Chapter 147: The Indirect Path to Town Construction (Part 6)

*Chapter 147: The Indirect Path to Town Construction (6)*

By the mid-1990s, various regions in Shazhou were merging small townships into larger towns. A typical town’s population ranged between 20,000 and 50,000, while larger ones boasted 70,000 to 80,000 residents. With increased population and expanded territory, the responsibilities shouldered by the township party secretary grew significantly. Consequently, the selection of a township party secretary became far more rigorous than for smaller townships. Candidates needed not only rich work experience but also strong connections within the county leadership.

For exceptionally large towns, the appointment of the Party Secretary required the explicit approval of the County Party Secretary.

Qinglin Town was not classified as an extra-large town, yet its economy was steadily strengthening. Zhao Yongsheng’s ability to serve as Party Secretary here was undoubtedly due to his influential network. This backing allowed him to remove Qin Feiyue from the position of township mayor and effectively subdue Su Ming, creating a harmonious and united atmosphere within the town’s Party and government apparatus. This stability had earned high praise from the Organization Department.

Minister Xiao had hinted that the title of “Five-Good Leadership Team” was virtually guaranteed for them today.

As township party secretary, Zhao Yongsheng remembered most of what township mayor Su Ming had said in the past. Su Ming’s proposal to build a new town center still left a deep impression on him. When Hou Weidong finished speaking, Zhao immediately sensed that this was Su Ming’s original idea resurfacing.

Before Su Ming could even react, Zhao swiftly shut down the discussion. “The old plan has already been reviewed by the Civil Affairs Bureau. There is no need to propose a new one. We will proceed with construction according to the original blueprints.” His statement was firm and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation with Deputy township mayor Hou Weidong.

Through on-site inspections, Su Yajun from the Social Affairs Office had already accepted Hou Weidong’s new proposal. Hearing Zhao Yongsheng dismiss it so casually, Su Yajun looked at Hou Weidong with an inquiring gaze.

Hou Weidong had not anticipated that Zhao Yongsheng would so abruptly reject his reasonable suggestion. He glanced at Su Ming out of the corner of his eye and saw the township mayor writing with a stern expression. Undeterred, Hou argued his case: “Secretary Zhao, if I may add one more point. Overall, the new plan costs nearly 200,000 yuan more than the old one, but the social benefits are vastly different. Under the new plan, once the nursing home is built, it can accommodate all the ‘Five Guarantees’ households from Xiaqinglin. It will prevent housing shortages for at least ten years. The old plan involves rebuilding on the original site, which offers no capacity for expansion. The moment it is completed, housing will be tight.”

Zhao Yongsheng listened quietly, then replied calmly: “Qinglin Town’s finances are already strained. Where would we find an extra 200,000 yuan? Deputy Mayor Hou, if you can find that money, I will agree to the new plan.”

Hou Weidong responded immediately: “The old nursing home is a street-front property. If the town funds the construction of a small three-story residential building, we can sell the storefronts and the upper-floor apartments to generate immediate cash. Alternatively, we could value the old nursing home’s location and use that equity to offset payments to the construction company. Either way, the funding issue can be resolved.”

Their back-and-forth exchange took on the tone of a debate. Since Qin Feiyue’s transfer, Zhao Yongsheng had held a dominant position in the town. It had been a long time since anyone had openly argued with him at a joint Party and government meeting. Liu Kun, sitting beside Zhao, watched Hou Weidong with surprise, thinking to himself: Has Hou Weidong lost his mind? Zhao Yongsheng has already made his stance clear. Why is he pushing so hard?

Su Ming, who had been staying in the background, saw the deadlock forming and stepped in to smooth things over. “Deputy Mayor Hou, this matter requires further research. Once you have refined the plan, submit it to the joint Party and government meeting for study. I suggest we move on to the next agenda item.”

His suggestion did not explicitly reject the new plan. Sensitive cadres could hear the underlying message: the issue was not closed, but not ready for immediate decision.

The subsequent agenda items proceeded without disagreement. By just past eleven, the joint Party and government meeting concluded.

Hou Weidong went to Zhao Yongsheng’s office. “Secretary Zhao, I am here to make a self-criticism. I presented the new plan today without consulting the two leaders beforehand. I will be more careful next time.”

Hearing Hou Weidong’s relatively sincere apology, Zhao Yongsheng felt somewhat appeased on the surface. He smiled meaningfully. “Today was a joint Party and government meeting. Raising opinions openly and honestly shows that our Qinglin Town Party Committee practices democratic centralism well. There is no need for a self-criticism.”

After the debate in the meeting, Zhao Yongsheng privately felt that the new plan was indeed superior to the old one. However, he needed to maintain his authority as township party secretary. Even if he agreed to the plan later, he would delay it for at least a month. He would bring it up again at an appropriate time and in a suitable manner. In short, he wanted to keep the power of decision firmly in his own hands.

Leaving the secretary’s office, Hou Weidong muttered to himself, “Damn it. Half a rank higher in office can crush you.” Hou Weidong had a stubborn streak by nature. Rather than being discouraged by the shelving of his proposal, he felt a surge of competitive spirit.

Su Yajun from the Social Affairs Office was waiting outside. Upon entering, he asked, “It seems Secretary Zhao does not agree with the new plan. Deputy Mayor Hou, what is our next move?”

Hou Weidong sat in his chair, tapping the desk with his fingers. “If the nursing home cannot be built, the collective housing project is also in jeopardy.”

Su Yajun did not care much about where the nursing home was located, but the collective housing project directly affected his personal interests. He said, “Building the nursing home and the collective housing are not directly linked. Even if the nursing home is rebuilt on the original site, we can still proceed with the housing project.” He then asked, “Have you reported the collective housing matter to Secretary Zhao?”

Seeing Hou Weidong shake his head, Su Yajun looked dejected. He returned to his office and stewed in frustration for a while before concluding, “Young men with smooth chins are unreliable in handling affairs.”

At lunchtime, Su Ming called Hou Weidong. “Deputy Mayor Hou, come to my house for dinner.” Since they had a secret understanding, Su Ming was brief and direct.

Hou Weidong remembered the small lesson he had learned three years ago when he first arrived at the township government. Before eating, he stood by the window to observe. Only after Zhao Yongsheng and Su Ming had left the township government compound did he lock his door and slowly walk out. He kept watch all the way, moving like a spy going to a rendezvous, before slipping into the alley where Su Ming lived.

Once inside the alley, Hou Weidong couldn’t help but chuckle. It is perfectly normal for a deputy mayor to eat at the mayor’s house. Why act so secretive? After laughing at his own paranoia, he still looked back over his shoulder before entering Su Ming’s house.

In an official system where performance matters less than leadership evaluation, carefully adhering to unwritten rules is often more important than achieving actual results. Hou Weidong was currently navigating these hidden currents.

“Mayor Su, given Secretary Zhao’s attitude, it will be difficult to proceed with the next steps.”

Su Ming knew that Hou Weidong had a good relationship with Qin Feiyue, so he spoke without reservation. “Zhao Yongsheng and Qin Feiyue both have strong personalities. They never saw eye to eye. My situation with Mayor Qin is different. I was once Zhao Yongsheng’s subordinate, and I am newly appointed as mayor. It is not appropriate for me to clash with him openly. However, I am still determined to build the town indirectly. Otherwise, serving a term as mayor without leaving any achievements would be too humiliating.”

He continued his analysis: “I have worked with Zhao Yongsheng for many years. Over the past two years, he has become increasingly conservative, seeking only a smooth transition and unwilling to take risks. We need to find a good entry point.”

“I will not fall out with Secretary Zhao unless absolutely necessary. Harmony benefits both; conflict harms both. By not confronting him directly today, I have left myself a way out. Later, I can communicate with him more flexibly.”

Su Ming’s wife was extremely virtuous. She worked tirelessly in the kitchen. While the two men discussed another man with ulterior motives, she served up stir-fried cured meat and Mapo Tofu. The meal was not lavish, but it was delicious.

Sipping wine, Hou Weidong constantly pondered how to persuade Zhao Yongsheng to achieve his goals. Unable to think of a better method immediately, he自嘲 (mocked himself): “Democratic centralism. Democracy is just the prefix; centralization is the core. With Secretary Zhao holding the gate, it is impregnable.”

Su Ming felt a bit embarrassed on the surface. “It is not that serious. He does listen to opinions.”

The following few days were calm. The blueprints were finalized on April 27. Li Jing acted quickly. Upon receiving the drawings, she immediately used public resources for private gain, finding an excuse to send a construction team to install a medium-sized stone cutter and begin foundation work for the quarry. Simultaneously, they started digging the foundation for the Xingping Bridge.

Yan Daoli was overjoyed to see the construction team arrive. He visited the site for two or three hours every day. When the first stone block was placed, he invited Hou Weidong to his home. The two drank heartily. Yan Daoli was cunning but had a low tolerance for alcohol. By the time Hou Weidong left, he was still sober, while Yan Daoli had drunk himself into a stupor by midnight.

On May 1st, the Social Affairs Office did not allow any leave. Everyone waited in the office for orders. Hou Weidong was also highly tense. This was the first day of implementing the new funeral policy. From this day on, earth burials were banned throughout the town.

Those willing to pay could still choose earth burial, but 5,000 yuan was undoubtedly a huge sum for the peasants of Qinglin Town. The Social Affairs Office was prepared to handle any emergencies.

They guarded the office all day. By evening, news came from various areas: “No one died.” Hou Weidong and all the comrades in the Social Affairs Office finally breathed a sigh of relief. That evening, the Social Affairs Office hosted a dinner at Zhang’s Restaurant. Zhao Yongsheng, Su Ming, Hou Weidong, the entire Social Affairs Office, and the police station staff all attended. Zhao Yongsheng attached great importance to funeral reform. He proactively drank three cups with Director Qin of the police station, aiming to secure his support for the reform.

On May 2nd, Hou Weidong had just settled down when the phone rang.

The voice of Li Wenlong, Deputy Director of the Civil Affairs Bureau, came through the receiver. “Deputy Mayor Hou, Qinglin Town is so lucky. No one died yesterday.”

Hou Weidong laughed. “I only recently took charge of the Social Affairs Office. The people of Qinglin Town are giving me a small favor.”

Li Wenlong laughed twice, then his tone became formal. “Problems occurred in Lishan Town and Wutan Town yesterday. Especially in Lishan Town, the Social Affairs Office prevented the deceased from being buried, leading to a physical altercation. Two comrades from the Social Affairs Office were injured. The County Public Security Bureau had to intervene to calm the situation. Qinglin Town must be very careful.”

Hou Weidong did not dare to neglect this. He reported the situation to Zhao Yongsheng and Su Ming separately. At 9:30, Zhao Yongsheng, Su Ming, Hou Weidong, Liu Kun, the police station, the Social Affairs Office, and the Party and Government Office gathered in the small conference room. After briefing everyone, Zhao Yongsheng emphasized: “According to statistical data, one person dies in Qinglin Town every one or two days. Since no one died on May 1st, someone will definitely die today. This is an unchangeable law. Everyone must be mentally prepared. We must win this first battle.”

He then gave instructions: “Secretary Liu, call every branch secretary in the name of the Town Party Committee. Instruct them to fully utilize the fighting fortress role of the Party branches and ensure the implementation of funeral reform.”

“Deputy Mayor Hou, you must stay in the town around the clock. Organize manpower effectively. In case of emergencies, react quickly to ensure the task is completed. However, you must master the right methods and avoid causing serious incidents.” He paused slightly. “Funeral reform is an arduous task. True gold fears no fire. Only those who can shoulder this burden are true heroes.”

After Zhao Yongsheng’s mobilization speech, Su Ming discussed some specific details. The meeting adjourned, and everyone returned to their posts.

On the afternoon of May 2nd, Hou Weidong was drinking tea and reading newspapers in his office when the red phone rang startlingly.

“This is Hou Weidong. What is it?”

“This is Xiao Guocai. Someone died in our village last night. The family is secretly burying him. You must come quickly. If you are late, they will have finished burying him.”

Xiao Guocai was the Party Branch Secretary of Xiaohewan Village in Xiaqinglin. He did not interact much with Hou Weidong. What impressed Hou most was Xiao’s completely bald head. While others with balding heads retained some hair, Xiao’s baldness was absolute. He had not a single hair on his head, looking like a plucked chicken.

Hou Weidong had no mood to think about his hair. He rushed down the nine steps in three or two strides. Arriving at the Social Affairs Office, he found that everyone had already heard the news. Their faces showed a mix of pre-battle panic and excitement. Su Yajun was shouting loudly: “Get the funeral car here quickly! Bring the corpse exhumers! I estimate they have already started burying. It will take an hour and a half to dig it up. Be as fast as possible!”

He hung up the phone and said to Hou Weidong, “Deputy Mayor Hou, I have contacted the funeral home. They are sending a car immediately.”

Hou Weidong did not answer him. Instead, he used his mobile phone to call Director Qin of the police station. “This is Hou Weidong. Someone died in Xiaohewan Village and is being secretly buried. Our people are heading there immediately. Please send support.”

Director Qin was sitting in the police station duty room. He replied lazily, “The Public Security Bureau has instructed us not to deploy police forces casually.”

Hou Weidong was anxious and suppressed his anger. “Director Qin, funeral reform is a unified deployment by the County Government. The Public Security Bureau has stated its support. Be straightforward. Send people out quickly.”

Director Qin had been the head of the Qinglin police station for some time. Due to the presence of the quarry and coal plant, his life was more comfortable than that of typical township police stations. Therefore, he showed some respect to Hou Weidong, who was essentially a source of wealth. “For the sake of our friendship, Brother Hou, I will let my men go.”