Chapter 150: Rest in Peace (Part 3)
Zhao Yongsheng, Su Ming, Hou Weidong, Liu Kun, Tang Shugang, Su Yajun, Ouyang Lin, Fu Jiang, and others were gathered in the small conference room. After listening to the report on the situation in Xingping Village, Zhao Yongsheng spoke up.
"Hou, as the divisional leader of the Social Affairs Office and the designated leader overseeing Xingping Village, you have full authority to handle this matter. I have only one requirement: your first three moves must be firm. You need to set an example. If you show weakness now, you will face even more trouble later."
Su Ming added, "Short-term pain is better than long-term suffering. We must make the decision to exhume the body. If we don't do it today, the funeral reform policy will remain nothing more than empty words on paper. In the past, when people died, families buried them at night to avoid detection. We cannot let that continue."
Liu Kun observed Hou Weidong’s stressed expression and thought to himself, Hou Weidong has really gotten himself into a tight spot this time. He is in charge of this arduous task. If he succeeds, it is merely fulfilling his duty; if anything goes wrong, he will bear the leadership responsibility. In comparison, the Deputy Secretary’s ranking was higher, but the direct responsibility was not as heavy.
Hou Weidong felt the weight of the pressure tangibly. Chinese people have always valued the tradition of "resting in peace" through burial. The idea of forcibly digging up a body that had already been laid to rest made him feel reluctant and uneasy. However, there was no other way. He told himself, My luck is bad today. If this family were wealthy, they would have paid the fees, and we wouldn't be facing such a messy situation. He tried to comfort himself further: Since this family couldn't even borrow five thousand yuan, their social connections must be weak. There shouldn't be too much resistance.
Having reasoned it out, Hou Weidong said firmly, "Secretary Zhao, Mayor Su, my decision is made. No matter how great the difficulties, the body must be exhumed."
Zhao Yongsheng understood the difficulty of the task. He picked up the phone and called Director Qin. "Director Qin, you worked hard yesterday. Ha! Your presence on the ground carries more威慑 (deterrence) than us office workers. I need you to step up again today. Another person has passed away in Xingping Village."
It was unclear what Director Qin said in response. Zhao Yongsheng’s smile paused for a moment before he said, "Alright. Leave this matter to me."
After hanging up, Zhao Yongsheng turned to Hou Weidong. "I’ve arranged it with Director Qin. The entire police station will be deployed today. Rely on Director Qin when you are on site. The bottom line is: we cannot allow any major incidents to occur."
He then turned to Ouyang Lin. "Director Ouyang, issue a notice immediately. Each office should leave only one person on duty. Everyone else will follow Mayor Hou to Xingping Village."
He also gave instructions to Tang Shugang. "Mayor Tang, you go assist Hou Weidong."
Tang Shugang looked troubled. "The Work Safety Bureau is coming to Shangqinglin for an inspection this afternoon. I need to attend."
Following the previous accident, the Work Safety Bureau had ordered all stone quarries to halt operations for rectification. They could only resume work after passing the inspection, which was a significant matter. Zhao Yongsheng nodded. "Go ahead."
Deputy Mayor Zhong Ruihua was attending a meeting in the county seat, leaving Deputy Secretary Liu Kun as the only other deputy available. Zhao Yongsheng thought for a moment and said, "Secretary Liu, you will go with Mayor Hou. You are responsible for handling the ideological work and persuasion."
Zeng Qiang walked in from outside and addressed the leaders present. "I have contacted Section Chief Li from the Civil Affairs Bureau. The exhumation team from the Civil Affairs Bureau is on its way."
The situation was pressing, like an arrow nocked on the bow, ready to be released.
Mayor Su Ming encouraged Hou Weidong further. "Mayor Hou, you must cast aside your reservations. We are executing Order No. 6 of the County Government. We are performing official duties, and the principle is on our side. The villagers cannot create a huge wave. We just need to control the scene carefully and minimize conflicts as much as possible."
Having accepted the task, Hou Weidong began to organize the work. "Director Su, you take a few people to Xingping Village first to do the persuasion work with the family. I will bring the government officials shortly. Director Zeng, stay here and wait for the Civil Affairs Bureau personnel."
"Fu Jiang, as the township cadre stationed in the village, you must organize the village and community cadres. Carry out work to divide and persuade the opposing parties."
After giving some specific instructions, Su Yajun, Fu Jiang, Cheng Yilin, and others left for Xingping Village first. Shortly after, Hou Weidong stood in the government compound to organize the officials. Yang Feng held the attendance roster and called out names loudly.
Once the four formal police officers and three civil patrol officers from the police station had assembled, the team of over forty people set off.
The family involved in Xingping Village was much more numerous and formidable compared to the Li Mudun household. The small courtyard was packed with people. Some argued with reason, while others acted hysterically, taking turns performing their grievances in front of the town and village cadres. By the time Hou Weidong entered the house, Su Yajun’s voice was already hoarse, and Yan Daoli was sweating profusely, constantly trying to support the argument. However, judging by their expressions, they had clearly failed to persuade the family.
When the main group arrived, Yang Feng and a few other girls utilized their sharp tongues, squeezing into the family’s courtyard and engaging in a verbal battle with the relatives.
The policies had been read aloud countless times, so the arguments had lost their meaning. Hou Weidong did not speak much. He stood in the courtyard, waiting for the exhumation team organized by the Civil Affairs Bureau.
The previous night, staying in the empty grain station flat, thinking about the hair strands fluttering in the wind on the wooden boards, he had felt a palpitation in his heart. Family planning and funeral reform—these two issues concerning life and death were basic national policies. In fashionable terms, they were matters that benefited the present and merited praise for generations to come. However, when these "great good deeds" reached the grassroots level and required facing contradictions directly, handling them became exceptionally difficult. The degree of difficulty was something that cadres working in study rooms could never understand.
Hou Weidong thought to himself, Many newspapers and magazines say that township cadres are bandits. But who can understand the difficulties of township cadres?
After the tax system reform, the county and township finances were separated, meaning they had to "eat from separate stoves." Townships bore heavy responsibilities but had little power and weak financial resources. To maintain basic expenditures, the township government placed great importance on retention and统筹 (统筹 – comprehensive planning fees). The main work of stationed cadres was collecting money. Due to this working relationship, most stationed cadres had poor relations with the villagers.
Amidst the noise, the exhumation team from the Civil Affairs Bureau finally arrived. The team was not a formal unit; it was temporarily assembled by the Civil Affairs Bureau for funeral reform. The personnel were migrant workers who worked at the funeral home. The Civil Affairs Bureau offered them a preferential rate: a subsidy of one hundred yuan per person for each body exhumed from the ground, and the local government matched this with another one hundred yuan. In other words, just by making one trip, each person could earn two hundred yuan. This was considered a high income in Yiyang.
Heavy rewards produce brave men. Moreover, since they already worked in the funeral home, exhuming a body was a trivial matter for them, whereas for others, it was a terrifying event.
Hou Weidong exchanged a glance with Su Yajun and then approached the eldest son of the deceased, a burly large man. Hou Weidong spoke with a firm attitude: "According to Order No. 6 of the Yiyang County Government, we will take compulsory measures. We hope you will cooperate."
This naturally caused an uproar. The family members were indignant. Hou Weidong ignored them and decisively commanded the government officials to proceed to the burial site. The resistance encountered this time was far stronger than the previous day. The government officials formed several rows, protecting the exhumation team from the Civil Affairs Bureau.
The members of the exhumation team were mostly in their forties. They appeared calm and unhurried. First, they lit joss paper and burned it in a circle. Then, they took a bottle of liquor, drank two sips, and poured some onto their hands and towels. Only then did they pick up their hoes and shovels and begin digging the soil.
Once the family members were blocked by the human wall formed by dozens of government officials, a scuffle broke out. As the sound of digging echoed from within the human wall, the family members became agitated. Several of them picked up carrying poles and wooden sticks and charged forward.
Director Qin, along with Police Officer Zhou Qiang and other officers and civil patrol officers, stood on the periphery, observing the development of the situation. When the two sides exchanged punches, the police did not intervene. However, when the villagers used tools, the nature of the incident changed. Director Qin led several officers forward, shouting loudly, "Put down the weapons!"
The police uniforms represented the state’s coercive power, and the villagers were still cautious. Soon, the crowd mixed together, and the carrying poles and wooden sticks were confiscated and thrown to the ground.
In the chaos, Hou Weidong was punched in the face. A burst of stars flashed before his eyes, and his face felt wet and burning. Anger surged within him. Taking advantage of the confusion, he kicked the buttocks of a black-skinned giant who was shouting the loudest. He put considerable force into the kick. The giant, who was being held back by Zeng Qiang, stumbled forward, pulling Zeng Qiang down to the ground with him.
Once the body was lifted from the ground, the township government officials protected the exhumation team and retreated toward the township government.
Watching this chaotic scene, Yan Daoli stood on the slope, furious and cursing. He cursed the family, cursed the township government, and finally cursed Hou Weidong relentlessly.
Director Qin had a scratch mark on his face from a woman’s nails. The police station had Type 54 pistols, but he did not dare to bring them out in this situation. He only carried an electric baton. After his face was scratched, he took out the baton. The strong current emitted a "crackling" sound, serving only as a threat, not actual force. Meanwhile, a civil patrol officer holding a rubber truncheon, a recently discharged Armed Police soldier with a fiery temper, swung the truncheon wildly over people’s heads.
The exhumation team, carrying the stretcher, ran away like the wind under the protection of the government officials.
Seeing the body taken away, the family members realized the situation was lost and gradually stopped pursuing. They merely stood there, cursing the retreating backs of the government officials.
By the time they returned to the township government, it was nearly one o’clock. It was May, and the weather was already hot, with midday temperatures approaching thirty degrees. Many people walked into the township government compound with bare chests. Seeing bottles of mineral water placed at the gate, each took one and drank greedily.
During lunch, many people had injuries on their faces. Hou Weidong had a cut near the bridge of his nose, close to his eyebrow. After treatment in the infirmary, it looked like a clown’s white nose. When he appeared in the cafeteria, everyone looked at him and laughed.
Cheng Yilin returned to the office, prepared a list of personnel who participated in the Xingping Village operation, collected money from the finance office, and went to the cafeteria. Everyone signed to receive their money, then drank and ate together.
After the meal, Hou Weidong returned to his office, feeling uneasy. "Resting in peace" is a custom that has lasted for thousands of years. To eradicate it in a short period is no easy task. If we continue like this, what will happen? An incident might occur any day.
However, if they did not proceed this way, funeral reform would remain an empty promise. Since starting his work, Hou Weidong had encountered many difficulties, but none had placed such immense pressure on him as this event.