Chapter 105: East Wind and West Wind (9)
May arrived, bringing with it the anticipation of the major township government reshuffle scheduled for six months later. This cycle involved simultaneous elections at both the county and township levels, resulting in a massive personnel shuffle. Every grassroots civil servant with even a modest rank in the county was already calculating their future trajectory.
The longstanding friction between Secretary Zhao Yongsheng and Mayor Qin Feiyue of Qinglin Town made their respective fates a focal point of intense speculation. Rumors swirled like spring rain, filling the air with uncertainty. Some claimed Zhao Yongsheng would be transferred to the Discipline Inspection Commission as deputy secretary, while Qin Feiyue would take over as Party Secretary of Qinglin. Others insisted Qin would return to the Township Enterprise Bureau as director, leaving Zhao in his current post. A third, more cynical theory suggested that due to their lack of unity, the county leadership intended to punish them equally—demoting both by half a rank and reassigning them elsewhere.
Like military strategy, these rumors were a mix of truth and fabrication, leaving everyone bewildered. By mid-May, a new version gained traction: Zhao Yongsheng would be appointed director of a section in the county government, while Qin Feiyue would become the Party Secretary of Qinglin Town. This version was the most widely believed, and even Hou Weidong accepted it as likely truth.
Hou Weidong, however, remained isolated in his domain at the Goubewan Quarry, indifferent to the changing seasons. With the quarry operating at full capacity to prepare materials, he was too busy to care about the political maneuvering in Qinglin. After all, gossip thrives among those with idle hands; since government offices often had little substantive work, they were the perfect breeding ground for such rumors.
As the weeks passed, the gossip provided entertainment for many. Suddenly, June arrived, and the major infrastructure project, the Shayi Road, finally broke ground. Originally planned for 1994, the project had been delayed to 1995 due to the county’s lack of funds.
Traffic on the road to Shangqinglin surged. The sounds of pneumatic drills and explosions became a constant backdrop. There were over a dozen quarries of varying sizes along the route, employing two to three hundred villagers. After a day of heavy physical labor, these workers needed more meat in their diet, which immediately boosted business at the meat stalls in the town.
The construction team for the Yiyang Road strictly followed the intentions of the Transportation Bureau’s leadership: they prioritized stone from the Goubewan and Xiaowan quarries. Only when these two sources proved insufficient would they consider materials from Qin Dajiang’s quarry, Yinggang’s site, Xi Zhaoyong’s quarry, Zeng Xiangang’s quarry, or Tian Dadao’s quarry. Smaller, independent quarries were entirely excluded from consideration.
This was an unspoken but rigid principle.
However, the volume of crushed stone required for the Yiwu Road was so immense that no single quarry could supply it alone. Even the quarries owned by Qin Dajiang and others had to operate at full capacity to meet peak demand. Consequently, this preferential policy mainly served to squeeze out the smaller quarries, without significantly altering the operational reality for the larger players.
Along the Shangqinglin route, a stark divide emerged: "Big quarries feast, small quarries starve." The owners of the large quarries were either village cadres or township cadres, possessing significant local influence. The smaller bosses, despite their grievances, dared not resort to the underhanded tactics they might use against outsiders. One reckless young owner, envious of the big quarries’ success, had once cut the power lines to Tian Dadao’s quarry under cover of night. The next day, Tian Dadao, wearing handcuffs, led a search party across the mountains. Although no culprit was found, the display of force terrified the smaller bosses into submission.
Nevertheless, the small quarries had one advantage: their crushed stone was cheaper. This allowed them to serve sporadic, small-scale customers, enabling them to barely sustain their businesses. Of course, their total profits paled in comparison to those of the large quarries.
Goubewan Quarry was managed entirely by He Hongfu. After receiving the payment for the Shayi Road project, Hou Weidong awarded He Hongfu a bonus of 5,000 yuan. This brought He’s monthly income, including salary and bonuses, to over 1,500 yuan. Given He’s contributions and the quarry’s revenue, a higher reward might have been justified. However, there is an old Chinese saying: "An inch of rice creates gratitude; a bushel of rice creates enmity." A 5,000 yuan bonus made He Hongfu happy; a 50,000 yuan bonus might have bred resentment or unrealistic expectations.
Therefore, Hou Weidong capped He Hongfu’s compensation at around 1,500 yuan. In his view, securing a diligent and responsible manager for that amount was a cost-effective deal.
To prevent He Hongfu from accumulating too much unchecked power, Hou Weidong recruited two young men with junior high school educations: Huang Jun and Lin Zhongchuan. Huang Jun served as the accountant, while Lin Zhongchuan acted as the warehouse keeper and safety officer. Together, He Hongfu, Huang Jun, and Lin Zhongchuan formed the management tier of Goubewan Quarry.
On June 17, Hou Weidong had just returned from the quarry to the old township government office. As he entered the courtyard, Yang Xinchun waved him over. "Madman, come here quickly. I have news for you."
Having lived in the mountains for over a year, Hou Weidong had become familiar with everyone in the area. He walked over to Yang Xinchun’s postal agency, sat down heavily in a rattan chair, and asked, "Who came looking for me today?"
Hou Weidong’s dormitory was equipped with a program-controlled telephone, but since he was rarely home, he had given clients Yang Xinchun’s number. Yang kept a small notebook to record any messages.
Yang Xinchun didn’t reach for the notebook. Instead, she looked mysterious. "Something big has happened in the town. Qinglin Town has made a name for itself across the entire county. Guess what it is."
"Don’t keep me in suspense. Just tell me," Hou Weidong said.
Yang Xinchun spoke with excitement, her words tumbling out. "Today, when I went to the government office to pick up the newspaper, I heard Yang Feng saying that Mayor Qin, Mayor Huang, and Station Chief Huang went to Wangcheng Villa to find girls and were caught by the police."
Hou Weidong knew that Mayor Qin frequently visited Wangcheng Villa; he had accompanied him there several times. He also knew that the villa hosted hostesses, having witnessed it himself. When Yang Xinchun mentioned this, he immediately believed her.
Wangcheng Villa was remote and secluded. It was rumored to have powerful backing, and the owner had repeatedly assured guests that the police would never raid the place. "One walks too many dark paths and eventually meets a ghost," Hou Weidong sighed. But then he paused, sensing something amiss. "How could it be so coincidental? To catch Qin Feiyue red-handed?"
Yang Xinchun, caught up in her excitement, didn’t notice Hou Weidong’s silence. She pursed her lips and added, "Qin Feiyue always put on such a dignified front, acting like a proper gentleman. Who would have thought he was such a big rogue."
The comment was harsh. Hou Weidong’s expression turned serious. "Rumors heard from others are not trustworthy. Sister Yang, as a brother, I advise you: be careful what you say. Misfortune often comes from loose lips."
Yang Xinchun realized she had overstepped. "I only told you because I trust you."
Hou Weidong then asked, "What are the specific details?"
Yang Xinchun huffed, "I only heard half of it. Hmph, even if I had heard it all, I wouldn’t tell you. You’re too proper."
As Hou Weidong went upstairs, Deputy Township Head Gao poked his head out the door. "University Student Hou, come in. I have something to tell you."
"Something has happened in the town. Secretary Zhao just called my home," Deputy Head Gao said, his expression agitated. "He said Mayor Qin, Mayor Huang, and Station Chief Huang were arrested by the police for soliciting prostitutes. In the past year or two, karaoke halls have sprung up everywhere in the city, and there are plenty of hostesses. Many cadres have been dragged down by this. This time, Qinglin Town has made a huge fool of itself. Even the mayor was arrested. The County Party Committee and County Government will certainly view the Qinglin leadership team differently. The negative impact will take years to erase."
Hou Weidong thought to himself: Qin Feiyue was too flamboyant. He visited Wangcheng Villa too frequently. This time, he must have been set up. He asked, "I still don’t fully understand what happened. Can you explain?"
"I’m not entirely clear either," Gao replied. "Secretary Zhao only said they were caught for prostitution. He instructed the work group to monitor the situation, forbade staff from discussing it, and ordered the group to urge each village to continue their normal work. Under no circumstances should this incident affect the development of Qinglin Town."
Hou Weidong reflected: With that one phone call from Zhao Yongsheng, Qin Feiyue’s reputation is ruined. He will likely find it impossible to remain in Qinglin, let alone compete with Zhao for power and prestige.
Although everyone was instructed to keep quiet, the news spread like a flood bursting through a dam, quickly permeating Shangqinglin. Qin Dajiang, Zeng Xiangang, and others called to inquire. Hou Weidong answered them all with the same response: "I don’t know." Although he was curious, he refused to get entangled in the struggle between Zhao and Qin. He suppressed his curiosity, avoiding any discussion or investigation of the matter. Furthermore, his daily workload was heavy, leaving him no time to care about such political dramas.
Three days later, the truth emerged.
On June 16, Qin Feiyue had held a meeting with some enterprise leaders in the town. Afterwards, Qin Feiyue, the chubby Mayor Huang, Station Chief Huang, Zhou Qiang, Yang Jiafu, and others drove back to Yiyang City and went to Wangcheng Villa for a night of eating, drinking, and entertainment. Usually, after drinking, Qin Feiyue would request the most attractive hostess for a massage and some intimacy. However, that day, having recently fulfilled his marital duties, he lacked interest. The group instead played mahjong in the card room.
Only the chubby Mayor Huang had a strong appetite. He found a new hostess to satisfy his desires. While they were in the midst of their activities, officers from the local police station raided the room and caught him in the act.
Qin Feiyue narrowly escaped disaster. However, bringing subordinates to play mahjong during work hours, while his deputy was soliciting prostitutes nearby, was an incident that could not be easily explained away. He was summoned by the County Discipline Inspection Commission for questioning. Upon returning, he submitted a sick leave request to the County Government Office and left Qinglin Town.
Qin Feiyue’s ignominious exit left Zhao Yongsheng with absolute control over Qinglin Town.
When Hou Weidong first arrived in Shangqinglin, he had sought a way forward by advocating for road construction. Qin Feiyue had strongly supported this initiative. Remembering this favor, Hou Weidong traveled to Yiyang, bought four packs of high-quality cigarettes, and visited Qin Feiyue, who was confined to his home.
After Qin’s scandal, only two people from the Qinglin Town Government had visited him: Deputy Mayor Su Ming and Hou Weidong. This gesture surprised and moved Qin Feiyue. That evening, he insisted that Hou Weidong stay for dinner. Qin opened a bottle of 1985 Moutai. As they drank, Qin inadvertently revealed that the county was preparing to establish a Development Zone. He would serve as the deputy head of the preparatory group, with a deputy county mayor serving as the head.
Hearing this news, Hou Weidong thought: Kindness is rewarded. It was worth making this trip.
As Hou Weidong prepared to leave, Qin Feiyue walked him to the door. He gripped Hou Weidong’s hand and said, "Time reveals true character. Hou Weidong, you are a good man. Continue your work in Qinglin Town with peace of mind. Once the Development Zone is officially established, we will need to recruit new staff. If you are willing to join the Development Zone, just let me know."