Chapter 299: People and Affairs (Middle)

Chapter 299: People and Affairs (Middle)

Loneliness coiled around Yang Senlin’s heart like a small snake. Since arriving in Yiyang from Shazhou, he had arrived with high ambitions, eager to accomplish tangible results in this county. However, governing a large county with nearly a million people was vastly different from working in a municipal department with only a handful of staff. The gap between theory and practice was immense. More critically, the intricate web of personnel relationships formed a vast, complex net, and he felt like merely an insect trapped within it.

“Governing a large state is like cooking a small fish.” Recalling this famous quote from the ancients, Yang Senlin cursed under his breath, “What a lie. Anyone who treats governing a country like cooking a small fish is either a genius or a madman.”

He drove his car aimlessly through the streets of Yiyang. This was a habit he had cultivated over the years. Whenever he encountered an unsolvable problem, he would drive around the city like the eccentric scholars of the Wei, Jin, and Southern and Northern Dynasties. When hungry, he would find a small eatery, order some braised pork, a bowl of tofu soup, and two bowls of rice. His mood would invariably improve as the food settled in his stomach.

He drove to Shawanzi, which had once been a crucial node on the Sha-Yi Road, marking the boundary between Shazhou City and Yiyang County. After the expressway opened, Shawanzi had rapidly declined. No longer did women and children gather there to sell snacks. The concrete pavement had cracked, and a layer of dark green moss had begun to grow.

“There are no obstacles in the world that cannot be overcome. I must achieve something significant in Yiyang, or Uncle Zhu will look down on me.”

Yang Senlin sat quietly at Shawanzi for over an hour. Then, he suddenly started the engine, pressed the accelerator, and returned to the road. He drove along the old highway back toward Shazhou. By the time he arrived, it was past eleven. He found a small eatery on the edge of the city, ordered several home-style dishes, and ate slowly while pondering his thoughts.

It was a light, ordinary lunch, yet Yang Senlin took more than an hour to finish it. He had deliberately left his mobile phone in the car to avoid interruptions. After eating, he returned to his car and waited until 2:30 PM before calling Meng Houshi, the Secretary-General of the Municipal Government.

“Uncle Meng, it’s Senlin. Nothing urgent, I just wanted to chat with you.”

Meng Houshi looked at the thick stack of documents on his desk. “I have a few matters to handle. How about this? Come to my house at three o’clock, and we’ll have dinner there tonight.” He then called his wife. “Old woman, Senlin is coming for dinner tonight. Cook two carp and open a bottle of Shaoxing yellow wine.”

Meng Houshi’s wife was in her fifties. Although he called her “old woman,” she was actually a sharp, capable middle-aged woman. She replied, “Senlin is too sharp and shows off his talents too much; he has the exact same personality as his father. Now that he is at the grassroots level, he is likely to offend many people. You should advise him tonight.”

When Yang Senlin arrived at Meng Houshi’s house on time, Meng was already waiting in the study. The air conditioning was set to 26 degrees, making the room cool and refreshing. A Go board sat on the coffee table, made of camphor wood with distinct grain patterns, giving it a rich texture.

All the wrinkles on Meng Houshi’s face seemed to smooth out. The usually stern old man revealed a gentle side. “Senlin, let’s play a game first. It’ll be satisfying.”

Yang Senlin didn’t hesitate. After Meng Houshi placed his stone, Yang Senlin tapped his piece and placed it with a sharp clack. They had played against each other countless times and were thoroughly familiar with each other’s strategies. In the middle game, Yang Senlin made a careless move, and a large group of his stones was captured.

Meng Houshi took a refreshing sip of tea and said, “Senlin, your Go skills have declined since you went to Yiyang half a year ago.”

Yang Senlin smiled bitterly. “I’ve been so busy my head is spinning. Where would I find time to play Go?”

Meng Houshi was well-informed about the situation in Yiyang. “As the County Party Secretary, you should be more detached compared to the administrative head. As long as you manage the people well, everything else will be under control.”

This was precisely the purpose of Yang Senlin’s visit. He couldn’t help but complain, “I am only the Deputy County Party Secretary. My words don’t carry much weight in Yiyang.”

Meng Houshi chuckled. “You’ve encountered resistance in the recent cadre adjustments, haven’t you?”

Yang Senlin knew Meng Houshi always had his ears to the ground. “Recently, I tried to adjust a batch of cadres—the Director of the New Management Committee, the Secretary of Chengguan Town, and the Director of the Land and Housing Bureau. These are key positions, but I simply couldn’t move them. If the County Party Secretary can’t manage cadres, what’s the point?”

Meng Houshi said, “Haste makes waste. You have never led independently at the local level before. This was a deliberate arrangement by Uncle Zhu. If you handle it well, it will lay the foundation for your career development. If not, well, you should prepare to return to the provincial capital for work.”

Yang Senlin’s expression turned ugly, and he looked indignant.

“You don’t need to achieve remarkable results this year, nor do you need to push your own ideas. Just maintain the current situation, and opportunities will naturally arise.” Meng Houshi waved the hand holding his glasses and explained, “Zhu Yan has status in the city and is Zhou Changquan’s trusted subordinate. After graduating from the Party School, he aims to become a member of the Municipal Standing Committee. Why bother clashing with him? The loss outweighs the gain.”

Hearing that Zhu Yan was being promoted, Yang Senlin’s eyes lit up. “Zhu Yan really isn’t returning to Yiyang?”

“Hmph. In Shazhou, plans never keep up with changes. This information slipped out accidentally from Mayor Liu. Just keep it in mind.”

Meng Houshi added, “Don’t ask Uncle Zhu about this. He is a man of principle. He told me that if you truly cannot serve as County Party Secretary, he will reconsider your placement. He might transfer you to a better position in the provincial capital.”

When Yang Senlin was appointed Deputy County Party Secretary, Zhu Jianguo had also said this solemnly. Yang Senlin was naturally proud and ambitious. Even after suffering setbacks in Yiyang, he was unwilling to complain to Zhu Jianguo lightly.

Zhu Jianguo, the Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee; Meng Houshi, Secretary-General of the Shazhou Municipal Government; and Yang Senlin’s father had all been colleagues at the Shazhou Machinery Factory. Back then, Zhu Jianguo was the Youth League Secretary, while Meng Houshi and Yang Senlin were technical backbone members of the workshop. After the armed conflicts began, the three young men joined the factory’s Red Flag Rebel Combat Team.

Yang Senlin’s father was full of vigor, daring to fight and charge. During the most intense fighting, he once carried an assault rifle and raided the stronghold of the conservative faction, becoming a renowned combat hero within the team. Heroes are often linked to tragedy. In a factional battle, Yang Senlin’s father was hit squarely in the chest by a large-caliber machine gun. He was cut in two on the spot, leaving not even a last word.

This was a tragedy of the era. The pain was deeply buried in the hearts of Zhu Jianguo, Meng Houshi, and others, becoming a memory that could never be erased.

Zhu Jianguo and Meng Houshi held special affection for Yang Senlin, treating him like a nephew. Moreover, Meng Houshi and Yang’s father had apprenticed under the same master at the factory, making their relationship even closer. Yang Senlin had grown up under Meng Houshi’s watchful eye since childhood, so he felt closer to Meng and spoke more casually with him.

Yang Senlin was intelligent and capable, but like his father, he had an impatient personality and was eager for quick success. This was a major taboo in politics. Meng Houshi saw this clearly and had reminded him more than once. However, it is easy to change a river’s course but hard to change one’s nature. After starting work, Yang Senlin often clashed with his superiors over work matters. Although his views were later proven correct, he won the argument but lost the relationship.

Fortunately, with the care of Zhu Jianguo and Meng Houshi, Yang Senlin was promoted step by step despite offending many people. This appointment as Deputy County Party Secretary of Yiyang was also arranged by Zhu Jianguo. If Yang Senlin handled it well, he had a high probability of becoming the youngest County Party Secretary in Lingxi.

“Senlin, your foundation in Yiyang is too shallow. You cannot take steps that are too large. You have been focusing only on Ma Youcai and ignoring Zhu Yan’s existence. This is a major mistake. Fortunately, no major problems have arisen yet. After returning to Yiyang, make up for it quickly. Remember, communicate with Zhu Yan on all matters. It will only benefit you.”

Two months ago, Yang Senlin might not have accepted Meng Houshi’s advice. Now, he finally realized the complexity of the situation. “Tomorrow, I will visit Zhu Yan and strive to gain his support.”

The next day, Hou Weidong was convening a meeting for the New Management Committee cadres. Since the merger of the New Management Committee and the Development Zone, there had been a sudden increase of over ten deputy heads of secondary departments. To integrate the primary and secondary leadership teams, meetings had become more frequent than before.

Hou Weidong was speaking passionately when Xiao Liu from the office walked in with a phone message. “Director Hou, there is a notice from the County Party Committee Office. They request that you arrive at Secretary Yang’s office at ten o’clock sharp.”

Hou Weidong hurried to Yang Senlin’s office. Yang Senlin stood up politely and shook Hou Weidong’s hand, which left Hou Weidong somewhat flattered.

“Director Hou, I have reviewed the recent work report of the New Management Committee. Your work has been very effective, and the County Party Committee is satisfied. Once the loan from the Development Bank arrives, how can we ensure the funds are used effectively? How can we fully leverage the ten-billion-yuan loan? This is a profound matter. I plan to visit Secretary Zhu in Lingxi this afternoon to seek his guidance. At the same time, I would like to meet with experts from the Development Bank to solicit their opinions.”

Hou Weidong subconsciously wondered, “What is Yang Senlin’s true purpose in doing this?”

Yang Senlin continued, “This is a small-scale visit. I will take you and Da Jin along. You must prepare the relevant materials thoroughly. When meeting with the Development Bank, we need to leave a good impression.”

Accepting this somewhat strange task, Hou Weidong returned to his office, pondering the situation all the way. He immediately called Li Jing.

“I’m going to Lingxi today with Secretary Yang Senlin of the County Party Committee. In the afternoon, I’ll meet with Secretary Zhu first, and in the evening, I’ll have dinner with experts from the Development Bank.”

Li Jing laughed brightly. “You have no conscience. You haven’t called me proactively for so long. This doesn’t count since I called you. The Southeast Asian financial crisis has also impacted Jinggong Group. With such a big issue, you let a weak woman like me bear the burden on my delicate shoulders. You are too cruel.”

“Look, I still need to come to Yiyang tomorrow. First, to collect debts—the Transportation Bureau hasn’t transferred the money to Jinggong Group’s account yet. Second, to inspect my bluestone quarry in Shangqinglin. It’s not that I don’t trust you; it’s my right as an investor. Third, Chairman Musan said the New Management Committee is thriving, and Jinggong Group wants to take a look. As an investor, I expect you, as the Director of the New Management Committee, to personally receive me.”

After a few jokes, Li Jing said softly, “Will you come to my place tonight?”

This remark nearly made Hou Weidong’s blood boil.