Chapter 58 The Road-Building Madman (Part 12)
This week, there are no recommendations; I am launching this completely on my own. I hope my friends who support Xiao Qiao will help promote this new book. Please, I beg of you!
……………………………………
Qin Feiyue seemed not to have heard clearly and asked in return, “What do you mean by ‘borrowing in a private name’? The money for building the highway will ultimately have to be resolved by the fiscal budget. Old Su, this is acting first and reporting later.”
Township Head Su chuckled twice and said, “Township Head Qin, I am acting according to your own viewpoint.”
“Releasing water to raise fish requires building the pond first. Shangqinglin is rich in resources; building the road is equivalent to constructing the dam. Only when the dam is built can we better release the water.” Having said this, Township Head Su patted Hou Weidong on the shoulder. “Although Xiao Hou is new here, he has a sharp eye for issues. Our current term of government must show the courage to risk everything to complete the mountain highway. Once the road is built, our fiscal revenue will double within three years. What is political achievement? This is the greatest political achievement.”
“Furthermore, Xiao Hou is borrowing in a private name, and I have no intention of using fiscal funds to repay it. Once the highway is completed, enterprises will surely come in. At that time, raising ten thousand yuan will be a piece of cake.” Township Head Su had one more thing to say: “The foundation’s management is lax. It won’t matter much if this ten-thousand-yuan loan is delayed for a few years.”
Qin Feiyue and Party Secretary Zhao Yongsheng had sharply conflicting views on how to develop enterprises. During their argument that afternoon, only the short-statured Township Head Su had expressed support for Qin Feiyue. Therefore, Qin Feiyue felt grateful to him in his heart. Hearing Su’s explanation, he did not blame him too much for acting on his own authority. Instead, he said, “You are in charge of the foundation, so approving a ten-thousand-yuan loan falls within your power. Since the first step in road construction has been taken, you must keep a close eye on the matter and push it forward properly. I think this can be designated as a ‘people’s livelihood project’ for the Qinglin government in 1993. County Head Ma is currently advocating for county-wide transportation initiatives. I will find an opportunity to report this to him and strive to secure funding.”
Hou Weidong’s road-building plan had unexpectedly become a people’s livelihood project for the Qinglin government, which made him very happy. During the meal, he took turns toasting everyone. All those present had good tolerance for alcohol; the six of them drank seven rounds of wine before finally stopping.
After finishing the meal, it was already dark. Hou Weidong politely declined Township Head Su’s invitation to stay, borrowed a flashlight, and headed back to the Shangqinglin Forest Farm with the blueprints in hand.
Walking the mountain road during the day, the scenery was beautiful, with sights everywhere along the way. But at night, the mountain path appeared particularly eerie. The mountain wind blew, causing the trees to rustle with sounds resembling ocean waves. From the distant mountain peaks came one mournful bird call after another.
Hou Weidong was slightly tipsy, his heart filled with the joy of success, so he felt no fear. After vomiting a bit halfway up the mountain, he hummed the tune of “Sailor” as he continued walking up the mountain path. When he reached the summit, he saw a bright moon hanging seemingly right over the peak of Qinglin Mountain. Looking back at the pitch-black forest, he finally felt a twinge of fear.
After climbing the mountain and passing several farmhouses, dog barks rose and fell in succession. Hou Weidong was not afraid of ghosts or bandits, but he was afraid of dogs. He found a stick by the roadside and returned to the Shangqinglin Forest Farm with his heart pounding in fear amidst the barking. Fortunately, the dogs only barked from within their yards and did not rush onto the path. When Hou Weidong stepped onto the stone-paved road of the Shangqinglin Forest Farm, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Back in his small room, Hou Weidong boiled some water and then laid the blueprints on the table to study them carefully. The blueprints were not complex; aside from some professional terminology, Hou Weidong understood about eighty to ninety percent of them.
The next day, Hou Weidong woke up early. Full of enthusiasm, he found Township Head Gao, and the two of them went together to Qin Dajiang’s home in Dushi Village.
Upon hearing the news that the blueprints had been obtained, Qin Dajiang was not as happy as expected. He merely said “Oh” and sat to the side, smoking.
Hou Weidong, caught up in his excitement, did not notice Qin Dajiang’s expression, but Township Head Gao detected something unusual. “Secretary Qin, why the long face?”
Qin Dajiang remained silent for a while before saying, “Yesterday, I met Director Yang of the Qinglin Forest Farm and told him about the highway construction. He just smiled and said that a new director named Guo Guanghui has arrived, and I would have to speak with him for it to work.”
Township Head Gao said in surprise, “What does it matter if the director has changed? Once the highway is built, the forest farm will benefit too. Come, let’s go find him.”
Qin Dajiang said, “I heard that Guo Guanghui is a stubborn mule. He insisted on fining He Hongguo two hundred yuan for cutting down two paulownia trees.”
Hou Weidong was confused and asked, “What does our road construction have to do with the Qinglin Forest Farm?”
Qin Dajiang explained, “On Shangqinglin Mountain, besides the three villages, there is also a state-owned forest farm—the Qinglin Forest Farm. The highway going up the mountain must pass through more than one kilometer of state-owned forest. Director Ouyang had previously promised us that we could occupy land freely and that he would handle the procedures. However, according to Director Yang, the new Director Guo may not agree to this plan.”
Township Head Gao said, “Let’s not jump to conclusions yet. Let’s go to the forest farm headquarters first and see.”
The three of them set off immediately. After crossing several mountain ridges, they stood on the summit and saw a square-walled compound built on a flat basin near the foot of the mountain. Inside the walls, trees were planted densely. In one corner, vibrant red flowers bloomed brilliantly, dazzling to the eye.
Qin Dajiang pointed at the wall and said to Hou Weidong, “That is the headquarters of the Qinglin Forest Farm.”
Township Head Gao and Qin Dajiang were old residents of Qinglin and were familiar with most of the people at the Qinglin Forest Farm. Greeting people along the way, they arrived at the director’s office.
Deputy Director Yang Bingzhong led the three of them into the office and introduced them to a middle-aged man with short hair: “This is Director Guo of the forest farm. This is Township Head Gao from Shangqinglin, Secretary Qin from Dushi Village, and this is…”
Township Head Gao introduced, “This is the newly assigned college graduate, Deputy Head of the Working Group, Hou Weidong.”
Guo Guanghui walked over and shook hands with each of them, saying, “Welcome, Township Head Gao, for your guidance at the forest farm. Director Yang and I discussed it, and we were planning to visit you up the mountain in the next few days.” Director Yang added from the side, “Yesterday, we went to town and met Secretary Zhao and Township Head Qin.”
After a round of polite greetings, Township Head Gao stated their purpose for visiting.
Upon hearing that they wanted to occupy forest farm land, Guo Guanghui’s expression turned serious. “How long is the section of the highway passing through the forest farm?”
“Less than one kilometer.”
Guo Guanghui thought for a long time before saying, “The Qinglin Forest Farm has been designated as part of the Yangtze River Forest Protection Area. Occupying more than one mu of land must be reported to the district and county forestry bureaus. The mountain highway, including drainage ditches and shoulders, will be at least ten meters wide. Sixty meters is close to one mu, six hundred meters is close to ten mu, and one thousand two hundred meters is twenty mu. Occupying so much land, I’m afraid the bureau will not approve it.”
Seeing that Director Guo was using official bureaucratic language, Qin Dajiang said, “The Qinglin Forest Farm and Qinglin Township have always been like brother units. We gather together several times a year. Director Ouyang had previously promised that as long as we built the road, he would provide support free of charge. Director Guo is an upright person and will surely maintain this fine tradition. Moreover, once the road is built, transporting timber up the mountain will be much more convenient.”
Because the Qinglin Forest Farm had no roads, during thinning operations, they always slid timber down the slopes. Due to the long distance, this was very labor-intensive. If a highway were built, transporting timber would be much faster. This was also the reason why Director Ouyang was willing to provide forest land free of charge.
Guo Guanghui had recently been transferred from the Forestry Bureau’s Forest Police Station to the Qinglin Forest Farm, rising from an ordinary police officer to the top leader of the farm. He had never worked in local government and lacked direct experience in grassroots work. After listening to Qin Dajiang, he thought for a moment and said, “Secretary Qin, this is the first year of the Yangtze River Forest Mountain-Closing Project. Procedures are controlled very strictly. If there is indiscriminate logging, it will definitely be a serious disciplinary violation.” His tone softened slightly as he added, “Of course, building the road is a good thing, and the forest farm will certainly support it. I will make a special report to the bureau to see if they agree to this matter.”
Hearing Director Guo speak in such a formal, bureaucratic manner, Qin Dajiang felt anger rising. “The three villages of Shangqinglin have been very supportive of the forest farm. Every spring, during fire prevention season, if it weren’t for the cooperation of the surrounding villagers, the forest farm would have long been burned to the ground. Last year, a member of Dushi Village was even injured while fighting a fire. If the villagers find out that the forest farm is not allowing the highway to be built, things might become difficult to handle in the future.”