡± In the Wanghai Hotel When Nie Zhenbang and his people arrived here, Ma Fei, the Deputy Director of the Municipal Party Committee Reception Office, was waiting at the door. As always, Ma Fei looked lovely as she was wearing a dark blue business suit with a blue zer, a white shirt with a ruffled neckline, and a short skirt. Her voluptuous figure was entuated by her attire, revealing the full charm of a woman. Her ck stockings, along with a pair of eight-centimeter-high heels, showcased her enchanting demeanor. As soon as she saw Nie Zhenbang and his party, she greeted them warmly, ¡°Mayor, Secretary General, leaders, the private room is ready, and we are all set for the feast.¡± An Guoyu next to her also smiled and said, ¡°Director Ma, I haven¡¯t seen you in a few days, and you have be more beautiful. I am mesmerized by you.¡± Hearing his words, Ma Fei trembled all over, chuckled, and gave An Guoyu a coquettish look. This seductive woman was indeed a natural stunner, charming everyone. ¡°Secretary General An, if you were truly mesmerized, your sister-inw would need to call your soul back,¡± Ma Fei responded, utterly unfazed by such a joke, something she had grown ustomed to. The group walked into the private room, where there were sixteen bowls ced. The arrangement and quality were all high-grade. On the side, there were bottles of Maotai and Yuhai liquor. Nie Zhenbang did not fancy drinking. Although he had been in office for less than two months, many people in the city were aware of his habits. On the side, the waitress also poured drinks for everyone in small porcin cups. Nie Zhenbang, as the protagonist, slowly said, ¡°For the first drink, let¡¯s have a collective toast. It¡¯s to wee Mr. Zheng and his crew to WangHai. On behalf of Wanghai City Government, we warmly wee Mr. Zheng¡¯s investment in our city, hoping you will have a pleasant time in Wanghai.¡± After the toasting and a few drinks, the atmosphere started warming up. An Guoyu also smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Zheng, Wanghai City has a strong geographical advantage. As a centrally nned city, our city¡¯s finances are directly linked to the central government¡¯s. The city has much more freedom in policy-making than othermon cities. Additionally, Wanghai boasts rich tourism resources. Mr. Zheng, you have a great vision. If the entire area is developed, it might surpass Tianquan Vi of the Eastern Sea Group, bing the highest-end property in the city.¡± Zheng Jiawei was more than willing to steer the conversation towards this topic, and he smoothly changed the subject, ¡°Mayor Nie, Secretary An, leaders, Jiasheng Real Estate is also highly interested in this area. Hence, we have made an entirely new assessment. In the future, we hope to receive more guidance and support from the city.¡±
As Zheng Jiawei finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Zheng, we will definitely support you. However, for the disposal of this plot ofnd, I propose to conduct an auction for this 600-acre parcel ofnd.¡± ( Chapter 518: 477: Lin Zhengxings Dominance_1 Chapter 518: Chapter 477: Lin Zhengxing¡¯s Dominance_1 Mayor Nie¡¯s words silenced everyone in the room. The atmosphere in the private room became awkward. Ma Fei, a master at lightening the mood, knew better than to speak at this moment. As an experienced veteran, he certainly knew when to stay quiet. Everyone clearly knew that Mayor Nie was hosting avish reception for the visiting investors in Wanghai City. Ordinarily, the mayor¡¯s attentiveness would indicate that all departments were fully supportive and eager to facilitate the process for the investors. However, nobody expected that Mayor Nie would bring upnd auction as soon as he spoke. As everyone knows,nd transfers in China usually take one of three forms: invitation to bid, auction, or listing. Invitation to bid means that the government ornd department invites specific, or non-specificpanies to bid. Later, thesepaniespete and the one with the most favorable conditions would earn thend development rights. An auction means a piece ofnd is auctioned. Depending on their own evaluation criteria,panies bid from a set starting price. It¡¯s apletely free market operation model. Highest bidder takes the prize. A listing urs in the State Land and Resources Transaction Center. After the transfer right of a piece ofnd is disyed, variouspanies submit a deposit to thend center and offer a listing price. This form is somewhat simr to an auction. An Guoyu and the Secretary of the Wanghu District Party Committee began to ponder. Initially, they assumed that since Zheng Jiawei was an old friend of Mayor Nie, surely an invitation to bid would be favored. Creating a specific bidding invitation for Zheng Jiawei¡¯spany, while inviting otherpanies, would just make them feel like they¡¯re giving the appearance ofpetition. Even better, Jiasheng Real Estate could set up two or three shellpanies. In this way, they could acquire thend at the lowest price. If concerned about reputation and appearance, listing could work. And listing transfer announcement in a small corner of the Wanghai Daily would suffice, with the announcement¡¯s date being only three days from the final deposit deadline. At that time, even if some interestedpanies saw the announcement, they would be powerless to respond. This would ensure that Jiasheng Real Estate could smoothly acquire thend. With the real estate industry gradually heating up in China and the further implementation of the housing reform system, demand for houses has grown substantially. More and more enterprises are entering the industry, and various deceptive measures have been explored by the personnel within the system. What they did not expect was that Nie Zhenbang chose the least advantageous method of auction. This plot ofnd, spanned six hundred acres, with a nearly two thousand meter coastline. It even boasts a beautiful bay and the Quanwang Expressway passing by. It¡¯s just three kilometers from the city center of Wanghu District. Being in the development zone, as long as the houses are built, there is no worry about finding buyers. ording to Wanghai City¡¯s currentnd market price, the starting price has reached 180 million yuan. However, if auctioned, it could possibly exceed 300 million yuan.
¡°Hehe, President Zheng, it seems that Mayor Nie has a strong trust in Jiasheng Real Estate,¡± An Guoyu said with augh. Nie Zhenbang secretly approved of An Guoyu¡¯s ability to defuse the situation with a light-heartedment. Though not deeply acquainted with An, Nie evaluated him favorably as a versatile individual. If An proved to be decent, he seemed worth cultivating as an ally. Lost in thought, Nie Zhenbang reflected on the old saying: ¡®it¡¯s hard to catch fish in crystal clear water¡¯. Everyone has their ownwork of rtives and friends and may take actions to better their loved ones¡¯ lives, provided they don¡¯t vite essential principles. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t oppose this. He wasn¡¯t so obtuse as to block any minor wining-and-dining amongst his subordinates. Zheng Jiawei snapped out of his daze, deep in thought over Nie Zhenbang¡¯s announcement aboutnd auctions. Having interacted with Nie Zhenbang during his time in Liangxi City, as an excellent businessman, he had some insights about human nature. People like Nie Zhenbang are upright officials who prioritize their political achievements and future. They wee anyone who can enhance their political achievements, as long as they don¡¯t vite their conscience or moral bottom line. With these thoughts, Zheng Jiawei smiled to himself and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, I understand your intentions. Once upon a time in Liangxi City, Jiasheng Real Estate almost had an opportunity to cooperate with Mayor Nie. Now that such an opportunity has presented itself again, we naturally would be willing. Working on a project under Mayor Nie¡¯s leadership, I believe, we can enjoy a sessful partnership.¡± Zheng Jiawei¡¯s words had a hidden message. Last time in Liangxi City, didn¡¯t Jiasheng Group suffer a defeat due to shady operations? This time, as long as it¡¯s open and fair, Jiasheng Real Estate is not afraid of any rival. Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang burst into a heartyugh as well: ¡°Ha ha, Mr. Zheng, you certainly are an outstanding representative and paragon of businessmen. I believe our coboration will be extremely enjoyable.¡± Having said this, Nie Zhenbang stood up, turned to An Guoyu and Lin Chunnan, the Secretary of the Wanghu District Party Committee, and said: ¡°Secretary-General Guoyu, Comrade Chunnan, we wee enterprises like Jiasheng Real Estate. I think we can assign the Land and Resources Bureau to work on this with the Wanghu District Party Committee and District Government, making it a key project in Wanghai City for this year. Forpanies like Jiasheng Real Estate, the city will open green channels in business registration, taxation, and urban nning. We will fully support and exercise our influence with the banks, too.¡± ¡­ With Nie Zhenbang¡¯s instruction at hand, the entire Wanghu District was greatly boosted. They had long nned to develop the beach area of Moon Lake Bay, but they hadn¡¯t encountered a suitable investor, and so the project had been shelved. But now, the arrival of Jiasheng Real Estate, coupled with the urban focus, quickly spurred the whole project into action. The Wanghu District Party Committee and District Government promptly held a special work meeting and established a preparatory leadership team for the Moon Lake Bay project. Lin Chunnan personally took on the role of the head of the project leadership team, the District Governor acted as the deputy head, and the executive deputy Governor acted as the director of the team¡¯s office. It was indeed a powerful formation. Within a week, an urate measurement of the entire Moon Lake Bay area was conducted, epassing a total of 693 acres and involving 93 households for demolition. With such arge area involving only about 90 households, the intensity of the demolition was not toorge. At the same time, the Land, nning and other relevant departmentspleted the nning of the Moon Lake Bay plot; thend use was set as purely residential use. Commercial residences would definitely not be suitable here. Moreover, detailed ns were issued on details such as Floor Area Ratio of thend. At the same time, an auction notice was published in the Wanghai Daily. The plot ofnd in Moon Lake Bay would be formally auctioned on the 8th of December. ¡­ Eastern Sea Group, top floor of Hongyun Building, Lin Zhengxing¡¯s office. In the ssically decorated office, Lin¡¯s motto, ¡°treasure of a businessman,¡± was hung on the wall. Directly opposite, a calligraphy stating ¡°Soaring Roc¡± was disyed, although the phrase was clich¨¦d. The signature, however, was impressive ¨C the revered calligraphy belonged to the vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People¡¯s Political Consultative Conference. For Lin Zhengxing, this calligraphy piece was like an amulet in Wanghai City. The other two walls featuredrge photos. These were photos taken when central leaders had visited Wanghai and posed with Lin Zhengxing and other Eastern Sea Group executives. It must be acknowledged that Lin Zhengxing had his own unique strategy when it came to opportunism and lobbying. Using important figures to boost his standing had indeed added a lot of bargaining chips to Lin¡¯s position, also being the reason why Eastern Sea Group was so prosperous. At this moment, Lin Zhengxing was sitting in his chair, his face appearing somber as he looked at the man in front of his desk and sternly said, ¡°Jiasheng Real Estate? What¡¯s their background, that they dare toe to Wanghai City and grab business?¡±
The middle-aged man, who looked about fifty years old and seemed fairly ordinary, was well-known within the Eastern Sea Group as the number two man, second only to Lin Zhengxing. People at the group internally called him ¡°Uncle Nine¡±. Uncle Nine responded in a low voice, ¡°Boss, Jiasheng Real Estate is not a small entity. They are quite a formidablepany in South of the Yangtze River. Their total assets amount to about 5 billion, and they have a great background in Jiangnan. The chairman, Zheng Shaonan, is a representative of the National People¡¯s Congress and also the vice-chairman of the Jiangnan Provincial Chamber of Commerce.¡± As soon as the words fell, Lin Zhengxing said in a deep voice, ¡°I don¡¯t care who he is. In Wanghai, there can only be the Eastern Sea Group. I¡¯m quite interested in that plot ofnd at Moon Lake Bay. If it weren¡¯t for the ongoing third phase of construction at Tianquan Vi, I would also want to acquire it. Now that someone wants to snatch it away, of course, I have to step in.¡±
Chapter 519: 478: Did It Fail to Sell?_1 Chapter 519: Chapter 478: Did It Fail to Sell?_1 Nine Ye¡¯s real name is Chang Weimin, a good name. Because he was ninth among his cousins, they nicknamed him Chang Jiu. He used to be a substitute teacher in a rural area in Quanhai City. However, due to issues regarding inappropriate rtions between male and female, Chang Jiu was dismissed. After moving to Wanghai, he partnered with Lin Zhengxing by a stroke of luck. One could say that the current status and achievements of the Eastern Sea Group cannot be separated from Chang Jiu¡¯s hard work. Naturally, as his position rose, Chang Jiu transitioned from Jiu to Nine Ye. Listening to Lin Zhengxing¡¯s words now, Jiu Ye furrowed his brows. Looking at Lin Zhengxing¡¯s spirited appearance, he hesitated before giving voice to his doubt, ¡°Brother Star, what are you implying? Are we going topete with Jiasheng Real Estate for thend in Moon Lake Bay?¡± Lin Zhengxing frowned, unhappy with Nine Ye¡¯s questioning. For nearly a decade, the Eastern Sea Group dominated Wanghai, establishing rtionships with and corrupting local officials through understandingworking techniques, thereby managing to court higher-ranking leaders. One could say that in Wanghai City, Eastern Sea Group was the sky. What did the Secretary to the City Party Committee amount to? When faced with Lin, they were always polite. Even the arrogant Shi Yiwu had to graciously express his gratitude, stating that Lin considered their welfare more than their own parents. All of these factorsbined, led Lin Zhengxing somewhat astray. Looking at Chang Jiu, Lin Zhengxing spoke firmly, ¡°Ajie, did you not understand me? Moon Lake Bay is a good location. Anything that I, Lin Zhengxing, fancy can¡¯t escape me. I don¡¯t care who they are. In Wanghai, dragons curl up for me and tigers lie down for me. This time, I am determined to obtain thend in Moon Lake Bay. Ajie, go send someone to participate in that auction.¡± Lin Zhengxing¡¯s authoritative words seemed to sober up Chang Jiu. As second inmand, he was aware of his position under the boss. Affectionately called ¡°Fei Xing¡±, ¡°Lord Star¡± by those who knew him, Lin Zhengxing was the top dog. Without the Boss¡¯ support, he¡¯d be nothing more than a rich man with no influence. Besides, Chang Jiu knew Lin Zhengxing well. Years ago, a famous female singer was invited to spend the night with the boss for a million dors. Subsequently, many scandals were used as ckmail. Lin Zhengxing was a man of action, unafraid to speak or act out his thoughts. Taking this into ount, Nine Ye realigned his mindset. After some thought, he said, ¡°Brother Star, from the message ryed by Deputy District Chief Sun from the Wanghu District, Zheng Shaonan from Jiasheng Real Estate has been selected to participate in the auction. It was said that when Nie Zhenbang was still working in Liangxi City, he had a favorable impression of Zheng Jiawei, but they could not coborate sessfully at that time. This time, Nie Zhenbang seems to have high hopes for Jiasheng Real Estate. He has also organized a project leadership team in conjunction with the Wanghu District and Municipal Bureau of Land and Resources to specifically handle the matter.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Zhengxing visibly darkened. He muttered cynically, ¡°Nie Zhenbang again? I thought he was some incorruptible and upright official. Who knew? In reality, he¡¯s as dark and corrupt as any other. I wonder why he was always so hostile towards the Eastern Sea Group. It turns out he had other partners.¡± Lin Zhengxing looked disdainful at this moment. After a brief pause, he made a decision, ¡°Ajie, I don¡¯t care about Jiasheng Real Estate or the fact that Nie Zhenbang favors them. This Moon Lake Bay, I must fight for it.¡±
Boss¡¯s character, Chang Jiu understood, he was a man of his word, decisive, and promptly agreed, ¡°Yes, Brother Star, since you¡¯ve made the decision, I¡¯ll get right to it. The current market value of thend at Moon Lake Bay is about 1.8 billion. Jiasheng Real Estate is keen on improving rtions with Nie Zhenbang. I suspect they might fight for it at all costs. If we decide topete, I estimate the cost will be between 3 to 5 billion.¡± Chang Jiu was indeed apetent man. His estimate was exactly the same as Jiasheng Real Estate¡¯s evaluation. Jiasheng Real Estate was a professional and supremely familiar with auction, bidding, and listing procedures. Eastern Sea Group¡¯s main business was electronics. The real estate though, secondary, was managed excellently due to Chang Jiu¡¯s proficiencies. Hearing this estimated cost, Lin Zhengxing froze. Five billion was not arge sum for Lin Zhengxing at this stage in his career. However, Lin Zhengxing hade up from the grassroots. He was extremely frugal from his early days of delivering spare parts on his bicycle. His thrifty habits were not easy to break. Lin Zhengxing was generous when it came to entertainment and bribery. But he would struggle to run a legitimate business. The Eastern Sea Group¡¯s real estate enterprises in Wanghai City owned almost six million square meters ofnd. Of this, around two hundred thousand square meters were allocated for warehouses and docks. Approximately three hundred and seventy thousand square meters were industrialnd. The rest, over five million square meters, weremercial and residentialnds. The Eastern Sea Group¡¯s under-construction project, Yahai Building, was designed to be fifty-nine stories high. Uponpletion, inclusive of the rooftop antenna, it would stand two hundred and twelve meters tall, symbolizing the supremacy and majesty of the ¡°nine-five supreme¡±. It wouldter be andmark building in Wanghai City. However, all thesends were obtained at the lowest possible prices. There wasn¡¯t a single piece ofnd that had been bought under fullpliance with thew. ¡°Ajie, never mind the auction. Send a few men to register somepanies. Give each of them one million as a deposit. There¡¯s only one task for them: disrupt the auction. I¡¯ll figure out what to do afterward,¡± Lin Zhengxing paused for a moment before making his decision. Hearing Lin Zhengxing¡¯s words, Chang Jiu let out a bitter smile. It appeared that the boss had ns to manipte the situation again in his favor. No one in the Wanghu District expected that someone would be willing to pay one million to disrupt the auction. No surprise, this was the first instance ofnd auction in Wanghai City. When they set the deposit amount, no one anticipated disruptive behaviors. In fact, following the proper auction procedures for thend valued at 1.8 billion would require at least ten million or more in deposits. Had that been the case, Lin Zhengxing would not have been so receptive. ¡­ Time flies by. It¡¯s the 8th of December. The end of the year 1998 is just around the corner. In a few short weeks, it will be 1999. At this moment, inside the third-floor conference room of the Wanghai Municipal Bureau of Land and Resources¡¯s Land Resource Trading Center, Quite a few people have already gathered. Leaders from the Municipal Land Bureau, the Municipal Finance Bureau, the Municipal nning Bureau, and the Municipal Construction Bureau, along with some leaders from the Wanghu District Party Committee and District Government, are all present. This is the first publd auction in the history of Wanghai City. For this asion, Carlsberg Auction¡¯s top auctioneer from Donggang was even specially invited to lead the auction. At nine in the morning, representatives from Jiasheng Real Estate and several otherpanies attending thend auction were all seated. By this time, Nie Zhenbang has also walked in. Considering his first significant project in Wanghai City, Nie Zhenbang took it very seriously. This auction is crucial and representative because, apart from being a public auction, Jiasheng Real Estate will introduce a new mode of operation in the field of real estate construction and development. In the past, the Eastern Sea Group had developed real estate in Wanghai City without considerations for affordable housing and house demolition. They typically took the money and walked away. But now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approach allocates a certain amount of affordable housing based on the lot¡¯s area size. This new model was very sessful in Liangxi City. Remembering the soaring housing prices in the future, Nie Zhenbang hopes to curtail this trend from now on. With affordable housing, the housing needs of low-ie people can be better protected. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang walk in, a group of officials greeted him. But Nie Zhenbang simply smiled and said, ¡°Everyone, please sit. I¡¯m here as an observer. The auction is the main event.¡± After Nie Zhenbang had situated himself, the auctioneer from Donggang took the stage. After aprehensive presentation on the Moon Lake Bay plot and its geographical advantages, the auctioneer, speaking in a Hong Kong-style Mandarin, asked, ¡°The total estimated price for the Moon Lake Bay plot is 180 million. The method of auction is an increased bidpetition. Each bid increase must not be less than one million. The starting price is 150 million. Is there anyone who will offer 150 million?¡± ¡°Good, the gentleman at table number 8 has bid 150 million¡­one, five, zero, eight. Mr. Eight is indeed generous¡­¡± ¡°Excellent, thedy at table number 2 has bid 160 million! 160 million for the first time¡­¡±
¡°The gentleman at table number 9 has bid 180 million.¡± The early rounds of bidding saw theserge increases. Thend of Moon Lake Bay is valuable in itself, but in Wanghu District, which is being heavily developed, Moon Lake Bay has the potential to be a golden area of Wanghai City, an area with significant possibilities for advancement. It¡¯s natural for people to bid so exuberantly. ¡°270 million is thetest bid. Mr. One, your bid is 270 million. 270 million for the first time, 270 million for the second time¡­ 270 million!¡± Just as the auctioneer was about to bring down the hammer, and Zheng Jiawei was about to secure Moon Lake Bay for 270 million, a profit in his eyes,
A sudden voice rang out, ¡°350 million!¡± Zheng Jiawei¡¯s brow furrowed at the new offer of 350 million, which was rapidly approaching his limit. ording to evaluations by hispany¡¯s professionals, including potential increases in value, thend was worth, at most, 430 million. This was the limit. After thinking for a moment, he raised his hand and said, ¡°430 million.¡± This was Zheng Jiawei¡¯s strategy, he increased his bid by 80 million at once, hoping to scare off his opponent. However, as soon as he finished speaking, the contestant in the 4th seat calmly said, ¡°500 million!¡± At this point, all Zheng Jiawei could do was shake his head. While 500 million was worth it, turning a profit would take at least five years. This was a wait that Jiasheng Real Estate could not afford. In the end, thend was sold for 500 million. The man at table 4 stood up, gave Zheng Jiawei a smug nce, and followed the staff out. ording to the regtions, he would now pay 50% of the final price. However, about ten minutester, as Nie Zhenbang was preparing to leave, a worried-looking Lin Chunnan, Secretary of the Wanghu District Party Committee, came out and quietly said, ¡°Mayor Nie, the bidder has broken the agreement.¡± (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please vote for it at . Your support is greatly appreciated!) Chapter 520: 479: If You Want to Release Someone, Find Mayor Nie _1 Chapter 520: Chapter 479: If You Want to Release Someone, Find Mayor Nie _1 Breach of contract? This means that the bidder, having won the item at a high price, refuses to carry out the subsequent procedures. Of course, the deposited security would definitely be nonrefundable. Who would be willing to abandon one million just to stir trouble intentionally? As soon as this question rose in his mind, a name appeared in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart, Lin Zhengxing of Eastern Sea Group. As of now, in Wanghai City, Lin Zhengxing was the only one daring enough. One million was not a lot. Even though Eastern Sea Group held major influence in Wanghai City now, there were still somepanies with assets ranging in the tens of millions. However, few had the audacity to offend the government; Lin Zhengxing was the sole exception. ¡°Lin Zhengxing! Good, I might have let you off the hook, but you certainlye looking for trouble,¡± said Nie Zhenbang. Theplexion on his face darkened. This was his first project in Wanghai City and the city¡¯s firstnd auction. It signified a lot, and it was crucial to him. His infuriation could only be imagined when it was effortlessly ruined by Lin Zhengxing. By his side, An Guoyu furrowed his brows. He turned towards Nie and spoke softly, ¡°Mayor, are you implying that Lin Zhengxing ordered this?¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and turned to An Guoyu saying, ¡°Old An, there¡¯s a good chance. I don¡¯t think anyone else in Wanghai city is foolish enough to throw away one million for this, especially since it means crossing the government. Besides him, who else would dare to do it?¡± At this moment, Lin Chunnan, Secretary of the Wanghu District Party Committee, came forward and whispered, ¡°Mayor, our investigation found out that this Tianye Company was only registered a few days ago, and it¡¯s a shellpany. It seems like someone is really trying to stir up trouble.¡± The first public auction ending in such a fashion did infuriate Nie Zhenbang. Lin Zhengxing wouldn¡¯t waste one million for nothing; there had to be more tricks up his sleeve. Nie dered in a solemn tone, ¡°Don¡¯t publicize the fact that we didn¡¯t sell anything this time. Secretary Lin, you can immediately start preparing for the second auction. Also, raise the security deposit to fifty million. I refuse to believe that Lin Zhengxing would willingly spend this much money.¡± After speaking, Nie Zhenbang turned to leave. Downstairs, Li Jupeng had been waiting for him on the sidelines. Seeing Nie Zhenbang approaching, Li Jupeng skillfully opened the car door. The previous driver, who was a bit ostentatious, had been reced. After driving for him for a few days, his mboyance was too much to handle. All this hadn¡¯t escaped Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attention; recing him was inevitable.
The current driver, Guo Sanbao, a man in his forties, was formerly the driver for the Deputy Mayor. He was an ideal and quiet driver with few words to spare. ¡°Mayor, are we heading back to the city?¡± Guo Sanbao asked, looking back. Nie Zhenbang nodded and hummed in approval. Then he turned to Li Jupeng in the co-driver¡¯s seat, ¡°Jupeng, give Xiao Shanming a call.¡± ¡°Director Xiao? This is Nie Zhenbang,¡± Nie Zhenbang started the conversation as soon as the call connected. From the other end of the line, Xiao Shanming¡¯s respectful voice came: ¡°Mayor, how do you do?¡± Hearing Xiao Shanming¡¯s voice, Nie Zhenbang paused before slowly saying, ¡°Director Xiao, there seems to be some work pending in terms of security operation in the city. Many citizens haveined about the roaring engines at night. The street racers in Wanghai City are bing too audacious. People are even afraid to venture out at night. I suggest that your Bureau start cracking down on this illegal car racing so that the citizens can have a peaceful night.¡± After hanging up, Xiao Shanming pondered on Mayor Nie¡¯s words. From what he learned just now, Lin Zhengxing had disrupted thend auction. Though Nie Zhenbang was certain it was Lin¡¯s doing, there was nothing he could do about it. It¡¯s not unusual to win an auction but fail to transact. If someone is willing to forfeit their deposit, there¡¯s nothing else to say. After all, they have epted the responsibility of breaching the contract. Furthermore, even if they were to hold someone responsible, they wouldn¡¯t be able to pin it on Lin Zhengxing. The mysterious Tianye Company has no obvious ties to him. Punishing a small fry has no meaning. Seeming to put two and two together, Xiao Shanming understood Mayor Nie¡¯s intention. Lin Zhengxing thinks he¡¯s so great? Then they would hit back at Lin¡¯s people. It may seem like a childish fight ¨C a punch for a punch, a kick for a kick. In reality, it was exactly the case. Thend auction touched upon the dignity of Nie Zhenbang. If Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t react, he wouldn¡¯t hold any credibility or authority in Wanghai City. ¡­ At about eleven o¡¯clock in the evening, several police cars were stationed at the few exits of the Wanghai City bypass. The cars were not even started. Like beasts lurking in the night, they awaited a fatal strike. Chapter 521: 479: If You Want to Release Someone, Find Mayor Nie _2 Chapter 521: Chapter 479: If You Want to Release Someone, Find Mayor Nie _2 At this moment, Zhao Haining, the newly appointed deputymander of the Third Squadron of the Wanghai City Traffic Police Detachment, was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat. Right now, Zhao Haining looked solemn. It felt like he had been living in a dream these past few days. Ever since the night they arrested those two spoiled brats, his life had be a misery. First, he was suspended for self-reflection, and then he had to undergo training. He knew very well that all these people and actions were probably aimed at making him resign voluntarily. After all, he hadn¡¯t made any mistakes and as a formal state official, there has to be a valid reason to dismiss him. Originally, when Zhao Haining began to despair, he didn¡¯t expect a sudden turn of events. Suddenly, he was promoted to the position of deputymander of the Third Squadron, in charge of patrolling and street duty. Later, Zhao Haining learned that this was themand of Commissioner Xiao from the city bureau. Though Commissioner Xiao was just thest-ranked deputy director, he still had the power to promote a vice-office level officer. Moreover, when Zhao Haining visited Commissioner Xiao in the city bureau, he learned that his promotion was ordered by Mayor Nie. Putting these thoughts aside, Zhao Haining clenched his fists. Tonight, Commissioner Xiao called and told him to capture the most ruthless members of the Wanghai City Racing Gang, specifically Lin Jingrong and Zhao Jie. Faced with his enemies, Zhao Haining didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment, but became incredibly excited. He had long wanted to take action against this gang. ¡°Commander Zhao, the brothers stationed ahead just reported. Tonight, four cars are participating in the race. They¡¯re about to get on the ring road.¡± The police officer on the back seat immediately reported to Zhao Haining after receiving the news. These people were all gathered by Zhao Haining after he took office as deputymander, those who were usually depressed and marginalized in the team. Now, under Zhao Haining¡¯s integration, they¡¯ve be a force to be reckoned with in the Third Squad. Upon hearing this, Zhao Haining gave a nod and said, ¡°Order all groups to start. Set up roadblocks ahead and block all intersections. Also, implement temporary traffic control.¡± As his words fell, four cars whizzed past. The fiery red sports car in the front was one that Zhao Haining knew all too well. It belonged to Lin Jingrong. Right behind it was Zhao Jie¡¯s Lamborghini. Seeing his enemy, Zhao Haining felt a surge of anger. He didn¡¯t hesitate and ordered in a deep voice, ¡°Switch on the police siren and follow them!¡±
Upon entering the ring road, Lin Jingrong and others noticed anomalies. Four police cars were ring their sirens and chasing them from behind. The loudspeakermanded seriously, ¡°The cars ahead, pull over immediately for inspection.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Jingrong pped his steering wheel and cursed angrily, ¡°Fuck! Who the hell is this idiot!¡± After going about a kilometer, the number of cars chasing them from behind was increasing, reaching nine police cars. Three police cars were parked horizontally in the middle of the road ahead, blocking the road. In front of the police cars were several roadblocks. Wooden boards studded with nails covered the ground. Driving straight through meant destruction and death. Seeing this, Lin Jingrong cursed angrily, and had no choice but to slowly stop his car. At this moment, Zhao Haining, in the lead, had already walked up. As soon as Lin Jingrong got out of the car, he was subdued. Zhao Haining said solemnly, ¡°Lin Jingrong, you are suspected of illegal street racing, constituting dangerous driving. What awaits you is severe punishment by thew.¡± However, at this point, Lin Jingrong had already recognized Zhao Haining and cursed angrily, ¡°Fuck, it¡¯s you again, you bastard. Kid, you¡¯re dead this time, daring to cross me.¡± When Zhao Haining had no background, he dared to challenge Lin Jingrong. Now, that he had Mayor Nie as his backer, he was even more fearless. He spoke solemnly, ¡°Lin Jingrong, if you have anything to say, you might as well wait until after you¡¯re in jail.¡± ¡­ Eastern Sea Group¡¯s Hongyun Building. At the moment, in a presidential suite on the sixth floor of Hongyun Building, Zhao Dingguang, the Standing Deputy Mayor, is half-lying on the bed. Beneath him, a naked woman is passionately sucking. Beside them, another woman is moaning while caressing every inch of the Deputy Mayor¡¯s skin. At that moment, there was a knock at the door. This greatly displeased Zhao Dingguang, who was not looking forward to being disturbed at such a time. Wasn¡¯t this just meant to deliberately upset him? At first, he did not pay attention to it. However, after approximately two minutes, the door was knocked again. A voice from outside said, ¡°Boss Zhao, something big has happened.¡± These words made Zhao Dingguang sit up straight. Wait, was that Lord Chang Jiu? Looking at the two beauties beside him, he managed tough and pinch one of them, saying, ¡°Babes, wait for me. Later, I¡¯lle to take care of the two of you vixens.¡± After that, he put on a silk pajama and opened the door to see Chang Jiu standing at the entrance. He smiled and asked, ¡°Lord Jiu, what¡¯s the urgent matter?¡± Chang Jiu also smiled and said, ¡°Boss Zhao, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your fun. But I had no choice. There has been a big ident. This evening, Young Master Jing Rong and Son of Ling were caught street racing by the third division of the traffic police. They were charged with dangerous driving and are now detained at the third division.¡± When he heard that his son had been arrested, Zhao Dingguang was furious. Who had the audacity to mess with his son! Still, Zhao Dingguang was an experienced figure and did not panic due to this incident. After pondering for a moment, he lifted his head and asked, ¡°Lord Jiu, is General Lin waiting for me now?¡± Chang Jiu smiled and said, ¡°Boss Zhao, your keen instinct makes you Boss Zhao. The boss is waiting for you in his office.¡± As soon as Zhao Dingguang walked into Lin Zhengxing¡¯s office, he noticed that the expression on Lin Zhengxing¡¯s face was extremely serious. As he saw Zhao Dingguang entering, he immediately began, ¡°Old Zhao, you know about the incident, don¡¯t you? This time, Nie Zhenbang is up to no good. It seems like Nie Zhenbang is targeting me. He¡¯s warning me about thend auction.¡± Lin Zhengxing hit the nail on the head. Clearly, Nie Zhenbang was telling him, ¡®Don¡¯t mess with me if I don¡¯t mess with you, or else, if I can put your nephew behind bars, I can do the same to you.¡¯
Zhao Dingguang was stunned and asked in surprise, ¡°General Lin, why do you say so?¡± Lin Zhengxing calmly said, ¡°Boss Zhao, after Jing Rong and Zhao Jie were arrested, I immediately called Chief Zhou. Chief Zhou then called the third division of the traffic police. But their response was that although they arrested the men, Mayor Nie had personally ordered a crackdown on illegal street racing. To release these guys, we need a note from Mayor Nie. In other words, to free them, we need to find Nie Zhenbang.¡± After a pause, Lin Zhengxing continued, ¡°Boss Zhao, yesterday, my men ruined Nie Zhenbang¡¯s n. They disrupted the firstnd auction in Wanghai City. Now, with Nie Zhenbang acting this way, I¡¯m afraid there¡¯ll be no peace.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhao Dingguang jumped up and eximed in anger, ¡°How audacious! Who does Nie Zhenbang think he is that he has the audacity to interfere in police affairs? This is not eptable, I¡¯m going to get an exnation from Secretary Shi. If we continue to let Nie Zhenbang mess around like this, Wanghai City will sooner orter face big issues.¡±
Then, Zhao Dingguang stood up and said in a deep voice, ¡°General Lin, you have a far-reachingwork. I think we need to fight on all fronts this time. On one hand, you should leak the news out; preferably revealing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s personal vendetta. I can¡¯t believe that he can turn Wanghai City upside down.¡± ( The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 522: 480: Reap Some Benefits First_1 Chapter 522: Chapter 480: Reap Some Benefits First_1 Watching Zhao Dingguang prepare to change clothes and go out, Lin Zhengxing spoke up: ¡°Boss Zhao, at this time, Secretary Shi is likely already at rest. Now that they¡¯ve been arrested anyway, it¡¯s not urgent tonight. Jing Rong and Zhao Jie have been too outrageous, they should suffer for a night.¡± Lin Zhengxing¡¯s tone, however, exuded an aura of dominance. Even though Zhou Qingguo had said on the phone that the matter of release must be approved by Nie Zhenbang, Lin Zhengxing didn¡¯t care at all. Zhao Dingguang also calmed down at this moment. It was already one in the morning, and based on Shi Yiwu¡¯s usual routine, he would already be asleep. Hence, Zhao Dingguang nodded and said, ¡°It can only be so.¡± Early the next day, before seven, Zhao Dingguang was already up. Beside him, two young bodies caused him to heat up again. However, considering that he had things to do today, Zhao Dingguang sat up, dressed neatly, left Hongyun Building and got into his car which was waiting for him. As soon as he got into the car, he immediately ordered, ¡°Go to the residential area of the city partymittee.¡± By around half-past seven, Zhao Dingguang had already arrived at the city partymittee. Upon entering, Zhao Dingguang smiled and said, ¡°Busy sister-inw, is the Secretary at home?¡± Zhao Dingguang was very familiar with Shi Yiwu¡¯s house. As an old subordinate, Zhao Dingguang was brought up by Shi Yiwu himself. Entering Shi Yiwu¡¯s home was like entering his own house. Shi Yiwu¡¯s wife, a kind and gentle woman, smiled and said, ¡°You¡¯ve arrived, Dingguang. Old Shi is having breakfast in the dining room, you can go in.¡± When Zhao Dingguang walked into the living room, he heard a voice: ¡°Yesterday, the traffic police brigade of our city deployed action against the long-term trouble of illegal racing. Four racers were caught on the spot.¡± In the dining room, Shi Yiwu was sitting with a te of bread and cake in front of him, a cup of milk, and a te of fried eggs.
Zhang Xiaohai was standing nearby, reading the newspaper. It was Shi Yiwu¡¯s habit to read the morning newspaper, especially the local one. This used to be done by Shi Yiwu himself, but as his position elevated, the task was handed over to his secretary. Nheless, the habit was retained. Hearing these words, Shi Yiwu grunted, took a sip of milk, and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t the newspaper say who it was?¡± Even before he finished, Zhao Dingguang stepped forward and said, ¡°Old leader.¡± Seeing Zhao Dingguang walk in, Shi Yiwu was surprised but nodded, ¡°Come in, sit down.¡± This remark made Zhao Dingguang very proud. The more approachable Shi Yiwu was, the more it proved his own stature in Shi Yiwu¡¯s eyes. As soon as he sat down, Shi Yiwu slowly said, ¡°Dingguang, you¡¯re here regardingst night¡¯s incident, aren¡¯t you? I have to say, Zhao Jie needs to be restrained.¡± ¡°Old leader, I¡­¡± at that moment, Zhao Dingguang¡¯s face didn¡¯t look too good. Shi Yiwu had brought it up before he even started. After a moment of silence, Zhao Dingguang nodded and said, ¡°Old leader, I admit my mistake. I¡¯ve neglected in educating my children.¡± ¡°However, old leader, as you can see, Nie Zhenbang is obviously seeking personal revenge in this matter. I¡¯ve also heard about what happenedst night between Zhao Jie and Lin Jingrong. It¡¯s said they were illegally racing, but in fact, it wasn¡¯t that serious. They were just driving a bit faster, not too much over the speed limit. Nie Zhenbang did this mainly to retaliate against General Lin.¡± Zhao Dingguang, despite his hesitation, said again. He had to say something, as now his son was arrested, Zhao Dingguang had already figured out during the drive that he was at a disadvantage with Nie Zhenbang. He couldn¡¯t be tough in this situation. How about Yan the vice chairman before? His position at the deputy-national level, but Nie Zhenbang pushed him back hard. However, Zhao Dingguang was also utterly unwilling to bow to Nie Zhenbang. At this time, he could only pin his hopes on Shi Yiwu. Shi Yiwu didn¡¯t quite believe Zhao Dingguang¡¯s words. What exactly constituted as car racing, Shi Yiwu didn¡¯t quite understand. But a group of young people, running wildly on the roadte at night, simply by speeding, obviously couldn¡¯t be justified. But, this matter had to be dealt with. After a moment of silence, Shi Yiwu also stood up. He nodded and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Municipal Party Committee first.¡± Two issues cannot be treated on an equal footing. Regarding thend auction, yesterday, Lin Zhengxing had also called Shi Yiwu about the plot ofnd in Moon Lake Bay. Lin Zhengxing¡¯s intention was very clear. In a straightforward word, he needed to acquire thend. Despite Lin Zhengxing¡¯s arrogant tone and domineering attitude, Shi Yiwu had no choice. His own family¡¯s trip abroad, it was Lin Zhengxing who had arranged it. The gifts and money he had received had also been arranged by Lin Zhengxing. Even the Bentley used as the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s reception car, even though he was now using it, were all supported by General Lin. Adages held, ¡°Once you ept someone¡¯s favor, it¡¯s hard to say no.¡± Now, when Shi Yiwu realized it, it was already toote. Shi Yiwu dared not gamble. He knew exactly what kind of person Lin Zhengxing was. He believed that Lin Zhengxing must have more cards in hand. This matter indeed had to be done. This issue can be discussed at the standingmittee meeting. He believed that with his power, he could forcefully change the use of Moon Lake Baynd and then operate it. He also had a great confidence. As for the matters of Zhao Jie and Lin Jingrong, these could only be privately discussed with Nie Zhenbang. However, this matter clearly entailed some cost. The car stopped at the office building of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government. As soon as he entered the door, many staff members stopped and greeted Shi Yiwu.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Shi Yiwu¡¯s expression was serious. In the face of the staff from the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, he usually showed a pleasant face. However, today, Shi Yiwu just nodded. ¡­ ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, huh? Ha-ha, this is Shi Yiwu.¡± As soon as he entered the office, Shi Yiwu picked up the phone on the desk and dialed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s number.
Nie Zhenbang had been expecting Shi Yiwu¡¯s call. His actionsst night must have been reported to Shi Yiwu. Lin Zhengxing would nevere to him. As for Zhao Dingguang, even if he dide to him, it probably wouldn¡¯t mean much. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Shi, you are a rarity. Why did you find the time to call me today? Any instructions?¡± The words of Nie Zhenbang made Shi Yiwu quite annoyed. In Shi Yiwu¡¯s view, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mouth was deserving a lesson. He ironically said things likes ¡ª you are a rarity ¡ª why did you call me ¡ª and what instruction do you have? These words were all sarcastic.
The Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee called a team member to show his care for the work. Not calling is being reserved. As a member of the team, you are supposed to report your work and thoughts to your leader at any time. You, Nie Zhenbang, have been in Wanghai City for a long time, but I never saw you report to me. As for themand ¨C that¡¯s even more of a joke. If themand were useful, I wouldn¡¯t be so passive and call you myself? After pondering for a moment, Shi Yiwu smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, about the operation conducted by the third traffic police brigade against illegal racingst night. That¡¯s good. The Municipal Party Committee has always been supportive of it.¡± This old fox, thought Nie Zhenbang to himself. He gave a coldugh. He cursed inwardly, ¡°What support? If you really meant to support, would you be calling to tell me now? Aren¡¯t you subtly telling me that you will be making concessions in certain aspects? If I were a neer, I might indeed have been fooled by you, Shi Yiwu. But now, I am cautious and won¡¯t take action without sight of my profits.¡± If he let the two of them go now, then when the timees, Shi Yiwu could just deny having made any promises. When that happens, who could I, Nie, go to for justice? Having learned this lesson, Lin Jingrong and Zhao Jie will likely lie low for a while. It won¡¯t be so easy to find another opportunity again. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also smiled. The officialdom was just like that. When he first arrived, Shi Yiwu acted like he was the world¡¯s most important person. He kept calling me Little Nie. Then, after topping him, making him unable to hold the stage, he changed his title to Deputy Mayor Nie. Now, Shi Yiwu needs my help, he affectionately started calling me Mayor Zhenbang. As for Shi Yiwu bypassing me and letting Zhou Qingguo take action, that¡¯s not possible. If no one was watching, it would be very simple to let a person or two go. But now, I¡¯m watching. If anyone dares to move, I dare to chop off their ws. The prestige I have established in front of Vice Chairman Yan is not something that just anyone dares to provoke. This is the advantage. After pondering for a while, he slowly said, ¡°Secretary Shi, I was preparing to report this matter to you. Last night, four suspects of illegal racing were arrested at the scene. This time, my intention is to deal with it strictly and harshly. We are preparing the materials and preparing to prosecute these four people. Their crime is endangering public safety by dangerous methods.¡± Upon hearing this, Shi Yiwu¡¯s face fell. After a while, Shi Yiwu smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, the unity and stability of the team, as well as the overall situation of Wanghai City¡¯s stability and development, these are important considerations. I heard that the incident involved the families of General Lin and Comrade Dingguang. Of course, impartialw enforcement is necessary. However, we also needpassion. These two young men, I have met them, and they are very measured in their actions. I suggest we downy the people involved and resolve this incident by categorizing it as reckless driving.¡± He paused for a moment, then Shi Yiwu smiled and said, ¡°Xiao Shanming from the Municipal Public Security Bureau is quite capable. I think we can consider adjusting Xiao Shanming¡¯s responsibility, by assigning him to oversee traffic control and public order throughout the city.¡± ( Chapter 523: 481: Changing The Nature of Land_1 Chapter 523: Chapter 481: Changing The Nature of Land_1 Shi Yiwu had made a calcted move. Xiao Shanming had been the deputy director of the municipal public security bureau, but he had only been responsible for propaganda and police training. Public security and traffic, on the other hand, were key departments in the public security bureau, far more significant than his former responsibilities. It seemed as if Shi Yiwu had offered a great deal, but in fact, it was just a simple reassignment of duties. However, this was a matter that Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t press too much on. If the dispute escted and the other side denied drag racing and imed only speeding, then awsuit would ensue. Of course, if it were a serious criminal case like rape or assault, Nie Zhenbang would not easily let go. At this moment, being able to gain some advantages was better than nothing. Xiao Shanming being in charge of public security and traffic police would certainly implement some adjustments, providing valuable assistance when needed. Soon after, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Shi has given thorough thought on this. I have indeed overlooked this aspect.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Shi, since we have cleared the misunderstanding, I believe we can put this matter to rest.¡± Given Nie Zhenbang¡¯s instructions, the situation with the Traffic Police Third Squadron was quickly resolved. Zhao Haining followed the regr procedure, fining and giving a lecture to the individuals involved and handling it ordingly.N?v(el)B\\jnn Nie Zhenbang was not worried about Shi Yiwu ying any tricks, as it was only a reassignment of deputy directors, not involving key positions. If Shi Yiwu tried to renege on even this, he would not have made it to where he was. Then, Nie Zhenbang stood up and told Li Jupeng who was outside the door, ¡°Jupeng, get ready, inform Old Guo. We¡¯re going to Moon Lake Bay for a look.¡± Watching Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car leave the municipal government office building, Liu Sicun stood by the window of Shi Yiwu¡¯s office, watching Nie Zhenbang¡¯s departing back. ¡°Secretary Shi, Nie Zhenbang is overstepping his bounds. Recently in Wanghai City, people are panicking and everything seems to be unstable. Continuing this way, there will be serious problems,¡± Liu Sicun was once again persuading him.
On this issue, Liu Sicun had already spoken more than five times. This caused Shi Yiwu¡¯s brow to furrow: ¡°Secretary-General Sicun, enough. The sky won¡¯t fall in Wanghai City. People are scared. Nie Zhenbang is shrewd and cannot be taken down easily. Right now, our only chance is to wait for him to make a big mistake. Then we can strike.¡± Liu Sicun was embarrassed. Shi Yiwu had insinuated something in his words. Nie Zhenbang had been following the path of Deputy Secretary Qiao Yiren ever since he came into office. Many people in Wanghai City knew about the news from the Provincial Party Committee. Now, many provincial leaders were dissatisfied with some of the actions of Wanghai City and the Eastern Sea Group, and Nie Zhenbang was sent for that reason. The saying goes, ¡®if you have done nothing wrong, then you shouldn¡¯t fear rumors making rounds.¡¯ If one is upright, why fear Nie Zhenbang? Seeing Liu Sicun¡¯s awkward expression, Shi Yiwu realized that Liu Sicun had also been favored by Lin Zhengxing, just as he had been. Immediately, he said in a serious tone, ¡°Comrade Sicun, distribute the materials for the routine meeting tomorrow to all Standing Committee members. As for thend at Moon Lake Bay, I believe, it¡¯s not suitable for open bidding in our Wanghai City. Also, I think it¡¯s inappropriate to set it up as a residential project. Watch out for this.¡± Hearing Shi Yiwu¡¯s words, Liu Sicun was pleased. Shi Yiwu¡¯s intentions were clear; change the nature of thend use at Moon Lake Bay. Wanghai City is not suitable fornd auctions. This sentence was evident enough. Secretary Shi was telling him to get in touch with the other Standing Committee members and give them a heads up. With this in mind, Liu Sicun nodded, ¡°Secretary Shi has a thorough understanding of Wanghai City. Our city has always been focused on industrial economy, and real estate development does not quite suit us.¡± ¡­ In the afternoon, just as Nie Zhenbang started his day at work, Li Jupeng came in with a document, looking a bitplex. He spoke in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, this is a document that Secretary Liu from the Municipal Party Committee sent over, containing some issues for discussion at the Standing Committee meeting tomorrow. There¡¯s one specific point that seems very targeted in it.¡± The words of Li Jupeng surprised Nie Zhenbang. Over the past month, Li Jupeng had been diligent in his work and was not talkative. However, today he took the initiative to bring this up. ¡°Jupeng, is there something unusual? Feel free to speak.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled at this moment. Over time, he hade to trust Li Jupeng¡¯s character. However, regarding capability, Li Jupeng was just average. Understanding and evaluating him from various aspects was a good way to get to know Li Jupeng better. ¡°Mayor, ording to the document, the intent is to discuss changing thend use of the Moon Lake Bay plot from residential to tourist. The city ns to vigorously develop the tourism resources of the Moon Lake Bay area,¡± exined Li Jupeng. Seeing that Nie Zhenbang did not speak, he continued, ¡°Mayor, there are some nice views at Moon Lake Bay. However, the resources are obviously not enough for tourism development.¡± Li did not continue. This is a rule among secretaries; not all leaders are fools. On the contrary, those who can be leaders are not necessarily very strong in terms of ability, perhaps not even enough to develop the economy. But in terms of political aplishment, every leader is important. As a subordinate, if you spell everything out, there is no room left for the leader to contribute. As such, leaders dislike secretaries who do so. In this aspect, Li Jupeng is clearly doing well, having been guided by wise men. Changing thend use of Moon Lake Bay was something Nie Zhenbang had anticipated. Given Lin Zhengxing¡¯s personality, there was no chance he would not take further action after disrupting the auction. This problem is rather tricky. On one hand, Shi Yiwu¡¯s argument is verypelling and timely. If Moon Lake Bay were to be turned into industrial or harbour usend, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. Even withoutmunicating with othermon members, the issue could be easily resolved. But now, with the proposal of developing tourism resources at Moon Lake Bay, even though resources are sparse, it¡¯s a barely tenable idea. Furthermore, Shi Yiwu¡¯s purpose is to sabotage this investment, which makes the intention much more evident. Among themonmittee members, there are thirteen in total. One vote can be counted on from myself, one from Qi Siyuan¡¯s side, and another one from Zhang Zhengguang. That¡¯s only three votes. On Shi Yiwu¡¯s side, it¡¯s obviously already four votes. Now, it depends on who can get the recognition from othermonmittee members. It seems that I must also reach out to the other members. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang stood up, opened the door, and after just two steps, was at the doorway of Wang Yaguang¡¯s office. Wang Yaguang was the first person he had tried to win over.
In terms of rank, Wang Yaguang is also a deputy ministerial cadre. He is on equal footing with Shi Yiwu, but the only difference is that his titlecks a Provincial Party Committee badge. Last time, Wang Yaguang¡¯s sudden switch due to the investigation on Niu Chao had markedly changed the atmosphere at the meeting. Instinctively, Nie Zhenbang felt that Wang Yaguang might not be as simple as he seemed. After all, how could a deputy provincial cadre be unprincipled and indecisive, leaning towards both sides like a wobbly wall? There¡¯s only one possible exnation: Wang Yaguang is a deputy provincial cadre, but he wouldn¡¯t dare to contend with the whole of WangHai City and the Eastern Sea Group. For his self-protection, it was very likely that Wang Yaguang had adopted a low-key strategy. He might even have orchestrated those usation letters about Huang Liangwen. Of course, these are just conjectures. But this does not prevent him from trying to gain Wang Yaguang¡¯s support. If Wang Yaguang could be put forward topete against Shi Yiwu, there may be a glimmer of hope for the whole issue.
Led by his secretary, Nie Zhenbang stepped into Wang Yaguang¡¯s office, who at that moment had a big smile on his face and stood up very warmly. He personally poured a cup of hot tea for Nie Zhenbang and smiled, ¡°Mayor Nie, you are indeed a rare guest.¡± Hearing Wang Yaguang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Mayor, you are criticizing me, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s true that I rarely have time to visit. In this regard, my work has beencking, I shouldmunicate more with you about ideas and report my work more often.¡± No matter who it is, people love ttery. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s humility pleased Wang Yaguang. Seeing Wang Yaguang¡¯s expression, Nie Zhenbang felt relieved and smiled. It turned out to be just as he thought. The situation seemed to be half sessful. Without beating around the bush, Nie Zhenbang got straight to the point, ¡°Mayor, I came here mainly to report to you the arrangement for the plot ofnd at Moon Lake Bay.¡± After exining his entire nning for the Moon Lake Bay plot and the introduction of Jiasheng Real Estate, he looked at Wang Yaguang and said, ¡°Mayor, now Secretary Shi suggests developing the tourism resources of Moon Lake Bay. I really think it¡¯s not a good idea. The tourism resources in Moon Lake Bay are extremely limited, and the investment may not yield the expected returns.¡± These words made Wang Yaguang startled as he had not expected Nie Zhenbang to be so direct, to a point far uncharacteristic of an official at his level. (End of this part. If you enjoy this work, pleasee to to vote and rmend. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 524: 482: Never Back Down_1 Chapter 524: Chapter 482: Never Back Down_1 In the world of bureaucracy, mastery and skill in speaking are essential. When you are in a local government post, straightforward talk might be appreciated asionally, described as a sign of being close to the people, an effective working method. However, when one proceeds to provincial and ministry levels, subtlety bes necessary. One¡¯s words should be intentionally ambiguous, implying deep meanings and nuances. This allows subordinates to interpret the intentions of their superiors and it indicates tacticalpetence, an aura of profundity.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om However, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were unusually direct. This left Wang Yaguang absolutely stunned, and at the same time, feeling a bit awkward. Had Nie Zhenbang used a more circumspect tone to probe him, Wang Yaguang could have responded in the same manner. But faced with such a blunt question so suddenly, Wang Yaguang really didn¡¯t know what to say. After musing for a moment, Wang Yaguang finally managed to adjust his state of mind. He nodded and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, you bring up a good point. The value of the Moon Lake Bay area for tourism is indeed quite limited. I will also express this view at the Standing Committee meeting.¡± Hearing Wang Yaguang¡¯s response, Nie Zhenbang was not surprised. This old fox was not going to show all his cards. His reply conveyed that he would support Nie, but did not specify how. It was clear that if Shi Yiwu gained an advantage, Wang Yaguang might change his tune. Nevertheless, Nie Zhenbang was quite satisfied. To have Wang Yaguang openly express support was quite a feat. After all, Wang Yaguang was still the mayor, a bona fide deputy provincial-level official, and the second-inmand in Wanghai City. Shi Yiwu¡¯s dominant position had caused Wang Yaguang to step back and fly under the radar. Still, Nie Zhenbang had been able to stir up Wang Yaguang¡¯s ambition. That was enough. When it came to the Standing Committee meeting, as long as the observed support remained, the odds of winning or losing were evenly bnced. Nie Zhenbang then stood up, smiled, and said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, if there are no other issues, I will take my leave. This afternoon, I n to take a look at the Moon Lake Bay area.¡± At this moment, Wang Yaguang was all smiles. After Nie Zhenbang left, his smile faded, and he assumed a more serious demeanor, stripping off the cordial facade he had been wearing. Wang Yaguang had not attained his current position without having influential backers, especially being the Mayor of Wanghai City, a deputy ministerial-level position, which required approval from the central government for appointment and selection. Presently, with the rapidly changing situation in Wanghai City turning into a fierce rivalrous conflict, this also implicated the power struggle at the top levels. The Secretary-General and the Prime Minister were ready to aim a blow at the Li family. A while back, Nie Guodong, themander of Jingcheng City Military District, emphasized the importance of contemting the bigger picture andmunicating political directives during a meeting with division-level officials. This course of action has raised Nie Guodong¡¯s prestige, with an increasing number of people calling for him to enter the political arena.
In the province, Governor Jia and Secretary Qiao are putting considerable pressure on Secretary Chen from the Provincial Party Committee. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s sessive manoeuvres upon arriving in Wanghai have stirred up Wang Yaguang. This was why he had previously spoken up in support of Qi Siyuan. However, it seems that it¡¯s still too early to change the status quo in Wanghai. The adage, ¡°those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad,¡± perfectly applies to the Eastern Sea Group. Under the management of Lin Zhengxing, this conglomerate operates watertight procedures, with departments like customs, banks, petroleum, national tax, and party and government departments interlocking perfectly. By now, the fact that the Eastern Sea Group is smuggling goods is an open secret, yet it¡¯s impossible to investigate without any evidence. The repercussions would be extensive, with countless officials involved, even potentially some at the central level. Without evidence, any hasty investigation would instantly be a target of collective attacks, ending in utter ruin. Even the Secretary-General wouldn¡¯t dare to act recklessly without evidence. At this moment, supporting Nie Zhenbang meant stirring up the stagnant waters in Wanghai City. Only when the waters are muddied can he benefit the most. ¡­ On December 10th, the regr meeting of the Standing Committee of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee was held as scheduled in the small conference room of the Municipal Committee. As soon as Shi Yiwu entered the room and took his ce at the head of the table, he looked around at everyone, then quickly opened the meeting by saying, ¡°Comrades, in this meeting, I primarily want to discuss and arrange matters concerning thend of Moon Lake Bay.¡± The conference room fell into silence, with all themittee members sitting upright, not daring to let their gaze wander. This disy of discipline brought Shi Yiwu immense satisfaction, giving him a sense of being in full control of the situation. He continued, ¡°On the issue of the Moon Lake Bay project, I¡¯ve heard that recently, Vice Mayor Nie held a public auction for thend, which ended up fetching a high price. However, the deal ultimately fell through. Personally, I am against public auctions. Land auctions inadvertently inte the cost ofnd. Everyone knows that businessmen are not phnthropists; these additional costs would naturally be passed on to the general public and consumers. This would inevitably indirectly increase housing prices, which is not a good signal. I believe we should abandon this kind of mode.¡± Chapter 525: 482: Never Back Down_2 Chapter 525: Chapter 482: Never Back Down_2 As soon as Shi Yiwu finished speaking, the nearby Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Zhang Zusi, the Municipal Party Committee Secretary Liu Sicun, and the Standing Deputy Mayor Zhao Dingguang all nodded slightly with smiles, indicating their agreement. These people were on Shi Yiwu¡¯s side, naturally would give Shi Secretary their full support. The possibility of hitting Nie Zhenbang brought them unparalleled joy. At this moment, Zhang Zusi lightly coughed and said with a smile, ¡°Secretary Shi,rades, I would like to share my views as well.¡± Upon hearing this, Shi Yiwu smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Zusi, please speak!¡± In this situation, having someone take the lead was certainly weed by Shi Yiwu. In the standingmittee, this kind of pressure and momentum was necessary as it often influenced the considerations and measures of other standingmittee members. As a seasoned political yer, Shi Yiwu clearly understood this principle. If this were a regional department level, a ¡°one-man-show¡± dictatorship could possibly be implemented. However, on the level of a vice-ministerial city, even if he had the ability, the Central Government would not permit such a situation to ur¨Clet alone there being no such matter. Sub-provincial cities, there were only fifteen in the whole of Huaxia. Compared to promotion to the sub-provincial cadre from regional department level assignment to the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, promotions were rtively easier in sub-provincial cities. Naturally, these cities became the must-contend ces for all families within the country. Zhang Zusi also smiled at this moment and nodded, ¡°Secretary Shi,rades, I am not a specialist in economics, so consider me ayman. However, I¡¯d like to share ayman¡¯s view. It seems to me that in the Moon Lake Bay project, we should lean more towards utilizing tourism resources. At Moon Lake Bay, the sandy beaches are of high quality. Moreover, the small harbor of Moon Lake Bay offers a graceful scenery, fully exemplifying characteristics of being original, elegant, and exceptional. Our city¡¯s tourism resources are abundant and have attracted a multitude of domestic tourists. The Wanghai Seaside Park currently has reached a saturation point in amodating visitor¡¯s flow. If Moon Lake Bay could be developed into a seaside amusement park, I believe it would greatly boost our city¡¯s tourism industry. Regarding thend use issue of Moon Lake Bay, we should consider it carefully. I propose that we designate Moon Lake Bay as and for tourism development and cancel the previous residentialnd designation.¡± At the side, Liu Sicun echoed, ¡°Secretary Zhang is too modest. This is hardly the opinion of ayman. I see this as an excellent suggestion thatplements the advantages of Wanghai City¡¯s tourism industry.¡± Liu Sicun did not hesitate to tter, unabashedly and without any embarrassment, viewing Zhang Zusi as if he were a provincial partymittee leader.
The goal was to create an atmosphere in the standingmittee that the overall course of action had been decided. All the standingmittee present were cunning individuals who generally moved in the direction of the overall situation. Once a suppressive atmosphere around the Moon Lake Bay issue was formed, Nie Zhenbang would be helpless. Nie Zhenbang, of course, understood this. He nced at Qi Siyuan, who had been seriously hurt since thest investigation into Niu Chao. Barely pulling through that perilous time, Qi Siyuan continued to delve into the actions of the Eastern Sea Group. Despite receiving many usation letters, all investigations were conducted secretly and it was not a good time to stand out. As for themander of the military region, Zhang Zhengguang, it was improper for him to interject or make statements in such matters. Showing support by voting, of course, was not a problem. However, interfering with political matters seemed too much. Wang Yaguang seemed uninterested, his pen moved briskly in his hand. His eyes were on the notebook, but he did not make any moves. Nie Zhenbang then slowly began speaking, ¡°Comrades, I would like to share some views on the Moon Lake Bay project as well.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang intentionally omitted mentioning Secretary Shi. Generally speaking, in the Standing Committee meetings, the first-inmand Secretary is the host, making decisions that need reporting to him. Also, if there are any show-of-hand votes or procedural matters, they are presided over by the Secretary. However, by speaking this way, Nie Zhenbang is disrespecting Shi Yiwu, viting an unspoken rule. This protocol doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be followed, but within the team, maintaining the dignity of the first-inmand and the unity of the group usually takes precedence. As expected, Shi Yiwu looked dissatisfied. Nie Zhenbang was ignoring the rules. Anyone else Shi Yiwu could have easily suppressed. However, dealing with Nie Zhenbang was like confronting a hedgehog covered in spikes¡ªimprable. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s powerful connections made him hard to challenge, Shi Yiwu was hesitant. ¡°There is indeed a high-quality beach in the Moon Lake Bay project, however, in my personal opinion, solely developing it for tourism is unrealistic. Still, there arerge areas awaiting development around the Seaside Park. Building new bathing beaches based on the existing Seaside Park can also avoid redundancy and resource wastage. Furthermore, the bathing beach is close to several important tourist attractions in the city. It¡¯s an integrated advantage. Moon Lake Bay, hanging in the Wanghu District, is more than ten kilometers apart. Developing tourism just for this small resource doesn¡¯t seem appropriate, it¡¯s worth reconsidering,¡± Nie Zhenbang spoke eloquently. He conducted a detailed analysis of the distribution of tourism resources in WangHai City, theyout of resources, and the mindset of tourists. His speech made manymittee members nod their heads in agreement.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Nie Zhenbang was not just backed by powerful forces, his capabilities were certainly impressive. His analyticalpetence was not something that ordinary officials could achieve. A man with a backing, power, trusted and valued by superiors, and having strong capabilities, had a promising future. From Nie Zhenbang¡¯s career history, which included both rich grassroots work experience and ministerial department work experience, he was considered a key candidate for development. As he concluded his speech, Wang Yaguang said with a smile, ¡°Secretary Shi and otherrades, allow me to add a few words.¡± Wang Yaguang¡¯s deration made Shi Yiwu frown. Since Nie Zhenbang arrived in WangHai, Wang Yaguang had gradually changed. Shi Yiwu doubted Wang Yaguang¡¯s intentions after the matter rting to Qi Siyuanst time. Now Wang Yaguang was tailing Nie Zhenbang, had Wang Yaguang joined Nie Zhenbang¡¯s alliance? Thinking this through, Shi Yiwu quickly dismissed the idea. A vice-provincial-level official bowing to a department-level official seemed highly imusible. Wang Yaguang¡¯s speech closely resembled Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. Thenguage and tone weren¡¯t much different. Essentially, they both were opposing the change of Moon Lake Bay to a tourism site. Then, Nie Zhenbang spoke again, ¡°City construction should be based on scientific nning, reasonableyout, and correct development. We can¡¯t just consider what¡¯s right under our nose. Wanghu District here will be a majormercial center of our city. Developing a tourism project there doesn¡¯t seem suitable. Personally, I strongly oppose changing the Moon Lake Bay project to a tourism site.¡± This statement shocked all themittee members. Openly raising an objection was unusual in the Standing Committee meetings. Doing so would be akin to burning bridges. Moreover, if news of this spread, Nie Zhenbang would inevitably bear some responsibility for causing disunity within the team. Next, the show-of-hand voting began. Shi Yiwu said solemnly, ¡°Well, since Deputy Mayor Nie insists, let¡¯s vote. Those in favor of changing the property, raise your hand.¡± One, two, three, four votes. The first to raise their hands were Shi Yiwu, Zhang Zusi, Zhao Dingguang, and Liu Sicun. The meeting room was silent. After a moment, the minister of the United Front Work Department, Jiang Li, also raised her hand. Then, the secretary of the High-tech Zone Work Committee, Zhao Fei, followed. A total of six votes, no other hands went up. The oue was clear.
Chapter 526: 483: Celebrating the New Year_1 Chapter 526: Chapter 483: Celebrating the New Year_1 At the Standing Committee meeting, with a slim majority of seven to six, the decision to alter the nature of the Moon Lake Bay projectnd was vetoed, while Nie Zhenbang seized the opportunity to propose holding another publd auction once again. This time, Nie Zhenbang ratcheted up the auction deposit to a steep one hundred million.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om With his understanding of Lin Zhengxing, Nie Zhenbang was quite certain. A person like Lin Zhengxing would absolutely refuse to spend this much money bidding onnd. There was a matter of habit involved. When a person is ustomed to a life of luxury, and you suddenly try to make them subsist on the simplest fare, it would feel as if it were a death sentence. Simrly, having been ustomed to cheapnd, Lin Zhengxing would now have to spend such arge amount of money for a piece ofnd. This would be even more unbearable than killing him. Three dayster, the public auction convened on schedule, and this time, Lin Zhengxing did not cause any disruptions. Although he would have preferred to escte the tension by sending others in to raise the price, the one- hundred-million deposit made Lin Zhengxing balk. He wasn¡¯t sure if Jiasheng Real Estate would give up after he made a bid. If they were to do so, would he have to move forward with the purchase using such arge sum of money? With no one stirring up trouble, the auction proceeded smoothly, and in the end, Zheng Jiawei¡¯s Jiasheng Real Estate won the Moon Lake Baynd for a price of 2.7 billion. The New Year¡¯s Day of 1999 went by serenely. Jiasheng Real Estate also began pre-project preparations for the Moon Lake Bay initiative. The entire project, ording to Jiasheng¡¯s conception, would be transformed into an upscale residentialmunity in Wanghai City. Naturally, the project was not going to be simple. In the initial phase, the Wanghu District Government began assisting with demolition and relocation work. Meanwhile, Jiasheng sent in professional nners to design the project based on the overall topography of Moon Lake Bay, trying to maintain its original appearance and scenery. Thus, the actual construction work was naturally postponed until a few monthster. On New Year¡¯s Eve in 1999, which fell on the 15th of February in the Gregorian calendar, Nie Zhenbang visited the Wanghai City Welfare Institute in the morning, apanied by the city government¡¯s secretary-general An Guoyu, deputy mayor Hu Jiawang, and others. After visiting the local extremely impoverished families, the whole of Wanghai City officially started their holiday in the afternoon. During the holiday, Mayor Wang Yaguang proved to be very considerate. Knowing that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s family wasn¡¯t with him, he arranged for his duty shift to start several dayster. In the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s official car made its way toward Wanghai Airport. He was scheduled to take the afternoon flight to Zhuang City in Yanbei Province. This year, he did not spend New Year¡¯s Eve in Jingcheng. By evening, as soon as Nie Zhenbang stepped out of the airport, he saw Nie Ziyu waiting for him at the entrance. Beside her stood a man. She wore a little white fur coat with dark jeans. Her outfit wasn¡¯t overly fashionable; it gave off a more girl-next-door vibe instead.
At this moment, the two of them were standing together, arm in arm. Seeing the happiness and sweetness on Ziyu¡¯s face, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help smiling. In his previous life, his younger sister had agreed to marry into the Chen family for his sake, but she did not lead a happy life afterwards. The Chen family were far from being a wealthy, powerful n in Jingcheng. In this life, he never interfered with Nie Ziyu¡¯s choice of partner. As long as the person truly cared for his little sister, it was all that mattered. It was his way of making things up to her. Nie Ziyu had already spotted Nie Zhenbang, and a smile spread across her face. She waved her arm and called out, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m here!¡± ¡°Ziyu, when did you get here? And who¡¯s this gentleman here? Aren¡¯t you going to introduce him to your brother?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang set aside the insignificance of his official title and position. All that matter were the ties of a brother and sister. Although Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone was teasing, his long-standing high position meant that there was still an aura of authority about him, making the man next to Ziyu somewhat ufortable. Ziyu was quite at ease, however, and introduced, ¡°Brother, this is my boyfriend, He Yitao. He also works within the system. Right now, he¡¯s working over in Yanbei Tang City. This time, I made up my mind to bring him home while you¡¯re here. Brother, if mom and dad¡­ Can you help me out?¡± Listening to Ziyu¡¯s pleading tone, Nie Zhenbang burst into heartyughter. Her worries weren¡¯t unfounded. Born into their kind of family, it can be both a blessing and a curse. Growing up seriously well-provided for can be wonderful. The living conditions are excellent, and the learning environment is as good as it gets. They can have whatever they want. However, children from such families may not necessarily be the happiest because they bear the responsibility for the rise and fall of the family. It¡¯s their duty, whether they¡¯re male or female. The mostmon way this happens is through arranged marriage for political reasons. Xiao Yali from his second aunt¡¯s family was a case in point, as was his elder brother, Nie Jialei. Even though Nie Jiamin was still unmarried, he would inevitably tread the same path. His own situation, while somewhat better, ultimately was still a political marriage, even though there were genuine feelings involved. That was why Ziyu was acting the way she was. As someone inside the system, He Yitao couldn¡¯t help but grow serious when he heard Ziyu¡¯s words. His gaze fell on He Yitao with an air of gravity that made He Yitao feel a little tense. This soon-to-be brother-inw of his was incredibly formidable. He had no idea Ziyu¡¯s family background was so impressive. Her father was Nie Guowei, the Governor of Yanbei Province, and her older brother was something else entirely. He was already a senior official at the age of 29, and he had already retained this position for four years, which meant he was promoted at the age of 25. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s reaction, Ziyu felt a little impatient, ¡°Brother, what on earth are you doing?¡± Before the sound of her words could fade, He Yitao took the initiative to say, ¡°Mr. Nie¡­ I am serious about being with Ziyu.¡± Nie Zhenbang had a knack for judging people, umted from a lifetime of experience spanning across two lives. Although he was still not incredibly sharp in political matters, this was simply because he had no experience within a governmental system in his previous life. Nheless, Nie Zhenbang possessed a well-rounded knowledge of life. The most important thing was not whether someone was working within a governmental system. It was crucial that the interaction between He Yitao and Nie Ziyu was genuine, without any ulterior motives. In this moment, looking at He Yitao, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a bit before smiling ans asking, ¡°Yitao, right? Which department do you work for in Tang City?¡± Upon hearing this, those familiar with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s character knew that He Yitao had received an initial approval from Nie Zhenbang. Otherwise, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t ask about the details of one¡¯s work. Nie Ziyu, who was standing by, breathed a sigh of relief and asked, ¡°Brother, are you checking into our background?¡± Despite her somewhat dissatisfied tone, she continued, ¡°Yitao and I both work at the Tang City Civil Affairs Bureau. Yitao is currently the head of the Assistance Department.¡± After Nie Ziyu¡¯s introduction, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback for a moment, then understood. This girl had gone to Tang City, probably because he had grown up there. He Yitao was about twenty-six or seven years old and had reached his current position without any external assistance, which showed he was capable. Whether or not Nie Ziyu had helped him, Nie Zhenbang firmly believed that his little sister had her principles. Before officially confirming their rtionship status, she would definitely not make any moves. Then, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Little girl, are you still worried? Your brother will take on this matter for you. If mom and dad have any objections, I¡¯ll stand up for you.¡± ¡°Really, brother, you¡¯re too kind. I love you so much,¡± Nie Ziyu eximed jubntly upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words.
On the sideline, He Yitao also gratefully said, ¡°Mr. Nie¡­ Thank you.¡± Nie Zhenbang gestured dismissively. Although he did not know much about He Yitao, his demeanor, speech, and conduct all appeared mature and sincere. His actions reflected a strong sense of righteousness. This kind of person was not a petty individual. From this perspective, Nie Zhenbang had already initially trusted him. Smiling, he said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to call me Mr. Nie. Like Ziyu, just call me Brother.¡± Nie Ziyu drove a fiery red BMW MINI, a gift from herself, which she kept here all the time. She was very low-key and didn¡¯t drive it to Tang City, but instead kept it in Zhuang City. The license te was a small number te of the Jingcheng City Military District; therefore, the ride was unobstructed. Nie Zhenbang sat in the back seat while Nie Ziyu drove, with He Yitao sitting beside him.
Nie Zhenbang smiled and asked, ¡°Yitao, where did you graduate from?¡± His question made He Yitao feel honored and he respectfully replied, ¡°Yanbei Civil Affairs College, I graduated from the associate degree program.¡± Graduating from a junior college at the age of twenty-seven was quite rare. ording to normal admission standards, if one graduates from high school at eighteen and then attends a three-year associate degree program, to have obtained a section-level position in six years was quite exceptional. Nie Zhenbang knew well how difficult this could be considering his extensive experience at the grassroots level. Many people may not even reach this level in their lifetime. ¡°Well, your educational qualifications are a bit low,¡± Nie Zhenbang stated frankly. ¡°Nowadays, the central government pays more and more attention to the youthfulness of the cadres. Many young cadres with degrees, capabilities, and diplomas are being promoted gradually. You should study more in your daily life and strive to obtain an undergraduate or master¡¯s degree. This way, you¡¯ll have an advantage whenpeting with others.¡± As long as he had initially approved, he would be straightforward. Being a section-level cadre was an insult to the Nie family. As the Nie family promoted him, he himself should be outstanding. Before He Yitao could speak, Nie Ziyu chimed in, ¡°Brother, you¡¯re wrong. Yitao will get his bachelor¡¯s degree in July this year.¡± While they chatted, the car drove into thepound of the Yanbei Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, stopping in front of the entrance to the Government No. 1 Courtyard. (.) Chapter 527: 484 Deep Talk Between Father and Son_1 Chapter 527: Chapter 484 Deep Talk Between Father and Son_1 At the entrance to the three-story Siheyuan, the main gate was open, the light from the living room projecting out onto the courtyard. It offered a bit of warmth in the snowy winter night. On New Year¡¯s Eve, it seemed somewhat deste inside the grounds of the provincial governmentplex. Many of the leaders of the provincial partymittee were spending the New Year in Jingcheng City. The New Year is a traditional festival and naturally a good time for strengthening rtionships. At the moment, Nie Guowei and Ye Shuxian were standing by the gate. Next to them were Yang Anna and Li Lixue, but Dong Wan was nowhere in sight. Nie Zhenbang felt a pang of disappointment, but it was not a feeling he could express right now. He wore a smile on his face. As he got out of the car, he called out, ¡°Dad, Mom!¡± ¡°You¡¯re back. Come in quickly.¡± Ye Shuxian addressed them. Once everyone entered the door, Nie Ziyu introduced, ¡°Dad, Mom, this is He Yitao. Yitao, these are my parents. The twodies beside them are my sisters-inw.¡± This statement startled He Yitao. Was it a man with two wives, or the wives of two different brothers? He didn¡¯t dare to ask for rification. Respectfully, he greeted, ¡°Governor Nie, hello!¡± At his words, Anna and the others smirked. Ye Shuxian also said with a smile, ¡°He, now we are at home, there¡¯s no governor here. Come on, let¡¯s have dinner first. The New Year¡¯s Eve reunion dinner will begin after we finish eating.¡± The dining table, an oval wooden furniture piece with a darkcquered finish, lent an antique charm to the room. Ye Shuxian had personally chosen it, favoring its traditional design over the trendy square tables. By now, after over a decade, Nie Zhenbang hadpletely won a ce in Ye Shuxian¡¯s heart, even more so than her own daughter. The family sat down happily for a hearty reunion dinner. Afterwards, Nie Zhenbang began to y with the little Yah, just three months old but already lively and responsive. Even though no one knew what she was babbling about, her presence brought joy to the whole family.
Nie Guowei sat seriously on the sofa after finishing his meal while He Yitao sat rigidly next to him. Nie Ziyu sat beside He Yitao. From the look of his little girl, Nie Zhenbang knew that Ziyu was serious about this rtionship. Anna whispered to him, ¡°Zhenbang, it seems like Ziyu is really in love.¡± The two girls have known each other since childhood and have always been best friends. But now, fate had made them a family. Yet it was Anna who understood Ziyu¡¯s personality best. At this moment, Li Lixue was also full of happiness. Having been epted and acknowledged by the Nie family was truly a blessing to her from heaven, and she cherished it deeply. She felt some sympathy for He Yitao, her brother-inw who shared a simr situation. She took the baby from Zhenbang, saying, ¡°Zhenbang, the baby needs to be fed. You should go check on the others.¡± After Ye Shuxian had also tidied up, she sat down on the sofa as well. With the parents on either side, it did look like a tribunal, with their daughter and He Yitao at the center. Nie Zhenbang also sat down on an adjacent sofa with a reassuring look at Nie Ziyu. Then Ye Shuxian asked He Yitao, ¡°So, He, how many people are there in your family?¡± Having learnt of his girlfriend¡¯s background from Ziyu herself, He Yitao came prepared. She was the granddaughter of the founding father Elder Nie, and the daughter of the Governor of Yanbei Province. This was indeed a noble family. Upon hearing Ye Shuxian¡¯s question, He Yitao respectfully answered, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m from Tang City. Both my parents are ordinary cadres in the East District of Tang City. There¡¯s also a younger sister at home. Right now, like Ziyu, I am also working at the Tang City Civil Affairs Bureau.¡± Hearing He Yitao¡¯s words, Nie Guowei¡¯s eyebrows twitched, about to speak, but it was Nie Zhenbang who spoke up instead, ¡°Mom, why are you asking so many questions? Look at him, he¡¯s handsome and ambitious. He¡¯s a regr cadre despite having only graduated from a technical college, and ording to Ziyu, he¡¯ll earn his bachelor¡¯s degree next year. You wouldn¡¯t find such a son-inw even with antern.¡± At Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Ye Shuxianughed and scolded, ¡°You mischievous boy, always full of cheeky remarks. You are a senior bureau official now, and still so cheeky.¡± Nie Guowei was lost in thought. Just a moment ago, he too was prepared to speak up, with the intention to mention that this matter was not urgent. This rhetoric was only to spare He Yitao¡¯s feelings. In fact, it was a clear indication of his stance. The dignity of the Governor would never allow him to speak out harsh and malicious words like an ordinary man would. But the attitude exhibited by his son was clearly supportive. This kid¡¯s political acumen was growing more and more mature, so much that it was being used against him now. Had Nie Guowei voiced his opinion just now, they were bound to encounter futureplications and awkwardness. He was very well aware of Nie Ziyu¡¯s personality. Being spoiled by her grandfather and grandmother had nurtured her strong-willed and decisive attributes. Besides, if his son supported her as well, he would most likely face difficulty in the future. But now? This awkwardness was avoided. Ye Shuxian had understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words. She cast a side nce at her son. Her expression wasplex, yet she eventually epted the matter. Soon after, she said with a smile, ¡°You are pampering this girl.¡± Nie Guowei, too, rose to his feet and smilingly added, ¡°He, don¡¯t be restrained. Make yourself at home here. Take a seat first and watch some TV. I¡¯m going to smoke a cigar in my study.¡± Nie Zhenbang, understanding the unspoken, chuckled, ¡°Yitao, you can sit for now. I will join the old man and bring back a few special cigars.¡± The father and son duo subsequently walked into the study. Nie Guowei¡¯s expression changed instantly as he looked at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Zhenbang, do you mean to agree with Ziyu dating He Yitao?¡±
Heeding his father¡¯s query, Nie Zhenbang solemnly nodded, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s your opinion on He Yitao? Do you believe his feelings for Ziyu are genuine?¡± Nie Guowei was taken aback momentarily before he responded with a nod, ¡°When ites to Ziyu¡¯s personality, I have absolute faith. I strongly believe that He Yitao had no knowledge of Ziyu¡¯s identity and background when they started dating. Furthermore, Ziyu¡¯s cement in Tang City was personally arranged by me. Aside from Liu Daguan, the city¡¯s party secretary, no one else has any inkling about this. Besides, from He Yitao¡¯s demeanor, it seems like genuine affection on his part ounts for over ny-five percent.¡± Upon hearing his father¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang chuckled and added, ¡°Dad, in that case, it¡¯s settled. Ziyu has met her heart¡¯s desire. We shouldmend her for that. Heroes don¡¯t have to reveal their identities. I reckon He Yitao is worthwhile to be nurtured. His abilities are also extremelymendable. Furthermore, Grandfather dered during his lifetime that the Nie family¡¯s power needs no reinforcement from women. Although Grandfather has passed away, I abide by this principle. I think Ziyu should have the authority to decide her own marriage. The Nie family need not resort to sacrificing Ziyu¡¯s happiness for the support of other families.¡± On hearing this, Nie Guowei fell silent for a while, and then nodded, acknowledging, ¡°Zhenbang, honestly, I originally nned for Ziyu to get betrothed to the Zhang family residing in the military district, to gain their support. But now that you insist, I need not say anything more. Ziyu is fortunate to have a brother like you. But I feel bad for what you might need to deal with in the future.¡±
At this point, Nie Guowei abruptly changed the topic, ¡°Now, February is already underway. In less than half a month, the National People¡¯s Congress and Political Consultative Conference will convene. This session signifies the prelude to the Nationwide Party Congress in October. The period of power transition has arrived. The atmosphere in Jingcheng City is particrly subtle with each family starting to sh.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, subsequently adding, ¡°Dad, your position might need a slight adjustment.¡± This statement was far from Nie Zhenbang being presumptuous. Nie Guowei had served almost two terms as the Governor of Yanbei Province. This term of power transition was just right. By now, the elder uncle¡¯s inclusion in the cab had secured support from a significant number of military representatives, given the prestige and connections the Nie family hold within the military. In addition to the political education wave that Nie Guodong had initiated in Jingcheng City Military District received great praise from President Yuan and Vice President Shen. Joining the cab, and further assuming the Deputy Military Committee position was but a matter of course. With Nie Guodong joining the cab, as the Nie family¡¯s leader in the government, Nie Guowei had already served in the deputy office for more than six years. This was enough of a reason for Nie Guowei to make a change. Of course, once Nie Guodong joins the cab, Nie Guowei would have to drop the idea. After a moment of silence, Nie Guowei agreed, ¡°You guessed it right. This matter was discussed when I visited Jingcheng some time ago. Vice President Shen proposed that I serve as the party secretary of Bashu Province.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Continuing, Nie Guowei looked at Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Your uncle¡¯s cab seat and my movement to Bashu are minor matters. But your dealings with WangHai require your immediate attention.¡± Although Nie Guowei witnessed some shorings in his battleground acumen, over time his political skills had improved significantly owing to his extensive experience. Nie Zhenbang contemted for a moment before nodding, ¡°Dad, I understand that the WangHai incident is a major issue at hand. Presently, it involves several factional conflicts within Jingcheng City. Some want to cover it up, while others wish to uncover it. Essentially, it pertains to the question of officially joining the cab and even the standingmittee in October. Rest assured. I have got this matter under control.¡± (.) Chapter 528: 485 Trivial Matter_1 Chapter 528: Chapter 485 Trivial Matter_1 Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang say this, Nie Guowei understood that his son¡¯s words were not aimless. Over the years, he, a deputy department-level cadre from the ministry, suddenly transferred to the remote Yuehai City and took up the post of mayor, a position at the department level. Then, by some means, he advanced to Nanhai City, a special economic zone, taking the role of Deputy Secretary of the municipal partymittee in this vice-provincial-level city. Following that, he served as mayor and subsequently returned to Yanbei Province to serve as deputy governor. Throughout this career progression, Nie Guowei saw the operation and maniption of his sons every step of the way. To Guowei, it was an irony that his promotion required his son¡¯s arrangement and nning. However, Nie Guowei saw it clearly that his son was far superior to him in grasping the bigger political picture. This is not something disgraceful. Conversely, Nie Guowei is proud of having such an outstanding son. For the next two days, the family spent their time in Zhuang City. On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Nie Zhenbang made a courtesy call to Wang Yaguang. On the other end of the line, Wang Yaguang sounded very enthusiastic. As soon as the call was connected, he pre-empted saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, Happy New Year.¡± This was a gesture of goodwill. His strong performance had indeed caused a shift in the mentality of some lurkingrades within the Standing Committee of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee. Regardless of their motivations, this change was generally beneficial for him. Only in this way could he suppress Shi Yiwu at the Standing Committee and unbnce Lin Zhengxing psychologically, thereby revealing his vulnerabilities. Adjusting his mindset, Nie Zhenbang jokingly added: ¡°Mayor, you are bending the rules. I called specifically to btedly wish you a happy new year and you took advantage of the situation and pre-empted me.¡± A little joke like this certainly bridged the emotional gap between the two. On the other side, Wang Yaguangughed, saying, ¡°Zhenbang, respecting the old and cherishing the young are our Huaxia¡¯s traditions. I am older than you. Do you have the guts topete with an old man like me?¡± After exchanging greetings, they further discussed this year¡¯s economic development and situation in Wanghai City. Wang Yaguang appeared very happy andughed heartily, saying,¡±Zhenbang, with you being my deputy, my job as mayor is easier now.¡±
There was absolutely no ttery in Wang Yaguang¡¯s remark, nor was he expressing any dissatisfaction. He was sincere. Unlike Shi Yiwu¡¯s domineering style, Wang Yaguang was more of a schr-type cadre. He not only did not envypetent subordinates but supported them enthusiastically. This was the fundamental reason for the rapid economic development of Wanghai City in previous years. After hanging up the phone, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mobile phone rang again, showing an area code from Wanghai. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Many acquaintances, such as Qi Siyuan, Xiao Shanming, Li Jupeng, the driver Guo Sanbao, and Lin Chunnan, the Wanghu District Party secretary, had called him on New Year¡¯s Eve. He had just hung up on Wang Yaguang; who could it be this time? With this question in mind, as soon as the call was connected, a familiar voice came from the other side, ¡°Mayor Nie, Happy New Year.¡± Lin Mohan? Could it be him? In between, Nie Zhenbang had considered other possible callers, like Liu Yafu or Gu Dongliang, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee. Those two were the most likely. For example, Liu Yafu, as the Minister of the Organization Department, had been firmly suppressed by Zhang Zusi. In other words, in Wanghai City, Liu Yafu was just a nominal Minister of the Organization Department. The real power over personnel matters was held by Zhang Zusi, and even the executive deputy minister of the Organization Department had more power than Liu Yafu. Naturally, Liu Yafu wouldn¡¯t be content. For instance, Gu Dongliang, as the Secretary of the Municipal Political and Legal Committee, was in charge of all the political and legal work in the city. All public security, prosecution, courts, and legal departments were under his jurisdiction. Normally, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee was also the director of the Public Security Bureau. Even if they didn¡¯t hold that position, it had to be held by a trusted person. Initially, in Liangxi City, in New Li City, Chen Le was just the director of the Public Security Bureau, and even his position as Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee was reduced, which significantly weakened the power of the Political and Legal Committee¡¯s Secretary. This was a ssic example. The director of the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau was obviously not Gu Dongliang¡¯s personnel, and as the saying goes, nobody could sleep soundly by others¡¯ bed. Naturally, Gu Dongliang wanted to drive Zhou Qingguo away. Coborating with him was a good method. However, at this moment, it turned out to be Lin Mohan. Lin Mohan was in charge of the city¡¯s Propaganda Department. Rtively speaking, his power in the city was independent and without the danger of being marginalized. Why would he call? While pondering, Nie Zhenbang quickly adjusted his mindset, smiling, and said, ¡°Minister Lin, I wish you a Happy New Year too, may your family enjoy happiness.¡± After exchanging a few pleasantries, Lin Mohan changed his tone andughed, ¡°Mayor Nie, technically, I shouldn¡¯t disturb your rest during the Spring Festival, but in our conversation, I felt a connection, like Bo Ya and Ziqi. Mayor Nie, you are a talented person. Xinli has always been the brightest pearl in the northwest. In terms of propaganda work, I hope Mayor Nie can provide more guidance.¡± The phrase ¡°Boya Ziqi¡± actuallyes from the ¡°Fables¡±, and there¡¯s a proverb, ¡°High Mountain and Running River.¡± Itpares Nie Zhenbang to his confidant and soulmate. As for Lin Mohan, in making decisions and speaking, there is a schrly air about him befitting his work in propaganda. However, thest part of his sentence seems to hint at an attempt to get closer to me. The work of the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s Propaganda Department is always coordinated by the Municipal Party Committee itself. As the executive deputy mayor, Nie Zhenbang primarily focuses on governmental work. At this moment, it seems rather ill-timed for Lin Mohan to expect me to oversee propaganda work. However, Nie Zhenbang would not be vague at this moment. The request for guidance is a pretense, the real purpose is to test his intentions. If he were to refuse now, he would be refusing a standingmittee member, not just guidance. Nie Zhenbang, who does have some knowledge about propaganda work, immediately responded without ambiguity, smiling and saying, ¡°Minister Lin, you¡¯re being too modest. I can¡¯t provide guidance, but I¡¯m open to discussing and exploring it together.¡± With this statement, he expressed his position: he epted the intent to join forces, but he would not treat Lin Mohan as a subordinate. He effectively reassured Lin Mohan. ¡°Minister Lin, I feel the propaganda work in WangHai City is too conservative. I think we can considerunching an episode dedicated to social issues on television, aiming to shift societal contradictions,¡± Nie Zhenbang casually suggested. In his past life, such programs were quite popr. Domestic TV news media must have their programming approved by the Broadcasting Authority and the Propaganda Department. As the first one to act, Lin Mohan could certainly reap many benefits from this approach.
After some pleasantries, Lin Mohan hung up, feeling rather satisfied. He had wanted to express his willingness to switch allegiances, but he hadn¡¯t expected to receive guidance from Nie Zhenbang. The gain exceeded his expectations. ¡­ On the third day of the lunar new year, Nie Zhenbang, along with Li Lixue and Yang Anna, joined Nie Ziyu and He Yitao on a business trip to Tang City. On the one hand, they were visiting He Yitao¡¯s home to learn about his background because Nie Ziyu and He Yitao¡¯s rtionship had already reached the point of discussing marriage. At this point, as Ziyu¡¯s elder brother, it would be normal for Nie Zhenbang to check things out.
Upon arriving in Tang City in the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang went to the Tang City public cemetery, armed with candles and offerings. He went to pay homage to his mother. He Yitao was surprised by Nie Zhenbang¡¯s origin, he hadn¡¯t known he was also from Tang City. He Yitao¡¯s parents were regr officials in the eastern district of Tang City. His father was the chief of the personnel department of the Dongcheng District Civil Affairs Bureau, which made him an official, while his mother was an ordinary employee at the Dongcheng District Credit Cooperative. While at He¡¯s home, Nie Zhenbang was open about his own family situation. Seeing this, Mr and Mrs He looked at Nie Ziyu with a different perspective. Elder Nie¡¯s granddaughter, Governor Nie¡¯s daughter, whose brother is also the executive deputy mayor of Wanghai City ¨C all these tie-ups made the He¡¯s feel like they have achieved a status they never had.N?v(el)B\\jnn Nie Zhenbang discerned this and he quicklyforted them, ¡°Mr and Mrs He, Yitao and Ziyu have a freewill rtionship. Neither I nor my parents object to it. I came here this time to invite both of you to visit Zhuang City when it¡¯s convenient. As for my father, his official duties keep him quite busy. Please understand. Also, how you choose to treat Ziyu is entirely up to you. She shouldn¡¯t be treated differently due to her status, which would be against the spirit of parenting.¡± The couple was amused to hear this. They never thought their son could have such good luck. And Nie Zhenbang, being a reasonable man,forted them. Mr. He said, ¡°Mayor Nie, you are too polite. Governor Nie is literally busy as a cranberry merchant, so it¡¯s only right for us to visit him.¡± After having a meal at He¡¯s, Nie Zhenbang met with the Secretary of Tang city, Liu Daguan, in the evening, and officially introduced He Yitao. This was the formal endorsement. Looking at Liu Daguan¡¯s thoughtful expression, Nie Zhenbang was relieved. Liu Daguan was one of his father¡¯s loyal subordinates in Yanbei. He understood Nie¡¯s intentions. At this moment, he already saw He Yitao as a member of the Nie family. Believing Liu Daguan was smart enough, he imagined Liu would assist He, as it would be easy for a city¡¯s Secretary to promote someone to a section level. As for how far He Yitao can grow, it depends on his own capabilities and the extent of the Nie family¡¯s recognition. PS: I¡¯m very surprised by the 92 votes. Currently, we¡¯ve temporarily returned to the top thirty in the overall list. I¡¯m grateful to my brothers and sisters. The updates for 300 votes and 350 votes will be tomorrow. Which means, there will be five bursts tomorrow. Right now, at 359 votes, brothers and sisters, we are not far from 400 votes. Shall we let Old Cai have six bursts?( Chapter 529: 486 Breaking the Impasse_1 Chapter 529: Chapter 486 Breaking the Impasse_1 On the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, a group of people, apanied by the He family, took a modest tour around Tang City, focusing primarily on visiting the Earthquake Memorial. In the afternoon of the same day, Nie Zhenbang took Li Lixue and Yang Anna back to Jingcheng. At this point, it was February, and Anna and Dong Wan were soon due to give birth. Sending them back to Jingcheng to deliver their babies was the most appropriate option. Moreover, Dong Wan spent New Year at the Dong¡¯s house. The reason behind this arrangement was not clear. It was uncertain whether the Dong family wished to keep the child, or had other motives. However, at this moment, it was necessary for Nie Zhenbang to visit Jingcheng. At the very least, he should visit Dong Wan. Ignorance or indifference could provoke the anger of the Dong family, and Nie Zhenbang was too politically savvy to make such a mistake. The journey from Tang City to Jingcheng was short. A distance of one to two hundred kilometers, which was now most conveniently covered by speedways. They entered Jingcheng in the afternoon. In the evening, they spent some time talking to the olddy at the Nie¡¯s residence. The olddy seemed quite happy. After the passing of the old master, even though she had a resident doctor, a housekeeper, and dedicated staff members to assist her daily, she still felt a certain emotionalck. Having her children and grandchildren around made her the happiest. The next morning, Nie Zhenbang paid a visit to Elder Yang of the Yang family. At the Yang¡¯s residence, Elder Yang was not home, and his father-inw Yang Shengli had also gone out to visit some old friends. This news got Nie Zhenbang thinking. Currently, among the second generation of the Yang family¡¯s three brothers, the eldest, Yang Guangrong, was now the Minister of the Central Propaganda Department and a Political Bureau member. The second brother, Yang Jianjun, although not as prominent as his elder and younger brothers in the army, was a leading figure in a major military district. After all, the power of the Yang family was mainly concentrated in the government system, and for Yang Jianjun to have reached such a high-ranking position was quitemendable. The youngest, Yang Shengli, was the Secretary of the Jingcheng Municipal Committee and a Political Bureau member. In other words, having two members of one family in the Political Bureau was indeed remarkable. With the Two Sessions approaching, it would set the stage for the prelude to the National Congress of the Party in the second half of the year. Yang Guangrong was about to resign while Yang Shengli could seize this opportunity to further enter the Standing Committee. At this time, it was necessary to start preparing and maneuvering for this. After having lunch at the Yang¡¯s family, as most of the main figures were not present, Nie Zhenbang made only a brief stay, then excused himself and left. He got into his car and headed towards the Dong¡¯s residence in West Mountain.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The Dong family still treated Nie Zhenbang with much stiffness, which was understandable. Dong Wan, a highly revered woman with a prestigious family background matching that of the Yang family, was now reduced to a secondary status. This was a disgrace to the Dong family. The continuation of the interactions was only due to the leniency of Elder Dong. ¡°Zhenbang, to be honest, my son bears a great deal of dissatisfaction towards you. Once, I had high hopes for you to be my granddaughter¡¯s husband. Unfortunately, fate has dealt its own hand,¡± Elder Dong said in his study, looking a bit worn-out. His health had declined considerably over time. His hair hadpletely turned white, and there was a noticeable decline in his overall energy.
Elder Dong and Zhenbang¡¯s grandfather belonged to the same generation. To have made it this far was indeed remarkable. Hearing Elder Dong¡¯s remarks, Nie Zhenbang could only respond with a bitter smile. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Elder Dong waved his hand, speaking gently, ¡°Stop talking about these things. You, boy, are too rash. Were you seduced by Qiao¡¯s boy? Did you feel that you couldn¡¯t stay in Liangxi anymore, eagerly running to WangHai City to be Qiao¡¯s pawn? If it weren¡¯t for Wan and her mother, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered with you.¡± These words caused Nie Zhenbang some embarrassment. Before going, he was enticed by involvement in the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s case. He had impulsively epted Qiao Yiren¡¯s invitation, driven by the excitement of personally championing justice. Reflecting on this, he felt that he had indeed been too impulsive. The waters in WangHai were certainly deep, covering the possibleyout for the central government¡¯s changing ns this year, even implicating the Standing Committee¡¯s positions. Offending people was inevitable. In fact, had he stayed in Liangxi City, even if he entered the Central Party School for study, it would have been an opportunity. After studying for a year or so, with the Yang family and Dong family backing him, and given the high regard for him by Secretary-General Yuan, and both Premier Yun and Vice Chairman Shen, he could have advanced directly to the bureau as a staff-level official. After a transition period of a year or so, when qualified under the leadership cadre appointment regtions, he could have been directly promoted to deputy ministerial rank. With this scheme, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t have offended many political families and forces. But was there any room for regret now? At this moment, Nie Zhenbang inwardlymented, as it¡¯s often said, Huaxia indeed had a ¡°politics of the elderly¡±. Everything was in Elder Dong¡¯s mind, which shows his strength. The saying ¡°it¡¯s a treasure to have an elder in the family¡± ¨C in the folk context ¨C meant that elders could help with whatever they could at home, but the current situation was far beyond that simple wisdom. In such a family, the elders hold extraordinary significance. Having an elder means maintaining prestige and needing less detours. For instance, if the old master were still alive, he would certainly not let Nie Zhenbang go to Wanghai. ¡°Enough of your wistful thinking. Haven¡¯t you always admired Taizu¡¯s poetry? ¡®One should keep a broad perspective in the face of adversity.¡¯ Since you¡¯re already part of the game, any other thoughts are futile. Your primary concern should be how to break free from this predicament. Remember this: stay true to the revolutionary spirit, follow the Party¡¯s guidance and improve yourself. That¡¯s enough.¡± After saying this, Elder Dong adopted a pose of deep meditation and signaled an end to the conversation. Upon leaving the study, Nie Zhenbang spent a considerable amount of time talking with Dong Wan. He felt slightly guilty and remorseful towards this serene and unpretentious woman. From a practical standpoint, he thought of making up for his shorings by other means, even though he couldn¡¯t meet her expectations for now. After having dinner, Nie Zhenbang left the Dong¡¯s vi and got into his car. He lit a cigarette and started contemting. Elder Dong¡¯s words, though straightforward, contained significant implications. He echoed the words Nie Zhenbang once uttered to his Uncle Nie Guodong: ¡°Toe the Party line and tread in its path.¡± The underlying message was clear ¨C whether in Jingcheng or in Huaxia, regardless of factional presence, maintaining good rtions with Secretary General Yuan and Vice Chairman Shen was enough. Being good to oneself implied focusing on publication records, staying out of conflicts, and biding one¡¯s time. With achievements, recognition from the Party Leader, and the support of Dong and Yang families, promotion would be inevitable. For now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s primary concern was the ongoing situation in Wanghai. As Elder Dong had stated, finding a way out of this quandary was crucial. There was no point in visiting his uncle, at least for the moment. The Jingcheng City Military District, Northeast Military District, and Quancheng Military District had recently undertaken joint military exercises. As themander of the Jingcheng City Military District, his uncle had long since gone directly to the front line, making any visit futile. That evening, Nie Zhenbang boarded a flight back to Wanghai City. Roughly around midnight, he emerged from Wanghai Airport. As he exited the airport, he was greeted by Nie Jiamin and Gao Wei, both looking grave. The duo had done away with the festive spirit and were singrly focused on their mission in Wanghai City. As Nie approached, Nie Jiamin informed him: ¡°Li, we¡¯ve uncovered something significant. Based onprehensive investigations undertaken by Gao Wei¡¯s team over this period, we¡¯ve managed to detect a certain pattern to Lin Zhengxing¡¯s smuggling operations. News received this morning suggested that a batch of oil is scheduled to dock in the Southeastern waters of Wanghai tonight.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression turned severe and he asked in a low voice, ¡°Wei, is your information reliable?¡± The situation in Wanghai City had evolved into aplex web of alliances, with a single pull affecting the entire structure. Lin Zhengxing had constructed a vastwork for his protection at the various levels, involved even the higher echelons of the army in his activities. To challenge this order, a mere inquiry or an approach from certain quarters would hardly suffice, given the vertical hierarchy that institutions like customs, banks, oilpanies, and the military implied. In fact, the military and the local government were two independent systems. Hence, to cause disruption, one needed to round up the culprits along with the ill-gotten wealth and create a sensation to garner central-level support.
Nie Zhenbang had been seeking such an opportunity for a long time. Now, barely after New Year, an opportunity had presented itself, like a pillow to a drowsy man. Gao Wei, very serious, nodded and said, ¡°Third Brother, aren¡¯t you familiar with my style? Secretary Qi and I haven¡¯t just given up. We¡¯ve merely shifted our operations underground. Moreover, through Xiao Shanming, we¡¯ve managed to turn a customs official and received this information from that quarter. Tonight, both Minnan Oil Company and Wanghai Customs will be working as a shield for Lin Zhengxing¡¯s oil tanker. This is our best opportunity.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t hesitate anymore. Such opportunities were hard toe by. Lin Zhengxing¡¯s smuggling routes were never fixed. No sooner did he contemte a disruption than a golden opportunity presented itself. In view of the fleeting nature of such chances, he had to seize this one. Consequently, he also nodded and said, ¡°Alright. Older Brother, prepare a select team immediately. I¡¯ll join you in this operation!¡± (
Chapter 530: 487: The Fatal Blow _1 Chapter 530: Chapter 487: The Fatal Blow _1 Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words were not disputed by either of them. Nie Jiamin knew his younger brother¡¯s capabilities best as he was known as the ¡®Soldier King¡¯ in the Northwest Military Region Tiger Battalion, he was the top general under Devil Yao Yuan. Rumor had it, not even Yao Yuan himself was a match for him. Participating in this operation would not be a hindrance; on the contrary, it promised to be a significant asset. Though Gao Wei had not seen Nie Zhenbang¡¯s prestige in the Xibei Military Region, they had gone through life and death together during their time in the disciplinarymission. That experience was still vivid in Gao Wei¡¯s memory. As a group, they briskly exited the airport and got into a military vehicle from the Wanghai City Military Region, which Nie Jiamin had driven there. As soon as he got inside the car, Nie Jiamin said, ¡°Third Brother, I¡¯ve gone all out this time for Lin Zhengxing. I asked our father for help, and had him arrange for a navy destroyer from Jiangzhou Military District. I have to see what Lin Zhengxing can use to resist this time.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded approvingly at this arrangement. As the Wanghai Military Region had no ships, there were only two methods to capture Lin Zhengxing¡¯s smuggling boat amidst the boundless sea¡ª through the Customs Patrol¡¯s smuggling interception boats or by seeking support from the Minan Armed Police Force¡¯s border and maritime troops. However, Nie Zhenbang, who had a keen memory, knew very well that neither of these departments could be approached as they had both been infiltrated by Lin Zhengxing. Although only a portion of their personnel were corrupt, avoiding any leaks was impossible. At this time, seeking help from the military was the right decision and Nie Zhenbang was pleased with his older brother¡¯s approach. It seemed his brother had not entirely lost his military acumen over the years. Unevolving his father to get support from the Jiangzhou Military District was a simple matter. Instead of going to the Wanghai City Military Region, the car drove directly into the military port in Wanghai City. At that moment, the Wanghai Naval Base was brightly lit despite it beingte at night. As soon as Nie Jiamin¡¯s party arrived, a Colonel was there to wee them. Nie Jiamin promptly introduced Nie Zhenbang, ¡°Third Brother, this is Colonel Fang Zhongqi, the head of Wanghai Naval Base. Colonel Fang will be fully cooperating with us on this operation.¡± Then, facing Fang Zhongqi, he added, ¡°Director Fang, this is my cousin, Nie Zhenbang, the current Deputy Mayor of Wanghai City.¡±
Upon hearing this, Fang Zhongqi was taken aback. As the Deputy Mayor of Wanghai, Nie Zhenbang held the rank of a division-level official, just like him. However, he was in his forties while Nie Zhenbang was not even thirty. This ring inconsistency was hard to ignore. Nie Zhenbang was not to be underestimated merely for his youthfulness. Especially considering that he was tremendously wealthy. Fang Zhongqi respectfully extended a handshake, ¡°Wee, Mayor Nie. I am grateful for the support the Wanghai City Government has provided to us in our military efforts throughout the years. We are based in Wanghai, so we often rely on your assistance in various aspects of our daily lives.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled, ¡°Director Fang, you are too kind. It is our duty to support the military in any way we can. In the future, we¡¯ll have ample opportunity to coborate. For now, shall we discuss the operation?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s pragmatic and concise style surprised Fang Zhongqi. He had always perceived local government officials as people who wrap their ideas in unnecessary jargon and were more concerned with ttery than getting work done. But he found Nie Zhenbang to be far from that stereotype. After taking a moment, he responded with a gracious gesture, ¡°Mayor Nie, I admire your forthrightness. I apologize for my oversight. Pleasee in.¡± After this interaction, Fang Zhongqi¡¯s attitude towards them improved considerably. Honesty and integrity always garnered respect and Nie Zhenbang was a prime example. The group strode into themand center of the base. On one side of themand center hung arge map of the entire Wanghai seabed. As a naval port, they frequently interacted with the navy. Naturally, their priorities aligned with those of the navy. ¡°Deputy Commander Nie, as per the order from the military district, destroyer number 121 will be supporting your operation. ording to your intelligence, the operation area will be roughly 40 nautical miles off the coast of Wanghai, in zone 156. This means there¡¯s about half an hour left to prepare. Else, there won¡¯t be enough time,¡± a member of Nie¡¯s party exined. This operation was considered minor for both the navy and Nie Jiamin¡¯s group. Their immense focus came from the significance behind capturing the suspect. Nie Jiamin then reflected aloud, ¡°Capturing them is easy. A tanker can neverpete with the speed of a warship. That¡¯s not our concern. Our primary objective is gathering evidence of their smuggling activities. Director Fang, there¡¯s no time to waste. I believe we can set sail now.¡± Following Nie Jiamin¡¯smand, two hundred fully armed soldiers from the Wanghai Military Region orderly boarded the warship. Without sounding any horn, the warship slowly sailed out of the military port, disappearing into the vast expanse of the sea. With the warship¡¯s speed, it reached the designated sea area, 40 nautical miles offshore, in a little over an hour, even without travelling at full steam. Navigation routes at sea are essentially fixed, especially near the coast. To change the route recklessly could lead to a disaster like running aground, and no one navigating the seas would make such a foolish mistake. The naval ship maintained its silent state and after about ten minutes, a solitary light appeared in the distant, pitch-ck sea. From the deck of the destroyer, Director Fang turned and said, ¡°Vice Commander Nie, they¡¯re here. The radar indicates that it is our target.¡± Upon hearing that, Nie Jiamin clenched his fist. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s countenance also became solemn. Their triumph or defeat hinged on this moment. Now was not the time for sentimentality. After some contemtion, Nie Jiamin nodded and turned to a military officer at his side, saying ¡°Staff Officer Wang, ry my orders. Everyone, be ready. Once we approach the ship, take immediate action and control every aspect of the oil tanker.¡± At this moment, on the oil tanker, more than a dozen men did not rest. After having traveled a considerable distance, they became extra vignt as they approached the final stretch. The military ship that appeared ahead made everyone nervous. In the main pilothouse of the tanker, the lookout, while observing the radar, warned in a low voice, ¡°Brother Ma, it¡¯s a warship. Why would there be a warship at this time? Should we stop?¡± ¡°Stop? Lai Lao Liu, did you hit your head? If we stop now, it¡¯ll just be a few hours until daylight. Then, we¡¯ll be easily spotted by fishermen,¡± Brother Ma responded with a grim face. Looking at the radar, the military ship stood there motionless. Brother Ma mused, ¡°Lao Liu, could it be that the warship is on some secret mission? Let¡¯s continue and stay calm. Boss has already smoothed the way on Wanghaind for us. If anything changes, they will definitely notify us beforehand.¡±
At this very moment, Brother Ma made a decision that would push himself and the entire Eastern Sea Group towards the abyss. As the oil tanker steadily approached, the destroyer was prepared. The spotlight hanging on themand tower lit up, illuminating the surrounding sea area as if it were daylight. At the same time, a high-power speaker red out. ¡°We are the Huaxia Navy; please halt for inspection.¡± The words were repeated a few times, and then the destroyer slowly moved towards the oil tanker. At this moment, everything on the oil tanker was in chaos. Brother Ma panicked when he saw the giant military ship, 100 meters long, under the ring spotlight. His face showed a fierce expression as he yelled, ¡°Brothers, grab your arms! It¡¯s a fight to the death, one of us is sure to die. This time, it seems we can¡¯t escape it. But, we¡¯re men who make our living at sea, if death is certain, let¡¯s make sure we take one down with us!¡±
There was no shortage of weapons on this smuggling ship. Lin Zhengxing¡¯s men were as armed as a military team. Alone they had four submachine guns in hand. Besides the regr sailors and professionals, everyone else was a desperado.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Fired up, they pulled out their weapons from the cabin bulkhead. Lai Lao Liu, the one who first suggested stopping, now stood by the window, firing a string of bullets towards the navy ship. His shooting uracy was non-existent and his bullets merely sparked against the steel hull of the naval vessel. Upon witnessing this, Nie Jiamin took the situation seriously, looked at his soldiers and said in a grave tone, ¡°The perpetrators on the other side are a bunch of desperados. This is a battle. Be careful. Such a motley crew shouldn¡¯t stand a chance against our well-trained soldiers. Let¡¯s move!¡± As the destroyer slowly closed in on the tanker, Nie Jiamin didn¡¯t wait for the ship to steady itself. A group of soldiers rushed forward, like a pack of wolves. His well-trained soldiers, with their designated roles, quickly suppressed the enemy. Nie Zhenbang was also fully armed. Turning to Nie Jiamin, he said, ¡°Second brother, take action quickly.¡± To the well-trained military duo, Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin, these rabble-rebels were not worth any attention. In less than two minutes, they had broken into the cabin. Snap! Snap! Bullets whizzed past, followed by anguished cries. Many hands were injured, and weapons drop onto the deck. Nie Zhenbang, with a stern expression, looked at these desperadoes lying on the ground without any mercy. He decisivelymanded, ¡°Second brother, arrest them all and interrogate them overnight. The rest of you, search the ship.¡±( Chapter 531: 488: Show Your Skills (Calling for 450 Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 531: Chapter 488: Show Your Skills (Calling for 450 Monthly Tickets)_1 In the not sorge cabin, good news soon came. Nie Jiamin, who was holding some materials, came up, unable to hide the look of joy on his face. He nodded and said, ¡°Third brother, I found it. These refined oils have not gone through any customs procedures. In addition, through interrogation, we have found the locations of Eastern Sea Group¡¯s warehouses in Wanghai Port.¡± Hearing this, a smile also appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face. The anticipated breakthrough had finally arrived. Now that they have captured these people and obtained this evidence, it was clear that the Eastern Sea Group was involved in smuggling. With this evidence, they could immediately establish a special task force to investigate the smuggling issues of the Eastern Sea Group, and soon, everything would be fully exposed. With this in mind, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°Good! Second Brother, leave some people here, and the rest go back immediately. While Lin Zhengxing is still in a daze, immediately take control of the warehouses. We¡¯ll catch both the person and the goods. I want to see if Lin Zhengxing can really turn the tables.¡± Nie Jiamin nodded. He understood clearly. These men would be crucial witnesses in the future. Moreover, after some sudden interrogations, they can dig up clues about customs and coast guard involvement. Naturally, this had to be taken seriously. Then, Nie Jiamin loudly called out, ¡°Staff Officer Wang!¡± ¡°Present!¡± ¡°Staff Officer Wang, now you take the soldiers from the three squads and take control of this ce. Let the captain steer the tanker into the Wanghai Naval Harbor and keep a close eye on these people,¡± Nie Jiamin gave his orders clearly. The style in the military was such that without demonstrating strength and courage, it¡¯s hard to maintain military spirit. Staff Officer Wang, though he looked gentle and schrly, he was indeed a soldier at heart. He stood straight, nodded and said, ¡°Yes, I promise toplete the mission.¡± Unlike their leisurely journey here, Nie Zhenbang and the others now had to race against time. ording to the tanker¡¯s speed, it could reach Wanghai Port in around three hours, which is also considered the darkest time before dawn and the best time for smuggling. Lin Zhengxing¡¯s experience in smuggling had truly reached an extraordinary level. This meant that except for the twenty minutes they had just spent, Nie Zhenbang and the others had only two and a half hours left. If they couldn¡¯t seal off Lin Zhengxing¡¯s docks within this time frame, suspicions would arise if the tanker wasn¡¯t at the dock as scheduled. A simple investigation would reveal what had happened. Once Lin Zhengxing got the news, he would surely move all other goods away. Then, with Lin Zhengxing¡¯s connections and rtionships, he could easily make a few scapegoats for the tanker incident and minimize the issue. If they tried to tackle from this angle again in the future, it would be much harder.
It could be said that Nie Zhenbang and his team were in a race against time. On their return journey, they had set the speed of the destroyer No. 121 to its maximum. Without heavy weapons and ammunition, the destroyer quickly reached maximum speed. The journey of forty nautical miles took less than forty minutes before they were back at Wanghai Naval Harbor.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Upon disembarking the warship, Nie Zhenbang immediately ordered without greeting the director, ¡°Second brother, let¡¯s divide our forces in two. Seal off the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s 6th and 1st docks right away, we¡¯re out of time.¡± When Nie Zhenbang¡¯s military vehicles rushed to the two docks of the Eastern Sea Group, the night-shift workers on the dock dared not make any moves. They were intimidated by the soldiers in full gear and determined expressions. Under such circumstances, no one dared to resist. As the warehouse was forcefully opened, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback by the sight of the warehouse filled with smuggled cars, motorcycles, stic raw materials, neatly arranged in rows. Knowing the hundreds of billions of dors that the Eastern Sea Group had owed in tariff alone, he was still stunned. He remembered that in the future, some people would praise Lin Zhengxing for reducing domestic price levels and refined oil prices. This was pure peasant thinking. Why were there tariffs? On the one hand, yes, it brings revenue. But more importantly, it is a protection measure for domestic industries. Without tariffs, if people like Lin Zhengxing wanted protection, why not just make the entire country a free trade port, open to the world? Then, advanced products from abroad would flood in, and the nation¡¯s industries would be severely affected. Even the entire Huaxia might lose its industry altogether. Could a Huaxia like this still be a great country? The enemy would not even need to wage a war, an economic blockade alone could cause the entire nation to copse. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone rang. As soon as he answered, Nie Jiamin¡¯s excited voice came over the line. In the warehouse, all sorts of consumer goods were avable and no customs deration procedures could be found. It could be said that Lin Zhengxing¡¯s smuggling case was now irond. There was no way he could overturn it anymore. While Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin were sealing these two warehouses, inside the luxurious vi of Lin Zhengxing at Tianquan Vi. A vi that covered thousands of square meters and had a building area of one thousand square meters should not be regarded as a simple vi anymore. Perhaps it was more appropriate to call it a manor. Right now, the originally dark vi was lighting up, and there was a flurry of activity in the living room. The core members of the Eastern Sea Group were all sitting here. Chang Jiu also arrived at Lin Zhengxing¡¯s bedroom door at this moment, knocking on it. There was no response from inside, so he increased his strength and knocked again. Finally, Lin Zhengxing¡¯s voice came from inside: ¡°Who is it?¡± Chang Jiu¡¯s face was somewhat pallid. The news that had just arrived was that two docks full of smuggled goods had been raided by Wanghai Military Region soldiers. Moreover, the news from the customs made Chang Jiu feel terrified as the oil tanker that was supposed to be handed over in the early morning had yet to appear. Everything was making Chang Jiu somewhat fearful, afraid, perhaps, the state was taking action. At this time, Chang Jiu dared not to dawdle, whispering: ¡°Brother Zhengxing, it¡¯s Chang Jiu. Great trouble has happened. Dock one and six have been sealed off by the Wanghai Military Region.¡± His voice was not loud, but in the silent night, to Lin Zhengxing, it was no less than a thunderbolt. A voice of disbelief came from the room: ¡°What?¡± It seemed that Lin Zhengxing couldn¡¯t believe it. Under his eyelids, such a major incident happened in Wanghai City, which he had managed as tightly as a drum. A momentter, Lin Zhengxing, wearing a set of silk pajamas, walked out of the room with a grave expression, asked solemnly: ¡°Jiu, is the news reliable?¡± Chang Jiu nodded and said gravely: ¡°Brother Zhengxing, it¡¯s confirmed. The person who took action is the deputymander of the Wanghai Military Region, Nie Jiamin. ording to the information passed from the military region, Nie Jiamin is Nie Zhenbang¡¯s cousin. Brother Zhengxing, this doesn¡¯t bode well. Maybe we should run.¡± Run?
Lin Zhengxing frowned, waving his hand: ¡°Jiu, we mustn¡¯t lose ourposure. Rest assured, the sky won¡¯t copse.¡± At this time, Lin Zhengxing was clear that he mustn¡¯t panic, especially himself. His subordinates were all entangled in vested interests. If he panicked, it would be over. At this time, Lin Zhengxing was still relying on thework of rtionships he had carefully built over the years. After hesitating for a moment, he looked at the cronies in the living room and ordered solemnly: ¡°Old Five, get everyone moving right away. Clean up all the goods in the other warehouses immediately, leaving behind no traces. Also, gather a few hundred men first thing in the morning, have them sit in protest in front of the municipal government. Is that clear?¡± Watching these people leave, Chang Jiu also nodded: ¡°Brother Zhengxing, disrupting the peace in protest is only a dying tactic. If Nie Zhenbang dares to take action, I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s received authorization from above. What¡¯s more important is how we handle the current situation.¡±
Lin Zhengxing snorted coldly: ¡°The audacity of these smugglers! Sneaking around under our Eastern Sea Group¡¯s name, even using our warehouse. Chang Jiu, go to the municipal partymittee tomorrow and actively request that they deal harshly with those involved. Also, call those vested interests of ours and tell them if they want to live, they best find some scapegoats. So long as we insist someone else did it, what can they do to me?¡± It must be said, Lin Zhengxing is quite resourceful. Even in this situation, he could think of such a solution. Unfortunately, Lin Zhengxing had greatly underestimated Nie Zhenbang. Aside from these problems, the information that Gao Wei had would be fatal to him whenbined. After Chang Jiu left, Lin Zhengxing nced at the antique clock beside him. It was already past six in the morning. Immediately, Lin Zhengxing picked up the phone, dialed a number and quickly a voice came from the other side of the phone, Lin Zhengxing also smiled and said, ¡°Minister Li, I¡¯m really sorry for disturbing you so early. Minister Li, I¡¯m really helpless here in Wanghai City. Nie Zhenbang is just too arrogant. He even sealed off my warehousest night.¡± On the other end of the phone, there was a moment of silence before Minister Li spoke, ¡°General Lin, I¡¯m aware of this matter. I will handle it.¡± After hanging up, a smile appeared at the corner of Lin Zhengxing¡¯s mouth. He knew that if he failed, Minister Li would go down with him. At this point, he wouldn¡¯t dare not to help. Immediately, he dialed another number. As soon as it was picked up, Lin Zhengxing said with a smile: ¡°Director Wang, sorry to disturb you. I¡¯m Lin Zhengxing from WangHai.¡± PS: Brothers and sisters,e on! I was typing till past four yesterday and just woke up. Herees the first update. Seeking monthly votes, seeking rewards. Now I¡¯m at 426 votes, just 24 votes away from 450. Seven consecutive updates!!! I¡¯m looking forward to it.!!!!!! (.) Chapter 532: 489: Tremendous Pressure (Second Update, Calling for 450 Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 532: Chapter 489: Tremendous Pressure (Second Update, Calling for 450 Monthly Tickets)_1 On the other end of the phone, there was silence for a while before a paced voice said, ¡°General Lin. What can I do for you?¡± The tone was very t, without any surprise or fluctuation. It was a calmness that couldn¡¯t be cultivated in just a day or two. At this moment, Lin Zhengxing waspletely devoid of his usual arrogant attitude in Wanghai City. Even while on the call with Minister Li, he was soposed. His tone and attitude revealed an equal rtionship. But at this moment, Lin Zhengxing has lowered his stance. He said with a smile, ¡°Director Wang, why are you still so polite? This time, I¡¯m bothering you mainly about Wanghai City. Early this morning, Deputy Commander Nie Jiamin from the Wanghai Military Region led a team to seize a batch of my goods and an oil tanker. Director Wang¡­ ¡± Before he finished his words, on the other end, Director Wang rudely interrupted Lin Zhengxing¡¯s speech: ¡°General Lin, I can only do so much for this matter. You are well aware of Nie Jiamin¡¯s background. His father is themander of the Jingcheng City Military District; this year, at the grand party, he may be a member of the militarymission. For this matter, I think you have to find your own way. On my side, I will try my best to clear things up. After all, the Wanghai City Military District is still under the jurisdiction of the Minan Province Military District, which in turn is under the Jiangzhou Military District.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, alright. Director Wang, thank you for your trouble. With you intervening in this matter, sess is surely at hand.¡± Lin Zhengxing hung up the phone with a smile on his face. However, his face turned gloomy, damn it, when they needed money, they were all smiles. Now, when there¡¯s trouble, they just want to wash their hands off it. Does Lin Zhengxing¡¯s moneye so easily? If I¡¯m having a hard time, then everyone will. After a moment of silence, Lin Zhengxing turned to the bedroom. With such a big incident, the woman in the bedroom had already gotten up. She looked to be in her thirties, of average looks and good figure. Quite easy on the eyes indeed. As soon he entered the door, Lin Zhengxing said, ¡°Lan, now, you need to pack up at once and take the afternoon flight to Donggang. Then you will transfer to Australia. As for staying in the country, it¡¯s not possible for the moment.¡± On the surface, Lin Zhengxing was extremely calm in front of his subordinates, but he knew his own situation well. At this moment, he was also starting to n his retreat.
¡­ Early the next morning. Wanghai City had just started to get lively. The attention of all the cadre in the city was focused on the entrance of the Municipal Party Committee and City Government. At this point, at the front of the City Government building, hundreds of workers in dark-colored overalls had already blocked the entrance of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee and City Government. With so many people, one side of the road has been jammed. The steady stream of cars has slowed down here, resulting in congestion on both sides in no time. On both sides of the transparent fence of the city government, banners had been hung up saying, ¡°We need to eat, we need to survive. We firmly oppose the government¡¯s crackdown on private enterprises.¡± There were also phrases like, ¡®Protest against military interference in local government affairs. Some individual leaders have ulterior motives for revenge¡¯, and so on. These people were crying andining about the government¡¯s wrongs. Their speeches were filled with praises for the Eastern Sea Group and aggrieved individuals. For a while, the crowd of onlookers, including those taking a morning walk, buying groceries, going to work, and just watching, grew more and more. Shi Yiwu¡¯s Bentley could only get to the front of the intersection as the way forward was blocked. Secretary Zhang Xiaohai turned his head and said, ¡°Boss, I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but we¡¯re blocked.¡± Zhang Xiaohai was very careful. In the past, if this kind of situation urred, the boss would definitely berate the public security bureau for its ipetence. However, today, the boss simply nced up and said, ¡°Take a detour. Enter through the back door of the Municipal Party Committee and City Government.¡± Nie Zhenbang also came in from the back. Standing by his office window, looking at the crowd and those slogans at the entrance, Nie Zhenbang sneered in his heart. Lin Zhengxing is now acting out of desperation and resorting to such a lowly tactic. As a star entrepreneur in Wanghai City, he should understand government affairs. Now, this kind of collective visit to seek government help is illegal. Lin Zhengxing is doing this with just one intention, to portray himself as innocent through public opinion, to win the sympathy of society, and to exert pressure on the government from the public. ¡°Mayor, a moment ago, a call came from the Municipal Party Committee, requesting all standingmittee members at home to attend an emergencymittee meeting at the small meeting room of the Municipal Party Committee.¡± At this moment, Li Jupeng walked in from outside and spoke quietly. Convening a standingmittee meeting was expected. Major incidents had urred at dawn, likely causing Shi Yiwu and others to be anxious. Coupling that with the mass demonstrations, today¡¯smittee meeting is probably going to be yet another intense struggle. When Nie Zhenbang arrived at the Municipal Party Committee, he happened to run into Shi Yiwu who was about to enter the small meeting room in the hallway. At this moment, Shi Yiwu¡¯s face was somewhat gloomy. ncing at Nie Zhenbang, the light reflecting from his pupils could almost devour him. Nie Zhenbang, however, smiled and said: ¡°Secretary Shi, what a coincidence. Let¡¯s go in together.¡± Shi Yiwu didn¡¯t move nor did he speak. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t mind. If Shi Yiwu could manage a smile at this time, that would be abnormal. The two entered the small meeting room one after the other. Right now, with the exception of Jiang Li of the United Front Work Department and Zhao Fei, Secretary of the High-tech Zone Work Committee, who were still on vacation and hadn¡¯t shown up, all the other standingmittee members had already taken their seats. Once Nie Zhenbang had taken his seat, Shi Yiwu immediately started speaking: ¡°Comrades, there were many urrencesst night. The Eastern Sea Group¡¯s exclusive docks, warehouse one and warehouse six at Wanghai Port, were sealed off by the deputymander of the Wanghai City Military Region at dawn today.¡± Shi Yiwu paused for a moment before suddenly raising his voice: ¡°What is going on here? Does Wanghai City still have party organization? Do we still have principles and discipline? The Eastern Sea Group is a key enterprise that our city protects, and it¡¯s always been recognized at the provincial and even national level. Somerades think this is not too much? Several leaders from the province have already called me to inquire about this matter. What am I supposed to say?¡± As he spoke, Shi Yiwu¡¯s gaze swept over Zhang Zhengguang, continuing to apply pressure: ¡°Also, the Wanghai Military Region insists that these goods were all smuggled by the Eastern Sea Group. Ridiculous, it¡¯s simply egregiously ridiculous. These two warehouses were leased out by the Eastern Sea Group, which is already clearly noted in their corporate records. What¡¯s the aim of entrapping them this way?¡±
¡°Comrades, look at the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s hundreds of workers outside the gate. Listen to the voice of the masses. The Eastern Sea Group has made significant contributions to our city¡¯s economic construction, social development, and employment. Today, some leaders are falsely using and smearing them for their own interests. If one wants to nder, one would always find a way.¡± As he said this, Shi Yiwu¡¯s hand mmed down on the table, a clear indication of his inner rage. It was the first time Shi Yiwu had pped the table during a standingmittee meeting in Wanghai City. As the city¡¯s party secretary, his word is final, and Shi Yiwu had always maintained a calm and superior attitude. It was truly surprising to see him be so furious this time. Frankly speaking, as a senior cadre within the Party, one should not only pay attention to politics but also to breeding and demeanor at Shi Yiwu¡¯s current level. Unlikemittee meetings at the township level, or standingmittee meetings at the county level where disputes can degenerate into name-calling, such behavior would be perceived as ipetence by the higher-level leadership, and result in penalties at this level.
When everyone thought Shi Yiwu¡¯s words wereing to an end and Zhao Dingguang, the full-time deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and executive vice mayor, was preparing to severely condemn and criticize such behavior, Shi Yiwu¡¯s narrative suddenly shifted and he looked at Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Vice Mayor Nie, what are you trying to achieve? Whatever grudges there might be between you, the Eastern Sea Group, and General Lin, are your private affairs. However, I must remind you, Vice Mayor Nie, this world belongs to the Communist Party, Wanghai City is not entirely under your control. If you want to smear the Eastern Sea Group, I, Shi Yiwu, will not agree. And I will report this matter to the Central Committee.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om When this statement was made, the room fell silent. Everyone had assumed that Shi Yiwu was just insinuating a warning, they didn¡¯t expect that he would speak so frankly and start a direct confrontation. Once these words were said, it permanently killed any possibility of apromise between the two. It can be said that they were in a situation where neither can afford to lose. Either Shi Yiwu gets out, or Nie Zhenbang gets out, there are no other choices. Also worth noting is the fact that Shi Yiwu voicing his support for the Eastern Sea Group and expressing that he ns to report to the Central Committee is significant. Everyone knew that as a vice-provincial cadre, Shi Yiwu indeed has the right to report directly to the Central Committee. As his words finished, before Nie Zhenbang could speak, Zhang Zusi, the executive Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, spoke: ¡°I agree with Secretary Shi¡¯s remarks. As a party cadre, especially a cadre holding real power, one should always think twice before acting. The Eastern Sea Group, praised by the Central Leadership, upies as much as 95% of the domestic market for stic raw materials every year, and has made significant contributions to our country¡¯s economic construction and development. Comrade Nie Zhenbang¡¯s actions, I consider inappropriate. I suggest making a public rification about the Eastern Sea Group right away, and I rmend that the organization reports to the Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, taking punitive action against Comrade Nie Zhenbang.¡± His neighbour, Gu Dongliang coughed lightly and said: ¡°Secretary Shi,rades, before the meeting this morning, I received a call from the Ministry of Public Security¡¯s office. The Executive Vice Minister of Public Security, Vice-Minister Li Chengfang is visiting Wanghai City for an inspection tomorrow.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang sneered in his heart. Even Li Chengfang couldn¡¯t keep calm and wasing to Wanghai to show his support. The pressure was indeed tremendous. PS: Brothers and sisters, continue asking for monthly votes, already 435 monthly votes. Only 15 votes away from 450 monthly votes. As always, we are aiming for a big bang today!! At 450 monthly votes, it¡¯s a seven-more explosion. If we can reach 500 monthly votes, it¡¯s an eight-more explosion!! 550 monthly votes? Brothers and sisters, do you have faith? (.) Chapter 533: 490: Turning The Tide (Third Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 533: Chapter 490: Turning The Tide (Third Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Hearing these words, the expressions of Shi Yiwu and others eased a bit. Shi Yiwu knew that Lin Zhengxing was making his move. Li Chengfang was the standing deputy minister of the Ministry of Public Security. As per the high-ranking principle of the Ministry of Public Security, Li Chengfang was a minister-level official, also bearing the halo of a Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Politics and Law. Arriving in such a hasty manner at this time, it was clear that the reason was rted to Eastern Sea Group. After Li Chengfang¡¯s arrival, whether there was solid evidence of Eastern Sea Group¡¯s involvement in smuggling was no longer important. Even if Nie Zhenbang had the support of the military, they did not possess the authority to interrogate local officials. The case was left to the local police to handle. Regardless of whether it was the provincial or city bureau that got involved, with Li Chengfang¡¯s presence and Zhuang Roshun from the provincial bureau, the conclusion was inevitable. At this moment, Gu Dongliang looked somewhatplex, nced at Nie Zhenbang, and continued, ¡°Minister Li has specifically indicated that he will inspect the Eastern Sea Group. Secretary Shi, considering the current situation¡­?¡± When leaders from the higher authorities or central leadershipe to inspect, they should be shown the best side of things. Currently, can the Eastern Sea Group still be considered the best? Subsequently, Shi Yiwu also understood the intention of Lin Zhengxing. He seized this opportunity to exert pressure and persuade Nie Zhenbang to abandon his ns, resolve the issue peacefully, and prepare for Minister Li¡¯s inspection. After Minister Li¡¯s departure, looking for evidence would be impossible. After pondering for a moment, Shi Yiwu started, ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, you heard Secretary Dongliang¡¯s remarks. Minister Li has specifically asked to inspect the Eastern Sea Group. However, seeing the situation of the Eastern Sea Group, chaos is bound to ensue. At this time, I suggest you put aside your little games. Get back on the right track, work together, and prepare for his arrival.¡± At his side, Zhao Dingguang chimed in, ¡°That¡¯s right. Regarding the Eastern Sea Group matter, Mayor Nie, it¡¯s just your conjecture. I think it¡¯s better to keep things peaceful.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The two of them, one ying good cop and the other bad, were perfectly coordinated. Any ordinary person would probably back down under such pressure. However, Nie Zhenbang saw through these tricks clearly. In the face of the nces from the standingmittee members, Nie Zhenbang calmly said, ¡°Secretary Shi, I will pretend I didn¡¯t hear what you just said.¡± Upon hearing this statement, everyone was taken aback. What was Nie Zhenbang trying to do? Qi Siyuan, Lin Mohan, and Zhang Zhengguang were all nervously sweating for Nie Zhenbang.
Shi Yiwu¡¯s expression changed, and as he was about to speak Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t give him the chance, continuing, ¡°As everyone knows, I didn¡¯t know Lin Zhengxing from Eastern Sea Group before I came to Wanghai City. During my time working in Wanghai, I also had no contact with Lin Zhengxing. Those words using me of personal vendetta are just trying to smear me, which I absolutely will not acknowledge. Regarding this matter, I will make a detailed report to Secretary Chen of the Provincial Committee, Governor Jia, and Secretary Qiao. I believe that the organization will give me a fair judgment.¡± If Shi Yiwu can pull rank, so can I, Nie Zhenbang. And who¡¯s to say my tactics are inferior to yours, Shi Yiwu? If you think you can suppress me with Li Chengfang, you¡¯re wrong. Who is Li Chengfang? The nephew of Elder Li, the uncle of Li Jianghe and Li Jiangshan, a true member of the Li family. I have long been at odds with the Li family, so do I have anything to fear from them? Then he continued, ¡°As for the so-called smearing of the Eastern Sea Group, I don¡¯t acknowledge it either. This operation was a regr exercise by the Wanghai City Military Region and the Jiangzhou Naval Base stationed in Wanghai. In pursuit of realism, live ammunition was used in the exercise. Capturing the oil tanker was an idental urrence. Discovering smuggling, as the Wanghai City Military Region, it is necessary to assist the local government in doing a good job. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything seriously wrong with that. As for whether the Eastern Sea Group has been wronged, at present, without investigation, there is no right to speak. As Comrade Nan Xun once said, practice is the only criterion for testing truth. Here, I extend it a bit, whether it¡¯s wronged or not, we must wait for the investigation to be done. Even if the Eastern Sea Group is truly wronged, but if they were to rent the oil tanker and warehouse to a smuggling group, that would still be a major responsibility and they should be punished.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang nonchntly nced at Liu Sicun, challenging, ¡°As for the punishments, even if Secretary-General Liu doesn¡¯t mention it, I will report to the provincialmittee. If the provincialmittee decides to punish me, I will certainly obey the organization¡¯s decision.¡± Unlike Shi Yiwu¡¯s stern fury and intimidating demeanor, Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, wore a calm andposed expression. With his gentle and subtlenguage, he easily defused Shi Yiwu¡¯s criticisms against him. His demeanor made Lin Mohan and Liu Yafu admire him secretively. If it were them, they might not have the same courage and insight. Lin Mohan was even more grateful that he had established a rtionship with Mayor Nie early on. At this moment, Shi Yiwu had also cooled down quite a bit. Nie Zhenbang was too rigid, armed with thorns all over, offering no opening for an attack. In terms of capabilities, he was highly powerful, and as for character, there hadn¡¯t been any negative news about Nie Zhenbang in Wanghai City. This was practically a saint-like style. After a moment of silence, Shi Yiwu again said, ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, the central government has always been emphasizing stability and harmony. Although what you said has some truth to it, what about those people outside? The Eastern Sea Group is now panicked, how will they wee Minister Li¡¯s inspection?¡± Nie Zhenbang calmly replied, ¡°For Deputy Minister Li¡¯s inspection and guidance, I think it¡¯s better to be true to facts. We do not need to gloss over the reality, this is the quality of an outstanding party cadre. As for those people outside, Secretary Shi, as I remember, group petitions are illegal. If they have any issues or opinions to express, they can do so through the petition department, or even send representatives to express their concerns to the city government. Isn¡¯t this allowing their behavior? My opinion is to handle the situation strictly and absolutely not indulge them.¡± Next, Qi Siyuan made his stance known. After thest investigation concerning Niu Chao, Qi Siyuan had kept a low profile. Now, however, he was back in the spotlight. Naturally, Qi Siyuan firmly supported Nie Zhenbang¡¯s views without reservation. Following that, Liu Yafu, Lin Mohan, and Zhang Zhengguang also shared their opinions, all without exception, expressing their support for Nie Zhenbang. Whether the Eastern Sea Group was involved in smuggling or not, at the very least, the group was heavily suspected. Clearing it of rted suspicion without solid evidence would be inappropriate. With this, four standingmittee members supported Nie Zhenbang, and coupled with Zhenbang himself, that added up to five votes now. At this moment, Zhenbang was certain that Wang Yaguang was surely aware of the imminent breakthrough under this situation. The lid on the case in Wanghai City was about to be lifted. If Wang Yaguang did not know how to make a choice, his years spent as Vice Minister would be wasted. With the support of Wang Yaguang, out of eleven people, six had already expressed support for Nie Zhenbang¡¯s opinion. Shi Yiwu also understood that the overall situation could no longer be changed. In the past, when Shi Yiwu had the final say in the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee, no one dared to oppose him. But now, with the emergence of Nie Zhenbang, these suppressed people saw a glimmer of hope, making their union inevitable. Disputing any further at this point would be futile¡ªit looked like the only option was to single out each problem and tackle them one by one. At this point, Shi Yiwu stood up and said coldly: ¡°I think it¡¯s best to leave this matter aside for now. Comrade Sicun, you¡¯re the Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee and in charge of the Letters and Visits Office. The pacification work of the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s employees¡ª I expect you to manage it well.¡± ¡­ Over at the Municipal Party Committee Office Building, in the office of the Municipal Disciplinary Committee Secretary, Nie Zhenbang, Qi Siyuan, and Lin Mohan were seated on the sofa. Qi Siyuan was a bit surprised but mostly impressed. Mayor Nie, in his quiet and unspectacr demeanor, had unexpectedly managed to win over Lin Mohan. The fact that Lin Mohan had willingly joined them suggested that he hadpletely sided with Nie Zhenbang. This capability was indeedmendable. After pouring a cup of green tea for both Nie Zhenbang and Lin Mohan, Qi Siyuan said: ¡°Nie Zhenbang, Shi Yiwu¡¯s words this time were like a sharp knife to the heart. You¡¯re the only one capable of withstanding such pressure. I¡¯m afraid if it were anyone else, they would hardly manage.¡±
From the side, Lin Mohan also added, ¡°Secretary Qi is right, Mayor Nie, I believe the situation is far from simple.¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s not simple.¡± Nie Zhenbang took over the conversation. He looked at Lin Mohan seated next to him. This time, inviting Lin Mohan to this small circle meeting had been something of a test. If Lin passed, he would be genuinely integrated into Nie Zhenbang¡¯s system. Soon after, Nie Zhenbang said solemnly, ¡°The situation involves not just the provincialmittee but also¡­¡± Nie Zhenbang made an upward-pointing gesture that startled the other two. They were all just middle-tier officials. They never expected the situation would lead to a power struggle at the central administration. This shocked them.
However, Nie Zhenbang said with a smile, ¡°Minister Lin, when ites to the propaganda department, it¡¯s necessary for you to manage it personally. In the near future, a neutral stance must be maintained. Even if you do not support our side, you must at least prevent the Eastern Sea Group from controlling public opinion. This is crucial.¡± After a brief pause, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face grew serious again as he addressed Qi Siyuan and Lin Mohan, ¡°Secretary Qi, Minister Lin, our sess or failure hangs on this moment. Minister Lin, when Secretary Qi and I go to the provincial city, keep an eye on the situation. Should any issues arise, you can report to Mayor Wang.¡± To get this far and establish a special investigation team based solely on Wanghai City¡¯s authority was certainly not feasible. The only option now was to report upwards. Qiao Yiren should know how to handle the situation with this basis in ce. The next course of action shouldn¡¯t be their concern. PS: The current vote count is 446 votes, just 4 short of reaching 450 votes. My dear readers, there¡¯s definitely no doubt that we can reach 500 votes! Daring to challenge me? ( Chapter 534: 491 Secretary Qiaos Promise (Fourth update, calling for monthly ticket) _1 Chapter 534: Chapter 491 Secretary Qiao¡¯s Promise (Fourth update, calling for monthly ticket) _1 Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Lin Mohan was taken aback for a moment, but in his heart, there was some tion. Following Nie Zhenbang was indeed the right decision. Unexpectedly, Mayor Nie, without a word, had already mobilized the well-known good old man of Wanghai City. Lin Mohan had a clear understanding of Wang Yaguang, a person who was exceedingly cautious. Someone who is of the nature of not eagling without seeing the bunny, if Wang Yaguang dared to stand up and support Nie Zhenbang under such circumstances, it¡¯s evident that Wang Yaguang had determined that Nie Zhenbang would be the ultimate victor. This greatly excited Lin Mohan. Immediately, he gained confidence and nodded, saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, rest assured. On the propaganda front, with me here, there won¡¯t be major chaos. Even in terms of media bias, I¡¯m considering producing some debate-oriented and thought-provoking articles and reports. To align with the national customs¡¯ initiative proposedst year to vigorouslybat smuggling, I will do some nning.¡± Lin Mohan, who had always worked on the propaganda frontline, came from a professional background. Having held roles from a junior officer in a county publicity department to a vice-minister, minister, vice-minister in Ningzhou Propaganda Department, department director in the Provincial Publicity Department, finally, bing the concept art director in the Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee. He had rich experience. His ns were a sort of biased soft propaganda. However, they could even leave Shi Yiwu unable to find faults, which would greatly assist Nie Zhenbang in controlling the direction of public opinion in Wanghai City. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang nodded in satisfaction, saying, ¡°Director Lin, this approach is not bad. However, be mindful of the degree, do not let the opponent feel a great deal of pressure, which would be adversely affecting the subsequent work.¡± Lin Mohan nodded, at the moment, he hadpletely ced himself in a subordinate position. This time, he saw very clearly the direction of the wind in Wanghai City. Since he had to do it, it had to be done thoroughly with conviction, this way, he could reap the greatest benefits. ¡°Mayor, rest assured. I will report to you at any time about any situation.¡± These words were a naked deration of loyalty. At this moment, Qi Siyuan¡¯s secretary Song Chunwang and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s secretary Li Jupeng also walked in from outside. Li Jupeng, representing both of them, spoke, ¡°Mayor, Secretary Qi, the car is ready.¡± At that moment, the two exchanged nces, walked out of the city partymittee building, and Nie Zhenbangughed, saying, ¡°Secretary Siyuan, let¡¯s go together. It¡¯s nice to have apanion to talk to on the way.¡± Qi Siyuan was stunned for a moment, then promptly and straightforwardly nodded, saying, ¡°Alright, Chunwang, you can ride with Secretary Li in my car.¡±
The two cars, one in the front and the other following, left from the back door of the office building of Wanghai City Party Committee and City Government, directly turned onto the main road, and rushed towards Jiangzhou. At that moment, in the building, Shi Yiwu was standing by the window, watching the departing cars. Silent and not uttering a word, Liu Sicun walked up to him and whispered, ¡°Secretary, Nie Zhenbang and Qi Siyuan are off to report to the provincialmittee.¡± At this moment, Shi Yiwu waved his hand and said in a deep voice, ¡°Not a problem, I am a standingmittee member of the provincialmittee. I will definitely attend the standingmittee meeting of the provincialmittee. Tomorrow, when the Minister Lies, the work in all areas must be done meticulously. In addition, we need to express the voices of the Eastern Sea Group workers.¡± Shi Yiwu snorted coldly. As far as controlling public opinion goes, focusing only on Wanghai City was short-sighted. Moving against Yuhai Group is basically equivalent to moving against the Li family. Shi Yiwu was now fully aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s activities. This man is a grandson of the founding hero, Elder Nie. However, after Elder Nie passed away, the Nie family became a plucked phoenix. This time, when Deputy Minister Li came, there would surely be people from the propaganda department among his entourage. Through national well-known media, this would be a legitimate approach. By then, when the overwhelming public opiniones down, the Nie family¡¯s use of the military to fight the government¡¯s power would be viewed as not ying by the rules. Most definitely several factions seeking discontent, especially those in the government faction, would look unfavorably at it. After a moment of silence, Shi Yiwu opened his mouth again and said, ¡°Sicun, tomorrow, seal up that Bentley and keep it in the car team of the City Committee. Get the Audi out.¡± Now that Wanghai is bing the focus of national attention, continuing to drive a Bentley would clearly be inappropriate. At this moment, Shi Yiwu started topromise as well. ¡­ ¡°Mayor Nie, Jupeng is following you. As his uncle, I have always been indifferent. During this period, I have to thank you for your care.¡± In the car, Qi Siyuan brought up the matter directly. Nie Zhenbang alsoughed. Qi Siyuan¡¯s attitude had always been one of equality. He didn¡¯t mind, his personality has never been the sort to demand that other standingmittee members be his subordinates. As long as they have the right mindset, everything else doesn¡¯t matter. Now, Qi Siyuan speaking in this way, obviously has an attitude of goodwill. Appointing my nephew as your secretary, unspoken, is one thing, speaking it out, conveys a different meaning. ¡°Haha, Secretary Siyuan, you can¡¯t really thank me. When Li Jupeng became my secretary, I didn¡¯t consider your feelings at all. Jupeng indeed possesses the ability. Surely, you as the Secretary of the Disciplinary Committee cannot hinder his progress. As the saying goes, promoting apetent person without avoiding rtives. Old Qi, you need to change your thinking.¡± Nie Zhenbang said, with a rxed demeanor and a smile. Qi Siyuan alsoughed next to him. In this way, the rtionship between the two men,pared to before, appeared more intimate and harmonious. On the way, they exchanged information and experiences on the Wanghai officialdom and the case of Eastern Sea Group. Time always seems to fly by during these conversations. The journey from Wanghai City to Minzhou City takes approximately four hours in total. By noon, the car had already entered the city area of Minzhou. Considering it was already lunchtime, the car parked near a restaurant next to the provincialmittee and government offices. The two of them, along with the driver and secretaries, had lunch together. Around one-thirty, both parties stood up, this time they got into their respective cars and drove straight into the provincialmittee and governmentpound. The ck Audi A6 with the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee¡¯s number four and five license tes, a standard government vehicle, naturally encountered no obstacles at the guard post. The car drove straight into thepound. Qiao Yiren¡¯s office is located on the eleventh floor of the Provincial Party Building, as the full-time Deputy Secretary of Minan Provincial Party Committee. He is the third inmand in Minan province. Governor Jia Minfu¡¯s office is in the provincial government, as such, Qiao Yiren¡¯s office is adjacent to Secretary Chen Renqing¡¯s office. When Nie Zhenbang arrived, the office door was slightly ajar. He knocked, and from inside, a voice said, ¡°Come in.¡± Upon entering, Qiao Yiren¡¯s secretary, Liang Yuan, promptly stood up. Nie Zhenbang then also smiled and said, ¡°Director Liang, has Secretary Qiao arrived yet?¡± Liang Yuan recognized Nie Zhenbang, as his boss had brought him over from Jiangbei Province. He was well aware of the effort his boss had put in to bring Nie Zhenbang to Wanghai.
Liang Yuan was pleased with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s politeness. Although he is Secretary Qiao¡¯s secretary and also the deputy director of the secretariat, he is usually referred to as Director Liang. However, to the big shots from the municipal area, he was not necessarily an important figure. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s courtesy, therefore, was very face-saving for Liang Yuan.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Not daring to neglect his duties, Liang Yuan quickly got up and poured a cup of hot tea for Nie Zhenbang before smiling and saying, ¡°Secretary Qiao went home for lunch. He usually rests for about half an hour at noon. At this time, he should be about to arrive.¡± Just after he spoke, Qiao Yiren¡¯s hearty voice came from outside, ¡°Liang, who¡¯s here? You¡¯re even talking about my habits now.¡± Upon hearing Qiao Yiren¡¯s voice, Nie Zhenbang stood up, and at this moment, Qiao Yiren entered the room. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, a smile of pleasure appeared on his face, and he nodded, ¡°Zhenbang¡¯s here,e in and sit.¡±
Following Qiao Yiren into the inner office, the room was warm with the air conditioner on. Qiao Yiren also took off his coat. Wearing a white shirt, he looked very energetic. In fact, Qiao Yiren was not very old either; he was only about forty-two or three years old now. ¡°Secretary Qiao, I came here mainly to report to you on the work situation in Wanghai City,¡± Nie Zhenbang began in a very standard way. After he had reported aboutst night¡¯s events, the incidents in the previous day, and finally summarized, ¡°Secretary Qiao, the case of the Eastern Sea Group, in my opinion, involves a wide range, including the customs, public security, government, oil, and banking departments. With implications so wide-ranging, I am not certain about it.¡± Nie Zhenbang believed that Qiao Yiren, with his informationwork, would probably have known this by morning. However, just because the leader knew it didn¡¯t mean that it could be smoothed over and not reported. At this moment, Qiao Yiren was also somewhat astonished. He was well prepared for the Eastern Sea Group case. But he didn¡¯t expect it to entail such a vast range of implications, especially involving the customs, banks, petroleum, and other departments, which could involve higher authorities. On the surface, it was an ordinary case, but it was rted to games of power. For a moment, Qiao Yiren was also somewhat hesitant. After contemting for a while, Qiao Yiren nodded, ¡°the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s case, the amount smuggled is so massive, it seriously impacts our domestic economy¡¯s development. I believe the Central Government¡¯s stance is correct.¡± But then, Qiao Yiren sighed, ¡°Sess or failure due to Xiao He, Wanghai was built on the foundation of the Eastern Sea Group. The copse of the Eastern Sea Group is indeed a heavy blow to Wanghai City. This time, Zhenbang, you have to be mentally prepared. If the Eastern Sea Group copses, swiftly restoring economic order and resuming development, these issues are all crucial.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart lifted with joy, Qiao Yiren said this, in essence, meant amitment to him. PS: 451 votes, brilliant job my brothers and sisters! Can we reach 500 votes? Eight updates in a day IS possible! Don¡¯t worry whether Old Cai can handle it, it¡¯s whether you guys can achieve it. Let¡¯s go!!! Looking forward to the eight updates in a day!!! (Continued. If you like this work, please support us at with your rmendation votes/subscription. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 535: 492: Persist for Three Days (Fifth Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 535: Chapter 492: Persist for Three Days (Fifth Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Looking at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face of surprise, but with little change in joy. Qiao Yiren was quite satisfied with this mindset, which is excellent¨Cnot to be pleased by gain, nor to be saddened by personal loss. The worldly reputation and profit should be looked down upon, but how many people could really do it? Even he, isn¡¯t he carefully nning for the highest position? It¡¯s already quite remarkable that Nie Zhenbang can do so. Then, Qiao Yiren also smiled and said, ¡°Zhenbang, ording to the regtions for the appointment of party and government leadership cadres, you do meet the standards.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded, as an official within the system, he must be familiar with some of the state¡¯s policyws and regtions. Especially for these rules that are closely rted to his own interests, he must be fluent. In the provisions between the second chapter of the regtions for the appointment of party and government leadership cadres. (2) Those promoted to leading positions at the county (division) level or above generally should have experience in serving in more than two positions at the next lower level. (3) For promotions to leading positions at the county (division) level or above, from a deputy position to a principal position, one should have worked in the deputy position for more than two years. If one is promoted to a higher deputy position from a lower principal position, one should have worked in the lower principal position for more than three years. (4) Generally, one should have at least a college degree. Leaders at the department (bureau) level or above generally should have at least an undergraduate degree. (5) One should have received training for a total of more than three months within five years from a Party school, administrative academy, or other training institutions redited by the organization (personnel) department. If due to special circumstances, the training requirement is not met before promotion, the training should bepleted within one year after the promotion. Provincial and ministerial party and government leaders should also strive to meet the Central government¡¯s requirements for senior officials. From this regtion perspective, on the second point, he has served as the mayor of Liangxi City and as the executive deputy mayor of WangHai, which counts as experiences in more than two positions at the next lower level. He meets this point. On the third point, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s current situation is considered a promotion from deputy-level post to principal post. He has more than three years of experience, nearly four, at the principal hall-level post. This point is met as well. The fourth point, of course, there is no need to exin, a master¡¯s degree, is more than sufficient. The fifth point, Nie Zhenbang has not yet reached the standard yet. But does thest sentence not have such a saying? This would suffice. As for thest sentence, ¡°meeting the Central government¡¯s requirements for senior officials¡±, ispletely subjective.¡± If those above value you, then you meet the requirements, if not, then you do not meet the requirements. This is not a rigid indicator.
The main reason why Nie Zhenbang never dares to think about his promotion is mainly because of his age issue. A 30-year-old deputy ministerial-level official is indeed a little intimidating when mentioned. Even in the quiet ministries or youthmittees, such young deputy ministerial-level officials are few and far between, let alone a significant party and government official. At this moment, after being mentioned by Qiao Yiren, Nie Zhenbang felt a bit eager as well. He had a strong foundation, he started working at 20, and was a deputy division-level official at 22. Before 1995, there were no regtions on the appointment of officials, which was an opportunity for him. After two years of being tempered in the disciplinemittee, his deputy hall became positive. He was a positive hall in Liangxi city for a year. Now, promotion is not impossible. It mainly depends on the bnce and attitude of those above. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang appeared extraordinarily respectful and nodded, ¡°Secretary Qiao, thank you and the organization for your trust and support in me. I will definitely not let down your high hopes for me.¡± Under this circumstance, it is necessary to express one¡¯s loyalty. Otherwise, why should Qiao Yiren promote you? People who don¡¯t know how to be grateful will not be valued by any leader. At this moment, Qiao Yiren was also very satisfied with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude. He had ced Nie Zhenbang in WangHai City, originally with some thoughts. To put it unkindly, there was even some seductive intention. Now, Nie Zhenbang has broken the dilemma of WangHai with this thunderous momentum. Both emotionally and reasonably, Qiao Yiren has to give Nie Zhenbang benefits. Otherwise, in Jingcheng, neither the Dong family nor the Yang family are fools. If they burn bridges after crossing the river, his reputation would be ruined. For a deputy ministerial position, it obviously would not be worth it. With these thoughts in mind, Qiao Yiren waved his hand and said, ¡°Zhenbang, it¡¯s still too early to discuss these matters now. The case of the Eastern Sea Group is not something we can decide. It has a wide impact, and even the Central Government will have some concerns. Besides, the situation in WangHai City is not optimistic. The Eastern Sea Group is the economic pir of WangHai city. If the Eastern Sea Group falls, the whole economy of WangHai city will regress ten years. I¡¯m afraid some leaders from the Provincial Committee would not be willing.¡± Qiao Yiren was indeed the future sessor, and the angles and levels at which he viewed things were insightful. Nie Zhenbang was also clear. In fact, in the standingmittee of the Minnan Provincial Committee, certain leaders were indeed hesitant, which implicated Provincial Secretary Chen Renqing and led him to take up a director¡¯s role and retire. Otherwise, with Governor Jia and Secretary Qiao from the Standing Committee of the Provincial Committee of Minnan Province, as the team leader, Chen Renqing would certainly not have retired so quietly. After Nie Zhenbang had finished reporting to Qiao Yiren, knowing to take a hint, he stood up. With Qiao Yiren¡¯s promise, that was enough. At this time, it would be unrealistic to expect Qiao Yiren to state how things were to be done. After stepping out of Qiao Yiren¡¯s office, he entered the elevator. When it reached the ninth floor, the elevator doors opened, and Qi Siyuan came in. ¡°Secretary Siyuan, how¡¯s the situation?¡± Nie Zhenbang was the first to start asking questions. Qi Siyuan¡¯s face looked very calm at this moment. As a disciplinarymittee worker, especially someone like Qi Siyuan, he had reached a state where his joy and anger did not show. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s inquiry, he immediately responded, ¡°Mayor Nie, the situation is not optimistic. ording to Secretary Jiashu, the provincialmittee is likely to convene a standingmittee meeting to discuss and unify our understanding of this matter.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Nie Zhenbang, however, smiled. In his memory, Ding Jiashu, the secretary of the Minnan Provincial Committee, had no role in the Yuhai case. This proved that Ding Jiashu was a kind of moderate official, that is, someone who did not strive for merit but wished to avoid any missteps. Yet Nie Zhenbang was clear about one thing. In his previous life, around April, after the Two Sessions were held, Zhuang Aiguo, the secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, personally gave an order to establish the Yuhai Special Case Group. The group wasrge,prising more than seven hundred members from various departments such as taxation, customs, public security, military, industry andmerce, the Discipline Inspection Committee, banking, and oil. ¡°Secretary Siyuan, let¡¯s just do our job. Don¡¯t worry about the Yuhai case. Under these circumstances, the case cannot be covered up just because the provincialmittee wants to keep it quiet.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s confident words were spoken. On the side, Qi Siyuan was taken aback but then understood Nie Zhenbang¡¯s meaning. The man before him used to be the director of the Fifth Supervision Office of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Thus, he must know some inside information. Then he nodded, ¡°Mayor Nie is right. This incident has exposed many officials. Our municipal discipline inspectionmission has received more reports. In fact, we¡¯ve even received some real-name reports. It¡¯s about time. Now, I think the key is to deal with the inspection by Vice Minister Li of the Ministry of Public Security. He¡¯s trouble.¡± Nie Zhenbang had anticipated this situation. Just because Wanghai City has always been calm like the water doesn¡¯t mean unity. On the contrary, there must be some people who know and hold some information. They have not been exposed mainly due to the local situation in Wanghai City. Now under these circumstances, anyone can see that a storm is brewing and maybe even a typhoon will blow. The more radical cadres definitely can¡¯t hold back any longer. The fact that there have been several real-name reports is proof of this. Nie Zhenbang and Qi Siyuan did not stay in Minzhou City, but returned to Wanghai City in the afternoon. By eight o¡¯clock in the evening, their cars, one in front and one behind, entered the urban area of Wanghai City. In recent months, no housing has been allotted to Zhenbang in the district for city partymittee and government staff. Many units, such as Unit 5, were still upied by previous upants. For example, the family of the former deputy mayor still lived in Unit 5. Even though they had already retired, some people were still living there, so it was natural that they didn¡¯t rush to leave. As such, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s housing issue had been dyed. As soon as he entered the door, the vice director of the reception office, Ma Fei, greeted him, ¡°Mayor Nie, you¡¯re back. These tworades have been waiting for you all afternoon.¡±
Ma Fei had thoroughly studied Nie Zhenbang¡¯s temperament. Such a person couldn¡¯t be seduced by beauty, so Ma Fei adjusted her working style ordingly. Although she was still extremely charming, she was very well-behaved in front of Nie Zhenbang. Following Ma Fei¡¯s pointed direction, two young men were seated on the couch. Even though they were in casual clothes, it was clear they were military men. Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Bring these tworades upstairs.¡± As soon as they entered the door, one of the young men closed the door behind him, while the other saluted, ¡°Chief, Deputy Commander Nie has asked us to inform you that orders have been issued from above for the military to stick to their own duties, and hand all the arrested suspects and all materials to Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee.¡±
The military has intervened. Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow furrowed, enveloped in thought. If they are handed over, it¡¯s over. Provide them a chance to collude in their confessions and shoulder the me, and the case will close. After pondering for a bit, Nie Zhenbang solemnly said, ¡°Comrades, please ry to Deputy Commander Nie that we must continue our efforts for three more days, at all costs, even if it means tarnishing the image of the military. Just three more days.¡± A three-day timeframe. In the afternoon, the Provincial Committee Standing Committee will definitely hold an emergency meeting, and Qiao Yiren and Jia Minfu would meet with upper-level reporting in the evening, or tomorrow. It will also take two days for the central government to make a decision. Three days is an absolute minimum. As for whether or not a decision will be made within these three days, Nie Zhenbang could no longer be concerned with that, and could only take things as theye. PS: 466 votes, brothers and sisters, you are too powerful. We are only 34 votes away from 500 monthly votes. Eight more votes doesn¡¯t seem too far away. The sixth vote will be around 9:30. The seventh one will be around 10:40. The eighth one, I¡¯ve left some time for you guys. ( Chapter 536: 493: Defying Minister Li (6th update, ask for monthly ticket)_1 Chapter 536: Chapter 493: Defying Minister Li (6th update, ask for monthly ticket)_1 Eighth day of the first lunar month It was February 23rd, 2099, by the Gregorian calendar. There were only eight days left until the National People¡¯s Congress and Political Consultative Conference to be held in Jingcheng on March 3rd. At this moment, the leadership of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee ¡°five major groups¡± were already waiting inside the tarmac of Wanghai Airport. The leaders of the five major groups, plus their deputy cadres, secretaries, drivers, as well as the security team of Wanghai City Public Security Bureau ¨C hundreds of people ¨C had gathered at the site. To the side, there was an array of ck Audis, including the official car of the municipal partymittee, a brand-new Audi with the license te ¡°South D-00001¡±. Shi Yiwu, who was given this car, had never ridden it before. In Wanghai City, Shi Yiwu¡¯s official vehicle had always been a Bentley. Now he was suddenly using an Audi he had never ridden before, a change that gave the cadres of Wanghai City some food for thought. Currently, Wanghai City was like a volcano. And not just any volcano, but an erupting one. At this moment, a slight mistake could lead to one falling into the volcanic mouth, leaving no trace of one¡¯s body. Everyone was extremely cautious. Shi Yiwu kept a poker face. He nced at his wristwatch ¨C an old model from the 1980s made in Hucheng City ¨C then said in a somber voice, ¡°Everyone, back to the cars. Minister Li¡¯s ne will not arrive for a few more tens of minutes.¡± After about thirty-some minutes of waiting, the scheduled flight from Jingcheng to Wanghai arrived as expected, circling above Wanghai Airport and gradually descending. Even though Li Chengfang was the executive deputy minister of the Ministry of Public Security, he did not yet qualify for the use of a special ne. This time, the Ministry¡¯s office simply booked first-ss seats on the flight. At this moment, the airport¡¯s boarding-stair truck slowly moved to the cabin door. As the door opened, Li Chengfang was the first to step out. Beneath him, the standing members of the municipal partymittee, along with the Political Consultative Conference leader Hu Zhongcheng, and key persons from Minzhou including Li Weibang, the head of the Provincial Political and Legal Affairs Committee, and Zhuang Roshun, the permanent deputy director of the Provincial Public Security Bureau, were all lined up. Li Chengfang appeared to be around fifty-five years old. He had arge forehead, his hair dyed without a single white strand. He wore a police uniform, with the huge national emblem being especially eye-catching.
ording to the standards of the police rank system, Li Chengfang was a deputy police inspector-general. As soon as he got off the ne, Li Chengfang greeted Shi Yiwu with a handshake and a smile, ¡°Officer Shi, therades in Wanghai City are too enthusiastic. With such a big incident in Wanghai City, therades of the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau have done quite a good job.¡± Li Chengfang¡¯s words were clearly a tant lie, an awkwardpliment, giving undue credit to the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau for a mess. After everyone had shaken hands, Shi Yiwu also responded with a smile, ¡°Minister Li, shall we head over to the Municipal Committee first?¡± The entourage, led by police cars, roared out of the airport channel and drove straight to the Municipal Party Committeepound. With the leadership of the Ministry of Public Securitying to inspect, Zhou Qingguo naturally gave it utmost importance. All along the route, traffic police were on duty. Wherever the convoy went, temporary traffic control was strictly enforced. Within less than twenty minutes, the convoy had gotten to the Wanghai City Municipal Committeepound. After everyone had sat down, the first thing Li Chengfang did was to praise the economic construction, social development, and urban features of Wanghai City. Next, he shifted his tone and earnestly said, ¡°This time, therades in Wanghai have ovee difficulties to capture a major smuggling criminal. This ismendable as smuggling seriously disrupts the market economy and social stability. I willmend you for this. The Wanghai City Public Security Bureau should also earnestly implement and carry forward this spirit. The rtionship between the local military and Wanghai City is worth promoting. Of course, we cannot always rely on the military for everything. The military¡¯s main duty is still to protect national sovereignty and territorial integrity. In terms of investigation and interrogation, the Public Security Bureau should still be more professional. I think the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau could take over the subsequent investigation and make sure to conduct a thorough and rigorous investigation to crack down harshly on smuggling.¡± As he spoke these words, Li Chengfang cast a nce at Commander Zhang, who was sitting at the side. His aura carried some amount of pressure. Li Chengfang looked at Commander Zhang with a seemingly amicable smile, ¡°Commander Zhang, I wonder what you think?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Li Chengfang¡¯s performance was expected by Nie Zhenbang. His insinuations were deeplyden with hidden intentions. First, he heavily praised the capture of a smuggling case, making himself look impossibly righteous. Then, he avoided mentioning whether the Eastern Sea Group was involved. It was indeed a strategy. Right after, he suggested that the city Public Security Bureau take over the follow-up investigation, iming that the bureau was familiar with the procedures whereas the military was not. Then, relying on his authority, he directly pressured Commander Zhang. The entire n was seamless, leaving no room for Zhang Zhengguang to retaliate. If he agreed, then the case was done. But if he disagreed, Zhang¡¯s behavior treaded on forbidden territory¡ªa military meddling in politics, which was never eptable. If Li Chengfang used this as a pretext to take down Zhang, the military likely wouldn¡¯t be able to object. Seeing Zhang struggling, Nie Zhenbang coughed and smiled, ¡°Minister Li, let me exin this situation to you.¡± As he began to speak, all eyes in the room turned to him. Nie was utterlyposed, turning a blind eye to hostile nces, particrly from those like Shi Yiwu who might have wanted a piece of him. Regardless of Li Chengfang¡¯s attitude, he continued, ¡°Regarding the handover, that¡¯s our city¡¯s stance and Commander Zhang is prepared to make the transfer. Yesterday, after reporting to the provincialmittee, the general consensus by Qiao and Jia was to keep the case under the supervision of the Wanghai Military Region for now. Once the provincialmittee has reached a unified understanding and opinion, they will send a task force to take over the case. Therefore, the case cannot be transferred to the Wanghai Public Security Bureau at this time.¡± At this moment, Nie had no choice but to use the names of Jia Minfu and Qiao Yiren. Regardless of whether they had instructed him in this way, no one would question it. As long as he could get through these few days and wait for the central government¡¯s message, everything would be settled. Upon hearing this, Li Chengfang smiled, ¡°I understand Comrade Nie¡¯s point. The case is of great importance to the Provincial Committee of Minnan Province, which is absolutely correct. However, even if the provincial investigation teames to WangHai, they would still need to draw on local resources for assistance. I don¡¯t think this conflicts with the Wanghai Public Security Bureau taking over the case initially, does it.¡± ¡°Hehe, Minister Li¡¯s statement is true. There¡¯s no conflict, but the case involves a substantial amount of money, and ording to the current situation, it¡¯s ratherplicated. Both Jia Minfu and Qiao suggested that before the provincial investigation team arrives, Wanghai City should not act rashly. Commander Zhang is justplying with the provincialmittee¡¯s decision, and I ask that Minister Li understand.¡± Nie Zhenbang replied effortlessly, sessfully refuting Minister Li once again. The meaning behind this dialogue was clear. Regardless of what Minister Li said, transferring the case right now wasn¡¯t a possibility. Not unless Minister Li was able to produce amand from the provincialmittee. This series of events left Li Chengfang somewhat embarrassed. He, a senior vice minister of the Ministry of Public Security and a deputy party member, was blocked by a bureau-level cadre. It was humiliating. Li Chengfang nced at Shi Yiwu, who understood and nodded. Li Chengfang¡¯s primary goal was to im the people and goods seized by Nie Zhenbang so that they could form a link in the chain of evidence. Without this, Li Chengfang¡¯s visit would be meaningless. This opportunity had to be seized. Otherwise, Li Chengfang¡¯s visit would have been pointless.
Immediately, Shi Yiwu blustered, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, what¡¯s your attitude? Minister Li is the Senior Vice Minister of the Ministry of Public Security. Do you not trust him? Do you even have superiors in your eyes?¡± After a pause, feeling his pressure had not been effective, Shi Yiwu roared again, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, your attitude is very dangerous. I suggest that you seriously study the party charter and our Huaxia culture.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang retorted, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my attitude, Secretary Shi? As for learning, I don¡¯t need your concern. It¡¯s always been my habit to keep learning as long as I live, so don¡¯t worry about that. Yes, Minister Li has his reasons, but the Wanghai smuggling case is a big deal. I strictly adhere to the decisions of the provincialmittee, so how could I not have superiors? I wee Minister Li¡¯s inspection and guidance of our work. I also wee guidance in our public security work in Wanghai City, even raising both my hands in agreement.¡± His words, seemingly harmless, were piercing and clear. Yes, Minister Li, you¡¯re the vice minister of public security, but you have no business interfering with local government affairs. You¡¯re here to guide public security work, not to dictate over the smuggling case. Why should I follow your instructions?
His remark left Li Chengfang somewhat disconcerted. He already knew Nie Zhenbang was audacious, but what he didn¡¯t expect was that Nie would indirectly defy him publicly under the gaze of a crowd, even after Shi Yiwu¡¯s harsh words. Li Chengfang was silent, feeling momentarily helpless. Despite his high ranking, his influence was inherently limited. Indeed, meddling in local government affairs would cross boundaries. Eventually, Li Chengfang snorted and stood up, ¡°Comrade Nie, you¡¯re too principled. Well, I won¡¯t say much. I just hope that after the provincialmittee of Minnan issues orders, you¡¯ll still be as principled.¡± PS: The current number of monthly tickets is 474, and it is only a 26-vote gap from 500. Brothers, sisters, can we be more hardcore? Eight more updates are not far away! (.) Chapter 537: 494: The Central Decision (Seventh Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets) _1 Chapter 537: Chapter 494: The Central Decision (Seventh Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets) _1 Jingcheng In the Dongcheng District, nestled deep within the Tanxiang Garden, there stands a four-sided Chinese courtyard upying nearly five thousand square metres. Situated within this modern neighbourhood and surrounded by European-style vis, the courtyard stands out somewhat. However, the architect conceived the design ingeniously, using a reasonableyout of mountains and waters to blend these Western and Eastern architectural styles harmoniously together. The courtyard, having five entrances and arranged in a five-sectionyout, isparable to a prince¡¯s mansion. Upon entering, a Han white jade screen stands prominently, manifesting the extraordinary and luxurious taste of the courtyard¡¯s owner. Further inside, pavilions, terraces, towers, small bridges over flowing water present a scene of exceptional serenity and elegance. The style of the garden is designed ording to the characteristics of gardens south of the Yangtze River, with a winding stream passing through the courtyard. This is the core ce of the Li family in Jingcheng. The Li family, being an indispensable force in the political system of Huaxia, has its nucleus here in this courtyard because, at this moment, the old master of the Li family is living here. Even though it iste at night, the lights are still on in a study room deep in the courtyard. All the Li family members in Jingcheng have returned. Even Li Jiangshan, a member of the Political Bureau and the Secretary of the Hucheng Municipal Committee, has rushed back from Hucheng. In the study, ancient charm abounds; the yellow pear wood bookcases are quite old, and the real ink b on the table is surprisingly an antique as well. At this moment, the old master of the Li family stands before the desk, his wolf hair brush gliding over the paper like floating clouds and flowing water, and the character for ¡°calm¡± leaps out from the white paper. ¡°Did Cheng Fang go to WangHai?¡± Suddenly, in the quiet room, the old master asked.
This question startled Li Jiangshan and Li Jianghe. The tense and solemn atmosphere made these important members of the second generation feel somewhat shocked. After a moment of silence, Li Jiangshan responded, ¡°Yes, he was eager to leave and set off this morning.¡± As his voice faded, Li Jianghe asked, ¡°Father, what do you mean by Cheng Fang going over there?¡± The old master slowly ced his wolf hair brush on the brush stand and said solemnly, ¡°When God inflicts cmities, one can still live. When one brings cmities upon oneself, one cannot survive.¡± He then raised his head to look at the two brothers and said severely, ¡°Both of you, you must not let hatred blind your eyes. At this time, whoever steps in, is walking to his death.¡± As he spoke, the old master¡¯s face appeared somewhat forlorn. The Nie family and the Li family are mortal enemies. Unexpectedly, although Nie Huating is dead, his descendants manage to force the Li family into such a predicament. The situation in WangHai is clear to the old master. Once a significantpromise urred in the confrontations at the central level, especially after the eldest grandson Li Guohua encountered a scandal, the old master already knew that sacrifices would need to be made by the Li family. Politics is different from warfare. Warfare is cruel, but it involves a direct confrontation of life and death. Politics, on the other hand, emphasizespromise and ups and downs. Politics has always been about maintaining bnce. Today, the Li family¡¯s power has grown too great. Apart from the Li descendants, the factions of the Li family are spread throughout various industries nationwide, upying leadership positions. The old master didn¡¯t feel the danger before, but now that he knows, it¡¯s toote. The year of the leadership change ising. The core leaders of President Yuan¡¯s generation are preparing for Vice Chairman Shen¡¯s session. To maintain a bnced situation domestically, so as not to affect the position of the soon-to-be general secretary, this is precisely the root cause of the suppression that the Li family faces.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Otherwise, how could the Li family be restrained everywhere and dare not make any major moves now? The more they resist, the more severe the suppression will be. For now, the best approach would be to sit back and watch the changing situation. As for Li Cheng Fang, without a doubt, he has already been abandoned by the old master. Compared to the entire Li family¡¯s future and destiny, Li Cheng Fang seems insignificant. ¡­ Jingcheng Within the Forbidden City At this moment, in the heart and cerebral center of the entire nation of Huaxia. A meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau is underway in the Jinghua Courtyard. In the central seat sits the solemn-faced Secretary-General Yuan. To his left is the Chairman of the National People¡¯s Congress, and to his right is Premier of the State Council, Yun Bo. The other six senior leaders are all present. The Secretary of Central Discipline Inspection Commission, Zhuang Aiguo, is also seated in his designated ce, looking serious and steady. ¡°Comrades, the other day, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee of Minnan Province and Provincial Governor Jia Minfu, as well as Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee Qiao Yiren, specially came to Jingcheng to give a detailed report on the major smuggling case in WangHai City. I would like to hear your views on this matter.¡± Secretary-General Yuan got straight to the point. ¡°Secretary-General,rades, allow me to say a few words,¡± Premier Yun¡¯s clear voice rang out.
¡°I also heard Comrade Jia Minfu¡¯s report on the major smuggling case in WangHai. To put it in a nutshell, it¡¯s audacious and shocking. Such smuggling delivers a heavy blow to our national economy. Just considering the stics industry alone, the domestic market for raw stic materials has been monopolized by Eastern Sea Group. ording to the national statistical agencies, the national development of the stics industry is almost non-existent, and state-owned stics enterprises throughout the country are nearly all in a state of loss and copse. I assume we all understand the detrimental effects this has had. In my view, we must take serious action to investigate such smuggling cases that disrupt economic order and involve huge amounts of money. We must be ruthless, regardless of who is implicated or what level of leadership they are in. In a word, we must carry out a thorough investigation.¡± Premier Yun¡¯s words sinctly expressed his stance for the first time. Premier Yun, also known as ¡°Iron-faced Premier¡± in the country, has served two terms and handled many cadres. He is known for his austere aura. Chairman Guo, on the other hand, appears indifferent. It was a public secret that Old Yun and the Li family never saw eye to eye. At the root of it, Old Yun had a tough time when he was the secretary of the Hucheng municipal partymittee because of Li Jiangshan. Although this wasn¡¯t about settling personal grudges, Old Yun would certainly add fuel to the fire. In summary, Old Yun was viewed as a people¡¯s Premier, whereas the Li family was an old and established family. There wasn¡¯t much harmony between the two.
As for the Li family, Chairman Guo didn¡¯t have much fondness for them either. At this moment, Chairman Guo was quite content to sit back and watch the fire across the river. Looking at Zhuang Aiguo beside him, who was promoted by Elder Nie himself. Although he has been independent for a while, he still has an unwieldy tie with the Nie family. At this point, Zhuang Aiguo is sure to dere his supporting stance. As expected, Zhuang Aiguo shuffled his body and slowly said, ¡°The Commission for Discipline Inspection has also received a fair number of reports, some transferred to us from the WangHai City or Minnan Province Commission for Discipline Inspection, while others were sent directly to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. In general, borrowing Secretary-General¡¯s words, this is a major smuggling case. ording to the reports, many leaders of the entire team of WangHai City have been corrupted. One of the reports imed that Comrade Shi Yiwu, the Secretary of Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee, exclusively uses Bentley cars. These million-yuan vehicles used as official cars have greatly tarnished the reputation of the party and the government. Moreover, ording to the reports, cases of corruption have appeared in various departments like Wanghai Customs, banks, NPC, public security, and even among party and government leaders. Although these usations have not been confirmed, there¡¯s never smoke without fire. My opinion is, we should seize this opportunity to carry out a thorough investigation and restore the integrity of WangHai City.¡± With two senior officials clearly voicing their support, there wasn¡¯t much suspense remaining in this matter. Subsequently, Vice Chairman Shen also dered his support. After contemting for a moment, Politburo Standing Committee member and Vice Premier Leng Yunfei also nodded his agreement, ¡°I agree with Premier Yun and Secretary Zhuang.¡± The Politburo Standing Committee consists of nine members and, so far, four have expressed clear support for the investigation. This was inevitable, as the Li family is a massive entity with three members in the Politburo. They were in their heyday. Now, Vice Chairman Shen and Vice Premier Leng wanted to rise in rank and naturally had to suppress the Li family. The adage ¡°A new emperor has his own courtiers¡± applied here, the Li family had to pave the way for them. This was inevitable. At this moment, the othermittee members¡¯ attention was focused on Secretary-General Yuan. It no longer mattered whether the other Standing Committee members dered their stance or not. Consequently, Secretary-General Yuan also nodded his approval, ¡°We should investigate. Local cadres have a tendency to cover up issues and maintain a facade of peace. I think this is a good opportunity to carry out a nation-wide ideological education campaign on the exemry conduct of Party members. Under the current economic development trend, how to maintain our original aspirations and perform our duties is a major issue we are facing.¡± As he spoke, Secretary-General Yuan looked at Zhuang Aiguo, ¡°Comrade Aiguo, you are the Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. I think this case should be led by the Commission in coboration with the National Customs, Central Bank, National Petroleum Corporation, Taxation Department, Ministry of Public Security and other departments. A special case group should be established and dispatched to WangHai City immediately!¡± Establishing a joint investigation group is necessary. Some of the implicated entities are party and government departments, some arerge state-owned enterprises, and some are vertically managed units. With such broad involvement, it would be impossible for the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection alone to conduct the investigation. At this moment, Zhuang Aiguo solemnly nodded, ¡°Please rest assured, Secretary-General, I will surely do a good job with the case group. I will strive to get to WangHai in the shortest possible time!¡± ¡­ February 26th.
Inside the office building of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Zhuang Aiguo signed off on the list of the case-group members, marking the officialmencement of the investigation into the major smuggling case in WangHai. PS: The current vote count is 489, just 11 votes away from 500 monthly votes. Siblings, can we have the eighth update arrive before 12 o¡¯clock as scheduled???? ( Chapter 538: 495: Remove Nie Zhenbang (8th update, ask for monthly ticket)_1 Chapter 538: Chapter 495: Remove Nie Zhenbang (8th update, ask for monthly ticket)_1 Looking at this list, even Zhuang Aiguo, with his status, inhaled sharply. The entire task force, with a total of 762 people, hit an unprecedented scale in history. It could be said to be thergest task force since the establishment of the country. Even within the five thousand years of Huaxia¡¯s civilization, through all dynasties, even in the era of supreme imperial power, there was no suchrge team. The entire task force, led by the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, drew elite forces from various departments of other provinces and the Central Discipline Inspection Commission itself. Together, they formed a team of about two hundred people. Together with the professionals from public security, military discipline inspection departments, oil, banking, and other industries and departments, the total number was over seven hundred. They took four charter flights of Eastern Airlines the next day, flying directly to Minzhou City, Minan Province. The leader of the task force was Liu Wei, the deputy secretary of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission. Despite being a woman, Zhuang Aiguo was well aware that Liu Wei was a well-known irondy. For this case, having Ouyang Xia or Zeng Youjie take the lead was inappropriate; only Liu Wei was the most suitable. Sometimes, a woman¡¯s identity could give people a natural sense of trust.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡­ Mzhou International Airport in Minan Province. At this moment, all members of the standingmittee of the Provincial Committee of Minan Province were standing on the tarmac. The provincial party secretary, Chen Renqing, was in front, with the Governor, Jia Minfu, and the full-time deputy secretary of the provincial partymittee, Qiao Yiren, on either side. The other standingmittee leaders were arranged in order behind them. Notably absent was the deputy secretary of the provincial partymittee, Shi Yiwu, who was also the Wanghai city party secretary. Everyone present had varying expressions and thoughts. The Wanghai City smuggling case was a stain on the provincial partymittee of Minan Province. Such a major incident had urred within their jurisdiction, and the provincialmittee leaders had also to bear corresponding ountability. Worse yet, this could impact their future careers. ¡°Secretary Chen, the ne is about tond,¡± said Yang Jiye, a member of the Standing Committee and Secretary-General of the Provincial Party Committee, speaking softly to Chen Renqing at this moment. The chartered Eastern Airlines ne circled slowly beforending. After a period of taxiing, it came to a steady stop in the center of the tarmac. Liu Wei, the deputy secretary of the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, was in the front, followed by Yang Taishan, the discipline inspection secretary of the Ministry of Public Security. Following them was a military officer in the uniform of a major general, a representative of the Military Commission¡¯s Disciplinary Committee. Chen Renqing put aside his doubtful thoughts. He had missed the signals when Jia Minfu and Qiao Yiren went to Jingcheng to report on their work. He should have realized then that some people in the provincialmittee did not want to cover up the case in Wanghai City. As it turned out, it wasn¡¯t that they didn¡¯t want to, they simply couldn¡¯t.
Jia Minfu and Qiao Yiren had no choice but to choose the route of investigation in order to protect themselves. As a result, they would not only avoid wrongdoing, but they would also be credited for their actions. Regrettably, Chen Renqing missed this opportunity. Now that the task force had arrived, even if he cooperated fully, his future prospects were likely dim. Then, Chen Renqing stepped forward and said with a smile, ¡°Secretary Liu, wee. I apologize for the serious incident that urred in Wanghai City. It is a direct result of negligence and mistakes in our provincialmittee¡¯s work and poor supervision. I request the organization to discipline me.¡± Chen Renqing¡¯s words in front of Liu Wei were unorthodox, for both of them held positions at the ministerial level, and Liu Wei definitely did not have the power to represent the organization. At this moment, Liu Wei also smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Renqing, there are bound to be problems in managing such arge poption. Even families could have unfilial sons, let alone public affairs. Wanghai is a centrally nned city, and the Provincial Committee of Minan has limited oversight. Its finances are directly handled by the central government and Wanghai. It¡¯s normal to have problems under these circumstances, Secretary Renqing, don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡± Such was Liu Wei¡¯s eloquence that the members of the standingmittee of the provincial partymittee of Minan Province nodded in agreement. It was always difficult to manage municipalities like Wanghai, especially those directly administered by the central government. The province had little financial control and limited jurisdiction over personnel. This is what power dynamics are like. With that sentence, Liu Wei had sessfully shortened the distance between the task force and the provincialmittee of Minan Province. Smiling at everyone, Liu Wei continued, ¡°Secretary Chen, this time we won¡¯t stay in Minzhou. We kindly request the provincial partymittee to provide us with fifteen fifty-seater buses and two business vehicles.¡± A team of more than seven hundred people would fill these vehicles perfectly, and many leaders would even have to sharerge buses with ordinary workers. This showed Liu Wei¡¯s pragmatic attitude. At this moment, Chen Renqing didn¡¯t hesitate and didn¡¯t try to dissuade her. Under the current circumstances, any action would arouse the suspicion of the task force. Chen Renqing decided to give whatever was requested and cooperate fully. He immediately nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Liu, you¡¯re too polite. The vehicles have been prepared in advance. Also, the lead cars from the Provincial Public Security Department are ready to go at any moment. Even though the Minan-Quan highway is not yet officially open to traffic, some sections of it are already passable. We¡¯ve arranged it so we can use that route. We just have to take about twenty kilometers of unfinished road in Quanhai before getting back on the highway. This will save a lot of time.¡± The reason why Liu Wei and her team came to Minzhou first instead of directly flying to Wanghai City was to report to the local upper-level authority. They also needed the support of the provincialmittee of Minan Province for certain necessities. About half an hourter, several other chartered nes from Eastern Airlinesnded one after another at Minzhou Airport. A fleet of shuttle buses prepared by the Minnan Province Committee had also been lined up, ready for the task force members to board. Under the guidance of police vehicles, they headed straight out of the airport towards Wanghai City. At this moment, all members of the Fifth Discipline Inspection and Supervision Room of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection had boarded one of the buses. Minnan Province is part of their jurisdiction. This time, the entire Fifth Discipline Inspection and Supervision Room was called over. Liu Bin, the director of the Fifth Discipline Inspection and Supervision Room, had just gotten on the bus when he stealthily took out a cell phone. Sitting next to Liu Bin was Zheng Gensheng, and with the rest of the members of the Fifth Discipline Inspection and Supervision Room around, there wasn¡¯t much to worry about. This phone had been deliberately kept hidden by Liu Bin. As per the task force¡¯s rules, from the moment the task force was established, all members had to surrender all theirmunication devices. They also could not inform their families, and the standard public excuse was that they were on a training mission. The primary purpose was to prevent any attempts at eliminating witnesses in desperation from Wanghai. Despite Liu Bin¡¯s audacity, he did not dare to make a call, and instead, sent a brief message: ¡°Arrived!¡± ¡­ In the Wanghai City Party Committee and City Government¡¯s office building. At this moment, a special Standing Committee meeting was being held. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone vibrated with a new message. Upon reading it, a hint of a smile appeared on his face.
Looking at Shi Yiwu, who was relentlessly criticizing him, a trace of pity flickered in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s faint smile infuriated Shi Yiwu. Immediately, Shi Yiwu said sternly, ¡°Deputy Mayor Nie, what are you doing? Aren¡¯t you aware of the seriousness of a meeting?¡± The situation in Wanghai City is not good, some people harbor ulterior motives, stubbornly clinging to minor issues. Mayor Nie, as for the smuggling cases handled by the military, the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau has already investigated based on this lead. These actions are the illegal behaviors of a group of illegal businessmen. I suggest that you understand the situation and immediately hand over these people to the Municipal Party Committee.¡± Saying this, Shi Yiwu raised his voice: ¡°Commander Zhang, the partymands the military, this is explicitly stipted in the party constitution and the constitution. So what does it mean when your military district is holding on to suspects? What is your attitude? Is the Wanghai Military Region still under the leadership of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee? Am I still the first politicalmissar of the Wanghai Military Region?¡±
After a pause, Shi Yiwu turned his head and said, ¡°I suggest that Comrade Nie Zhenbang¡¯s work be temporarily suspended for deep self-reflection. I will personally report this matter to the Provincial Committee in detail.¡± If Shi Yiwu were just an ordinary Municipal Party Secretary, he would not have this kind of authority. However, Shi Yiwu is the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and the Secretary of the Wanghai City Municipal Committee. He is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Committee. Therefore, it is appropriate for him to say this. It¡¯s just that the asion for bringing this up is not appropriate. If this was proposed at the Provincial Standing Committee meeting, perhaps it would be more appropriate. However, at this moment, no one would say anything. Any discerning person could see that Shi Yiwu was getting ready to take action. At this confrontational juncture, anyone who stands out would only provoke him. Aside from Nie Zhenbang, who had received the news of the task force¡¯s arrival, the other Standing Committee members were unaware. Moreover, with no movement from above after three days, it was inevitable that they would have some illusions. As he finished speaking, Qi Siyuan then said, ¡°Secretary Shi, isn¡¯t it a bit too much to suggest Mayor Nie suspend his duties and self-reflect?¡± Next to him, Lin Mohan hesitated for a moment, looking at Nie Zhenbang¡¯s indifferent expression. He was also struggling internally. He gritted his teeth and said: ¡°I also think it might be better to wait for the Provincial Committee¡¯s opinion first. Isn¡¯t it a bit hasty to suspend Deputy Mayor Nie¡¯s duties so abruptly?¡± Risks always go hand-in-hand with fortune, and sincerity is all the more essential during times of crisis. It¡¯s the only way to win people¡¯s hearts. Right now, Lin Mohan has put all his bets on Nie Zhenbang. As the words of these two men fell, Zhang Zusi, the full-time Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee sitting next to Shi Yiwu, suddenly stood up, then sat back down and said: ¡°Secretary Shi, please excuse my excitement. Minister Lin, Secretary Qi. What¡¯s hasty? I think both Nie Zhenbang and Nie Jiamin, holding on to the smuggling case suspects without conducting an investigation, are the ones acting suspiciously. Ipletely agree with Secretary Shi¡¯s view.¡± PS: At 11 o¡¯clock, I was still saying in the group that this might be it for today. Less than two minutester, a brother told me we had reached 502 votes. Brothers and sisters, you are mighty. Old Cai keeps his word, and here¡¯s the eighth update. Currently, we have 515 votes. If we reach 550 votes, we will update more. ( Chapter 539: 496: Double Regulation Storm (First Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 539: Chapter 496: Double Regtion Storm (First Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 With Zhang Zusi¡¯s remarks, the entire meeting room turned into something akin to a market, bustling with animated back-and-forth discussion. At this moment, Wang Yaguang raised his hands and spoke firmly, ¡°Comrades, let¡¯s all calm down a bit. From what I see, there isn¡¯t much to be gained from further debates right now. Let¡¯s take a break, we¡¯ve already been at this for an hour and further discussions are unlikely to rify anything. It¡¯s already noon. Why don¡¯t we all cool down in the lounge? Have a quick lunch. Secretary Shi could use this opportunity to report to the Provincial Committee and hear their opinions. We can continue discussing the matter two hourster. What do you all think?¡± This standingmittee meeting was of an urgent nature. Even though Shi Yiwu called for the meeting early in the morning at nine, Nie Zhenbang had other inspection duties, dying his arrival until eleven with a string of reasons. Nie Zhenbang very well knew the focus of this meeting: It revolved around the various goods and evidence seized by the Military Subdistrict and the subsequent interpretation of these facts. Despite hearing that the higher-ups established a special case team, headed straight by Secretary Zhuang Aiguo himself, every day the special case team didn¡¯t show up added to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mounting pressure. After three days, Nie Zhenbang felt like he had run out of excuses. He had no choice but to y the rogue, dying an hour here and a day there. Upon hearing Wang Yaguang¡¯s words, Shi Yiwu¡¯s face turned gloomy. He grunted in displeasure, expressing his dissatisfaction to Qi Siyuan, Lin Mohan, and Liu Yafu before abruptly standing up and stalking out of the room. Themittee members didn¡¯t venture far. Shi Yiwu in particr retreated to his office to rest, while Zhang Zusi, Liu Sicun, and Zhao Dingguang followed him. Meanwhile in the lounge, Nie Zhenbang sat on the side, eating an instant noodles bucket. Jiang Li and Zhao Fei kept to themselves, while Zhang Zhengguang didn¡¯t touch his food, instead absently rolling a cigarette. His stress was only second to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s. He was already receiving notice from above to expect a transfer order; along with it woulde the new Commander of Wanghai City Military Subdistrict. He understood that if a newmander stepped in before this was handled, he¡¯d be finished. For now, he held his breath, praying that Nie Zhenbang could turn the tides. Then, leaving would be a promotion. Qi Siyuan, Lin Mohan, and Liu Yafu quietly ate their boxed lunches together, while Wang Yaguang reclined leisurely on the sofa, appearing nonchnt. At two in the afternoon, the Wanghai City Standing Committee resumed after a one and a half hour interruption. When everyone returned to their seats, their tempers had all cooled considerably.
At this moment, Shi Yiwu remained resolute. Zhang Zusiunched straight into the fray, saying, ¡°Continuing from where we left off, I believe that Nie Zhenbang potentiallymitted serious vitions during the arrests in the major smuggling case in WangHai. Not only did he fail to immediately transfer major suspects to the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau and Discipline Inspection Commission, he unreasonably detained the suspects. I wonder whether Nie Zhenbang has certain under-the-table ties with the smuggling groups. I suggest a vote ¨C all in favor of demanding immediate release of the suspects from the Military Subdistrict and suspending Nie Zhenbang for investigation?¡± This appeared to be Shi Yiwu¡¯s strategy. Detaining for three days was indeed not a usual approach. One might even interpret it as shielding the culprits. This of course was amon line of thinking. Hearing Zhang Zusi¡¯s speech made Lin Mohan and Liu Yafu fall silent. The two had just received Nie Zhenbang¡¯s approval, and there were many matters they didn¡¯t fully understand. Their doubts were to be expected, Upon the conclusion of Zhang Zusi¡¯s words, Shi Yiwu raised a hand, ¡°I agree with Secretary Zusi¡¯s view. Immediate actions should be taken against Nie Zhenbang and the Military Subregion must transfer the suspects to the Public Security Bureau of Wanghai City immediately.¡± ¡°I agree too!¡± The one who raised their hand was Deputy Mayor andmittee member Zhao Dingguang. ¡°I have no objections.¡± This time, it was Liu Sicun. Following this, after a brief hesitation, both the Secretary of the High-Tech Zone Work Committee, Zhao Fei and the Minister of the United Front Work Department, Jiang Li raised their hands. That made six votes. Shi Yiwu shifted his gaze to Wang Yaguang, Liu Yafu, Lin Mohan, and Zhang Zhengguang. His look clearly indicated his expectation. At this moment, Wang Yaguang chuckled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know much about this incident, so I abstain.¡± His words left Shi Yiwu grinding his teeth in bitterness but there was nothing he could do. The notoriously slick and affable Wang Yaguang had finally shown his fangs. Just as Liu Yafu was about to raise his hand in hesitant agreement, the meeting room doors were suddenly flung open. Striding in at the front was none other than Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Comrade Liu Wei. A few workers dressed in dark suits followed him in. The staff of the Wanghai City Committee scrambled out followed by the unwee surprise guests. At Liu Wei¡¯s side, the person who apanied him was Ding Jiashu, the standing member of the Provincial Committee of Minan Province and the Secretary of the provincial disciplinemission. Seeing this scene, an ominous premonition instinctively surged in Shi Yiwu¡¯s mind. Shi Yiwu knew both of these people, the woman leading the procession, being a famous irondy from the Central Discipline Commission, Secretary Liu Wei. At this moment, seeing the members of the Standing Committee, Liu Wei remained silent. And Liu Bin, the leader of Group No.1 who was specifically in charge of investigating municipal party and government leaders, stood up, looked around at the crowd and asked, ¡°Excuse us. Can you tell us who Comrade Shi Yiwu is?¡± Although Shi Yiwu didn¡¯t want to answer, under these circumstances, he couldn¡¯t avoid recognizing people, thus he had no choice but to stand up, muster his courage and say, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Liu Bin nced at Shi Yiwu indifferently, a swift exchange of nces with Nie Zhenbang, following which, Liu Bin continued, ¡°We¡¯re from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. Here is my credential.¡± Saying so, Liu Bin, following strict procedures, pulled out his work permit and ced it on the table. Whether Shi Yiwu would see it or not was of no concern to Liu Bin.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Next, Liu Bin sternly said, ¡°Comrade Shi Yiwu, ording to the central decision, you¡¯re temporarily relieved from your duties as Secretary, Standing Committee member, andmittee member of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee. We ask that you cooperate with us at the designated time and ce, and provide reasonable exnations to the issues under our investigation.¡± After finishing his statement, Liu Bin gestured, and the two officers already approached, one from the left and one from the right, sping Shi Yiwu¡¯s arms.
Liu Bin was very familiar with this situation. Once the Central Discipline Inspection Commission got involved, few of these party and government leaders could walk away on their own. They usually ended up kneeling down. However, that wasn¡¯t all. Just as Zhang Zusi¡¯s heart was pounding with fear, and just as Zhao Dingguang was avoiding Liu Sicun¡¯s pale gaze, Liu Bin asked again, ¡°Who arerades Zhao Dingguang, Liu Sicun, and Zhang Zusi?¡± No answer was needed at this moment. Off to the side, Lin Mohan stood up and directed, ¡°This gentleman, these arerades Zhang Zusi, Zhao Dingguang, and Liu Sicun.¡± For these three people, Liu Bin even omitted the formal deration. He directly gestured andmanded sternly, ¡°Take them away.¡±
After the three of them were led away, Liu Wei also stepped forward. This Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection originally had a displeasing attitude towards Nie Zhenbang. However, over time, as she got to know Nie Zhenbang better, Liu Wei¡¯s opinion of him changed significantly. He was truly an idealistic official. This kind of young man was a blessing for the nation and its people. ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, we meet again.¡± Liu Wei¡¯s genial words left the remaining standing members of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee stunned. Nie Zhenbang was indeed extraordinary. Nie Zhenbang smiled at this moment, and then, nodded, ¡°Secretary Liu, nice to see you. I¡¯ve been looking forward to your arrival. The crime suspects and confiscated items seized by the Wanghai City Military Subdistrict a while ago will be transferred to you.¡± Liu Wei nodded, seeming very satisfied. She scanned the venue and added, ¡°The situation in Wanghai City has shocked the Central authorities, Secretary General Yuan and Premier Yun. I hope that all therades present here will take responsibility and maintain social stability in Wanghai City during this period.¡± As Liu Wei finished speaking, she went silent, and beside her, Ding Jiashu, the Provincial Discipline Secretary, also started speaking, ¡°Comrade Siyuan, as per the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection¡¯s request, you are temporarily assigned to a special task force to assist in the investigation.¡± Liu Wei and the others, they came hurriedly and left in equal haste. As soon as the relevant personnel from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection drove away from the municipal government office building, the originally quiet municipal governmentpound immediately boiled over. Regtion storm, it was a regtion storm. Four standing members of the municipal partymittee were taken away at once. The determination of the central and provincialmittees was all too apparent at this moment. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang seemed very poised and open. There was a lot of evidence gathered on Siyuan¡¯s side, however, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection took away all four individuals, surely, they must have a substantial amount of evidence on hand. Nie Zhenbang went into deep thought as he saw the indifferent expression on Wang Yaguang¡¯s face. PS: My brothers and sisters, you are awesome! I just woke up to 563 votes. This chapter is an extra release for reaching 550 votes. There will be at least three more releases. Only 37 votes needed to reach 600. Old Cai is giving it his all!!! Five or even six releases are expected! ( Chapter 540: 497: Breakthrough (Second Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 540: Chapter 497: Breakthrough (Second Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Wang Yaguang, a figure who had always maintained a low profile, surprisingly, was waiting for this move. This man¡¯s depth of scheming greatly surpassed my own estimation. Outstanding character, patiently waiting till now to deliver a fatal blow. Shi Yiwu is surely finished, so next, the position of Secretary of the Wanghai City Party Committee will likely fall into his hands. At this moment, Wang Yaguang also felt Nie Zhenbang¡¯s gaze, stood up, and walked over to Nie Zhenbang, smilingly saying, ¡°Mayor Nie, as you see, I¡¯ve been entrusted by the Provincial Committee to temporarily take charge of the overall work of the Municipal Party Committee. As for the Municipal Government, I will have to trouble you to worry about it more.¡± This is where Wang Yaguang is clever. Ding Jiashu, the Secretary of the Provincial Discipline Inspection Commission, had just entrusted the other standingmittee members present to take charge of the work in Wanghai City on behalf of the Provincial Committee. In practice, this means entrusting Wang Yaguang with the overall work of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government, because in Wanghai City, he is still the deputy at the provincial level. If Wang Yaguang were to hold on to all the power of the Municipal Party Committee and the Municipal Government, Nie Zhenbang would certainly have some thoughts, even if he did not say anything. Now, Wang Yaguang is proactively proposing to share the workload, creating harmonious and amicable conditions between them. ¡°Mayor Wang, you are too polite. You are the mayor, with abundant experience, when there¡¯s any issue, we still need your guidance.¡± Nie Zhenbang also responded courteously, Upon hearing this, Wang Yaguang burst into a heartyugh, hisughter revealing the demeanor of a victor. Even a person asposed as Wang Yaguang could hardly contain the joy in his heart at this moment. Then, Wang Yaguang turned to Liu Yafu and said, ¡°Minister Liu, you must personally follow up on the personnel organization work. Currently, the main problem is to fully cooperate with therades of the special investigation team. All cadre involved in the case should be recorded ording to the severity of their involvement.¡± At the same time, Wang Yaguang turned to Lin Mohan and said, ¡°Minister Lin, you must do a good job in propaganda. Focus on the central government¡¯s decisions and emphasize the enormous harmfulness of smuggling. Show the highlights of the special investigation team to the masses and expose the ugly faces of some cadres.¡± This series of measures highlighted Wang Yaguang¡¯s extraordinary ability. Nie Zhenbang, who was standing by, was also nodding in agreement. Only such a person could have a long political life. On the side of the special investigation team, after the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection implemented the ¡°double regtions¡± on the main leading cadre of the Party and government in Wanghai City, other special investigation teams also started to take action immediately. Investigation teams from banks, taxation, public security, and customs were stationed in various departments respectively. The bank investigation team, also known as the Fifth Investigation Team, immediately stationed in major banks in Wanghai City to conduct a detailed audit of the ounts of the Asia Sea Group.
The State Taxation Investigation Team also entered the Wanghai City tax system. The team sent by the Ministry of Public Security was stationed in the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau and the Wanghai City Armed Police Detachment. The National Customs¡¯s Discipline Inspection Group also entered the Wanghai Customs. On the side of Wanghai City Military Region, Zhang Zhengguang handed over all the criminal suspects, oil tankers, and other seized goods to the special investigation team on the same day. The special investigation team,prising excellent interrogators drawn from the national public security system, immediately began to conduct a surprise interrogation of these people, and obtained a lot of evidence. The next day, the team from the Public Security Bureau applied for a search warrant from the Minan Provincial Procuratorate to carry out a surprise search on Asia Sea Group and took away several middle-level cadres of the Asia Sea Group. On the third day, the First Special Investigation Team went to the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau and announced the ¡°double regtions¡± resolution to Zhou Qingguo, the director of the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau, and Niu Chao, the executive deputy director. In the Wanghai City Military Region, Zhang Zhengguang was a bit puzzled. After waiting for three days, the order from above hadn¡¯te yet, which led him to understand this anomaly. Looking at Nie Jiamin beside him, Zhang Zhengguang said, ¡°Jiamin, for the special investigation team, we have to ensure the amodation and meals of more than 700 people. We have to do a good job in logistical support. If there isn¡¯t enough space, ask the soldiers to ovee the difficulties and empty the barracks. We must do our best to provide support.¡± At this moment, inside the guest house of the Wanghai City Military Region, the entire five-story guest house was cleared. All the service staff were removed. Outside, all the guards were reced with soldiers from the Wanghai City Military Region. At the only main entrance and exit, there were two people on each side, and on each floor, there were eight soldiers on standby, all carrying loaded guns. The security was very tight. Theplete top floor of the guest house had been converted into a special interrogation venue for the special investigation team. At any moment, party and government officials or suspects were brought in for interrogation. At this moment, in a room on the fifth floor, Zheng Gensheng looked gravely at Liu Sicun who had grown haggard, and said sternly, ¡°Liu Sicun, have you thought it through? Hiding in the corner and keeping silent isn¡¯t the way out. You know what you did. Don¡¯t harbor any hope of luck. If we take action against you, it means we have sufficient evidence.¡± Next to him, Tan Xiongbin pped his palm on the table, intimidating, ¡°Liu Sicun, the disgusting events you undertook in the Hongyun Building of the Asia Sea Group, we don¡¯t need to say anymore, do we?¡± As he spoke, Tan Xiongbin waved a disc in his hand, saying gravely, ¡°The red que of Hongyun Building, Miss Linlin, you recognize it, right? Also, how did youe by several properties in Wanghai and Minzhou City, and where did the fundse from?¡± Each word was a knife to the heart. Beads of sweat started to form on Liu Sicun¡¯s forehead. In just a few days¡¯ time, they had thoroughly grasped his circumstances. At this moment, Liu Sicun¡¯s mental defenses hadpletely copsed. One shouldn¡¯t assume that the higher the rank, the greater the mental capacity. In fact, truly resilient individuals are those who have undergone rigorous training, such as Niu Chao and people like Zhou Qingguo. Conversely, Liu Sicun, a party official, had hardly any interrogation experience. A shout, a threat,bined with some ambiguous evidence, would typically crush anyone. After a moment of silence, Liu Sicun, now pale as a sheet and devoid of any shred of hope, looked at Zheng Gensheng and Tan Xiongbin, saying, ¡°I admit!¡± Liu Sicun¡¯s confession filled Zheng Gensheng and Tan Xiongbin with a certain joy, they exchanged a nce. Indeed, Director Nie¡¯s thinking was right, Liu Sicun was indeed the best point of breakthrough. Immediately, Zheng Gensheng unhesitatingly said, ¡°Liu Sicun, your thinking is correct. Face the situation proactively and strive for leniency from the party and government. That¡¯s your only way out.¡± After Tan Xiongbin picked up his pen and made ready to take notes, Zheng Gensheng began, ¡°Liu Sicun, it¡¯s your turn now. Start with how Eastern Sea Group¡¯s Lin Zhengxing corrupted you and pulled you into all this, how you stepped towards corruption, your role in the Eastern Sea smuggling case. State it all.¡± Liu Sicun fell silent once again, as if he was immersed in his past. After a while, he said in a low voice, ¡°My association with Lin Zhengxing dates back seven years, when I was serving as deputy district chief in Wangxia District¡­¡±
The continuous interrogationsted for four to five hours without any interruption, from one in the afternoon until it waspletely dark outside, before Liu Sicun fully disclosed his rtionship with the Eastern Sea Group. In these seven years, Liu Sicun had received three sets of houses worth millions from Lin Zhengxing as gifts, in addition to 1.86 million yuan in cash bribes. He had formed argework of rtionships for Lin Zhengxing, which also benefited him as he rose through the ranks from a deputy district chief who wasn¡¯t even a member of the District Committee in Wangxia District, to the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s Secretary-General. He confessed to all of his experiences. Both Tan Xiongbin and Zheng Gensheng heaved a sigh of relief. Here, they had made a breakthrough with Liu Sicun, who not only confessed his own crimes but also implicated Zhang Zusi and Shi Yiwu. This would significantly benefit the next phase of the interrogation. Zheng Gensheng got up and said to Liu Sicun, ¡°Liu Sicun, you¡¯ve made a wise decision. You¡¯re fully aware of the party¡¯s policies, and considering your performance, you will be given several points of leniency. As for the specifics, you will have to face the might of thew!¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
As he spoke, Tan Xiongbin opened the door. Two soldiers walked in and led Liu Sicun back to his room. Once he returned to his room, Liu Sicun no longer had the strength to hold on. He asked the staff member of the special task force who was keeping an eye on him 24/7 in his room. Liu Sicun, who was no longer the imposing Secretary-General, said, ¡°Comrade, could I use the restroom?¡± The moment he entered the toilet, Liu Sicun locked the door. There was no mirror in there to prevent anyone from using broken ss as a suicide tool. Liu Sicun turned on the faucet and sshed icy cold water on his face, hoping to sober up. At that moment, Liu Sicun had lost all hope and was inplete despair. The bribes he had epted and the property he owned amounted to more than three million. Furthermore, his abuse of power, allocation ofnd to the Eastern Sea Group, and the framing of officials, all these criminal facts. Yes, they were crimes. They were too severe to be described as serious vitions of discipline. Liu Sicun understood too well, he was on a road to certain doom. He looked around the room, and the thought of ending his own life crossed Liu Sicun¡¯s mind. He filled the sink with water. But ultimately, Liu Sicun gave up on the idea because, when it came down to it, he didn¡¯t have the courage to take his life. Later, in the room where the deputy secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection Liu Wei stayed, Zheng Gensheng and Tan Xiongbin set off to listen to Liu Bin¡¯s report. In the end, Liu Bin decisively said, ¡°Secretary Liu, considering Liu Sicun¡¯s confession, we canmence interrogation of Shi Yiwu.¡± Liu Wei, the chief of the special task force, was in control of the whole situation. Now, her irondy face also showed a trace of gravity, she nodded and said, ¡°All right, you should split into three teams and interrogate Shi Yiwu, Zhang Zusi, and Zhao Dingguang.¡± PS: You brothers and sisters are mighty. 585 votes. It seems, five eruptions today! Alright, let¡¯s see what Old Cai is up to!! (.) Chapter 541: 498: Shi Yiwus Suicide (Third Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 541: Chapter 498: Shi Yiwu¡¯s Suicide (Third Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 As the special task force began their investigation, the Eastern Sea Group was also in disarray. In just a few days, while the task force hadn¡¯t arrested any higher-ups in thepany, quite a number of middle managers had been taken away. Within the Hongyun Building, where the once bustling headquarters of the Eastern Sea Group resided, there was now only silence. Outside therge doors, the grand parking lot was eerily quiet. At the top floor, Lin Zhengxing¡¯s office was dark, with no lights on. Slumped in the bulky boss chair behind the spacious desk, Zhengxing¡¯s chubby figure sank deep. At this moment, Zhengxing was reflecting on his own life. Despite his limited education, he wasn¡¯t stupid. On the contrary, if he hadn¡¯t been smart, he wouldn¡¯t have built such a vast family business ormitted such a massive crime. He reminisced about the times when more than two hundred officials came to celebrate his birthday, each receiving a red envelope with a hundred thousand yuan. A birthday celebration that cost tens of millions in cash gifts alone, along with the costs for drinks and venues, easily reaching hundreds of millions. For Lin Zhengxing, it was a small expense. And now, the Eastern Sea Group, was close to its downfall. ¡°Brother Star, based on the current situation; we can¡¯t handle this anymore. I suggest you leave,¡± said Chang Jiu, who had just walked in. Even in such a predicament, Chang Jiu remained undyingly loyal. As a privately educated teacher, he owed his status and wealth to Zhengxing¡¯s appreciation. His stubborn schr-like loyalty made him stay. ¡°Leave? Haha, Jiu, where in the world can I, Lin Zhengxing, find refuge?¡± Lin Zhengxing looked grim. Lin Zhengxing¡¯s tone then shifted, his voice bing fierce, ¡°I refuse to leave in such a manner, I refusepletely. The ounts of Eastern Sea Group have been temporarily frozen. We only have a small sum of less than three billion yuan in Swiss Bank. I refuse to leave just like that. After all, we are notpletely done for. Cheng Fang and Director Wang are still on our side.¡± In Wanghai City, Lin Zhengxing held power over both thewful and the uwful, and he wasn¡¯t ready to ept defeat just yet. At this moment, he still dreamed of ast stand.
Chang Jiu¡¯s face showed some worries as he whispered, ¡°Brother Star, the special task force has started to monitor us and they seem to be restricting us from leaving the country. If we don¡¯t leave now, it will be toote.¡± Lin Zhengxing waved his hand and said solemnly, ¡°Jiu, don¡¯t worry. We still have onest chance. The two sessions are about to be held soon. This is our opportunity. Sess or failure will be determined at this meeting.¡± ¡­ Wanghai City Military Region Even though it waste at night, the lights were still bright, and the members of the special task force were not resting. In fact, night-time was when they were busiest. All members of the task force worked in shifts, without rest for twenty-four hours. This was amon tactic of exhaustion during interrogations. At this moment, in the room where Liu Sicun had confessed everything, Liu Bin¡¯s face was somewhat gloomy. Huang Lasheng quietly said, ¡°Director, this is the nk paper from Shi Yiwu¡¯s room. He hasn¡¯t written a word.¡± Indeed, Shi Yiwu was still hoping for the best. These were the kind of people who wouldn¡¯t give up until thest moment. This tactic wasmon during investigations. A stack of nk paper, a pen, and no questions, were simply provided for him to write. Often, this approach could lead to unexpected results. After a moment of silence, Liu Bin said slowly, ¡°Lasheng, bring in Shi Yiwu.¡± Upon hearing Liu Bin¡¯s orders, Shi Yiwu soon arrived, escorted by two soldiers. Comparing his current state with his previous vitality as the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, it was a shocking sight. After several long days and nights, Shi Yiwu looked extremely haggard, his eyes sunken and his hair in disarray. His previously jet-ck hair now had numerous strands of white. Under immense mental pressure, Shi Yiwu¡¯s days had been excruciatingly difficult. ¡°Shi Yiwu, don¡¯t you want to say something about the Bentley car matter?¡± Liu Bin started the conversation in a rather low-key manner. This was Liu Bin¡¯s strategy, start with the easier issues before moving on to the tougher ones. If he began by asking Shi Yiwu about his rtionship with the Eastern Sea Group, or how much bribe he had taken, Shi Yiwu would undoubtedly remain silent. It was clear from his behavior over the past few days. He hadn¡¯t written a single word in three days and had clearly made up his mind not to say anything. However, starting from such a trivial matter as the Bentley, it could induce a certain inertia of thinking and following his own rhythm. It must be said that after years of training and refinement in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, Liu Bin¡¯s experience in this field is quite rich. ¡°As for the Bentley, it was donated by the Eastern Sea Group to the reception office of our Wanghai Municipal Party Committee. Many people in Wanghai have overseas connections. Coupled with the economic development of these years, there are many foreign guests. Having a good car for picking up foreign guests is part of our image. Later, my own car had a few small problems, and I didn¡¯t have a car to use, so the municipal office temporarily let me use this one.¡± Shi Yiwu nced at Liu Bin indifferently, maintaining his calm even in such a situation. This is not only happening in Wanghai, but also in other ces across the country: getting high-end luxury cars in the name of reception vehicles, temporarily borrowing them, and actually using them as their own cars. This is an open secret. It can¡¯t be considered as a vition because everyone knows it¡¯s a vition, but nothing can be done about it. ¡°Why did the Eastern Sea Group donate the Bentley to the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee? Did you provide convenience for the Eastern Sea Group?¡± Liu Bin didn¡¯t wait for Shi Yiwu to continue thinking and threw out a more sensitive topic. Originally, Liu Bin thought Shi Yiwu would definitely defend himself. This way, he could seize the opportunity to lure Shi Yiwu further. However, to his disappointment, at this moment, Shi Yiwu suddenly looked up at Liu Bin. After a moment of silence, he calmly said, ¡°Our rtionship with the Eastern Sea Group ispletely normal. The reason why they donated the car, that¡¯s their own business, I have no idea.¡± This sentence blocked Liu Bin¡¯s next n. But Liu Bin wasn¡¯t discouraged, saying: ¡°Don¡¯t you know? The Eastern Sea Group has nearly six million square meters ofnd reserves in Wanghai City. How did this happen? Some of thend is even obtained through administrative allocations. Shi Yiwu, as a secretary of the municipal partymittee, don¡¯t you know about this?¡± At this time, Shi Yiwu didn¡¯t say anything anymore and stayed silent. Liu Bin and Huang Lasheng exchanged a look. Immediately, Liu Bin mmed his hand on the table and shouted angrily, ¡°Shi Yiwu, you have to stop resisting. This won¡¯t do you any good. What is going on with Li Hong from Hongyun Building? Also, you personally approved three hundred acres ofnd for Lin Zhengxing. In return, he arranged Australian visas for your family. What¡¯s going on with that? Don¡¯t think we don¡¯t have evidence. Your silence doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re innocent. If you¡¯re hopeful, you only have a dead end!¡±
As soon as the voice fell, Huang Lasheng said in a gentle tone: ¡°Shi Yiwu, don¡¯t harbor any ideas. We have already grasped a lot about your affairs. Liu Sicun and Zhang Zusi have spoken, they know the times. You¡¯re resisting like this, have you considered your family? Who are you trying to benefit by doing this?¡± This good cop, bad copbination has always been a powerful tool in interrogation, but at this moment in front of Shi Yiwu, it is meaningless. Shi Yiwu right now is like a stone in a cesspool, smelly and hard. He looked at Liu Bin indifferently, then said: ¡°Gentlemen, don¡¯t waste your energy. I am falsely used. If one wants to condemn, there is always a pretext. I know nothing about these. I believe the central government will give me a fair judgment.¡± From eight o¡¯clock in the evening until twelve o¡¯clock at night, Shi Yiwu just sat there quietly. Either he closed his eyes to rest or turned his head to look at the wall. He was even humming a Peking opera tune. This attitude made Liu Bin furious. Having a hard mouth ismon, but Shi Yiwu¡¯s level of stubbornness is extremely rare.
Immediately afterwards, Liu Bin sneered: ¡°Shi Yiwu, you are still a bit short when ites to patience with us. I want to see how hard your mouth really is.¡± The entire interrogationsted until the next morning when it was temporarily paused. Then Zheng Gensheng and Tan Xiongbin continued to hammer Shi Yiwu with fatigue. However, Shi Yiwu appeared as if he had made up his mind,pletely disregarding everyone. Itsted aplete twenty-four hours until the following day. Had they not been afraid of causing a fatality, they would not have stopped. Watching Shi Yiwu, his exhausted body being propped up by soldiers as they walked him out of the interrogation room, a hint of gloom surfaced on Liu Bin¡¯s face. Zheng Gensheng also spoke from the side: ¡°Director, this Shi Yiwu¡¯s mouth is too hard. He¡¯s not directly answering our questions at all. He keeps repeating the same phrase over and over again, that the central government will give him a fair judgment.¡± Liu Bin snorted coldly and said in a deep voice: ¡°Old Zheng, people like him still harbour illusions. Let¡¯s not bother with him for now and start from other aspects. Once we get the evidence he will be unable to resist. Old Zheng, we have been cooling Zhang Zusi for four days. Interrogate him tonight.¡± At nine o¡¯clock in the evening, while Liu Bin was interrogating Zhang Zusi, there was suddenly a knock on the door. Zheng Gensheng was standing at the door, gesturing to Liu Bin. As soon as he stepped out, Zheng Gensheng whispered, ¡°Director, Shi Yiwu hasmitted suicide.¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, Old Cai admires you, I can only say, you guys are awesome!!! 593 votes. Herees the third update first. The tenth will follow around nine o¡¯clock, and the fifth, around ten forty at night!!! (.)n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 542: 499: Double Regulation of Li Chengfang (Fourth Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 542: Chapter 499: Double Regtion of Li Chengfang (Fourth Update, Calling for Monthly Tickets)_1 Shi Yiwu hasmitted suicide. This news immediately made Liu Bin¡¯s heart skip a beat. His gaze involuntarily turned towards the room, where Huang Lasheng was interrogating Zhang Zusi at the moment. Keeping his thoughts under control, Liu Bin refrained from reacting. This was not the time to show any shock, otherwise, the whole special investigation team would be put on the defensive. People like Zhang Zusi would surely push all me onto Shi Yiwu, and well, in a nutshell, there would be no way to verify facts from a dead person. What can you do about me? Quietly closing the room door, Liu Bin immediately ordered, ¡°Old Zheng, you will temporarily be in charge of Shi Yiwu¡¯s case. Go report to Secretary Liu Wei. We cannot make any move here, if Zhang Zusi notices anything amiss, our whole operation will be ruined.¡± Having said that, Liu Bin returned once again to the interrogation room. As a discipline inspector, he had seen many life and death situations, especially for people like him working at the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. When it was their turn to act, it was usually on big and important cases. Thus, such situations were no longer unusual for them. However, Shi Yiwu was the first officer tomit suicide in this major smuggling case by the Eastern Sea Group, which was indeed surprising. ¡­ At this moment, inside Shi Yiwu¡¯s room on the third floor, the apanying work staff was keeping his head down, not daring to say a word. He was one of the personnel assigned to monitor Shi Yiwu. Three teams of two personnel working in shifts, ensured 24-hour surveince of Shi Yiwu. Yet, despite such strict surveince, Shi Yiwu had managed tomit suicide. The staff member, who was around 27-28 years old, was now waiting for Secretary Liu Wei to reprimand him. Liu Wei also looked grave at the moment. Shi Yiwu¡¯s suicide had a significant impact on the case. A deputy provincial cadre who hadmitted suicide, this had not happened since the suicide in the Chen family in Jingcheng. This was not an ordinary incident, and if mishandled, it might lead to questioning the methods of the discipline inspection work. Fortunately, some matters had already been thoroughly investigated, or else this would undoubtedly put the special investigation team on the defensive. After some thought, Liu Wei asked the experts from the Ministry of Public Security¡¯s Forensic Examination Division, ¡°How did Shi Yiwumit suicide?¡±
¡°Preliminary judgment is suffocation and his cause of death was self-drowning.¡± An expert around the age of fifty informed them. Seeing Liu Wei¡¯s confusion, the expert exined, ¡°This man had great willpower. Normally, when suffocation reaches a certain degree, the human body instinctively reacts, either to release its hold or lift the head to breathe fresh air. However, this man not only was able to endure the difficulties but also managed to persist until he was unconscious, eventually dying from drowning. I have been working in forensic research for many years, and this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a case.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Meanwhile, Zheng Gensheng was questioning the two personnel who had been guarding Shi Yiwu. One of them nodded and said, ¡°After returning, Shi Yiwu did not eat but he said he wanted to go to the bathroom and take a shower, as he was tired from the day and night of interrogation. We did not think much about his request, we agreed to it. We did not expect, did not expect¡­¡± At this moment, Liu Wei waved his hands to stop him and said gravely, ¡°Little Zheng, let it be. People like Shi Yiwu, if they have a persistent desire to die, even if it doesn¡¯t work this time, they would seed the next time. Right now, the immediate task is for you to dispatch personnel, together with colleagues from the Public Security Bureau, to search Shi Yiwu¡¯s residence. In addition, freeze all his domestic bank ounts and locate Shi Yiwu¡¯s family. If they are in the country, they must be controlled.¡± Now, after Liu Wei had given the instructions, his secretary came over and whispered, ¡°Secretary Liu, the other special investigation team leaders are waiting in the conference room.¡± Liu Wei nodded. The Eastern Sea Group¡¯s smuggling case had been under investigation for four days, and it was perfectly normal to have a progress meeting. When Liu Wei entered the conference room, all the leaders of the other special investigation teams stood up. Liu Wei gestured for them to sit down and said, ¡°You may all sit down. Please report on your respective situations.¡± The leader of the customs working group, Deputy Director-General Chen Yao of the National Customs, raised his hand to speak first. Liu Wei nodded and said, ¡°Deputy Director-General Chen, you can start first.¡± Chen Yao nodded, saying in a low voice: ¡°After four days, based on some of the information and leads transferred to us by the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, our team, stationed in Wanghai Customs, has extensively used various methods such as overt inquiries, undercover investigations, and setting up anonymous tip boxes. After taking action against a fewrades with definitive evidence, we concluded that the situation is not very optimistic. Everyone in Wanghai Customs, from the highest-ranking customs officer to the ordinary clerks, hasmitted different degrees of illegal actions. Our team has already implemented Shuanggui measures on Customs Chief Yang Guangming, former Deputy Chief Ji Yong, former Disciplinary Inspection Team Leader Cui Daguang, former Director of the Investigation Division Wu Zheng, former Deputy Director of the Investigation Division Yang Lifen, former Deputy Director of the Investigation Division Huang Zhipeng, Office Director Li Xinmin, and Former Director of the Investigation Division Intelligence Office Ouyang Zhenbo.¡± The words of Chen Yao stunned other members of the team. He had not been soft on these people who could be said to be most of the workforce of Wanghai Customs. To put it another way, the whole of Wanghai Customs is corrupt. Turning his thoughts around, Liu Wei, the irondy, was watching closely. Anyone who wanted to be partial was simply courting death. Liu Wei pondered for a moment and nodded: ¡°Head Chen, your achievements are impressive. The smuggling case in Yuhai has been a concern to the Party Central Committee and the State Council. Our team members must not fear difficulties, and must have the confidence to ovee all obstacles and strive for victory. Those who embezzle and rape thew, flout discipline, andmit illegals will be brought to justice. We need to give the people a bright future.¡± Following this, Zou Xiaohua, the team leader of the Finance Work Group which includes systems from Taxation and Banking, began to report: ¡°ording to the investigation, the branch chief and deputy chief of the Minan Provincial Branch of Bank of China, as well as the head of the Wanghai branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank, Ji Zhanbo, are all suspected of serious vitions of discipline. At present, they have been controlled, and our team members have rushed to Minzhou City. Other situations are being further investigated. In addition, the chief of the Wanghai Municipal Tax Bureau is also suspected of making false VAT invoices for the Eastern Sea Group with an extremelyrge amount, and our team suggests that immediate Shuanggui measures be implemented.¡± For this case, the team members are all used to the shock now. The entire system is corrupt, so what difference does this make? The leader of the Public Security Department is Deng Yong, a member of the Party Committee and the head of the discipline inspection team at the Public Security Ministry. At this moment, Deng Yong opened his notebook and said, ¡°Comrade Liu, based on our investigations over the past few days, we have now initiated the Shuanggui proceedings against Liu Youfei, the captain of the Minan Armed Police Border Maritime Special Battalion. ording to the evidence, Liu Youfei ys a sheltering role in the Yuhai smuggling case. This is a major vition of discipline. In addition, there are also other issues, such as arge amount of property of unknown origin.¡± Liu Wei was taken aback when she heard this. It turned out that even the Armed Police Marine Police Brigade had been corrupted. No wonder Nie Zhenbang has had to draft troops from the Wanghai City Military Region and from his cousin Nie Jiamin¡¯s unit. Did Nie Zhenbang already know that the Armed Police Marine Police Force was not reliable? While pondering, Deng Yong continued: ¡°Also, Zhuang Roshun, Deputy Director of the Minan Provincial Department of Public Security, is suspected of having arge amount of property of unknown origin, suspected of acting as a protective umbre for the Eastern Sea Group, and providing illegal services such as number tes for the smuggling car goods of Eastern Sea Group. He has now been arrested! We also found cash worth 3,970,000 yuan at Zhuang Roshun¡¯s residence.¡± At this point, Deng Yong paused and looked at others and said, ¡°Comrade Liu, now, ording to the confessions and clues of these people, Comrade Li Chengfang of the Ministry of Public Security is also involved in this case. What is your view¡­?¡±
When people heard about Li Chengfang, they were all taken aback. Li Chengfang is a ministerial-level official. At this time, a vice-ministerial-level official has already been involved, and now, another ministerial-level official has been mentioned. Liu Wei looked a bit serious. Deng Yong dared not make a decision, that was for sure since Deng Yong is a member of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Public Security and Head of the Discipline Inspection Team, and in terms of ranks, is even half-level lower than Li Chengfang. Regarding Li Chengfang¡¯s case, naturally, he wouldn¡¯t know how to deal with it. In fact, even if it was to take measures against Li Chengfang, it would have to be reported to the Central Government. For issues and ranks of this level, only the Politburo can make decisions. After pondering for a moment, Liu Wei nodded, ¡°The case of Comrade Li Chengfang has to be kept strictly confidential by all the special teams and work groups. I believe everyone here knows the confidentiality principle of the Party. The meeting is over.¡± After the meeting, Liu Wei returned to his office without any pause, he immediately dialed the phone number of Zhuang Aiguo, the party secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection.
After a couple of rings, Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s voice came from the phone, ¡°Secretary Liu Wei, what¡¯s the situation?¡± Hearing Zhuang Aiguo¡¯s inquiry, Liu Wei should have reported the good news rather than the bad, but Liu Wei was not in the habit of doing so. She said in a low voice, ¡°Secretary Zhuang, our work is proceeding in an orderly manner. The main reason I called you was to report a situation. Based on our investigation over the past few days, from the evidence we currently have, Comrade Li Chengfang of the Ministry of Public Security is also involved, and deeply so. I mean to request Shuanggui for Li Chengfang.¡± This woman Liu Wei is really relentless. On the surface, she seems to be seeking agreement, but in fact, she has brought up her own opinion. This is forcing the pce. However, Zhuang Aiguo did not care about these secondary issues. After a moment of contemtion, he nodded, ¡°Go and implement the Shuanggui. I will coordinate the follow-up work.¡± PS: yes, my brothers and sisters are indeed powerful, very imposing. There was some dy in mywork ess, the votes I saw were 599, it seems that it has already exceeded 600. Brothers and sisters, I first send you the fourth update, the fifth update will be around 10:40 at thetest, notter than 11 o¡¯clock. Please look forward to it. ( Chapter 543: 500: Nie Zhenbangs Deployment (5th Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 543: Chapter 500: Nie Zhenbang¡¯s Deployment (5th Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 After hanging up the phone, Zhuang Aiguo immediately stood up and instructed the outside, ¡°Xiao Wang, prepare the car, we¡¯re heading to Guanghua Pavilion.¡± Indeed, Zhuang Aiguo used the time difference wisely. On one hand, he agreed with Liu Wei¡¯s suggestion to ce Li Chengfang under double regtion. Yet, Zhuang Aiguo clearly understood the current thoughts of others. Prime Minister Yun Bo, obviously didn¡¯t need to be mentioned. He was the strong advocate for the investigation. General Secretary Yuan had toy some groundwork for Vice Chairman Shen¡¯s promotion. As for Secretary of Rule of Law Committee and Leng Yunfei, they naturally were happy about it. Sure enough, after Zhuang Aiguo delivered a detailed report of the whole matter to General Secretary Yuan, with a little hesitation, he nodded his head saying, ¡°Investigate it. With Shi Yiwu dead and Li Chengfang implicated in the case, the Eastern Sea case is indeed very far-reaching. At this time, it is necessary to show our nation¡¯s determination tobat corruption. Yang Guangrong, from the Central Propaganda Department, must implement this. No cover ups. Seek truth from facts, introduce our country¡¯s anti-corruption work to domestic and international media, and establish an international image.¡± Zhuang Aiguo greatly admired the words of the General Secretary. Indeed, being able to consider the international image from such a matter was truly impressive. It would surely earn admiration and appreciation from foreign media. Inside the Ministry of Public Security, Li Chengfang sat in his office. The situation had him somewhat afraid. Even the once arrogant Li Chengfang, seeing the present situation, started to feel fear. The phone sitting silently on his desk, Li Chengfang picked it up, hesitated for a moment, then put it down. After a long while, he picked it up again and dialed a number. The phone rang twice and a low voice sounded from the other end. Hearing this voice, Li Chengfang felt as if he had grabbed a lifeline. He hurriedly pleaded, ¡°Big brother, it¡¯s me, Chengfang. The Nie family has gone too far. Nie Guodong and Nie Guowei sent some juniors to stir up chaos in Wanghai City, and even took down my nephew Guohua. Now, they¡¯re preparing to take me down too. Big Brother, you must stand up for me.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the voice on the phone shouted: ¡°Li Chengfang! Are you still ying these mind games with me?¡± This sentence was like a death spell, causing Li Chengfang to break downpletely. He whispered, ¡°Big brother, I¡­ I¡­¡± Li Jiangshan remained silent. His son Li Guohua¡¯s incident had already moved him back a step. Now, with the problem with Li Chengfang, he could not afford any losses. Moreover, the old man also urged everyone to maintain restraint and patience for this matter, fearing that he might get involved. If the direct branch of the Li family ended, the entire Li family would be over.
With this in mind, Li Jiangshan sternly said: ¡°Handle your own affairs. At this time, if you truthfully confess to the organization, perhaps, your life can still be saved.¡± After hanging up the phone, Li Chengfang¡¯s face went pale. At this moment, a knock sounded from outside, and the door was pushed open. Ouyang Xia, the Deputy Secretary of the Discipline Inspection Commission, stood at the entrance with a serious look and said, ¡°Li Chengfang. Come with us!¡± That night, the state-run television program ¡°Daily at Seven¡± broadcasted the news about Li Chengfang being investigated by the Central Discipline Inspection Commission. In Wanghai City, inside a suite on the third floor of Little Zhao Hongyan Building, Nie Zhenbang was sitting on the sofa next to Deputy Director of the Municipal Public Security Bureau, Xiao Shanming, who hade to report on his work. After watching the news, Xiao Shanming was also very surprised. Generally speaking, there was an unwritten rule within the system, party and government officials at the county and bureau level or below could be investigated without hesitation. However, when it involved the provincial and ministerial level, they had to be extremely careful. Typically, if it was a general disciplinary issue, as long as it didn¡¯t involve treason or such major principles, they would choose a more tactful approach such as voluntary resignation or transfer of positions. But this time, Li Chengfang, a high-ranking official at the ministerial level, was ced under double regtion. Furthermore, the Central Organization Department immediately issued a dismiss decree, relieving Li Chengfang of his duties as Deputy Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, Deputy Minister of Public Security, and member of the Party Leadership Group of the Ministry of Public Security. In addition, it was announced on ¡°Daily at Seven,¡± which meant that the central government¡¯s attitude was to investigate thoroughly. Otherwise, they would not expose it to the entire nation. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also startled. This time, the investigation team¡¯s progress was much faster than thest time. As he could recall, in his past life, the Eastern Sea smuggling case, started in April and was only made public nationwide in July. This time, the progress was clearly much faster. Upon thinking, Nie Zhenbang felt somewhat relieved in his heart. The many changes he had made in this life included the fate of the Nie family, the military strength of the nation, the Young Civilization, New Li City, Liangxi City, and more. These were all tangible changes, and inparison, the Eastern Sea smuggling case didn¡¯t seem like that big of a deal.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om However, at this moment, Nie Zhenbang suddenly wondered whether Lin Zhengxing, upon seeing the news, would consider fleeing abroad. He certainly will! A chilling thought urred to him. In his memories, Nie Zhenbang had heard nothing about Lin Zhengxing¡¯s extradition after his rebirth. This time, given that preparations have been made in advance, he was determined not to let him escape. At this time, Xiao Shanming too was somewhat relieved. Originally, he was just thest-ranking Deputy Director of the City Public Security Bureau, often isted because he resisted colluding with others. As a dignified government official, he couldn¡¯t stoop to tter a businessman, something Xiao Shanming found himself unable to do. Consequently, he had faced a great deal of exclusion. However, unexpectedly, after Mayor Nie came, he seized the opportunity to join Mayor Nie. Now, he had be the greatest beneficiary. As the Deputy Director, he was overseeing the entire Public Security Bureau. Many officials within the bureau had been taken away by the Discipline Inspection Commission, which had brought great convenience for his control over the bureau. He said to Mayor Nie, ¡°Mayor, since many people in the Public Security Bureau have been taken away by the working group, many positions have been left vacant and many matters are left unattended, causing some people to have feelings of apprehension.¡± On hearing Xiao Shanming¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment and spoke slowly: ¡°Director Shanming, as the violentw enforcement department of a country, the problems of the Public Security Bureau affect local stability, this is indisputable. Now, since you are entrusted by the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government to oversee the Public Security Bureau¡¯s work in overall, you need to act decisively. You need tomunicate more with Secretary Guodong regrly. Vacant positions need to be temporarily filled. We need to choose cadres who are strong, capable, bold and have organizational discipline. For example, Zhao Haining from the Third Traffic Police Brigade is quite good. Now, as Lu Zhifeng from the Traffic Police Detachment has been punished, we could consider letting Zhao Haining try out. So now, this is a unique period, we should have the courage and spirit to promote talent.¡± Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Xiao Shanming nodded. Zhao Haining, the young man, was certainly promising. Being appreciated and recognized by Mayor Nie, he had been promoted from an ordinary police officer to the Traffic Police Detachment within less than a year. Although he might not be able to be the chief of the detachment, it was very likely that he could be a vice chief. Meanwhile, Xiao Shanming also understood the deeper meaning behind his words. The mention of organizational discipline and his need to take decisive action is essentially telling him to take this opportunity to consolidate his power in the Public Security Bureau. By the end of the Eastern Sea case, he would be the mostpetitive candidate for the position of Commissioner of the Public Security Bureau. Seeing that Xiao Shanming had understood his intentions, Nie Zhenbang also nodded. There was a saying among the people: the master leads you to the door, but practicing is up to the individual. This also applied to officialdom. However, it would be a bit different: political patronage can open doors, but progress is up to the individual. Having powerful backers or backgrounds could merely offer you an advantage in promotions over others. However, it didn¡¯t guarantee promotions. Real progress depended on your capabilities. This was akin to the saying, one must rely on oneself when making a difference.
If patronage and background could determine everything, would there be a civilian prime minister like Yun Bo? If patronage determined everything, then the entire country would have long been dominated by aristocrats. Now it seemed that Xiao Shanming did have quite a bit of capability. For him to sessfully consolidate control over the Public Security Bureau in just a few days was impressive. It also pointed to his great prestige within the Bureau. Nie Zhenbang then said in a slower tone, ¡°Shanming, there is another issue you need to pay attention to. At present, although the task force has taken some measures to prevent Lin Zhengxing from fleeing, I suspect they are not familiar with the situation in WangHai, and Lin Zhengxing is not that simple. On your end, you should organize a capable force to monitor Lin Zhengxing. He must not be allowed to escape.¡± As he spoke, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression became solemn, he said in a serious tone, ¡°Comrade Shanming, as a key suspect in the major smuggling case of the Eastern Sea Group, Lin Zhengxing ys a crucial role. If he escapes abroad, it will be a great loss to the case. At the same time, it will also cause great loss to the country. You must be vignt and can¡¯t be careless at any point.¡±
Seeing how serious Nie Zhenbang was, Xiao Shanming stood up, bringing his feet together and nodding, ¡°Mr. Mayor, rest assured. I will make sure toplete the task. If I let Lin Zhengxing run away, you can remove me from my post!¡± PS: Brothers and sisters, it seems our funding has slowed somewhat. Could it be that our siblings have exhausted their new contributions? Please continue to support by voting! Your support is my greatest motivation! ( Chapter 544: 501 Lin Zhengxing Escapes (First update, seeking monthly ticket)_1 Chapter 544: Chapter 501 Lin Zhengxing Escapes (First update, seeking monthly ticket)_1 Hongyun Building This once most prosperous, high-end ce in Wanghai City was somewhat dpidated at this moment. At the time when night lights just lit up, Hongyun Building, which should have been bustling, was eerily quiet. The once bustling first, second, third, and fourth floors, were now abandoned, without a trace of people. At the top floor of Hongyun Building, under the dim table light, Lin Zhengxing seemed to have aged overnight, devoid of his former vitality. Today¡¯s news on ¡°Daily at Seven¡± gave Lin Zhengxing an ominous feeling. He could no longer reach Director Wang by phone either. If he guessed correctly, Director Wang was probably in trouble too. ¡°Jiu, who would have thought that such a big corporation like the Yahai would crumble overnight? I regret not listening to your advice,¡± Lin Zhengxing sighed, speaking in a murmur. Chang Jiu, sitting on the couch at his side, said softly, ¡°Big Brother Xing, don¡¯t say that. The huge profits from smuggling are irresistible to anyone. I wasn¡¯t very determined either. When we chose this path, there was no turning back. Big Brother Xing, it¡¯s time for you to leave. The game is up, we don¡¯t stand a chance anymore.¡± Lin Zhengxing¡¯s eyes were dull at this moment, appearing somewhat hollow. He murmured, ¡°Jiu, do you know? I started out in my teens to make my way in the world, riding a bicycle, trekking miles every night, working in processing and sales¡­ I¡¯vee so far, I can¡¯t just give up.¡± Chang Jiu was also somewhat emotional at this moment, speaking softly, ¡°Big Brother Xing, it¡¯s a mess because we failed to cut off those who needed to be cut off promptly. I have already booked your ne ticket. It¡¯s a flight to Donggang tomorrow morning. The tourist visa you will use and your new ID card is all prepared. The ID card was processed when Zhou Qingguo was still in office, it¡¯s a real ID card named Lai Fugui. After you arrive in Donggang, take a detour to Australia. I¡¯ll stall for you here, and the special investigation team won¡¯t detect any anomalies for the time being.¡± Upon hearing this, Lin Zhengxing abruptly stood up, stared at Chang Jiu, and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Jiu, you¡¯re not going?¡±
Chang Jiu shook his head and said solemnly, ¡°Our people downstairs have reported that several people have been watching this ce over the past few days. It¡¯s clear the special investigation team has caught wind of us. The reason they haven¡¯t taken action yet is likely because they are still sorting out their own internal issues. If everyone leaves, we certainly won¡¯t be able to fool the special investigation team. Big Brother Xing, my wife and children are already abroad; I have no ties left. I can only repay your kindness to me with my life.¡± Chang Jiu¡¯s words were filled with sorrow. Lin Zhengxing sighed, fell silent, then finally nodded. ¡°Jiu, you¡¯ve suffered a lot. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of your child until theye of age. From this day on, your children are my own.¡± ¡­ Early the next morning, while it was still light dawning. Below the Asia-Oceanic Group headquarters in Hongyun Building, Lin Zhengxing¡¯s vehicle, a Mercedes Benz 600 series bacsh car, pulled out of the building. Investigators from the special investigation team that was watching the building immediately followed in their cars. The special investigation team wasn¡¯t specialized in criminal investigation. Shortly after, two more luxury cars came out of there, driving in opposite directions. Half an hourter, a in-looking Toyota Crown came out of a building next to the Hongyun Building, drove onto the main road, took a small detour, then suddenly sped up, heading towards Wanghai Airport. At this moment, Lin Zhengxing was dressedpletely different from before. His attire was rather in, his short hair was half grey half ck. With a pair of ck-rimmed sses on, he was entirely unrecognizable. From Asia-Oceanic Group headquarters to Wanghai Airport usually took an hour¡¯s journey. However, it took less than forty minutes to get there this time. Wanghai Airport stood tall in the distance. At this moment, Lin Zhengxing stepped out of the car to see fully armed military police outside the airport terminal entrance, with armed police patrolling every ten or so meters. Lin Zhengxing immediately returned to the car and said in a low voice, ¡°Chang, turn around, head to the dock, find a ce to hide.¡± Chang, a robust man around thirty years old, was a trusted aide to Lin Zhengxing. This time, if Lin Zhengxing were to flee, he would definitely take Chang with him. Recognizing his boss¡¯s intent, Chang didn¡¯t waste any words. He immediately started the car, drove across the roadway at the terminal entrance, made a turn, and once again exited the airport. After getting onto the freeway, Chang finally asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on, boss?¡± Lin Zhengxing was looking rather gloomy. He said gravely, ¡°Xiao Shanming, from the Public Security Bureau, seems to be leading a team stationed at the airport. It looks like Nie Zhenbang is closing in. The airport is no longer an option, and other sea routes are surely blocked. At this point, all of Wanghai City is most likely sealed off. Our only option now is to head to the dock and find somewhere to hide. You go find Snake Head Ming, and have him arrange for me to leave by sea tonight. He can name his price.¡± Lin Zhengxing, experienced and seasoned, had detected the unusual atmosphere as soon as he entered the airport terminal. Now, rather than panicking, he remained calm. After extinguishing any sliver of hope he had, his solitary thought was escape. His sharp and methodical response revealed his streetwise expertise. At this moment, investigators tailing the Asia-Oceanic Group¡¯s vehicles noticed something amiss. Lin Zhengxing was nowhere to be found in the Mercedes 600 that entered Tianquan Vi, and the upants of the other two cars were irrelevant small fry. This unexpected turn of events quickly made its way to Liu Wei, the leader of the task force. His face turned serious ¨C if Lin Zhengxing escaped, it would be a significant setback for the Yuhai case. After a moment of consideration, Liu Wei instructed, ¡°Call Nie Zhenbang. He¡¯s the top dog in Wanghai City, tell him to immediately dispatch police forces and block off all transportation hubs in the city ¨C the airport, highways, railways, etc. In addition, contact Comrade Deng Yong and have the Ministry of Public Security issue a Level A arrest warrant for Lin Zhengxing. He must be stopped within our borders.¡± Nie Zhenbang was in his office when he received the call from the task force. Wanghai City was in chaos. Yuhai Building, which was ted to be the tallest skyscraper in the southeast, and possibly the country, was now deserted due to a funding shortfall. Several other projects by the Asia-Oceanic Group had also been temporarily halted. An abundance of affairs were now being handled by the city government, with Mayor Wang Yaguang merely acting as a figurehead, leaving the daunting task of overseeing these operations to Nie Zhenbang.
Upon hearing the news, Nie Zhenbang said gravely, ¡°This is bad, Lin Zhengxing is trying to escape. Ju Peng, call Xiao Shanming immediately. Have him deploy all avable officers for a thorough search. Turn Wanghai City upside down if necessary, but find Lin Zhengxing. Also, call the Deputy Commander of the military garrison, and have him send a team to the Asia-Oceanic Group to arrest any involved persons.¡± Orders were issued, and once again, action was taken across Wanghai City. On the streets, at each intersection, in everymunity, police officers were mobilized. With guidance from localmunitymittee members, they began to openly investigate and quietly probe for Lin Zhengxing¡¯s whereabouts. It was already 7 p.m. at city hall, but the ce was brightly lit. Inside the small conference room, Nie Zhenbang sat at the head of the table, with the Public Security Bureau¡¯s Xiao Shanming seated next to him, and Nie Jiamin to his right. They were followed by elite forces from the Public Security Bureau and the military region. ¡°A day, a full day has passed, and even after turning Wanghai City upside down, we still haven¡¯t found Lin Zhengxing. Can he fly or dig into the ground? The more time drags on, the greater the chance that Lin Zhengxing has already escaped. What do you think, has Lin Zhengxing gone into hiding or what?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t very pleasant at this point. He¡¯d been orchestrating operations for a long time with the goal of altering the oue, capturing Lin Zhengxing. The disappointment would be evident to anyone if he managed to get away after all that effort.
Faced with Mayor Nie¡¯s fury, Xiao Shanming was somewhat taken aback. Mayor Nie had always been a gentleman, and this was the first time he¡¯d seen him lose his temper. But at the moment, all Xiao Shanming could do was bite the bullet and respond, ¡°Mayor, we¡¯ve searched every corner of the city, even the chaotic outskirts where city meets countryside. We¡¯ve arrested quite a few idlers who survive the streets and still found no trace of Lin Zhengxing. However, I am certain that Lin Zhengxing is still in Wanghai. My men have sealed off all exits in Wanghai sincest night. There¡¯s no way Lin Zhengxing could have escaped so quickly.¡± Next to him, Nie Jiamin also chimed in, ¡°Mayor Nie, in my opinion, it¡¯s most likely that Lin Zhengxing is hiding somewhere in Wanghai City, awaiting an opportunity to escape.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Corners? Escape? These two words began swirling in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind. After careful analysis, it was unrealistic to think that Lin Zhengxing could escape via highway or railway as he wouldn¡¯t be able to get very far that way. The only realistic options were by ne or by sea. With Xiao Shanming personally stationed at the airport, escaping by ne was impossible. That left only one option ¨C the sea route. Lin Zhengxing, who¡¯d made a name for himself smuggling goods, would be well-acquainted with this route. Moreover, Wanghai is located across the sea from Treasure Ind. It would only be a matter of hours to reach Treasure Ind. The more he thought about it, the more usible it seemed. Having reached this conclusion, Nie Zhenbang stood up, mmed his fist on the desk, and said with gravity, ¡°The sea route, it must be the sea route. Lin Zhengxing is probably nning to flee illicitly. These snake heads are experts at evading capture. Lin Zhengxing must be awaiting an opportunity to flee illicitly.¡± Turning to Nie Jiamin, hemanded, ¡°Deputy Commander Nie, contact Director Fang from the navy immediately and dispatch patrol boats. Also, Shanming, you go find the Maritime Police special operations team. Everyone, get out to sea. Also, conduct a thorough search of all the docks and fishing boats in Wanghai City. We must find Lin Zhengxing.¡± PS: Brothers and sisters who still have monthly tickets, please support us with a vote. Today, there will be at least four more updates. (To be continued. If you enjoy this novel, we wee you to support us with rmendation votes and monthly tickets on . Your support motivates us tremendously.) Chapter 545: 502: At the End of the Line (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 545: Chapter 502: At the End of the Line (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 After giving the order tob through all the docks, harbors, and various vessels including fishing boats, merchant ships, and freighters in Wanghai City. Nie Zhenbang spoke again: ¡°Jiamin, you¡¯re leading a team. Follow the action of the Armed Police Marine Police Special Service Detachment. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll personally lead another team. This time, if we don¡¯t catch Lin Zhengxing, my life would have gone to the dogs.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om No one knew why Mayor Nie had such a grudge against Lin Zhengxing. Not even Nie Jiamin understood, only Nie Zhenbang himself knew. It had nothing to do with personal resentment, it was purely a matter of responsibility. It was an issue of conscience. At Wanghai Port, pier number five, inside a very rudimentary civilian house, made as a temporary resettlement location for the original seaside demolition households during the dock construction. A row of bungalows extended down. These temporary resettlement houses remained even after the demolition households had moved into resettlementmunities. Now, they were rented out to workers at the dock. In other words, these slums around the dock were a gathering ce for all sorts of people. Social order was always a headache for the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government. At this moment, inside one of the houses, Lin Zhengxing was sitting on a sofa. In his hand, a Type 64 pistol and beside him, four magazines. He was loading the bright yellow bullets into the magazine. He was well aware that he was on the citywide manhunt in Wanghai City. If he wasn¡¯t careful, he might encounter the police. By then, his survival would be hanging by a thread. Being prepared had always been Lin Zhengxing¡¯s habit. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door from the outside, which made Lin Zhengxing extremely nervous. He picked up the gun and chambered a round, standing by the door. He lowered his voice and asked: ¡°Who is it?¡± From outside, Chang¡¯s voice came: ¡°Boss, it¡¯s me.¡± The door opened, and Chang walked in from outside. His demeanor and actions were like those of an undercover operative. He swiftly closed the door and said in a low voice: ¡°Boss, everything is ready, as per your instructions. Hei Zi and Feipang have each led ten brothers, each given 500,000 yuan in resettlement fees. Tonight at midnight, we sail. Snake Head Ming is asking for 300,000 yuan per person. We have twenty-four people, altogether it will cost 7.2 million yuan, boss, do you think we should?¡± As he spoke, Chang also made a throat-cutting motion. Lin Zhengxing¡¯s face was gloomy: ¡°It is truly a humiliation that he dares to exploit me when I am most vulnerable. Snake Head Ming, does he care more about money than his life? Tell him that we will pay him immediately after we reach the open sea.¡±
Chang looked a little troubled and whispered: ¡°Boss, we don¡¯t have that much cash. Our domestic ounts have been frozen. Now, apart from what we¡¯ve given to our brothers, we only have a little over three million yuan in cash.¡± Lin Zhengxing¡¯s face darkened. He nodded: ¡°It¡¯s enough. Go get some white papers and make the preparations below. Leave one suitcase out, all filled with real money. I want to see if Snake Head Ming has the grit to ckmail me and if he has the life to spend it.¡± Time slowly passed. For Lin Zhengxing, each minute was a torment. Finally, it darkened. The lights at the harbor pier gradually extinguished. Lin Zhengxing¡¯s hanging heart eased. This ce was constantly bustling at night. From the conversations of the people passing by outside the house, Lin Zhengxing learned that police, armed police, and soldiers were patrolling and searching all the docks in Wanghai City. He was afraid they woulde here for inspection, but now, it was already midnight, at least he had dodged this bullet. Meanwhile, Chang knocked on the door from outside, three short knocks and then three longer ones. This was the pre-agreed secret signal. Lin Zhengxing had changed into a set of blue canvas work clothes. He didn¡¯t resemble the boss of the Eastern Sea Group who used to dominate Wanghai at all. The two men didn¡¯t speak, but just nodded slightly. Lin Zhengxing followed Chang towards the pier. At the edge of Pier 5, which was actually already outside the dock area, was a gathering ce for fisherman in Wanghai City. In the darkness, they passed through numerous fishing vessels. On the outermost side, a fishing boat of about 800 tons had already started its engine. As they stepped into the cabin, a thin man in his thirties came forward with a big smile on his face: ¡°Mr. Lin, I¡¯ve heard so much about you.¡± This man was Snake Head Ming. He was a notorious smuggler in the area of Wanghai. Without waiting for Lin Zhengxing to speak, Snake Head Ming dered: ¡°Mr. Lin, it¡¯s standard practice in this business ¨C cash on delivery. How about it? Has Chang told you?¡± When he finished speaking, Lin Zhengxing¡¯s face twisted. When had ite to the point that even Snake Head Ming dared to put himself above him? It was nothing short of humiliating. But he was under another¡¯s roof and had to bow his head. Lin Zhengxing made a gesture, and Hei Zi, who had already boarded the ship, immediately took out a security box and handed it to Snake Head Ming. Lin Zhengxing said indifferently: ¡°Snake Head Ming, I also have my rules ¨C no money, no goods. This is a deposit of one million yuan. The rest will be given to you when we reach the open sea. Although I, Lin Zhengxing, am down and out, I¡¯m not at a point where I¡¯d swindle you over this amount.¡± Snake Head Ming was not polite. He directly opened the security box, neatly arranged hundred yuan notes, he verified them one by one, and then said with a smile: ¡°Good, Mr. Lin, you are indeed straightforward. Set sail!¡± Generally speaking, Snake Head Ming¡¯s smuggling price per person was around 30,000 to 50,000 yuan. Now, Snake Head Ming had made a killing with the one million yuan he asked for. Snake Head Ming said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Lin, could you and your men please rest below? By dawn, you will be out of trouble.¡± This was the norm. Generally, for those like Snake Head Ming who specialized in smuggling, the ships were custom-built with decks above cabins. The smuggled passengers were all crammed into the bottomyer of the ship, essible through hiddenpartments. Although Lin Zhengxing had never been on such a ship, as a boss on the coast of WangHai, he knew enough. Without further dy, he entered one of the hiddenpartments in the cabin with Hei Zi and Chang. After they sealed the hatch, Snake Head Ming ordered in a deep voice, ¡°Set sail! Take the offshore route. Now, the entire public security and armed forces of WangHai are looking for Fei Xing. Only the sea route is safe.¡± At that moment, Snake Head Ming was unaware that here in Wanghai City, the joint Armed Police Marine Police Special Service Detachment, the Navy¡¯s Wanghai Base, and severalw enforcement vessels of the Wanghai Fisheries Administration had set up an extensive on the sea. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang once again boarded the 121 destroyer. By now, all vessels participating in the arrest operation had establishedmunications and could coordinate directly. Nie Zhenbang sat calmly on Taishan. Beside him, Xiao Shanming approached and whispered, ¡°Mayor, we¡¯ve just received news from the city ¨C a fisherman at Pier 5 reported that a fishing boat has left the harbor.¡±
A fishing boat left the harbor? At dawn? This news seemed unusual to Nie Zhenbang. Although he was not a local of Wanghai City, he knew that fishing boats did not usually set sail until after three in the morning. Anything earlier was out of the ordinary. Immediately, Nie Zhenbangmanded in a deep voice, ¡°It must be Lin Zhengxing. I have this premonition, Shanming. Order a full blockade of this fishing boat.¡± Premonition, or intuition, is a rather mysterious thing. But for Nie Zhenbang, it was quitemon. His three years of military experience in the Xibei Military Region not only honed his skills but also developed in him a keen sense of intuition.
With the destroyer¡¯s radar scanning its full range, the whereabouts of the fishing boat were quickly discovered. In less than half an hour, Nie Zhenbang and his team surrounded the fishing boat. Seeing this, Snake Head Ming cursed, ¡°God damn it! What has that bastard Fei Xing done to deserve this? They¡¯ve even sent a destroyer.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking when the hiddenpartment below loosened, and Lin Zhengxing and his men emerged, all armed, even with several submachine guns. The situation left Snake Head Ming stunned for a moment. He then yelled, ¡°Fei Xing, are you trying to get me killed too? Get back in there. I hope they don¡¯t find you.¡± At that moment, Lin Zhengxing raised his weapon, aiming at Snake Head Ming, and coldly said, ¡°Hide? Who knows if you, Snake Head Ming, will betray me? My fate has always been in my own hands. Men, hide. Snake Head Ming, better y nice, or I¡¯ll deal with you before I die.¡± At this time, Nie Zhenbang watched the fishing boat andmanded in a deep voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we¡¯re boarding.¡± Soon, the destroyer pulled up alongside the fishing boat. Without waiting for the gangway, Nie Zhenbang jumped onto the deck. Entering the cabin and facing Snake Head Ming, he demanded in a deep voice, ¡°Why sail off at dawn?¡± At this moment, Snake Head Ming did not appear in the least like a smuggler. He looked like nothing more than an ordinary Wanghai fisherman. He responded, ¡°Officer, we had a long journey this time, we were going to Diaoyu Ind, so we left a bit early.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded and then told Snake Head Ming, ¡°We are from Wanghai City Public Security Bureau. We are arresting a significant fugitive. We request your cooperation for inspection.¡± With that, special police officers from the bureau entered from outside, thoroughly searching every corner of the cabin. At this moment, Lin Zhengxing waspletely disoriented. If he hadn¡¯t doubted Snake Head Ming and emerged from the hiddenpartment, they might not have discovered it, but the cabin wasn¡¯trge, and the police quickly approached one of his sidekicks. Unable to hold back any more, the sidekick stood up and fired a shot. PS: Currently, with 654 votes, to bridge this gap, brothers and sisters, do you have any monthly tickets left? Asking for a monthly ticket for support, asking for rmendations, rewards, all kinds of requests! (
Chapter 546: 503: Establishment of the Minan Delegation_1 Chapter 546: Chapter 503: Establishment of the Minan Delegation_1 The gunshot echoed in the quiet sea and amid the sound of wavespping against the boat, like thunder on a clear day. Instantly, Nie Zhenbang moved, his handgun lifted swiftly. A shot rang out and the young man¡¯s face blossomed with blood; he fell on his back. At the same time, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s men all took up optimal shooting positions, concealing themselves. Nie Zhenbang also stood inside the ship¡¯s cabin, a position that was very cunning, hard to aim at from all directions. ¡°Lin Zhengxing,e out, I know you¡¯re on the ship. You can¡¯t escape. My people are all wearing bulletproof vests. If you resist, you know what the oue will be.¡± Nie Zhenbang shouted loudly. This was psychological oppression. Although both sides were armed, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s side had standard military weapons and trained personnel with bulletproof vests and helmets protecting them. In contrast, Lin Zhengxing¡¯s side was a ragtag bunch with no protective measures. Bullets don¡¯t discriminate, and a hit could be fatal. ¡°Nie Zhenbang, I have no grudge against you, why do you want to kill me offpletely?¡± Lin Zhengxing also shouted back, continuing, ¡°If you want to catch me, dream on, even if I die, I will bring some of you down with me. Stop intimidating me here,e over if you dare!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang sternly said, ¡°Lin Zhengxing, you must understand that you aren¡¯t in conflict with me, but with the state and thew. No one is above thew, no one can contempt nationalw.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang ramped up the pressure, ¡°Everyone, listen to my orders. Ten secondster, retreat orderly from the cabin, surround this ce,unch tear gas, sh grenades. Prepare to charge on mymand.¡± ¡°Ah!!¡± A roar echoed through the ship¡¯s cabin, then several people from hidden positions on the left threw down their weapons, rushed out and shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t shoot, don¡¯t shoot, we surrender!¡± Amongst this bunch of ragtag rebels, not all would remain loyal to Lin Zhengxing; they were just there for the money. If they hadn¡¯t been surrounded by the army and were on Treasure Ind or abroad, they might remain loyal to Lin Zhengxing. But at this moment, they were cornered and their human nature prevailed. They wouldn¡¯t risk their lives then.
Once these few made the first move, the psychological defense of Lin Zhengxing¡¯s side waspletely shattered. The rest of the crew soon followed suit. On the other side, Lin Zhengxing, Chang, and Hei Zi were hiding. A voice came out, ¡°Boss, I beg you, let me go, I don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°Damn it, if you dare to betray me, I will kill you first,¡± came Lin Zhengxing¡¯s voice. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang seized the opportunity, it was the best time to arrest. Lin Zhengxing¡¯s desperate followers had lost their will to resist, and wouldn¡¯t dare to move. Meanwhile, Lin Zhengxing was dealing with a ¡®traitor¡¯, his attention was scattered. This was the best opportunity to grab him before he could execute the traitor. After doing that, Lin Zhengxing would most likely resist till death ormit suicide. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s movement was swift. The indoor cabin was already quite narrow, with a quick sidestep, he saw Lin Zhengxing standing next to two people, with his gun pointed at the forehead of one of the men. Bang! Bang! Bang! Three consecutive gunshots, with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s shooting skills, the three bullets hit the wrists of Lin Zhengxing, Hei Zi, and Chang. Their guns fell to the ground immediately. The situation was under control. Nie Zhenbang walked up to them, looked directly at Lin Zhengxing, and said in a deep voice, ¡°Take him away!¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Wanghai Naval Harbor Now, although it was three in the morning, the area was brightly lit, with several police cars shing their lights by the dockside. Liu Wei, the leader of the special case team, also stood there. When the news of Lin Zhengxing¡¯s arrest reached them, the special case team was buzzing with excitement. As the main culprit of the Eastern Searge-scale smuggling operation, if Lin Zhengxing escaped, the loss would be immeasurable. Thus, when he heard about Lin Zhengxing¡¯s arrest, Liu Wei was unable to sit still and personally waited here. As the destroyer No. 121 slowly docked, adder was lowered from the ship. Nie Zhenbang walked in the front, with soldiers following closely behind, escorting Lin Zhengxing and others off the destroyer. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang had removed his bulletproof vest, put down his weapons, and transformed back from a fierce warrior into a courteous government official. Standing in front of Secretary Liu Wei, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said: ¡°Secretary Liu, we have sessfully aplished our mission. Our soldiers fought bravely and managed to trap Lin Zhengxing within our borders.¡± In the past, when Liu Wei was in the Central Discipline Inspection Commission, he had some opinions about Nie Zhenbang. But now, Liu Wei admires Nie Zhenbang to some extent, for his capable and fearless stance toward the powerful. Officers who insist on justice and truth are bing rare these days. He then smiled and said: ¡°Comrade Zhenbang, you have worked hard. The special investigation team thanks the Wanghai City Party Committee and City Government for their support and assistance in our work.¡± ¡­ After Lin Zhengxing was handed over to the special investigation team for the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s massive smuggling case, the progress of the entire special investigation team elerated a lot. The Eastern Sea Group was officially sealed up the following day. At ten in the morning, media reporters from all over the country had gathered outside the office building of the Wanghai City Party Committee and City Government. The Eastern Sea smuggling case has surfaced, involving arge amount of money, many people, many party and government officials, and a high level of leadership. It is considered the number one domestic case, naturally attracting the attention of the national media. Coupled with the guidance of the Central Propaganda Department, the national media were all flocking to cover the first-hand news.
The special investigation team was still in the investigation stage and did not ept any interviews or any media. Naturally, the Wanghai City Party Committee and City Government became the target of the media. In addition, today was the time for the National People¡¯s Congress representatives of Wanghai City to travel to the Two Sessions. At ten o¡¯clock, members of the current Standing Committee of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee came out of the elevator one after another. In the middle, leading was the Deputy Secretary of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, Mayor Wang Yaguang, who was full of spirit in a dark suit, white shirt, blue striped tie, and silver-rimmed sses. Behind him was the Executive Deputy Mayor and Secretary of the Municipal Political and Legal Committee, Gu Dongliang, walking half a step behind him. Behind them, were the members of the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee who are also members of the city government¡¯s leadership team. This time, the representatives of Minan Province to the National People¡¯s Congress were about to hold a pre-departure meeting in Minzhou City. From Wanghai City, the representatives attending the National People¡¯s Congress were Mayor Wang Yaguang, Executive Deputy Mayor Nie Zhenbang, and Wanghai New Port Party Committee Secretary Liang Jianhua. Normally, Wanghai City has far more NPC representatives. However, this time, due to the Eastern Sea smuggling case, the qualifications for the NPC representatives such as the former Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee Shi Yiwu, Chairman of Eastern Sea Group Lin Zhengxing, head of Wanghai Customs, and president of ICBC Wanghai were all revoked. Therefore, only three representatives from Wanghai attending the NPC this time.
As soon as they went out, Nie Zhenbang and Wang Yaguang were stopped by reporters at the door. ¡°Mayor Wang, hello. I¡¯m a reporter from Minan Daily, can I ask whether such arge smuggling case has any impact on the subsequent economy of Wanghai City?¡± At this moment, Mayor Wang Yaguang calmly responded with a friendly smile: ¡°There will definitely be impacts. Wanghai City¡¯s economy has made significant achievements over the years, but it has also seen some abnormal developments with an over reliance on the Eastern Sea Group. Now, after the Eastern Sea Group has been sealed, it will certainly have some impact on the whole city. However, I do believe that the two million residents of Wanghai can get back on their feet. As one of the country¡¯s special zones, Wanghai holds enormous potential. I believe its development momentum is unstoppable.¡± The words fell, and another reporter next to him asked: ¡°Mayor Nie, hello, I am a reporter from the Huaxia Agency. May I ask, do you have any proposals for the uing two sessions?¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled and nodded and said: ¡°I have a clear proposal in mind. The proposal remains focused on Wanghai itself. I n to suggest that a piece ofnd be allocated in Wanghai to establish the Wanghai XinGang Free Trade Zone to promote the all-around and healthy development of Wanghai¡¯s economy.¡± The responses to these inquiries were hurried as Wang Yaguang and Nie Zhenbang each answered a few questions but tactfully avoided the Eastern Sea smuggling case. This issue, is a taboo topic. Before the central government¡¯s opinion is released, no one will rashly take a stance on it. Afterward, Nie Zhenbang and Wang Yaguang joined up with Liang Jianhua, and the three of them rushed to Minzhou City in a business vehicle. When they arrived in Minzhou at noon, the three of them promptly reported to the office building of the Minan Provincial People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee. Arrangements were made by the staff, and after lunch, at 2 pm, the Minan Provincial People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee called the first meeting of the Minan Provincial NPC delegation. A total of 71 NPC delegates from Minan attended the meeting. Firstly, the provincial party secretary and director of the Provincial People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee Chen Renqing was elected as the head of the NPC delegation of Minan Province delegation this time, and the provincial governor Jia Minfu and the provincial partymittee deputy secretary Qiao Yiren were elected as deputies. At this moment, Chen Renqing seemed a bit down. The Eastern Sea smuggling case would definitely put him in a position of responsibilities. Although he might not necessarily be punished, he knew that his future prospects were bleak. In contrast, the deputy secretary of the provincial partymittee and governor Jia Minfu and the deputy secretary of the provincial partymittee Qiao Yiren appeared a bit rxed. They had chosen the most proper way to deal with the Eastern Sea smuggling case, so they are definitely getting some advancement opportunity this time. With this trip to Jingcheng, they can take advantage of this chance. Then, in the banquet hall of the Provincial People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee, a grand opening ceremony was held. After that, the delegation boarded a flight to Jingcheng from Minzhou International Airport on a Wanghai Airlines flight. PS: Monthly tickets are not increasing, brothers and sisters, are you withering? Out of monthly tickets? Seeking monthly tickets, rmendations, rewards, all kinds of seeking! If you like this work, pleasee to Qidian ) and vote for rmendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation.
Chapter 547: 504 Opening of Two Sessions (Additional 650 monthly tickets)_1 Chapter 547: Chapter 504 Opening of Two Sessions (Additional 650 monthly tickets)_1 Upon boarding the ne, the flight attendants from WangHai Airlines presented fresh flowers to the delegates going to attend the National People¡¯s Congress. This time, the delegation from Minan Province going to attend the National People¡¯s Congress travelled on a Boeing 737-700 of WangHai Airlines. The entire ne could amodate 148 passengers. The total number of the Minan Province delegates to the National People¡¯s Congress was 71, plus the apanying staff, so the ne was full. As the ne slowly descended over Jingcheng City International Airport, a piano tune ¡°Journey of Life, Apanied by Egrets¡± and the tranquil and melodious broadcast of the flight attendants could be heard. The ne gentlynded at Jingcheng Airport. At this moment, the bus for the National People¡¯s Congress was already waiting at the airport. After getting off the ne, the delegation boarded the bus and headed for the hotel. The amodations for the Minan Province delegation to the National People¡¯s Congress were at Minan Building in Jingcheng. Upon disembarking, Nie Zhenbang was tempted to go home and discuss with his uncle and father about the National People¡¯s Congress and the National Meeting of Delegates, especially regarding the uing national party conference in October. The conference would serve as a weathervane which would directly represent the direction of the party meeting. Seeing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression, Qiao Yiren walked over, smiling softly and said, ¡°I knew that once youe back to Jingcheng, you would be restless. Go home. Your wife is due soon. Apart from your regr work, you can stay here in the next few days.¡± At the moment, the Nie family home located in the Dongcheng District of Jingcheng was bustling. As Nie Zhenbang entered the gate, Nie Jialei opened the door. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Nie Jialei smiled and said, ¡°Just a moment ago, your second uncle was saying that you would being with the delegation from Minan Province. Talk of the devil, and he is sure to appear. Come in, we¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Nie Zhenbang also smiled. His older brother Nie Jialei followed his advice and had also stepped down this year. Moreover, where he was currently serving was somewhat surprising to Nie Zhenbang. It happened to be Xinli City, where he had once fought and worked. His brother, at the age of 34, had already attained the rank of deputy department level. Currently, in Xinli City, he seeded Yan Fengjiao¡¯s position as the Mayor of Xinli City. Xie Yi had been transferred to Bazhou City to serve as the deputy secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and mayor. Meanwhile, Yan Fengjiao was now the secretary of the Xinli City Municipal Party Committee.
His brother was not a delegate to the National People¡¯s Congress. However, he knew that this meeting was rted to the future fate of Nie family, so his return was quite normal. Upon entering the main hall of the courtyard, at this moment, the Nie siblings were all sitting on the sofa. Nie Guodong sat in the middle of the sofa, next to him was Nie Guowei, and to his right was Xiao Zhenchang. Beside them, Nie Guorong, Huang Yuerong and Ye Shuxian were all seated. ¡°Zhenbang, during the Yuhai smuggling case, we were sweating bullets for you two brothers.¡± After Nie Zhenbang sat down, Nie Guodong also spoke with a smile.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Among the third generation of the Nie family, Nie Zhenbang sat on the single sofa on the left, and Nie Jialei sat on the right. This seating arrangement had determined the order of the third generation of the Nie family. On one hand, the grandfather¡¯s instructions before his death stated that Nie Zhenbang was undeniably the sessor of the third generation of the Nie family. On the other hand, Nie Zhenbang was already a well-established figure now. A high-ranking official at the age of 29 and having a good rtionship with the national leaders, plus being Elder Nan¡¯s grandson and his wife¡¯s strong family background, all these advantages were undisputable. This was something that Nie Jialei could not surpass. ¡°Uncle, it just seems dangerous. In fact, Jiamin and I are just pawns in the Yuhai game. The real yers are those in the city.¡± Nie Zhenbang also felt a bit emotional. Next to him, Nie Guowei also smiled and said, ¡°You kid, now you are getting it. Jiamin went to Wanghai City as ast resort. For your big brother to get involved, we must express to the higher-ups the stance of our Nie family. Jiamin, as the son of your big brother, is the most suitable. And, in the military, there isn¡¯t much difference between left and right. But you, without a word, were caught up by Qiao Yiren, and now have to deal with him during this meeting. I have to have a good talk with this kid for calcting my son.¡± Next to him, Xiao Zhenchang had also be the deputymander of the Xibei Military Region. With the help of the Yang family, his father-inw Yang Shengli was likely to be a full member, which was a huge boost. Subsequently, Nie Guorong also said, ¡°Second brother, don¡¯t just talk without considering anything. I think, Zhenbang got it right this time. Although Gao Chu is very cunning, he was willing to let his son Gao Wei go to Wanghai, but it was beneficial for both sides. I¡¯m afraid, after this meeting, Zhenbang will be promoted.¡± Nie Zhenbang looked at his second aunt. Among Nie siblings, his first aunt, Nie Guoping, was the most indifferent, while Nie Guorong was a bit thoughtful and was always passionate about political issues. Next to him, Nie Guodong nodded and said, ¡°From the situation in Wanghai, the entire Wanghai City has rotted, and Zhenbang is the great contributor to the Yuhai smuggling case. This is not like anything else, it¡¯s out in the open. If the central government doesn¡¯t reward him, it¡¯s also unreasonable.¡± After pondering for a moment, Nie Guodong murmured, ¡°A vice-ministerial cadre at thirty, even though he may not enter the provincial standingmittee, is still quite impressive. I think Zhenbang¡¯s promotion will definitely face considerable pressure, we need to n for this long-term.¡± Looking at his family members, Nie Zhenbang felt very emotional. The old man¡¯s death did not have a big impact on the Nie family. Now, although the Nie family is temporarily dormant, it should not be underestimated. All of this made Nie Zhenbang feel proud and confident. At least, the Nie family had not fallen. Afterwards, the second generation of the Nie family discussed a few issues and then dispersed. Nie Zhenbang stayed in the big courtyard, where Anna and Dong Wan had been living for this period. The family was showing harmony and warmth. The due dates of Dong Wan and Anna were in these next few days. After ying around with Yah, Nie Zhenbang naturally spoke some intimate words to the three women. To be honest, all three of the women were second to none. Even though Li Lixue didn¡¯te from a high family background, her own abilities and beauty were enough to make Nie Zhenbang feel honored. But Dong Wan and Yang Anna, no one would believe it if you told them that the princess of the Dong family could be a concubine. However, this is what happened in reality, and it¡¯s worth Nie Zhenbang¡¯s lifetime of waiting. Early the next day, Nie Zhenbang went to the Minnan Building. After meeting with other members of the Minan Province delegation, the group went to the Great Hall to attend the preparatory meeting of the Ninth National People¡¯s Congress. At the meeting, they elected the executive chairman of the ninth National People¡¯s Congress and the chairman of the National People¡¯s Congress. Comrade Guo Yuchun was elected as the executive chairman of the conference.
In addition, Yang Shengli, Nie Guodong, Li Jiangshan, and Leng Yunfei served as executive chairmen and sat in the executive chairmen seats. Meanwhile, the party and national leaders, Yuan Kangan, Guo Yuchun, Yun Bo, Peng Zhenqi, Zhuang Aiguo, Qi Weimin, Shen Xiuchao, Leng Yunfei, Chen Zhian and others sat on the podium. The next day, Early on the morning of March 5, At around 7:40, journalists from major news agencies around the world, well-known media reporters, and media reporters from autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Donggang Special Administrative Government all rushed in.
At eight o¡¯clock, as the solemn ceremonial march sounded, state leaders entered the venue one after another. The entire congress, with 2,963 delegates expected to arrive, actually saw 2,889 attendees while 74 were absent. This met the effective number stipted by the constitution. Firstly, all the delegates stood up and sang the national anthem. Afterwards, the executive chairman of the conference and the chairman of the National People¡¯s Congress, Guo Yuchun, presided over the meeting on behalf of the delegates. The first agenda item of the conference was to elect the chairman of the National Military Commission of the People¡¯s Republic of Huaxia, and decide on the candidate for vice-chairman of the National Military Commission. Naturally, there is no suspense at all, Secretary-General Yuan Kangan was once again unanimously elected as chairman of the National Military Commission. In fact, this is not the focus of this congress. After all, Secretary-General Yuan has served two terms and has a firm grasp on the political situation. Election or not, these are all expected things. The most important aspect of this congress is predicting the next government. In other words, the new vice-chairman of the National Military Commission represents the future leadership team. Following the nomination by Secretary-General Yuan, Shen Xiuchao, Nie Guodong, and Zhang Xiangdong were sessfully elected as vice-chairmen of the National Military Commission. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang was considerably more settled in his heart. At least, after more than a year of hard work, his uncle has finally taken the firmest step. After entering the game and bing the vice-chairman of the National Military Commission, this is already the highest position that military personnel can reach. The impact on the future of the Nie family is also profound. After this, Secretary-General Yuan gave a speech, and then Prime Minister Yun Bo, on behalf of the State Council, gave a report on the work of the central government. Lunch break As the delegates attending the meeting one by one walked out of the Great Hall, Nie Zhenbang also walked out. As soon as he walked out of the Great Hall, Yang Anguo, however, walked towards Nie Zhenbang. Facing this big brother-inw, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t dare to be negligent and greeted him with a smile, ¡°Big brother!¡± Yang Anguo and Nie Jialei were both 34 years old. In terms of rank, Yang Anguo is half a rank higher than Nie Jialei, and is currently a senior official. Currently, he serves as the secretary of the municipal partymittee in the ancient city of Yu Province, and is also a delegate to the National People¡¯s Congress. Yang Anguo and Yang An Bang are different. He¡¯s four years older than Nie Zhenbang. Unlike the harmonious rtionship between Yang An Bang and Nie Zhenbang, Yang Anguo doesn¡¯t like Nie Zhenbang. In Yang Anguo¡¯s view, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s lifestyle is terrible, and he¡¯s very upset that his sister married such a man.
However, Yang Anguo had no room to object. Now, looking at Nie Zhenbang, Yang Anguo nodded and said in a deep voice, ¡°Let¡¯s have lunch together.¡± PS: At this point in time, it¡¯s necessary to write about the ¡°Two Sessions¡±. This rtes to the futureyout of Minan and the future prospects for the third brother. After this round of games, the foundation of the third brother will officially beid!!!!!! Please continue to support and encourage us, we need monthly votes, rmendations, and rewards! ( Chapter 548: 505: The Bet with My Elder Uncle_1 Chapter 548: Chapter 505: The Bet with My Elder Uncle_1 Not far from the Great Hall, there was a small restaurant with tasteful decor. The restaurant sign was also special, named ¡°Only Chu (Chunan Province) has Talent¡±. It was a typical Hunan restaurant. Upon entering, there were wooden benches and Eight Immortals¡¯ tables in the hall, decorated in a typical rustic Chunan style. This kind of local restaurant being opened next to the Great Hall, Nie Zhenbang had some respect for its owner. The courage alone was rather admirable. The whole restaurant, in addition to the 60-square-meter hall, also had a few private rooms on the second floor. They were named after famous ces in Chunan Province. It seemed that Yang Anguo had been here before. Once he entered, he asked familiarly, ¡°Is the Utopia room upied?¡± After the two men sat down in the private room, the waiter came in with tea and poured them a cup each. Yang Anguo nodded and ordered, ¡°Fry a chili stir-fry meat, a chopped chili fish head, a winter melon spare rib soup. Hmm, also, stir-fry tripe. These four dishes, serve them quickly.¡± After the waiter left the private room, Yang Anguo looked at Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, you should know that I look down upon you.¡± This statement made Nie Zhenbang a bit awkward. His brother-inw was really unabashed and blunt with no euphemism, expressing his attitude directly. After some thought, Nie Zhenbang smiled and asked, ¡°Big Brother, any reason for that?¡± As he said this, Nie Zhenbang was smiling. Although Yang Anguo was his brother-inw, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t take insolence lying down. If someone insulted him because of their status, he might not argue back, but ignoring them would be normal. He didn¡¯t have a masochistic mentality where if someone pped him, he would offer the other cheek.
At this moment, Yang Anguo seemed to grasp Nie Zhenbang¡¯s meaning. He was a bit surprised and then casually said, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, I have studied you carefully. I must say, I found a very strange problem. Although I despise your messy emotional life, I am somewhat curious about your work.¡± After a pause, Yang Anguo continued, ¡°Emotionally speaking, you grew up in an environment that wasn¡¯t very wealthy. Therefore, logically, you shouldn¡¯t have any spirit. But look at you, finding three women. This point ispletely unlike you.¡± This statement made Nie Zhenbang feel quite depressed. He knew the underlying meaning of the words, implying that being an illegitimate child, he should be very dedicated to love and notmit to messy things. However, on the contrary, he was involved with three women. For example, even though Yah was taken into the Nie system, wasn¡¯t she still an illegitimate child? Being an illegitimate child himself and irresponsibly fathering another, that wasn¡¯t normal. Then, Yang Anguomented again, ¡°Let¡¯s talk about your career development.¡± As he spoke, Yang Anguo¡¯s eyes became very sharp. He stared at Nie Zhenbang and in a low voice, he eximed, ¡°At first nce, every step you¡¯ve taken seems very risky. Except for the time when you just joined the working group in the youth league central, you didn¡¯t take risky actions. Later on, when you were in New Li City, you knocked out the county party secretary, took down the director of the autonomous regional tax bureau and controlled a bank run. It could be said that your life was like walking on a thin line. Thenes the two years of grinding in the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. The things you did were also dangerous but turned the dangerous situation around. Working for a year in Liangxi City, you achieved huge sess, and directly confronted the Li family. Now, in WangHai, you have stirred up this storm affecting the central government.¡± After a pause, Yang Anguo continued, ¡°At first sight, every promotion of yours is apanied by danger. However, after careful research, I have discovered a problem.¡± At this point, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s heart began to beat fast. This brother-inw was no simple person, studying his career path so thoroughly. His brother-inw had always been very low-key, but at the age of thirty-four, he had already attained a high position. He was definitely going to be a strongpetitor in the future. However, he couldn¡¯t confront this brother-inw the same way he did with the Li family. Thepetition between them could only be a healthy one. Otherwise, even if he wins, he would end up alone and abandoned, and the same could be said for Yang Anguo.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Looking at Yang Anguo, a smile appeared on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s face and he calmly asked, ¡°Big brother, what is the problem you found?¡± At this moment, Yang Anguo looked straight at Nie Zhenbang and said word by word, ¡°Along the way, I found that every chess move you make seems very perilous and even a bit adventurous. However, in the end, it always seems that you are correct. This feeling is hard to describe, it¡¯s as if you have the ability to predict the future.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was a bit taken aback. It was the first time someone had analyzed him so thoroughly. If Yang Anguo hadn¡¯t spoken up, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t have known that someone understood him so well. Moreover, Yang Anguo¡¯s spection was incredibly urate. Wasn¡¯t he a foreseer himself? ¡°Ha-ha, regardless, your capabilities are truly unmatched. Nie Zhenbang, I admit, among the younger generation of influential families in the country, you are my greatest opponent. If you weren¡¯t my brother-inw, with my character, I would have stifled someone like you at the first opportunity,¡± Yang Anguo said with a smile. However, his words hid a sharp edge, which caused Nie Zhenbang to reel. Internally, he muttered, ¡°Ah, big brother-inw, I really did underestimate you. From now on, it seems I¡¯ll have to count you among mypetitors.¡± But on the surface, Nie Zhenbang could only offer a wryugh and say, ¡°Big brother, I feel honored that I¡¯m even on your radar. It¡¯s a form of recognition for me.¡± As soon as his words fell, Yang Anguo¡¯s brows furrowed, and he replied somewhat brusquely, ¡°Don¡¯t be too smug. After this Yuhai smuggling case, I predict you will certainly be a full minister. But I, Yang Anguo, will not easily admit defeat. We still have a lot of time topete in the future. And, those things you¡¯ve done ¨C such as the sustainable development strategy, public service reception standard, and the rigid requirements for affordable housing ¨C I will inherit every bit of them. While my innovativeness may not match yours, I pride myself on my execution capacity.¡± Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t help butugh. As long as these policies got adopted within the country, he would have achieved his goal. If they could be implemented across the country, even if it meant not serving as the General Secretary or reaching the pinnacle of power, it wouldn¡¯t matter at all. He then turned to Yang Anguo with a smile and asked, ¡°Brother, is this a wager between us?¡± A wager? Upon hearing this term, Yang Anguo froze for a moment but nodded solemnly, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a wager. Even though I know you have extraordinary capabilities, I¡¯m not afraid. Let¡¯s make a bet. Whenever our timees, no matter who wins, the loser must fully support the winner. Deal?¡±
Nie Zhenbang also nodded promptly, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s a deal as you propose.¡± As far aspetition was concerned, Nie Zhenbang had never been one to back down. Given his vast advantagespared to others, if he still couldn¡¯t win the wager, then it would mean he was utterly incapable. After having lunch, they parted ways at the restaurant¡¯s entrance. In the afternoon, it was time for the various delegations to meet in separate sessions. In the Minan Province delegation, the conference chaired by Chen Renqing, the Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, conducted a detailed study and discussion on Premier Yun¡¯s Government Work Report.
Later, Nie Zhenbang sought Qiao Yiren. ording to the decision of the National People¡¯s Congress, a proposal generally needs two or more NPC delegates for it to be eligible for discussion at the NPC meeting. As for the three NPC delegates of Wanghai City, they would have no problem signing onto his proposal. However, this was not enough. If he could garner Qiao Yiren¡¯s support, it would significantly boost his odds. In a small office within Minan Hall in the Great Hall, Qiao Yiren was reading the proposal that Nie Zhenbang had prepared this time around. The proposal was quite lengthy, epassing more than thirty pages of documents. Qiao Yiren was reading very carefully and attentively. After half an hour, he put down the documents and said to Nie Zhenbang, who was sitting next to him, ¡°Zhenbang, this proposal is very bold. Afterwards, with the Yuhai smuggling case, demanding a duty-free zone proposal for offshore inds is like roasting Wanghai over fire. The current National Development and Reform Commission, and the State Council, all maintain a cautious attitude towards such a model. It won¡¯t be easy for Wanghai city to get this policy. Moreover, there¡¯s no precedent for such a thing in the country.¡± Qiao Yiren saw through the situation. Currently, quite a few ces in the country have established bonded zones, with Wanghai city being one of them. However, there is a fundamental difference with a duty-free offshore zone. A bonded zone, also known as a bond warehouse district, refers to a policy wherein goods can be stored in the zone for an extended period under customs supervision without the need to pay duties unless sold. As for duty-free offshore zones, it¡¯s apletely different concept implying a real tax exemption. PS: Brothers and sisters, I ask for your monthly votes and rmendation votes!!! Rmend the official document ¡°Official Atmosphere¡±, a grassroots achievement of a great politician, book number: 2315563 ( Chapter 549: 506: Premier Yun Summons (2nd update, seeking monthly tickets)_1 Chapter 549: Chapter 506: Premier Yun Summons (2nd update, seeking monthly tickets)_1 If this policy was implemented in a few municipalities under the central government, or perhaps in the South China Sea Special Zone or Haili Ind, it might be feasible. However, implementing it in Wanghai City would be more difficult. For duty-free on off-shore inds, this means that some import products which are supposed to be taxed, such as value-added tax, tariffs and other taxes, will be exempted or reduced. This would significantly boost Wanghai¡¯s future. Take Donggang Special Zone for instance, the reason it is considered a shopping paradise is precisely because of this policy. Purchases made here are cheaper than anywhere else. ¡°Zhenbang, do you realize the huge sensation this proposal will cause nationwide once it¡¯s unveiled? The resistance it will meet will definitely be enormous.¡± Qiao Yiren looked at Nie Zhenbang and asked. Nie Zhenbang nodded, his tone was calm, but his words and gestures showed respect for Qiao Yiren. After this session of the National People¡¯s Congress, it¡¯s likely that Jia Minfu will be transferred to the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, serving as Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and then in October, he will be the new Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. As for the governor of Minan Province, it will be Qiao Yiren. It¡¯s necessary to show enough respect for the future second inmand of Minan Province and to maintain a good rtionship with him. ¡°Secretary Qiao, as the saying goes, those who possess the jade are guilty. I also know that this proposal may encounter a lot of opposition, especially from the Li family who will firmly oppose it. However, I still want to give it a try. Let me exin my reasons.¡± Nie Zhenbang said eloquently. Stating his case, Nie Zhenbang further exined, ¡°Secretary Qiao, my proposal is primarily due to considerations of Wanghai City¡¯s development. Now, after the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s smuggling case, Wanghai City¡¯s economy is bound to inevitably face a major depression. This is beyond doubt, as the city¡¯s previous economic development was heavily dependent on the Eastern Sea Group. The previous leaders of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee gave strong support and policy preference to the Eastern Sea Group which led to a malformation in the city¡¯s economic development.¡± Qiao Yiren nodded in agreement. After the Eastern Sea case, all economic indicators of Wanghai City showed a clear decline, and this is just beginning. In a few months, this downward trend will be even more serious. This is why he considered promoting Nie Zhenbang to a higher position. Nie Zhenbang is nationally renowned for his economic abilities. Despite his young age, he is the most suitable candidate for the job. After thinking for a moment, Qiao Yiren also asked, ¡°Does the duty-free policy on off-shore inds have any direct link with the development of Wanghai City?¡±
Nie Zhenbang nodded at this moment, ¡°The economic development of Wanghai City now, without huge effort, it will undoubtedly take a lot of time, perhaps five or even ten years to recover. When the Tokyo Square agreement was signed, it led to the economy of Dongying regressing by ten years and even now, ten yearster, it¡¯s only showing signs of slight recovery. Although the situation in Wanghai City is not that dire, it will still take five to seven years to recover. My consideration is to start with the tourism industry,bining the geographical features and tourism resources of Wanghai City to make it a national tourist destination. This will stimte overall economic development in Wanghai City through the tourism economy.¡± Qiao Yiren¡¯s brow furrowed. Developing tourism is indeed a good idea, as many ces around the country are considering tourism economy now. However, the duty-free policy on off-shore inds involves too many factors and the effects are too widespread, it¡¯s certainly not realistic. If it were for Haili Ind, there might be some feasibility. But for Wanghai City, and any other provinces on the maind, it is not appropriate. Nie Zhenbang is bold, a fact that Qiao Yiren knew well from his previous work in New Li City and Liangxi. Now, this proposal is wholly in line with his audacious character. Considering this, Qiao Yiren pondered, ¡°Apart from this method, is there any other way to boost Wanghai City¡¯s economic recovery?¡± Nie Zhenbang had a bitter smile, then responded, ¡°There are other ways, but I think, these methods will likely be even more difficult to implement than the current proposal. If the nation gives economic support and stimtion to Wanghai City, it will also quickly boost the city¡¯s economic confidence in the shortest time.¡± On hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Qiao Yiren also gave a bitter smile. This n was indeed astonishing. Qiao Yiren knew very well that the support Nie Zhenbang was talking about would not be for some small projects, but a huge n costing hundreds of billions or even trillions. It is indeed challenging to realize. Thinking of this, Qiao Yiren finally said, ¡°Zhenbang, for now, let¡¯s discuss this n within the delegation first.¡± ¡­ On the ninth of March, the Two Sessions meeting had been going on for four days, during which time the candidates for the head of the Supreme People¡¯s Court and the Supreme People¡¯s Procuratorate had been elected. Furthermore, the Premier of the State Council had also been elected, and Leng Yunfei was named the first Vice Premier of the State Council. This move was also in preparation for the Party Congress to be held in October. On the morning of the 9th, Prime Minister Yun Bo visited the Minan Province delegation. In the Minan Hall of the Great Hall, Prime Minister Yun Bo, after hearing some reports from Chen Renqing, the head of the delegation, heaped high praises on the delegates from Minan Province and participated in some proposal discussions. After Nie Zhenbang, along with several representatives from the National People¡¯s Congress, submitted their views on the establishment of offshore tax-exempt policies in Wanghai City and the consolidation of a new harbor in the Wanghai City Duty-Free Zone, as Qiao Yiren had predicted, this proposal not only sparked much controversy in the National People¡¯s Congress, but even within the Minan Province delegation, there were representatives who questioned it. After the emergence of arge smuggling case involving the Eastern Sea Group in Wanghai City, the implementation of offshore tax exemptions would inevitably lead to misunderstanding among the people. In addition, the supervision and implementation of offshore tax exemptions is also an important issue that cannot be ignored. Some radical representatives even questioned whether such a policy would lead to the emergence of another new and even more harmful Eastern Sea Group in Wanghai City. Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang knew that this proposal hade to an end. In the afternoon, the discussion continued in groups, this is procedure of the NPC¡¯s meeting. Big and small, full meetings, group meetings, Nie Zhenbang was very busy during this time. At this time, a middle-aged man in his forties, led by Qiao Yiren, came to find Nie Zhenbang. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, Qiao Yiren introduced: ¡°Zhenbang, let me introduce you. This is Comrade Liu Rentian, the confidential secretary of Premier Yun.¡± Nie Zhenbang was familiar with Yun Bo¡¯s previous confidential secretary. It seems that now that Yun Bo was about to retire, his confidential secretary of many years was being transferred down, which was normal. However, the fact that Liu Rentian could serve as Yun Bo¡¯s confidential secretary at this time was enough to prove that he was not simple. As the saying goes, a dead camel is stillrger than a horse, let alone Yun Bo, who is still in office. Hence, Nie Zhenbang did not dare to neglect him and greeted him with a smile: ¡°Director Liu, nice to meet you.¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attitude was calm andposed. He was neither overly ingratiating nor arrogant. Just the right bnce, which made Liu Rentian covertly admire him. Although there were many scions in the world, when it came to family upbringing, they really had noparison. Following this, Liu Rentian also smiled and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, you¡¯re too polite. Come with me, the Premier wants to see you.¡±
This was not the first time Nie Zhenbang had been to the office of the State Council. He had been here before during the Donggang financial crisis. Coming again, he had some thoughts. After Liu Rentian went in, he came out in less than two minutes and whispered, ¡°Mayor Nie, the Premier is asking you in.¡± Upon entering the office, Prime Minister Yun Bo went over to the water dispenser and poured a cup of hot tea for Nie Zhenbang. This act surprised Nie Zhenbang. It was a great honor for the Premier to personally pour tea, and it also represented the Premier¡¯s attitude. At this moment, the Premier pondered over his words, and then slowly said, ¡°Nie, about the implementation of offshore tax-free shopping in Wanghai City, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s not possible.¡±
At this time, Prime Minister Yun Bo was straightforward and direct. Seeing Nie Zhenbang seemingly unflustered after hearing it, the Premier was very satisfied. This was the temperament and quality that a qualified leader should possess¡ªremaining unaffected by honor or disgrace. Then, the Premier continued, ¡°Also, Comrade Yiren talked to me about Wanghai. At this stage, the economic stimulus n in Wanghai City may be difficult to implement within this term. This matter will be handled by the next government. So, for now, the mess in Wanghai will have to be cleaned up by you guys. Are you confident?¡± At this moment, Nie Zhenbang was also deep in thought. In his memory, after the Yuhai case, Wanghai City had remained dormant. There was very little mention of Wanghai in the national reports. On one hand, the central government¡¯s aim was still to cool down Wanghai for a while. After all, Wanghai¡¯s scandal, being one of the first five special economic zones opened in the country, had damaged the country¡¯s reputation. Cooling down was inevitable. On the other hand, it may also have been the result of factional struggles. Upon thinking about it, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment before nodding and saying, ¡°Premier, I¡¯m not one to make empty promises. To say that the situation in Wanghai City is in a state of extreme difficulty would not be an understatement. However, Wanghai has a solid foundation and policy advantages. I believe that as long as we find the right direction, it should not be difficult to get development going again.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om PS: Today, the monthly ticket story hasn¡¯t moved at all. The gods below are getting closer and closer. Brothers and sisters, please support us with a monthly ticket. ( Chapter 550: 507 Adjustment of Provincial Committee Structure_1 Chapter 550: Chapter 507 Adjustment of Provincial Committee Structure_1 The words of Prime Minister Yun Bo caused Nie Zhenbang to fall into deep thought at this time. If Prime Minister Yun Bo had specifically summoned him to discuss this matter, it would certainly not be just for the sake of exining it to him. Given Prime Minister Yun Bo¡¯s status and identity, even when the old master was alive, Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t have the privilege to have the Prime Minister personally exin such matters to him ¨C at most, the Prime Minister would exin it to the old master. In this regard, the deep meaning behind Prime Minister Yun Bo¡¯s actions bes a matter for careful consideration. Just now, Prime Minister Yun Bo had conveyed several things through his words: first, WangHai city would have to be temporarily quiet for a while; and second, if you want any policies, you can only seek them from the next government. This means that Nie Zhenbang needs to establish good rtions with Vice Chairman Shen and Vice Premier Leng Yunfei. Additionally, the Prime Minister may be using this opportunity to evaluate Nie Zhenbang. At this point, he is merely an executive deputy mayor in charge of the economy. However, the person directly in charge of the overall work of the municipal government should be the mayor. These words should really be addressed to the mayor. Does this mean the Prime Minister is considering assigning him as the mayor of the Wanghai City Government? This is worth considering. Given these factors, even in the face of utmost difficulty, he should not shirk his responsibilities; he must demonstrate strong self-confidence and spirit. Indeed, after Nie Zhenbang spoke as such, Prime Minister Yun Bo continuously nodded his head and smiled, saying, ¡°Good, I like to see your confident attitude. Young people should have the courage and impact typical of their age. Taizu once said in ¡®The Foolish Old Man Moves the Mountain¡¯ that unwavering determination, fearless sacrifice, and oveing all obstacles lead to victory. Today, we are in a peaceful and prosperous era and no longer require sacrifices involving deaths. However, this spirit must not be lost.¡± After a pause, Prime Minister Yun Bo continued the previous topic and further said, ¡°Sun Yat-sen, the father of our nation, once said, ¡®As we have taken it upon ourselves to be responsible for China¡¯s reform and development, even if the rocks rot and the sea dries up, as long as we live and this heart beats, we shall not lose hope in the face of failure, nor shall we retreat in the face of difficulty. We must focus our spirits, push forward with determination, adjust to the tide of the world¡¯s progress, conform to the naturalw of the wicked perishing and the good flourishing, and there will eventuallye a day of ultimate sess. Zhenbang, we must continue to strive hard.¡± Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°Prime Minister, please rest assured that Zhenbang will never forget. Our Huaxia, with its grand civilization of 5,000 years, has always been the center of the world. Today, Huaxia, having endured pain and adversity, will definitely rise again among the nations of the world.¡± ¡­ March 19 The Ninth National People¡¯s Congress formally concluded. The closing ceremony was presided over by Guo Yuchun, executive chairman of the congress and chairman of the National People¡¯s Congress. There were 2962 designated representatives and 2913 actual attendees, constituting the effective number stipted by the constitution.
The conference voted on draft resolutions concerning the government work report; the implementation status of the 1999 national economic and social development n and the 2000 national economic and social development n; the status of the 1999 central and local budget implementation and the 2000 central and local budget; the amended draft decision of the Criminal Procedure Law of the People¡¯s Republic of China; the draft resolution on the working report of the Standing Committee of the National People¡¯s Congress; the draft resolution on the working report of the Supreme People¡¯s Court; and the draft resolution on the working report of the Supreme People¡¯s Procuratorate. Following this, Guo Yuchun gave a summary of the conference. After highly praising the meeting and collectively singing the national anthem, Guo Yuchun, chairman of the National People¡¯s Congress, formally announced the conclusion of the Ninth National People¡¯s Congress. After the conference concluded, Nie Zhenbang did not return to Minnan with the provincial delegation. Instead, he took a leave of absence to stay in Jingcheng as Anna and Dong Wan¡¯s due date was in the next two days. As a man, he naturally had to stay by their side during this crucial moment. The next morning, Nie Zhenbang apanied Dong Wan and Anna to the military general hospital for the final prenatal checkup. Just as they arrived at the hospital, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s phone rang, causing Anna to grumble. Xiao Yali and Li Lixue, who were apanying them, gave Nie Zhenbang a stern look. Nie Zhenbang was a bit embarrassed, not knowing whether to answer or ignore the call. Finally, Dong Wan said, ¡°Alright, alright, look at how flustered you are. Go answer your call. With Li Xue and second sister here, what¡¯s there to worry about?¡± As soon as he answered the call, the voice of his elder brother, Nie Jialei, came through from the other end, ¡°Third brother, there¡¯s been an adjustment in the team of Minnan province.¡± The leadership change in Minnan Province came as a surprise to Nie Zhenbang. He was aware that central government nned on adjusting the leadership in the Province. Yet, he did not expect the response to ur in such a short time. From the looks of it, the change had probably been brewing during the two conferences. ¡°Younger Brother, it seems like you¡¯re in for a promotion. This morning, the Minister of the Central Organization Department, Yu Shengdong, rushed to Minzhou and held a provincial leadership meeting in the Minnan Provincial Committee hall. They announced a bundle of resolutions. Jia Minfu is moving to the Central Committee for Discipline Inspection as the Deputy Secretary. He¡¯s excused from his current post as the Deputy Secretary of the Minnan Provincial Committee. The request for Jia Minfu to resign from the position of Governor of Minnan Province has been sent to the Standing Committee of Minnan Provincial People¡¯s Congress. The Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Committee, Qiao Yiren, is nominated as the Vice-Governor, acting as the Governor. Further, with the central government¡¯s approval, Wang Yaguang has been transferred to Minnan Provincial Committee as a member, Standing Committee member, and Secretary-General. The Secretary of Minzhou Municipal Party Committee who is also a Standing Committee Member of the Provincial Committee has been moved to hold the respective positions in Wanghai. The previous Provincial Committee Secretary-General, Yang Jiye, has be the Secretary of Minzhou Municipal Party Committee.¡± Nie Zhenbang had a clear understanding of these changes. Jia Minfu, emerging as a powerful force in the next session, had joined the Standing Committee. ording to the rumors, Jia Minfu had been guided by Elder Nan, which seemed to line up with current circumstances. As for Qiao Yiren being elected the governor, there was no doubt of that happening due to his rtionship with Secretary General Yuan. This was a normal step in promoting the future core leadership. However, what really took Nie Zhenbang by surprise was the central government¡¯s adjustment of the leadership in Wanghai City. This was entirely beyond his expectations. Originally, he thought that Wang Yaguang would be Party Secretary of Wanghai City and an alternate member of the Central Committee as he desired. But it seemed that there was dissatisfaction with Wang Yaguang¡¯s inactivity in Wanghai, which was evident when he was transferred to Minnan Provincial Committee as the Secretary-General. Now with Chen Renqing, the Secretary of the Minnan Provincial Committee set to retire, Wang Yaguang¡¯s position in the Provincial Committee seemed to be awkward.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om On the other hand, this tranted to a promotion for Yang Jiye. Although the posts of Secretary-General of the Provincial Committee office and Secretary of Minzhou Municipal Party Committee were both Standing Committee positions, thetter carried more weight in the party. Therefore, this was indeed a promotion. Simrly, Li Taishi¡¯s transfer to Wanghai City seemed merely like ateral move. Both Minzhou and Wanghai City party secretaries were Standing Committee members and held vice-ministerial positions. However, one distinction was that the party secretary of Wanghai City was also a Central Committee alternate member, a title thetter did not hold. This was a step up. Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t know much about Li Taishi, only that he kept a low profile during his tenure as Minzhou¡¯s Party Secretary. However, with his years of experience, Nie Zhenbang knew too well that being ¡°low-profile¡± was rtive and could vary depending on the person. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang said with a solemn tone, ¡°Elder Brother, it¡¯s not set in stone. The central government¡¯s adjustments may seem drastic, but there hasn¡¯t been much change really. In my opinion, nothing will be certain until the Yuhai case is concluded. However, it is our turn, little brother. Our uncle has sessfully joined the circle. The Nie family¡¯s future, for the time being, is secure. We¡¯ll have to shoulder the burden in the future.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words made Nie Jialei nod in approval. ¡°Indeed, the road ahead is long. You go ahead with your work, I won¡¯t bother you further.¡± The political fluctuations in Minnan Province had no significant impact on Nie Zhenbang for the time being. Two dayster, Yang Anna went intobour. Fortunately, she had already been admitted to the General Military Hospital ahead of time. By four in the afternoon, she sessfully gave birth to a baby girl. This was the third girl in the fourth generation of the Nie family. Although Anna was in tears, the head of the Yang family was thrilled. Anna was the apple of his eye in the Yang family. Having a granddaughter who gave birth to a great-granddaughter added to his joy. He happily named the baby Nie Panpan on the spot.
At one in the morning the same day, in the operation room of the General Military Hospital, Dong Wan had a boy through a C-section. On hearing the news, Dong¡¯s old man rushed over from the West Mountain. The olddy rushed down from her home as soon as she heard the news despite beingte at night. She held Dong Wan¡¯s hands, expressed her concern, and looked really happy. After all, this was the first male heir of the Nie Family. Originally, ording to Mr. Dong¡¯s wishes, the child was supposed to have the Dong family name. He had already been irate about his princess being someone¡¯s mistress. Having a child out of wedlock without the Nie family¡¯s acknowledgment was a bigger insult. Mr. Dong¡¯s n was simple, if the Nie family refused to acknowledge the child, he would be raised as the rightful son of the Dong family. However, under these circumstances, Mr. Dong alsopromised. Eventually, the Old Lady named the baby Nie Zhiping herself. The name signified the ambition of self-improvement, achieving family harmony, governing the country, and bringing peace to the world, indicating the Nie family¡¯s expectations of the child.
After resting for three more days in Jingcheng in addition to the half-month during the two sessions, Nie Zhenbang had now been in Jingcheng for nearly 20 days. Currently, he couldn¡¯t wait any longer. The task force in Wanghai was not yet disbanded and he needed to oversee the work in Wanghai City. (To be continued. If you wish to read more, please visit . Your words of support serve as my greatest motivation.) Chapter 551: 508 Secretary Li Taishi (First update, request for monthly ticket)_1 Chapter 551: Chapter 508 Secretary Li Taishi (First update, request for monthly ticket)_1 ¡°Zhenbang, I think, you don¡¯t need to wait for the regr flight. Do you remember that suggestion Anna mentioned once?¡± Before he went, Li Lixue smiled and brought it up. This sentence made Nie Zhenbang pause, but he soon understood, looking somewhat astonished, ¡°What? Have you already purchased the ne?¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Li Lixue nodded. In front of her family, Li Lixuecked her usual cold bearing, appearing wonderfully gentle. She said: ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s currently parked at Jingcheng City Airport. It¡¯s a Bombardier CRJ-200LR type. Considering our increasing family members, we chose this 50-seat feeder ne. This is the extended-range model and its maximum range can reach over 3700 kilometers.¡± Only upon hearing Li Lixue¡¯s exnation did Nie Zhenbang discover that, after expressing interest in purchasing a private jet, the women had finally chosen Bombardier over Gulfstream. Originally, they had been considering a small business jet, but its capacity of eight to ten passengers had left Anna, that girl, unsatisfied. Coincidentally, at this time, French Bret Air wanted to rece their existing CRJ-200LR with a CRJ-700 model. Hence, the women were able to get the ne so quickly. The entire aircraft had undergone an extremely luxurious transformation. The original 50-passenger seating and cargo hold had undergone a radical conversion. Withoutpromising the safety of the flight, they transformed the foresection of the ne into a first-ss cabin with eight seats. This was followed by a guest lounge, a living room capable of amodating a dozen people, with sofas, an entertainment system, everything. At the rear, they had renovated arge and two small bedrooms along with a bathroom and kitchen. One could say that, as long as everyone was willing, they could fly all over the world without having to disembark from the aircraft. Now that they had a private jet, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t so anxious. After dining with the three women around eight in the evening, Nie Zhenbang then departed, with only Li Lixue seeing him off. Both Anna and Dong Wan were observing the confinement period after childbirth. Although foreigners don¡¯t observe this period, Chinese people take postnatal confinement very seriously. At Jingcheng City Airport, the crew had already made all the preparations for takeoff. Apanied by Li Lixue, Nie Zhenbang boarded the ne. The four professional flight attendants stood by the cabin door and slightly bowed, ¡°Wee aboard, Mr. Nie!¡± Around eleven in the evening, the ne slowlynded at Wanghai Airport. As for subsequent issues, naturally, he didn¡¯t need to concern himself. Supporting a private jet was hardly a problem given Li Lixue¡¯s financial resources. More importantly, Li Lixue¡¯s superb business acumen would definitely ensure every inch of the ne¡¯s value was utilized. Upon stepping out of the airport, Li Jupeng was standing outside, with car number five still at hand. Seeing Nie Zhenbang emerge, Li Jupeng went up to meet him, took the luggage from Nie¡¯s hands, and stowed it in the trunk before briskly walking to the car door, opening it, and cing his left hand on the door frame. Once they were in the car, the driver, Guo Sanbao, turned around and asked, ¡°Mr. Mayor, shall we head to the small reception of the Municipal Party Committee?¡±
Nie Zhenbang nodded, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go to Hong Yan Lou.¡± As the car slowly started and picked up speed, heading on the airport expressway, Li Jupeng turned back and said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, the new secretary took office the day before yesterday.¡± After a moment¡¯s pause, Li Jupeng continued, ¡°Yesterday, Secretary Li held a cadre meeting at the municipal partymittee, studying the essence of the two sessions and Secretary Yuan¡¯s speech, emphasizing stability in overall situation and carrying out economic construction in Wanghai City.¡± This was quite conventional, without much overreach. But just because the Municipal Party Secretary is the top leader of the entire city, one shouldn¡¯t think that the whole city falls within his jurisdiction. In fact, there could be overstepping boundaries by the Party Secretary, and the most typical example is the Secretary interfering in governmental work. Typically, a top leader would interfere in some way, which is often the cause of disharmony within most party and government teams. The state has stipted that the Secretary manages personnel, and the Mayor manages affairs. If the Secretary manages personnel and then turns around to meddle with affairs, then what is the Mayor needed for? Having a chunk of one¡¯s power taken away, anyone would be unhappy. This is the root of the conflict. Li Taishi, as a person, during the Two Sessions, both of them were part of the Minan Province People¡¯s Congress Delegation. Although they were not very familiar with each other, they had met. Nie Zhenbang had a very good impression of Li Taishi. At this moment, the central government¡¯s consideration to let Li Taishi take over must have deeper reasons. Since Prime Minister Yun approved of him serving as the mayor of Wanghai City, and knowing his character, Yun would definitely not n any stumbling blocks in his way. He could affirm that there were prerequisites for a harmonious working rtionship with Li Taishi. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang also nodded, ¡°Jupeng, adjust my schedule for tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll go pay a visit to Secretary Li Taishi.¡± ¡­ The following morning at eight o¡¯clock, just after starting work. Nie Zhenbang had already entered the Municipal Party Committee Municipal Government office building, and headed straight to the elevator on the Party Committee¡¯s side, taking the elevator straight to the top floor. All along the way, numerous staff members paused to greet Nie Zhenbang. The office door to the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee was ajar, not fully closed¨Can institutional rule. An ajar door signified no pressing matters within, it is eptable to push the door and enter directly. If the door was closed, the situation would be different. Visiting Li Taishi was a decision he made after meticulous consideration. Although Li Taishi was new to Wanghai City, he was a standing member of the Provincial Committee. His status meant that no officials in Wanghai City dared to act rashly in front of him. However, attitude was required. Whether they could get along peacefully was another matter but it was imperative to express his intentions. After knocking on the door and hearing invitation to enter, he walked into the office; there was no secretary outside. Apparently, Li Taishi did not bring a secretary along when he transferred here. He then proceeded to the room inside, opened the door, and stood at the entrance with a smile: ¡°Secretary Li, are you busy?¡± On seeing Nie Zhenbang, Li Taishi also revealed a smile, standing up with what appeared as great warmth: ¡°Mayor Nie is here, please have a seat.¡± Then, Li Taishi got up and personally poured a cup of hot tea for Nie Zhenbang, ced it on the coffee table, and subsequently settled on the couch, smiling: ¡°Mayor Nie, I am truly sorry. I have just taken office and many things are not yet in order. I haven¡¯t appointed a secretary yet. I apologize for theck of reception.¡± Continuing, Li Taishi said: ¡°Mayor Nie, your proposal at this session left me refreshed. They say Mayor Nie is adept at economic construction, and if this proposal seeds, Wanghai City will take wing. I did not anticipate arriving at Wanghai City immediately after my return. We will need to support each other in our future work.¡± From Li Taishi¡¯s tone, there seemed to carry hints of regret, but it didn¡¯t seem artificial. This reassured Nie Zhenbang somewhat that, regardless, Li Taishi appeared to be someone easy to work with. Furthermore, his conversation implied his approach towards economic matters, which would be devoid of undue interference. He also hoped to maintain unity within the team. Then, Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment, formted his words and responded with a smile: ¡°Secretary Li, you are too courteous. During your years in Minzhou City, the local economy has blossomed thanks to your work. In the aftermath of the Yuhai case, Wanghai City is in dire need of revitalization. The city¡¯s economy has suffered a heavy blow, but that is not the main problem. The main issue is that many people have lost confidence in Wanghai. This time, the central government¡¯s decision to send you here reflects their confidence in you. You will be the one controlling the overall situation in Wanghai in the future while I will handle the minor affairs.¡±
Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words satisfied Li Taishi; even with his steady disposition, a smile graced his face. In his words, Nie Zhenbang rified his stance. As the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Li Taishi would be in charge of the overall situation, and he would handle minor affairs. In other words, he defined the division ofbor between the Secretary and the Mayor. Now, Li Taishi was also obligated to return the favor. Given Wanghai City¡¯s current state, there was no room to vie for power or profits. Moreover, Li Taishi was well aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s strong background and the respect hemanded from higher-ups. Nevertheless, his credentials alone as a Deputy Departmental level official would suffice. Consequently, Li Taishi chuckled and responded: ¡°Mayor Nie, you probably don¡¯t fully understand my character yet. I¡¯m the type to prioritize matters over people. As we work together in the future, I would appreciate your understanding on any unorthodox actions I might take.¡± These words were, in fact, an attempt at modesty. This did not imply any actual unorthodox behavior. With Li Taishi¡¯s experience and stability, it was unlikely that he would act inappropriately. This statement intended to express his goodwill towards Nie Zhenbang.
Having said that, Li Taishi switched the topic and addressed Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Mayor Nie, this time, there have been great changes in the Standing Committee of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee. Concerning the positions of Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Deputy Mayor, I wonder if Mayor Nie has any opinions.¡± The situation in Wanghai City was unique. As a sub-provincial city and a centrally nned municipality, the first and second leaders of Wanghai City, along with the four major leadership groups were all sub-provincial level officials. This was approved by the central government and fell under the jurisdiction of the Central Organization Department. All other deputy leadership of Wanghai City would need to be decided by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Committee of Minnan Province. However, as a standing member of the Provincial Committee and Secretary of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, Li Taishi could likely influence their decision to arge extent. Nie Zhenbang was not expecting Li Taishi, at this moment, to bring up the crucial positions of Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Deputy Mayor. (.) Chapter 552: 509: Public Trial Meeting (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 552: Chapter 509: Public Trial Meeting (Second Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 This is quite arge gift. After pondering for a moment, Nie Zhenbang slowly nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Li, I do have a suggestion for the candidate for the full-time Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee. Qi Siyuan, the Secretary of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, is a very capable individual. The reason we have made such rapid and significant progress in the Eastern Sea smuggling case isrgely due to his daily work. Qi Siyuan is skilled at ideological work. In my opinion, he is a suitable candidate for the position of full-time Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, responsible for Party-mass ideological education and personnel organization work.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°As for the candidate for the Deputy Mayor, I think the current Vice Mayor of Minzhou City, Liu Gaohua, is a good choice. He is responsible for industries in Minzhou. These past few years, the industrial development of Minzhou has been impressive. Secretary Li, I think you should know this man better than I do.¡± Nie Zhenbang, in return, presented Li Taishi with apliment. Even though Li Taishi generously offered up several important positions, it was merely a gesture. If he epted them all without hesitation, although Li Taishi wouldn¡¯tin, he would unavoidably harbor resentment. These types of cracks are often the beginning of the deterioration of rtionships. ¡°Hm, both Qi Siyuan and Liu Gaohua are suitable candidates. Mayor Nie, I was concerned about dealing with you because you are so young and hold such a high position. But it seems I worried for nothing. No wonder Governor Qiao thinks so highly of you.¡± A smile appeared on Li Taishi¡¯s face. At this moment, the smile was an emblem of absolute loyalty. Li Taishi also subtly suggested a close rtionship with Qiao Yiren in hisments. As fellow members of the Provincial Standing Committee, Qiao Yiren wouldn¡¯t be sharing such information with Li Taishi if they weren¡¯t close. Then, there was a shift in tone from Li Taishi, as he added, ¡°By the way, Mayor Zhenbang, yesterday an idea came from Chief Secretary Liu Wei of the special investigation team. Some of the used officials and suspects involved in the Eastern Sea smuggling case have alreadypleted their interrogations and transferred to the procuratorial office. Chief Liu Wei¡¯s idea is to hold a public trial in Wanghai City to stabilize the public sentiment, which is extremely jittery now.¡± March 27th, The weather in Wanghai was overcast, with a light drizzle that couldn¡¯t cool the passion of the citizens. The public trial was held at the sports field of Wanghai University. Therge sports field, with its standard 400-meter jogging track and a football pitch, could amodate tens of thousands of people. Adding in the several dozen basketball courts and two ser fields nearby, it was filled with a sea of people. A passage was kept clear, stretching from the university gate to the stadium, with caution tape strung up on both sides. Armed soldiers were stationed every few steps, alert and keeping an eye on the crowds. It was around half-past eight.
Sounds of sirens echoed outside the gate of Wanghai University. A dozen police cars led the way, followed by cars from departments such as Public Prosecution, Court, and Public Security. In the middle, three buses from the court held a group of suspects dressed in yellow prison uniforms. Following them were armed soldiers in uniform in cars registered with Armed Police license tes, acting as escorts. When the vehicle procession entered the gate of Wanghai University, some people couldn¡¯t help but approach, with many civilians passionately charging up and shouting, ¡°Unleash thew! Take down these corrupt officials!¡± At all times, corrupt officials are deeply hated and abhorred by the general public. In essence, the Eastern Sea smuggling case affected the entire nation, disrupted the government system, impeded the country¡¯s industries, and corrupted officials within the system. Even though, in economic terms, economic growth in Wanghai city, underpinned by the Eastern Sea Group, has been robust and the Group has created many jobs for the citizens, enhancing their ie. It¡¯s undeniable. However, it still did not ease the hatred of themon people for the corrupt officials. In the second police car, Nie Zhenbang and Li Taishi were sitting together. Upon witnessing the scene, Li Taishi furrowed his brows and said in a deep voice, ¡°What are the armed police soldiers doing? They shouldn¡¯t let these civilians approach the cars. What is going to happen if something goes wrong and civilians are hit or crushed by the cars?¡± This response showed Li Taishi¡¯s character; under normal circumstances, officials would be more concerned about the impact on their careers. Li Taishi¡¯s behavior, which emerged spontaneously during the sudden and hasty circumstances, wasmendable. This indicated that he probably wasn¡¯t just putting on a show. Working with such a person to form a team shouldn¡¯t pose too many problems in carrying out future tasks. Nie Zhenbang also wrinkled his brows, ¡°Secretary Li, we must act promptly to control the emotions of the crowd.¡± Then Nie Zhenbang got out of the car, took a loudspeaker from a guiding car in the front, and said, ¡°Comrades,patriots, everyone, please calm down. I am Deputy Mayor Nie Zhenbang.¡±n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om This remark, however, made these citizens halt, seeing this, Nie Zhenbang was overjoyed. He was worried that all these ordinary people are too excited, that they wouldn¡¯t listen to anything. Now, as they all stopped, it¡¯s a good sign. Thinking about this, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°I know how much everyone hates and loatheswbreakers. Frankly, I share the same profound indignation.¡± By saying this, he managed to narrow the gap between himself and the crowd. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s wisdom impressed Li Taishi. To think that Nie Zhenbang could be a vice-minister at such a young age was admirable. What was he doing at this age? Probably still spinning his wheels at the vice-department level, I guess. ¡°But, can we solve the problem in this manner? No, we can¡¯t. My friends, our country hasws, homes have rules, there could be no results without regtions. These people, vited thew, and naturallyw will punish them correspondingly. I believe that thew will definitely give these people a fair judgment. Now, everyone, please disperse and clear the road. This way, we can start the public trial as soon as possible, right?¡± Nie Zhenbang finished his monologue. On the side, many people voluntarily dispersed. Initially, under intense public sentiment, everyone was very emotional. Now, after calming down a bit, they weren¡¯t as frenzied as before. Next, the cars were able to proceed unimpeded all the way to the site of the public trial. In the stadium, a stage has long been set up, in the center, the national emblem was hanging, making it appear extremely solemn and dignified. The first ones to be brought down were Liu Sicun, Zhao Dingguang, Chang Jiu, Chang and some party and government officials and high-ranking executives of the Eastern Sea Group. As for Shi Yiwu, Li Chengfang, and Zhuang Roshun, and others. After they were brought up, the presiding judge from the Wanghai City Intermediate People¡¯s Court officially announced the start of the public trial. Meanwhile, the prosecutor of the Wanghai City People¡¯s Procuratorate began to list all the evidence of their crimes. Thereafter, after due deliberation among the court, the presiding judge stood up and dered through the microphone: ¡°No. 4, Zhao Dingguang, you are used of receiving massive bribes and the amount is enormous. Moreover, you provided cover for the Eastern Sea Group during the smuggling case. These crimes are exceedingly severe and extremely harmful to society. After a meeting of the court, we have decided to sentence Zhao Dingguang to death, effective immediate execution, and a lifelong deprivation of political rights. Liu Sicun, sentenced to death, subject to a two-year suspension. Zhang Zusi, sentenced to life imprisonment. Chang Jiu, sentenced to death. Chang, sentenced to death.¡± These words, spoken by the presiding judge, sounded extremely menacing and dignified. Below, through the loud speakers, the crowd hearing the verdict broke out into a loud cheer. Good! Meanwhile, others, including those involved from banks, customs, internal personnel of the Eastern Sea Group, and some individuals from the party and government agencies, were appropriately given different sentences ording to the severity of their crimes. The most severe received life imprisonment, and the lightest received three years of fixed-term imprisonment. Along with fines. Meanwhile, after a month of investigation and interrogation, the special investigation team, having reported to the central government and having obtained approval from the central government, formally closed the extraordinary smuggling case of Eastern Sea Group. The Central Discipline Inspection Commission held a press conference in Jingcheng, informing the world¡¯s media of the circumstances of the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s massive smuggling case and a whole series of treatments were announced. Li Chengfang, the standing deputy minister of the Ministry of Public Security, is suspected of serious vitions of discipline. He was removed from his post as the standing deputy minister of public security, expelled from the party, dismissed from public office, and handed over to the procuratorate for public prosecution. Shi Yiwu, the secretary of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, was expelled from the party and public office, and handed over to the procuratorate.
With the conclusion of the Yuhai smuggling case, there are four vacancies in the Wanghai City for standingmittee members. The Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee has been transferred over, but the positions of the Mayor, Deputy Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, Deputy Mayor of the Standing Committee, and Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee are still undecided. This situation made the officials in Wanghai City somewhat fearful, with many officials starting to make frequent visits to Minzhou City. While the officials in Wanghai City were busy, in the official residence of the Minan Province Committee, within the office building, all the regrmittee members had already taken their ces in the meeting room on the top floor. Li Taishi was also there after rushing over from Wanghai. The newly appointed full-time Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Yi Mingyang, sat there with a straight face. Governor Qiao Yiren was being quite cordial and asionally discussing something with Sun Yuzhou, the Minister of Organization of the Provincial Party Committee next to him.
As soon as nine o¡¯clock struck, Chen Renqing, the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Provincial People¡¯s Congress, entered the conference room leisurely. PS: Starting today, Qidian is acting up, the webpage is super slow to load, so I don¡¯t feel like checking it out. It is rumored to be at 700 votes now. In that case, let¡¯s have a small explosion today! Three more chapters! Seeing others calling three more chapters an explosion, Old Cai feels a bit sweaty. We are honest people, who publish three or four chapters punctually every day, and sometimes have five or even eight chapter explosions. To ask my brothers and sisters for a monthly ticket of support. In the middle of the month, let¡¯s have another explosion, okay? (.) Chapter 553 - 510: Vetoed (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 553: Chapter 510: Vetoed (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chen Renqing is quite irritated recently. After the Yuhai smuggling case came to light, the Provincial Government and Committee of Minan Province also bore significant responsibility and burden. In the tumultuous times of Minan Province, others are muddling through adeptly. Yet, as the chief provincial party secretary, his career prospects have dimmed. It is indeed a painful irony. Several high-ranking officials of the Provincial Party Committee have advanced their careers. Jia Minfu has moved on and been promoted to the position of Deputy Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, while also holding the title of Politburo member. Obviously, this is a transitional arrangement ahead of the Party Congress in October. After that, Jia Minfu is surely destined to enter the Standing Committee, bing a part of the ¡®Nine Dragons¡¯, and taking charge of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. What a prestigious role. Isn¡¯t this what officials aspire for when they reach the provincial-ministerial level? Let¡¯s talk about Qiao Yiren, who has also been rightly promoted, and is now a full ministerial-level official. In his forties¡ªa ministerial-level official. It is imaginable that his future prospects are boundless. Even Li Taishi, the Secretary of the Minzhou Municipal Party Committee, received many benefits. He has be the Secretary of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee and has been promoted to an alternate member of the Central Committee, which brings him incredibly close to me, a full-fledged Central Committee member, in terms of party positions. Having taken his seat, Chen Renqing nced at the meeting attendees, then dered, ¡°Let¡¯s start the meeting. But before we do, let¡¯s give a round of apuse to wee the newly appointed Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Comrade Yi Mingyang. Comrade Yi Mingyang previously served as a standingmittee member of the Chunan Provincial Party Committee and as Deputy Governor of Chunan Province. He has rich experience and leadership skills. His transfer to Minan Province fully illustrates the Central Committee¡¯s support and emphasis on our province. Now, let¡¯s listen to Comrade Yi Mingyang.¡± Yi Mingyang, around 50 years old, is undoubtedly in his prime among ministerial-level officials. Having been raised and experienced in his career in Chunan Province, his journey up to his current role has been challenging. This is the first time Yi Mingyang has left Chunan, and he seems cautious and steady. His physical appearance exemplifies the characteristics of Chunan natives. He has dense eyebrows and slightly thick lips. His demeanor emits a sense of sincerity. Despite his height of only about 1.68 meters, he exudes a striking presence, his eyes are sharp, and there is a hint of the Chunan spirit in his bones. In China, there¡¯s a saying describing the people of Chunan: they endure hardship, behave aggressively, and have remarkable patience. Although this might sound pejorative, it urately depicts the character of Chunan people. The atmosphere in the conference room is somewhat strange. Weing Yi Mingyang¡¯s arrival is a duty for a provincial party secretary, the leader of the standingmittee. However, usually, a simple wee suffices. Chen Renqing¡¯s grand introduction is, to put it in one phrase, excessively enthusiastic. A smirk appears on Qiao Yiren¡¯s face. What is Chen Renqing trying to achieve? Is he using this opportunity to bond with Yi Mingyang and then in order to suppress me? Clearly, that¡¯s unrealistic. Even if there was anything that held me back, Yi Mingyang surely wouldn¡¯t easily cooperate with Chen Renqing. At this level, elements of bothpetition and cooperation exist between officials. Who depends on whom is not clearly defined. At this moment, Yi Mingyang raises his head and smiles, ¡°I thank all members of the standingmittee and Secretary Chen for the high evaluation of me. I am both excited and nervous to have the opportunity to work in Minan. This province is a well-known economic powerhouse in the country, unlike Chunan, an ind province. There¡¯s a lot I need to learn and understand deeply about this ce. In the future, I hope my colleagues will kindly instruct me and provide me with much-needed assistance.¡± As he finishes speaking, a smirk appears on Qiao Yiren¡¯s face. Just as expected, Yi Mingyang¡¯s words are wless. He considers every standingmittee member present, which makes everyone quite pleased. Chen Renqing also says again, ¡°Let¡¯s start the meeting. The agenda for this routine standingmittee meeting is to discuss personnel issues in Wanghai City. After the Yuhai smuggling case, four leaders from the standingmittee in WangHai have been sacked. This scandal is a disgrace to us in Minan Province. These individuals are not worthy of being party members. Currently, the work of the city partymittee in WangHai is temporarily chaired by Comrade Li Taishi. Vacant positions include a full-time deputy secretary, a mayor, a deputy mayor, and the secretary of the city partymittee. The aim of today¡¯s discussion is to determine the new full-time deputy secretary, deputy mayor, and the secretary of the city partymittee. We will then nominate candidates for the positions of deputy secretary of the city partymittee and the mayor, and submit the nominations to the Central Committee for final decision. A country cannot be without a ruler for a single day, just as a family cannot be without a head for a single day. Wang Hai City is at the forefront of our province¡¯s economic development and reform, and the economic development of WangHai City influences the entire province. Everyone here must strive to be responsible for Wanghai City, Minan Province, and our people. We need to select officials whom the people universally acknowledge. Well, our party has always emphasized democratic centralism. As we are being democratic, feel free to speak your mind. You may nominate any candidate you deem suitable. Comrade Taishi, as the Secretary of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, the personnel adjustments you propose will impact the future development of Wanghai City. Let¡¯s hear your views first.¡± n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Li Taishi¡¯s name was called. He moved slightly. In the system, humbleness, caution, and modesty are valued on ordinary days. However, if you don¡¯t fight when you should, it gives people the impression that you can be easily bullied. This is what is meant by the term petitive¡¯. There is always something topete for within the system. It is apetitive process, including both healthy and maliciouspetition. Relying on someone powerful¡ªthat¡¯s the very basis and guarantee ofpetition. Under these circumstances, Li Taishi mustpete. Immediately, Li Taishi started, ¡°Regarding personnel arrangement and adjustments in Wanghai City, the citymittee has held a standingmittee meeting specifically to discuss this issue. For the arrangement for the new deputy secretary of the city partymittee, we rmend Comrade Qi Siyuan, the Secretary of City Discipline Inspection Commission. We rmend Liu Gaohua, the vice mayor of Minzhou City, to be transferred to Wanghai City to take charge of industrial affairs as the deputy mayor, and to join the standingmittee of Wanghai City Party Committee. Furthermore, we rmendrade Yi Chang, the present deputy secretary-general of Wanghai City Party Committee, to serve as the secretary-general. For the vacant position of the secretary of the city disciplinarymission, we rmend Deputy Secretary Gao Wei to seed. In the Yuhai smuggling case, Comrade Gao Wei performed exceptionally. His ability has been acknowledged by Liu Wei, the Secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection. I believe he can handle this role.¡± After a brief pause, Li Taishi continued, ¡°Regarding the candidate for mayor, I rmend Comrade Nie Zhenbang. Despite Nie Zhenbang¡¯s youth, he satisfies the requirements for promotion in all aspects. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang has done an exceptional job on the economic front. The Xinli model and Liangxi¡¯s development are all Nie Zhenbang¡¯s work. Now that Wanghai City is ready for development, I suggest that Comrade Nie Zhenbang take over the role of mayor. As for the executive deputy mayor position that will be vacant due to Mayor Nie¡¯s promotion, I suggest that Deputy Mayor Li Xiangtian take over.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the other standingmittee members¡¯ faces changed color. This Li Taishi, his appetite was toorge, desiring so much power, not giving others a chance. In Wanghai City, with this adjustment here and rmendation there, the positions involved totaled six. All of these cadres were promoted from Wanghai City. Wasn¡¯t this making the other standingmittee members of the provincialmittee slog? In the bureaucratic system, a bnce was valued, advocating for a distribution of spoils. Now, Li Taishi¡¯s words had enraged manymittee members. Among the rmended candidates, Liu Gaohua was untouchable. Everyone knew that he was Li Taishi¡¯s trusted confidante during his tenure in Minzhou. This move to Wanghai City would certainly be better than his tenure in Minzhou. This was settled. In addition, Yi Chang¡¯s position need not be changed either. The position of Municipal Committee Secretary may sound fine, offering the status of Municipal Standing Committee member, but in reality, this was merely the chief steward of the Municipal Committee. Without the alignment of the Municipal Committee Secretary, things wouldn¡¯t go well. In addition, the position of the Secretary of the Municipal Disciplinary Committee could be given to Qi Siyuan, a major contributor in the Yuhai smuggling case. Not rewarding him would be uneptable. These were the calctions many members of the provincialmittee made in their minds. Silence. After a moment of silence. Lin Hourong, the Executive Vice Governor, slowly spoke, ¡°I agree with the majority of Comrade Taishi¡¯s rmendations. However, I do have different opinions on Comrade Gao Wei serving as the Secretary of Wanghai City Disciplinary Committee and Comrade Nie Zhenbang serving as the mayor.¡± Seeing Lin Hourong speak, Chen Renqing was expressionless, but in his eyes, there was a hint of indifference. This time, Lin Hourong originally had a great chance to be the governor, but it didn¡¯t ur to him that Qiao Yiren sprang up unexpectedly, and swiftly took advantage on the Yuhai smuggling case. This was also a part of the n, but there was also the idea of having a full-time deputy secretary. However, a transfer from Chunan Province suddenly urred, and Lin Hourong became the second most hated person in the Yuhai case after Chen Renqing. Nie Zhenbang and Gao Wei were the key yers in the Yuhai case. It would be extremely strange if Lin Hourong agreed. Pausing for a moment, Lin Hourong continued, ¡°First of all, Comrade Gao Wei, who has been promoted to Deputy Department level officials, has not even been in this position for a year. This clearly vites the rules. I think Comrade Jiang Huguang, the Secretary of the Minxi City Disciplinary Committee, is very good.¡± Upon hearing these words, Qiao Yiren¡¯s face changed. Jiang Huguang was the trusted subordinate of the Provincial Disciplinary Committee Secretary Ding Jiashu. He used to be the secretary of Ding Jiashu. Lin Hourong was trying to curry favor with others but not harming himself. Jiang Huguang, as the Secretary of the Minxi City Disciplinary Committee, had the level of a deputy hall, moving to Wanghai City would be considered a promotion. Ding Jiashu had no reason to refuse. However, Qiao Yiren could do nothing. Gao Wei was not qualified enough. If no one opposed, a breakthrough promotion could be arranged. But at this time, it could only be resolved by the Gao family. As expected, the proposal for Gao Wei was immediately vetoed. Finally, Lin Hourong continued, ¡°As for Comrade Nie Zhenbang, I still think he¡¯s a bit too young.¡± Regarding Nie Zhenbang, Lin Hourong had no room for criticism. Now, he could onlyment on his age. A deputy department-level official under thirty, who was also a party and government leader at the local level, was indeed shocking. Just as Qiao Yiren was about to speak, Chen Renqing suddenly said, ¡°Comrade Hourong¡¯s opinion is good, a responsible attitude indeed. Comrade Nie Zhenbang, I think, still needs a bit of tempering.¡± This sentence was equivalent to a veto. PS: The third update is up. The fourth update will follow shortly. Seeking monthly votes, rewards, and rmendations. Thank you for your support! We have opened a new group named ¡°Noble Sons and Daughters: 29575225.¡± Brothers and sisters are wee to join the group. ( Chapter 554 - 511: Elder Nan’s Position (Additional 700 Monthly Votes) _1 Chapter 554: Chapter 511: Elder Nan¡¯s Position (Additional 700 Monthly Votes) _1 Chen Renqing made a blind move. After he uttered these words, Qiao Yiren didn¡¯t show any emotional fluctuation. On the contrary, there was a hint of disdain. As the provincial party secretary, such a rash stance was not a wise choice. If he were not careful, it would be disastrous if other standingmittee members held different opinions, his authority as the provincial party secretary would be utterly swept away. However, Qiao Yiren also understood that the reason Chen Renqing was so impatient was to influence the decisions of other provincial standingmittee members. That¡¯s why it was said that Chen Renqing was a reckless move. If it were the situation in Wanghai City, where the secretary of the city partymittee still held the title of the standingmittee member of the upper-level partymittee, this kind of deterrence might still make sense. However, within the provincial standingmittee, Chen Renqing¡¯s attempt at intimidation was somewhat insufficient. Moreover, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s position was at the vice-ministerial level, which required central approval. Many provincial party leaders would not offend Nie Zhenbang over such minor matters, especially when the decision-making authority did not lie in their hands. What was the point of vetoing it? What if the central authority eventually chose Nie Zhenbang? Wouldn¡¯t that be a p in the face? Following this, Sun Yuzhou, a member of the Provincial Party Committee and Minister of Organization, slowly said, ¡°I think Comrade Nie Zhenbang could be a candidate, one of the choices we rmend from the Minan Province to the central government. Who the central government chooses, or if they directly parachute someone in from above, will depend on the central government.¡± Sun Yuzhou took a middle-of-the-road approach, rmending two candidates from the Minan Provincial Committee, regardless of who they were. As soon as he finished speaking, Xiang Qiurong, the Minister of Propaganda of the Provincial Party Committee, Deputy Governor Zhao Qiming, and member of the Provincial Committee, all expressed their support for Sun Yuzhou¡¯s opinion. Qiao Yiren then slowly said, ¡°I also agree with Minister Sun. Regarding the position of the Mayor of Wanghai City, we, the Provincial Party Committee, only have the right to rmend, not the decision-making power. If the dispute continues, we could consider leaving it for now. After discussing another candidate, we can rmend two candidates to the central authority for decision.¡± For a moment, there was a deadlock in the standingmittee meeting. On one side, the Provincial Party Secretary and the Executive Deputy Governor expressed their firm opposition. On the other side, the newly appointed Governor, along with the Deputy Governor of the Provincial Standing Committee, the Minister of Organization, and the Minister of Propaganda expressed their support. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om This proposition was put forward by Li Taishi, the Secretary of the Wanghai City Party Committee, so he naturally supported it. This would bring the number of votes in favor of Nie Zhenbang to five. Yi Mingyang had an amused expression on his face. Seeing the firm attitudes on both sides, he smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Chen, Governor Qiao, how about wepromise? Let¡¯s follow Minister Sun¡¯s proposal and nominate two candidates.¡± When Chen Renqing heard that Yi Mingyang was also in favor, he lost his temper. If even Yi Mingyang, the new guy, expressed his support, things would be tricky. In the end, it would be his own face that he would lose. Therefore, Chen Renqing gave in to save his face, nodded and said, ¡°Well, since Secretary Yi said so, I think we should do it this way.¡± Having said this, Chen Renqing gave Sun Yuzhou a casual look and said, ¡°Minister Sun, you take the lead on behalf of the Organization Department to personally talk to the other officials in Wanghai City. When the candidate for the mayor of Wanghai City is finalized, you can announce it all at once.¡± ¡­ The resolution of the Minan Provincial Party Standing Committee was submitted to Yu Shengdong, the Minister of the Central Organization Department. As soon as he saw Nie Zhenbang¡¯s name, he was taken aback. He was aware of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s promotion and his significant contributions. However, being promoted to the deputy ministerial level before the age of thirty, and not just any deputy ministerial rank within the ministries, but the mayor of a deputy provincial-level city, was a decision Yu Shengdong found difficult to make. After giving it some thought, Yu Shengdong picked up the documents on his desk, left his office, and instructed his secretary, ¡°Xiaoxia, arrange for a car. I¡¯m going to see Secretary General Yuan.¡± Being a member of the Central Political Bureau and the Minister of the Central Organization Department, Yu Shengdong¡¯s official car had all kinds of special passage licenses. Soon, after a series of checks, the car parked outside Secretary General Yuan¡¯s residence. The office of Secretary General Yuan was located inside the Forbidden City. As soon as Yu Shengdong got out of the car, Secretary General Yuan¡¯s security guard, Qian, came up to greet him. These security guards were from the Zhongnanhai Security Department, and their tactical training was top-notch in the entire army. More importantly, these elite guards were highly trained in defensive tactics, and could even use their bodies to block bullets in critical situations. Upon seeing Qian, Yu Shengdong was rather polite and smiled, ¡°Qian, is the leader busy right now? I have important work to report to him.¡± Yu Shengdong, being a frequent guest of Secretary General Yuan, was quickly let in. At the moment, Secretary General Yuan was sitting at his desk, reading a thick book. Seeing Yu Shengdong enter, Secretary General Yuan jokingly said, ¡°What¡¯s with the Minister today? You¡¯re in such a hurry. It doesn¡¯t look like your typical style.¡± At this moment, Yu Shengdong also felt the harmonious rtionship between the General Secretary and himself. With a smile, he said: ¡°Leader, there is a matter over which I¡¯m having difficulty making a decision, so I¡¯vee to solicit your opinion.¡± Yu Shengdong put the documents he was holding on the desk, exining, ¡°Regarding the appointment of the new mayor of Wanghai City, the Provincial Committee of Minan Province has rmended two candidates. One is Comrade Xia Hongbing, the current Secretary-General of the provincial government. The other is Comrade Nie Zhenbang, the current Executive Vice Mayor of Wanghai City.¡± It was pretty clear from that point. The situation that left the Minister of the Central Organization Department, who managed the national organization and personnel work and oversaw the promotions of national department-level officials, unable to make a decision, must involve Nie Zhenbang. At that moment, General Secretary Yuan was also pondering. Among the top nine leaders, Zhuang Aiguo would surely be delighted. After all, Zhuang Aiguo had some familial ties with the Nie family, and he would undoubtedly fully support Nie Zhenbang¡¯s promotion. Moreover, Comrade Yun Bo probably also had a supportive attitude. During the parliamentary sessions, Comrade Yun Bo had specifically met with Nie Zhenbang, which was likely a signal. Honestly, he was also supportive. Otherwise, Qiao Yiren would not have thrown all his weight behind Nie Zhenbang, and Nie Zhenbang would not have been nominated either. However, political matters can¡¯t just go the way one wishes. This time, the Li family suffered a great loss in Wanghai City. Even though the Li family had the courage to endure loss and pain, the rise of Nie Zhenbang, their dire enemy, to the deputy ministerial level was bound to stir up trouble. In Jingcheng, the bnce among other family factions also needed to be maintained. Even General Secretary Yuan found this a thorny issue. This time, the Nie family had reaped substantial benefits. Nie Guodong had joined the game and served as the vice-chairman of the Military Commission. Nie Guowei was appointed as a member of the Central Committee and took charge of Bashu Province¡ªthe most populous and economically undeveloped in the southwest¡ªas governor. Clearly, this was to prepare for Nie Guowei¡¯s future, as he was only 48 years old. All the families in Jingcheng understood this point well. If Nie Zhenbang were to be elevated to the deputy ministerial position now, would the other families gang up against him? It was hard to say. To get approval from the Politburo was easy, but to mollify the desires of all the families in Jingcheng proved more challenging. After a brief moment of thought, General Secretary Yuan nodded and said, ¡°Comrade Shengdong, let¡¯s leave this matter here for the time being until I have given it some thought. A deputy minister-level official under thirty years old would be unprecedented in our country, excluding those founding national meritorious figures from the founding period. This warrants our careful consideration.¡± Within the walls of the Forbidden City, by the seaside round pavilion, there was an inconspicuous quadrangle courtyard where Elder Nan lived out his twilight years. Unlike other national leaders who moved out after retirement, Elder Nan had an unparalleled status and nobody could match or shake. Elder Nan was like the nation¡¯s anchor ¨C as long as this simple old man was around, the direction of the country¡¯s development would never deviate. At this moment, in Elder Nan¡¯s study, the elder had just woken up from his nap and seemed to be in good spirits. Even General Secretary Yuan, who was present, was cautious, waiting for the health check-up handled by a medical map to bepleted. Then, General Secretary Yuan said, ¡°Leader, this time when Ie to you, I have a problem that I find difficult to solve. It¡¯s about your god-grandson, Nie Zhenbang.¡± Upon hearing this, a sharp glint passed in Elder Nan¡¯s eyes, and his tone was as calm as ever, ¡°Oh? What¡¯s happened with that child? Has he caused some trouble? I know Zhenbang¡¯s character, he doesn¡¯t actively seek trouble. I suppose some child from another family stirred up trouble with him. I think it¡¯s time to discipline the children in this courtyard.¡± Elder Nan¡¯s words seemed unrted and irreverent. To put it crudely, it seemed as if he was suffering from dementia. However, General Secretary Yuan picked up on the deep implications in these seemingly irrelevant words. At this moment, General Secretary Yuan was also surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected Nie Zhenbang to hold such a status in Elder Nan¡¯s heart. Immediately, General Secretary Yuan also smiled and said, ¡°Old leader, don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s not what you¡¯re thinking. The main issue is the proposal to appoint Comrade Nie Zhenbang as the Deputy Secretary and Mayor of Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee. Having a deputy ministerial-level official in his thirties is unprecedented and could upset several families in Jingcheng.¡± Elder Nan then fell silent for a while, before saying slowly, ¡°Comrade Kang An, you¡¯re the General Secretary. Strictly speaking, this old man shouldn¡¯t be interfering. But since you asked, I might as well express my opinion. As the saying goes, ¡®Age does not determine ambition, multiple years of aimless living is futile.¡¯ In ancient times, Gan Luo became a prime minister at the age of 12. Now, with our reform and opening up, I¡¯ve also kept saying that we can make bolder steps, especially in the direction of youth in officialdom. As long as we operate within the rules, what do we have to fear about interference from others? As Taizu once said, ¡®All reactionaries are paper tigers.''¡± PS: Please support with monthly votes. Elder Nan said, ¡°Give your steadfast support. Hand over your monthly votes.¡± ( Chapter 555 - 512 Yu Shengdong personally takes command (Seeking monthly ticket support)_1 Chapter 555: Chapter 512 Yu Shengdong personally takesmand (Seeking monthly ticket support)_1 Wanghai International Airport At this moment, within the tarmac of Wanghai City International Airport, more than twenty cars were parked, and a crowd of heads could be seen bustling about. Many travelers watched this scene through the colossal ss curtain walls of the airport terminal. In front, stood Chen Renqing, secretary of the Minnan Provincial Committee and director of the Provincial People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee; on his left was Qiao Yiren, the deputy provincial governor and deputy secretary of the Minnan Province Committee; on his right, was the deputy secretary of the Provincial Committee, Yi Mingyang, followed by Sun Yuzhou, the Minister of Organization Department and member of the Provincial Standing Committee; and finally the secretary of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee Lee Taishi. The other leaders of Wanghai City followed in session. Nie Zhenbang, at this moment, stood calmly beside Li Taishi. The resolution of the Minnan Provincial Standing Committee had long been made clear to him, and it was not in his favor. However, Nie Zhenbang seems indifferent to Chen Renqing¡¯s scheming, with Qiao Yiren¡¯s hint and Prime Minister Yun Bo¡¯s words, these were the sources of his certainty. Having Qiao Yiren¡¯s support meant getting the support of Party Secretary President Yuan. With this support, Nie Zhenbang felt relieved. Sure enough, the subsequent attitude of the central government expressed everything clearly. Soon, the Central Organization Department officially announced a list of prospective cadres through the Hope Daily Newspaper, and Nie Zhenbang¡¯s name was boldly included. Nie Zhenbang, currently a standingmittee member of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee and the executive deputy mayor, was about to be appointed as a member, standingmittee member, and deputy secretary of Wanghai Municipal Party Committee. He was further nominated as the deputy mayor and acting mayor of Wanghai City. Of course, ording to domestic system rules, only Party positions can be directly appointed, and government positions must go through elections of the People¡¯s Congress at all levels. But everyone knows this. Under the premise that the partymands everything, these are all just formalities. After waiting for about five minutes, a ne from Jingcheng slowlynded at Wanghai Airport. The hatch opened, and Yu Shengdong, Central Politburo member and Minister of the Central Organization Department, stepped out. Upon setting foot on the soil of Wanghai City, Yu Shengdong felt somewhat emotional. At the same time, it deepened his understanding of Nie Zhenbang. Coming to Wanghai was requested by Party Secretary President Yuan himself. Normally, the appointment of deputy bureau-level cadres would only require a deputy minister from the Central Organization Department, which is already a considerable honor. However, President Yuan¡¯s intention was very clear, he wanted toe in person. The purpose of which was to support the appointment of Nie Zhenbang, the only one to be announced this time, as deputy secretary and acting mayor of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee. This filled Yu Shengdong with wonderment ¨C truly, the heavens were generous. Based on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s age, a thirty-year-old deputy bureau-level cadre was an unprecedented rarity. Even if he served only one term in this position, Nie Zhenbang would only be thirty-four years old after four years. Thinking of this, Yu Shengdong could no longer imagine it. However, what Yu Shengdong didn¡¯t know was that the shock President Yuan received was far greater than his. Elder Nan¡¯s words didn¡¯t directly state his thoughts, but his attitude was very clear. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Citing Gan Luo as an example, it proved that Elder Nan approved of Nie Zhenbang¡¯s promotion to a deputy bureau-level cadre. Afterwards, Elder Nan said that as long as everything conforms to the promotion rules and procedures, there would be no fear of criticism. This was telling Yuan Kangan that Nie Zhenbang¡¯s promotion, as long as it conformed to the promotion rules of the cadres¡¯ appointment regtions, would not be a problem. Of course, if it were notpliant, Elder Nan would probably not be so confident. Thest sentence even induced a sense of chilling determination in Yuan Kangan. Even though Elder Nan was a political cadre, he was also a figure who emerged from war. In that chaotic era, in harsh years, even Taizu had to act on his own. It was not unusual for Elder Nan to hold a cold and ruthless aura. Furthermore, his final quote from Taizu clearly demonstrated Elder Nan¡¯s imposing spirit, implying that if someone in another faction objected, they should discuss it directly with him. As a result, Yuan Kangan¡¯s heart was strengthened. Although some voices raised doubts about Nie Zhenbang¡¯s age during the following meetings, Yuan Kangan responded defiantly and simply, ¡°The promotion of Comrade Nie Zhenbang conforms to the rules. Our party is not based on seniority. Thepetent are promoted, and the mediocre are demoted, we appoint people on their merits. As long as anyone meets the promotion standard, they can be promoted.¡± However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s case was simply an exception. Prior to 1995, without the leadership cadre appointment regtions, someone could be promoted three levels in one year. Now, after the introduction of the appointment regtions, anyone who wants promotion must follow the regtions step by step. At the same time, Elder Nan¡¯s words, thanks to the intentional spread by Yuan Kangan, spread to the ears of various families in Jingcheng. The originally controversial matters quickly fizzled out. Both the head of the Dong family and the head of the Yang family burst intoughter when they heard this. This time, the merits that Nie Zhenbang had once done for the country were partly fulfilled. Being promoted from the regr hall level to the vice-ministerial level is a significant leap. Once promoted to the vice-ministerial level, this signifies entry into the ranks of senior national cadres, and the chances of reaching the core are greatly increased. As he disembarked from the ne, Chen Renqing weed him with a broad smile and stretched out hands. ¡°Minister Yu Shengdong, wee, wee. It¡¯s an honour for our Minan Province that Minister Yu Shengdong has personally made the trip.¡± Yu Shengdong smiled back, ¡°Secretary Chen Renqing, you¡¯re too courteous. Choosing cadres for the organization is part of my job.¡± Afterward, Yu Shengdong exchanged handshakes with Qiao Yiren, Yi Mingyang, and other officials from Wanghai City. Chen Renqing then led Yu Shengdong to the business car and the convoy headed towards the courtyard of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government. Inside the grand hall of the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, there wasn¡¯t an empty seat. All the cadres above the section level from all over Wanghai City were present. As the grand door of the hall opened, all the cadres stood up. After all, standing before their eyes were the Minister of the Central Organization Department and the giants of the Provincial Committee; who would dare not stand up if they wanted a good future? Yu Shengdong confidently led the way, followed half a step behind by the Provincial Secretary Chen Renqing and Governor Qiao Yiren. The other leading cadres followed in order. Upon reaching the stage, Yu Shengdong sat in the central seat, nked by Chen Renqing and Qiao Yiren. Following them were the cadres who were to be appointed together, including the new Municipal Discipline Inspection Secretary Jiang Huaguang, Municipal Committee Secretary-General Yi Chang, Standing Deputy Mayor Li Xiangtian, and Standing Deputy Mayor Liu Gaohua. The Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of the Municipal People¡¯s Congress, Li Taishi, served as the host of the meeting. He tapped the microphone, a habit many people have to check if it¡¯s working. Then, Li Taishi announced loudly, ¡°I dere that the meeting of Wanghai City leadership cadres has officially begun. First, everyone stand for the national anthem.¡± The solemn national anthem echoed in the hall. Everyone stood up and sang the anthem. After it was over, the hall erupted in enthusiastic apuse. Then, after Li Taishi delivered a speech, he moved on to the main agenda, ¡°Next, I would like to invite the Provincial Committee member and Minister of the Provincial Organization Department, Comrade Sun Yuzhou, to announce the Provincial Committee¡¯s appointment and removal resolution.¡± As Sun Yuzhou straightened his body and flipped through the information in front of him, he announced loudly, ¡°ording to the decision of the Provincial Committee, Qi Siyuan is relieved of his duty as Secretary of the Wanghai City Discipline Committee, and is appointed as Deputy Secretary of the Wanghai City Party Committee. Appoint Comrade Jiang Huaguang as a member, Standing Committee member, and Secretary of the Wanghai City Discipline Committee. Upon the resolution of the Provincial Standing Committee, Nie Zhenbang is relieved of his duty as the Executive Deputy Mayor of Wanghai City People¡¯s Government. Nominate Comrade Li Xiangtian as the Executive Deputy Mayor of the Wanghai City People¡¯s Government. Appoint Comrade Li Xiangtian as a member and Standing Committee member of Wanghai City Party Committee. Nominate Comrade Liu Gaohua as the Deputy Mayor of Wanghai City People¡¯s Government. Appoint Comrade Liu Gaohua as a member and Standing Committee member of the Wanghai City Party Committee. Appoint Comrade Yi Chang as a member, Standing Committee member, and Secretary-General of the Wanghai City Party Committee.¡± Following these appointments, some cadres cheered with joy, while others seemed deep in thought, showing a variety of reactions. Then, Li Taishi continued, ¡°Next, may I invite the member of the Politburo of the Central Committee and the Minister of the Central Organization Department, Minister Yu Shengdong, to announce the central government¡¯s appointment and removal resolution.¡± At that moment, Yu Shengdong took over the microphone, ¡°The central government has decided to appoint Comrade Nie Zhenbang as a member, Standing Committee member, and Deputy Secretary of the Wanghai City Party Committee, and nominate him as Deputy Mayor and acting Mayor of Wanghai City.¡± After the announcement, Yu Shengdong continued, ¡°Comrades, the situation in Wanghai City has moved the heart of the Party Central Committee and the State Council. General Secretary Yuan and Prime Minister Yun Bo have both expressed their high concern. Now, Wanghai City has a lot of work to be done. The central government¡¯s decision was made after careful consideration and research. Comrade Nie Zhenbang has strong political thinking and business capabilities. I believe that the new team of Wanghai City, led by Comrades Li Taishi and Nie Zhenbang, will be able to ovee the difficulties. And lead the two million people of Wanghai City towards a more brilliant future.¡± This statement made Chen Renqing¡¯s face twitch. The central government was really pulling out all the stops to support Nie Zhenbang. With Yu Shengdong saying this, surely all the cadres in Wanghai City, and even in the province, would weigh and consider it. This was a trulypelling argument. Then, speeches were given by the Provincial Party Secretary Chen Renqing, Governor Qiao Yiren, Deputy Party Secretary Yi Mingyang, and by Nie Zhenbang on behalf of the newly appointed officials. After Li Taishi dered the meeting adjourned, he immediately went over to Yu Shengdong with Nie Zhenbang. PS: Feeling bummed, would appreciate the support of those with monthly tickets. For those without monthly tickets, please support with your rmendation votes or simr. (.) Chapter 556 - 513 WangHai is in chaos (Looking for monthly ticket support)_1 Chapter 556: Chapter 513 WangHai is in chaos (Looking for monthly ticket support)_1 At noon, a grand banquet was held at the Wanghai Hotel Banquet Hall. On one hand, it was to wee the leaders from the central and provincial governments. On the other hand, it was also a wee party for the newly appointed leaders of Wanghai City. There were a total of eight tables. Two were filled with apanying officials and secretaries of the leaders. Two more had the deputy leaders of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government. Three tables were upied by the deputy leaders of the Municipal Party Committee and City Government, the secretaries of the Municipal Party Committee standingmittee, and a few important city bureau leaders. At the final table sat Yu Shengdong, a few leaders from the Provincial Party Committee who hade, and the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee secretary, mayor, deputy secretary, disciplinarymittee secretary, and executive deputy mayor. This table was set apart from the others. When senior leaders were present, those beneath them could not rx even while eating. Although it was noontime, Yu Shengdong was considerate and did not propose a ban on alcohol. Instead, he picked up his wine ss, toasted with several top officials from the Provincial Party Committee, and even had a separate drink with Nie Zhenbang. This scene showcased Yu Shengdong¡¯s extraordinary difference again, making Chen Renqing frown. To suppress Nie Zhenbang, there was no method Yu Shengdong wouldn¡¯t use. After lunch, in the afternoon, the group left WangHai by flight. The Wanghai Airlines flight to Jingcheng happened to stop at Minzhou Airport, where Chen Renqing and others also left. The next day, the Wanghai City People¡¯s Congress held a regr meeting and formally passed the appointments of Nie Zhenbang, Li Xiangtian, and Liu Gaohua. Nie Zhenbang was sessfully elected as mayor. Generally speaking, there are two ways to elect an acting mayor, or any acting position. If it¡¯s thetter half of the year, the elections will usually wait until the People¡¯s Congress meeting at the beginning of the following year. Another method takes ce for cases like Nie Zhenbang¡¯s, where someone bes acting mayor after the People¡¯s Congress has convened in the first half of the year. Considering the length of the term, a special meeting of the People¡¯s Congress may be called for a dedicated election. Nie Zhenbang, and the others are following this rule. In the Municipal Party Committee and City Governmentpound, Nie Zhenbang was inspecting the house assigned to him under the guidance of An Guoyu, the Secretary-General of the City Government. Nie Zhenbang had been living at the Municipal Party Committee guesthouse for almost half a year. Previously, there weren¡¯t any suitable houses avable, resulting in the dy. Now, after Shi Yiwu¡¯s suicide and Wang Yaguang¡¯s reassignment to Minzhou, quite a few homes in the Municipal Governmentpound were left vacant. These vis in the leaders¡¯ residential area of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Governmentbine Chinese and Western styles. Each vi is three stories high with its own entrance. The entrance leads to a high-ceilinged living room. An internal spiral staircase, simr to thosemonly seen in vis on television, winds up from there. The first floor contains, in addition to a living room and a dining room, two bedrooms. The second floor is reserved for the master¡¯s space with arge bedroom featuring an en-suite bathroom, a small sitting room, and a study. The third floor houses two bedrooms and a terrace. Wang Yaguang¡¯s decoration style leaned towards the ancient deal, but not purely ssical wood art decoration style. As a whole, it was very modern, yet highlighted by wooden ceilings. The overall color was a popr pale yellow. ¡°Mayor, you see, what changes should we make to the interior? So, I can arrange for the decorationpany to enter the scene. Time-wise, it would take a maximum of a month,¡± An Guoyu, at his side, diligently offered. An Guoyu also felt extremely grateful for the decision he had taken. Just as he had predicted, Mayor Nie did be the mayor of WangHai City and judging by the current circumstances, he might even be able to keep his position. Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment. These decorations were newly made in the first half ofst year. Moreover, Wang Yaguang¡¯s children had all grown up, and the house was well maintained without any ws. Then, after another moment of pondering, Nie Zhenbang calmly said, ¡°Comrade Guoyu, there is no need for remodeling. I¡¯m not a person with that many taboos and concerns. Just arrange for someone to change the mattress in the master bedroom and do a thorough cleaning of the house. No other alterations are necessary. With the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s copse leaving a considerable mess in the city, this year¡¯s financial ie also looks unpromising. We should save where we can.¡± ¡°Yes, the mayor¡¯s consideration is always moreprehensive than mine. Rest assured, I will get started immediately and finish within a day. Also, mayor, do you think we should hire a maid? It will be inconvenient for you to cook by yourself due to the heavy workload of weekdays. By hiring a maid, your daily life will be taken care of,¡± An Guoyu, without making a sound, ttering slightly while making another suggestion. The Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee and that of the City Government are basically the supervisors of many things. They manage the affairs of various government agencies, logistical units, including the needs of the leaders. They are responsible for arranging the lives of leaders, including hiring housekeepers, which falls within their purview as Secretary-General. As he contemted hiring a housekeeper, Nie Zhenbang found it to be vexing. Housekeepers are generally female. And being a young and robust man, having no wife in WangHai, and being alone at home at night could potentially lead to rumours if he didn¡¯t choose wisely. However, without a housekeeper, life would indeed be inconvenient. At the municipal partymittee guesthouse, there¡¯s always a waiter avable, and they provide 24-hour catering services. After a moment¡¯s silent, he nodded and said, ¡°Yes, having a housekeeper is necessary, or daily life will be in disarray. But it would be best if the housekeeper is older, in her forties or fifties, and reliable. Guoyu, I¡¯d be grateful if you could handle this for me.¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om While speaking, Nie Zhenbang looked at An Guoyu and said: ¡°Comrade Guoyu, this morning, I received a letter ofint about you from Secretary Huguang of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission. What¡¯s going on? Upon hearing these words, An Guoyu didn¡¯t appear particrly perturbed. If the mayor were to investigate him, An Guoyu reasoned that he wouldn¡¯t have been informed. Jiang Huguang, being new, was being cautious since theint involved a city leader and, considering the staggering size of the Eastern Sea Group smuggling case, anyone involved would already be implicated. Moreover, as the usatory letter was anonymous, it was normal for the city government to ignore it. An Guoyu then presented an expression of helplessness and murmured, ¡°Mayor, you know me. At this level, you inevitably offend people.¡± Seeing An Guoyu¡¯s aggrieved look, Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t helpughing. After the Eastern Sea Group smuggling case, the situation in Wanghai City can only be described as chaotic. Moreover, it¡¯s not merely economic chaos but total chaos. Regarding the economy, it is unnecessary to borate. The copse of the Eastern Sea Group left many unfinished projects that have be disasters. The so-called highest building in the country has now be a notorious unfinished structure in the heart of Wanghai City. Many homeowners, who paid their presale payments, have hung banners demanding their rights at the unfinished building site. Moreover, the security situation has also be chaotic as the Eastern Sea Group was thergest underground force in Wanghai City. Now that they have copsed, city¡¯s criminals, big and small, are excited, all vying to be the next Eastern Sea group. Fights ur constantly, creating more chaos. In the officialdom, the entire Wanghai civil service is also in chaos. Many city organ departments andmissionsck leadership. So far, some have been implicated in the Eastern Sea Group smuggling case and have been demoted or sentenced. Thus, each unit is in fear, including middle-level cadres within the Municipal Party Committee and City Government. Some are worried about their involvement, while others see an opportunity, and many are taking advantage of this chaos. Before Jiang Huguang¡¯s arrival, Qi Siyuan had received a sudden surge of anonymousints, many of which turned out to be false. However, there isn¡¯t currently an effective measure to control this situation. Nie Zhenbang thenughed and said: ¡°Don¡¯t y victim. You understand the current situation in Wanghai City. People are in fear and many are using this opportunity for their own advantage. Concentrate on doing your work well. The organization and the masses have straight eyes.¡± An Guoyu was very moved. Working within the system has its difficulties, especially in his position. If you can¡¯t gain the trust of the mayor or the secretary of the municipal partymittee, the work of the Secretary-General of the Municipal Government and the Municipal Party Committee can be tough. Now, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s statement made An Guoyu relieved. He nodded and said, ¡°Yes Mayor. Now, it seems it will take several years for Wanghai City to fully recover.¡± Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said: ¡°Indeed, the road ahead is long. Guoyu, I¡¯ll leave this matter to you.¡± Upon leaving the residentialpound of the Municipal Party Committee and City Government, Nie Zhenbang walked slowly towards the office building of the Municipal Party Committee and City Government. Along the way, many cadres who saw Nie Zhenbang would voluntarily stop to greet this young mayor, showing their respect. His demonstrated strength hadn¡¯t drawn any disdain due to his young age. On the contrary, he¡¯s highly respected. Upon entering the elevator, he pressed ¡°12¡± to proceed directly to the top floor. Nie Zhenbang then headed towards the office of the Municipal Party Secretary, Li Taishi. It was necessary at this time to discuss the chaotic situation in Wanghai City. If we want to rectify the situation in Wanghai City, we must first rectify the officialdom of Wanghai, and this requires propermunication with Li Taishi. (.) Chapter 557: 514 Harmony Among The Team_1 Chapter 557: Chapter 514 Harmony Among The Team_1 Politics is not solely aboutpetition and confrontation, nor does it require a life-or-death struggle, where one party opposes anything the other proposes, and vice versa. If such a situation were to ur, it wouldn¡¯t resemble a state anymore. In that case, society shouldn¡¯t even dream of development. The dynamics within the system are quite mysterious. Today, there could be a spirit of cooperation concerning a particr matter, while tomorrow, the same issue could turn the people involved into adversaries. Politics is a game of constant cooperation andpetition. It relies on backing, capability, personal morality, and, most significantly, who survives the longest! A skilled political yer must understand the importance of alliance. Only this way can one be an outstanding statesman. Politicians are shameful, as theyck morality and consider only their vested interests. Such people, devoid of integrity, are scorned universally. However, a statesman, while steadfastly pursuing his political goals and dreams, is also capable of bettering the world atrge. That is the key difference. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s goal is to be a statesman. In the past, he may not have been highly qualified to discuss politics, but ever since his promotion to the position of Mayor of Wanghai City and his entry into the ranks of deputy minister-level officials, he has undeniably be a senior cadre within the party. Now, he is fully qualified to discuss politics. To rectify the atmosphere of anxiety within the Wanghai officialdom, it is imperative to make adjustments across all units of the city first. The Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee and the municipal government need to have a unified understanding. These are all obligations that must be fulfilled. They fall within the purview of Secretary Li Taishi. After all, the party is managed by the secretary, and the city¡¯s affairs by the mayor. That¡¯s the rule. If this line is crossed, it would be considered overstepping by Nie Zhenbang. If it creates rifts within the team, it could have an ill effect on Wanghai City. This would not be a wise move. Therefore, Nie Zhenbang took the initiative to pay a visit. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s disposition is such that he doesn¡¯t provoke anyone unprovoked. In other words, if you respect me, I respect you more. Since Li Taishi assumed his position in Wanghai City, his rtionship with Nie Zhenbang has been harmonious. Besides, Taishi, a smart man, has clearly stated he won¡¯t interfere in the specific affairs of the city government. Furthermore, his affable and cooperative demeanor in recent times has fostered a positive working rtionship. Given this, Nie Zhenbang pays attention to even the smallest of details. A tiny hole might sink a giant ship¡ªseemingly minute matters could jeopardize their rtionship if not handled well. Therefore, it is essential not to let any cracks form. As he reached the office door, which was slightly ajar, he saw Li Taishi¡¯s new secretary, Han Qiang, sitting at his desk. Knocking lightly, Nie Zhenbang pushed the door open, smiling, ¡°Han, is Secretary Taishi avable?¡± To have earned Li Taishi¡¯s trust, Han Qiang must have considerable capability and a good personality. Seeing Nie Zhenbang enter, he stood up immediately and warmly said, ¡°Mayor Nie, you¡¯re here. Pleasee in. The secretary instructed me earlier that you can go straight in whenever you arrive.¡± Regardless of whether Li Taishi had genuinely given such instructions to Han, or whether it was just a respectful gesture, hearing these words was incredibly pleasing to Nie Zhenbang. It was an acknowledgment of his status and position. At that moment, the office door opened from the inside, and Li Taishi, wearing a warm smile, stood at the entrance. ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, pleasee in. I was about to head over to city hall to find you.¡±
Entering the office, Nie Zhenbang remembered that he had visited it once before. Quite disappointingly, during that previous visit Shi Yiwu had been incredibly domineering¡ªa stark contrast to the present. Consequently, his mental state now waspletely different too.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om This time, Nie Zhenbang felt utterly at ease. Seating himself naturally on the sofa, he observed Taishi pouring tea for him. After cing it on the coffee table, Taishi, instead of returning to his desk, chose to sit next to Nie Zhenbang¡ªan indication of friendly rtions. Both of them held positions of the same rank. The only difference was that Li Taishi was a standingmittee member of the provincial partymittee, while Nie Zhenbang was only a member of the provincial partymittee. They had slightly different roles within the party. If Taishi were to sit behind his desk, it would appear as if he were pulling rank. ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, is there something important you would like to discuss?¡± Li Taishi said, disying a very pragmatic attitude. Their rtionship was cordial, so there was no need for pretentious formalities. They were both straightforward and in-spoken. Nie Zhenbang pondered for a moment before saying straightforwardly, ¡°Secretary Taishi, this visit is mainly prompted by the current situation in Wanghai City.¡± This statement took Li Taishi by surprise, and he chuckled, ¡°Indeed, great minds think alike. In recent days, I¡¯ve also been visiting various parts of the city. From what I¡¯ve observed, Wanghai City is currently in a state of disorder, with its officials running around like headless chickens. If this situation isn¡¯t rectified, it would be difficult to resolve the city¡¯s current predicament.¡± ¡°Indeed, that is what I am thinking too. After the Yuhai smuggling incident, many officials in the city have be restless. Of course, the Yuhai case was a factor, but I think ultimately the unease is due to these vacant positions. I believe we should settle these personnel arrangements as soon as possible. In addition, a city-wide party political education campaign should beunched to quickly stabilize the people¡¯s mindset and shift their focus to economic and social development.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded. If Li Taishi could not see this situation, then his years of work as a cadre would have been in vain. Li Taishi nodded in agreement. There are three urgent situations in officialdom or, to put it inly, three types of chaos. The first one is the uncertainty and tension during the re-election of the leadership team. The old leadership is bound to have quite a few people stepping down, and everyone is eyeing these positions as new leaders areing up. This inevitably leads to restlessness, sleepless nights, poor eating habits, and more often than not, rising tension. The second one is the anxiety caused by the arrival of the Disciplinary Committee, which is synonymous with anti-corruption. Those not implicated are busy clearing their associations and looking for ways to gain advantages. Those entangled also try to cover up and protect their positions. When it gets urgent, they can¡¯t focus on their work and devote all their attention to these issues. Chaos ensues. The third one is the anxiety during the promotion of cadres. Many positions are vacant, and the higher-level party organization hasn¡¯t decided on a solution or hasn¡¯t announced who will be the sessor, it¡¯s all up in the air. Everyone, be it Zhang San or Li Si, is after these positions, naturally leading to chaos. Currently, Wanghai City seems to be experiencing all three situations simultaneously. Chaos is inevitable. After a moment of ponderance, Li Taishi agreed, ¡°Absolutely. I think your n is feasible. We can initiate a city-wide discussion to study the spirit of the two conferences in order to stabilize their minds. Afterwards, personnel issues should be settled as quickly as possible. Once some people¡¯s misced expectations are quashed, I predict the situation will improve.¡± Li Taishi continued, ¡°Today is already the end of March. I propose this: tomorrow we convene a small meeting for the Secretary to discuss this issue and develop a policy to present to the standingmittee for formal approval. As the old saying goes, ¡®In troubled times, use heavy punishments.¡¯ Given the current situation in Wanghai City, doing this is imperative to deter these officials. Mayor Zhenbang, what do you think?¡± The first and second top leaders of the municipal partymittee were making statements and had almost settled on a n. Nie Zhenbang was pleased with this state of affairs. Any development in a region requires unity among leadership. Judging from Li Taishi¡¯s personality, when he was the party secretary of Minzhou City, he was not power-hungry, and now, after the team was assembled, Nie Zhenbang was happy to find that the harmonious condition was quiteforting. Thoughts unified, efforts concerted ¡ª this was the way to reverse the decline of Wanghai City as quickly as possible. The next day, April 1st. Thursday. It was the traditional Western Fool¡¯s Day, a holiday that is now also widely observed in China. At 9 a.m., the first secretarial meeting of the new Wanghai Municipal Party Committee was being held in a small meeting room on the top floor of the Wanghai City Committee Office Building. In the central seat, the Municipal Party Secretary Li Taishi sat in the middle. To his left was Nie Zhenbang, and to his right was Qi Siyuan. Next to them were Jiang Huguang and Gu Dongliang. Li Taishi¡¯s secretary, Han Qiang, poured each leader a cup of tea and then exited. The Secretary-General of the Municipal Party Committee, Yi Chang, was also attending the meeting, but he was present as a minute-taker and not participating in the discussions. Li Taishi surveyed the room and broke the ice with a smile: ¡°Ahem, this is the first secretarial meeting of our new leadership team in Wanghai City. Let¡¯s all rx. We will work together in the future. I believe that through greatermunication and understanding, we can definitely turn the tide in Wanghai City.¡± Li Taishi, calm and smiling, exuding a strong sense of affinity. Such a person was born to be a leader. No wonder he became a vice-ministerial-level official at only 47 years old.
The atmosphere in the meeting room lightened a lot. Qi Siyuan also injected humor by saying: ¡°Secretary Taishi is right. With united hearts, we can shift a mountain. I believe that our new team in Wanghai City is united and harmonious. Secretary Taishi, as the captain, will steer the course of Wanghai City along with Mayor Nie.¡± Then, Jiang Huguang made a statement. Among those present, he and Li Taishi were the neers. But Li Taishi was the municipal party secretary, appointed by the central government, unlike Jiang. So since his arrival, Jiang Huguang had kept a low profile, and his humble speech further contributed to a harmonious atmosphere. After Gu Dongliang had spoken, Li Taishi turned to Nie Zhenbang: ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, everyone has spoken. You, as the expert in economy, should also voice your opinion. Without your token ofmitment, us amateurs would be totally clueless.¡± (
Chapter 558: 515: Secretarys Office Meeting (First Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 558: Chapter 515: Secretary¡¯s Office Meeting (First Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Even though Li Taishi said these words in a joking tone, everyone could tell that there was no sarcasm in his words, but rather, more sincerity. This kind of atmosphere evoked some feelings in the two old standingmittee members of WangHai City, Qi Siyuan and Gu Dongliang.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om In the past, whether it was for the secretary¡¯s office meeting or the standingmittee meeting in WangHai City, Shi Yiwu was usually the protagonist. It was a typical one-man show, even if there were opposing opinions, they were all drowned out by Shi Yiwu¡¯s voice. Wang Yaguang¡¯s indifference further fostered this atmosphere. After Nie Zhenbang was parachuted into WangHai, the situation in the standingmittee improved significantly. This was also the reason why Lin Mohan, Liu Yafu and others supported Nie Zhenbang. After all, who would like to be a non-participating Buddha in the municipal party leadership team. The current harmonious atmosphere made everyone feelfortable and ready to make a difference. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang admired Li Taishi to some extent. As a secretary, one who could integrate the entire standingmittee team like Li Taishi did, was very rare and his tactics were extremely sophisticated. It seems that the power of the secretary has been dispersed, but in fact, no one in the Standing Committee of the Municipal Party Committee would ignore Li Taishi. Even Li Taishi¡¯s prestige might be higher than in Shi Yiwu¡¯s time. After a pause, Nie Zhenbang responded without hesitation: ¡°Secretary Li¡¯s praise is too kind, Wanghai City is currently in disarray. The day before yesterday, Secretary Li and I specially discussed this matter and decided to hold an emergency standingmittee meeting to discuss it, which is the reason for inviting you all here.¡± Nie Zhenbang, taking the initiative as the Mayor, realized that the future of WangHai ¨C good or bad ¨C was within his hands. If he wanted to improve the economy, it was not enough to simply put in his own effort, he also needed the cooperation of all departments and systems throughout the city. As the lower-ranking officials had varying allegiances, integrating them would be difficult. The first thing he needed to do was to have a unified understanding among the Standing Committee of WangHai Municipal Party Committee and to establish his own prestige. This point, Nie Zhenbang assured, was clear to Li Taishi and would not raise any objections. Sure enough, at this moment Li Taishi picked up the topic and said, ¡°Mayor Nie is very direct but apt in saying that WangHai City is currently in chaos. Now, we as the municipalmittee must wield our swords decisively and courageously to cut through this mess.¡± After a pause, Li Taishi took a sip of his tea, which was Tieguanyin, a specialty of Minan and Li Taishi¡¯s favorite. The Tieguanyin prepared exclusively for the municipalmittee leaders, judging by its taste, was at least 3,000 yuan a pound. With the tea moistening his throat, Li Taishi continued, ¡°At present, the most important thing in this chaotic situation is to stabilize all positions and levels of officials in WangHai City. I think we can start from this aspect. On the one hand, the Municipal Party Committee quickly adjusts its opinions, withrade Liu Yafu leading the Organization Department, topile a list of vacant positions in WangHai City as soon as possible. They should also n for potential appointees and establish the personnel scheme. Once that¡¯s done, we¡¯ll be halfway there. Right after, the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission and Municipal Party Organization Department should work together to create an official appraisal system where the capable are promoted, and the ipetent demoted. Anything less than this, and we will have to strictly rectify any misconduct, linking performance to promotion and official evaluation. By these means, link and conduct together, we can thoroughly reverse this scattered situation.¡± After Li Taishi finished speaking, Qi Siyuan raised his hand and immediately said, ¡°Yes, I agree with Secretary Li and Mayor Nie¡¯s suggestions. The reason why WangHai City is in chaos,es down to the disorganized style of officials at all levels. And the restlessness of those below. I believe it¡¯s absolutely necessary for the Municipal Party Committee to step in and make these people sit down and do their jobs earnestly.¡± The biggest advantage of a harmonious team is that under such circumstances, everyone temporarily puts away their personal agendas. It seems to be like amunist society, where everyone bes selfless.
In fact, a harmonious team needs a proper opportunity to appear. And the current situation in Wanghai City just provides such an opportunity. The Yuhai Smuggling Case has caused arge recession in Wanghai City¡¯s economy. Wanghai City is both an opportunity and a quagmire. This is also why there is not muchpetition for positions in Wanghai City. Otherwise, how could the central factions let go of the positions of Municipal Party Secretary and Mayor? Because everyone understands that, without strong policy support from the central government, Wanghai is a huge quagmire. It is extremely difficult to develop. As members of the standingmittee of Wanghai City, they are now sitting together on the damaged ship of Wanghai, working together to make Wanghai better. If Wanghai bes better, it benefits everyone; otherwise, everyone should just retire here. This is amon interest, and even the greatest interest, which is the basis for everyone to get along in harmony and work together. What is the most important thing in the official circles? It¡¯s not power, nor backing, but time. If you¡¯re younger than others, it means you have more chances and more advantages than others. If everyone were to lie low in Wanghai for three to five years and even seven to eight years, there would be no question of progress. That¡¯s why the proposals by Nie Zhenbang and Li Taishi received everyone¡¯s response. Li Taishi looked at the scene with satisfaction, nodded and said, ¡°Good, it¡¯s better to act sooner rather thanter. We need to take action as soon as possible to stabilize the situation in Wanghai. How about we hold a Municipal Committee emergency standingmittee meeting tomorrow morning to specifically discuss this issue?¡± As soon as his voice fell, nearby, the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, Gu Dongliang, raised his hand and said, ¡°Secretary Li, I have something to say.¡± ording to the usual procedure, at the Secretary¡¯s office meeting, at this point, the municipal party secretary has already made the final summary and the decision has already been made. That would mean this meeting is essentially over. Yet, Gu Dongliang made this sudden move. Li Taishi was somewhat surprised. However, his excellent psychological quality and seasoned experience in politics prevented him from showing too much astonishment. He immediately responded with a smile, ¡°Comrade Dongliang has something to say, which is not a problem at all. The purpose of today¡¯s meeting is to encourage open discussion.¡± ¡°Secretary Li, Mayor Nie,rades, I have listened to much and been deeply inspired. Right now, there is disorder in Wanghai, not only are there problems at the grassroots level but social security is also in disarray. I request the Municipal Party Committee to criticize and reprimand theck of organization. Law enforcement and crime prevention falls under the jurisdiction of the political-legal frontline. As the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, I admit I have performed poorly and ask for organizational punishment and criticism. I suggest a 100-day inspection campaign across the city to address the public¡¯s security concerns and improve the entire city¡¯s sense of security and recognition.¡± Gu Dongliang spoke eloquently, his attitude was very sincere and his expression quite serious. Nie Zhenbang started to ponder, what did Gu Dongliang mean by this? As the Secretary of the Political and Legal Committee, was he trying to remind everyone and elevate his position? Upon thinking this, Nie Zhenbang immediately dismissed the idea. Gu Dongliang was not a petty man, despite their limited personal interaction. Besides, Gu Dongliang¡¯s earlier decision to let go of the public security bureau might have been to give Shi Yiwu some face. Now, wouldn¡¯t Gu Dongliang want to save face for himself? Certainly not. In the officialdom, the most mysterious thing is background. Everyone keeps their background and support secret. However, within the system, there are no real secrets. The support and the officials are linked by an invisible stream. You can often trace the origin from these tiny clues, and find the source, which is nothing more than power. His own power has certainly been demonstrated. As part of the air-drop strategy, he was personally invited back by Secretary Qiao. Having solved the Yuhai smuggling case, he had also received approval from the Central Government. This series of achievements are not inferior to Shi Yiwu, in fact they¡¯re better. Gu Dongliang would certainly not do something foolish. Looking at it now, Nie Zhenbang preferred to think positively. Next to him, Li Taishi had already opened his mouth with a smile, ¡°This issue was something I also discussed with Mayor Nie earlier. The current Wanghai is facing three kinds of disorder: economic disorder, public disorder, and cadre disorder. I originally thought of dealing with cadre disorder first, but now that Comrade Dongliang has put forward this opinion, I think it is practical. We might as well bring it up for discussion at tomorrow¡¯s Standing Committee meeting. This can be seen as the focus of our next step as the Municipal Party Committee team.¡± After the meeting adjourned, Nie Zhenbang stood up and started to leave the conference room. At this moment, Li Taishi suddenly said, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, please wait a moment.¡± Seeing Li Taishi calling for him to stop, Nie Zhenbang also paused, smiled and asked, ¡°Secretary Li, is there anything else?¡± At this moment, Li Taishi replied with a smile, ¡°Zhenbang, I heard that your sister-inw is in Jingcheng for her postpartum confinement, and it must not be convenient for you to eat alone at home. How abouting to my house for dinner tonight? You can also have a taste of your sister-inw¡¯s cooking.¡± A family diner invitation? Nie Zhenbang found it difficult to figure out why Li Taishi, the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee, was behaving like this. To put it bluntly, Li Taishi seemed overly enthusiastic. However, it was well-meant. A family feast was seen as the greatest honour in the system, refusing it would be akin to a direct snub. Shortly after, Nie Zhenbang nodded agreeably, ¡°Well, that¡¯s great. Now, I have a ce to scrounge for meals.¡± PS: The base update of the three has been slowly updated, in the evening, I hope we can reach a 750 ticket supplement with a burst of five more updates! Brother and sisters!! (.)
Chapter 559: 516: Family Banquet (Second Update, Summoning Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 559: Chapter 516: Family Banquet (Second Update, Summoning Monthly Tickets)_1 n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om The courtyards of Li Taishi and Nie Zhenbang were merely separated by a wall, thepound of the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government, Courtyard One and Courtyard Two, in between, is just a wall less than 1.7 meters tall. As soon as Nie Zhenbang got off work in the afternoon, he stood up. It was rare to not work overtime in his office, and as he left the office, Li Jupeng, who was outside, was somewhat surprised to see him up. Nie Zhenbang preemptively said: ¡°Jupeng, let¡¯s call it an early day. Tonight, I don¡¯t have much on my te. You don¡¯t have to apany me.¡± Li Jupeng nodded, the job of a secretary requires understanding implicit directives. Mayor Nie¡¯s intention was clear, don¡¯t follow him tonight, anything more would be overdoing it and be more bothersome. This point, Li Jupeng could now understand quite well. Upon leaving the Municipal Party Committee office building, Nie Zhenbang headed to the Wal-Mart Supermarket not far from the municipal government. The first time you visit someone¡¯s home, you buy a little something to show your good intentions. Things like cigarettes and alcohol, Nie Zhenbang found beneath him. After considering all factors, he purchased a slightly high-end set of y cosmetics in Wal-Mart that cost over three thousand yuan, plus some health supplements for middle-aged people. At this point, the advertisement ¡°Refuse gifts during holidays¡± was slowly gaining poprity, health was gradually bing important to Chinese people. Giving the gift of health was also in line with his attitude. Returning to the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s familypound, Nie Zhenbang did not go home, but instead went straight to Li Taishi¡¯s house. The living room door is wide open, this subtlety also shows Li Taishi¡¯s weing attitude. In ancient times, when weing honored guests, you usually had to open the main gate, which is a rarity nowadays. This level of sincerity is exceptional. As he walked into the living room Nie Zhenbang paused and called out: ¡°Secretary Li, Sister-inw, are you home?¡± Soon, a middle-aged woman wearing an apron emerged from the kitchen. Herplexion was fair, in her forties, with curled short hair. It¡¯s a style which was once very popr, but not so much now, yet with middle-aged women, it still finds its market. Upon seeing Nie Zhenbang, the middle-aged woman also smiled and said: ¡°Mayor Nie is here,e on in. Old Li is in the kitchen, he went straight to the kitchen right after he got home, said you wereing for dinner and wanted to show off his culinary skills.¡±
Li Taishi¡¯s wife is called Peng Jiaoping, she is a local from Minan. Li Taishi is from Ludong and was assigned to work in Minan, where they settled. Now, Peng Jiaoping has also transferred to Wanghai City and serves as the deputy dean at the Wanghai City People¡¯s Hospital. ¡°Sister-inw, I didn¡¯t mean to put you to so much trouble. I simply thought I¡¯d drop in for a casual meal. My wife is in confinement at her mother¡¯s house, and my home is very quiet. Sorry to trouble you and Secretary Li,¡± Nie Zhenbang said, cing his gifts in the living room as he entered. As he reached the kitchen entrance, Li Taishi was stirring the pot and said with a smile: ¡°Zhenbang¡¯s here, sit down. I¡¯ll be ready in a moment. Today, I¡¯ll let you taste the specialty of my hometown ¨C sweet and sour carp and braised pig intestines. This is my forte. Old Peng, why are you not pouring tea for Mayor Zhenbang? That¡¯s not like you at all.¡± At this moment, Peng Jiaoping shot Li Taishi a look andughed: ¡°You love to show off, don¡¯t you? I was just getting to it.¡± It was clear that Li Taishi and his wife had a great rtionship; it could even be described as sweet. You can tell a lot about a person from their family life. Li Taishi, was not a shifty or cunning individual, but indeed a friend worth getting close to. About ten minutester, thest dish was served. Nie Zhenbang, carrying his gifts, boldly walked into the dining room and handed the cosmetics to Peng Jiaoping: ¡°Sister-inw, here is some cosmetics. I¡¯m not sure if it will to your liking. I bought it on a whim. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Moving on, Nie Zhenbang also handed the health products to the nearby Li Taishi, smiling as he said: ¡°Secretary Li, just a token of my appreciation. Coming to your house for the first time empty-handed wouldn¡¯t be right, so I bought a few small items on a whim.¡± The status of Nie Zhenbang and Li Taishi is equal, the nature of these gifts ispletely different from those of lower-ranking officials. Those people wouldn¡¯t present their gifts as openly as Nie Zhenbang, and Li Taishi and his wife wouldn¡¯t ept such gifts as openly. That¡¯s the difference. Li Taishi was in high spirits today. He chuckled, ¡°Old Peng, go and get my treasured bottle of Maotai from the liquor cab.¡± Peng Jiaoping gave Li Taishi a strained look, clearly, she didn¡¯t want her husband to drink too much. But considering that this was Nie Zhenbang¡¯s first visit, she refrained from saying anything outright. Nie Zhenbang was very familiar with the bottle of liquor. This was a special Maotai, exclusively for central government leaders. Note that there¡¯s a distinction here, this wine is reserved for national-level leaders, not the government¡¯s special supply. The ordinary government supply is something provincial and ministerial officials can get their hands on, albeit in varying amounts. But the exclusive supply for central leaders, it was extremely scarce, totaling up to no more than a thousand bottles each year. This testified to its value. Consequently, Nie Zhenbang smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Li, I really didn¡¯t know you had such a taste. Next time Ie across a good drink, I¡¯ll be sure to bring you a few bottles.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Taishiughed heartily; as expected, Nie Zhenbang showed no surprise or shock upon seeing this bottle of liquor. His demeanor was as calm as still water. This spoke volumes about his influential background. Someone might argue that those who don¡¯t understand the value wouldn¡¯t be surprised, but this type of bottle packaging is never seen outside. If someone hasn¡¯t seen it before, they would undoubtedly inquire about the wine¡¯s origins. Yet from the look in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s eyes, it was clear he knew the wine¡¯s source. The rest, therefore, didn¡¯t need to be said. It was a demonstration of his profound background. The wine sses were small one-tael cups, one for each person. After dinner, the bottle of wine was naturally seen to the bottom. Li Taishi seemed delighted. He sat on the sofa, picked up a pack of Soft Zhonghua cigarettes from the coffee table, handed one to Nie Zhenbang, and then smiled, ¡°Mayor Zhenbang, this time I invited you for a meal. On one hand, we are friends. In terms of age, I am the older brother, and in terms of position, I am the Secretary. It¡¯s my duty to look after my younger brother¡¯s life. On the other hand, I wanted to discuss with you about the candidate selection for several bureaumittees in the municipal government, as well as the secretary and district mayor of Wangxia District and Xiangming District.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang began to think. Personnel arrangement issues were always tricky. Now, in order to maintain the promising situation in the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee, fairness was crucial. Simply put, if there was a conflict between his candidate and those of the Standing Committee members of the Municipal Party Committee for a position, the one who was more fitting should be selected, regardless of the political favoritism. Additionally, for some key positions in the municipal government bureaumittee, he had to secure them. As for the positions in Wangxia District and Xiangming District, they were not high on his priority list. Following, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Secretary Li, on personnel matters, I think Comrade Xiao Shanming is quite suitable for the Public Security Bureau. During his time leading the Municipal Public Security Bureau, he has performed excellently. I fully believe Xiao Shanming ispetent to serve as the bureau chief. As for other units, honestly, I am not very familiar with them. In my view, we can fully consider Comrades Qi Siyuan and Liu Yafu¡¯s opinions on this matter.¡± Nie Zhenbang only wanted the position of the Public Security Bureau chief, an unexpected move. However, Li Taishi was extremely satisfied. Although he purposely befriended Nie Zhenbang, Li Taishi was also worried about encountering a difficult character. From what he saw, Nie Zhenbang was no such person, thusying the groundwork for a good partnership.
¡°Hmm, I agree with your suggestion. Comrade Liu Yafu, after all, is a long-time organiser. Having risen step by step in Wanghai City, he understands the situation from all sides. I believe that under the guidance of Comrade Liu Yafu, there won¡¯t be too many problems,¡± Li Taishimented after a moment¡¯s thought, voicing his own views. Afterwards, the two of them discussed the current situation in Wanghai City. After their conversation, Nie Zhenbang rose to take his leave. Watching Nie Zhenbang enter the next room and close the door, Peng Jiaoping came up to him and said, ¡°Old Li, this Mayor Nie seems quite easy to get along with. And you being so polite as the secretary is rare. Is Mayor Nie really that important?¡± Li Taishi nced at his wife and then said, ¡°Old Peng, what do you know? Now, it seems like I¡¯ve been promoted. I¡¯ve made it to Wanghai City and also received a supplement from the center, albeit as an alternate member, but it still means I caught the eyes of the central government. Why did no one fight for such a good position? Do you know the reason now? Moreover, you don¡¯t know. The Maotai I brought out just now is exclusively for central leaders. This Mayor Nie didn¡¯t even blink an eye. Do you think Nie Zhenbang is really that simple?¡±
¡°Well, that is true. When you ced that bottle of wine at home in Minzhou, many leaders wanted it. It seems now that Nie Zhenbang must have seen this kind of wine before, hence his unfazed demeanor,¡± Peng Jiaoping continued, specting along the same lines. From the side, Li Taishi continued, ¡°Now, in Wanghai City, Nie Zhenbang and I are in the same boat. If we make achievements, my days will be easy, and the future will be bright. But if Wanghai does not perform, would I have the space for promotion then? So, supporting his work is supporting my own. Besides, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s background definitely reaches the sky. This is not a simple matter. If I maintain good rtions with him, and if he builds up Wanghai City, won¡¯t I also get credit? Fighting for power and profits is for fools. Understand?¡± PS: Correcting an issue from the previous chapters, Old Cai miscalcted. The additional chapters for 700 votes have already been added. Now should be an additional chapter for 750 votes. The current vote count is 777. A nice number. Brothers and sisters, can we reach 800 votes to allow Old Cai to release five more chapters?(.) Chapter 560: 517: The Sword is Drawn (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 560: Chapter 517: The Sword is Drawn (Third Update, Asking for Monthly Tickets)_1 Given Li Taishi¡¯s attitude, Nie Zhenbang knew when to advance and when to retreat. Among the other standingmittee members, Qi Siyuan, Liu Yafu, Lin Mohan, Zhang Zhengguang, Li Xiangtian, and Nie Zhenbang all had good rtionships. It even gave off a faint sense that Nie Zhenbang was leading. Furthermore, considering that Liu Gaohua was Li Taishi¡¯s confidant and Yi Chang was also handpicked by Li Taishi, and as for Jiang Li and Zhao Fei, they didn¡¯t end up well in the Yuhai smuggling case, at this point, they could only gravitate towards Li Taishi. Therefore, within the standingmittee, only Gu Dongliang and Jiang Huguang were rtively independent. But under the current circumstances, everyone put aside their small calctions. It could be said that a consensus had formed among the standingmittee to coborate and improve various tasks in Wanghai City. April 2, 8:30 in the morning. As office hours began, members of the Standing Committee started to gather at the municipal office building. Today was the day when the emergency meeting of the Standing Committee was convened in Wanghai City. It was also the first Standing Committee meeting after the new leadership took office. No Standing Committee member was absent from this meeting. When Nie Zhenbang walked into the office, everyone in the meeting room was having a casual chat over a cup of tea, the standingmittee seemed very harmonious now. The atmosphere was good, a stark contrast to the strained atmosphere in the past. When Nie Zhenbang entered, everyone started to greet him. Li Xiangtian was the first to enter the Standing Committee of Wanghai, and jumped straight to the position of the Executive Deputy Secretary, ranking fifth in themittee. Li Xiangtian was very aware that this was the result of Mayor Nie¡¯s strong rmendation. Therefore, Li Xiangtian was very enthusiastic: ¡°The Mayor is here, please take a seat.¡± As soon as Nie Zhenbang entered, Li Taishi, who followed closely behind him, came in, his face wearing a warm smile. As soon as he entered, he nodded and said, ¡°Everybody¡¯s here, it seems I¡¯m thete one.¡± Li Taishi took his seat and immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s start the meeting. This time, calling everyone on such short notice is mainly to discuss the current issues in Wanghai City.¡± Saying so, Li Taishi¡¯s gaze fell on Nie Zhenbang beside him. It was a tacit understanding between them. Although they had not been working together for a long time, their excellent coordination was rare. Nie Zhenbang, not being modest, nodded and started, ¡°I believe that everyone has already felt that the situation in Wanghai City is currently very chaotic, with disorder among officials, security, and the economy. Today, we primarily need to discuss how to handle this chaos.¡±
Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment and then continued, ¡°In the aftermath of the Yuhai smuggling case, many party and government officials, some even heads of various municipalmittee, have fallen. This has definitely impacted the city. In general, there is instability among the people. These positions are now vacant, and many colleagues down the line are restless, eyeing these positions. This is the root of the chaos. My suggestion is to quickly finalize the positions of the secretary of the Wangxia District, Xiangming District, also, resolve the appointments of the director and executive deputy director of fiscal affair bureau, public safety bureau, construction bureau,nd bureau, and transportation bureau. By finalizing these appointments, we can eliminate some officials¡¯ ambitions and let them focus back on their work. Using forceful means, we should quickly stabilize this chaos in Wanghai.¡± After Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Li Taishi also smiled and said, ¡°Minister Liu, you are the Minister of Organization. In terms of organizational and personnel work, this is your strong suit. You are responsible for selecting politically reliable and professionally skilled officials with a good work ethic for the party and the state. Does your department have any opinions on what should be done about the empty positions in some of the bodies?¡± At those words, everyone else was startled. Was this an emergency Standing Committee meeting because the city already had these intentions? Liu Yafu didn¡¯t rush his response. He only found out about itst night when he received the notice on the Standing Committee meeting topics from Yi Chang. However, this didn¡¯t pose much of a problem for Liu Yafu. He has been working as the Minister of Organization for four years, and the term was soon to end. Prior to this, Liu Yafu was the deputy minister of the Wanghai City Committee Organization Department. Now in Wanghai, Liu Yafu was probably the most familiar with the city¡¯s officials at all levels. Moreover, after learning about the situationst night, Liu Yafu immediately called Nie Zhenbang to get a rough understanding of the situation. Now, he was well-prepared. He nodded and said, ¡°Secretary Li, Mayor Nie, and dear leaders, I only received the notice from the Organization Departmentst night. I immediately convened the responsible colleagues from the department and the department heads to discuss itst night itself. Due to the short time, there might be some inadequacies. Please correct us.¡± There¡¯s an old saying, ¡°excessive politeness is never offensive.¡± On this point, Liu Yafu still maintained a cautious attitude. After all, it¡¯s always good to be humble. Therefore, even if things were not done properly, he won¡¯t bear any responsibility. After all, this was a circumstance beyond his control. The process was rushed. Then, Liu Yafu said slowly in his calm voice, ¡°First of all, the Organization Department has shortlisted three candidates for the position of Secretary of Wangxia District. One is the current Deputy District Mayor of Wangxia, Comrade Ding Jianhui. Another is the District Mayor of Wanghu, Comrade Xie Guang. The third is the Director of the Education Bureau, Comrade Zhao Taishun. For the position of the secretary of the Xiangming District Committee, the department has mainly considered tworades, the current District Mayor of Xiangming, Comrade Huang Dahai, and the Deputy Secretary of the District Committee, Comrade Zou Hengtu. For public safety bureau director, we have rmended Comrade Xiao Shanming and for the executive deputy director, we have rmended Comrade Chen Lusheng.¡± Next, Liu Yafu meticulously analysed the strengths and weaknesses of these officials, and concluded, ¡°As mentioned above, that is the collective opinion from our Organization Department. Please make a decision, Municipal Committee.¡± ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rmendations, this personnel adjustment can be described as satisfactory to everyone, benefiting all. The key positions basically catered to the interests of all the Standing Committee members.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om For example, the Public Security Bureau was firmly held by Nie Zhenbang. In return, Gu Dongliang¡¯s former subordinates were given the position of Executive Deputy Director. Moreover, the secretary of the Wangxia District Party Committee was also a former subordinate of Qi Siyuan. Huang Dahai, the secretary of the Xiangming District Party Committee, is close to Secretary Li Taishi. The position of the Finance Bureau is also important. Liu Yafu made very clever arrangements for the position of the director. The Director of the Finance Bureau, Liu Sheng, is his own wife¡¯s cousin. The other deputy directors also got their fair share of benefits. As a result, the entire meeting went smoothly, and all the personnel adjustment ns were unanimously approved. Next, Li Taishi spoke, ¡°The personnel matters have been settled and this is worth celebrating. It is a good start.¡± Having said that, Li Taishi¡¯s tone changed and he said seriously, ¡°But having a good start isn¡¯t enough. Municipal officials must take concrete action, to be single-minded in their work, dedicated to the people, andmitted to public service. Four issues should not happen: not to take up a position without putting in work, not to shirk responsibilities, not to exaggerate results, and not to favor personal gains. We have discussed these issues at secretary¡¯s office meeting yesterday, and made a n. Now, let¡¯s talk about the n.¡± As Li Taishi finished speaking, Yi Chang, the secretary-general of the Municipal Party Committee, stood up next to him and distributed the documents to all members of the standingmittee. The scheme, named ¡°Wanghai City Official Normative Regtions,¡± includes the innovative ¡°first-question¡± system for public servants. This implies the system where any public servant or government employee who is first approached about any matter concerning the public must track that issue to its conclusion. This rule aims to prevent government officials from passing the buck to each other. In addition, within the entire city, it is necessary to carry out the study of the spirit of the ¡°Two Conferences,¡± to carry out ideological education, to ensure the purity and self-discipline of the cadres and change the current chaotic situation. Thirdly, rify the leadership responsibilities of officials. If any department has a problem, find the head of that department. Those with severe offenses should be demoted or punished! Various measures are to urge all city cadres to take their work seriously.
Lastly, increase the scrutiny of petition work, and address the situation of increased defamation. The public security bureau, procuratorate, and disciplinary inspection department should also increase their investigations. The benefit of the cadre should be guaranteed while maintaining the smoothmunication of petitions. For some ambiguous whistleblowing letters, turn a blind eye. Increase the investigation of anonymous reporting, and once a frame-up is discovered, if the whistleblower is caught, they should be held criminally responsible. These four points hang like four sharp swords in the air, leaving the room in a momentary silence. The severity of the regtion was the first feeling that all the members felt. The few leaders who attended the secretary¡¯s office meeting were fine, as they already knew and agreed upon such provisions. However, others in the standingmittee were left in contemtion. Nie Zhenbang quickly followed up with a remark, ¡°Currently, the situation in Wanghai is chaotic, and heavy regtions are needed in chaotic times. If not, the determination of the Municipal Communist Party Committee and Municipal Government to rehabilitate the entire organization would not be reflected. If not, it would be difficult for the city¡¯s officials to quicklypose themselves. I agree with this n. In addition, I propose that the Municipal Committee Political and Legal Committee and the public, prosecutors, courts, and department should immediately take action. Consider the stability and order of Wanghai City as the current priority. For each district in the city,prehensive public security management should be tightened. Violent fights, extortion, thefts, and bully markets should be severely cracked down. Strict punishments should be imposed to effectively protect the lives and property of the people.¡±
The sword was drawn. As Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, other standingmittee members also understood that the issue had probably been proposed and passed in the Secretary¡¯s Office. At this point, opposition would be futile. Subsequently, a show of hands confirmed that both resolutions were unanimously passed. Just after the vote, there was a knock on the door. Yi Chang, who was seated nearest to the door, promptly got up to answer it. PS: This is the third update. Currently, there are 781 monthly tickets in the book center. Brothers and sisters, please support if you have monthly votes avable. ( Chapter 561: 518: Unfinished Building (Additional 750 Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 561: Chapter 518: Unfinished Building (Additional 750 Monthly Tickets)_1 Just as Yi Chang left the room, he saw Xiao Shanming, the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau who was in charge of its full operation, standing at the door drenched in sweat. Upon seeing Yi Chang, Xiao Shanming started, ¡°Secretary-General Yi, I¡¯m really sorry to disturb you all under these circumstances.¡± Yi Chang paused for a moment, then replied with a smile, ¡°Director Xiao, congrattions. You¡¯re going to be promoted this time.¡± By now, the decisions had already been made by the Municipal Party Committee and it was not something to be kept secret. Moreover, there was no way to keep it a secret; Liu Yafu would represent the organization tomorrow and talk individually with these proposed appointees. Could that be counted as a secret? Additionally, doing this would also help him develop a good rtionship with the future head of the Public Security Bureau, which would be beneficial.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Xiao Shanming seemed surprised but immediately nodded and said, ¡°Secretary-General Yi, there¡¯s a big problem. Something big happened with the Yahai Building.¡± Upon hearing these words, Yi Chang tensed up. As an old resident of Wanghai City, he was aware of Yahai Building. It was arge project left behind by the Eastern Sea Group. If something major happened that would make Xiao Shanming say there was a problem, it must have something to do with the unfinished building. The Eastern Sea Group went bankrupt, the funds were interrupted, and all the money was handed over to the national treasury. Now, withck of funding, the construction of Yahai Building had been halted for some time. This issue involved the house buyers, which was a big, big problem. Yi Chang, without dy and with a serious countenance, nodded, ¡°Old Xiao, rush to the scene of Yahai Building immediately. You must stabilize the situation. These homebuyers are the victims, and their emotional outbursts are understandable. You need to reassure them and show plenty of patience.¡± Saying this, Yi Chang returned to the meeting room. At this point, Li Taishi asked with a smile, ¡°Secretary-General Yi, what¡¯s going on?¡± Without wasting any time, Yi Chang replied gravely, ¡°Secretary Li and other leaders, something went wrong at Yahai Building. All the buyers are gathered there now. Judging from the situation, if we don¡¯t intervene, they will approach the City Party Committee and City Government.¡± At this, Li Taishi¡¯s face darkened. He was aware of the issues with the Yahai Building, having paid particr attention to the Eastern Sea Group despite being new to Wanghai City.
The Yahai Building was a key project nned by the Eastern Sea Group. He remembered that when the Yahai Building wasying its foundation, the provincial Party Secretary Chen Renqing attended the foundation ceremony. After all, Yahai Building was touted to be the tallest building in the east, and such an iconic building was seen as a significant achievement for the Provincial Party Committee. However, Li Taishi was truly unaware that so many homebuyers were involved in this Eastern Sea Group project. Afterward, he asked, ¡°Secretary-General Yi, what exactly is going on with Yahai Building? How did homebuyers get involved? Isn¡¯t it a building established solely by Eastern Sea Group?¡± As the conversation concluded, the newly appointed member of the Municipal Standing Committee and Executive Deputy Mayor, Li Xiangtian, spoke up, ¡°Secretary Li, let me exin the situation.¡± Li Xiangtian appeared to be about forty-six years old. Apart from young officials like Nie Zhenbang and Li Taishi, he was younger than others such as Qi Siyuan and Gu Dongliang in the Municipal Standing Committee. However, with Wanghai City¡¯s current official structure trending towards younger members, Li Xiangtian was considered older. He was of average stature, well-proportioned, and didn¡¯t share the puffy face often seen among contemporary leaders. His words were concise and didn¡¯t beat around the bush, exhibiting a straightforward working style. This was why Nie Zhenbang had chosen Li Xiangtian to be the Executive Deputy Mayor. ¡°Secretary Li, the issue with the Yahai Building was something decided by Shi Yiwu before his death. At that time, he allocated sixty acres of low-costnd in Wangxia, the busiest district of Wanghai City, to the Eastern Sea Group to construct Yahai Building. The designed height of the building was sixty-eight floors, and along with the tower antenna, it was touted as the tallest building in the east. It was seen as a project of significant political achievement. After the initiation of the project, Eastern Sea Group positioned Yahai Building as aprehensive building integrating hotels, offices, and residences, which is why homebuyers are involved.¡± After listening to Li Xiangtian¡¯s exnation, Li Taishi looked grave and stood up, ¡°Given the situation, I believe we should go and address it as it involves the vital interests of over a hundred homebuyers. This is something we must solve. Additionally, the implosion of the Eastern Sea Group leaving the mess behind isn¡¯t limited to just the Yahai Building; there are simr problems in other ces. This will be an obstacle that we can¡¯t avoid and must face head-on.¡± Nie Zhenbang also stood up and nodded, ¡°Secretary Li, I think we, along with Mayor Li and Mayor Liu, should go.¡± There¡¯s no need for all the Standing Committee members to go, as this issue essentially needs to be handled by the government. This arrangement was deemed most appropriate. Nie Zhenbang was very clear about the nature of this problem. It could not be avoided. Given the current situation, the aftermath of the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s case must be dealt with. The issue of Yahai Building was merely the beginning. If Wanghai City wished to progress, then the mess left behind by the Eastern Sea Group needed to be properly managed by the City Party Committee and the City Government. ¡­ The distance from the Wanghai City Party Committee and the City Government to the construction site of Yahai Building was just three streets, and the convoy arrived at the entrance of Yahai Building quickly. This ce was also new to Nie Zhenbang. Before, when the Eastern Sea Group was still present, even though he knew of this ce, he wasn¡¯t on good terms with Lin Zhengxing and naturally wouldn¡¯t visit for an inspection. The expansive construction site was surrounded by walls that were painted white with various slogans like ¡°Responsibility outweighs Taishan, Centennial nning, Safety first. High-quality efficient construction of the East¡¯s top building,¡± and others stered on them. At the entrance, a que hung above, reading ¡°Eastern Sea Group, Eastern Sea Building Project Department.¡± After the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s incident and eventual shutdown, the gates were locked, but at this moment they seemed to have been smashed open. Inside the construction site, a crowd of several hundred people had gathered. Officers from the Wanghai City Public Security Bureau had temporarily blocked both ends of the street and had erected a barricade at the project¡¯s entrance, setting up a guard post. As soon as Li Taishi and Nie Zhenbang stepped out of the car, the already informed Xiao Shanming came to greet them. ¡°Secretary Li, Mayor, the mood of the crowd is already very agitated. I¡¯ve temporarily managed to calm them down, but I fear it won¡¯tst long. This matter involves 116 households. Some have invested millions, and others five to six hundred thousand. Now, all the money has evaporated. Several oldrades have already passed out on the spot.¡± At this moment, Li Taishi had a very serious look on his face. He nced at Nie Zhenbang next to him and said in a deep voice, ¡°Mayor Nie, we cannot dy. I believe it would be best if we resolved this matter as soon as possible. Let¡¯s go in together.¡± Under Xiao Shanming¡¯s lead, a group of people strode conspicuously into the Eastern Sea Building construction site, and could see theplete mess it was in. The tower crane that was originally set up had already been removed. The constructionpany acted decisively; when the Eastern Sea Group encountered troubles and funds were cut off, they promptly evacuated without hesitation. A project of this size halted construction for a day results in no small losses, and the people from the constructionpany naturally wouldn¡¯t wait around foolishly. All the construction materials on the site were already cleared, and a sea of construction waste was scattered around the immense construction site. The workers¡¯ barracks were also in a great state of disorder, with piles of garbage on the ground. Although it was still spring, a lingering stench could already be detected.
The whole building had only been constructed up to the seventeenth floor, but all steel frames had been dismantled. Stripped bare, the grey cement structure appeared extremely run-down. At that moment, hundreds of people gathered inside the ground floor of the construction site, with a fair amount of police forming a perimeter on the side. As soon as Nie Zhenbang and the others arrived, they heard someone in the crowd shouting, ¡°What, does the government also want to control us? All my life¡¯s hard-earned money was invested here, I have no way out. If I have to die, then so be it.¡± Grief could not surpass the heart, and at this moment, this was the mentality of these people. They had lost all of their life savings and had also lost faith.
Xiao Shanming, however, stepped forward and raised his voice, ¡°Everyone, please calm down, will the Party and the government act unreasonably? Comrades, Secretary Li, Mayor Nie, and several major leaders from the city have alreadye. They are here to solve this problem, let¡¯s all calm down, and let off your emotions. Thismotion cannot solve the problem.¡± Xiao Shanming¡¯s words calmed the initially agitated crowd. At this time, Nie Zhenbang also stepped forward and said with a smile, ¡± I understand everyone¡¯s feelings. Hard-earned money being squandered is indeed hard to ept. However, getting agitated is not a good solution.¡± ¡°Mayor? Is it really Mayor Nie?¡± ¡°Yes, it certainly is, I¡¯ve seen him on TV, it¡¯s Mayor Nie!¡± ¡°Mayor Nie is here, we are saved. I heard that the case of Fei Xing was personally handled by Mayor Nie.¡± Many people in the crowd started speaking. Those who could take out so much money at this time are all more or less wealthy. They have seen some things in the world. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang nodded and smiled, ¡°Yes, I am Nie Zhenbang, not only have Ie, our newly arrived Secretary of Wanghai City, Li Taishi, has alsoe, as well as Deputy Mayor Li and Deputy Mayor Liu. With our guarantees, you all should be reassured.¡± The statement sparkedughter amongst the crowd. A Secretary and a Mayor, along with two Deputy Mayors from the city government serving as guarantees, there could be nothing not to trust. Li Taishi¡¯s face also carried a slight smile. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s capability was witnessed firsthand this time. He was calm andposed, his speech clear and organized, his tone light and humorous. Truly showing signs of a good general. (To be Continued. If you like this work, wee you toe to and cast a rmendation and a monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation.) Chapter 562: 519 The Embarrassment of Wanghai City_1 Chapter 562: Chapter 519 The Embarrassment of Wanghai City_1 Thisment made the crowdugh uproariously. Bolder people in the crowd even loudly said, ¡°Mayor Nie, with your words, we trust you, we trust the government. In fact, our gathering here is just to discuss and go to the municipal partymittee and the government together, asking the government to make a decision for us. Now, we are reassured.¡± Nie Zhenbang smiled slightly, but said again, ¡°However, there is not yet a clear answer from the city regarding this matter. All I can say is that the attitude of the municipal partymittee and the government is to absolutely ensure that the rights and interests of themon people are not damaged in any way.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om As these words fell, the crowd burst into noise again, discussing among themselves. The purpose of this gathering was to hope for a satisfactory answer from the municipal partymittee and city government. Now, with Nie Zhenbang saying this, people were somewhat displeased. Seeing this, Nie Zhenbang remained unflustered. Such matters couldn¡¯t possibly have an immediate response; fooling the public, putting them off, those were things Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t and wouldn¡¯t do. Being practical and realistic was his consistent style. Then, raising his voice, he continued, ¡°Quiet, please, everyone. Just because there is no response yet doesn¡¯t mean there won¡¯t be one in the future. The municipal partymittee and government are not disregarding this. However, after the Eastern Sea Group was seized by the state, there were several unfinished construction sites besides the Yuhai Mansion. The city is currently busily discussing and researching. There are ns to form a property clearance group for Eastern Sea Group¡¯s mess, such as the Yahai Building, Tianquan Vi Phase II and III projects, Yuhai Global Financial Center. The government will soon announce on newspapers a specific office location, all of you, by then, can bring your detailed information and register. Please trust us. We will definitely handle this matter well and give everyone a satisfactory result.¡± As those words fell, the executive deputy mayor Li Xiangtian also spoke, ¡°Neighbors,rades, did you all understand the mayor¡¯s words? Put yourself in our shoes, think from our position. The mess left by the Eastern Sea Group is so huge, excluding what¡¯s here, there are three or four more property projects alone, not to mention thepanies and factories under the Eastern Sea Group. Unpaid wages, debts, etc. Those people are also victims. The municipal partymittee and government can¡¯t reply to each one individually, right? If that¡¯s the case, we wouldn¡¯t want to work anymore. We¡¯d spend all our time answering to you, when will that end? Tell me, isn¡¯t that the truth?¡± This way of working, with eachplementing the other, showed a great synergy and was very effective. At this moment, this atmosphere fully demonstrated the unity of thought and attitude of the current Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and the city government team. It was the most ideal state. The crowd gathered at the Eastern Sea Building site, under persuasion, gradually dispersed. At this moment, both Li Taishi and Nie Zhenbang sighed in relief. As long as people spoke reasonably, they didn¡¯t fear, what they dreaded were those who would defy reason. ¡°Mayor Nie, I think, the property clearance group for Eastern Sea Group should be implemented as soon as possible. As it stands, the situation at the Yuhai Mansion has already stirred. This trend, at other ces, I¡¯m afraid they can¡¯t sit still. If it causes trouble, Wanghai City would be pushed into the eye of the storm. The sooner, the better.¡± Li Taishi walked towards the exit of the construction site, and said to Nie Zhenbang who was beside him. Nie Zhenbang at the moment, deeply agreed. Before the Yuhai smuggling case, there were some concerns in the province, even at the central level. The main reason was that Wanghai City was built on Eastern Sea Group. The fact that a sub-provincial city was propped up by apany, a privately ownedpany at that, seemedughable to hear. Yet, in reality, Wanghai had a very weak industrial base, it was almost nonexistent. Commerce was developed, but this was built on the living standard of Wanghai¡¯s residents. The copse of Eastern Sea Group impacted at least tens of thousands of people. The secondary impact even affected up to hundreds of thousands of people. This was the reason why the central government was concerned. If it weren¡¯t for Lin Zhengxing¡¯s arrogance that had grown to the point of overriding the party and government organs, Lin Zhengxing who had ¡°kidnapped¡± so many people, would never die, these people were his amulet.
However, since the Eastern Sea Group has been addressed now, if some sensational incidents ur because of this, it will give some families with ulterior motives in Jingcheng an excuse to attack. By then, if these people target themselves, they might bear the responsibility. In politics, it¡¯s often the small details that gradually reveal one¡¯s vulnerabilities. Nie Zhenbang couldn¡¯t afford to be careless at all. After a moment of silence, he nodded in response, ¡°Secretary Li, your opinion is very insighful. My initial thought is to immediately enlist personnel from the finance, industry andmerce,nd and resources, construction, public security and other departments to form the Eastern Sea Group Property Clearance Group. And then, organize one or several specific auctions to auction off the seized items, such as cars, real estate, and other things. In addition, a national announcement for public bidding is to be released, auctioning off the ongoing projects of Eastern Sea Group. In this way, the impact from the bankruptcy of Eastern Sea Group can be mitigated.¡± ¡­ In the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang held a mayoral office meeting in the city government conference room. In Wanghai City, there are a total of seven mayors, including deputy mayors. Mayor Nie Zhenbang is in charge of the overall work of the city government, mainly focusing on economics and citywide development. Executive Deputy Mayor Li Xiangtian is responsible for supplementing the mayor in economics and coordinating the judiciary. He oversees thend and developmentmittee and other departments. Deputy Mayor Liu Gao Hua oversees industry andmerce, finance, local taxation, construction etc. Deputy Mayor Hu Jiawang oversees municipal, construction, urban management and other work. Deputy Mayor Deng Yihui, who was recently transferred in, does not yet have a specific oversight role. Fu Yingping is in charge of agricultural work. Wang Dongju, the only female mayor, is a member of the Democratic Factions, mainly in charge of science, education, culture, and health. Typically, female mayors belong to the Democratic Factions. Such scenario ismon in local governments nationwide. On one hand, ording to the Constitution, there¡¯s a rigid stiption in leadership requiring a certain proportion of female and Democratic Faction leaders. Thus, it¡¯s quitemon for a female leader to be a part of the Democratic Faction, solving two problems with one solution. This mayor¡¯s office meeting turned out to be the first Nie Zhenbang had genuinely attended since he came to Wanghai City. Looking around at everyone present, all the city government leadership were sitting upright. Beside them, Secretary of the City Government An Guoyu also sat at the end of the line-up. Nie Zhenbang then slowly began: ¡°I believe everyone already knows what happened today. The main purpose of calling this meeting is to discuss the follow-up work regarding the Eastern Sea Group.¡± ¡°By organizing all relevant departments to establish an Eastern Sea Group Asset Liquidation Team, we can auction sealed assets like houses, cars, and jewelry. Additionally, we need to ramp up investment efforts, ensuring that Wanghai City¡¯s economic order returns to normal as soon as possible.¡± Under these circumstances, Nie Zhenbang was too weary to hold any pretenses. He cut straight to the chase. This matter wasn¡¯t the division of leadership or some important event requiring careful consideration. For an issue as simple as post-processing for the Eastern Sea Group, had he needed to hedge his words, he would have felt self-conscious as mayor. As his words fell, Li Xiangtian was the first to voice agreement, saying: ¡°I agree with the mayor¡¯s view. The Eastern Sea Group¡¯s bankruptcy has left a huge mess. Wanghai City will have to face this challenge head-on in order to revitalize the economy. I say we immediately start assembling a liquidation team to enter all Eastern Sea Group enterprises and industries in the city.¡± Next, Liu Gaohua also voiced his support. The deputy mayors, naturally, had no objections. In this situation, disagreeing with Nie Zhenbang would be foolish. Shortly after, the Wanghai City Government¡¯s Eastern Sea Group Asset Liquidation Team was established. Wanghai Daily and Seaview City TV Station both published announcements stating that any individuals or organizations economically tied to Eastern Sea Group could register with Sea-view City Finance Bureau within a month of the announcement publication, provided they brought appropriate documentation. Meanwhile, undermission from Wanghai City Government, Dingsheng Auction House organized several specialized auctions. Numerous luxury cars and mansions left by the Eastern Sea Group were auctioned publicly, with all proceeds used for post-processing of the Eastern Sea Group. Following these arrangements, Wanghai City¡¯s executives also managed their roles more effectively. At the end of April, an investment seminar was held at Wanghai Hotel. When Nie Zhenbang arrived and walked through the door, his face immediately turned cold. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang felt only embarrassment. Despite almost twenty days of preparation for the seminar, the massive venue was nearly empty. Was this supposed to be an investment conference held by a sub-provincial city? Perhaps sensitively picking up on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mood, the head of the Investment Promotion Bureau, Liu Mingyu, approached him. Despite the warming weather allowing for lighter clothing, Liu Mingyu was sweating profusely. Appearing extremely cautious, he whispered: ¡°May¡­ Mayor, our Investment Promotion Bureau has sent sincere invitations to numerouspanies and enterprises across the country. As you can see¡­¡± This statement only provoked Nie Zhenbang¡¯s anger. Liu Mingyu¡¯s words clearly intended to shirk his responsibilities. If Liu Mingyu had honestly admitted his shorings, perhaps Nie Zhenbang wouldn¡¯t have reacted as he did. But, with Liu Mingyu¡¯s attitude alone, Nie Zhenbang had already made up his mind. (
Chapter 563: 520: Supporting Third Brother_1 Chapter 563: Chapter 520: Supporting Third Brother_1 ¡°Comrade Liu Mingyu, ording to your view, the responsibility lies with these enterprises andpanies. Is it because they refuse to recognize their duties, aren¡¯t willing toe to WangHai?¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s tone was very casual, however, the meaning conveyed in his words was far from polite. At this moment, Liu Mingyu felt like he had fallen into a frigid ice cave, or plunged into a furnace. In officialdom, titles and forms of address carry significant weight. Close, trusted subordinates, or higher-ranking leaders, would affectionately call by their names, such as Mingyu, Comrade Mingyu, or Director Mingyu. However, at this moment, Mayor Nie directly addressed him by his full name. This was Mayor Nie¡¯s way of expressing his discontent. Nie Zhenbang paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°Comrade Liu Mingyu, attracting investment is of utmost importance. But, what am I seeing here? After more than twenty days of preparation for the investment conference, there are so few participants. What does this signify? This is negligence on your part, Liu Mingyu. Ultimately, it alles down to the bureaucratic mindset deep in your heart. You have not changed your thinking. If you want to open up the investmentndscape while still clinging to your sense of official authority, viewing yourself as superior to others, and demonstrating an arrogant attitude as if they are begging us, how can you seed?¡± Nie Zhenbang was somewhat annoyed at this moment. There were still quite a few instances of such attitudes in this era. Many leaders of local governments nationwide held a simr view: businessmen are out to make profits, so they should be the ones appealing to us. ¡°Comrade Liu Mingyu, your mindset is risky. I suggest that you reflect thoroughly on your attitude. Sincerity is the bare minimum requirement. You sit high above, your invitation letter is arrogant in both its phrasing and spirit. Can this gain the approval and support of the nationwide businessmunity? Reflect carefully; your understanding has to be profound. If you can¡¯t do a good job, then please step down from your post as the Investment Bureau Chief.¡± After saying this, Nie Zhenbang walked out. ¡­ ¡°Mayor, Mayor Li is here.¡± Li Jupeng had just walked in from the outside and reported softly. After returning from the investment conference, Nie Zhenbang had been in his office pondering over the issues facing WangHai. Upon hearing that Li Xiangtian had arrived, he immediately nodded and said, ¡°Please let Mayor Li in.¡± Li Xiangtian was undoubtedlypetent; however, letting Li Xiangtian take over as executive deputy mayor didn¡¯t imply that Li Xiangtian and he had an extraordinarily close rtionship. In fact, Li Xiangtian was not strictly his ally.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Everypetent individual has his own thoughts, and Li Xiangtian had an independent personality within the Municipal Government team ¨C the unobtrusive yet resilient type.
This time, he strongly rmended Li Xiangtian for the position of executive deputy mayor because of Li Xiangtian¡¯s capabilities. However, apart from him and Li Xiangtian, not even Li Taishi would believe this. Li Xiangtian entered and sat down on the chair in front of Nie Zhenbang. Nearby, Li Jupeng set a cup of tea on the table and left, closing the door behind him. Only then did Li Xiangtian start: ¡°Mayor, I just came from the Investment Conference. This time, the situation appears unfavorable. These messes from The Eastern Sea Group aren¡¯t going down well with the businessmen attending the conference. They showed little interest. Even the ones that did appear interested put forth stringent conditions. Such as demanding the city government assist with loan coordination, or that the city government is responsible for all of the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s debts, etc. In short, they are using our current predicament as leverage and are shamelessly demanding a lot.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression darkened and he eximed bitterly, ¡°It seems that all sorts of birds flock to a vast forest. Mayor Xiangtian, please take note of thesepanies and cklist them. Any future investment from thesepanies should be strictly scrutinized.¡± Li Xiangtian nodded in agreement. It was no surprise that Mayor Nie got angry. He had the same reaction when he first heard about it. They were obviously trying to take advantage of the situation. Coordinating loans would equate to them siphoning off wealth while contributing nothing. If the city government was to assume all of The Eastern Sea Group¡¯s debts, it would be tantamount to giving away all the development projects The Eastern Sea Group had already started. How could there be such a good thing? If the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government could agree to such conditions, then they must be insane. Even if they couldply with such terms, it would be better for Wanghai City to develop these projects on its own. There would be no need for investment. After a moment of consideration, Li Xiangtian nodded and said, ¡°Mayor, I have instructed that thesepanies be put on the investment cklist. Also, I conducted investigations on thesepanies. None of them arerge enterprises, judging from their appearance, they are simply out to make a profit from others¡¯ work.¡± Li Xiangtian paused before continuing, ¡°Mayor, from what it looks like, the situation in Wanghai City is not promising.¡± Nie Zhenbang deeply agreed with Li Xiangtian¡¯s words. Eastern Sea Group¡¯s influence on Wanghai City was not just an economic mess, but more importantly, it was the hesitation and worry generated in external investors towards Wanghai. This was the most critical issue hindering the overall economic development of Wanghai City. The key was how to reverse this unfavorable situation, rebuild Wanghai¡¯s image and boost external confidence in Wanghai. Currently, among the businessmen investing in Wanghai City, Jiasheng Real Estate was the biggest investment project. However, it could not restore the investment image of Wanghai City. At this point, it seemed like he could only take matters into his own hands. There was no doubt that he could invest in Wanghai with his own financial resources. However, although Tenglong Group¡¯s investments were confidential, Nie Zhenbang believed that there were no walls without chinks in the world. Once the state found out, he would inevitably face some criticism. Among other things, it was certain he would be used of using money to buy political achievements. This was why Nie Zhenbang¡¯s grouppanies, whether in Xinli City or Liangxi City, never participated in any economic construction and investments. Tenglong Group¡¯s investments were mainly overseas. However, given the current circumstances in Wanghai City, Nie Zhenbang was considering this option for the first time. After thoughtful consideration, Nie Zhenbang said, ¡°Mayor Xiangtian, let¡¯s proceed this way; intensify the efforts of the property liquidation team in sorting out Eastern Sea¡¯s problems, strive toplete the liquidation within two months. As for taking over, let me find someone to figure out a solution. I believe, as long as the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government are sincere, there will be no issue with the economic development of Wanghai City.¡± After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang picked up his phone and dialed a number. As soon as the call connected, Zhao Xing Long¡¯s voice came through, ¡°Third brother, why did you think to call me?¡± Nie Zhenbang startedughing and then said, ¡°Xing Long, your third brother has run into a difficulty now. You must be aware of the situation in Wanghai City. Its economy has taken a hit, and the people have lost confidence in it. Now we need you guys toe over and support it.¡± In the circle of Jingcheng, he, Jiamin, Li Hua, Zhao Xing Long and others were all in the same circle with more than a decade of friendship and there was no need to hide anything. He was upfront about his purpose. From the other side, Zhao Xing Long agreed without any hesitation, ¡°Third Brother, don¡¯t speak like that. Set the task and we will be there, no questions asked. You wait for a few days, I, Liu Kun, and Li Hua will pay you a visit with your uncle Jiapeng. What¡¯s there to worry about in economic matters? This time, we will give you an achievement.¡± Hearing Zhao Xinglong¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang jokingly scolded, ¡°You are bing more and more eloquent. Is your third brother this kind of man? If I want to pile up achievements, shouldn¡¯t I be able to do it by myself? This time, the economy of Wanghai City has regressed due to the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s impact. But, the projects here are all good. If no one is currently willing to take them over, it is a matter of confidence. I promise that you won¡¯t be treated poorly if youe over.¡± After discussing some specific details with Zhao Xinglong, Nie Zhenbang hung up the phone.
¡­ After hanging up the phone, Zhao Xinglong immediately went into action, dialing a number and mentioning the Dynasty Club meeting before hanging up. ¡°Zhao Xinglong, what are you ying at? You didn¡¯t mention anything, just a word about the Dynasty Club meeting. Are you bored?¡± Liu Kun¡¯s voice echoed in the room on the fifth floor of the Dynasty Club before he even entered. Nowadays, Liu Kun was undeniably a magnate in the agriculture and animal husbandry industry. His Farmer Welfare Company, now referred to as the Minnong Group, upied arge number of ranches in the Xibei Autonomous Region and Caoyuan Province. The livestock count alone reached tens of millions. He was a world-renowned tycoon in the livestock industry. All this wasrgely due to the sustainable development strategy personally designed for him by Nie Zhenbang.
¡°Kun, it seems you¡¯ve be more impressive. Married men are different, even the way they talk is so calm. Wait for a moment and we¡¯ll discuss when everyone arrives.¡± Zhao Xinglong said with a smile. Soon after, Li Hua and Li Wen Ge also arrived. Seeing everyone gathered, Zhao Xinglong didn¡¯t hesitate and said, ¡°Brothers, I just received a call from our third brother. We have to go to Wanghai City to support him.¡± PS: I went out during the day and took my daughter to the amusement park. I didn¡¯t take her there on Children¡¯s Day, so I took her today. Here¡¯s an update for now. The next update will be around 11 pm. Today¡¯s monthly votes are very low, almost the end of the day and only five votes. Brothers and sisters, are there no more monthly votes? ( Chapter 564: 521: Investment Soft Environment in Siping District_1 Chapter 564: Chapter 521: Investment Soft Environment in Siping District_1 He had made the call, and now Nie Zhenbang was at peace, knowing the camaraderie he shared with these guys. Undoubtedly, their arrival was just a matter of time, as solving the situation in Wanghai City couldn¡¯t happen overnight. Additionally, even if Zhao Xinglong and Liu Kun came by immediately, they could hardly start throwing around RMB. There would still need to be an asset appraisal discount, as well as a detailed negotiation process. Surely, they were willing to help, but he would never let his brothers bear all the costs and consequences to buy him his political achievements. In these times, the hardest thing to repay was a favor. Ideal was a situation where while gaining political achievements, there could simultaneously be profits for his brothers, evenrge profits. This would truly be a win-win situation. ¡°Ju Peng,e in. Bring me the economic reports from all city districts for this year,¡± Nie Zhenbang ordered Li Jupeng via an interoffice direct line. About five minutester, there were a couple of knocks on the door. Li Jupeng came in carrying a hefty stack of paperwork and ced it on the table, reporting, ¡°Mayor, the report from Wangxia District isn¡¯tpiled yet. Also, the data from the high-tech zone is somewhat iplete. All the rest are sorted as you asked.¡± Nie Zhenbang nodded satisfactorily. Choosing Li Jupeng as his secretary had proved to be a good decision. Now, the more he put him to use, the more satisfied he felt. However, after sifting through these documents, Nie Zhenbang found his brow unknowingly furrowed. While he had anticipated this situation, seeing the report submitted by each district involuntarily caused his brow to crease. The impact of the Eastern Sea Group smuggling case had far surpassed Nie Zhenbang¡¯s estimation. Next, however, a set of data brightened his view. The whole city had six districts. Excluding Wangxia District, where the municipal government and partymittee resided and whose data was still beingpiled, the investment activities in all other districts, including the high-tech zone, had virtuallye to a halt in the past month. Only the report from Siping District stood out.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Our district, in April of this year, following the copse of Eastern Sea Group, bravely confronted challenges. New ideas and ways were pursued. We improved our investment environment and devoted all our efforts to provide for investors. In April of this year, contractual investment surpassed 60 million yuan. The actual used investment exceeded 38 million yuan.¡± This report was like an oasis in the desert, a spring in the wilderness, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. While investment had been declining in other areas in April, Siping district had made steady progress, although rtively slower than prior to the Eastern Sea Group smuggling scandal. Yet, in the current situation, it was quite remarkable.
Nie Zhenbang usually disregarded the rhetoric in such reports. The municipal system was known for, and liked using, official jargon and clich¨¦s, most of which were hollow and pompous words. Thus, when examining these reports, Nie Zhenbang only considered the numbers. Regardless of how grandly the words were presented, lying about data was consequential, so nobody dared falsify it. With this thought, Nie Zhenbang became interested. He really wanted to personally visit Siping District to understand exactly how they had improved their investment environment. Almost immediately, Nie Zhenbang checked his watch. It was already past eleven in the morning. It was toote to visit now. He wasn¡¯t the kind of harsh leader who would carry out a surprise check at these hours. But in the afternoon, he stood up, left the office, and instructed Li Jupeng, ¡°Ju Peng, phone Chief Secretary An and notify therades in Siping District. We¡¯ll have a look this afternoon.¡± Siping District Government Compound At this moment, it was already half-past twelve. Normally, the siren for break time would have already sounded here. However, the meeting room in the districtmittee building was filled with swirling smoke and buzzing with activity. All members of the Siping Districtmittee were present. In the center, a middle-aged man around fifty with thinning hair sat in the main seat. Wearing reading sses, he ordered in a low voice, ¡°Comrades, Chief Secretary An just called saying that Mayor Nie will be inspecting our district this afternoon. I have gathered you here during your lunch break. We won¡¯t beat around the bush, there¡¯s no time for any debate. I¡¯ll just assign the tasks directly.¡± After pausing, the man continued, ¡°All the leaders in charge, everyone should take real action. Each leader is responsible for a certain area and must make proper arrangements for the local harmonious people. All streets and neighborhoods,mittee members should also cancel their rest schedule. All the schools in the entire area should cancel their nap time for an urgent clean-up of the entire area. Furthermore, make contact with the city sanitation department to bring their watering trucks here and sweep all the streets in the area. We must greet inspection of the citymittee leadership with the finest spirit.¡± The respect Mayor Niemands among the district officials is no joke. Even prominent figures like Shi Yiwu were ultimately outshone by him, weren¡¯t they? Mayor Wang Yaguang might have left, but Nie has be the biggest victor in Wanghai City. It¡¯s assessable to the clear-eyed, going against Mayor Nie is akin to seeking self-destruction. At two in the afternoon, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t even enter the citymittee and municipal government office building, but instead, gathered directly at the bottom of the office building with Liu Gaohua, the standing deputy mayor who had been waiting there, Hu Jiawang, the deputy mayor, and An Guoyu, the secretary-general of the municipal government. The group of four, apanied by the secretaries, set off towards Siping District in three cars. As the secretary-general of the municipal government, An Guoyu naturally shared a car with Nie Zhenbang. As soon as they got on the car, Nie Zhenbang spoke up: ¡°Secretary-General Guoyu, are you aware of the situation in Siping District? It¡¯s quite remarkable. Despite the impact from the Eastern Sea Group, they managed to go against the tide andplete an additional investment of eighty million yuan. This kind of ability, I believe, is worth learning from for all city officials. As Party members and officials, we should have this kind of mindset and drive. We should dare to be innovative.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words made An Guoyu look somewhat awkward. After a moment of silence, An Guoyu finally made a decision, lowered his voice, and said, ¡°Mayor, are you really not aware of what¡¯s happening in Siping District?¡± This question made Nie Zhenbang pause. Nie Zhenbang is not a fool. On the contrary, he is quite sharp. As soon as An Guoyu said this, Nie Zhenbang immediately noted the unusual undertones in his words. Frowning, he said in a deep voice, ¡°Comrade Guoyu, if you have something to say, just say it. Since when have you be so indirect? My character, I believe, is something you understand well. Just speak directly, what¡¯s going on?¡± At this moment, An Guoyu also nodded and replied, ¡°Mayor, I haven¡¯t conducted a detailed investigation of this matter. However, because my wife works in Siping District, I do understand some of the situation. The situation in Siping District is, in fact, not much different than the other districts in the city. However, starting fromst year, Siping District has focused on developing industries such as hotels, entertainment venues, and so forth. This trend has be even more obvious this year. The people in the city have given Siping District a nickname: the Red-Light District.¡± Red-Light District? Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang frowned. The investment environment in Siping District was indeed quite notable. He thought to himself, the Siping District government really does like to pat itself on the back. Indeed, this kind of thing has urred in many ces across the country. Especially in the central ind provinces, some remote and impoverished cities and regionscking transportation advantages, characteristic resources, and economic advantages, have all taken a rxed attitude towards attracting investment. To a great extent, these behaviors are even covertly advocated and supported by the government. This kind of ax policy environment has been given a name in many ces: the soft environment for investment. Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang scoffed and said in a deep voice, ¡°If the so-called ¡®soft environment for investment¡¯ is like this, I would rather not have it.¡± The car slowed down and turned into the yard of the Siping District government office building. At this moment, all the leaders of the four major teams in Siping District were lined up outside the office building. As soon as the car stopped, the middle-aged man at the front quickly approached, opened the car door before Li Jupeng could react, looked at Nie Zhenbang who was getting out of the car and said cheerfully, ¡°Mayor Nie, wee to our district for inspection and guidance.¡±
At this moment, An Guoyu also came over and introduced them to Nie Zhenbang with a smile, ¡°Mayor, this is Comrade Huang Shaobo, secretary of the Siping District Committee, on the left is Yang Siqing, deputy secretary of the District Committee and District Mayor. On the right is Deputy Secretary of the District Committee, Liang He Ping.¡± Although Nie Zhenbang had some misgivings about the so-called ¡®soft environment for investment¡¯ in Siping District after hearing An Guoyu¡¯s report, he still maintained a cordial smile at this moment, nodded in acknowledgment, shook hands with the three of them one after the other before saying, ¡°Secretary Huang, Siping District is indeed a standout. This fully demonstrates the capability of the District Committee team deservesmendation. Let¡¯s not stand here anymore, it¡¯s inconvenient. First, let¡¯s go to the office. I¡¯m very interested in the work in Siping District.¡±( Chapter 565: 522: Be Down-to-Earth_1 Chapter 565: Chapter 522: Be Down-to-Earth_1 In the meeting room at the top floor of the Party and Government Office Buildings of Siping District. Although it¡¯s a warm and flower-filled March, the meeting room is kept cool with air conditioning. For the government officials, it¡¯s quite suitable. Officials within the system have to pay attention to their own image and quality. Regardless of whether it¡¯s March or the hot summer, you can always see them wearing jackets or suits. Naturally, air conditioning is indispensable in this case. Otherwise, wearing a suit in the hot summer and not being heat-stroked would be a wonder. A group of people entered the meeting room, Nie Zhenbang naturally seated himself in the middle. The oval conference table was arranged in the order as it should be, after the city¡¯s leadership upied the front half of the positions, the officials of Siping District could only sit at the end of the table. Even officers who ranked lower in the standingmittees had to bring their own stools to attend the meeting. Nie Zhenbang scanned the crowd without showing any emotion, and calmly stated: ¡°Secretary Huang, I came here to listen and observe. The main actors here are your districtmittee. The economic work of Siping District has achieved remarkable results. After the Eastern Sea Group incident, you were able to withstand pressure and meet it head on. The working attitude and achievements aremendable. Now, I think you can start reporting.¡± Nie¡¯s straightforward approach has now be famous in Wanghai City. Huang Shaobo nodded his head, then opened his notebook on the desk and began: ¡°Respected Mayor Nie, leaders. Our Siping District experienced a significant impact after the smuggling case of Eastern Sea Group, the economy of the district also stalled for a while. During this process, our districtmittee and district government attached great importance. We analyzed seriously, and increased the rectification of the investment environment in our district. In terms of development directions, Siping District has targeted the tourism industry of Wanghai City, vigorously promoting the development of our district¡¯s hotel and entertainment industries¡­ We have introduced two four-star hotels and five three-star hotels¡­¡± If Nie Zhenbang had not received some news from An Guoyu, he might very well have been fooled by these people from Siping District at this report. Targeting tourism projects, introducing the hotel and entertainment industries and making Siping District into Wanghai City¡¯s entertainment district. Making every tourist in Wanghai think of Siping District¡¯s entertainment and services along with the famous tourist destinations, the idea is surprisingly consistent with Nie¡¯s own vision for developing the tourism industry in Wanghai. At this moment, Huang Shaobo was also a bit nervous. He¡¯s not a young official. With years of experience, climbing to his current position at nearly fifty years old, Huang is part of the elite. A deputy department level official is rare amongst the vast poption. Despite this, Mayor Nie¡¯s expression has made Huang somewhat nervous. It¡¯s hard to guess his intentions with a non-emotional and non-celebrating look. ¡°Mayor Nie, is indeed not to be underestimated. He¡¯s not old, but this kind of mentality, this kind of self-cultivation has even the likes of an old, greasy bureaucrat like me somewhat shocked.¡± Huang Shaobo thought to himself. Nie Zhenbang suddenly said: ¡°As the proverb says, one has to see to believe. I think, we should conduct a site investigation. The direction of the economic development of Siping District and the nning of the municipal partymittee and government coincide. What do you think, Secretary Shaobo?¡±
Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, although appeared to be asking for advice, all those present knew that they implied an attitude that refused to be rebuffed. However, Huang Shaobo was straightforward and immediately nodded: ¡°Of course, having the mayor guide us is reflective of the importance attached to Siping District, and it¡¯s also a push. It will also bring us closer to the development direction of the city partymittee and government.¡± The motorcade drove out of the Party and Government Office Buildings of Siping District. At this moment, a few more cars had been added, and there was also a lead car from the Siping District Public Security Bureau in front. As for these, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t pay much heed for now. At present, the focus is still on the Siping District government, and the rest can be dealt withter. At the present, the Secretary of Siping District, Huang Shaobo, was in the car with the District Mayor, Yang Siqing. Seeing Nie Zhenbang, Yang Siqing, frowned and whispered: ¡°Old Huang, from the looks of it, Mayor Nie is not here for good reasons. Our district matters, we are clearly aware, speaking about the investment of tens of millions, but in fact, it¡¯s just about adding a few entertainment venues. This inspection¡­¡± Before the Eastern Sea Group smuggling case broke out, the position of Siping District seemed very awkward. Because Siping District is the only district in Wanghai City that is not coastal. Located in Wanghai¡¯s ind area, during the development process, Siping District had the least investment from the Eastern Sea Group. Starting fromst year, Siping District began to expand their horizons. After extensive research and consideration, Siping District positioned itself as the red-light district of Wanghai City. The district is filled with many salons and guest houses, high-end nightclubs, and bath centers are everywhere too. Here, more than 80% of the special service industry in Wanghai concentrates. As for these industries, the approach in Siping District wasissez-faire. Under the guidance of the Siping District Committee and the District Government, the public security departments also adopted lenient policies towards them. The copse of the Eastern Sea Group affected other districts significantly, but at that moment, Siping District was thriving independently. This caught Nie Zhenbang¡¯s attention. Huang Shaobo was also somewhat nervous at this moment. Siping District appeared brilliant on the surface, with abundant investments and substantial tax revenue. It was like a ring light bulb in Wanghai City, shining brightly and inevitably attracting attention. However, at this moment, Huang Shaobo understood something. He sighed after a moment of pondering, ¡°The nail that stands up is hammered down. The taller the tree, the easier it is to be destroyed by wind. We should have prepared when we were asked to report the economic data for the first quarter and April at the city level. We initially thought our achievements were rank low in the city, but now, we put ourselves in an awkward position.¡± We are well aware of our situation. Mayor Nie wants to see our achievements, but Siping District indeed doesn¡¯t have any remarkable aplishments to showcase. Talk about four-star hotels, all of those are merely pretentious, nothing more than facades. Who would be willing to invest in Siping District? At present, other districts of the city have more advantages than Siping District. Should I lead Mayor Nie in an inspection of nightclubs, bars, KTVs, bathhouses? If that happened, my days as District Committee Secretary would likely be numbered. ¡°Old Yang, this time, if things go wrong, both of us might face disciplinary actions.¡± Huang Shaobo spoke slowly. Huang Shaobo¡¯s words caused Yang Siqing¡¯s face to turn pale. He understood what Huang Shaobo meant. The operations in Siping District were not eptable and even explicitly prohibited by the government. The support for such industries by the Party Committee and the Government could potentially tarnish the reputation of the Party and the Government. The best-case scenario was that it would be deemed severe misconduct, which could result in disciplinary action. Regardless of whether it¡¯s a reprimand or a serious demerit, these disciplinary actions will be recorded and stain one¡¯s career. In the worst case, this stain could end any political aspirationspletely. As the District Chief, he was responsible for all these operations. The responsibility he had to bear would certainly be greater; he might even face demotion. At the thought of this, Yang Siqing whispered, ¡°Secretary, what should we do about this¡­?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go for a tour first. Then head over to the construction site at Huijiang Hotel.¡± Huang Shaobo concluded his decision after a moment of thought. At this moment, on Nie Zhenbang¡¯s private vehicle, the Secretary General of the Municipal Government, An Guoyu, sat beside him. The atmosphere in the vehicle became somewhat heavy as Nie Zhenbang remained silent. Even though the air conditioner was on, it still felt stifling. After a while, An Guoyu spoke in a low voice, ¡°Mayor, what do you think?¡±
An Guoyu didn¡¯tplete his statement when Nie Zhenbang waved his hand to cut him off, saying, ¡°Old An, I understand what you mean. Siping District probably won¡¯t have anymendable achievements. The inspection this time will only put Siping District in a bad spot.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om An Guoyu nodded. It¡¯s a generally epted sarcasm in the officialdom that higher-ups pressurize the lower ranks until they finally seed; the lower ranks deceive the higher ups until their lies be the truth. The couplet is undoubtedly satirical but it¡¯s undeniable that such form-over-substance behavior, regardless of the dynasty, is quitemon. Siping District wouldn¡¯t be able to present anything worth seeing this time. Mayor Nie is keenly interested to inspect, but there would be nothing to be seen, which implies the consequences. ¡°Mayor, what is your intention towards Siping District¡¯s team? Mayor, my suggestion is, we should refrain from making rash decisions.¡± An Guoyu added. In response to An Guoyu¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang smiled, appreciating his loyalty and consideration. After the Eastern Sea smuggling case, his public image was set. If he now decided to overhaul Siping District, he would likely not get approval from the provincialmittee. This was a fact, and An Guoyu suggested this while considering his best interests.
Subsequently, Nie Zhenbang also responded with a smile, ¡°I won¡¯t be making any recements for now. Although the Siping District¡¯s team is somewhat off track, their thought process is still workable. This time, it¡¯s more of a warning that they need to keep their feet on the ground. I believe that after this incident, Huang Shaobo and Yang Siqing would neither dare nor be able to y any underhand tricks.¡±( Chapter 566: 523: 30 Billion Investment _1 Chapter 566: Chapter 523: 30 Billion Investment _1 On the heels of this, during the moment when the leadership of the Siping District Committee was somewhat nervous, suddenly, in front of the motorcade, Mayor Nie¡¯s official car slowly pulled over to the side of the road. The left-side door opened, and An Guoyu, the Secretary-General of the municipal government, stepped down. Huang Shaobo and Yang Siqing were both somewhat uneasy, rushing over. At this moment, sweat began to appear on Huang Shaobo¡¯s face.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om An Guoyu then said, ¡°Comrade Shaobo, Mayor Nie just received some urgent news, there are some matters in the city that need to be dealt with. We will temporarily skip the inspection of these areas.¡± Hearing these words, Yang Siqing couldn¡¯t help but reveal a slight smile on his face. To Yang Siqing, this was like smoke rising from an ancestral tomb, he had unimaginable good luck. Otherwise, how could he have inexplicably escaped a cmity? An Guoyu then continued, ¡°Comrade Shaobo, the mayor has asked me to ry a message to you: in life, one should always remain down-to-earth.¡± Having said that, An Guoyu returned to his car. The three cars of the municipal government orderly departed. Yang Siqing walked over from the side of the road and whispered, ¡°Secretary, what is Mayor Nie up to?¡± At this moment, Huang Shaobo¡¯s face was extremely solemn, watching the departing convoy. After a long silence, he quietly said, ¡°Old Yang, the mayor is giving us face.¡± Seeing Yang Siqing¡¯s stunned expression, Huang Shaobo¡¯s heart was filled with contempt. He thought that this was all that Yang Siqing was capable of. He then casually said, ¡°Old Yang, you think the mayor wouldn¡¯t know about these trivial matters of ours? Do you really believe there¡¯s an emergency in the city? If there was, why haven¡¯t you received any news? Moreover, didn¡¯t you understand the secretary-general¡¯s words just now?¡± Once Huang Shaobo put it this way, Yang Siqing also started to deliberate. Soon, with a shocked expression, he somewhat suspiciously said, ¡°Secretary Huang, are you suggesting that¡­¡± ¡°Exactly, Old Yang, it seems we have underestimated Mayor Nie. Our actions, it appears, Mayor Nie knew all along. The reason he used an excuse to cancel the inspection is likely to save us face, to leave us an exit. ¡± Huang Shaobo also felt deeply moved. If this matter were toe to light, it would not bode well for the Siping District and for himself. Now, that Nie Zhenbang is essentially looking the other way. However, Huang Shaobo knew very well that what happened next would depend on his actions.
Immediately, Huang Shaobo nodded, ¡°Old Yang, I believe we need to carry out an anti-pornography and anti-illegal activities campaign across the entire district, strictly curbing prostitution.¡± This deration startled Yang Siqing. The red-light districts in Siping District were all brought in by the District Committee and District Government. The policy is rtively tilted. Aside from the high taxes and management fees collected, other aspects such as public security, fire protection, and various other facilities were all fully facilitated. This was fundamental to the Siping District. Now, Huang Shaobo intending to take action against these ces was essentially tantamount to tearing up the agreement, how could Yang Siqing remain calm. After contemting for a while, Yang Siqing tried to dissuade, ¡°Secretary, think thrice about this. If we go ahead with this, all our previous efforts would have been in vain.¡± However, Huang Shaobo was unshakeable at this moment, he firmly said, ¡°Old Yang, can¡¯t you see clearly yet? Mayor Nie knows everything, he is just giving us another chance. If we stay indifferent, I¡¯m afraid, by then, it would be Mayor Nie himself issuing orders to Xiao Shanming. When the city bureau takes action, those so-called efforts will also be wasted, what¡¯s more, you and I will have to bear the corresponding leadership responsibilities. Enough said, it¡¯s time to take action. Three days, I want you topletely clean up the entertainment venues in the Siping district within three days.¡± ¡­ The three days passed quickly, the matters in the Siping district were temporarily put aside by Nie Zhenbang. He had given them a chance, if Huang Shaobo knew what¡¯s good for him, naturally he would know what to do. If he was so foolish as to dig his own grave, then he wouldn¡¯t mind at all. Now, Nie Zhenbang had shifted his main focus to the Eastern Sea Group. He had made his call, but how much aid they could provide, including from his second brother, was still uncertain. He marked a few key projects that were waiting for Zhao Xinglong and his team to discuss in detail after their arrival: what projects to select, which industry to invest in, all these would be discussedter. A knock came from the outside, Li Jupeng leaned half his body in and said quietly, ¡°Mayor, the Secretary of the Siping District Committee, Huang Shaobo, and District Chief Yang Siqing are here. They said they want to report on their work.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang showed no surprise. This was precisely what he had expected. Ever since he found out the true situation of the Siping district, he had made his decision. If he were to reprimand Huang Shaobo and Yang Siqing over this, it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Their direction was correct, developing the entertainment industry, improving the investment environment, targeting Wanghai City¡¯s tourism industry, all these measures were very good. It was just that the specific work they did couldn¡¯t be put on the table. If things were toe to light, both of them couldpletely exonerate themselves. And he would end up losing two subordinates. Afterward, the two would certainly harbor resentment, even enmity towards him. Although he didn¡¯t fear that, it was clearly not the best solution. Now, a discreet hint allows them to solve it by themselves. On the one hand, this avoids any awkwardness in case the issue is exposed, and on the other hand, it wins them over with gratitude. Today, Huang Shaobo and Yang Siqing have arrived together, providing clear evidence that they¡¯ve made up their minds. Then, Nie Zhenbang nods and says, ¡°Let them in.¡± Under the guidance of Li Jupeng, Huang Shaobo and Yang Siqing enter the office one after the other, and respectfully greet him together: ¡°Mayor.¡± Nie Zhenbang nods slightly, signaling them to sit on the sofa in front, ¡°Please sit.¡± Close on the heels of this, once Li Jupeng has poured a cup of hot tea for both of them and has closed the room door, they exchange a nce before Huang Shaobo begins, ¡°Mayor, we¡¯re here primarily to report on the recent activities of the Siping District.¡± Huang Shaobo is well aware that Mayor Nie, given his status, will not take the initiative to inquire about details, and their rtionship has certainly not reached the level of close familiarity. Ning Zhe isn¡¯t part of Mayor Nie¡¯s trusted inner circle either. Now, whether he can get closer to Mayor Nie depends on his performance. Without giving it another thought, he continues, ¡°Mayor, in recent days, we¡¯ve assembled a joint inspection team from various districts, containing departments like Industry and Commerce, Health Care, Public Security and others, to conduct a three-dayprehensive inspection of all therge and medium-sized hotels, guesthouses, hostels, as well as nightclubs, bars, KTVs, massage parlors and other recreational facilities in the area. We¡¯ve found numerous issues, and some individual ces that engaged in some illegal activities have already been banned ording to thew. Some ces suspected of illegalities have also been ordered to halt for rectification.¡± In saying so, Huang Shaobo is indirectly reporting the issue. They are all aware of it. Nie Zhenbang understands that all of these ces operate with the government¡¯s tacit approval. Now, Huang Shaobo¡¯s speech is also telling Nie Zhenbang that all these issues have been resolved in ordance with the mayor¡¯s intentions. It¡¯s a tacit understanding that goes without saying. Nie Zhenbang ponders for a moment and nods in approval, ¡°Good. This shows the Siping District government¡¯s determination. Any development should not stand upon illegalities, a lesson learnt from the Eastern Sea Group. The Siping District¡¯s move to target the tourist market of Wanghai is with good intention and direction. You can consolidate any thoughts you have and report them. The city government will provide firm support.¡± Just as he finished speaking, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s private phone rings, it seems that Zhao Xinglong and the others have arrived. He checks the caller ID and sure enough, it¡¯s Xinglong. Nie Zhenbang smiles and says, ¡°Comrade Shaobo, Comrade Siqing, keep up the good work. You can always seek me out if you have any good ideas.¡±
Being quick-witted, Huang Shaobo and Yang Siqing clearly catch the meaning behind Mayor Nie¡¯s words, knowing he has some business to attend to, and are ready to excuse themselves. They rise and say, ¡°Mayor, we¡¯ll take our leave now. We appreciate your and the administration¡¯s support for the Siping District. We look forward to your guidance in our economic development and construction work in the future.¡± Once Huang Shaobo and Yang Siqing have left, Nie Zhenbang picks up the phone to return the call. After a couple of rings, Zhao Xinglong picks up, ¡°Big brother, we¡¯ve arrived and are staying at the Wanghai Hotel. Are youing over now?¡± The Wanghai Hotel has three presidential suites on the top floor, which are now upied by Zhao Xinglong, Yang Anbang, and a few others. When Nie Zhenbang arrives, he is received warmly. Later, in the living room of Yang Anbang¡¯s suite, Nie Zhenbang sits on the sofa, Zhao Xinglong, Liu Kun, and Li Hua are at his side, while Yang Anbang and Xiao Yali sit on the opposite sofa. Behind them, Li Wen Ge, Hu Baoguo, and others are sitting on couches.
Surveying the group, these are his core team. Though they¡¯re all involved in economics, theirbined strength is not to be underestimated. Without hesitation, Nie Zhenbang gets straight to the point in front of his brethren, ¡°Guys, I¡¯ve brought you all here because there¡¯s an investment opportunity.¡± Seeing their expressionless faces, Nie Zhenbang continues, ¡°After the copse of Eastern Sea Group, no one is stepping forward to take over the mess they¡¯ve left behind. So, I thought of you all. This time, you must help me out no matter what.¡± Zhao Xinglong thinks for a moment and then says, ¡°Big brother, say no more, how much do you need us to invest? We won¡¯t let you down.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang holds up three fingers and smilingly says, ¡°Thirty billion. Do you guys think you can handle it?¡± ( Chapter 567: 524: Theyre All Wealthy_1 Chapter 567: Chapter 524: They¡¯re All Wealthy_1 Thirty billion, that¡¯s not a small amount. Although Nie Zhenbang knew that these fes, supported by policy tilt from above and their shrewd maniptions from below, were involved in various industries, which he had meticulously nned for them. Such an amount of money, shared among so many people, should not pose much of a problem. However, Zhenbang still added, ¡°Thirty billion isn¡¯t an insignificant sum. If you¡¯re having trouble, we¡¯ll see how much you can contribute, and I¡¯ll figure out how toe up with the rest.¡± Even Liu Kun didn¡¯t know much about Tenglong Group. Such a huge corporation could impact a country¡¯s economy, therefore Nie Zhenbang¡¯s intent to scatter Tenglong Group around the world was deliberate. First, no country would allow such arge economic entity to overshadow its sovereignty. Second, given his current promising prospects within the system, if it was known that he had such huge economic support, his political career would likely be capped at middle management, no matter how talented he was. If he ever ascended to the top position and had Tenglong Group on his side, who could challenge him domestically? Unchecked power is terrifying. The reason why there were so many tyrants in olden times was precisely due to unchecked power, which is also why Nie Zhenbang insisted on keeping Tenglong Group decentralized and discreet. What Nie Zhenbang did not expect, however, was concern over whether Zhao Xinglong and others would have sufficient funds, hence his supplementalment.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As soon as he finished speaking, Hu Baoguo smiled and said, ¡°Third Brother, you¡¯ve be detached from the masses.¡± ¡°Comrade elder brother, our partyes from the masses, rooted in the masses, relying on the masses, following the masses¡¯ route, this is our party¡¯s basic line. Your thought of detachment from the masses is dangerous and impermissible,¡± the lively Li Wen?Ge also chirped in. These scions of distinguished families, who were infamous rascals in their younger years in Jingcheng, were well-versed with political rhetoric. Nie Zhenbang, knowing well their impudent behaviour and approach, jovially scolded, ¡°Get lost, you brat. If your thoughts wander, wander far away. Don¡¯t start quoting Marx, Engels, Lenin and Mao. What¡¯s your rank? When you see me, you should call me ¡®chief¡¯.¡± Among them, apart from Liu Kun, Zhao Xinglong and Yang Anbang, who hadpletely quit the system, the others actually held idle positions inparatively significant institutions. For instance, Li Hua, the young one, was an advisor in some militarymittee courtyard, though it was a mystery as to what he advised about. Hu Baoguo and Li Wen?Ge were legitimate officers with official ranks and posts. This was an unspoken rule amongst the families in Jingcheng. Their children usually held nominal posts, preparing for the future. In case, at any time, they had an epiphany and decided to enter politics, they wouldn¡¯t have to start from scratch. Even if they didn¡¯t enter politics, they couldpletely break away when the time came.
Now, Hu Baoguo and Li Wen?Ge were both in their thirties, holding official mid-level ranks. From an institutional perspective, they should address Nie Zhenbang as ¡®chief¡¯. Yang Anbang, being in thepany of his wife, quickly waved his hand and said, ¡°Alright, alright. Do you think this is still a decade ago? We are all in our thirties. Those who are married are married. Stop acting like little kids. If this gets out, won¡¯t the younger generation in Jingchengugh at us?¡± After getting married and giving birth, Xiao Yali had be more reserved. The once spirited second Miss Xiao seemed to have vanished. At that moment, she alsoughed and said, ¡°Zhenbang, can¡¯t you tell? These guys are mocking you. You have belittled them, isn¡¯t this contempt?¡± Liu Kun also chuckled, ¡°Third Brother, you don¡¯t know, right? In Xinli City, there¡¯s oil in Longhua Mining¡¯s fields. Now, Xinglong and Li Hua are quite prosperous. Let alone thirty billion, even if you double that, for these two energy tycoons, it¡¯s nothing much. Nowadays, those coal bosses in Sanjin, they could buy houses with cash in sacks. Would Brother Long and Brother Hua care about this small amount of money?¡± Upon hearing this, Zhao Xinglong was infuriated, ¡°Bullshit, Liu Kun, aren¡¯t you impressive too? Thergestndowner in the Xibei Autonomous Region and Caoyuan Province, a person who at any given moment has millions of cattle and sheep in his pen. A person whose foot stamp could fluctuate the prices of beef and mutton. Yet you still dare to taunt me.¡± Hearing these words, Nie Zhenbang was also stunned. He had not expected them to be this sessful. Since he left Xinli City many years ago, though they still stayed in touch during holidays, they had never discussed these issues. He didn¡¯t expect them to have developed to this level. That was a good thing. The greater they grow, their power could be his significant leverage. The other families in the country would certainly have to contemte these factors beforeing at him. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang also nodded and said, ¡°Hold on, hold on, I admit, I was wrong today. I underestimated you brothers, so I will be holding a banquet as an apology. However, now, let¡¯s talk about the situation in Wanghai City.¡± For Wanghai City, Nie Zhenbang pulled out nine projects in total. The first project, the Yahai Building, was originally designed to be 68 stories. Now, nearly twenty stories have beenpleted. The investment for just the construction project is not a small sum. Once it¡¯s finished, the sundry decor and equipment expenses, which are the real money-sink, would appear. In the construction industry, there¡¯s a saying, building a house is not expensive, decorating a house is. In total, the Yahai Building project requires at least three billion. The second project, the Wanghai New Port project, is, in fact, the biggest among all nine projects. Wanghai City¡¯s port is quite prosperous. As thergest port in southeastern Huaxia, it handles not only goods for Minan but also for several ind provinces in the central region. The Wanghai New Port is a modernrge-scale port co-constructed by the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government, and the Eastern Sea Group. Oncepleted, it will be able to berthrge cargo ships of one hundred thousand tons. The total investment is two hundred and thirty-five billion. The City Government contributednd, policies, and one hundred and fifty billion in cash. Now, Eastern Sea Group has already put in thirty billion. After the Eastern Sea case broke, the whole project came to a halt. Now, to take over, including the initial investments, would require at least an investment of a hundred and fifteen billion. The third project is a few real estate projects such as Tianquan Vi and Yanghai Home, scattered across several districts in Wanghai City. These are all ongoing projects, which collectively need at least thirty billion in funding. However, this aspect is the most straightforward. Eastern Sea Group¡¯s properties are all located in the bustling city center or prime areas of Wanghai City, thus have high potential for appreciation. The fourth project is the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s Wanghai Film City project. Lin Zhengxing, the person in charge, always adored celebrities. So, investing in such a project is quite natural for him. The entire Wanghai Film City, covering an area of about three thousand acres, has a total investment of five billion. At present, only a third of the project¡¯s work has beenpleted. The remaining projects are Eastern Sea Group¡¯s factory projects, with investment amounts not being particrlyrge. Thergest amounts to five or six billion, while the smallest is less than a billion. After Nie Zhenbang finished presenting these projects, he looked around the room and added: ¡°Brothers, though we grew up together, this time it¡¯s ¡®family first, business second¡¯. If you want to undertake these projects, I don¡¯t oppose it, but consider it carefully. I won¡¯t ept if you¡¯re simply doing it to back me up on this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m somewhat interested in the port project. How about letting me take that on?¡± Barely had Nie Zhenbang finished speaking, Yang Anbang began to voice his interest on the side. This reaction left Nie Zhenbang somewhat taken aback. On the side, Xiao Yali also smiled and said, ¡°Old Three, don¡¯t be stunned. Investing in the port is something we¡¯re currently considering as well. The Wal-Mart Group¡¯s retailwork has alreadypleted a nationalyout. Now, it¡¯s time to venture overseas. Owning a port not only benefits the overall logisticsyout of the Wal-Mart Group, it¡¯s also a strategic focus for us.¡± Then, after some contemtion, Liu Kun nodded and said, ¡°I guess, I¡¯ll take on the Film City project. But, Second Brother, your uncle is the Minister of the Central Propaganda Department, so in the future, you¡¯ll have to help me out in the realm of film and television.¡± In the end, Zhao Xinglong of Longhua Mining and Li Hua actually took both the Yahai Building and Tianquan Vi real estate projects wholesale, revealing their extravagant wealth. This investment was not an issue for them at all. Hu Baoguo and Li Wen Ge took the remaining projects.
At this moment, Nie Zhenbang also stood up, smiled and said, ¡°Since everything has already been set, I guess, tomorrow, we can arrange for people to negotiate the details of the projects. I¡¯m grateful that you all hold me in high regard. So, today, I will y host and throw a feast in everyone¡¯s honor.¡± Just then, the room door was pushed open from outside, Nie Jiamin and Gao Wei walked inughing. Nie Jiamin also chortled, ¡°Old Three, you¡¯re being unfair. You didn¡¯t even inform me about such a big event.¡± After a few pleasantries, under the lead of Gao Wei and Nie Jiamin, everyone left the room. At this moment, Zhao Xinglong stayed behind a few steps, and quietly asked, ¡°Third Brother, have you been keeping an eye on Xinli City these past years?¡± This question left Nie Zhenbang stunned. Had something happened in Xinli City? (.)
Chapter 568: 525 Onlookers are Clear_1 Chapter 568: Chapter 525 Onlookers are Clear_1 Zhao Xinglong, like Li Guohua, is an overseas returnee. However, their characters couldn¡¯t be more different. Li Guohua is aloof, as if he looks down on everything. But as someone who has worked with him, Nie Zhenbang can clearly see that Li Guohua is the kind of person who is selfish and narrow-minded. But Zhao Xinglong is different. This man has the pride of a scion of a prestigious family, yet he treats his friends honestly and has no interest in politics whatsoever. However, that¡¯s just a matter of interest. Growing up in such a family, among the scions of the prestigious families in Jingcheng, there aren¡¯t many without a political mind. A typical example is Zhou Chen. Under such influence, everyone will have some awareness, more or less. From what Zhao Xinglong just said, Nie Zhenbang can be sure that they weren¡¯t empty words ¨C there must be something behind them. Hence, he asked: ¡°Xinglong, you¡¯ve got something on your mind? Has something happened in New Li City?¡± ¡°No, nothing has happened. But, big brother, there¡¯s something I¡¯m uncertain whether I should say or not.¡± Zhao Xinglong hesitated. Although they have a good rtionship, it¡¯s still someone else¡¯s business. If they can ept his words, it¡¯s all good. But if not, it could be trouble. After all, it could offend people. However, Nie Zhenbangughed and nudged Zhao Xinglong jokingly. ¡°When did you start holding your tongue? There¡¯s nothing that can¡¯t be said. But considering your expression, let¡¯s talk after dinner. Then we can have a deep conversation.¡± They ate in a regr private room in the Wanghai Hotel¡¯s dining area. The dishes were mostly seafood banquets. Those seated were experienced, so there was no issue of novelty to them. After a few rounds of drinks, they ate quite heartily. Only Zhao Xinglong and Nie Zhenbang were now in Zhao¡¯s presidential suite, everyone else had gone off to have fun under Nie Jiamin¡¯s arrangement. On the table was a light yellow box of Panda cigarettes. Zhao Xinglong lit one, took a puff, then said: ¡°Big brother, if you don¡¯t mind me being forward, I will speak.¡± At these words, Nie Zhenbang frowned. When did Zhao Xinglong be so hesitant? He then said: ¡°Go ahead, we¡¯re brothers. What¡¯s there that can¡¯t be said?¡±
¡°Big brother, to be honest, reaching your current level at your age¡­you¡¯re amazing. And I think your ultimate goal might be the top position.¡± Zhao Xinglong was honest. This wasn¡¯t ttery. Even for scions of prestigious families, or those with powerful backgrounds, the unwritten rule in the country is that their promotions in ministries are rtively faster, while those on the ground are merely following the procedure. There is an implication involved. People might misunderstand that the fast promotion is due to family background. Hence, scions of prominent families are always concerned about this. Looking at the scions in Jingcheng, the one whose promotion is the quickest is Qiao Yiren, who was promoted at the age of 38 to the deputy ministerial level. Contrarily, civilian cadres experience an astonishment-inducing speed of promotion. For example, Vice Chairman Shen was promoted to the vice-ministerial level at 37, and Secretary Mu was promoted at 35. That¡¯s why Zhao Xinglong considers Nie Zhenbang remarkable. At the age of thirty, he was promoted to the vice-ministerial level, and hees from a prestigious family with a powerful background. This alone is proof of everything. After a pause, Zhao Xinglong continued: ¡°Big brother, in terms of family background, work ability, and age, your advantages are very obvious. However, when ites to building your own base, I feel that there seems to be somecking.¡± This statement was like a sudden thunderbolt, making Nie Zhenbang realize something. Indeed, a bystander is often more clear-headed than the participant.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Always in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s mind, the resources of the Nie faction were his to use. However, he¡¯d overlooked something. Once you reach the rank of minister, you effectively be a system in yourself. Beneath each minister are many trusted subordinates and these are resources he does not have ess to. More so, ministers may not always follow your orders. In extreme situations, they might even cut ties and operate independently. A real foundation should be built step by step, by oneself, exactly as the old-generation revolutionaries did domestically. That is what is referred to as a foundation. After a moment of silence, Nie Zhenbang asked seriously, ¡°Xinglong, how are things in New Li City now?¡± Listening, Zhao Xinglong¡¯s face showed a hint of admiration. Zhenbang¡¯s acute political sense was indeed not bluffing. Zhao Xinglong had heard of Zhenbang¡¯s past glorious deeds. The Nie family, under such circumstances, had in fact managed to reverse their fortunes under Zhenbang¡¯s lead. Not only did they not decline, they even became one of the top families domestically. Zhao Xinglong knew hecked such skills. Despite hearing these tales, Zhao Xinglong believed they were just smokescreen to deliberately promote and cultivate Nie Zhenbang¡¯s image. However, upon further understanding and witnessing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s rise to power, Zhao Xinglong firmly believed otherwise. This was why, upon his arrival, Zhao Xinglong shared his concerns with Nie Zhenbang. The Zhao family is undeniably a military faction, but this generation¡¯s capabilities are limited. Zhao Xinglong was well aware of his capabilities and limitations. Given his rebellious and unconventional nature, he anticipated difficulties climbing the ranks within the system. Therefore, he believed that the Zhao family had to gravitate towards another family or individual to ensure the family¡¯s legacy and opportunity for resurgence. Nie Zhenbang was Zhao Xinglong¡¯s choice. At this moment, with Zhenbang¡¯s ability to guess that something was happening in New Li City just because Zhao mentioned inadequate foundation, Zhao was further persuaded to support Nie Zhenbang and ensure the Zhao family¡¯s well-being in the future. Zhao Xinglong nodded and said, ¡°As expected, Zhenbang, you¡¯re as wise as a deity.¡± Nie Zhenbang gave a heartyugh at this remark. As his capabilities grew, so did his ability to influence events. But the minute details held less significance as things evolved. However, Nie Zhenbang felt no fear. Backed with a decade¡¯s experience in the political system, he was confident of controlling the situation even is his memory failed him. ¡°Enough with the ttery, you rascal. Tell me what is happening in New Li City¡±, Zhenbang said,ughing and scolding simultaneously. Zhao Xinglong immediately became serious and said, ¡°Brother, I heard that Li Yifeng, the newly appointed secretary of the Xibei Autonomous Region, has decided to merge New Li City and Bazhou City and establish a new administrative unit called Lizhou City. An application has already been made to elevate Lizhou City to the status of a sub-provincial city.¡± Nie Zhenbang was startled by this. He hadn¡¯t expected Li Yifeng to ovee this challenge. It would appear that Li Yifeng¡¯s election may have involved maneuvers by the Nie faction in Jingcheng after his uncle secured a vice position in the Military Commission. This was a clear signal.
The merger of New Li City and Bazhou City seems rather risky, but it¡¯s not impossible. Firstly, from what Zhao Xinglong learned, the urban areas of New Li City and Bazhou City had already fully integrated into one super-metropolitan city. Even Urumqi would find it hard topare with thebined urban area of New Li City and Bazhou City. Thisid down the necessary conditions for their merger. Secondly, both New Li City and Bazhou City were ranked high in economic growth and output within the Xibei Autonomous Region. The ¡®Miracle of New Li¡¯ wasn¡¯t just mere talk; it was nationally recognized. As an exception in the remote and impoverished Western Region, it was also highlymended by the country. Currently, Bazhou City is a prefecture-level city while New Li City is a sub-prefectural city. Combining them and elevating the status, making Lizhou City a sub-provincial city, seems usible. More importantly, if sessful, the new Lizhou City would be the first sub-provincial city in the whole Western Region beyond the Bashu area. It will serve as an indication of the country¡¯s next steps. ording to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s memory, it seems as if the new leadership after the change of tenure had already begun nning on the Western Region Development Strategy. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lizhou City stands a good chance of securing central government¡¯s approval. If this strategy by the Xibei Autonomous Region does seed, then it¡¯s necessary for him to put in some effort. Xie Yi is already the mayor of Bazhou City now and stands a good chance of further elevation to the ranks of a sub-provincial official due to the upgrade. In addition, the whole crew from New Li City will also get a half-grade promotion and formally enter the ranks of full division-level officials and vice-division-level officials. These officials can be deployed to other prefecturs of Xibei Autonomous Region. Over the years, these people will be a great help to him.
Right now, what Nie Zhenbangcks the most is reliable subordinates. Excluding those from New Li City, he has not brought many people into his foundation from the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and Liangxi City. Looking at it now, it seems like it¡¯s time to expand within WangHai City. PS: I rmend thetest work by the great author CanJian called ¡°Super Urban Overlord¡±. Synopsis: With a game¡¯s master-level life profession skills, he revives in the city. Book number: 2356231 ( Chapter 569: 526: Must Make a Big Splash (Begging for Monthly Tickets)_1 Chapter 569: Chapter 526: Must Make a Big Ssh (Begging for Monthly Tickets)_1 Over the next few days, the negotiation process went very smoothly. Zhao Xinglong and others had professional teams at their disposal. Naturally, these scions of wealthy families couldn¡¯t personally handle everything, which made professional managers the prime choice for their operational teams. Naturally, Nie Zhenbang fully agreed that such intricate negotiations should be handled by these professional teams. In the future, these scions would y the market, relyingrgely on the background advantages of their own families. This group is the cream of the crop among Huaxia¡¯s officials and businessmen. Other than Yang Anbang, who mainly relied on his own abilities, everyone else conducted business based on their family background strength. Now, under his guidance, they mostly operate ording to the rules of business, which seems much more fair and reasonable, and reduces the number of instances of overbearing behavior. ¡°Secretary Li, the Wanghai New Port project will continue with shares from Wal-Mart Group. At the same time, all the debts and responsibilities regarding the Wanghai New Port project left by Yahai will be covered by Wal-Mart Group. Additionally, the real estate projects such as the Tianquan Vi and the Yahai Building have been taken over by the Longhua Mining Group from the Xibei Autonomous Region. All the rights and interests of home buyers are to be taken care of by Longhua Mining ording to the initial contracts. The Film and Television City project will be taken over by Minnong Agricultural Development Group. The remaining, including the several major factory districts under the Yahai Group, will be taken over by Taihe Group and Overseas Group. Moreover, based on the negotiations, supplements have been made ording to the agreements with these groups. Construction will resume within 15 days, and all the workers¡¯ wages will be paidpletely by Taihe and Overseas Group.¡± In the office of the Minister Li Taishi of the municipal partymittee, Nie Zhenbang reiterated the negotiation results of the past few days. This news excited Li Taishi. After bing the secretary of Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee, Li Taishi¡¯s mentality has been constantly changing. From initially regarding Nie Zhenbang as an equal partner and a lucky star who could possibly help his future promotions, he now has another different opinion. Longhua Mining and Minnong Group, both are well-knownrge enterprises from New Li City. It¡¯s not hard to see from Nie Zhenbang¡¯s experiences that his rtionship with these twopanies was quite unique. Now it seems like Nie Zhenbang¡¯swork far exceeded just that. With so much investment pouring in, the economic recovery of Wanghai City will speed up, and it seems probable that within one year, it will be prosperous again but in a healthier way. Without saying anything more, this is indeed a great achievement. A Deputy Minister, already quite an elevated position in the country¡¯s high-ranking official system. With such achievements, he will undoubtedly be under the central organization department¡¯s supervision and his promotions will just be a matter of time. Thinking of this, Li Taishi pondered for a moment, then he said, ¡°Zhenbang, my suggestion is to make the signing ceremony more grand this time. More solemn. We should invite some national media to have a look. To show the world as well as our party and country, that our municipalmittee of Wanghi City has the ability and confidence to build a good city.¡± This proposal coincided with Nie Zhenbang¡¯s thoughts, although the perspectives from which they viewed this problem differed. Li Taishi was more concerned with magnifying the impact of the event for the political implications it carried, providing a huge political chip for himself and Wanghai City¡¯s municipalmittee. On the other hand, he was viewing it from a business perspective. The general public nationwide might not know much about the situation in Wanghai City. However, domestic businessmen were very clear that after the copse of the Yahai Group, Wanghai City¡¯s economy experienced a severe depression. This upheaval certainly made businessmen hesitant. In in terms, they lost confidence in investing. Now, it was the perfect time to use this opportunity to rebuild the image of Wanghai City as an investment hotspot. The signing of theserge projects will undoubtedly be a benchmark influencing businessmen nationwide.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
In fact, Wanghai City¡¯s investment policies and environment are quite favorable. However, due to the previous dominance of the Yahai Group, there was pressure on and exclusion ofpanies entering Wanghai City, which caused the city¡¯s economic development to be distorted. Later, the copse of the Yahai Group had a significant impact on businesses. Many feared entering Wanghai City, worrying about falling into a trap. Now, all these problems were solved. The mess left behind by the Yahai Group was taken over by others, and after dissipating the doubts and concerns of the public, it would undoubtedly wee an investment boom with the right guiding opportunity. ¡± Secretary Li, it seems we share the same view on this. I was just about to discuss this matter with you.¡± Nie Zhenbang said with a smile. As the current rtionship within the Municipal Committee is harmonious, Nie Zhenbang is not arrogant or aloof. On the contrary, he pays great attention to the minor details in work and everyday life. His speech is always marked with politeness. This greatly pleases Li Taishi. Satisfaction is the fundamental key to cooperation. Then, Li Taishi alsoughed and said, ¡°Zhenbang, it seems our thoughts are really aligned. I know you. You never fight a battle that you¡¯re not sure you can win. So, tell me, what are your ns?¡± Chapter 570: 526: Must Make a Big Splash (Begging for Monthly Tickets)_2 Chapter 570: Chapter 526: Must Make a Big Ssh (Begging for Monthly Tickets)_2 Humility and caution were only on disy in day-to-day matters. When it came to his work, Nie Zhenbang was unyielding, he quickly nodded and said: ¡°I have a preliminary idea. I¡¯m considering using this opportunity to coborate with the national television station and host arge-scale variety show in Wanghai, showcasing Wanghai City¡¯s residents¡¯ integrity and elegance, and a grand signing ceremony would also take ce in the morning. This would serve as aprehensive promotion.¡± Li Taishi was taken aback by this suggestion. His heart held a bit of emotion, as the old saying goes,paring oneself to others is infuriating. Looking at the bigger picture, he was indeed far behind Nie Zhenbang. However, Li Taishi had no jealousy. No matter how outstanding Nie Zhenbang was, this was inevitably credited to his own contribution as Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee. After pondering for a moment, Li Taishi also nodded and said: ¡°What you¡¯re proposing has the potential to make a big ssh, but won¡¯t it be a bit too rushed in terms of timing?¡± Nie Zhenbang had considered this problem. The signing ceremony couldn¡¯t be postponed for a month. Such things needed to be implemented as soon as possible to maintain the sensational effect. But a variety show is not a simple ceremony. Program scheduling and the entire procedure of the evening show need detailed nning. Rushing it might impact the quality of the show. This was indeed a difficult situation. However, Nie Zhenbang had anticipated this and quickly responded: ¡°Indeed, the timing may be tight. However, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a major issue. Both the city dance troupe and the Minnan Province Dance Troupe have their respective strengths and preferred acts. Moreover, if arranging dances is challenging, we can add some star performances. For instance, some A-list singers from within the country, some film and television stars from Hong Kong and Taiwan, and even somenguage-based programs. I believe these would be enough to put together an excellent show.¡±n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Li Taishi nodded in agreement, this was the only feasible n given the time constraints. If there was enough time, they could organize a show with a patriotic main melody as the theme. However, program arrangement and rehearsals needed time. The current n was the only option avable ¨C to rece it with celebrity performances. Despite the show might lean more towards entertainment, the influence it brings is undeniably substantial. As long as the main objective is achieved, all else are unessential details. ¡°Secretary Li, I believe we should proceed with the show as nned. This time, not only can we promote the signing, but I also think we can take this opportunity to drive the tourism development in our Wanghai City.¡± Nie Zhenbang proposed another suggestion. Nie Zhenbang had early ns for the development of Wanghai City. In his previous life, after the Yuhai smuggling case, Wanghai City had suffered several tough years, with the economy in recession andcking national policy support. The economy plummeted untilter when Wanghai City took the tourism industry as the entry point and created a famous tourist city. The economy slowly rebounded, implying that Wanghai City was indeed suitable for tourism development. Giving this thought, Nie Zhenbang had specifically examined some data. Wanghai City had abundant tourism resources. Let¡¯s not talk about the well-known Drum Ind. Wanghai¡¯s beaches were gentle and the ports were of high quality, very suitable for coastal tourism development. In addition, Tian Mountain Forest Park, Hu Mountain Fort, Jia Geng Park, Sun Valley Hot Spring and others were high-quality tourism projects. If these could be integrated and increased investment, Wanghai City could be made into a domestic, international tourism city thatbines leisure, entertainment, history, culture, and natural views. At this moment, Li Taishiughed and showed a joyful smile. Having such a capable mayor as an ally lightened the workload of Li Taishi, the Secretary of the Municipal Party Committee. Li Taishi¡¯s personality was different from others. Some Municipal Party Committee Secretaries, besides managing people, they would like to take up all matters themselves. This behavior in fact undermined the unity of the team. And the higher level leadership¡¯s evaluation of the Secretary, the number one in the partymittee, mainly depends on whether this person can unite the entire team. If the government development is not going well and local economic construction is badly managed, the Secretary is to me. However, if everything goes well, the Secretary has significant contributions. Therefore, whether it was in Minzhou or here, Li Taishi always maintained the same attitude, he did not interfere in government matters, he cooperated fully.
¡°Zhenbang, you indeed know how to drive a good bargain. The tourism n is very good. Our Wanghai truly has such a potential. You have killed two birds with one stone. I entirely agree with your point of view. In addition, concerning the invitation of the higher-level leadership, do you have any good suggestions?¡± Li Taishi inquired further. No matter how grandiose Wanghai City¡¯s event was, the main focus was the attending leadership. The event may be more sessful with a better show and tourism promotion, but all these need the upper-level approval and confirmation. Without this approval and confirmation, all is imperfect. Making a grand show was partly reflected in the media, which mainly targeted the general public. The other aspect was to invite leaders, which was also significant. After pondering for a while, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said: ¡°Concerning the leaders, Secretary Li, I believe we need to invite several main leaders from the Provincial Party Committee, and try to invite central leaders. If central leaders attend, it would in itself signify recognition of our work and have considerable influence.¡± Those words brought immense joy to Li Taishi, who nodded and said: ¡°Good, that¡¯s the same thing I had in mind. I believe we should pursue this separately. I will trouble you with Governor Qiao. As for Secretary Chen, I will personally invite him in Minzhou.¡± Upon saying that, Li Taishi left for Minzhou City in the afternoon, and by evening, good news arrived. The Provincial Party Committee Secretary, Chen Renqing, had agreed to attend. Meanwhile, Nie Zhenbang hadmunicated with Qiao Yiren but had not hung up yet, he continued: ¡°Governor, there¡¯s something else I would like your help with. As for the central leaders, do you think we could invite Deputy Chair Shen to attend this conference?¡± PS: Dear brothers, sisters, and good writers, the end is near. We are in the final 11 days. We need your support in the form of votes, we survived the first 19 days, are we going to fall in thesest 11 days? ( Chapter 571: 527: Centrals Affirmation (Begging for Monthly Pass)_1 Chapter 571: Chapter 527: Central¡¯s Affirmation (Begging for Monthly Pass)_1 ¡°You¡¯re really taking advantage of the situation, aren¡¯t you? For your city of WangHai, even though it is a sub-provincial city, signing up for a few billion in investment is quite a big deal. Do you really need to invite Deputy Chairman Shen as well?¡± Qiao Yiren yfully teased over the phone. Both hailing from prominent families and possessing strong work capabilities, Qiao Yiren held high hopes for his younger counterpart, Zhenbang. Zhenbang had advantages that even exceeded his own. Although he did have hopes of reaching the top, the final oue was still uncertain. His biggest weakness was hisck of military support. While it was a longstanding principle in the country that the party controlled the gun, and local concerns were subordinate to the whole, and the whole to the central government¡­ ¡­it was evident that having military backing made a difference. The Nie family held significant clout in the military, and Zhenbang¡¯s future would undoubtedly have military backing. This was a significant contrast to his own situation where he had to wait carefully for opportunities. That was why Qiao Yiren was fond of Zhenbang. The majority of it was about favoring talent, but there were also some personal ambitions involved. Having the support of the Nie family would have great benefits for his own future. Hearing Qiao Yiren¡¯s words, Zhenbang, somewhat shamefaced, said, ¡°Governor, ever since the Yuhai case, WangHai has been put on hold by the central government. We arecking in policies and funding. We are like the neglected step child. I hope you won¡¯t ignore us.¡± Sing the song when you are on that mountain. Speak words appropriate to the persons you meet. Zhenbang had these basic skills. Even though he usually appeared reserved, it did not mean that Zhenbang was incapable of joking. If he were to speak seriously in such a situation, the effect would not be as good as it was now. Sure enough, after hearing these words, Qiao Yiren alsoughed, saying, ¡°I never noticed before that you could joke around. I should have guessed it, how could you be an exception among the jesters in Jingcheng?¡± After saying this, Qiao Yiren became serious, his tone formal, ¡°Zhenbang, I believe you understand the status of Deputy Chairman Shen. I can only promise to try to arrange this for you. I cannot guarantee anything.¡± ¡°Governor, having your promise is enough for me. I will not disturb you anymore while you are busy.¡± Zhenbang was very aware that people like Deputy Chairman Shen were not like any provincial official whose travel arrangements and diplomatic activities could be easily managed. At their level, their travel arrangements attracted the attention of all families in Jingcheng. They couldn¡¯te just because they were asked to.
The signing ceremony and the WangHai City tourism rmendation cultural evening were scheduled for three dayster. The Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee held a meeting that afternoon and made sure everyone knew their assignments. Even if no central leadership was to attend, at least several big-timers from the provincialmittee were confirmed. The whole city of WangHai underwent another thorough cleaning. WangHai was already a national hygiene city, a national garden city. These years, great efforts had been made in urban construction, and the entire city was rejuvenated. On the morning of May 15th, the day of the cultural evening, by eight o¡¯clock, the leaders of the municipal partymittee, the city government, the municipal CPPCC and the people¡¯s congress had all gathered at Wanghai Airport. At that moment, Secretary Li Taishi, Mayor Nie Zhenbang, and Deputy Secretary Qi Siyuan stood together. In Wanghai City, such a harmonious scene was no longer surprising. The unity of the new team also surprised the officials. It was rare for the secretary and the mayor to harmonize so well. ¡°Everyone, please sit in the car. It will probably be another half an hour. At this time, the ne should be taking off from Minzhou.¡± Li Taishi looked at his watch, then gave the order. May¡¯s weather was not yet particrly hot, but for a seaside city like WangHai, it was already possible to feel the heat and passion of summer. At this time, Zhenbang was in a T-shirt, the dark color of his outfit making him look more mature than his actual age. This was a peculiar phenomenon within the system; older people wanted to look younger, and younger people wanted to look older. In officialdom, older people dyed their white hair ck and chose clothing to appear younger. Some even used health and skincare products to dy aging. In contrast, young officials deliberately dressed to appear more mature and stable. This was due to factors within the system; older individuals, having lost their youthful advantage in an age that encourages younger officials, had secretly adjusted their age privately, aiming to retain their official positions. Young officials, while blessed with youth, were often impulsive and reckless. Therefore, young officials tended to make themselves appear more mature and stable. At approximately 8:50, an airne began to circle above Wanghai Airport, and Li Taishi and others promptly exited their vehicles. Taking their respective positions, they awaited the arrival of the provincial party leaders. The first to emerge from the cabin was Chen Renqing, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Director of the Provincial People¡¯s Congress Standing Committee. Qiao Yiren and Yi Mingyang followed suit. After shaking hands with the leadership of the WangHai City, Chen Renqing immediately said, ¡°Let¡¯s not obstruct airport traffic with so many people. Let¡¯s head to the municipal partymittee auditorium.¡± At this moment, Qiao Yiren nodded at Nie Zhenbang. After Chen Renqing and other leaders got into their cars, Nie Zhenbang stepped into Qiao Yiren¡¯s official car. ¡°Zhenbang, Deputy Chair Shen ising this time, but the time is set for the opening evening,¡± Qiao Yiren said with some semnce of envy. For this invitation, Qiao Yiren first contacted the central office. Although there wasn¡¯t a clear position from them, just saying they did not oppose it, everything seemed to move smoothly once Qiao Yiren gave Deputy Chair Shen a call. Not giving it much thought, Shen happily agreed once he knew it was a meeting in Wanghai City. In memory, Nie Zhenbang had attended the opening meeting of the Eastern Development Forum in Liangxi City when Deputy Chair Shen was present. His agreement toe to Wanghai could not be a mere coincidence, there were hardly any coincidences within this system. The reason for doing so was simple: Deputy Chair Shen was consciously nurturing Nie Zhenbang. The level of attention surprised Qiao Yiren. Even though he was noticed by Secretary-General Yuan, the attention from Deputy Chair Shen to Nie Zhenbang is different. Could it be that Deputy Chair Shen was preparing to train Nie Zhenbang as a sessor? Two termster, eight years, at the age of thirty-eight? Upon thinking about it, Qiao Yiren shook his head; it couldn¡¯t be that simple. Ascending the peak at such an age was unrealistic, but Qiao Yiren had a wake-up call in his heart. Upon hearing Qiao Yiren¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang looked stunned at first, then nodded: ¡°Governor, I appreciate the enormous contributions you¡¯ve made to the economic development of Wanghai City.¡±
This statement ced the credit for Deputy Chair Shen¡¯s visit entirely on Qiao Yiren.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Qiao Yiren looked at Nie Zhenbang, somewhat unpleasant, and said calmly: ¡°Zhenbang, don¡¯t belittle yourself. Indeed, I made the invitation, but it¡¯s mostly due to the Central Government¡¯s emphasis on Wanghai¡¯s work and affirmation of you. Make sure to take care of all aspects when Deputy Chair Shen visits, especially in terms of safety and inspections. Understood?¡± Nie Zhenbang respectfully nodded back: ¡°Governor, rest assured. We will provide excellent service.¡± Next, the convoy arrived at the Wanghai City Concert Hall. Representatives from national news media organizations, major travel agencies, and corporate enterprises around the country were invited to attend.
Chen Renqing, Secretary-Governor Qiao Yiren, and deputy secretary Yi Mingyang, walked in the forefront amidst the apuse. They seated themselves at the front stage. The stage was cleared; the blue backdrop disyed bold letters: Wanghai City Ten Billion Project Contract Signing Ceremony and Launching Ceremony of the Wanghai Tourism and Cultural Festival. Then, as the Deputy Secretary of the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and the Mayor of the People¡¯s Government of Wanghai City, Nie Zhenbang, representing Wanghai City, stepped onto the signing stage. He sat down and individually signed contracts with Wal-Mart Group, Longhua Mining, Minnong Group, and others, exchanging contracts. The contract signing ceremonypleted at this point. At this moment, City Party Secretary Li Taishi took on the role of the Master of Ceremonies. He stood up and announced into the microphone: ¡°Next, I will invite Secretary of Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People¡¯s Congress, Comrade Chen Renqing, to deliver a speech.¡± At this moment, Chen Renqing slowly stood up, walked to the podium, took the microphone, and stated: ¡°This contract signing in Wanghai City has been very sessful. This fully proves that the economic development of Wanghai City is healthy and long-term. I hope that the contracts signed between the two parties can seize opportunities, increase trust, and mutually benefit for a win-win situation.¡± Afterwards, Nie Zhenbang, along with representatives of the signatory parties attending the meeting, epted interviews from major media. At noon, the Wanghai City Government held a reception banquet at the Wanghai Hotel. It was an inevitable event. All journalists attending the meeting received a red envelope, not too big or too small. This was also an unwritten rule and a form of soft advertisement. At two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, as soon as work resumed, a special meeting was held in the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee conference room. Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee Chen Renqing looked around at everyone present and said in a serious tone: ¡°Comrades, the visit of Deputy Chair Shen is an honor to Wanghai and also an indicator of the Central Government¡¯s attention to our City. Next, we should deploy citywide security measures to strictly ensure Deputy Chair Shen¡¯s safety during his stay in Wanghai.¡± As he finished speaking, Li Taishi, a member of the Provincial Party Committee, and Secretary of Municipal Party Committee began: ¡°Secretary Chen, all leaders andrades, after receiving the news from the Central Office conveyed by the Provincial Party Committee Office at noon, we immediately called a brief meeting together. In terms of security, in addition to the existing protections, all off-duty police officers across the city have been called to post. During the afternoon reception process, we have arranged for three to five officers on all routes to temporarily control traffic to ensure Deputy Chair Shen and his team¡¯s smooth arrival at the Municipal Party Reception. Moreover, we have also strengthened security measures at the Municipal Party Reception and meeting venue, adding two hundred officers for mobile patrol to make sure there are no ws.¡± Having said that, Li Taishi looked at Chen Renqing next to him and said: ¡°These are our general arrangements. There may have been some oversights given the rush. If there are any inconsistencies, please provide some guidance, Secretary Chen.¡± PS: The situation on the monthly ticket list is not optimistic. I beg for a monthly ticket to provide me some support. (.) Chapter 572: 528: Back on Daily at Seven (Seeking Monthly Tickets) _1 Chapter 572: Chapter 528: Back on ¡®Daily at Seven¡¯ (Seeking Monthly Tickets) _1 Chen Renqing pondered for a moment and said: ¡°Vice Chairman Shen, we are inspecting Wanghai New Port tomorrow morning. In this regard, we need to make some arrangements. Superfluous personnel should be removed in advance. In addition, what should be said and what should not be said, all of these need to be well arranged.¡± Everyone present was an official within the system, and no outsiders were present. In this regard, Chen Renqing spoke without any hesitation. Nie Zhenbang also understood that this kind of thing is amon practice in officialdom. For Huaxia, a 5000-year-old civilization, such issues have existed since the beginning of the ve society, and it has be a tradition. It¡¯s like a parent and their child. Few parents speak bluntly about their children¡¯s shorings in front of others. Basically, they always mention their children¡¯s virtues. Take, for example, two old friends meeting. A asks, ¡°B, how are your child¡¯s grades?¡± In reality, B¡¯s child might perform poorly in school. But B might say, ¡°His grades? They¡¯re average.¡± Simrly, in politics, it¡¯s even more normal for subordinates not to expose their shorings to higher-ups. Officials only show the best side of things, which is why projects focused on scoring political points are ubiquitous across the country. ¡°Secretary Chen, everything is arranged. The route, venue, and staff for the inspection have all been prepared in advance. Please be assured.¡± Li Taishi immediately responded. At five in the afternoon, Wanghai Airport was crowded. The leaders of the Provincial Committee of Minnan Province and officials of all levels from Wanghai City were already standing at the tarmac. Amid a group of ck cars, a golden Toyota Coaster Business car was particrly eye-catching. At the level of Vice Chairman Shen, the means of travel for inspection would certainly not be an ordinary car. Amercial vehicle is undoubtedly the best choice. At ten past five, the aircraft docked at the tarmac. National Vice Chairman, Vice Chairman of the National Military Commission Shen Xiuchao stepped out of the cabin.
Following close behind Shen Xiuchao were the Deputy Director of the Central Office Fang Li, State Councilor Liu Bingkui, National Development and Reform Commission Director Dai Cao, and others for this inspection visit. At this moment, Shen Xiuchao, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and smiling, shook hands one by one with the cadres from the Minnan Provincial Committee and Wanghai Municipal Party Committee. After making a brief speech at the airport, the group, in full force, moved towards the greeting area of the Wanghai City Party Committee. Eight o¡¯clock in the evening. Thergest seaside square in Wanghai City, under the illumination of bright lights, a massive stage was already erected and looking glorious. The square, capable of amodating tens of thousands of people, was fully upied. Armed police from Wanghai City were posted all around the square, leaving no breach. It was a strict guard post with police barriers set up around. As the music started, the curtain on the stage was drawn in the center. Well-known hosts from the national television and the star host Zeng Xiaowei from Donggang Special Zone took to the stage. ¡°Leaders, guests, dear audience, good evening to you all!¡± A grand lineup of stars made the entire evening g an ongoing climax. This showing greatly impressed Vice Chairman Shen Xiuchao. The cadres of Wanghai City greatly appreciated it, as such evening gs, not being mainstream nor sports conventions, already benefits greatly just from the attendance of a national leader like Shen Xiuchao. His staying till the end was an honor for the entire Wanghai City and a reflection of the importance he ced on Wanghai City. Early the next morning, Shen Xiuchao and his party visited Wanghai New Port. Inside the construction site, Shen Xiuchao asked in detail about the port¡¯s design and construction situation. He highly praised the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government for their ability to innovate and introduce capital after the smuggling case of the Eastern Sea Group that had a huge impact on Wanghai City¡¯s economy. He praised their ability to restore the economic order of Wanghai City so quickly as highlymendable. In the afternoon, at two o¡¯clock. After finishing his meal, Nie Zhenbang went to the first yard of the Municipal Party Committee¡¯s guest house, the ce where deputy chairman Shen was temporarily staying. At the entrance, not only were the Wujing soldiers of Wanghai City and the military area performing security duties, Shen Xiuchao¡¯s guards in the yard were also keeping a close eye on every move here. When Nie Zhenbang arrived, he presented his identification to the guards on both sides and then walked in directly. ¡°Mayor Nie, please wait a moment. Allow me to go in and report.¡± No sooner had Nie Zhenbang entered the yard than he was greeted by a guard. A momentter, Huang Yunshan, Shen Xiuchao¡¯s confidential secretary, came out with a smile, saying, ¡°Zhenbang, the leader just mentioned you, thinking that you would definitelye. Coincidentally, the leader has some matters to discuss with you. Under the guidance of Huang Yunshan, Nie Zhenbang reached the door of the study. Huang Yunshan first went in to report, then turned to Nie Zhenbang and said, ¡°Mayor Nie, please go in. The leader is expecting you.¡± Once inside the study, Shen Xiuchao picked up a book. Most of the books in the guesthouse¡¯s study were acquired just for show: collections of Marx, Engels, Lenin, Mao, Elder Nan, and so on. Seeing Nie Zhenbang standing there, Shen Xiuchao signaled to the sofa and said, ¡°Have a seat, Nie.¡± After Nie Zhenbang sat down, Shen Xiuchao opened the conversation by asking, ¡°Nie, which aspects should we consider first when implementing agricultural work?¡±
Upon hearing this, Shen Xiuchao was stunned. In memory of his past life, the agricultural work wouldn¡¯t begin properly until 2001. As it turned out, Deputy Chairman Shen already had aprehensive n. He feared that after the party congress in October, Deputy Chairman Shen would focus on agricultural work as soon as he officially ascended to power. After some thought, Nie Zhenbang replied, ¡°Leader, in agricultural work, the main problem lies in dealing with issues rted to farmers, especially the burden on farmers ¨C a factor that can¡¯t be ignored. Currently, agricultural tax and retained earnings in rural areas are significant obstacles impacting farmers¡¯ ie. Alongside this, most farmers travel outside for work and the ruralnds lie unproductive. This is greatly impacting our country¡¯s food security. This time, I believe the best way to conduct agricultural work would be by canceling agricultural taxes and retaining agricultural earnings. In addition, considering the state of deserted ruralnds, I suggest implementing a policy of central financial subsidies and local financial support. The ruralnds should undergo centralized transfer and we shouldpensate for farming on thesends. This would motivate the farmingmunity.¡± ¡°Centralizednd transfer?¡± Deputy Chairman Shen was taken aback by this term. It was a new concept to him. Looking at Nie Zhenbang, Deputy Chairman Shen wondered, how could this kid have so many ideas?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
Nie Zhenbang was also a little shocked that he had unexpectedly brought up such an innovative concept. Land transfer system was just a vague idea in his mind from his previous life, he did not know how exactly it should be implemented. Now, all he could do was answer based on his own experience and thoughts. After some reflection, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Leader, this is a concept that emerged from my research. The survey data shows that there¡¯s a severe desertion of ruralnds at present. Simply abolishing agricultural tax and retaining funds is not enough. I believe that in the rural areas, there are inevitably those who are unwilling to farm, while those who are willing to settle in the countryside don¡¯t have enoughnd to cultivate. So, why not allow thends to be transferred? By concentrating morend on the leaseholder, we could speed up the process of agricultural mechanization and expand grain production, thereby ensuring the country¡¯s food security.¡± Shen Xiuchao, with his ability and rich working experience in grassroot areas and remote poverty-stricken areas, understood the gist of the unique proposition after little contemtion. He nodded and said, ¡°Nie, formte a document based on this n as soon as possible and send it to me then.¡± After a pause, Shen Xiuchao began speaking again, ¡°This time, Wanghai has done well. You have managed to pull the city out of difficulties so quickly without central financial aid or policy support, which is impressive. ¡®Daily at Seven¡¯ will also broadcast this news. You should seize this opportunity to ovee the challenges. In addition, this time the Ministry of Transport, the National Development and Reform Commission and the State Council have released ns for the development of highways in the new century. You should study it carefully.¡± After leaving Shen Xiuchao, Nie Zhenbang was still in a state of shock. These two pieces of news came at the right time. Getting featured on ¡°¡®Daily at Seven''¡± would not only expose the officials to the country, but it also represented the central government¡¯s attitude, indicating that the achievements of Wanghai were recognized. This news did not matter as much to Nie Zhenbang, but the news about the State Council¡¯s n for highway development in the new century excited him. At present, Wanghai City only has one highway, which restricts its economic development. If Wanghai can be incorporated into this nning system, more highways through Wanghai can be secured. This would greatly promote Wanghai¡¯s development. ( Chapter 573: 529: The Nannys Household Affairs_1 Chapter 573: Chapter 529: The Nanny¡¯s Household Affairs_1 At around four in the afternoon, at the Wanghaishi Municipal Party Committee auditorium, officials from all over the city gathered to attend a farewell meeting for Vice Chairman Shen. Vice Chairman Shen highly praised the economic construction and work carried out by Wanghai City and provided full affirmation for thebat effectiveness of the city¡¯s team. At five in the afternoon, Vice Chairman Shen and his delegation set out for Wanghai International Airport to return to Jingcheng. The leaders of the provincialmittee apanied him. At seven in the evening, in a small meeting room at the citymittee, all members of the standingmittee were gathered. Behind them, there were secretaries of various leaders sitting on the edges of their seats. The national television program ¡°Daily at Seven¡± officially began its broadcast. First, it reported on the activities of the party and national leaders. Then, the first piece of domestic news was about Wanghai. In the small image on the left side of the news anchor, Wanghai¡¯s new port was clearly visible in the background. In the meeting room, everyone excitedly watched the broadcast. Behind them, several discussions broke out. Li Taishi frowned, presumably displeased by theck of solemnity. However, he did not turn around and continued to stare at the television screen intently. The news anchor announced at a moderate pace: ¡°Today, Secretary of the Central Secretariat, Principal of the Central Party School, and the National Vice-Chairman Comrade Shen Xiuchao, inspected the construction of Wanghai New Port. The Deputy Director of the Central Office, State Councilor Dai Cao, and others apanied him for the inspection¡­.¡± Next, the screen cut to a scene of Vice Chairman Shen Xiuchao, under the leadership of the Provincial Committee of Minan Province and the Wanghai Municipal Party Committee, inspecting the Wanghai New Port. This was apanied by offscreenmentary. The three-minute news segment left Li Taishi incredibly shaken. Mayor Nie¡¯s background was unfathomable. Li Taishi felt immensely gratified by his past decisions. If he had been at odds with Nie Zhenbang, perhaps the city of Wanghai would look entirely different. The speed at which Nie managed to restore Wanghai, his ability, and his methods left even a well-traveled man like Li Taishi in awe. Next, the news anchor reported another piece of news. The Central Government¡¯s conference on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers was held in Jingcheng. At present, the nation has organized various relevant government departments such as the State Council and the Ministry of Agriculture to carry out surveys and research on agricultural work across the country. This signaled to Nie Zhenbang a feeling of transcendence. At that moment, Nie Zhenbang seemed to understand why sages from ancient times could sit back and look carefree. It felt great to win a battle in thefort of his own room. ¡°Daily at Seven¡± soon ended. After Li Taishi grabbed the remote control to switch off the television, all themittee members sat upright.
Li Taishi pondered for a moment, then said: ¡°Comrades, the fact that Vice Chairman Shen came to inspect Wanghai is a clear demonstration of the Central Government¡¯s concern and care for Wanghai¡¯s development. We must seize this rare opportunity. We must be diligent and pragmatic in our work and strive to build a better Wanghai City.¡± Upon parking his car outside gate number two of the citymittee¡¯s residentialpound, Nie Zhenbang got out and instructed Li Jupeng and Guo Sanbao: ¡°Jupeng, pick me up at seven tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll go take a look at the exhibition center.¡± When Nie returned home, his housekeeper Aunt Zhang came to greet him, ¡°Mr. Nie, wee home.¡± Aunt Zhang was a housekeeper that An Guoyu found for him. About fifty years old, she was in good health, a local of WangHai, and was a good cook. Aunt Zhang wasn¡¯t very talkative, and Nie Zhenbang was very satisfied with her.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Nie nodded and said, ¡°Aunt Zhang, I¡¯ve told you many times, there are no ranks or hierarchies in this house. You are my senior, and there¡¯s no high or low in work, it¡¯s just a different distribution of responsibilities in our revolution. You can just call me Zhenbang or Nie.¡± His words made Aunt Zhang smile and nod in agreement. ¡°Mr. Nie, you have a way with words. I¡¯m just a housewife, so there¡¯s no question of having any job.¡± Seeing Aunt Zhang¡¯s reaction, Nie Zhenbang paused. Although she usually behaved modestly, her expressions and demeanor were not typically like this. He thus stopped in his tracks and asked, ¡°Aunt Zhang, is there something on your mind?¡± Upon hearing his question, Aunt Zhang became somewhat flustered. She quickly waved her hands in denial, ¡°No¡­ no, there¡¯s nothing.¡± Seeing her reaction, Nie Zhenbang was even more convinced of his guess. Over the past two months, he had gained a good understanding of Aunt Zhang¡¯s character. She was an honest housewife with no hidden agendas and didn¡¯t keep anything from others. Despite looking normal at the moment, the subtle distress in her expressions confirmed to Nie Zhenbang that something was indeed bothering Aunt Zhang. Immediately, Nie Zhenbang did not rush to his study, but instead sat down on the sofa and said in a heavy voice, ¡°Aunt Zhang, don¡¯t I know your personality? You¡¯re not capable of keeping secrets. Can you tell me what¡¯s wrong?¡± At this moment, Aunt Zhang appeared somewhat flustered, waving her hand and saying, ¡°Mr¡­ Mayor, I truly don¡¯t have any problem. Please don¡¯t worry.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow also furrowed. He was very satisfied with Aunt Zhang, his housekeeper. She wasn¡¯t talkative and never required direction. She could handle everything herself. In recent times, his life had been made much easier thanks to her efforts. Following this, Nie Zhenbang intentionally replied in a serious tone, ¡°Aunt Zhang, you can¡¯t be like this, keeping worries to yourself. It may affect your performance. It looks like I need to call An Guoyu and ask him to help me find a new housekeeper.¡± The damaging effect of these words was substantial. Hearing them, Aunt Zhang appeared even more panicky. After a long silence, she finally said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, I¡­ It isn¡¯t like that. Sigh, since you insist, I will speak. My son, after only working at his job for less than a month, is facing dismissal.¡± Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang was taken aback for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought. He knew Aunt Zhang¡¯s son, Fang Bo. A 25-year-old economics graduate, he hadn¡¯t really managed to secure a job after graduation. Aunt Zhang and An Guoyu were distant cousins. When he was looking for a housekeeper, An Guoyu suggested his distant cousin. An Guoyu had reported this to him. After Aunt Zhang became his housekeeper, An Guoyu had also spoken to him about his son. Considering that Fang Bo was quite capable, Nie Zhenbang had agreed for him to be ced in a suitable position. It wasn¡¯t necessary for him to personally handle this matter; even without Secretary-General An Guoyu of the mayor¡¯s office, cing one or two people would be just a word¡¯s matter to Li Jupeng. As for this, Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t entirely rigid. A worthy person should not be disregarded just because of familial rtions. In ancient times, there was a saying that if one person became sessful, even his pets would ascend to heaven. As the holder of power, such matters were trifling. Also, he had his principles; if the person was not capable, he wouldn¡¯t agree. Having agreed, Fang Bo was assigned to work in the Investment Promotion Bureau. However, An Guoyu had been very careful, not revealing his rtionship with Fang Bo. Unexpectedly, in just one month, the Investment Promotion Bureau wanted to fire him. How did this happen? Nie Zhenbang was aware of the ins and outs of the system. Generally speaking, unless there were severe disciplinary problems or criminal offenses, the so-called ¡®iron rice bowl¡¯ would seldom be taken away. Could it be that Fang Bo had broken thew?
¡°Aunt Zhang, don¡¯t panic, sit down and tell me slowly. What happened exactly? I¡¯ve met Fang Bo. He seems quite capable and doesn¡¯t act recklessly. Why would they want to fire him?¡± Nie Zhenbang asked, sounding gentle, speaking at an unhurried pace and with a steady tone, providing an immense sense of reassurance. Under this calm demeanor, Aunt Zhang also settled down somewhat then said, ¡°Mr. Mayor, originally I didn¡¯t want to disclose this. I was afraid that you might misunderstand and think that I¡¯m trying to use my connections.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang seemed to realize something, so that¡¯s why Aunt Zhang hesitated to speak. Indeed, if Aunt Zhang initially mentioned this issue, he would have thought she was attempting to exploit her connections with him. However, now, he had no such suspicions. He nodded, smiled, and answered, ¡°Aunt Zhang, you¡¯re overthinking it. You¡¯ve been with me for two months; don¡¯t you understand my character? If Fang Bo is justified, I will definitely intervene, but if the problem lies with Fang Bo himself, then he needs to take responsibility. This is a matter of principle. I can assure you that I would not vite discipline for you.¡± Nie Zhenbang said this intentionally because Aunt Zhang was too anxious and overthinking. His words would calm her down.
As expected, Aunt Zhang seemed surprised when she heard Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, but she calmed down significantly. She nodded and said, ¡°I actually don¡¯t know the specifics, but I heard he has offended the Bureau¡¯s Director. They n to fire him.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang instantly envisioned short and somewhat overweight Liu Mingyu, the Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau. For this man, Nie Zhenbang felt nothing but disdain. He was the epitome of someone who enjoyed the benefits of his position without doing the work, acting smug while neglecting his duties. Hearing this, Nie Zhenbang stood up and said, ¡°Aunt Zhang, how about this? Call Fang Bo immediately, tell him toe over, and I will ask him what exactly happened.¡± PS: I¡¯m in a cold sweat! Went to the countryside this afternoon, set the update to automatic. I didn¡¯t expect that I would forget to set the time! Will update now. Today there will be three updates, 850 votes for the bonus update, let¡¯s see if I can release it at midnight. Brothers and sisters, hand over your votes. From the looks of it, it¡¯s hard to retain the top seven spots in the category. ( Chapter 574: 530 Visiting the Bureau of Commerce_1 Chapter 574: Chapter 530 Visiting the Bureau of Commerce_1 Upon hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, Aunt Zhang dared not take it lightly. Although Aunt Zhang was a very upright and honest person who wasn¡¯t keen on using influence or backdoors, she still very much desired an opportunity for her son to make his case. After all, all parents around the world hope for nothing but the best for their children. Without any dy, Aunt Zhang quickly moved to the telephone and dialed Fang Bo¡¯s number. After a while, she said, ¡°Bo bo, what are you doing right now? Hurry ande over to the citymittee residential area; Mayor Nie wants to see you.¡± As Fang Bo was about to respond, he was met with a busy tone on the other end. He was taken aback, but he was well aware that his mother worked as a maid in Mayor Nie¡¯s home. Despite his reluctance for his mother to continue working in such servitude, he epted her decision. Having said that, Fang Bo was not naive. In this era, skill is not the most crucial thing. Even if one has abilities, without opportunities to showcase them, they would be in vain. His mother¡¯s employment had opened doors for him at the Investment Committee, and this experience made this understanding even more profound. At this moment, when he received his mother¡¯s call, Fang Bo didn¡¯t dare to procrastinate. He promptly grabbed his briefcase and headed out. From Tongping District to the urbanmittee government residentialplex, a taxi ride, passing through the Wanghai Bridge and onto Wanghai Ind, would take approximately twenty minutes.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om On Nie Zhenbang¡¯s end, he rxed by consuming some fruits, reading a book on economic philosophy. About half an hourter, a doorbell rang from outside, and Aunt Zhang immediately stood up upon hearing the sound. Opening the door, she found her son, Fang Bo, standing at the entrance. After making room for Fang Bo toe inside, she whispered to him, ¡°Bo Bo, when Mayor Nie asks you about itter, tell him about the incidents at your establishment, why you were dismissed. Be fair, don¡¯t hide anything, understood?¡± All parents in the world worry about their children. At this moment, hearing Aunt Zhang¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang had some heartfelt reflections. He then got up, slightly bowed, and greeted, ¡°Little Fang, please, have a seat.¡±
As Aunt Zhang left to fetch water for them, Nie Zhenbang took the opportunity to observe the young man standing before him. He was not very tall, about 1.7 meters in height, with a well-proportioned physique, sharp brows, and sparkling eyes that gave him a handsome appearance. Purely in terms of appearance, Fang Bo could indeed be considered outstanding. Looking at Fang Bo, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Little Fang, you have a very honorable mother.¡± Nie Zhenbang gestured with his hand to stop Fang Bo from responding, then continued, ¡°Little Fang, don¡¯t think of it as your mother trying to pull strings or use connections for you. In fact, your mother has very noble qualities, which I believe have influenced your character. Therefore, you should trust your mother. The reason I want to see you is not because of your mother¡¯s words, but because I want to understand the situation at the Investment Committee from you. Can you exin why Liu Mingyu wants to dismiss you from your public position?¡± Gazing at Fang Bo, Nie Zhenbang continued, ¡°The act of dismissing a public official is no small matter, it is about taking someone¡¯s means of livelihood. It is not a decision that Liu Mingyu can make alone. It has to go through a partymittee meeting, voted on, and then after reporting to the editorial board and manpower department, only then can it go into effect.¡± In the meantime, Aunt Zhang had brought out tea. After first cing arge purple y teapot in front of Nie Zhenbang, she then ced a small teacup in front of Fang Bo. She whispered, ¡°Bo Bo, report your work situation to the Mayor properly.¡± Having spent so much time as a maid in Nie Zhenbang¡¯s home, Aunt Zhang had picked up on many bureaucratic terms. Upon hearing this, Fang Bo understood that Mayor Nie was indeed as impartial and just as he had heard. Fang Bo realized that his mother could not possibly influence any decisions made by Mayor Nie. The previous conversation was filled with deeper implications. Mayor Nie had pointed out that dismissal requires approval by the partymittee after a vote. But presently, his own dismissal was being considered, stating the fact that most members of the partymittee agreed with his dismissal, didn¡¯t this mean that his work performance was inadequate? Soon after, Fang Bo nodded and said, ¡°Mayor, the main reason Director Liu wants to dismiss me is because I apparently overshadowed his nephew, Liu Peng, in themittee.¡± Fang Bo¡¯s attitude made Nie Zhenbang secretly nod in approval, Aunt Zhang¡¯s nurturing was definitely trustworthy. Logically speaking, given Liu Mingyu was dismissing him, Fang Bo could directly refer to Liu Mingyu by his name when talking to those close to him. However, Fang Bo still referred to him as ¡°Director Liu¡±. This then demonstrated that Fang Bo was not narrow-minded. ¡°Stealing the limelight? What¡¯s going on?¡± Nie Zhenbang was all the more curious at this moment. Could there be any limelight to steal in this Investment Promotion Bureau? ¡°Mayor, it¡¯s like this. Last time, I made aplete investment n for the industries of the Eastern Sea Group which was the responsibility of the Investment Promotion Bureau. This earned me the appreciation and recognition ofrade Luo Xiaobing, the deputy director of our bureau. However, at that moment, Liu Peng also made a proposal. Eventually, under the insistence of Liu Mingyu, Liu Peng¡¯s n was chosen. But in the end, the investment promotion work was unsatisfactory. After Director Liu was criticized by you, there were quite a few voices in the bureau saying my n was more pragmatic and better than Liu Peng¡¯s. This made Director Liu resent me. The day before yesterday, at a party group meeting convened by the bureau, Director Liu proposed to dismiss me. His reasons were that I was not conscientious and responsible at work, and that I was cking off during working hours.¡± Fang Bo organized hisnguage a little and then started talking. Having heard this, Nie Zhenbang waspletely stunned. Liu Mingyu, director of the Investment Promotion Bureau, was really strange. He appeared stern on ordinary days, his demeanor even more imposing than his own as the mayor. It was unexpected that he was such a character. Even if Fang Bo were indeed umitted and cking off, such things were quitemon within the governmental system. Lazying about, yingputer games, reading novels during work hours, all were verymon. Rectifying discipline should at most result in a reprimand, and definitely not warrants dismissal. Clearly, this was a case of abusing public power to settle personal grudges. Thinking of this, Nie Zhenbang fell into silent contemtion, then looked at Fang Bo and said: ¡°Fang, did you bring your investment n with you?¡± Fang Bo nodded and pulled out his investment n from his briefcase. Opening the n, the neat and standardized calligraphy leaped off the paper, revealing the effort Fang Bo had put into writing the entire n by hand. The n was not long, because it was highly targeted, dealing specifically with the mess left by the Eastern Sea Group¡¯s industries. So, in less than ten minutes, Nie Zhenbang finished reading the entire n. At this moment, Nie Zhenbang felt overwhelmingly impressed. Fang Bo was truly talented. The n was well-structured, clear and coherent, certainly a rare masterpiece. More importantly, the n was highly practicable. For the first time in the field of investment promotion, the n proposed the model of investment tax rebate. Nie Zhenbang wasn¡¯t sure when this model started, but nowadays, the main investment promotion policy is the ¡°three exemptions and three reductions¡± policy. The services provided, such as the investment tax rebate and the ¡°nanny-style¡± service, are very novel. ording to Fang Bo¡¯s n, several groups from the Investment Promotion Bureau will go to Yuedong, Jiangbei, south of Yangtze River, Hucheng City, Jingcheng and Tiangu City etc. for special investment promotion. It could be ascertained that if this n could be fully implemented without any discount, there would be no need for Yang Anbang and others to intervene in the matters of the Eastern Sea Group. Domestic economic entities can fully digest these matters. A genius, a true genius. Thinking this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s impression of Fang Bo also improved. This was definitely Liu Mingyu¡¯s mistake, and Nie Zhenbang has never liked this Director of the Investment Promotion Bureau. As the director, Liu Mingyu should bear the responsibility for the chaotic investment promotion work in WangHai.
After a moment¡¯s consideration, Nie Zhenbang nodded and said, ¡°Fang, don¡¯t publicize or spread this matter. Tomorrow, I will visit the Investment Promotion Bureau.¡± The next morning, just after seven o¡¯clock, Nie Zhenbang had already eaten his breakfast. A special steamed dumpling from Minan county. Aunt Zhang was from Minan herself and her skills were very good; this satisfied Nie Zhenbang. It seemed that with Aunt Zhang as the nanny, he didn¡¯t need to worry about the trivial matters of daily life. As soon as it was seven o¡¯clock, the municipal partymittee¡¯s second car, bearing the license te of South D-00002, slowly pulled up at the gate of the courtyard. At this time, Li Jupeng had already gotten out of the car from the co-driver¡¯s seat.
Nie Zhenbang also picked up his briefcase and came out. Li Jupeng took Nie Zhenbang¡¯s briefcase very proficiently and naturally and whispered, ¡°Mayor, are we going to the exhibition center now? Isn¡¯t it too early?¡± The exhibition center doesn¡¯t open until eight o¡¯clock. Originally, Nie Zhenbang intended to go there without alerting anyone to conduct an on-site investigation and hear what the representatives of the tourism industry and travel agencies had to say. However, the event ofst night caused Nie Zhenbang to cancel this n. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Go to the city government first. Also, inform Secretary An that I will visit the Investment Promotion Bureau at eight o¡¯clock this morning.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Jupeng seemed a little hesitant. He said, ¡°Mayor, isn¡¯t it too hasty to go at this time?¡± Nie Zhenbang said calmly, ¡°Hasty, what I want is hasty. What I want to see is their daily work scene. Consider it a surprise attack.¡± PS: Congrattions to ¡®Joyful Fish Bubbles¡¯ for bing a grandmaster of this book, and congrattions to Brother ¡®A1398796¡¯ for bing the sect leader of this book. The two of you are mighty. I seek your support with monthly tickets. Today I can only guarantee three updates. There will probably be one more update after midnight. Tomorrow, I will strive to dedicate five updates to my dear readers. I need your support with monthly tickets. (.) Chapter 575 - 531: Lawless_1 Chapter 575: Chapter 531: Lawless_1 ¡°Mayor, do you think we should notify Liu Mingyu from the Business Bureau?¡± Inside the car, An Guoyu seemed somewhat cautious, suggesting. Nie Zhenbang¡¯s expression was somewhat stern, and his voice was very cold: ¡°No need, this time, let¡¯s give the Business Bureau a surprise visit. I want to see the actual working status of the Business Bureau.¡± Right at eight o¡¯clock, the car entered the courtyard of the Business Bureau of Wanghai City. The Business Bureau, as a department newly established in Wanghai City at the beginning ofst year, works primarily to attract investments for the city¡¯s economic development and acts as amunication bridge and link between enterprises and the government. Being a new department, the six-story office building was brand-new, appearing very imposing. As Nie Zhenbang¡¯s car entered the courtyard of the Business Bureau, many employees from the office building peeked out of their windows to observe. Stepping out of the car, Nie Zhenbang walked forward, with the municipal government secretary, An Guoyu, on his left and the secretary, Li Jupeng, on his right. Upon entering the lobby, An Guoyu stepped forward and asked the office staff: ¡°Where is your Chief Liu Mingyu?¡± This question left the young employee somewhat at a loss. Seeing him like this, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s brow furrowed even more. What was going on with this Liu Mingyu? He was not even punctual for work. This attitude made An Guoyu¡¯s face somewhat sour. A grand municipal government secretary couldn¡¯t even find out about one person¡¯s whereabouts. If word got out, he would lose face. Next, An Guoyu¡¯s voice became stern: ¡°Comrade, what¡¯s going on? Why are you stammering? Say it straight, don¡¯t you understand? How hard can it be to say what¡¯s happening?¡± The young employee seeing all this knew there was no escape. He quietly said, ¡°The Chief hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡± At this moment, on the fifth floor of the Business Bureau, the Deputy Chiefs of the Business Bureau, along with the Chief of the Discipline Inspection Team and the Office Director, had gathered in the office. ¡°Deputy Chief Luo, think of something. How can we cover this up? Mayor Nie is waiting downstairs. This is a disaster!¡± The one speaking was a middle-aged fat man, with arge gold chain around his neck, making him look more like a businessman than an official. Luo Xiaobing, the second-highest ranking Deputy Chief in the Business Bureau, with a height of about 1.78 meters, was very thin and looked more like aborer than an official. Listening to what the fat man said, Luo Xiaobing replied: ¡°Director Sun, I only know Chief Liu¡¯s work number. Now, I can¡¯t reach any of his numbers. What can I do? You, as the office director, can¡¯t track down Chief Liu¡¯s whereabouts. How would I know?¡± Speaking, Luo Xiaobing proposed to the other deputies: ¡°Now, with Mayor Nie waiting downstairs, it would seem inappropriate if we don¡¯t go down. Let¡¯s invite Mayor Nie up together first. If we don¡¯t get Liu caught for beingte, it would save us some face. And when the timees, we¡¯ll still have room for negotiation.¡± Gong Houjun, a member of the Party Group of the Business Bureau, acting as both the Chief of the Discipline Inspection Team and Chairman of the Labor Union, agreed: ¡°Deputy Chief Luo is right. It¡¯s inappropriate that we¡¯ve kept Mayor Nie waiting for so long. I think we should go down first.¡± When the deputy leaders of the Business Bureau stepped out of the elevator, Nie Zhenbang was standing at the entrance of the office building¡¯s lobby. He was staring at the front entrance of the Business Bureau. Standing straight, his feet slightly apart and hands behind his back remained motionless without any expression or words. Luo Xiaobing and the others exchanged looks, then Luo Xiaobing braced himself and came up, quietly saying: ¡°Secretary, what should we do with the Mayor? I believe we should go to the conference room first.¡± Without waiting for An Guoyu¡¯s response, Nie Zhenbang said: ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯ll wait right here for Chief Liu. I want to see what could possibly make himte to work.¡± After hearing Nie Zhenbang say that, An Guoyu couldn¡¯t really say anything else. He spread his hands towards Luo Xiaobing to suggest that he was helpless, and then he also stood beside Nie Zhenbang. Behind him, the leaders of the Business Bureau all had to wait behind as well. The scene seemed eerily peculiar. The middle-level staff and employees of the Business Bureau were curiously watching what was happening. The Mayor stood in the doorway, like a gatekeeper, with all the officials of various ranks behind him. It was as if they were weing an important leader for a work inspection. At half past eight, it was already half an hour past the usual work time. However, at this moment, there was no one to be seen at the entrance. Luo Xiaobing, lookingpletelyposed, didn¡¯t hold much esteem for Liu Mingyu. When the Mayor showed up unexpectedly, Luo Xiaobing keenly sensed the strangeness of the situation. At the moment, being under no pressure, he was rxedly waiting for the final oue. On the side, the director of the office, Sun, was covered in sweat. As time passed, he feared that Director Liu was in trouble this time. Using the excuse of going to the restroom, Director Sun stepped out into the hallway next door, took out his cell phone, and dialed a number again. However, the phrase ¡°The subscriber you have dialed is powered off¡± that came from the other end of the line, made Director Sunpletely desperate. At nine o¡¯clock, an hour had already passed since the beginning of the working hours, yet Nie Zhenbang hadn¡¯t moved at all. The officials behind him couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. Nie Zhenbang, who had undergone rigorous military training, could maintain such an unorthodox military pose for as long as he wanted, even for an entire day, never experiencing any problems. At this moment, An Guoyu walked up to him and whispered in his ear, ¡°Mr. Mayor, it¡¯s already nine o¡¯clock¡­¡± Before An could finish his words, Nie Zhenbang raised his hand and said, ¡°Old An, order everyone to find a chair inside and take a rest. I¡¯ll wait here. I want to see when director Liu Mingyu shows up for work.¡± Nie Zhenbang¡¯s determination was unwavering, and his attitude was resolute. An Guoyu, who had worked for Nie Zhenbang for a long time, had a good understanding of his character. Mayor Nie would never let go of things he believed in. How powerful Shi Yiwu had been, wielding influence in Wanghai City and appearing invincible. Even if Nie Zhenbang retreated for a while, he never gave up. In the end, the victor was still Nie Zhenbang. Hearing Nie Zhenbang¡¯s words, An Guoyu didn¡¯t utter another word. However, he felt sympathy for Liu Mingyu. What misced luck Liu had, to have Mayor Nie decide on a whim to conduct a surprise inspection on the business promotion bureau. It wasn¡¯t just the inspection, it was also Liu Mingyu¡¯s unconscionable tardiness. Wasn¡¯t he asking for trouble? At nine-thirty, all the officials waiting behind were mourning for Liu Mingyu. Beingte by an hour and a half can be considered serious absenteeism. For amon man, it would just be considered a day off, but Liu Mingyu¡¯s position was different; he was a bona fide official enjoying the treatment afforded to deputy department-level cadres. He definitely held himself to a different standard. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om As time slowly passed, it was almost ten o¡¯clock. Director Sun hadpletely lost hope, every attempt to reach him via phone call met with the same message: The subscriber you have dialed is powered off. At this point, after Mayor Nie had been standing for two hours straight, he turned around for the first time. This prompted all the officials seated to their feet and approach him. Nie Zhenbang looked around at the crowd and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Is this how Liu Mingyu usually operates?¡± As soon as his words fell silent, the whole room did the same. At this moment, everyone knew that the Mayor was furious, who would dare take the risk and speak out? The officials pushed the responsibility onto others, ultimately, it was Luo Xiaobing who stood up and answered, ¡°Director Liu does have a habit of beingte, but as for how long, we haven¡¯t really taken notice.¡± Luo Xiaobing didn¡¯t dare to lie now, but he wasn¡¯t going to fully disclose either. It was still unclear what the oue for Liu Mingyu would be, and if Luo told the entire truth, wouldn¡¯t he be asking for trouble if Liu Mingyu continued as usual? Nie Zhenbang gave Luo Xiaobing a nce. Despite his honest and hardworking nature, this cadre, who bore great resemnce to a farmer, somewhat disappointed Nie Zhenbang. His effectiveness was certainlycking. However, from Luo¡¯s words, Nie Zhenbang could infer that Liu¡¯s supposed asionalteness must be a regr urrence, and his im of not noticing must be simr to today¡¯s situation. As time continued to pass, around half-past ten, a ck Toyota drove into thepound. But to Nie Zhenbang¡¯s surprise, the car didn¡¯t stop, it instead began to turnaround in the courtyard. Upon seeing this, Nie Zhenbang frowned, stepped forward, and instructed his driver Guo Sanbao, who was waiting by his official car, ¡°Old Guo, block the gate.¡± Guo Sanbao acted swiftly. His Audi, which had already been parked in the right location, started up swiftly and blocked the gate before the ck Toyota could get there. At this point, all of the officials stepped outside. Seeing this scene, Luo Xiaobing was thrilled. Liu Mingyu¡¯s audacity was astonishing. Seeing Mayor Nie here and not getting out of the car, instead trying to drive away. He had good calctions; if he didn¡¯t show up the whole day, he could easily use other excuses to evade, such as his parents being gravely ill, or an emergency with his inws or wife, etc. Unfortunately, Liu Mingyu didn¡¯t anticipate the Mayor¡¯s alertness. Soon after, Luo Xiaobing approached Nie Zhenbang and whispered, ¡°Mr. Mayor, that¡¯s Director Liu¡¯s official car.¡± Seeing that the gate was blocked, the Toyota adjusted its position and parked in a spot. Liu Mingyu then got out of the driver¡¯s seat. PS: I ask for your support with your monthly votes. Brothers and sisters.( Chapter 576 - 532: Dismissal and Investigation (850 extra tickets, calling for monthly tickets)_1 Chapter 576: Chapter 532: Dismissal and Investigation (850 extra tickets, calling for monthly tickets)_1 At this moment, a flicker of panic shed across Liu Mingyu¡¯s face, which quickly subsided. He stepped up, beaming and bowing deferentially. He nodded and said, ¡°Mayor, hello. What brings you here?¡± n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t look too pleased at the moment. He snorted coldly and said rudely, ¡°Director Liu, why I am here, if I wasn¡¯t here, would I witness such a thing? This isplete anarchy, Liu Mingyu, do you still have any organizational discipline in mind? Do you still understand rules and regtions? Or do you believe that being in charge of the Bureau of Investment Promotion, no one dares to manage you, so you do as you please? Look at the time yourself, are you at work? This looks like you have finished work. As a middle and high-ranking official of the government, are you still a Party member? Do you still have party principles in your mind?¡± Originally, Nie Zhenbang thought that after this onught, Liu Mingyu would surely surrender and be left speechless. However, Nie Zhenbang¡¯s estimation was wrong. At this moment, Liu Mingyu was stunned and looked wronged. He nodded and said, ¡°You are right in your criticism, Mayor. I will humbly ept it. Mayor, my reasons are understandable this time. This morning, a delegation from Chunan Wind Industries came for an investment inspection, and I apanied them.¡± Upon hearing this, Nie Zhenbang gave a cold snort and said, ¡°Oh? Is that so? Then Director Liu, how do you exin preparing to leave as soon as you entered the gate and saw me here?¡± Liu Mingyu¡¯s face changed slightly, but he responded, ¡°Mayor, I am truly sorry. When I just entered, I suddenly realized that I had left some documents at the Wanghai Hotel. So, that¡¯s why I turned around in a hurry to fetch them. I indeed shouldn¡¯t have overlooked you. I offer you my deepest self-criticism for my disrespect. Please punish me for my behavior.¡± Hearing Liu Mingyu¡¯s cunning exnation, Nie Zhenbang realized that this man probably knew he couldn¡¯t escape his predicament and started stirring up trouble. Thosest words were meant to mock him, making anyone who didn¡¯t know better believe that he, the mayor, was narrow-minded and vengeful. However, Liu Mingyu miscalcted. Nie Zhenbang was always indifferent to such tricks. As the saying goes, ¡°history is written by the victors¡±, and Nie Zhenbang had a unique and profound understanding of this sentence. Moreover, letting Liu Mingyu off so that he could continue hiswlessness would be truly intolerable. Then, Nie Zhenbang spoke solemnly, ¡°Is that so? Ju Peng, you and Old Guo go to the Wanghai Hotel right now, check if there are people from Chunan Wind Industries there, and if there are, invite them over.¡± Lies are always lies. Liu Mingyu never expected Nie Zhenbang to say such a thing. Normally, to check if there were these people there would be quite normal. When lying, Liu Mingyu had also considered that he¡¯d interacted with representatives from Wind Industries, they had treated him to dinnerst night. But from then until now, he hadn¡¯t met with them. On confronting these facts, wouldn¡¯t everything be revealed? As things had reached this point, Liu Mingyu knew, that whatever he said now would be toote, and utterly meaningless. Li Jupeng was very fast, within less than ten minutes; he had the Wind Industries representatives over. As soon as they got off the car, Li Jupeng introduced with a smile, ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce to you, this is Comrade Nie Zhenbang, Deputy Secretary of the Wanghai municipal partymittee and Mayor of the People¡¯s Government.¡± ¡°Mayor, these are representatives from Wind Industries. This is Mr. Ouyang Bo, the chairman of Wind Industries.¡± Nie Zhenbang looked at Ouyang Bo, with his neat short hair, a height of about 1.75 meters, not fat, and not thin. His eyes showed some sharpness, along with a businessman¡¯s acuity. Then, Nie Zhenbang also smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Ouyang, wee, wee. I represent the Wanghai City Municipal Party Committee and City Government, and warmly wee Mr. Ouyang to invest and prosper business in Wanghai.¡± After a pause, Nie Zhenbang didn¡¯t beat around the bush, but directly cut to the chase, ¡°Mr. Ouyang, this time we¡¯ve asked you toe over, mainly to confirm one thing, when did you and Director Liu part ways?¡± At this moment, Liu Mingyu, standing next to Nie Zhenbang, was frantically signaling to Ouyang Bo, hoping that Ouyang Bo would understand. If Ouyang cooperated well, not only would he not be in trouble, but it could even make Nie Zhenbang lose face, and cause him a little embarrassment. Now that he was on the brink of survival, Liu Mingyu no longer cared whether Nie Zhenbang would lose face or not. Liu Mingyu¡¯s intentions had not escaped Ouyang Bo¡¯s notice. He could easily guess that Liu Mingyu had arrivedte today. Since their dinner the previous day, Ouyang Bo had been able to make some sense of the situation. At this moment, Ouyang Bo was deep in thought. Based on their interactions yesterday, he found Liu Mingyu difficult to deal with due to his excessive greed. Ouyang Bo, as an investor, was effectively there to provide funds. In any other ce, they would be tripping over themselves to amodate investment, offering various incentives and conditions on a proactive basis. But things were different in Wanghai City. Not only were there no incentives, but he was also being obstructed and extorted. They would only offer preferential treatment if he gave them what they wanted. What sort of situation was this? If it wasn¡¯t for Wanghai¡¯s geographical location and regional advantages, Ouyang Bo would have considered packing up and going back home. Although it was his first time meeting Mayor Nie, Ouyang Bo could see many differences in Nie Zhenbang. This man was a pure official. To Ouyang Bo, a pure official was one who upheld principles while focusing entirely on developing the economy and bringing happiness to the people. Businessmen who adhered to the rule ofw would be happy and content under such a person¡¯s leadership because they were not required to care about all kinds of misceneous matters. They just needed to focus on their own businesses. No wining and dining was necessary. However, if someone tried to break thew and disrupt order, such an official would be the first to take action against them. Nevertheless,pared to Liu Mingyu, Ouyang Bo would still choose thetter. For Ouyang Bo, conducting honest business transactions was his ideal. Then, Ouyang Bo began to speak: ¡°Mayor Nie, Liu Mingyu and I parted ways after finishing dinnerst night. We haven¡¯t met since then. I had nned to visit the Wanghai City High-tech Zone, and I¡¯ve been calling Liu all this time, but no one answered. Why, Mayor Nie, is there a problem?¡± When these words were uttered, the room exploded. All the officials looked at Liu Mingyu with pity. Luo Xiaobing sneered inwardly at Liu¡¯s audacity. Dying and making excuses was one thing, but deceiving a superior officer was a grave offense within the system. Nie Zhenbang nodded in satisfaction, Ouyang Bo was truly exceptional for a businessman. He turned to Li Jupeng and instructed, ¡°Ju Peng, please escort Mr. Ouyang and his team back to the hotel. Also, give your business card to Mr. Ouyang. We wee Dafeng Industry to invest in Wanghai, as long as it¡¯swful and reasonable.¡± This was a promise from Nie Zhenbang to Ouyang Bo, and with this promise, Dafeng Industry¡¯s investments would surely get a green light. After Ouyang Bo and the others left, Nie Zhenbang turned his attention back to Liu Mingyu and asked in a stern voice, ¡°Liu Mingyu, do you have anything to say for yourself?¡± Liu Mingyu kept his head low, not daring to speak. In this situation, silence was his only option. Nie Zhenbang red at everyone in the room and furiously said, ¡°Liu Mingyu, you have crossed the line. You¡¯ve deceived a superior officer ande in two and a half hourste. Instead of recognizing your mistakes and making amends, you¡¯ve used pathetic tactics to cheat your superiors. Your behavior is egregious. It shows that youck discipline, respect for your party, and suitability for being a party member or an official. Look at the entire Investment Promotion Bureau. It¡¯s lifeless, stagnant. Is this what an Investment Promotion Bureau should look like? It should exude energy and vigor. However, all I see is sluggishness, outdated ideology, and a sense of superiority. This is dereliction of duty, egregious dereliction of duty.¡± Then, Nie Zhenbang turned to An Guoyu and said, ¡°Secretary An, call Secretary Jiang Huguang of the Municipal Discipline Inspection Commission right away and inform him about the current situation. Ask the Discipline Inspection Commission to investigate Comrade Liu Mingyu. Also, in my name, inform Secretary Tai Shi and Secretary Qi of the Municipal Party Committee, and Minister Liu of the Organization Department. I suggest that all of Director Liu Mingyu¡¯s duties as Director of the Investment Bureau should be terminated immediately. Deputy Director Luo Xiaobing will temporarily lead the work of the Investment Bureau.¡± No one expected Nie Zhenbang to be so assertive and announce this decision even before the Standing Committee meeting had been convened. Liu Mingyu was also infuriated and shouted, ¡°Nie Zhenbang, on what grounds are you doing this? Stopping me from carrying out my duties¡­ you don¡¯t get to decide that. You¡¯re just the mayor, this should be decided by the Municipal Party Standing Committee.¡± Now, Liu Mingyu fought back even though he was cornered. In such a circumstance, he had no courtesy and started arguing with Nie Zhenbang. Nie Zhenbang frowned and scoffed, ¡°On what grounds? On the grounds that you¡¯re neglecting your duties, sitting in your position and doing nothing, deceiving your superior. Because I am Nie Zhenbang!¡± PS: There will be five more chapters today, I appreciate your support. We¡¯ve made it through 20 days, can we not persevere for thest ten? We have already reached 23rd ce on the overall list, and while I¡¯m not asking for much, I would at least like to maintain our position in the top seven of the urban category. (.) The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!