*Chapter 71: Gods Fighting (Part 1)*
Using a fortune teller to get things done did not conform to the standard procedures and rules of government work. It was a crooked trick. If one were to scrutinize it strictly, it would constitute a serious disciplinary violation. Only someone like Hou Weidong, who was only half-detached from the organization, could come up with such an idea.
The next morning, Hou Weidong dragged Xi Zhaoyong out of bed early. Without giving him a chance to argue, he pulled him to the tofu pudding set meal shop. Hou Weidong treated him to breakfast.
Although Hou Weidong had not been in Shangqinglin for long, he had already become a local celebrity. As the two were leaving, Yao the Skinny greeted them enthusiastically. "University Student Hou, come over for lunch today. I’ve prepared a steamer of fresh intestines."
"Save some for me. I’ll come with Officer Xi for a drink at noon."
Xi Zhaoyong had served as a scout, so his physique was excellent. Hou Weidong was also strong. Both walked at a brisk pace, and soon they arrived at the hilltop they had visited the day before. They found a slope that offered a view overlooking Old Man Li’s house, sat down, and began chatting while observing the house below.
At 9:50, a figure appeared at Old Man Li’s doorstep. From the top of the hill, due to the distance, they could only make out the general appearance of Xing the Fortune Teller.
Xing wore a long gown. His long beard and robes fluttered in the wind, giving him an air of ethereal elegance. He walked around the outside of the house, saying something unintelligible, and then Old Man Li came out.
The two stood outside and exchanged a few words before going inside.
Seeing them enter, Hou Weidong smiled. "It looks like this has mostly succeeded. Xing the Fortune Teller actually looks decent. If he dressed up carefully, he might even resemble an enlightened master."
Xi Zhaoyong held an old, heavy military canteen. He took a casual sip and said, "If this works, it’s like a blind cat catching a dead mouse. If it fails, that’s normal too. We’ll have to think of other tricks."
Hou Weidong looked troubled. "I’ve thought of all the methods I could. Besides, I’m just a private soldier now, with no position and no power. My ability to get things done is very limited."
The two stared intently at the scene below.
Xi Zhaoyong appeared calm, completely different from his usual fierce demeanor. His eyes were distant and deep.
"Brother Xi, I heard you fought in Vietnam?"
High above, several eagles circled in the sky.
Xi Zhaoyong took another sip from his military canteen and spoke slowly. "I was part of the first batch to participate in the war. I was in the 33rd Army."
Xi Zhaoyong generally disliked talking about those days. But sitting on the tree-covered hilltop today, suddenly remembering the passionate years of war, his desire to talk arose.
"The 33rd Army was an elite unit. Its predecessor was the 154th Regiment, which had participated in the Battle of Pingxingguan. Our opponent was the Vietnamese 13th Division. The 13th Division was fully equipped with Soviet gear and was one of the four main forces of the Vietnamese army. Although it was called a division, in terms of personnel and equipment, it was equivalent to an army corps. This was probably learned from the Americans."
"The commander of the Vietnamese 13th Division was Nguyen Chi Dong. He was incredibly arrogant. He claimed, 'We will eat dumplings at Youyiguan and celebrate the Spring Festival in Nanning.' After our army reached Laojie, we launched an attack on the Vietnamese 13th Division. Their fortifications were well-built, and they fought tenaciously. After three days of fighting, we suffered heavy losses and still failed to take Laojie."
Xi Zhaoyong fell into reminiscence. "Later, I heard that Xu Shiyou got angry. He said that if Laojie wasn’t taken, the 33rd Army would go back to take care of their children, and let other brother units handle it. Army Commander Li Zhian then made a military pledge, saying we would take Laojie in two days."
"Since a direct assault failed, Army Commander Li ordered the entire army to retreat, luring the 13th Division out. The 13th Division fell for it. Once they were drawn out of their positions, we surrounded them at Wanli Mountain. They were completely wiped out, and Commander Nguyen Chi Dong committed suicide. However, our losses were also significant. At that time, I was the deputy company commander of the reconnaissance company. After taking Laojie, only twelve men remained in our company. Over a hundred sturdy young men died in Laojie."
Hou Weidong’s father had also been in the Guangdong Military Region and had almost participated in this major battle. Therefore, Hou Weidong was very interested in the Sino-Vietnamese Self-Defense Counterattack War and had collected a lot of information. He knew about the Battle of Laojie, but the records were static, while people were alive. Hearing the brutal combat described by a participant had a different flavor.
"So how did you end up at the Qinglin police station?"
After a moment of silence, Xi Zhaoyong said, "After taking Laojie, my comrades were so enraged that they killed some prisoners. This matter was later exposed by Soviet journalists, causing a bad impact. After the war, I almost faced a military tribunal. Later, I was transferred to the Yiyang Public Security Bureau and assigned to the Qinglin police station."
Xi Zhaoyong’s experience left Hou Weidong sighing. Compared to him, Hou Weidong temporarily forgot about his own situation.
After chatting for a while, Xing the Fortune Teller and Old Man Li came out. Old Man Li and Xing took a walk around the mountain, and then Old Man Li escorted Xing down the mountain before returning.
"Old Man Li must have been fooled by Xing the Fortune Teller. This is done," Hou Weidong said, quite pleased.
Xi Zhaoyong nodded. "Wait until we see the Fortune Teller tomorrow. If the matter is settled, we’ll have Xing take the money and leave."
The next day, Hou Weidong invited Qin Dajiang to Old Man Li’s house. To Qin Dajiang’s surprise, Old Man Li readily agreed to move the grave. He only specified the exact location for the relocation, which happened to be the feng shui treasure spot that Xing the Fortune Teller had identified.
With this major difficulty resolved, the road construction project in Shangqinglin began. Hou Weidong threw himself entirely into the road-building effort. As the saying goes, when hearts are united, Mount Tai can be moved. By November, the alignment of the highway had been laid out. Of course, the road was only a rough outline, and it was still far from being open to traffic.
On the morning of November 10, Hou Weidong insisted on finishing cleaning the office and meeting room. Just as he was preparing to go to the construction site, Yang Xinchun called out, "University Student Hou, take the phone. Secretary Jiang is looking for you."
He picked up the phone and heard the voice of Deputy Secretary Jiang Xingcai. "Hou Weidong, are you still working on the road? I received a notice from the County Youth League Committee. You are required to attend the Young Cadres Training Class at the Yiyang Party School. The duration is one month."
Hou Weidong had been rolling around at the road construction site every day for the past few days. His mind had no room for anything else. Hearing suddenly that he was to attend the Young Cadres Training Class, he couldn’t react immediately. It was only when he heard the "hello, hello" on the other end of the line that he realized what was happening. He hurriedly said, "Secretary Jiang, when do I go, and what procedures do I need to bring?"
Jiang Xingcai laughed twice on the other end of the phone. "The notice says classes start the day after tomorrow. Come down tomorrow to pick up the notice, and then you can go to study."
After hanging up, Hou Weidong scratched his head. "What’s going on? They’re actually sending me to the Young Cadres Training Class."
He thought it over and over but still couldn’t figure it out. He saw Township Head Gao coming down from upstairs and said, "Township Head Gao, I just received a call from Secretary Jiang. I’m to attend the Young Cadres Training Class at the Yiyang Party School for one month."
Township Head Gao said happily, "Congratulations, congratulations. This is a good thing. Those who can attend the Young Cadres Training Class are promising young people from various places and units. It seems hard work does pay off."
Although he said this, Township Head Gao was puzzled in his heart. "What’s going on here? I heard from Jiang Xingcai that Zhao Yongsheng is not fond of Hou Weidong. Why is he sending him to the Young Cadres Training Class? This Zhao Yongsheng has strained his relationship with Qin Feiyue. There’s no need to involve Hou Weidong. It’s truly gods fighting, and mortals suffering."
Hou Weidong had no idea that Township Head Gao was turning over countless thoughts in his mind. He closed the office door and said, "I’m going to work on the road. I’ll tell Qin Dajiang and Zeng Xiangang about this."
Township Head Gao said, "You’ve worked hard for a while. Rest well in the room. I’ll tell them for you."
"We need to add riprap at the several turning points and build retaining walls. Today I’ve invited Engineer Liu, and he also wants to inspect the site."
Watching Hou Weidong’s retreating back, Township Head Gao’s smile froze on his face. He shook his head regretfully, went upstairs, and continued watching TV.
Hearing that Hou Weidong was going to study, Zeng Xiangang clamored, "Secretary Qin, let’s gather the brothers. Come to my house for lunch today. We’ll hold a farewell dinner for Crazy Hou." Qin Dajiang said, "Going to the Young Cadres Training Class definitely means becoming an official."
Since the road construction began, Hou Weidong had been like a madman, guarding the road every day. Therefore, in the three villages of Shangqinglin, Hou Weidong’s nickname had changed from "University Student Hou" to "Crazy Hou."
Hou Weidong quickly bowed with hands clasped. "Dear brothers, I surrender. Spare this little brother. You are all high-powered individuals. Who dares to provoke you?"
A villager nearby, who was moving riprap, said, "Leader Hou, you are an honest person. You should have become an official long ago."
The construction site was bustling with activity. Hou Weidong had integrated into it. From a distance, one could hardly tell who was a cadre and who was a mass member.
"Crazy Hou, Engineer Liu is here."
Hou Weidong threw down a piece of riprap. Although it was November, he was still wearing only a vest. He went to greet Liu Wei, radiating heat.
"Engineer Liu, this is a sharp curve. Please come and take a look. Does it meet the standards?"
Liu Wei was dressed very warmly. Two people followed behind him. Qin Dajiang, standing beside Hou Weidong, recognized the newcomers and said, "Secretary Gao, you’re back."